Tips On How To Keep Your Home Warm And Make Sure Your Car Starts In The Cold
DEPTFORD, N.J. (CBS) -- This latest blast of Arctic air can have a hazardous effect on your car and home.
But CBS 3's Cleve Bryan spoke to experts to show us what we can do to make sure our cars start in the morning.
First, drivers need to check and refill the car's anti-freeze.
Arctic Blast To Bring Extreme Cold, Snow & Ice
"There is several different anti-freeze for different cars, so you want to make sure you put the correct anti-freeze in," said Brian Emma of Poleese Towing and Auto Repair.
The cap should say what type of anti-freeze to buy.
Second, check your tires for pressure and tread.
"Right here in the door jam of your car you can find where your tire pressure is," Emma said. "A quick trick to know your tire depth is to use a penny and stick it in the tire tread and if it covers Lincoln's head, you're good."
Third, get winter windshield washer fluid with de-icer and fourth, get your battery checked. Otherwise you won't be able to tell if it has a bad cell until it's too late.
"You won't know it and you'll just end up getting stuck somewhere unless you bring it in to get it checked out," Emma said.
At home, here are three tips to keep warm and save money:
First, replace the air filter so the heater isn't wasting power.
"So when it works harder it draws more amperage and we have to work harder to do the same job," said Eugene Adams of Eugene Adams Heating and Air Conditioning.
Second, decrease the thermostat a few degrees by increasing use of a humidifier.
"If you have humidity in the home, you don't have to turn it up too high to feel more comfortable," Adams said.
Third, consider investing in a programmable thermostat so you aren't over-heating while nobody's home. Some new systems let you adjust the temperature right on your phone.
"You can basically turn your heat on while you're driving home," Adams said.
Highs in the area are expected to be only in the 20s on Thursday and Friday.
