Be ready for winter weather
Always have the following supplies on-hand to be prepared for a major snowstorm or power outage.
✓ Snow shovel
✓ Rock salt, snow melt, or sand
✓ Battery-powered radio and extra batteries
✓ Cell phone and portable charger
✓ Non-perishable food (3-day supply) and a manual can opener
✓ Portable space heater or kerosene heater
✓ Flashlight with extra batteries
✓ Family communication plan
✓ Extra blankets
✓ First-aid kit
✓ Extra water (3-day supply)
✓ Prescription medication (consult with your doctor about storing medicine)
✓ Cash
Reduce energy costs
✓ Review and compare previous bills to monitor energy usage
✓ Sign up for an online account with Pepco and/or Washington Gas for a more detailed accounting of your energy usage
✓ Browse offers to switch your electric supplier using
DC Power Connect
✓ Apply for
discount programs (e.g., LIHEAP, UDP, WAP) from the District Department of Energy & Environment
✓ Hire a professional auditor or conduct a DIY energy audit
✓ Use a programmable thermostat to lower temperatures at night or when you leave home
✓ Caulk windows and weather-strip doors
✓ Switch screens to storm windows
✓ Turn off water supply to outside faucets
✓ Disconnect garden hoses outside faucets and drain the hose before you store them
✓ Drain exterior water faucets of water in the line
✓ Use an insulated cover for the outside faucet