Winter Storm Prep Tips

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Dallas friends, the time is here. Winter is coming. This week. Like tomorrow. In the past few years, we've had days without power, burst pipes, flooded kitchens. Let’s do EVERYTHING we can to be prepared for the upcoming freeze.

Here are some of our pro tips and some of our family favorites for snow days.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BISHOP ARTS DISTRICT

  1. Foundation

    Pier + Beam: you should have vents that allow air to pass through your crawl space. During the summer/spring/fall, these should remain open so that moisture doesn’t collect underneath your home. In the winter, these vents should be covered in order to keep the warm air inside.

  2. Pipes/Plumbing

    If you have any exposed pipes on the outside of the home - think hose bibs or spigots, these should be covered and insulated. Your general hardware store should have options for foam hose bib covers. Any above ground pipes should be insulated - this is available at your location hardware store and DIY friendly. If you have places where cold is concentrated - like an outside wall, a bathroom on the corner of the house - then keeping those spaces as warm as possible in order to keep them from freezing. Keeping a space heater handy if your pipes freeze is also helpful. You can use it to warm up the space as long as you have electricity.

  3. Drafts

    Make sure your exterior doors and windows have a good seal on them. Drafty doors and windows lead to escaping heat and result in a higher electric bill. Most hardware stores have foam-thresholds you can add to exterior doors that are very inexpensive if replacing isn’t in the budget.

  4. Home Generators

    Getting a full-time home generator is expensive. It has a long wait time usually and require a permit from the city. Having an electrician add a sub-panel that allows for a generator connection doesn't require the above expenses and time. You can then use specific appliances (on breakers) as needed when the power fails. This is a fairly inexpensive cost and will make sure your fridge stays cold and your toes stay warm during the next power loss. If you’re going to use any heat source, please make sure you have CO2 monitors throughout your home. CO2 is highly poisonous and untraceable by smell. You won’t know you’ve been poisoned until it is too late.

  5. Flashlights + Power Sources

    Go ahead and stock up on batteries for your flashlights, headlamps, camp lanterns. There are also puck lites available at your hardware store that are battery powered and can light an entire room. Charging items like back up batteries and entertainment devices like kindles and iPads are a huge must before you’re stuck without them.

  6. Clothing

    We are a home that loves the cold. And by we I mean 1/2 of us. We have a set of thermal underwear for all of our family. We also have insulated gloves. We also love to ski so those are just with our ski gear. Warm layers and a place to hang them while they dry after snow play is a MUST. Hand-warmers are a favorite here. They stay warm for hours. I have a friend who loves her heated vest. It is also battery powered so she never has to worry about it not being ready for use.

  7. Food

    If you’re not in a position to have access to a generator and you’re stuck without power, you’re going to want to be able to continue to feed your family. This means having a supply of MRE (Meals-Ready-to-Eat) that only require water, or have access to a camp stove. PLEASE do not use propane items inside your home or any closed space - like a garage. If you have a gas range, usually it can be lit without power. Use a lighter to ignite and you’ll be able to make soup, oatmeal, tea, coffee, reheat meals, and more. One of the many bonuses of natural gas! You’ll also need plenty of bottled water if your pipes freeze. If you have a gas water heater, thankfully you won’t have to worry about taking a cold shower. Enjoy the ability to get and stay warm with a bath or a hot shower.

  8. Fun and Toys!

    Go right now and buy a sled on amazon. It will be here before the snow/ice. I promise it will be worth it when the kids are outside playing for hours!


    Be careful out there, Dallas. Stay home and enjoy the snow day if we get one!