Winter Season Started: Prepare Your Home and Car

When winter season starts, colder temperatures, shorter days, snow, and ice can affect your home, travel, and health. A little preparation now can reduce the risk of frozen pipes, heating problems, and hazardous journeys. Use this guide to make a practical seasonal checklist; adjust it to your local forecast, climate, and official safety advice.

What You’ll Need

• A flashlight, spare batteries, and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio.
• Warm layers, gloves, sturdy footwear, and blankets.
• A basic first-aid kit and several days of necessary medications.
• Home-maintenance supplies such as replacement furnace filters, weather stripping, and a snow shovel, as appropriate for your area.
• For your car: an ice scraper, snow brush, washer fluid rated for freezing temperatures, and a vehicle emergency kit.
• Local weather alerts and contact details for your utility provider, landlord, or emergency services.

Step-by-Step

1. Check your local winter outlook. Review forecasts and alerts from your national or regional weather service. Find out whether your area commonly faces deep freezes, heavy snow, ice, flooding, or high winds. Identify local emergency information sources, and turn on phone alerts if available. Forecasts change, so check again before travel or severe weather.
2. Test your heating system early. If you control the system, arrange maintenance according to the manufacturer’s instructions or a qualified technician’s advice. Replace a dirty filter with the specified size and type. Test the thermostat and check that vents and radiators are not blocked. If you rent, report unusual noises, weak heat, or a suspected fault to your landlord promptly. Do not attempt repairs involving gas or electrical components unless qualified.
3. Make heating and fire safety a priority. Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms; replace batteries or units as directed by the manufacturer. Keep heaters at least 3 feet (about 1 metre) from bedding, curtains, furniture, and other combustible items, unless the product instructions require more clearance. Put portable heaters on a stable surface, plug them directly into a wall outlet, and switch them off when leaving the room or going to sleep. Never use a stove, oven, charcoal grill, or outdoor heater to warm an indoor space. These can cause fire or fatal carbon monoxide poisoning.
4. Protect plumbing from freezing. Insulate exposed pipes in unheated areas where practical, and seal drafts near plumbing. When a hard freeze is forecast, follow local utility or plumbing guidance. In some homes, a small trickle from a faucet can help reduce freezing risk, but it is not suitable for every plumbing system and does not replace insulation. Know where the main water shutoff is. If a pipe freezes, do not use a blowtorch or open flame; contact a plumber if you cannot thaw it safely.
5. Reduce drafts and check outdoor areas. Close gaps around doors and windows with suitable weather stripping or caulk, taking care not to block required ventilation. Clear gutters if it is safe to do so, and remove or secure items that strong winds could carry away. Trim only branches you can reach safely; leave overhead or power-line hazards to professionals. Keep walkways and steps clear of snow and ice, and use a suitable de-icer according to its label and local environmental guidance.
6. Prepare household essentials. Keep drinking water, shelf-stable food, a can opener, medications, warm clothing, hygiene supplies, and pet supplies on hand. Store a flashlight and backup batteries where everyone can find them. If you rely on powered medical equipment, contact your healthcare provider or utility about outage planning and backup options. Plan how family members will communicate and where they will meet if separated.
7. Get your vehicle ready before the first storm. Check tire condition and pressure against the vehicle manual, test the battery, and make sure lights, brakes, wipers, and defrosters work. Use windshield washer fluid rated for your expected temperatures. Keep the fuel tank adequately filled, and pack warm clothing, water, snacks, a phone charger, a flashlight, and basic first-aid supplies. Use winter tires or chains only where appropriate and legal, and follow vehicle and local requirements.
8. Change how you travel in bad conditions. Check road reports and weather alerts before setting out. Delay a nonessential trip when authorities advise against travel. If you must drive on snow or ice, clear snow from the roof, windows, lights, and mirrors; drive slowly, leave much more following distance, and brake and turn gently. Never use cruise control on slippery roads. Tell someone your route and expected arrival time on longer journeys.
9. Look after people and animals at risk. Check on older neighbors, people with disabilities, and anyone who may have trouble staying warm or reaching supplies. Dress in dry layers and cover exposed skin in severe cold. Watch for numbness, confusion, unusual drowsiness, or loss of coordination; these can signal cold injury or hypothermia. Move the person to a warm place and seek urgent medical help for serious symptoms. Bring pets indoors when conditions are unsafe and provide fresh, unfrozen water.

