Preparations Against Cold Temperatures

With all the cold temperatures we’ve been dealing with lately, it seems appropriate to make a post about how you can prepare for the cold weather.

Cold temperatures can cause pipes to burst in homes. There a couple ways you can prevent that from happening though. One way is to leave a slow, constant drip of water from your sink. This will keep water moving in the pipes, making it less likely to freeze. Another way to combat this problem is to disconnect outdoor hoses from the water valve.

We can’t forget about our outdoor friends when it is cold. If you have outdoor pets, such as dogs or cats, be sure they are taken care of. The simplest solution is to bring your pets indoors during very cold temperatures. If that is not an option, you need to make sure they have adequate shelter and bedding.

Cattle and livestock are often overlooked when regarding the cold. According to CNN, some 20,000 cows were killed in early October, 2013 in South Dakota after an early cold snap and blizzard. This blizzard and subsequent cold snap caught many ranchers off guard as they were unable to make preparations for their cattle.

There are a few unique ways to help cattle and livestock survive the cold. One method is by altering their diet. If you feed your cattle and livestock more, the energy they produce while digesting the food will raise their body temperature.

You can also try feeding them at night; this way the digestion will increase body heat during the coldest temperatures. One should also make sure they are out of the wind as cattle and livestock are just as susceptible to wind chill as humans.

Following these simple steps can help you overcome the bitterly cold temperatures we’ve been dealing with lately.