Weather Watch:How to Prepare for Extreme Cold Weather

Tips to Keep Safe and Warm When It’s Really Cold Outside

Help ensure your family and home are safe from the dangerous or damaging effects of extreme cold and winter storms. Here are a few tips to get you prepared:

1. Keep your children, the elderly, and pets safely indoors.
2. If you have to go outside, make sure you’re dressed warmly and that all exposed areas are protected from potential frostbite.
3. Avoid driving, particularly if the weather calls for freezing rain, blowing snow or fog.
4. If your pipes are prone to freezing, let your hot and cold faucets drip slightly overnight and open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to uninsulated pipes under sinks or on exterior walls.
5. Set your thermostat at the same temperature day and night to help prevent your pipes from freezing and bursting. Never lower your heat below 15C if you’re going to be away from home for an extended period. You can learn more about programming your thermostat here.
6. It’s never too late to schedule a furnace tune-up. Preventative maintenance helps keep your equipment in good working condition. A tune-up also ensures that your furnace is generating and circulating enough warm air to heat your home. A fully licensed Reliance™️ technician will inspect all the major components used to generate and circulate warm air and measure CO levels – both inside the furnace exhaust and within the home – to ensure you and your family’s safety. Check out our current offers here.
7. Make sure you have a plan for a power outage. A standby generator could be the perfect solution for you if your area is prone to outages in extreme weather conditions. Keep your family safe, warm and connected. Learn more about standby generators here.

Have a breakdown? Be reassured that we can help keep your essential home services running — from plumbing to heating to electrical, water heater issues and more.

For additional safety tips and how to prepare for the cold, visit Environment Canada and the Red Cross.

If you have questions or concerns about how the extreme cold may impact your comfort at home, just Call on Reliance^TM 24/7/365 at 1-844-426-7688.