Winter-Ready Wisdom: Expert Tips from The Summit at Chenal Valley Senior Living Plant Operations Director

As the Plant Operations Director at The Summit at Chenal Valley Senior, I know the importance of preparing the community and my home for the cold winter weather. To schedule 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. Please be sure to clean your gutters and downspouts to make sure you get the proper drainage. Thus preventing ice dams that can damage your roof and walls when snow and ice accumulate.

Check your heating system and replace air filters. Consider scheduling 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. 

To prepare for colder weather in our community, I purchase bags of ice melt before any inclement weather, check and change air filters in the heating system, and insulate pipes, water spigots, doorways, and windows as necessary. I also verify gutters are free of any leaves that could obstruct drainage in the event of rain, sleet, or snow and winterize the sprinkler system.

Having all cold-weather essentials on hand when needed is the best way to go. When bad weather arrives, I’m already prepared.

A little time and money spent preparing for cold weather will pay 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!