Winter weather is coming.
Austin is forecast to see lows in the teens overnight Thursday into Friday and then Friday night into Saturday. Highs are forecast to be in the 30s during the day Friday before warming up into the 40s Saturday and Sunday.
Are you ready?
The cold snap won't be like the devastating conditions in February 2021 because we aren't expected to have snow, but the frigid temperatures still will make it a challenge to stay warm.
Whatever this winter brings, now is the time to prepare.
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Stock up on essentials before a Texas freeze
As we learned from winter 2021, we can't always count on our electric appliances, including ovens and refrigerators. We also can't count on our ability to get to a store or have power and heat. Here are some essentials to have ready for any stretch of cold weather or winter storm:
Multiple flashlights and batteries. Avoid using candles, which area fire hazard.
Bottled water. Keep one gallon of bottled water per person per day for drinking. Plan forseven days. Also grab extra bottles for washing dishes andbathing.
Nonperishable food and a manual can opener. Food optionsincludecanned meats, soups, vegetables andfruits;peanut and other nut butters; and pantrysnacks such asgranola bars andcrackers.
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First aid kit with bandages, alcohol wipes, antibiotic cream, burn cream, ankle wraps, thermometer, fever reducer/pain reliever, and an antihistamine like Benadryl.
Medications and medical supplies.Have at least a week's worth of medication on-hand at all times. If your medication has to be kept cold, have freezer packs and a cooler ready to go.
Warm clothing and blankets. Layers are your friends to keep you warm.
Firewood, fire starters and lighters. If you have a fireplace, that can be really helpful in staying warm.
Diapers and wipes. Have at least a week's worth.
Pet food and supplies.
A shovel and buckets. We now know the power of turning snow into water for flushing toilets. A shovel also canhelp clear snow from driveways and sidewalks.
Sand, salt or catlitter. Add traction toicy sidewalks and driveways.
Battery powered or hand crank weather radio.
Portable cellphone chargers.
Cash. If power is widely out, but roads are passible, ATMS won't be working.
Medical equipment. Have a plan for how to power any essential medical equipment you use at home. This might include a battery backup or backup generator.
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Get your car ready
Catch up on maintenance now, especially if you are traveling for the holidays. Are your tires and brakes in good shape? Try to keep your gas tank full.
Once winter weather starts, avoid driving. If you do get stuck, have an emergency kit in your car. It should include:
• Jumper cables
• Sand or catlitter
• A flashlight with extra batteries
• Warm clothes and blankets
• Bottled water and nonperishable snacks
• A scraper to scrape off ice from the car
Get your house winter ready
You might not have time to do these things before Friday's cold, but prepare for the rest of winter in the coming weeks.
Do an insurance assessment. Do you have adequate insurance if water comes in from rain, snow or a broken pipe? Does your insurance match the rise in the value of your house and the cost to rebuild your home?
Get your heater serviced. Make sure that everything is working properly before it gets any colder. Most heat pumps last about eight to 12 years. Furnaces last 10 to 15 years. Most people change out their heat pumps and furnaces with their air conditioners — which last only 10-13 years in Texas — because the systems have to be matched. In heat pumps, the compressors tend to go out; in gas furnaces, it's the igniter. Do the maintenance on your system to extend the life as long as possible.
Your heatermight need to be replaced if it is more than 15 years old, needs frequent repairs, there's an extreme increase in energy bills even when your thermostat is set on low, it's making loud or unusual noises, or the temperature is not consistent.
Check the water heater. Most water heaters last 10-12 years. New water heater standards that went into practice in 2015mean that new water heaters save more energy, but are larger and might not fit in your standard water heater closet. See if your water heater might be on it's way out, so you can make the change and possibly remodel before you have no hot water.
Get the chimney sweptand the dryer vent, too. You should get your fireplace cleaned every 50 fires, or every cord of wood for a wood-burning fireplace. While you’re at it, the same company also canclean out your dryer vent. That should be done once a year. Even if it isn’t time to clean the fireplace, make sure the damper is working and the flue is open. The chimney sweep removes the creosote that clings to the chimney and inspects it to make sure there hasn't been a chimney fire and that there are no cracks or animals taking up residence. Most fireplaces last about 20-30 years before cracks start to appear. Shifts in the foundation might add to cracking.
Never use a liquid accelerant, gasoline or charcoal in the fireplace. Instead use fire starters. A couple of household items also can do the trick. Roll dryer lint into little balls or coat cotton balls with Vaseline. You also can open up a snack pack of Doritos or Fritos and sprinkle those chips between the wood. The oil content is highly flammable.
Don't use newspaper, other kinds of paper or garbage. It can break up and fly away easily.
Make sure you leave 2 feet of space around the fireplace and use the screen whenever there is a fire going. Don't store wood or anything flammable next to it. Keep the damper open even after the fire has ended until you no longer feel heat from the fireplace.
Call the plumber.Much of the damage from 2021's winter blast came from pipes breaking. Have the plumber check for pipe leaks as well as that all the toilets are flushing properly, the faucets are not leakingand the showers have good water flow.A good rule of thumb is to dopreventative maintenance on your plumbing every six months to a year and use a water softener to help pipes avoid mineral deposits.
Stock up on pipe insulation. Buy a pipe insulator or faucet cover to slip onto anyexposedpipe or faucet when the temperature dips. If you already have pipe insulation installed, make sure it’s in good shape.
Check the attic insulation. Insulation compresses with time. Most attics are designed to have about an R-39 value, so you’ll want about 13 inches to 14 inches of insulation.
Look at the roof. Winter and spring tend to be wetter in Austin, and your roof has just taken a beating from the summer sun. Are there missing or folded-up shingles or granules falling to the ground? You want to see shingles in straight lines. If you see a dip, it could be an indication of roof rot.
Clear the gutters. This is the time of year whenthey get clogged with leaf and plant debris. You don’t want them backing up and damaging the roof.
Weather-proof around doors and windows. Check the caulking around windows and doors for leaks. Add weather stripping around the doors if you don’t have it or the old stripping is worn. This will help you keep in the heat during the winter.
Check the settling of the structure. As the weather shifts, so does your home. Doors and windows might start to stick. You might just need someone handyto adjust door and window locks. If you’re seeing cracks in the drywall and foundation, you want to call a foundation repair company to take a look.
Call the electrician. Make alist of things that aren’t workingand make one appointment to save some money.
Change the batteries in the smoke detector and carbon monoxide detectors. If you didn’t do it with the time change, what are you waiting for?
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Have a communication plan
Who do you need to check on in an emergency? Who will check on you? Printor write outnecessary phone numbers.
We rely heavily on cellphones for information now. Have a variety of portable chargers that are plugged in and ready to go in case you have a loss of power. Consider getting a solar-powered charger to use if power goes out for an extended period of time.
Be ready to leave
If it's not safe to be in your house because of pipes breaking or a lack of heat, know where you will go. Keep up to date with where emergency shelters are being set up.
Also, haveessential documents, such as insurance plans, Social Security card, driver's license, passport andbirth certificates,in one water-proof, fire-proof place that can be grabbed in an emergency.
