A Survival Tips and Techniques Blog | UrbanWoodsman.com

Yes, Virginia, it actually gets cold in Florida!

Before I moved to the Tampa Bay, I had no idea that the weather ever dropped to a point where I, born and raised in snowy cold freezing temperatures of the north, would ever succumb to wearing so much as a sweater in Florida. I saw people passing by in their coats and scarves and I was astounded. There was no snow! How could they be so cold?

I quickly learned that temperatures in Florida do drop in the winter! They can even reach freezing. And suddenly, I actually reach for a sweater – I even layer my clothes! I wonder if my blood has thinned, making me more susceptible to the cooler days or is there actually something to wet cold versus dry cold (as what I am used to)? My grandmother grew up in a humid climate and always told me that it’s as if the moisture goes right into your bones. A little research tells us that humidity conducts heat away from the body during cooler weather (and conversely, conducts heat to the body during warm weather). Interestingly, it has been stated that 53°F is the magical number where humidity will make the temperature seem colder or warmer depending on whether the temperature is higher or lower than this number.

So now that the days are actually starting to remain quite chilly and even wet from winter rain, and I can attest to near freezing temperatures in Zephyrhills, Tarpon Springs, Palm Harbor and the like, it is time to weatherproof my home – a metaphorical sweater, if you will, for my property!

Starting indoors, the first thing to do is inspect rooms for cracks and leaks. Fill any cracks or open areas (like around your dryer vent) with appropriate filler like caulk or foam. Check all plumbing for leaks. If you come across a leak, fix it immediately. If needed, consult a professional for help. Next, look for exposed pipes and insulate them. Frozen pipes are usually not a concern for residents of the Florida Gulf as temperatures need to be around 20°F for water to freeze in a pipe and threaten severe water damage. Nonetheless, we all pay heating and cooling bills year round and a well insulated pipe will do wonders for your energy bill.

An often overlooked aspect of weatherproofing your home is attic insulation. As with weatherproofing your pipes, a properly insulated attic can shrink a hefty energy bill. Several energy companies will provide free insulation inspections of your home. Also, there are government programs that exist to help you upgrade the insulation in your home: you pay a portion and the majority of the cost is taken care of by the program. Call your local energy provider today and arrange for an insulation inspection.

In addition to inspecting your plumbing system, exposed pipes, attic and walls for cracks, winter is a good time to have your furnace, fireplace and chimney professionally serviced. A well-maintained system will deliver results efficiently and safely. Further to servicing, before using your fireplace this season, inspect the damper to certify that it opens and closes properly. A beautiful log fire is difficult to enjoy if your home is filled with smoke! On that note, make sure your smoke detector has fresh batteries. It is a good idea to change the batteries twice a year and periodically test your smoke detector.

If you have a gas-log fireplace instead of a traditional wood burning fireplace, be aware that gas-burning appliances in your home give off Carbon Monoxide. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions exactly when using your gas-burning fireplace or any other type of gas-burning appliance. To further protect you and your family, install a carbon monoxide detector and follow the manufacturer’s directions. Finally, if the damper in your chimney has been blocked open to accommodate gas log fumes, a way to alleviate heat loss and prevent drafts is by installing glass doors in front of your fireplace. Please note that doors may remain closed when the fireplace is not in use but must remain open during use.

Even though Florida does not fall victim to snow and ice, there are a few things you can do to weatherproof the outside of your home as well. Winter is a great time to have your trees trimmed and dead trees removed by a professional service. Check gutters for dead leaves and clean them out. Clogged gutters possess a substantial threat for water damage to your home as they will redirect water into your house though the walls and ceiling. If you have any wood outside, like a patio or any furniture, apply a protecting sealant to help prevent water damage and rot. Also, prevent heat loss within your home by checking for any holes in the exterior walls that need filling. If you come across any existing water damage, consult with a restoration company immediately.

