How to prepare your home for extreme winter weather

Here are steps you can take to prepare for bitter cold, high winds and other severe winter conditions.

Make sure you have extra batteries and other supplies on hand.

Keep flashlights, extra batteries and extra blankets on hand, as well as a manual can opener, extra medications, first aid supplies, emergency heat sources and a fire extinguisher, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a government agency. Have foods that will last a while without needing to be refrigerated, such as dry cereal (and long-life milk to go with it), nuts, and protein bars. The National Weather Service advises having at least a three-day supply of bottled drinking water, calculated at one gallon per person per day.

Take measures to keep the heat in and the fumes out.

If the power goes out and you are using a backup generator, make sure you only use it outdoors, more than twenty feet away from your home. It is critical to have working carbon monoxide monitors on every floor. Do not attempt to heat your home with your oven, a camping stove, or a charcoal burner. Never leave a car engine running with the garage door closed.

If your heating is working, you can retain heat and save on energy bills by keeping the curtains closed and using adhesive tape or other materials to seal drafty windows. Place rolled up towels or rags at the bottom of doors leading outside, and keep doors to unoccupied rooms closed.

Make sure your water pipes don't freeze.

Protect Your Pipes, an initiative funded by water and wastewater utilities in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia, recommends ensuring that your thermostat is set to 55 degrees Fahrenheit or higher during cold weather. Run the taps furthest from your main valve, as even a trickle of water moving in the pipes can keep them from freezing. Open cabinets with ducts, such as those under the sink in the kitchen or bathroom, to let in warm air. Before the freezing weather arrives, turn off the water supply to the outdoor taps and drain the water from the pipe.