Arctic storm preparedness items flying off shelves - MSNewsNow.com - Jackson, MS

Arctic storm preparedness items flying off shelves

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By Marsha Thompson - bio | email

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - Tthe worst is yet to come with a second Arctic storm on the way. Homeowners are scrambling to winterize their homes, but we found it may be too late. Many stores are running out of necessary supplies.

We went to a Jackson Ace Hardware store, for instance. We were shopping for items to protect our water pipes from bursting. "People are preparing for the freeze. They are looking for faucet covers, pipe insulators, duct tape, pipe wrap,"according to the manager, Craig Fletcher.

He said he received supplies and in 15 minutes time the shelves were bare. "We are pretty much out of everything in those items." One elderly customer was ready to try anything to protect her pipes from freezing. "They make these special things but they are all out of those. So you are going to use these? That's what he told me to do."

Electric heaters were flying off the shelves as well.  And customers were stocking up on batteries and flashlights. 

We did manage to find a few essential items. One roll of duct tape that we found left on the shelves. There was very little de-icer left. All of the ice scrapers for windshields had been sold. The manager  told us " another thing they have been buying a lot of, is winter gloves."

Prolonged below freezing temperatures, and icy weather on unprepared and unprotected pipes can wreak havoc.

  • Be sure and disconnect hoses from outside faucets.
  • Wrap them with newspaper or use styrofoam covers.
  • Turn off and drain your sprinkler system.
  • Open cupboard doors under sinks and you can slow drip cold water.
  •  If you are away from home for more than a day, turn off your water and leave the thermostat at 55 degrees to reduce the chance of broken pipes.
  • Once you've done everything to minimize problems, be sure you know how to turn off the water in case of an emergency.
  • If your pipes freeze:
  • Never thaw a frozen pipe with an open flame, a hair dryer or the exhaust from a vacuum cleaner are safer alternatives.
  • If the lines are frozen, assume they may be broken or split, purchase leak clamps at a hardware or plumbing store and be prepared to turn your water off when the pipes thaw.