How to stay warm + protected for upcoming Birmingham Arctic blast

4 weeks ago 3

After a record-breaking fall with higher temperatures than normal, The Magic City is now bracing for extremely cold weather.

According to Birmingham’s notable weatherman James Spann, an arctic blast is to approach the eastern half of the country, including parts of the Gulf Coast, bringing strong winds, low pressure, and frigid cold air.

Keep reading to learn how you can stay warm during one of the coldest seasons in Birmingham.

City-partnered warming station opens ahead of Arctic blast

The City of Birmingham, along with the Jimmie Hale Mission has opened its doors to those needing shelter for the cold and will be open until Friday, January 3rd.

In addition to the warming station, there will be a free shuttle service offered from 6-7PM to assist those who are mobile-challenged or without transportation. Looking to help those in need during this cold weather? Here are some resources needed at the shelters:

Twin-sized washable blankets
Fresh fruit (oranges and bananas)
Paper plates, napkins, plastic flatware
Soft breakfast bars or snacks

Double-check heating in homes ahead of time

If you’re experiencing heating issues in your home, be sure to call a heating repair service ahead of these freezing temperatures. Some common signs of issues are clogged intake, broken pilot light, heater making odd noises and heating bill is higher than usual. Here are a few local heating technicians:

Guin Service: Website | (205) 595-4846
Trinity Heating & Cooling Birmingham AL: Website | (205) 655-5099
Midsouth Installers Heating & Cooling: Website | (205) 855-3746
OnTime Service Electrical, Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing: Website | (205) 872-1944
Sullivan Service Co: Website | (205) 250-1170

Protecting home + pets

A good rule of thumb is to always keep sinks, showers and other spouts dripping during a frost to prevent pipes from bursting.

During this lower temperature weather, make sure to cover spouts with lightweight fabric before nightfall to trap warm air. Another good tip is to mulch around outside pipes and cover the area to protected plants as well.

If you have outside plants, make sure to prepare them for the cold weather by following some of these steps:

Cover your plants with sheets or other lightweight fabric
Bring potted plants indoors
Wrap tree trunks
Water the soil to retain heat

Last, but most definitely not least, make sure your furry friends are nice and warm. Make sure to keep them inside, feed them a little more than usual and protect their paws by buying warm booties.

Did we miss any helpful tips? Let us know by tagging us @bhamnow.

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