By Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
January 17, 2023
American novelist Paul Theroux once wrote, “Winter is a season of recovery and preparation.” But an argument can be made that the more you prepare for winter, the less you worry about recovering from cold weather mishaps like burst pipes, a damaged vehicle or even frostbite. Read on to learn how you can better prepare for winter.
Preparing Your Home
Install weather stripping if you notice a draft coming from doors or windows. This warms your home and lowers your heating bill. Close your storm windows until the weather starts to warm. If possible, insulate water lines that run along exterior walls. If you are unable to insulate your water lines, leave your faucet on a drip whenever temperatures are expected to drop below freezing for extended periods of time.
Have your heating system serviced. A professional will ensure it is clean, operational and ventilating well. If you use a fireplace, make sure it is clean and working properly. Have an alternate heating source at the ready, like space heaters, in case anything happens to your main heating system.
Smoke detectors should be in every bedroom and hallway and on every floor of your home, including the basement. Test your smoke detectors monthly and replace their batteries twice a year. Follow these rules for carbon monoxide detectors as well. Unlike smoke, carbon monoxide is invisible and odorless, so you will not notice it without a working detector.
Preparing Your Vehicle
Have your vehicle serviced, with special attention to the radiator and antifreeze levels. Fill your windshield fluid with a wintertime solution to avoid freezing. Ensure there is adequate tread left on your tires and consider purchasing all-weather or snow tires if you think you might need them. You can avoid ice in your fuel tank and fuel lines by keeping your gas tank full. Always have a winter emergency kit in your vehicle, even if you do not plan on driving far. This kit should include:
- Cell phone, portable charger and extra batteries
- Extra hats, coats, mittens and blankets
- Water and nonperishable food
- Jumper cables, flares, tire pump and sand or cat litter (for traction)
- Compass and maps
- Flashlight, battery-powered radio and extra batteries
- Fully stocked first-aid kit
Use an old smartphone or flip phone for your emergency kit. All wireless phones can call 911 when necessary, even if they are not on a phone plan. Be fully prepared for winter travel by learning more about vehicle and road safety on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
Preparing for the Outdoors
Always wear outdoor clothing appropriate for the temperature. If you are in cold weather for extended periods of time, be sure to check for frostbite regularly. You will often not feel frostbite as it develops, because it numbs the affected tissue. Signs of frostbite include cold skin, a “prickling” feeling, numbness, skin that changes color (red, white, gray, blue, yellow or brown, depending on how advanced the frostbite is and your normal skin color) or joint and muscle stiffness. Pay attention to the wind chill and avoid going outside when the temperature is zero degrees Fahrenheit or below. If you must go outside, be sure you wear:
- Tightly woven, wind-resistant coat or jacket
- Multiple inner layers of light, warm clothing
- Mittens
- Hat
- Scarf
- Waterproof boots
- Cellphone
Keep in mind mittens are warmer than gloves, and scarves help protect your face from the cold and wind. Bring an emergency kit and ask someone to come with you when taking part in outdoor recreation.
Keep sand or cat litter on-hand to spread over icy patches of sidewalk or pavement. Always take your time when shoveling to avoid over-exerting yourself. Working too hard will cause you to sweat. This will lower your core temperature, and over-exertion could possibly cause a heart attack.
Winter may be a cold hard fact for most of us, but preparing for winter does not have to be cold or hard. Make a plan before cold weather hits, and you can spend more of your winter recovering, just as Paul Theroux intended. Get more winter safety tips from the CDC website.
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