Make wishtv.com your home page

Home preps ahead of frost advisory in central Indiana

Home preps ahead of frost advisory in central Indiana

Jenny Dreasler | News 8 at 10 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — For the first time this season, all of central Indiana is under a frost advisory from 2 a.m. until 8 a.m. Friday.

“This is actually the first time we’ve had the frost advisory issued for Marion County,” said WISH-TV Meteorologist Tara Hastings.

With temperatures dipping into the low to mid 30s overnight Hastings said the cooler temperatures could do some real damage to your plants if you’re not careful.

“Some of those hearty plants can definitely hang on. But, some of the tender vegetation, you definitely want to bring it inside the garage. Or maybe cover it up with a sheet,” Hastings said. “Definitely don’t want use a blanket, but a light sheet will help cover if you want to extend the growing season a couple more weeks.”

While things outside your home could freeze up, it’s what’s inside your home that could really cost you.

Jeff Chapman, the owner of Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing says there are a few things you can do so cooler weather doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket.

Those things include:

  • First disconnect any garden hoses outside
  • Make sure the seals on your windows, doors and garage doors are tight
  • Give your pipes a once over, make sure there are no leaks
  • Check the filter on the furnace

“If we can’t get the airflow through there, then the furnace is sitting here overheating. And it’s cycling on and on, and you may not know that until it actually gets to say where it’s 10 degrees and it needs to run an extended period of time. Well it can’t because the airflow can’t get through the filter,” said Chapman.

Chapman says if you put off dealing with mother nature, it could end up being a costly decision.

“It’s truly a pay me now or pay me later situation. At midnight on a Friday or Saturday when that problem has caused a part to go out, well then all of the sudden you have $400-$500 you know, we could have taken care of it. So, I’m a big proponent of preventative maintenance,” said Chapman.

Chapman says right now is also a good time to check your smoke alarms and your carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are working too.