Tammie Millen reacts to the cold wind as she takes an exercise walk around the track at Blacksburg High School on Wednesday.

Weather forecasters are predicting blustery temperatures, prompting officials to issue heating safety tips and recommendations for residents to protect pipes, animals and to check on the elderly.

The National Weather Service is predicting an overnight low Wednesday of 13 degrees, with wind chills at zero or 5 below zero. Thursday, temperatures aren't expected to get above freezing with a high of 30 degrees and an overnight low of 19 degrees.

The weather service has issued a wind chill advisory from midnight Wednesday to 9 a.m. Thursday.

Most local hardware and department stores are sold out of outside faucet covers and cedar shavings used in dog houses. Store owners also said kerosene and space heaters are selling fast.

Charlie Patton, of Ace Hardware in Gaffney, said plenty of pipe insulation is available to protect exposed pipes and a few kerosene heaters remain in stock. Irwin Ace Hardware officials said they will likely receive a shipment of outdoor faucet covers Thursday morning.

The state fire marshal issued fire and heating safety tips Wednesday, urging people to check smoke alarms to make sure they work. People who can't afford a smoke alarm can call their local fire department to have an alarm installed, said Spartanburg Fire Chief Marion Blackwell.

State Fire Marshal Bert Polk said fire deaths increase 63 percent in the winter months.

Last year, there were 14 fire deaths in Spartanburg County a grave spike from prior years and twice as many as any other county statewide.

If you have a space heater, it's important to keep it at least 3 feet away from any furniture or equipment, Blackwell said. Many times, people want to put them close to the bed, but it can catch fire. A dog or cat can accidentally knock them over, too, so it's important to watch them carefully.

Continued here:
Spartanburg County prepares for extreme cold weather

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As the snow piles up and temperatures hit below freezing, the heating systems in our homes start to put in some serious work. Everything from water heaters and vents, to generators and warming up cars. As Brian Dwyer reports, you have to be very careful to avoid the dangers of carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas, which can cause sudden illness and death. Find out more on how to prevent CO poisoning on the CDC's website.

It's called the silent killer. You can't see carbon monoxide. You can't smell it. You can't even taste it in the air.

"Our body has an affinity to use carbon monoxide to replace the oxygen in our body," Herman said about why it's so dangerous.

It can hit you in minutes. That's the danger. In the winter months, that danger can be anywhere. As we crank up the furnace and the hot water heaters, one bad pipe, one gap or rust hole and that gas gets into our air.

Watertown Fire Department officials said a professional should take a look at least once a year.

"I don't think it's that expensive. It's a good insurance policy that number one, your furnace is going to work when you need it and number two, they'll pick up those issues that you typically wouldn't," Watertown Fire Captain and public education officer Theodore Kolb said.

You also need to check the outside vent that gas goes to. If it's not a chimney, there's a chance it's lower on the outer wall of your home. Any blockage and that gas gets shoved right back in your air.

"Now that the snow has been pushed up against the home, you've got to make sure those vents are kept clear for incoming air and exhaust air," Chief Herman added.

See original here:
Winter Cautions with Carbon Monoxide

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Originally posted here:
Parents Report Icy Conditions At Local Elementary School

Use this checklist to help inspect your house from roof to foundation.

If a potential buyer drives up to your home and is immediately greeted by an unkempt lawn and shrubbery, a shabby old mailbox and shutters that are long overdue for a repainting, they probably won't give a second thought to buying it. That's why it's important to ramp up your home's curb appeal in advance of putting it on the market.

Use our checklist to take an inventory of your home's exterior and pinpoint areas for needed improvement:

Repair or replace loose, damaged or blistered shingles.

Clean gutters and downspout strainers.

Check gutters for leaks and proper alignment.

Inspect flashings around roof stacks, vents, skylights and chimneys.

Clear obstructions from vents, louvers and chimneys.

Check fascias and soffits for decay and peeling paint.

Inspect chimney for any loose or missing mortar.

Read the original post:
Seller's Checklist: Add Some Curb Appeal

With dangerous winter weather in the forecast, Home Instead Senior Care says now is the time for seniors and their loved ones to brush up on cold weather safety tips.

Winter can be a difficult time, as the harsh conditions especially impact seniors, said Jeff Huber, president of Home Instead, Inc. We want to make sure seniors and their loved ones are aware of simple ways they can stay safe and warm throughout the season.

Those over the age of 65 account for nearly half of all hypothermia deaths. As the body ages, the ability to maintain a normal internal body temperature decreases, creating an insensitivity to moderately cold temperatures. Seniors may not realize they are putting themselves at risk until symptoms appear. Symptoms of hypothermia include: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness. If symptoms are present, immediate medical attention is necessary.

The leading reason for hypothermia in the elderly is due to poorly heated homes, which is entirely preventable. Follow these simple tips to ensure a warm household.

Stay Warm: Keep the thermostat at 65 degrees, at least. Consistently check it to make sure your home is sufficiently warm. Even as heating costs rise, your safety should be a priority.

Put a carbon monoxide detector near where you sleep.

Ensure that there is adequate insulation, and check and clean the fireplace and furnace. Furnace filters should be replaced monthly. Minimize drafts by filling old socks with sand and using them in drafty windowsills and door jams. Weather-strip around windows and doors. Keep doors to unused rooms closed and close curtains at night.

Add an extra blanket to the bed and warm the bed in advance with a hot water bottle. Never use an electric blanket it may be difficult to operate the controls if the temperature needs to be adjusted in the night.

Dress in layers of loose fitting clothing. If you go outside, make sure your head is covered.

Every year, more than 1.6 million seniors end up in the emergency room because of a fall. With icy conditions, the chances of falling are even greater.

Visit link:
Three Steps for Seniors to Stay Safe

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Frostbite warnings signs

What to do

Hypothermia warning signs

What to do

SOURCE: Lexington-Fayette County Health Department

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - With temperatures dropping into single digits and wind chills below zero, the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department is reminding people to use caution when dealing with the cold weather.

Doctors recommend during the cold weather, you stay indoors whenever possible. However, if you must go outside, dress warmly in layered clothing, including a hat, a scarf or knit mask to cover your face and mouth, sleeves that are snug at the wrist, mittens, a water-resistant coat and water-resistant boots.

Parents should follow the same guidelines for dressing children who have to wait outside for the school bus.

Also, people with heart disease or high blood pressure should follow their doctor's advice about shoveling snow or performing other outside activities. Cold weather puts an extra strain on the heart.

Read more:
Fayette Health Commissioner shares cold weather safety tips

By STEVE EIGHINGER Staff Writer | 217-221-3377 seighinger@whig.com | @StevieDirtWHIG

QUINCY -- Holy cow, it's been cold outside.

Relief from the recent bitterly cold temperatures should arrive by the weekend, but don't expect conditions in West-Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri to resemble anything close to balmy.

Most of Wednesday's recorded temperatures danced around the zero mark. At some point this weekend, the thermometer should creep above the freezing level -- hardly a cause for celebration, but less of a chance for frostbite.

Julie Kramer, a Quincy native who now lives in Costa Mesa, Calif., has been in town visiting family and friends.

"I'm cold to the bone," Kramer said.

Kramer said the best way for her to handle the frigid conditions she is no longer used to is to do some California dreamin'.

"It was 82 there on Tuesday and in the 70s on Wednesday," she was happy to report.

Most residents seem to be dealing with the cold in a good-natured fashion.

Judi Walden of Quincy said her ideal way to survive Mother Nature turning a cold shoulder is to stay in "heavy jammies all day and make warm comfort food."

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