Outages Decreasing, Thousands Still Without Power in Mountains

Several thousand residents in western North Carolina are still without power Sunday night.

Power crews continued to work throughout the day and evening. Just over 4,000 customes n Henderson County were without power as of 10 pm. Polk County had about 900 customers without power, while Transylvania County had only 114 outages.

Duke Energy says all should have power restored by 11pm Monday night.

All of the power has been restored in Haywood County, according to Haywood County EMC. Progress Energy reported sporadic outages in the mountains late Sunday night.

But more winter weather is on the way for Monday night and Tuesday, with icy precipitation possible.

Get your complete Live Vipir Forecast by clicking here

DRIVING ON ICE:
Watch Chris Cato's story with the experts at BMW showing you what to do if you start to slide on the ice.

PREPARING YOUR HOME

The following information is from the Insurance News Service.

South Carolinians Need to Protect Against Frozen Pipes
Columbia, S.C. – With the weather forecast for temperatures to drop into the teens and lower twenties around South Carolina the next few nights, homeowners and renters need to prevent their homes from being ruined by frozen pipes. Frozen plumbing that leads to burst pipes can easily produce several thousand dollars in property damage for a home and if no one is home at the time those losses can reach tens of thousands of dollars. Nationally, in 2007, water damage (including frozen, burst pipes) accounted for about 22 percent of all homeowners insurance claims accordint to the Insurance Information Institute. The average claim was for $5,531. Standard homeowners and renters insurance provides coverage for burst pipes, wind driven rain and damage resulting from ice dams on your roof. Some policies cover sewer and drain backups, but many do not; however, you can purchase a sewer backup rider to a homeowners or renters policy for approximately an additional $50 each year, with the policy limits varying depending upon the insurer. Every year thousands of American families' homes are ruined and lives disrupted each winter when water pipes freeze and burst. South Carolinians might see a bigger problem than those in the North because of houses with slab foundations and water pipes running through the attic. Also, southern homeowners don't think freezing is a problem and don't bother checking the condition or location of pipes in their homes. If the temperature drops to 20 degrees or lower, you could have a problem with frozen pipes. To prepare for freezing weather, the South Carolina Insurance News Service offers the following tips:
Inside Your Home
• Keep the house warm. Set the thermostat for at least 65 degrees, since the temperature inside the walls, where the pipes are located, is substantially colder—a lower temperature will not keep the pipes from freezing.
• Keep cabinet doors open during cold spells to allow warm air to circulate around pipes (particularly in the kitchen and bathroom).
• Keep a slow trickle of water flowing through faucets connected to pipes that run through an unheated or unprotected space. Or drain the water system, especially if your house will be unattended during cold periods.
• Add extra insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces. If too much heat escapes through the attic, it can cause snow or ice to melt on the roof. Water can then re-freeze, causing more snow and ice to build up. This can result in a collapsed roof, and can contribute to ice damming. Ideally, the attic should be five to ten degrees warmer than the outside air. Well-insulated basements and crawl spaces will also help protect pipes from freezing. You may also consider insulating unfinished rooms such as garages to keep pipes from freezing.
• Have the heating system serviced. Furnaces, boilers and chimneys should be serviced at least once a year to prevent fire and smoke damage.
• Check pipes. Look closely for cracks and leaks and have the pipes repaired immediately. Wrap exposed pipes with heating tape.
• Install an emergency pressure release valve in your plumbing system. This will protect against the increased pressure caused by freezing pipes and can help prevent your pipes from bursting.
• Make sure that smoke and fire alarms are working properly. Residential fires increase in the winter, so it is important to protect your family with working alarm systems. Also, consider installing a carbon dioxide detector, since a well sealed home can trap this toxic gas.
• Learn how to shut the water off and know where your pipes are located. If your pipes freeze, time is of the essence. The quicker you can shut off the water or direct your plumber to the problem, the better chance you have to prevent pipes from bursting.
• Hire a licensed contractor to look for structural damage. If damage is discovered, you can have it repaired immediately rather than waiting for a more severe problem to occur. Also, ask about ways to prevent water damage resulting from snow-related flooding. Plastic coatings for internal basement walls, sump pumps and other methods can prevent flood damage to your home and belongings.
For information on carbon monoxide poisoning and things to check at your house click here.