A wonderful thing about living in Florida is the ability to enjoy foliage most of the year. However, there are some plants that while they thrive in the moist hot weather most of the year, are extremely susceptible to lower temperature. The best thing to do is to move potted plants inside. If they are too large to bring in, move them closer to your home for added protection or cover them. Many of the tropical trees that we grow in places like St. Petersburg and Sarasota, especially the palm trees, cannot tolerate even a frost. Check with your local nursery for expert advice.

A final word of advice: winterize your pool. Most people prefer to hire a professional when it comes to weatherproofing a pool or outdoor hot tub. From balancing alkalinity to ensuring the water simply will not freeze to keeping the area free of debris, the process can be time consuming and somewhat complex. .Whatever your preference, protecting your pool or spa is an important step that should not be overlooked when weatherproofing your home.

With your home completely weatherproofed inside and out, it is now time to settle in and enjoy the coziness of your home. Sit back, enjoy a cup of hot cider and relax by the fire.

For more information on how to protect your home during the winter and prevent water damage, please contact Advanced Restoration, Inc.

Many dedicated runners will brave the cold, damp air and dark, slick streets as winter sets in. Running is actually a part of surviving the winter for some. For those of you who don’t let a little rain, snow or sleet deter a run, it is important to know how to protect your feet so they too, can survive the winter months.

1. Choose a synthetic sock. Avoid cotton socks! Synthetic socks (wool blend, polypropylene) wick away moisture and help prevent blister formation and cold feet.

2. Run in a trail shoe. Winter running involves slick surfaces on both the trails and the streets. It’s important to have more support and stability on slippery surfaces. Trail shoes have more traction for these surfaces. Trail running shoes also tend to protect your feet more than lighter nylon running shoes.

3. Don’t use your old worn-out shoes for winter running. It is common to pull out those old, dirty running shoes with 400-500 miles on them. Who wants to cover their new running shoes with mud? But, wearing shoes that are worn-out can lead to foot problems such as plantar fasciitis and tendonitis. Buy a shoe specific for winter running or run in your summer running shoes and plan on getting them a little dirty.

4. Pair your socks and shoes. Don’t assume your heavier socks will work with your summer running shoes. Some individuals wear heavier socks during the winter and this may lead to the toes being cramped in the front of the shoe causing discomfort, numbness and sometimes jamming of the toes, leading to blood under the toenails. Blood under the toenails can lead to discomfort, to loss of the toenail and even to the dreaded toenail fungus.

5. Don’t assume numb toes are due to cold weather. Avoid tight footwear in cold weather, and avoid heavy socks with smaller shoes. Tight shoe and sock combinations may decrease circulation to the toes and can increase the chance for nerve impingement on the top of the foot.

6. Avoid uneven terrain. In cold weather it is more difficult to adjust to uneven terrain because your muscles do not react as quickly. Choose level streets and sidewalks and choose trails with fewer rocks, roots and dips. This will help minimize your chances of developing muscle strains and sprains.

7. Warm up slowly. Although this may seem obvious, it is a common mistake in the winter. It is cold out and you will want to start running as soon as you close your front door. But, your muscles take longer to warm-up in colder weather. Your chances of injury increase when you do not take the time to warm-up properly.

8. Avoid speedwork in very cold weather. Speedwork in cold weather will increase your chances of injury. Consider saving speedwork for the warmer days, and use the colder days for maintenance runs.

9. Try skiing or snowshoeing. Running with cross country skis or snowshoes can be a fun way to train in the winter. This may help break the monotony of the standard running routine.

10. Take a break from running. If you are feeling stiff and sore or if you are experiencing foot, ankle or leg discomfort, consider cross training. Overuse injuries occur more frequently in the winter as runners unconsciously alter their gait to adapt to slippery, hard to see surfaces. Swimming and bike riding are excellent for maintaining aerobic conditioning.

