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Escambia County Offers More Frigid Cold Weather Tips

As the area faces more record cold tonight, Escambia County officials said is important to prepare your family, pets and home for winter weather.

Protecting People

• Stay indoors, dress warmly and use safe heating sources.
• Dress warmly. Layers can be removed to prevent perspiration and chill. Outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent. Mittens are warmer than gloves because fingers generate warmth when they touch each other.

Pets

• Do not leave pets out in the cold – if you are cold, they are cold.
• Bring all pets indoors and make sure they have a warm blanket to lie on, as well as plenty of food and water.
• If pets must stay outdoors, provide a pet house or other type of shelter and line the bottom with plenty of blankets or hay along with extra food and water. Try installing a light bulb flood light in the pet house at a safe distance away from the pet to avoid burns. The heat from the bulb will help keep them warm. However, do not use light bulbs when bedding with hay.
• When tethering an animal, be sure you are within the legal parameters with Escambia County.

Pipes

Water expands when it freezes and can shatter pipe seals or the pipes themselves, sending water pouring through your house if ice forms. You can avoid thousands of dollars of damage to your home by taking a few simple measures to protect your home:

• Use faucet covers, wrap rags, paper, trash bags or plastic foam around faucets and outdoor pipes.
• Cover any vents around your home´s foundation.
• Protect outdoor electrical pumps and bring water hoses indoors.
• Open the cabinets under the sinks in your kitchen and bathrooms to allow heated indoor air to circulate around water pipes.
• Insulate your outdoor water meter box and be sure its lid is secure.
• If you have a swimming pool, either drain the circulation system or keep the pump motor running. Run the pump motor only in a short freeze. Running the motor for long periods could cause damage.
• Let faucets drip, but do not run a big stream of water.
• If you leave town, consider turning off your water at the shut-off valve while faucets are running to drain your pipes. Make sure the faucets are turned off before you turn the shut-off valve back on.
• If you drain your pipes, contact your electric or gas utility for instructions on protecting your water heater.

If Pipes Freeze

• Turn off the water at the shut-off valve and call a plumber for help.
• Do not use lamps or electrical appliances to thaw frozen pipes. Leaking water from thawing pipes could cause a short and you can be electrocuted.
• If you try to thaw your own pipes, apply heat slowly, and move the heat toward the coldest spot on the pipe. Never concentrate heat in one spot – cracking ice can shatter a pipe.

Practice Fire Safety

• Use extra care with supplemental heating units.
• Make sure that all-combustible materials such as drapes or chairs are at least three feet away from any heating unit.
• Avoid using flammable liquids to start fireplaces and do not leave a fireplace unattended.
• Most importantly, check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are working properly.

Plants

• Water your plants thoroughly. The water will act as an insulator. Dry plants are more susceptible to freezing.
• After watering, cover plants with a breathable material, such as fabric not plastic.
• Place mulch at the base of your plants and do not prune prior to a freeze. Pruning encourages soft growth, which is susceptible to freezing. Spraying the leaves of plants with liquid seaweed will also toughen them against cold.