Winter storms can hit suddenly and with force, bringing freezing rain, snow, ice, dangerously low temperatures, power outages and travel hazards. These intense weather conditions can lead to car accidents, water damage inside and outside homes, frostbite, power outages, ice damming, and even heart attacks from shoveling snow. Additionally, the deadly blackouts in February 2021 left millions of Texans without power for days in sub-freezing temperatures.
Although the Texas power grid appears to be much better prepared for the current winter season compared to previous years, residents are still advised to take measures to conserve energy and prepare for possible winter weather. That being said, both winter storms and blackouts don’t have to be a tragedy if you’re adequately prepared. Winter storm preparedness can help protect your home, family and future when severe weather strikes.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to winter storm preparedness to help you build resilience into your home, vehicle and family routines so you stay safe and comfortable through winter’s worst.
Create a Disaster Plan
A key part of winter storm preparedness is creating a plan for you and your family before a winter storm strikes. Will you need to evacuate or stay in place, and what’s the evacuation route if necessary? How will you communicate with each other? What if the power goes out? What will you do with your pets? Include all these questions in your plan. Think of every possible outcome of a winter storm and include it in the plan.
Know the Risks and Stay Informed
Know your local winter weather alerts. The National Weather Service issues winter Weather Watches, Warnings and Advisories and can give you crucial lead time before conditions deteriorate.
Sign up for emergency alerts with local authorities or systems like NOAA Weather Radio, TXANS in Texas or community alert services.
Monitor forecasts regularly as storm timing, severity and impacts can change.
Build an Emergency Supply Kit
Building an emergency supply kit is essential to winter storm preparedness, as resources can be difficult to access during severe weather. Must-have items in your emergency supply kit include:
- Water: At least 1 gallon per person (and pet) per day for several days.
- Food: Non-perishable items like canned meats, granola bars, peanut butter, dried fruit, and soup.
- Flashlights and extra batteries (avoid relying on candles for light).
- Portable battery-powered radio for weather and emergency broadcasts.
- Warm blankets and clothing, especially for infants, elderly family members, and pets.
- First-aid kit and at least a week’s worth of prescription medications.
- Fuel for heating (if you use propane or other safe indoor heating sources).
Tip: Keep a “stay-home kit” with 2 weeks of supplies and a “go-bag” ready in case you must evacuate.
Winterize Your Home for Winter Storm Preparedness
-
Protect Your Pipes
Insulate exposed pipes in attics, garages and near exterior walls to help prevent freezing.
-
Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses and cover outdoor faucets.
Consider letting faucets drip slightly when temperatures plunge.
-
Heating Safety
Check that heaters and fireplaces are safe and clean. Check the insulation throughout your house to make sure it’s thick enough. Install carbon monoxide detectors with fresh batteries. CO poisoning risk increases when using generators or alternative heat sources indoors. Never use outdoor grills, camp stoves, or generators indoors.
-
Insulate and Seal
Weather-strip doors and windows to keep warm air in and cold air out.
-
Close curtains or blinds at night to add insulation.
Buy blackout curtains for the windows, or, in a pinch, use bubble wrap, because covering the windows will block cold drafts; you can also get a draft blocker for the bottom of your front door
-
Trim your Trees
This is especially important if you live in a wooded area or a spot with a lot of old trees. The wind from winter storms can knock branches down, which can damage your home. Be sure to walk around your property to check for any branches that have the potential to fall on your house. If you see any, save yourself the trouble later and cut them down now.
Make Sure Your Car Is Winter Storm Ready
Winter storms often make travel hazardous or impossible, so it’s important to prepare before severe weather arrives. Make sure your gas tank is full and keep an emergency kit in your vehicle with essentials such as blankets, snacks, water, a flashlight, an ice scraper and first-aid supplies. Also check that your tires, antifreeze, windshield wipers and defrosters are in good working condition. Whenever possible, avoid traveling during extreme winter weather to help keep yourself and your family safe.
