Officials share tips to handle winter's chill

SANDPOINT — Freezing temperatures can result in less-than-ideal circumstances, including freezing pipes and uncomfortably chilly living rooms.  

Frozen pipes are a common challenge this time of year. Since water expands as it freezes, freezing temperatures can put tremendous pressure on metal or plastic pipes, American Red Cross officials said. 

Water supply pipes in unheated interior areas such as basements, crawl spaces, attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets and pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation are most at risk. There are a few steps that can be taken to prevent pipes from freezing, utility officials said.

Renters and homeowners alike can open kitchen and cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. If a home has water supply lines in a garage, keep the garage doors closed, officials said. When the weather is especially cold, let cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes.

“Running water through the pipe — even at a trickle — helps prevent pipes from freezing,” Red Cross officials said.

Red Cross officials also suggest not lowering thermostats drastically before going to bed at night.

“By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst,” they said. “If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.”

At Avista, officials said there are many ways to minimize high electric bills as temperatures drop in the region. Among them is reducing air leaks can play a significant role in minimizing energy use.

“In our region, heating is responsible for 40-60% of the energy use you see on your energy bill,” Meghan Pinch, energy efficiency program manager at Avista, said “That’s why keeping heat inside is so critical in the winter. If heat escapes through cracks or windows, your home will use more energy and your heater will run more often than it should to keep your space warm. The extra energy use is what drives winter bills up.”

To prevent this, Avists recommends sealing air leaks around windows, installing removable window plastic — which can create the effect of a double-paned window on a single pane — and closing chimney flues on fireplaces that are not in use. 

“When you’ve sealed your air leaks and stopped cold air drafts, you’ll feel more comfortable and won’t be as tempted to bump your thermostat up,” Pinch said. “Avista recommends setting your thermostat at 68 degrees in winter and turning it down when you go to bed or leave the house. Lowering it just 3 degrees further and consistently keeping it there can also save up to 10% on your monthly energy use.”

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for the Idaho Panhandle lasting from 4 a.m. Thursday to 4 a.m. Friday. Total snow accumulations are expected to fall between one and three inches, but locally up to 3 to 7 inches over the mountains, the Sheriff's Office said. Dangerously cold wind chills are possible stooping as low as 20 to 35 degrees below zero.

“Travel could be very difficult,” the warning said. “The hazardous conditions could impact the Thursday morning and evening commutes. The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.”

With the expected sub-arctic temperatures expected, Priest River Community Church officials said they would be opening their doors as a warming center due to expected cold weather conditions this weekend.

The warming station will be open from 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12, to 7:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 14, Lori Holton said. The hours may be extended depending on weather conditions. The church is located at 49 Washington St., Priest River.

For those in need of warm shelter in Sandpoint, resources can be found on the Community Resource Envision Center's website, crecidaho.com/housing.