Alerts

As everyone is probably aware, there is a large winter storm getting ready to come through our area. There will be very frigid temps and signifigant snowfall is expected with the potential for some ice as well. It will be moving through between Saturday Jan 24th and Monday Jan 26th. To try to help those who may be in need of a warm place to go to, Gratis will have the Marion Lawrence Library, located at 15 E. Franklin St., open as a warming center Saturday 10a-1p, Monday 1p-6p, and Tuesday 10a-2p. You may also follow this link below to see the list of other places open as warming centers throughout the county.

www.prebco.org/159/emergency-management-agency

And don't forget to make sure your water pipes are protected. You can see tips here how to deal with frozen pipes

When temps stay below freezing:

If pipes run through cabinets or vanities, open the doors to let warmer room temperatures flow in

Keep water moving through pipes by allowing a small trickle of water to run. The cost of extra water is typically less than repairing a broken pipe

If your pipes do freeze:

Don't attempt to thaw pipes without turning off the main shut off valve

You can melt frozen water in the pipe by warming the air around it with a hair dryer or space heater. Be sure not to leave space heaters unattended and avoid the use of kerosene heaters or open flames

Once pipes are thawed, SLOWLY turn water back on and check pipes and joints for any cracks or leaks that might have been caused by freezing