With the arrival of bitterly cold air, I wanted to share a few “cold weather lifehacks” that I have found helpful.
1. Dress for the weather
Typically when air temperatures are expected to be below 20, I dress in layers. Even if I am working in the studio, I will wear two pair of pants (usually a pair of athletic pants for the bottom layer). Even if you are working indoors, layering up makes those trips from the car to the front door much easier. Plus, if you have an emergency on the road, you will be better prepared for cold weather exposure. Dressing in layers also better insulates your body from the cold. Layers create air gaps between clothing articles, enhancing the ability to stay warm.
2. Ski Goggles
I love to snow ski and have been a skier all my life. A few years ago, I started wearing an elastic face mask when I had to go outside in near zero temperatures. During one extreme cold weather event, I decided to throw on the goggles. Now whenever temperatures drop near zero and I need to go outside to plow the driveway or do any other outside work, the goggles go on. You can get an inexpensive pair for around $20 or $30. I know that I’ll be pulling mine out this weekend!
3. Park Facing the Sun
If you leave home in the morning after the sun rises, harness that solar energy to melt your windshield. This is not only good during extremely cold weather, but also great for regular frosty mornings. Park your car (if you have the ability) facing southeast. The sun doesn’t rise due east during the winter months. Instead, because of the lower sun angle, it rises just south of east. Pointing your car southeast will allow more direct sunlight exposure to your windshield as the sun rises. Keep in mind, if buildings, trees or other obstacles block direct light from the sun, this will not work.
Winter weather is full of surprises.
4. Pay Attention to Weather Forecasts
This sounds trivial, but cannot be overlooked. A few years ago just after a snowstorm that dumped over 12 inches of snow, a friend told me he never saw it coming. This storm was well advertised, was headline news, was on the front page of every newspaper and was injected into almost every conversation on the streets. Simply knowing what is coming the next day makes preparing much easier.
5. Know How to Cut Off Main Water Supply
If your pipes freeze and burst, would you know how to turn off the main water supply to prevent major property damage? Recently a pipe in the ceiling over my living room began leaking out of the blue. I awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of water dripping and running. Thankfully I was able to catch this leak and prevent any major damage. The best way to fight freezing pipes is to prevent them from freezing. Insulate pipes, leave cabinet doors open and you may need to leave faucets dripping.