Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to prepare for the cold, well, unless it's 2014 and you live in McHenry County. November in McHenry County this year apparently means arctic cold has suddenly, and unceremoniously, gripped the area in a deep freeze.

Preparation for the cold means putting away your summer wardrobe and breaking out your winter wardrobe. More importantly, it means ensuring that your car is ready. Will your car start? Do you have tires and brakes that will grip the road through snow and ice when you want to stop or go? And, when you turn on the heater inside your car will heat come out of the vents?

Merely in terms of comfort, you really want your car's heater to work properly in this latitude. But, it's more important than a matter of comfort - much more.

How well your heater works says everything about how well your defrosters will clear the ice off of your windshield, and keep it off as you drive.

If the car's heater doesn't work properly, along with discomfort and a frosted windshield, this can represent other problems. These problems could leave you stranded somewhere this winter.

Some of the problems that could lead to a lack of heat from your heater include:

• Your car is short on coolant/antifreeze. Without enough coolant/antifreeze in the system, when the heater core is empty, no heat will come out of the blower. Additionally, with insufficient coolant/antifreeze, you car can overheat even in the middle of winter.
• Your coolant/antifreeze is worn or diluted. This is a vital liquid in your car's engine. It's designed to avoid freezing below temperatures expected in this area or to avoid boiling over from the heat your engine can produce. When it is worn or diluted, both capacities are hurt. Once again, while it may not produce all the heat you want, it can also cause your car to overheat or even for the engine block to crack on bitter cold days.
• Your thermostat may not operate properly. A car's thermostat remains closed until the engine reaches a certain operating temperature. Then it opens. It remains open until the coolant/antifreeze cool to a certain point and then it closes again. That means that, just as the coolant/antifreeze operates on a high-low range, the thermostat operates on a high-low range. If it remains closed, the engine can overheat. If it remains open, you may not get enough heat coming out of the vents inside the car.