Preparing Your Nashville Home for a Winter Storm
By Friday PA
Last January, nearly an inch of ice brought down trees and power lines across Nashville. At the peak, about 232,000 Nashville Electric Service customers were without power, according to Axios Nashville, and NES didn't have power almost fully restored until nearly two weeks later, WSMV reported. Nashville isn't built for winter storms, so the time to prepare is October, while the hardware stores still have generators and no one is panic-buying bread.
Here's what to do now so the next ice storm is an inconvenience, not an emergency.
Why are Nashville winter storms so disruptive?
Two reasons. First, ice is worse than snow. A quarter inch of ice adds real weight to every branch and power line, and Nashville has a lot of mature trees over a lot of overhead lines. Second, the city has fewer plows, salt trucks and cold-weather habits than places that see winter every year. Roads stay bad longer, and repair crews take longer to reach you.
Plan for this: no power for several days, roads you shouldn't drive, and temperatures in the teens.
Before the storm: the October list
Trees. Have an arborist look at large limbs over the house, the driveway and the power line to your home. Branches near the line running from the pole to your house are generally the homeowner's responsibility. Main lines are NES's job, so report concerns about those to them.
Pipes. Know where your main water shutoff is and make sure it turns. Insulate pipes in crawl spaces, garages and exterior walls. Buy faucet covers for outdoor spigots.
Heat without power. Decide now how you'll stay warm. If you have a gas fireplace that runs without electricity, test it. If you're considering a generator, a standby unit takes weeks to install, so October is already late. A portable generator must never run in a garage or near windows. Carbon monoxide is the hidden danger of every winter outage.
Supplies. Flashlights and batteries, phone power banks, a week of water, food that doesn't need cooking, a manual can opener, ice melt and a shovel. Fill prescriptions before a storm, not during it.
Contacts. Bookmark the outage map on the NES website on your phone. Write down your plumber, tree service and HVAC company, with a backup for each.
When a storm is in the forecast
Storms usually give Nashville a few days of warning. Use them:
- Charge everything, including power banks and the car.
- Fill the gas tank. Pumps need electricity.
- Bring in or tie down anything that can blow or freeze.
- Let faucets on exterior walls drip, and open cabinet doors under sinks.
- Move cars out from under big trees if you can.
- Check on neighbors who live alone, especially older ones.
During an outage
Close off rooms you aren't using and gather in one room. Keep the fridge closed. Report the outage to NES online or by phone instead of assuming someone else did. If it gets dangerously cold, Metro opens warming centers. Last January the city also offered rides to people who were stranded.
Never use a gas oven, grill or camp stove to heat the house.
After the ice melts
This is when people discover burst pipes, because pipes often leak as they thaw. Walk the house, check the crawl space and look at the water meter with every tap off. If it's still moving, you have a leak. Photograph any damage before cleanup starts, then call your insurance company.
Tree services and plumbers will be booked solid for weeks. People with an established relationship get called back first.
FAQ
How long can a Nashville power outage last after an ice storm?
Many outages are fixed within a day or two. After the January 2026 ice storm, it took NES nearly two weeks to restore power almost everywhere.
Many outages are fixed within a day or two. After the January 2026 ice storm, it took NES nearly two weeks to restore power almost everywhere.
Should I let my faucets drip in a freeze?
Yes, faucets on exterior walls. Moving water is less likely to freeze, and the dripping relieves pressure if it does.
Yes, faucets on exterior walls. Moving water is less likely to freeze, and the dripping relieves pressure if it does.
Do I need a generator in Nashville?
Not everyone does. If anyone in your home relies on medical equipment, or you work from home, a generator is worth pricing now. Standby units need professional installation and lead time.
Not everyone does. If anyone in your home relies on medical equipment, or you work from home, a generator is worth pricing now. Standby units need professional installation and lead time.
Who trims branches near the power line to my house?
The line from the pole to your house is generally the homeowner's responsibility to keep clear. Main distribution lines belong to NES.
The line from the pole to your house is generally the homeowner's responsibility to keep clear. Main distribution lines belong to NES.
Related reading: Fall Home Maintenance in Nashville · The Home Fire Safety Checklist
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