First Hard Freeze Ahead: A Simple Winter Storm Prep Plan

Mid-November is when the first real cold snaps and early winter storms start showing up in the forecast. A little prep now, while the weather is still calm, means you won't be scrambling for flashlights or worrying about frozen pipes when the wind picks up. Here's a simple plan you can knock out in an afternoon.

Start Outside: Protect Your Faucets Before the Freeze

Outdoor spigots are one of the easiest things to forget and one of the most annoying to fix after a freeze. Take care of them first:

• Disconnect garden hoses. Drain them, coil them and store them in the garage or shed.
• Shut off and drain outdoor lines if your home has an indoor shut-off valve for them.
• Cover each spigot. The Leather Faucet Antifreeze Protective Cover has a PU leather outer and thick insulation cotton inside, and it fixes in place with adhesive tape. It measures about 10.23 x 7.08 inches, so measure your faucet first to make sure it fits.

Bonus: the same cover can stay on in summer to shield the faucet from the hot sun, so it's not a one-season purchase.

Build a Power Outage Kit You Can Find in the Dark

Storms and ice can knock out power without much warning. Pick one bin or bag, give it a home near the kitchen or a hallway closet, and make sure everyone in the house knows where it is. Good basics to include:

• A light that doesn't depend on spare batteries. The Hand Crank Solar Powered Flashlight has a built-in rechargeable battery, gives more than 10 minutes of light from about 1 minute of cranking, and can top up from a solar panel. A carabiner lets you clip it to a bag or hook.
• A way to hear weather updates. The Solar Hand Crank Emergency Radio can be powered by hand crank, solar panel or its built-in 2000mAh battery. It also has an LED flashlight and can charge most USB-powered devices, which helps keep a phone going for important calls.
• Warm layers and blankets stacked in one spot so they're easy to grab.
• Bottled water and easy, no-cook snacks for a day or two.

Do a Quick Test Run

Gear only helps if it works when you need it. Before the first storm warning:

• Charge the radio and flashlight fully, then give each one a short test.
• Practice the hand crank once so it isn't new to you in the dark.
• Set the flashlight and radio on a sunny windowsill now and then to keep the batteries topped up.
• Put a reminder on your calendar to check the kit again in early spring.

Keep It Small and Grab-Ready

The radio is pocket-sized at about 5 x 1.8 x 2.4 inches and around 0.5 lb, and the flashlight is compact too, so the whole kit fits in a small bag. That makes it easy to move from room to room, toss in the car for holiday travel, or bring along on a cold-weather camping trip.

A few small steps today can make a stormy night a lot calmer. Ready to get set for winter? Shop the VIGOR collection and check winter prep off your list.