North Texas stores see last-minute shoppers preparing for the winter storm

Prepping your pipes for the winter storm

Making sure your pipes don't freeze this weekend can be done in a simple few steps that could save you thousands of dollars. FOX 4's Vania Castillo has more.

DALLAS - If you haven’t already, now is the time to run to the grocery store and prepare your home for the arctic blast.

Friday night’s rain is expected to turn into freezing rain, sleet, and snow on Saturday and Sunday.

Last-Minute Shopping

Last-minute shoppers stock up before the storm

North Texans are loading up to potentially not leave their homes for several days, and that is putting a strain on grocery stores working to keep up with the demand.

Most people who went to Walmart in Mesquite on Friday were stocking up on groceries such as milk, eggs, and bread, as well as firewood, blankets, portable phone banks, and candles.

With temperatures cold enough to preserve perishables, some people were also filling the fridge and would cook outside if the power went out. Others bought new TVs to pass the time while stuck indoors.

Featured

article

Your pre-snow (or ice) storm shopping list

Roughly 150 million Americans are under winter weather watches or warnings for extreme cold as a potentially catastrophic ice storm will stretch from New Mexico to the Carolinas.

For those who don’t want to brave the cold, the store said it would be honoring online deliveries until the roads got too dangerous this weekend. At that point, orders would be refunded.

What they're saying:

Vivian Frazier said ever since the winter storm of 2021, she doesn’t take ice and snow warnings lightly.

"We bundled our family up into one house this weekend. We want to make sure everyone is good to go. Got the pipes wrapped, wood for the fireplace ready to have a good weekend," she said. "Bunch of firewood this time, candles, gas in my car in case I need to wrap up or plug in a phone."

Last-Minute Home Prep

Tips for using a generator, prepping your home

If you haven't already, now is the time to get your home ready to make it through the arctic blast. FOX 4's Dionne Anglin got tips while visiting a very busy hardware store.

Just about everyone who went to Ace Hardware in Haltom City on Friday seemed to be searching for last-minute items to prepare their home for the worst-case scenario. 

Anything to protect pipes and reduce their exposure to the cold was flying off the shelves. Most indoor heaters were sold out. Even high-end generators were selling as soon as they were placed on the floor.

Featured

article

Dallas weather: Prepping your pipes for freezing temperatures

Follow these tips to make sure your pipes don't freeze during the upcoming North Texas winter storm.

Store manager Ben Juarez just warned that safety and knowledge are imperative when using a generator. 

"Read your owner’s manual. Definitely read your owner’s manual. Keep it covered. Don’t let it get exposed to the elements. Just monitor it as it’s on. These are not toys. Be careful with them. Again, read the manual," he said.

Generators must operate outdoors.

"It needs to be well ventilated in the outdoor area. Make sure. You don’t wanna put this inside your garage or in your house. It needs to be like on a back patio. It could be dangerous," Juarez said. "It’s an engine basically, so it’s going to have exhaust. You’re going to wanna make sure you’re venting well."