Winter camping is one of the many varieties of recreational group activity that you can do outdoors. However, although it might be a very awesome experience, aspiring winter campers should note that such activity can be very dangerous and challenging. Camping in winter pose certain dangers that are far more difficult to handle that those offered by a forest camp. Keep in mind that when you camp out in winter, negligence may yield to a variety of accidents and disasters. That is why winter campers should conduct extra preparations for their trip. Obviously, the most challenging thing about winter camping is staying warm and comfortable. Below are some tips that you ought to consider:

a. Before you set out for camp, check the latest weather forecast. Winter weather can bring sun or storm. Make sure that you are prepared for challenges prompted by the weather. Match your camping gear with the weather predictions.

b. Make sure that you have an alternative plan in case the weather spoils your plans. Be ready to face adverse reality. You must have an alternative camp site and an alternative itinerary.

c. You must have enough food, beverages, and clothing in case you get stuck in a storm. Make sure that your camping gear and supply is enough to last for a week or more out in the cold.

d. Never forget to bring tools for navigation. Navigation in the snow can be very hard. That is why you ought to bring GPS tools that can help you find your way even if the roads and foot trails are all covered in snow.

e. When traveling for a winter camp, it is necessary to use camping boots that are capable of traveling even in the slippery snow. When traveling during the early winter, many campers recommend the use of sturdy leather boots.

f. If you are bound to pass by trails with less snow, you should still use your snow boots. However, if the snow is quite dense, you should opt for an actual snow traveler.

g. Never camp in places that are not frequented by many campers, especially if you are not an expert. Make sure that somebody knows where you are setting your camp. When choosing a camp site, choose places that are highly recognized by the local authorities as an official camping site.

h. Before you set your camp, check the signboards and warning signs. On your way to your camp site, take note of all the signboards and landmarks that you find along the way. This can help you get back on the right track in case you lose your way.

i. Bring things that can entertain you along the way. Although you can bring your electronic play stations, it will be best if you bring books, cards, or board games that you can share with your fellow campers.

j. During winter, keep in mind that sunsets are quite fast so you will have to bring flashlights with you, along with other lighting tools. It will be best if you have an electric emergency light aside from the usual matchsticks and lamps. Bring extra batteries as well.

k. To fight the cold winds, you should be dressed properly. In fact, you should wear layers of clothing. First, wear clothes that transfer moisture away from the skin. Then, wear clothes that provide adequate insulation such as wool or fleece. Lastly, put on something that’s water proof or those clothes that can drift snow.

Hypothermia is a real issue when we find ourselves in a winter survival situation, also dehydration is a major implication. It is a thin line between eating snow to rehydrate yourself and becoming hypothermic from ingesting the snow

primitiveskills.com instructor Ryan Douglas covers basic winter shelter concepts while building a quinzee snow shelter.

  It’s cold—the plants in the greenhouse are thriving-their glossy leaves in stark contrast to the view beyond the glass. Outside, brown and gray bare stems and drooping evergreen leaves are rimmed in ice. Have you ever wondered-what mechanisms make those outdoor plants survive beyond the greenhouse walls? And why is one plant designated a Zone 7 and another a Zone 3?

  I checked out these questions and learned that one of the main factors for cold survival is how plants handle water. Then I called Ross Penhallagon, at the Oregon State University Extension Service office. He confirmed what I had discovered.

  Ross told me that the first aspect of cold survival is acclimation. Plants do best when they get several weeks of exposure to near-freezing temperatures before a frost. This signals them to prepare.

  Dry Strategies Work

  One preparation method? Plants purposely put themselves in a state of desiccation. They remove excess water from their leaves-in the case of evergreens like rhododendrons and conifers-or from buds and stems. It’s similar to draining exposed pipes so that ice won’t expand and burst them. In plants, the forming ice plays havoc with unprotected cellular structures-why tomato vines are mush after a first frost.