Be Ready for Potential Power Outages
Winter storms can damage power lines and strain energy grids. In the event of a power outage, you should:
• Make sure that phones and backup chargers are fully charged.
• Use generators safely outdoors and far from windows.
• Keep extra blankets and multiple layers of warm clothing accessible. If you have hardwood or concrete floors, grab blankets or rugs and throw them down to trap heat in the room.
• Heat rises. Try heading upstairs if you have a second level.
• If you have a fireplace, use it! Just be sure the flue is open, so the smoke doesn’t billow into your house. If you don’t have a fireplace, light some candles.
• Close doors to rooms you aren’t using.
• If there is no heating in your house, you can sit in your car with the heat on as a final resort, but only when the vehicle is parked outside in an open area, not in an attached or enclosed garage even if the door is open, since carbon monoxide can accumulate rapidly in enclosed spaces and is fatal.
• Report any outages to your local utility.
Don’t Forget Pets and Vulnerable Neighbors
Bring pets indoors and ensure they have food, water and warm bedding.
Check on elderly or medically fragile neighbors and help them prepare.
Maintaining Solar Panels
Heavy snow and ice accumulation on solar panels can block sunlight from reaching the photovoltaic cells and be difficult to remove, reducing the efficiency of the system. In these cases, a heated panel system or a special coating can be applied to help melt snow and ice faster to ensure that the panels remain clear for the system to operate at maximum efficiency. Snow and ice accumulation, low temperatures, cloud cover, and the angle of the sun can all play a role in decreasing efficiency, but these effects can be alleviated with proper installation and maintenance of the solar panels.
What to do After the Storm
Once the storm passes:
• Stay off roads until crews work dangerous conditions.
• Check on your home for damage and hazards like burst pipes or downed lines.
• Use caution with stored food if you lose refrigeration.
Why Winter Storm Preparedness Matters
Winter storm preparedness can make all the difference in how you weather a winter storm. Start early by building emergency kits, winterizing your home, preparing your vehicle and staying informed. In the end, proactive planning helps keep you safe, comfortable and resilient during severe winter weather.
Complete Your Winter Storm Preparedness Plan with CleanSky Energy
Winter storm preparedness isn’t only about your home, car and emergency kit. It also means knowing you can count on your energy provider when severe weather hits. Ask yourself: does your current plan offer a competitive fixed rate? Is your energy sourced from reliable, clean generation? Do you have a provider who’s there when you need them most?
With CleanSky Energy, you’ll get dependable fixed-rate plans, 100% renewable energy options, and a customer service team ready to help before, during, and after severe weather. Give us a call at 888-355-6205 and let us help you prepare for whatever winter brings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What items should be included in an emergency kit for a winter storm?
A well-stocked kit should have at least one gallon of water for each person and pet each day, along with non-perishable food, flashlights that have extra batteries, a battery-operated radio, warm blankets and clothes, a first-aid kit, a week’s supply of prescription drugs, and safe fuel for heating if needed. Keeping a two-week “stay-home” kit along with a smaller “go-bag” covers both sheltering in place and evacuating if necessary.
How can I keep my pipes from freezing during a winter storm?
In attics, garages and on the exterior walls, insulate any exposed pipes, disconnect and drain the outdoor hoses, and make sure that the faucets drip a little when the temperature drops well below freezing. Taking these actions helps to reduce the pressure build-up which leads to pipes bursting.
Is it safe to run a generator indoors during a power outage?
No. Always use generators outdoors, far from windows, doors, and vents. Running a generator indoors, in a garage, or too close to your home can allow carbon monoxide to build up quickly, which is deadly. Installing carbon monoxide detectors with fresh batteries adds an extra layer of protection.
What should I do if my power goes out during a winter storm?
Keep phones and backup chargers fully charged before a storm arrives, layer on warm clothing and blankets, close off rooms you aren’t using, and move to an upper floor if you have one since heat rises. Report outages to your utility as soon as it’s safe to do so and avoid using generators or grills indoors.
