 | Bob Crager of Lewis Street Glass is a 26 year veteran in the glass business. Lewis Street Glass is a leading Wichita Glass company, serving the entire Wichita/Sedgwick County area since 1919. They do anything and everything having to do with glass, both residential and commercial. They also do Auto glass. They are located at 743 South Market, facing Kellogg on the South, and you can reach them by phone at (316) 263-8259. You can email Bob Crager at bcrager@lewisstreetglass.com |
Glass
2006-11-01 16:01:00
Getting the house ready for winter
How Can Older Folks Get The House Ready For Winter Weather?
ANSWER: Your ability to feel a change in temperature decreases with age, and older people are more susceptible to health problems caused by the cold temperatures. If you are over 65 years old, place an easy-to-read thermometer in an indoor location where you will see it frequently, and check the temperature of your home often during the winter months. Insulate any water lines that run along your exterior walls so that your water supply will be less likely to freeze. To the extent that it's possible, weatherproof your home by adding weather-stripping, insulation, insulated doors and storm windows, or thermal-pane windows. Although periods of extreme cold cannot always be predicted far in advance, weather forecasts can sometimes provide you with several days' notice. Listen to weather forecasts regularly, and check your emergency supplies whenever a period of extreme cold is predicted. Take no chances, as a mistake can be fatal. Windows that leak air just have to be fixed or replaced. If you think you can't afford this, I can assure you that you cannot afford the costs associated with not taking care of the problem of leaky windows. On a day when there is a little wind blowing outside, light a candle, and hold it still in front of your windows and watch the flame. If it is blowing around, you have leaks. You're losing a lot of your high cost energy right out the windows, doors, or the ceilings.
If you plan to use a fireplace or wood stove for emergency heating, have your chimney or flue inspected each year. Ask your local fire department to recommend an inspector, or find one in the yellow pages of your telephone directory under "chimney cleaning." Also, if you'll be using a fireplace, wood stove, or kerosene heater, install a smoke detector and a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector near the area to be heated. Test them each month, and replace the batteries twice each year. You can't afford weak batteries! If you have pets, bring them inside. If you cannot bring them indoors, provide adequate shelter to keep them warm, and make sure that they have access to unfrozen water. It's just as important to have plenty of fresh drinking water in the cold weather as it is in the hot ole summertime. More Next Month..
