Winter is here. A cold car is not an ideal place to keep a lot of our stuff. Huffington Post breaks down which items you need to bring inside...
1. Medication
Allowing drugs to get too cold could not only render them ineffective but cause them to become harmful.
2. Musical instruments
Cold temperatures can cause your musical instruments to contract, causing them to go out of tune more frequently. Also the cold could cause shrinking and cracking, which is very expensive to fix. In some cases, the cracking can be too severe to repair.
3. Canned soda and beer (I've had a bad experience, or two, with this one)
As they freeze, pockets of carbon dioxide can build up pressure and cause the cans to explode.
4. Canned food
Like liquids, food inside of cans can also expand when frozen. This may cause the can to swell and the seams to come apart, allowing the potential for bacteria to get in.
5. Eggs
When the liquid inside the egg becomes frozen, it expands and can crack the shell. Once the shell is cracked, it’s not safe to eat.
6. A near-empty gas tank
Cold gas becomes thick and heavy, forcing your fuel pump to work harder and potentially shortening its lifespan. Plus, it is possible for any water or vapor in your fuel system to freeze and block your fuel line.
7. Your cell phone or tablet
Exposing your device to low temps can also impact its performance. Using your phone outside of the recommended temperature range of 32 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (0º to 35º C) could temporarily shorten the battery life and even cause it to turn off.
Getty Images