How to Heat Up Your Home During Michigan’s Deep Freeze!
Recent plunging temperatures can create dangerously cold conditions for some Michigan residents.
It’s essential to take the following steps to stay safe and keep warm during these periods. You never know how insulated your home is until temperatures sink below freezing.
Preparing Your Home:
Space-Heating
- Check your propane levels and set up your propane delivery before extreme temperatures. Click here to learn how to read your propane tank gauge.
- To ensure efficient operation, check that your furnace or boiler is functioning correctly and that filters are clean. Have an expert perform an annual furnace tune-up.
- Clear any debris around furnace vents and exhaust pipes
- Install carbon monoxide (CO) detectors near every sleeping area. Carbon monoxide poisoning is most prevalent when furnaces are turned on to fight cold winter temperatures or when people rely on portable generators for electricity during outages. Learn how to test CO detectors: click here.
- Have a backup propane generator (permanent or portable) on hand to create the electricity your propane furnace needs during an electrical power outage. Consult a professional on how to hook it up to your home/furnace. Portable generators should located outside AND at least 20 feet from windows and doors.
- Have a backup portable heater in case of a power outage or furnace issues. To learn safety tips about portable heaters, click here.
- Winterize your home by weather-stripping and insulating walls, attics, and basements. It will not only allow your house to maintain heat but extend the life of your fuel supply, which can save money on heating costs. Thick curtains or thermal blinds can help conserve heat from drafty windows.
Prevent Freezing Pipes
- If your faucets have frozen in the past, run a pencil-width of water and open cabinet doors to warm pipes to prevent them from freezing. If they freeze, thaw them with warm air like a hairdryer; never use a torch; this is a fire hazard.
- Insulating pipes that run through your walls and attic can help prevent them from bursting during winter.
- Know where the water valves are in your home if you have to shut them off to prevent pipes from bursting.
Emergency Kit & Supplies
- Create an emergency winter preparedness kit for your home that includes the following items:
- Water: at least three gallons of water per person
- Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food per person
- Prescribed medications
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- First aid kit
- Whistle to signal for help
- Pet supplies
- A complete change of clothing and footwear for each person
- Bedding
- Important family documents
- Extra clothes and blankets
BE SAFE:
When Indoors
- Keep your home at least 65°F and minimize heat loss by closing off unused rooms, covering windows, and sealing drafts.
- Avoid unnecessarily opening doors and windows, close off unused rooms, place towels or rags in cracks under doors, and close draperies or cover windows at night.
- Use space heaters cautiously. Never leave them unattended or near flammable materials. Avoid using extension cords, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Do not use unvented combustion heaters, generators, grills, or camp stoves inside; place generators at least 20 feet from doors and windows.
- Use properly vented fireplaces and have heaters inspected yearly.
- Call 911 if carbon monoxide alarms go off.
When Outdoors
- Limit time in the cold whenever possible to avoid Frostbite or Hypothermia. The time it takes to develop frostbite at 0°F varies on factors like wind speed, exposure duration, clothing, and individual health. In calm conditions, frostbite can begin to develop after about 30 minutes of exposure. However, if there is a strong wind (creating a lower wind chill), frostbite can occur in as little as 10 to 15 minutes.
- Dress in layers, including wind and water-resistant outerwear, a hat, scarf or mask, mittens, and waterproof boots.
- Stay dry and avoid getting fuel or alcohol on your skin, as this accelerates heat loss.
- Walk carefully on icy surfaces by using cat litter or sand for traction.
- Work slowly and take breaks to protect your heart and body.
- Carry a charged cell phone and tell others where you are going.
- Shivering is the first warning sign of heat loss—seek warmth immediately.
Preparing Your Vehicle:
- Top off windshield washing solution, replace worn windshield wipers, and check antifreeze levels, car battery life, and tire pressure. Extreme cold temperatures can freeze your engine block, decrease battery life, and lower tire pressure.
- Keep your gas tank at least half full at all times during the winter to avoid fuel lines freezing up and getting ice buildup in your tank.
- Keep an emergency preparedness kit in your vehicle stocked in the event you get stranded or stuck. Your car should always be equipped with a container of emergency supplies. Keep the following items in your kit:
- Small battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- Flashlight
- Extra batteries
- Cellular phone and charger
- Windshield scraper
- Jumper cables
- Shovel
- Extra blankets and clothes
- Flares
- Non-perishable food and bottled water
- First aid kit
- Tire repair kit and pump
- “Call Police” or other “Help” sign
Ultimately, staying informed through weather updates and planning ahead will help you maintain comfort and safety when the temperature drops. Stay prepared to ensure warmth and safety as the temps drops and winter wind chills sets in.
Additional Resources:
CPSC Warns Consumers to be Cautious When Using Backup Space Heaters
Complete List of Warming Centers in Michigan
MDHHS Cold Health and Safety Fact Sheet
Michigan Prepares – Winter Weather
Portable Generators Fact Sheet
