Get ready for the cold: DeKalb County shares tips ahead of freezing weather

 DEKALB COUNTY, GA– With freezing temperatures forecast during the next few nights, county officials are sharing the following tips for winter weather:

·       Exercise safety and use proper ventilation when operating alternative heat sources, such as fireplaces and electric heaters. Do not use an oven as a heat source. Do not bring grills, generators, kerosene heaters, and other outside heating devices inside to heat a home, as they emit poisonous carbon monoxide.

·       Keep pets inside. If animals must remain outside, ensure their food and water is not frozen.

·       Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses. Detaching the hose allows water to drain from the pipe. Otherwise, a hard freeze can burst either the faucet or the pipe.

·       Insulate pipes or faucets in unheated areas such as garages or crawl spaces by wrapping them.

·       Know the location of the house master water shutoff valve in case of burst pipes. It may be near the water heater, washing machine or located where the water line enters the house from the street.

·       Leave a pencil-lead-thin stream of water flowing from faucets during the worst of a cold spell. Running water has less of a chance of freezing.

·       If a pipe freezes, do not try to thaw it using a torch with an open flame. This is a fire hazard, and it could also melt pipe solder or burst the pipe. The safest tool is a hair dryer with a low heat setting. Wave the warm air back and forth along the pipe, not on one spot.

·       Check on elderly neighbors.

·       Visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov/weather to:

o   Sign up for DeKalb County’s high-speed emergency notification system, CodeRED, which can quickly deliver time-sensitive messages via voice, email, and text to targeted areas of the county during emergency situations.

o   See a list of warming centers open Nov. 27, Nov. 28 and Nov. 29 starting at 8 p.m. each night.