Despite a period of sunshine on Tuesday, Accu-weather advised people to stay indoors. The temperatures were not expected to exceed over 2 degrees with a wind chill factor reaching –30 degrees.
Snow Trails Ski Resort closed for business early Monday evening. They will remain closed until Wednesday morning when the temperatures in Mansfield are expected to rise to 22 degrees.
In the meantime however, families are trying to prevent their water lines from freezing and trying to stay warm.
On Tuesday, Smith True Value Hardware in Bellville was sold out of space heaters. Many people were buying plumbing supplies because of their water lines freezing. Items like heat tape, pipe valves and pipe insulation are hot items for this cold weather.
“To keep from lines freezing, I would say open faucets and let them run very slowly to keep from freezing,” said owner Brad Smith.
Appleseed True Value Hardware store on Lexington Avenue still had space heaters, but they have been selling calcium chloride salt that is durable enough to withstand –25-degree weather. They also sold pipe insulation and plumbing supplies like heat tape. Some people also stocked up on snow shovels.
Jeremy Kaufman from Appleseed True Value on Lexington Avenue offered some advice as well. “Put as much insulation in and around pipes as you can. You can also set space heaters near pipes.”
Be advised however, that using space heaters increases your chances of sparking a house fire. Keep the space heater clear of combustibles like clothing, towels and pets.
Fortunately, the Emergency Snow levels for the roads have kept many people off the roads. Ontario and Shelby police departments reported road and street incidents were uneventful. Shelby reported that the Emergency Snow level returned to a Level 1 early Tuesday afternoon. This means the roads were still slick, but passable. The Level 1 remained throughout the day.
“We have been, knock on wood, pretty uneventful. The only thing is a lot of water lines being frozen and other utility issues,” said a representative at the Shelby Police Department.
Ontario had only experienced a couple of vehicles sliding off the road. They have not received calls regarding dead batteries stranding people on the side of the road.
The weather has put many schools and businesses out of business for Monday and Tuesday. For more information on which have closed, visit Richland Source’s School Closings page.
“Put as much insulation in and around pipes as you can. You can also set space heaters near pipes,” said Jeremy Kaufman.
