Now that we're covered in snow and ice, PEMCO insurance and local professionals have a few tips for preventing flooding and water damage at home.

• Remove snow from areas where it could melt and enter your home. Shovel snow away from the house. Also consider clearing decks, patios, and driveways that slope toward the house.

"The main thing when you're shut in like this is to make sure there's no moisture leaking in," said Scott Orton, owner of Precision Home Inspection. "That could lead to mold problems, which are very serious."

• Clean snow and debris from ground drains. Make sure drains near your home, typically around the driveway, are free and clear from blockages. Ice and compact snow can create dams that keep water from properly draining.

University Place City Manager Bob Jean reiterated this point Monday in a call to TNT reporter Brent Champaco.

"There's no way we can get out there to clear all the storm drains as we try to clear the slush," he said. "Anything people can do once the thaw hits to clear stuff with a rake, keep the storm drains clear, that would help."

• Keep your thermostat at 65 degrees or warmer. When the heat in your home rises to the ceiling, it helps rooftop snow melt and prevent ice dams from forming, and it can help prevent freezing and broken pipes.

"If you need to replace broken pipes," said Jodye Howard of DrainTech Northwest in Tacoma, "consider a new kind of plastic pipe that returns to its original shape after it's frozen." Howard said the price is comparable with copper pipes.

• Do not try to climb onto your roof to remove snow. If you see the snow melting and dropping off the edge of your roof, that's a good sign. It indicates ice dams are probably not developing.

"Keep thinking ahead and using common sense when it comes to preventing water or other damages from this winter storm," Jon Osterberg, PEMCO spokesperson, said in a statement. "At the first sign of dampness inside your home, call immediately for professional help before long-term damages set in."

An intrepid TNT employee reports that last night, the Fred Meyer store on 19th Street in Tacoma was out of meat, eggs, yogurt and other products because of the storm.

Deliveries for restocking apparently were held up from the distribution center in Puyallup, according to one store employee.

When I went to Freddie's in UP on Saturday (along with everyone else in town) I watched workers restock the dairy case twice in the 30 minutes I was there. No shortages that day, but I haven't been back since. (I bought an extra gallon of milk just in case.)

I'm awaiting callbacks from several area grocers, but I'm curious: What have you noticed? Any favorites – or essentials – missing from your local grocery store? And where will you go for the basics if they're not in their regular place? Send your observations to kathleen.cooper@thenewstribune.com.

UPDATE: Melinda Merrill, a spokeswoman for Portland-based Fred Meyer, said a combination of storm-caused delivery delays and high demand have left a few shelves bare – but not for long.

Most deliveries go out to the stores every other day, and Merrill said a few trucks have been out of commission here and there. She said the company is reaching out to other carriers to help pick up the slack.

"All of our deliveries have been as best as they can do them, though they're not on the regular schedule," she said Monday, "and things are flying off the shelves faster than they usually do."

Top Foods is seeing the high demand, too.

Becky Skaggs, a spokeswoman in Bellingham, said there have been runs on storm-related items and that people are doing holiday meal shopping earlier.

"We're full and having no real problems," she said, but "I'm sure there's been challenges with the delivery times. There might be a (particular) brand out, but there are always other options."

UPDATE II: Reporter Stacey Mulick said that the Target on Union Avenue in Tacoma is down to three one-gallon jugs of milk, but that the rest of the dairy case is full.

"They have tons of the Archer Farms store brand stuff," she said.