Common Mistakes

• Waiting until a storm is imminent: Supplies, repairs, and appointments may be unavailable during a cold snap. Make checks before the first severe forecast.
• Blocking vents to save heat: This can interfere with safe heating and ventilation. Use manufacturer-approved ways to reduce drafts instead.
• Using a generator or grill indoors: Generators, charcoal grills, and fuel-burning camp stoves must never be operated inside a home, garage, or other enclosed space. Follow the generator manual for outdoor placement, away from doors and windows.
• Assuming four-wheel drive prevents sliding: It can help a vehicle move, but it does not make braking or turning on ice safe.
• Ignoring official warnings: A familiar route or a short drive can still become dangerous during ice, blowing snow, or poor visibility.

Tips

• Keep a written checklist and review it at the start of each cold season.
• Store winter supplies together, but keep emergency equipment easy to reach during a power outage.
• Photograph important home and insurance records, and keep copies somewhere accessible if you need to leave home.
• Follow product labels and local guidance for pipes, de-icers, generators, and snow-clearing equipment.
• After a storm, check for downed power lines from a safe distance and report them to the utility. Never touch a fallen wire.

Troubleshooting

• The heating system stops working: Check the thermostat setting and the breaker only if it is safe to do so. Do not repeatedly reset a tripped breaker. Contact a qualified technician, landlord, or utility. Move to a safe warm location if indoor temperatures become dangerous.
• You lose power: Use flashlights rather than candles where possible. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed, and follow local food-safety guidance if the outage lasts. Never run a generator indoors or connect it to home wiring without properly installed transfer equipment and qualified help.
• A pipe leaks or bursts: If safe, shut off the main water supply, avoid electrical hazards around standing water, and call a plumber. Document damage for your insurer after addressing immediate safety risks.
• Your car is stranded: Call roadside assistance or emergency services as appropriate, and follow local rescue instructions. If you must remain in the vehicle, stay visible and conserve fuel. Run the engine only intermittently if the exhaust is clear of snow and the vehicle is outdoors; check the exhaust pipe repeatedly. If you are in immediate danger, contact emergency services.
• Plans or supplies fall short: Ask local emergency management, community organizations, or neighbors about assistance. Do not travel into hazardous conditions merely to collect nonessential items.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I start preparing for winter?
Begin before your area’s first likely freeze or snowstorm. Check seasonal forecasts, but complete essential tasks early because weather can change quickly.

How warm should I keep my home?
There is no single setting for every home. Follow public-health guidance for your area and consider the needs of infants, older adults, and people with health conditions. Do not let indoor temperatures fall to a level that risks health or frozen pipes.

Should I let faucets drip during a freeze?
Only if local plumbing or utility guidance recommends it for your home. Insulating exposed pipes and addressing drafts are important; dripping is not a guarantee against frozen pipes.

Can I use a gas oven or fireplace for extra heat?
Do not use an oven or stove to heat a room. Use a fireplace only as designed, with proper maintenance and ventilation, and never leave a fire unattended. Install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms.

What should I keep in a winter car kit?
Include warm clothing, a blanket, flashlight, phone charger, water, snacks, first-aid supplies, an ice scraper, and equipment appropriate to local conditions. Keep essential medications with you rather than relying on a car kit.

What if I cannot afford winter repairs or supplies?
Contact your local government, utility, community assistance programs, or a trusted community organization. Ask about heating assistance, weatherization, emergency supplies, or help arranging safe transport.