Monday’s forecast of significant snowfall did not pan out, so you won’t find photos of homeowners shoveling snow or snowplows clearing streets in this issue of The Tribune. But the City of Hutchinson Public Works Department was ready in case enough snow fell to accumulate, as you can read in Charles Melton’s story about the department’s preparation.
Public Works Director Cecil Weible and his staff recognize that the time to prepare—to make sure you have the right knowledge, tools, and supplies to deal with winter weather—is before the first snowflake has fallen.
That doesn’t apply just to public works departments. Are you ready for snow, ice, and cold, both at home and in your vehicles?
These things aren’t rocket science, but when you are hosting or traveling for Thanksgiving, hanging Christmas lights, putting up the tree, shopping for gifts, and going to any number of holiday-themed events, it can help to stop and think about being ready for the weather.
Home winterization
The first step to winterizing your home is to turn off the water to any exterior water spigots or lawn irrigation systems and drain those pipes. They are among the highest risks for frozen pipes, and you shouldn’t need them over the winter anyway.
Interior pipes, especially along exterior walls, are also at risk of freezing and bursting when the weather is bitterly cold. To reduce that risk, you can wrap pipes in insulation. When the weather is extremely cold, you can also open cabinets to expose pipes to the warmer air circulating inside, and opening faucets just enough to slowly drip can reduce the risk of pipes bursting.
Insulating drafty doors or windows with weather stripping or caulk and replacing the air filter for your furnace can help keep your home more comfortable.
If you have a fireplace that you plan to use, make sure everything is in working order first.
Home supplies
Home supplies for winter fall into three main categories: staying warm in your house, being ready to deal with snow or ice, and being ready to stay put if you get snowed in, including if snow or ice knocks out utilities.
Staying warm is all about layers. That includes clothing and blankets. Nice warm socks and slippers are great, as are sweatshirts, sweaters, knit caps, and mittens.
For snow and ice, do you have a shovel or a snowblower? If you have a snowblower, is it working, and do you have enough fuel? And get salt to melt ice before you need it, because when you need it, the chances of stores being sold out quickly go up.
We advise readers to begin clearing sidewalks and driveways early. The longer the snow sits there, the more chance it has to turn into ice. And if you have the time and strength, clearing a neighbor’s sidewalk—especially if your neighbor would have difficulty shoveling snow themselves—is a clear, if tiring, way to be a good neighbor.
If an extreme winter storm comes through and you are snowed in—and especially if it knocks out power—you will want to have nonperishable food that can be eaten without needing to be cooked on hand. It’s also best to refill any prescriptions that are running low before a major winter storm.
If your pipes freeze, you will also want to have bottled drinking water. The National Weather Service advises having at least 3 gallons per person in the home. Having some disposable dishes is also useful if your pipes are frozen.
Vehicle winterization
When conditions are cold and icy is not the time you want your car to fail you, but it is among the times when it is most likely to happen. Car batteries are more likely to die in the cold, so check your battery, test it, and replace it if necessary. Check the oil, coolant, and wiper fluid levels and add fluids as needed.
You should also ensure your tires are in good condition before driving in slick conditions. Do they have enough tread? Bridgestone, the tire manufacturer, recommends the penny test to see if you still have the minimum recommended 2/32’’ of tread. If you can see all of Lincoln’s head when placing a penny head-first into a tire’s tread ribs, you may need to get new tires.
Vehicle supplies
It’s possible to do all the right car maintenance and still find your car stuck in a snowdrift, in a ditch or with a dead battery. If that happens, do you have what you need to get your car unstuck? Or do you have things to stay warm until someone can pull you out?
Keeping a snow shovel and something gritty like sand or cat litter in your car can help you get unstuck. If that isn’t enough to get unstuck, you will want supplies to stay comfortable enough until assistance can arrive—blankets, sleeping bags, or spare hats and mittens to stay warm, and non-perishable snacks to stave off hunger.
If you do get stuck in the snow, please keep your tailpipe clear of any snow before running the car. A blocked tailpipe increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning in the car.
Jumper cables are a good thing to have, whether your car is the one with a dead battery or you are the good Samaritan assisting someone else stranded with a dead battery.
This is less of an emergency essential, but we also recommend making sure you have a good ice scraper in your car before you need it. Sure, you had one last winter; can you find it now?
But the best way to avoid getting stuck in severe winter weather is to exercise good judgment about when to travel. When possible, let the road crews do their job, and when you do get on roads that are snowy or icy, drive like you’re more interested in getting to your destination than in getting there right now.
–The Hutchinson Tribune Editorial Board