Outside Your Home
• Clean out gutters. Remove leaves, sticks and other debris from gutters, so melting snow and ice can flow freely. This can prevent ice damming—a condition where water is unable to drain through the gutters and instead seeps into the house causing water to drip from the ceiling and walls.
• Fit exposed pipes with insulation sleeves and/or UL listed heat tape. Two inches of insulation is optimal. The more insulation the better.
• Drain the water from sprinkler systems and exterior pool/spa supply lines, especially if your house will be unattended during cold periods.
• Remove and drain garden hoses. If the supply line to the hose bib has a shut off valve, shut off the supply to the house bib and drain the supply line.
• Install gutter guards. Available in most hardware and home stores, “gutter guards” prevent debris from entering the gutter and interfering with the flow of water away from the house and into the ground.
• Trim trees and remove dead branches. Ice, snow and wind can cause weak trees or branches to break, causing damage to your home or car, as well as injury to people on your property.
• Repair steps and handrails. This may prevent someone from falling and being seriously injured. Broken stairs and banisters can become lethal when covered with snow and ice.
• Seal cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations. Use caulking to protect water pipes and make sure that skylights and other roof openings have proper weather stripping to prevent snowmelt from seeping in.
• Learn how to turn off the water supply to your home or call your water supplier in case of burst pipes.
(Sources: Insurance Information Institute and the Institute for Business & Home Safety)
If you are going to be away from home for an extended period, take special care. Turn the water off and/or have the water system drained by a professional to keep pipes from freezing or bursting. Also, hire someone to check your home on a regular basis. If there is a problem, it can be fixed quickly, thus lessening any damage. Activity at your home will also reduce the likelihood that it will be burglarized.
For more tips on homeowners insurance, link to www.scinsurance.net.

CAR CARE

Safe Driving and Well-Maintained Vehicles Even More Important During Winter Months
Information from the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.)
Winter, is a time when safe driving and well-maintained vehicles take on even greater importance, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.)
“Drivers should always avoid speeding, keep their tires properly inflated, and have their car’s brakes checked regularly. These steps are critical as motorists in many parts of the country prepare to combat snow, high winds and icy road conditions,” said Michael Barry, vice president, Media Relations, for the I.I.I.
The good news is that the number of overall U.S. traffic fatalities reported in 2008 hit its lowest level since 1961, and a statistical projection for the first six months of 2009 indicates that figure could drop again by year-end, according to an October 2009 National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) report. However, “failure to keep in proper lane or running off the road” (28 percent) and “driving too fast for conditions” (22 percent) were the two most frequent driver behaviors reported prior to fatal accidents in 2007, NHTSA found, running well ahead of incidents in which the driver was “under the influence of alcohol, drugs or medication” (14 percent). In order to avoid potentially dangerous situations until spring arrives in late March 2010, the I.I.I. offers the following winter driving tips:
Give yourself enough time to arrive at your destination. Trips can take longer during winter than other times of the year, especially if you encounter storm conditions or icy roads.
*Bring a cellphone so that those awaiting your arrival can get in touch with you, or you can notify them, if you are running late. But avoid the temptation of using the phone while driving, as it can be a dangerous distraction—pull over first.
*Drive slowly because accelerating, stopping and turning all take longer on snow-covered roads.
*Leave more distance than usual between your vehicle and the one just ahead of you, giving yourself at least 10 seconds to come to a complete stop. Cars and motorcycles usually need at least 3 seconds to halt completely even when traveling on dry pavement.
*Be careful when driving over bridges, as well as roadways rarely exposed to sunlight—they are often icy when other areas are not.
*Avoid sudden stops and quick direction changes.
*Be sure to keep your gas tank full. Stormy weather or traffic delays may force you to change routes or turn back. A fuller gas tank also averts the potential freezing of your car's gas-line.
*Keep windshield and windows clear. Drivers in cold-weather states should have a snow brush or scraper in their vehicle at all times. Your car's defroster can be supplemented by wiping the windows with a clean cloth to improve visibility.
*Do not activate your cruise control when driving on a slippery surface.
*Do not warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
*Keep your tires properly inflated and remember that good tread on your tires is essential to safe winter driving.
*Check your exhaust pipe to make sure it is clear. A blocked pipe could cause a leakage of carbon monoxide gas into your car when the engine is running.
Monitor the weather conditions at your destination before beginning your trip. If conditions look as though they are going to be too hazardous, just stay home.
The I.I.I. is a nonprofit, communications organization supported by the insurance industry.
For more information contact the SC Insurance Information Institute
Care Care from Road and Travel Magazine
Cold Weather Driving Car Care Tips from Pride Autocare
The South Carolina Department of Public Safety and the South Carolina Department of Transportation are preparing motorists for the possibility of hazardous road conditions. SCDPS and SCDOT want to ensure motorists are prepared and well-informed about resources available to keep them safe if they have to travel in inclement weather.
Transportation Secretary H.B. “Buck” Limehouse Jr. said SCDOT Maintenance crews will be on the alert for winter weather. “Our crews in each county in the path of any ice or snow will be monitoring weather conditions. Our normal procedure is to pre-treat interstates, particularly overpasses, with sand and salt before any precipitation begins falling. We will also be prepared to work with the SC Highway Patrol and local agencies to keep any emergency routes to hospitals and shelters open as best we can,” said Limehouse.
Some of the typical problems the Highway Patrol sees during inclement weather include: a high volume of minor collisions involving people losing control of the vehicle and possibly skidding into each other’s vehicles; people encountering black ice; bridges or overpasses icing before the roadways; people travelling too fast for conditions and not leaving enough space between them and other vehicles.
During hazardous weather, the highway patrol asks that motorists only use *HP for true emergencies such as reporting collisions or being stranded in a vehicle.
State agencies will be regularly issuing weather advisories and travel information.