It’s so cold, I’ve got warm memories of my recent trip to Alaska.

Sure, there was one day when it was -38C when we awoke, but generally, the temperature was higher through the northern Rockies, Yukon and into Anchorage than it is as I type.

Cold does a lot of things to cars they don’t like, particularly on stone chips when an ice-cold windshield is blasted by hot defroster air, or on oil or, in the case of diesel engines, to the fuel. Antigel in the diesel tank is cheap insurance when it’s dropping past -20C.

But perhaps the most-noticeable impact, since it can stop any trip dead in its tracks, is what happens to the battery.

Now, it’s true that cold isn’t the battery killer that heat is. Heat can destroy a battery; cold merely affects its capacity until it warms up again. But if a weak battery is going to strike, Murphy’s Law suggests it will be at the time you least can afford it to.

There are a few precautions you can take to help ensure your battery never leaves you stranded.

First is to make battery replacement a regularly scheduled maintenance item. It’s cheap insurance, often just a bit more than the cost of a tank of fuel, once every five years. Your old battery will be responsibly disposed of and you’ll have another three years of near worry-free battery life. Is peace of mind worth $100 or less? I’d say so.

Consider an absorbed glass mat (AGM) battery. AGM batteries have a number of benefits, chief among them stability in their capacity. Unlike the batteries we’re accustomed to, AGM batteries don’t have liquid electrolyte sloshing around between the plates. The electrolyte is absorbed into a glass fibre mat, which means it generally won’t evaporate or boil away.

AGM batteries are becoming standard equipment on more cars every year.

In so-called valve-regulated lead acid batteries (of which AGM is one type), oxygen that evolves at the plates as part of the electrical transfer process recombines inside the battery with hydrogen to become water again. In conventional batteries, the hydrogen escapes, which necessitates refilling. The process may not be 100 per cent efficient (no process is), but it takes longer to dry out an AGM battery.

AGM batteries hold their charge better in the cold and over extended periods. As well, with the increasing number of cars that draw significant current even when off, AGM batteries hold up better than conventional batteries.

AGM batteries should also be the choice of classic-car enthusiasts or anyone who parks a car for an extended period, such as a sports car during winter.

Boosting is also not a concern with AGM batteries. Because there is no off-gassing, they’re probably the safest batteries to boost. Assuming you know how.

Because heat kills batteries, if you’re replacing your battery and take off a heat shield to get the old battery out, make sure the heat shield goes back on when you put the new battery in.

Regular maintenance of your car’s electrical system is also important. A failed voltage regulator will either shorten the life of your battery or prevent proper charging, and a failing alternator will fail to keep a sufficient charge in the battery. Many seasonal checkups include an electrical-system check.

Also, low battery voltage hurts your car. Your starter’s life will be reduced, since at lower voltages, the starter pulls more current to use the same amount of power. It’s a simple application of Ohm’s Law — power equals voltage times current. If voltage drops, current must increase for the same power.

If you have a conventional flooded battery, there are some things you can do to help keep it going. Check the battery terminals from time to time and if you see what look like puffy white deposits, clean them off (baking soda and water works great). Then disassemble the connection and clean both sides and reassemble with either petroleum jelly or an antioxide compound smeared on.

Pop the covers every three months and add distilled water if needed. If you don’t know whether you can do this or not, ask your mechanic.

If you need to boost your car, check your owner’s manual FIRST. Some cars recommend against boosting. Follow that advice. If your car can be boosted, your manual should spell out the process.

Your car’s electrical system is unparalleled in its ability to stop your car cold. Keep it in good shape.