By Judy Davis
Columnist

Hello friends.

My topic today is preparing for winter. Time flies and in the blink of an eye, cold weather will be here.

I lived in Taylor for 33 years in a house that was built in 1870. I am an expert on dripping the pipes. It is called dripping, but a drip won’t work. A small steady stream of both hot and cold water is necessary to keep the water pipes from freezing.

The hot water will freeze before the cold water. I had to learn from a plumber and experience.

Leave the cabinets open and let the warmth of your house help keep the pipes from freezing. Make sure your pipes are wrapped and insulated. Turn your hot water heater off. I live in a modern house now and don’t drip the pipes any more except for severe cold weather. 

To get your house ready for the cold, keep the cold out with insulation, caulking and weather stripping.

Test your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors and be sure and have batteries in case there’s no power also. I keep a battery operated camping lantern next to where I sleep on a regular basis, and a flashlight. Test your batteries before a storm and listen to the weather report regularly.

Have food that can be eaten without power ready for an emergency, including a tornado. Be sure to have a hat and gloves in case your house is without power. I have a weather radio with an alert. A battery operated radio to replace the entertainment of TV is a good idea.

If you are going to Florida for the winter, do not turn your heat off. Do shut off the water. Forward your mail. Please don’t forget to have your antifreeze in the car checked and under the hood in general.

Right now, the weather is perfect. If you would like, take a walk and enjoy the beauty of the earth. I like to watch the shadows flicker in the fall.

Best wishes and prayers for a safe, happy, and healthy end of the year.