Mastering Winter: Vitalia Westlake’s Plant Operations Director Shares Expert Cold Weather Prep Tips

As the Plant Operations Director at Vitalia Westlake. I know the importance of preparing the community and my home for the cold winter weather. To prepare your house for winter weather, start by inspecting and sealing any gaps or cracks in doors, windows, and walls to prevent drafts and conserve heat. Be sure to clean your gutters and downspouts to ensure proper drainage. Thus preventing ice dams that can damage your roof and walls when snow and ice accumulate. 

Check your heating system, replace air filters, or schedule a professional inspection to ensure it’s functioning efficiently and safely for the colder months. Insulate your home properly by adding weatherstripping to doors and windows, and consider adding insulation to your attic and walls to retain heat and lower energy bills. Don’t forget also to prepare your outdoor spaces – drain and store garden hoses, cover outdoor furniture, and trim tree branches that could damage your home during winter storms. 

The main things I like to do around my home are checking the gutters for any clogs or debris that could cause an issue, shutting off the direct outside water line, and blowing out the sprinkler lines. Also, before winter, I insulate my windows and pipes at risk of freezing.

It is essential to prepare for outages and loss of heat that could happen by having the materials I might need for a couple of days.

A little time and money spent preparing for cold weather will pay off great dividends through energy savings. There is no way to stop “Old Man Winter” from arriving at your door, but with some preparation, he’ll stay outside where he belongs!