Evansville, Henderson prep for winter blast; here's how to stay safe

John T. Martin, Evansville Courier & Press
·5 min read

Forecasters expect the first major winter blast of the season this week, with bitter cold, strong winds and snow hitting the Evansville-Henderson region.

As of Tuesday evening, the National Weather Service's Paducah office said temperatures in this area would plunge to single digits late Thursday and all day on Friday, while the most likely snowfall amount would be 1-3 inches.

Area utilities and agencies are encouraging residents to have plans in place, in case electricity and gas service is lost for an extended period.

Here are some tips, as provided by CenterPoint Energy, which serves Southwest Indiana; and Kenergy, which powers local Kentucky communities:

  • Have at-home supplies such as a flashlight, bottled water, nonperishable food, essential medicines and prescription information.

  • In colder weather, keep outside door openings to a minimum and use blankets, sleeping bags and extra clothes to help stay warm. Dress in layers and use a hat and gloves.

  • Cover drafty windows and doors with blankets and stay in the room with your heat source.

  • If you have a space heater, use one with an automatic shut-off feature, and keep children, pets and all items at least 3 feet away. A space heater that uses gas, propane or wood should be vented to the outside. Stoves and ovens should never be used for space heating.

  • Check your carbon monoxide and smoke alarms. These are essential to warn of a fire or dangerous condition involving a furnace, water heater, fireplace or stove. Test your alarms monthly and change batteries as recommended by the manufacturer.

  • If you smell the “rotten egg” odor of natural gas, immediately leave on foot, go to a safe location and call both 911 and, if in Indiana, CenterPoint Energy at 800-227-1376. Don’t use electric switches/outlets, phones (including cell phones), drive or start a car inside or in close proximity to the location, or do anything that could cause a spark.

  • Don't go near downed lines or fallen wires, and keep a safe distance from objects touching downed lines, such as limbs, vehicles or fences.

  • If someone is actively being shocked due to contact with a power line, do not try to rescue them. Instead, call 911 immediately.

  • Never use an electricity generator inside your home or any other building, even with windows open. (The list provided by Kenergy had this admonition in bold type).

More:What day is the winter solstice in 2022? Get ready to celebrate the shortest day of the year.

Energy efficiency

Cold temperatures also mean increased energy usage, and CenterPoint Energy recommends these tips for more efficient heating:

  • Set your thermostat no higher than 68 degrees. If possible, set it at 65 degrees when you are home and 60 degrees when you are away from home.

  • Lowering your thermostat can help you save on your annual heating costs. Installing a programmable thermostat can help you automatically control your heat usage.

  • Change your air filters monthly. A dirty filter restricts airflow and can increase the operating cost of your furnace by as much as 10 percent. A good reminder is to change the filter each time you receive your natural gas bill.

  • Seal leaks around doors, windows, and other openings such as pipes or ducts, with caulk or weather-stripping. The most common places where air escapes in homes are floors, walls, ceilings, ducts, fireplaces, plumbing penetrations, doors, windows, fans, vents and electrical outlets.

  • On sunny days, open draperies and blinds to let the sun’s warmth in. Close them at night to insulate against the cold air outside.

Outage information

CenterPoint Energy customers can follow outage information at midwest.centerpointenergy.com/outage/current. Kenergy's outage map is at stormcenter.kenergycorp.com.

To report an outage to CenterPoint Energy, call If you are without power, report your outage by texting "OUT' to 83212 or online at centerpointenergy.com/reportoutage. To report an outage to Kenergy, call 800-844-4832.

Protecting pipes

Indiana American Water urged homeowners and business to secure their properties against freezing pipes.

“Failing to protect your plumbing from cold temperatures can be disruptive and very costly," said Matt Prine, president of the organization. "When ice expands inside pipes, it creates tremendous pressure that can crack and burst them, leaving homeowners with a costly plumbing bill, and thousands of dollars in water damage.”

This is what Indiana American Water recommends:

  • Search your house for uninsulated pipes, especially in unheated areas. Consider wrapping pipes with foam insulation or electric heating tape but follow manufacturer's instructions carefully to avoid a fire hazard.

  • Check to make sure your garage door and crawl space doors/vents are closed.

  • Leave cabinet doors open in kitchen and bathroom areas to allow warm air to circulate and consider letting a faucet drip to keep water moving through the pipes. If you have young children, relocate any chemicals of cleaners that may have otherwise been out of reach behind the cabinet doors.

  • Seal cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations with caulking, especially where cables or phone lines enter the house, to keep cold air away from pipes.

  • Make certain the water to your hose bibs is shut off inside your house (via a turnoff valve), the lines are drained, and the hose is disconnected from the spigot.

  • Drain and shut off entirely the water to any unoccupied residence. A loss of power during a winter storm could cause pipes to freeze. If you intend to leave a property entirely without heat, be sure to drain all water to prevent the possibility of frozen pipes.

  • Set the thermostat no lower than 55 degrees if leaving town. Although you may be able to get away with a lower temperature, this setting is generally considered to be safe for pipes.

  • Know where your main water shut-off valve is in case you must shut water off in an emergency.

  • Consider wrapping your water heater in an insulation blanket. While not really at danger for freezing, this can lower heating bills.

  • Indiana American Water is also encouraging customers to keep fire hydrants clear near their homes and businesses when snowfall accumulates. This can save time if firefighters need to access it.

Additional information on preventing frozen pipes is available on online at https://www.amwater.com/inaw/Water-Wastewater-Information/wise-water-use.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: How do I protect my pipes and report a power outage in a winter storm?