ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – As the Roanoke Valley experiences its first cold snap since last winter, it’s the perfect time for people to start adjusting to the cold temperatures in their everyday lives once again. After a recent stretch of warm weather, this may have come as a surprise to some people.
“It definitely is a shock to the system,” Izzy Ruhland, a Salem resident for the past year, said. “As long as you’re prepared, I always like to keep out some cooler weather clothes and some warmer weather clothes, just so you’re prepared for anything, but it definitely is a big shock though, but it’s winter, so it’s here to stay hopefully.”
It’s the perfect time to get those warmer-weather clothes out of the closet when heading outside.
“Just make sure you have something to cover your extremities, your fingers, hands, stuff like that,” Sergeant R.A. Hodges of the Roanoke Police Department community response unit, said. “(Get) good wool socks and always wear a couple of base layers.”
When it’s time to go back inside, officials encourage people to keep in mind how to efficiently use heat and electricity.
The colder it is, the harder the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) unit has to work to keep the home at a certain temperature.
“In order to keep your home warm air in, a lot of the things you can do is check your windows and doors for those leaks and drafts and caulk where you can,” Ashley Workman, the spokesperson for Appalachian Power, said. “Change your air filters to make sure there’s nothing obstructing your vents, and open your windows, let some natural sunlight in.”
The cold weather also prompts people to keep their cars running to stay warm while running errands.
However, Sergeant Hodges recommends everyone to turn them off, even if it’s just for a few minutes.
“We’re seeing people that are leaving their car running in convenience stores and different places of business like that, if they’re running for a few minutes, and coming out,” he said. “That’s where we’re seeing motor vehicle thefts and stuff like that.”
Sergeant Hodges said this is especially important in older cars, that don’t have a built-in key fob.