COLD!

When it arrives; tips to be prepared

The coldest week in years will be hitting southeast Louisiana this week, with temperatures Tuesday and Friday predicted below freezing.

The first blast is the greater challenge, and knowing the timing of the arrival of the cold is just essential.

Monday evening at sunset, temperatures are predicted at around 60 degrees, but the rain will arrive as the sun goes down.

Be finished with all your errands and preparations by Monday sunset

Get to the store, finish those essential errands, bring in the animals!

Temperatures at 7:00 Tuesday morning are predicted at 33 degrees. The day will be frigid, windy, unpleasant. And Tuesday evening will see temperatures as low as 25 degrees and wind gusts from the north up to 20 miles an hour.

Prepare Your House For the Cold!

Blankets that will go unused on the bed or couch should be draped over north-facing windows - drape them inside your home - or any set of windows that are drafty. So many houses in southeast Louisiana have been ‘settling’ and the corners don’t meet at the tight right angles that they used to. Each of these points are entryways for cold air!

Keep the garage door closed!

Reduce the exterior exposure of your house by keeping the garage door closed, especially since so much plumbing can be found exposed inside garages.

A PENCIL LEAD THIN FLOW OF WATER IN KITCHEN AND BATH!

Moving water won’t freeze, so keep the water moving with a thin stream of water from your sink faucets in kitchen and bath. Give priority to the sink that is the farthest point away from the main water source.

You don’t need to overdo it! Problems with water pressure result if everyone flows too much water. Think of the lead inside a pencil, and you’re perfect! And keep the cabinet doors open under the sinks in your home to allow warm air inside, too!

Detach ALL garden hoses outside!

Unscrew the hoses and let them drain. Outdoor faucets should be wrapped and exterior pipes insulated if possible. Think also of the wind! North facing faucets and the north facing wall of your home gets priority!

Bring in animals and plants!

Wrap plants outside that will be damaged by the cold. You can’t save everything, so prioritize what’s most beautiful and valuable to you. If you place a bag over the plants, take it down to the ground and capture some heat from the ground as well.

And make arrangements for the animals to be warm, too!

If the house is unoccupied, shut off water at the main and open taps!

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Should you wake up and the water isn’t flowing right away, don’t panic. A bit of a 'slushy’ effect could be enough to impede water flow without busting any pipes. The water will flow eventually.

You’ll want to be in and cozy from sunset Monday through Wednesday morning.

We’ll all get through this easy-peasy-chilly!

the bec