7 Things Georgians Do the First Cold Morning That Northerners Find Excessive

The first truly cold morning of the season can send Georgians into action before their coffee’s even ready.

Neighbors who moved down from colder states often think it all looks like a bit much.

Here’s what’s on that cold-morning to-do list, and why it isn’t as excessive as it looks.

1. Potted Plants Indoors

The first cold morning has many people carrying potted plants in from the porch.

In extreme cold, the University of Georgia says to bring container plants into a house, garage, greenhouse or shed.

If you can’t bring them inside, push the containers together to decrease heat loss.

Then cover or mulch the plants and wrap the containers in burlap or blankets.

A lot of Northerners would call that a production for one chilly morning.

It’s a lot of hauling.

2. Blankets and Christmas Lights

The first cold morning also has many gardeners draping blankets over their shrubs.

The University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences says a blanket over a newer shrub 2 to 3 feet high helps capture heat from the ground.

Plants may be fine at 32 degrees, but the further temperatures drop past 28, the more worried you should be.

The university’s news article, “Protect plants from the cold,” favors cloth like quilts and blankets because cloth takes up moisture and prevents ice buildup.

Then there’s the strand of Christmas lights.

Christmas tree lights under the cover can give your plants some heat, but LED lights don’t produce enough.

3. Dripping Faucets

Many people leave a faucet dripping the night before the first cold morning.

A lot of Northerners would call a running faucet overkill for one cold night.

Gwinnett County told residents in a 2016 news release to drip the faucet overnight to prevent freezing.

With a single-handle faucet, drip warm water, but not hot.

Know where your main water shutoff valve is.

That valve may be near the hot water heater, inside the garage or at the front of the house where you connect your hose.

4. Hoses and Spigots

Before the first cold morning, many people unscrew the garden hose.

Gwinnett County’s release says to disconnect and drain garden hoses.

Cover outdoor water valves and spigots when temperatures dip below 32 degrees, using a fitted plastic or Styrofoam cover.

Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management says you should drain an in-ground sprinkler system and cover above-ground pipes.

Changing temperatures can shift the ground and put pressure on water mains and sewer lines.

5. Space Heaters

When the first cold morning hits, many people pull out a space heater.

Three feet is the minimum distance, according to Georgia's Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, between a space heater and furniture, walls, curtains or anything else that burns.

Space heaters should be off when you leave home or go to bed.

Drying clothing over heaters is also a fire hazard.

Your wet socks can wait.

6. Fireplace Fires

The first cold morning is also when many people light the season's first fire in the fireplace.

The state's insurance and fire safety office says never to burn paper or pine boughs.

Those embers can float out the chimney and ignite your roof or a neighboring home.

Burn only seasoned wood, never rubbish, in your fireplace.

Have a professional inspect your chimney before every heating season and clean it if necessary.

Creosote, a substance that forms when wood burns, builds up in chimneys and can cause a chimney fire if not removed.

For sparks, use a fire screen made of sturdy metal or heat-tempered glass.

7. Thermostat Jumps

On the first cold morning, many people walk straight to the thermostat and push it up several degrees.

Heating can account for 50 percent of a home's typical winter energy usage, Georgia Power says.

Set a manual thermostat to 68 degrees or lower, and each degree lower can cut energy use by 3 to 4 percent.

Heat pumps add a caveat, according to an electric membership cooperative called Jackson EMC.

On an extremely cold day, raising the thermostat more than two degrees at a time keeps your heat pump from reaching the set temperature quickly.

Auxiliary and emergency heat can cost about 2 to 5 times as much as normal heat, depending on the heat pump.

First Freeze Dates

Atlanta's average first freeze falls on November 13, based on a table from the National Weather Service in Peachtree City.

Columbus averages November 17, Macon November 11 and Athens November 7.

The earliest first freezes on record came to Athens on September 24, 1928, and Atlanta on October 11, 1906.

Some years bring a freeze far sooner.

If you live in the hills of northeast Georgia, you may see frost sooner than Atlanta does.

The University of Georgia's climate blog says the average first 32-degree frost there comes by October 10.

The dates get later the farther south you go.

Blinds, Caulk and Vents

A first cold morning is also a good time to check the seals around your doors and windows.

Start with the gaps.

Georgia Power says replacing cracked or peeling caulk and weatherstripping around doors and windows can save up to 10 percent on energy usage.

Make sure your attics and walls are properly insulated.

On sunny days, open your blinds and shades so the sun warms your home.

Close them at night to cut the chill from cold windows.