There is a Wind Chill Advisory issued for 1-am Wednesday to 1-pm Thursday. Wind chills can reach -24 or more at times Wednesday. See the official Advisory here.
As we get into this Polar Vortex remember that here in our little corner of the world , most heating systems are NOT designed to handle the kind of cold we are experiencing. New homes will struggle to maintain temperatures while older homes simply won’t and the temperature will drop while the heating system is at full capacity.
You’re advised to raise the temperature in your home 2 to 4 degrees, take programmable thermostats out of setback mode and set them on permanent HOLD. If you have a furnace replace the filter. Keep garage doors attached to the home closed, limit exterior door opening an closing and make sure air vents are not blocked or obstructed.
If the temperatures drop in your home, it will not be able to recover until temperatures rise and the windchill diminishes. Put your thermostat on hold 70 degrees or higher.
Key is do NOT panic with falling temps inside your home if you have heat coming out of your registers. It is doing all it can.
To help minimize temperature loss you can boil water, make soup, or stews; they help introduce humidity and warmer temperatures into your home. DO NOT USE YOUR OVEN or a GRILL TO HEAT YOUR HOME. Washington Fire Chief Dave Rhoads reminds us about the the safety hazards of using space heaters. Rhoads says never leave them unattended, turn off when not in use, and never use with an extension cord. Remember, space heaters are a secondary use of heat, not your primary source
Take time to check on neighbors and elderly residents during these extreme temperatures. Stay warm and safe this week and share this email with any of your family and friends. Stay safe and bring your pets inside.