Prepare for a heavy snowstorm by stocking essentials before roads become difficult, checking your heating and safety equipment, protecting vulnerable pipes, and knowing how to respond if power or heat fails. The National Weather Service identifies loss of heat, power, telephone service, and access to supplies as the main home concerns during a winter storm.
What should you do before a heavy snowstorm?
Use the forecast to set your timing: prepare while stores and roads are accessible, then keep monitoring official local forecasts and alerts as the storm approaches. Snowstorm impacts vary by location and home, so follow local emergency-management and utility instructions for conditions in your area.
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Build a home supply kit
The National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant Hill recommends keeping at least three days of non-perishable food, water, and medications. That is a baseline recommendation, not a quantity tailored to every household; account for the people and pets who rely on your supplies.
- Food that does not need cooking or refrigeration, plus drinking water.
- Prescription and other essential medications, along with first-aid supplies.
- Flashlights and spare batteries.
- A battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio or portable radio so you can receive information if household power or internet service is interrupted.
- Supplies for infants, pets, and household members with specific medical, dietary, or mobility needs.
Check that radios, flashlights, and alarms work before the weather deteriorates. Charge phones and other essential devices as the storm approaches, and bring pets indoors with food and water.
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Check heat and home safety
If your heating system depends on fuel deliveries, check the supply early; closed or hazardous roads can delay deliveries. Before the storm, test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, and check that chimneys, vents, and exhaust outlets are clear. Snow can block vents, so keep them clear during and after snowfall as well.
Inspect the chimney and address ordinary winterization needs, such as caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows, insulating exposed pipes and the attic, and cleaning gutters. These are general preventive measures, not a guarantee against storm damage; the right work depends on the home and local climate.
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How do you keep pipes from freezing?
Before the storm, insulate exposed pipes and look for drafts near plumbing, especially where pipes run through colder parts of the home. Weather-strip or caulk drafts around doors and windows, and insulate the attic where appropriate. These steps can reduce exposure to cold, but no general checklist can guarantee that pipes will not freeze in every home or climate.
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How should you use backup heat and a generator safely?
Use heating equipment only as its manufacturer instructs, and observe its fire-safety precautions. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, dangerous hazard associated with improper use of fuel-burning equipment. A working CO alarm is an important safety measure, but it does not make unsafe indoor use acceptable.
- Never run a generator in an enclosed space. The National Weather Service Weather-Ready Nation infographic says portable generators should be outdoors at least 20 feet from doors, windows, and garages.
- Keep snow clear of vents and exhaust outlets.
- Do not use charcoal indoors, and do not use a stove or oven to heat your home.
- Do not assume that opening a window or providing ventilation makes indoor generator use safe.
Use a battery-powered radio to follow official updates if internet or telephone service is interrupted. Stay indoors during dangerous conditions when possible, and heed local instructions if officials advise a different action.
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How do you choose what to prepare for?
Prioritize equipment and supplies that remain useful during a power interruption and match the needs of your household. For information, a battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio is a practical option specifically recommended by the National Weather Service. For heat, consider only equipment suitable for your home’s system and usable exactly as its safety instructions require. Stock quantities should reflect household size, prescriptions, infant or pet care, and other specific needs; local climate and the layout of your home also affect winterization choices.
Quick Recap
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