Village Offers Tips For Enduring Extreme Cold In Western Springs

Press release from the Village of Western Springs:

Temperatures have dropped significantly, and are expected to remain well below freezing for at least the next week.

The Village of La Grange/Amita Hospital is offering a local warming center for those in need. Cook County is also offering area warming centers, some with transportation available.

Here are some home maintenance tips to prevent damage from extremely low temperatures:

• Faucets - Keep faucets at the lowest level of your home trickling during the duration of the extreme cold. Trickling water will keep the water in your pipes flowing and reduce the risk of freezing.
• Hose Water Lines - Disconnect or turn off the water supply from inside your home to your garden hose. These water lines are highly susceptible to freezing as they run directly to the outside wall.
• Water Pipes - Open bathroom and kitchen cabinets to allow warm air to circulate around plumbing. Keep garage doors closed if plumbing is running through the garage.
• In-House Humidifiers - Any homes with in-house humidifiers should turn them down/off until the extreme weather passes. In-house humidifiers can create attic condensation issues during extreme weather temperatures.
• Thermostat Settings – Consider keeping your thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night.
• Power Outage - If you lose power, turn off the water entering your home. All homes should have a water shutoff on your water line, before and after the water meter. Keep the faucets at the lowest level of your home open so that the entire plumbing system can drain. Report power outages immediately at: https://www.comed.com/Outages/ReportAnOutage/pages/default.aspx/

And remember:

• Avoid placing portable heaters near curtains or other flammable materials, and always turn them off when not in use and before going to bed.
• Never use your oven for heat or bring charcoal or gas grills indoors - they are a carbon monoxide hazard.
• Keep moving- your body generates its own heat when you engage in physical activity.

Additional information on winter safety can be found at: https://cookcountyemergencymanagement.org/winter-safety.

Stay warm!

This press release was produced by the Village of Western Springs. The views expressed are the author's own.