  But tougher vegetation evolved in colder climates has adapted. Some savvy plants move water from within their cells to between the cells, where there is more room for expansion. All excess water goes from the roots into the surrounding soil. What’s left behind has higher concentrations of sugars that act like antifreeze. Colder zone plants produce more of this antifreeze protection. Conifers have quite a bit. Greenhouse tropicals have none.

  How Gardeners Can Help

  When plants are in this self-induced dry state, protection from wind can be a plus. However, it’s common gardening advice to water plants well before a frost. Maybe that’s true in parts of the country where freezes are seldom expected—orange groves are watered overhead so forming ice protects the plants from lower than 32 degree temperatures. But unless the ground is bone dry, Ross confirmed for me that watering the soil before a frost may do more harm than good. After all, the plants are doing their best to get rid of water, right?

  So when you’re in your cozy greenhouse, raise your watering can in salute to those denizens beyond the glass that display nifty strategies to survive the cold.

primitiveskills.com Primitive Skills School Winter Survival Students build a snow debris hut as one of four shelter designs constructed and slept in during the class.

Winter Shelter set-up and test with out Eno Single Nest Hammock and Z-Lite Therm-a-Rest sleeping pad. Great shelter for moderately cold weather.

Anyone who ventures out into the wilderness in the colder months of the year might want to know how to construct a few basic winter survival shelters. We can probably rule out the most famous of these, the igloo. It’s difficult and time consuming to build, especially if you haven’t done it before. It also requires certain snow conditions. That leaves at least three easier shelters, as described here.

The Tree Pit Shelter

This is perhaps the easiest of all the survival shelters, because it is essentially already made for you. The way the snow falls in deep forests, there is often a “hole” around the base of evergreen trees. The snow here is shallower, and there may even be bare ground at times. The surrounding deeper snow creates a circular wall around this, which blocks the wind.

Just climb down in if you are caught out in a blizzard. If you have more time, you can modify these to better protect yourself from the elements. To start with, always try to stay off the snow or cold ground in the bottom. You can do this using a layer of dry grass, tips from evergreen branches, or whatever else is available. Make this thick enough to insulate you from the cold below, and large enough to curl up on to sleep.

You can also create more of a “roof” above your tree pit, using whatever branches you can break off and collect by hand. This will further block the wind and snow. If you enclose the space well enough and it is small, you might even be able to retain enough of your body heat to have a shelter that is a few degrees warmer than the outside air. A fire in one of these is a bad idea.

The Snow Cave

A snow cave is carved out of a large drift on the side of a hill, assuming the snow is deep enough. After digging into the snow a way to create an entrance, you’ll want to carve out a sleeping shelf higher up. This allows the colder air to settle below you near the entryway.

Again it is important to insulate yourself from the cold snow with a layer of soft evergreen branches or a sleeping pad if you have one, or anything else that works. You can raise the temperature a few degrees above that of the outside air with your body heat alone if the cave is small. You also can use a candle for heat. If you do that, poke a hole through the ceiling to the outside, for ventilation.

The Snow Trench

This is one of the simplest of winter survival shelters, much easier to construct than either an igloo or a snow cave. You essentially just dig out or kick out a trench in the snow that is big enough to lay down in, and then make a roof of some sort. There are several ways you can do the latter.

If you have a poncho or tarp or even the remains of a tent you can use that as a roof. Prop it up with a few sticks to give yourself room to sit up (at least at one end). You can use tree branches for a roof as well. Evergreen boughs work best, with perhaps a few longer sticks as a framework. Leave a way to crawl into the shelter, of course, and perhaps a way to close the entrance afterwards.

If there are no other materials available, the snow itself can often be used. Look for areas where it is crusty. Using your feet, kick out rectangular pieces of the hard surface snow to see if they hold together. If so, they can be propped up to lean against each other like an A-frame roof over the trench. This is not the most comfortable of the winter survival shelters, but it can usually be built very quickly.

Winter warfare/survival at it’s best. Norwegian army in action. Warfare/survival techniques in arctic and cold conditions.