How To Prepare for Freezing Weather in New Orleans

Temperatures are forecasted to be below freezing on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. Here are a few things you can do to protect your home.  

- Drip the waterline. Choose the faucet farthest away from the street. Open the faucet enough for a thin, steady bead of water to run. Open the cabinet that the faucet plumbing is in so that warm air from inside your apartment can circulate.

- Take extreme caution with space heaters. Be sure nothing is within range of the heater that can catch on fire. Do not use the stove or oven as an additional heat source, as it can create deadly carbon monoxide gas.

- Be prepared if the power goes out. Have flashlights and batteries on hand, and charge electronic devices such as cell phones, etc. Take extreme caution if you use candles for light. Ensure that anything flammable is at least three feet away from the flame. Never leave the flame unattended. Blow out candles when you go to sleep.

- Follow local authorities for any additional resources and information.

Quick ways to weather-proof your home. 
Many homes in New Orleans are old and drafty. Here are some quick tips to help you protect your home, make it more comfortable, and help save on your heating bill.  

- Wrap exposed pipes with insulation. This helps keep the pipes from freezing. Many home improvement stores sell special pipe insulation that is easy to install. 

- Apply weatherstripping to doors and windows. This is an inexpensive way to reduce drafts. Weatherstripping is thin strips of foam or cloth that go on the seams of windows and doors to create a tighter fit. Many are self-adhesive so installation is a breeze. 

- Put rugs, blankets, or towels down on raised floors. The original hardwood floors in many New Orleans homes are beautiful, but not well insulated. Putting rugs, blankets, or towels on the floor, creates an extra barrier that can keep heat from escaping from the floor. 

- Install door draft protectors. You can purchase them and put them under your doors or roll up towels. This can help each room stay insulated. Many door draft protectors are removable and installation takes seconds. 

- Install a water heater blanket for the tank water heater. This won't help you stay comfortable but may help reduce your heating bills. Water heaters are commonly put outside in sheds or exterior cabinets in New Orleans. The heater can lose heat due to being out in the elements. 

More cold weather safety tips: https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/duringstorm/indoorsafety.html

Local Municipal and Utility Information Sources:

New Orleans: ready.nola.gov

Jefferson Parish: https://www.jeffparish.net/

Entergy New Orleans Outage Map: https://www.entergy.com/view-outages/

Local Weather Sources:

WWL TV - https://www.wwltv.com/

WDSU - https://www.wdsu.com/

WVUE - https://www.fox8live.com/

WGNO - https://wgno.com/

WWL- AM - 870AM

If you have any questions on how to prepare you're home for the freezing weather in New Orleans, contact us for more tips and tricks.