Is Your Home Prepared for Another Incline Village Winter Season?

The Incline Village winter season truly is a magical time when snow-capped mountains and brilliant blue skies juxtapose beautifully against the shimmering waters of Lake Tahoe, creating postcard-worthy imagery every day.

We were reminded of this seasonal splendor after an early November storm dropped several inches of snow across Incline Village and up to 3 feet at higher elevations across Sierra’s many peaks. So, whether you’re a longtime homeowner or getting ready to experience your first Incline Village winter, it’s important to be prepared.

This way you’re not flat-footed when that first big storm of the season comes knocking. An early fall storm, in particular, stoked interest among skiers—allowing some resorts to open early—which will hopefully serve as a harbinger for a strong winter to come. Here are a few tips for making the most of an Incline Village winter.

3 Homeowner Tips For An Incline Village Winter 

Tip #1 Know What Snow Removal Tools You Need

By now, you should have your snow removal plans squared away, as most seasonal plow contracts run from November through the end of April. But there’s still ample time to conduct important outdoor housekeeping tasks, including getting rid of pine needles and debris from driveways and sidewalks to make snow removal easier.

If you own a snowblower, make sure you perform necessary tune-ups to ensure everything is in working order. Same goes for generators, a must-have for any Tahoe homeowner considering the real possibility we may lose power, sometimes for days at a time.

Be sure you fill up spare gas cans and store them in your garage in the event a big enough Incline Village winter storm shuts down Interstate 80, U.S. Highway 50, and/or Mount Rose Highway and delays fuel deliveries to our local stations.

Looking for generator safety tips? Check out this handy guide from Washoe County. And here’s a great list of helpful community and emergency resources compiled by the nonprofit Incline Village Crystal Bay Community 1st, including a link to the county’s “Where’s My Plow” website.

Tip #2 Protect Your Pipes From Freezing Incline Village Winter Temps

While Incline Village winter temperatures don’t get as cold as other parts of the country, there are still plenty of days that dip well below freezing, as the month of November has already proven.

It’s crucial for Incline Village homeowners—especially second homeowners who are finalizing plans to travel south for the snowy season—to winterize your property before cold weather sets in.

The Incline Village General Improvement District provides several tips for proper cold-season maintenance of your home’s irrigation system and indoor plumbing. For the former, your first steps are shutting off and draining the system. It only takes a few minutes and can save hundreds of dollars in repair costs and water bills.

As for plumbing, while it’s always wise to consult a licensed professional, one of the best things homeowners can do is insulate pipes or faucets in unheated areas, such as garages and crawl spaces. Appropriate pipe-insulating materials can be purchased at local hardware or building supply stores.

Another key thing to know is the location of your master water shut-off valve. In many homes, it’s where the water line enters the house from the street. If a pipe bursts anywhere in the house, this valve turns off all the water and will prevent damage inside the home — and, again, will prevent major damage to your pocketbook.

Tip #3 Be Prepared For Whatever A Storm May Bring

Incline Village winters offer breathtaking scenery and some of the best skiing in the entire world, but they can also wreak havoc on the region’s natural resources and power grids, which is why it’s more important than ever to invest in an emergency preparedness kit.

“People who visit our beautiful community rarely think of the disasters that may occur,” the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District notes as part of its Emergency Preparedness messaging. “Most disasters happen without warning. Therefore, we all need to be responsible for our communities, our families, and ourselves to ensure we are prepared.”

To that end, the Incline Village-based fire district has crafted an Emergency Preparedness Guide that every homeowner should have. It covers the necessary steps to make a family emergency plan in the event of a catastrophic event—including avalanches, flooding, and winter storms—in addition to creating an evacuation plan and preparing a disaster supplies kit.

While kits should be tailored to fit each homeowner’s needs, here’s a list to compile to ensure you’re prepared to care for yourself and loved ones for anywhere from three to seven days:

• One gallon of water per person and per pet each day. Store water in unbreakable containers. Identify the storage date and replace it every six months.
• A solid supply of non-perishable packaged or canned foods with a hand-operated can opener.
• Anti-bacterial hand wipes or gel.
• First Aid Kit, a first aid book, and required prescription medications.
• Blankets or sleeping bags, at least one per person.
• Battery-powered radio, flashlight, and plenty of extra batteries.
• An ABC-type fire extinguisher.
• Credit cards, cash, and change.
• An extra set of car and house keys.
• Extra pair of eyeglasses.
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, and toilet paper.
• A list of family physicians.
• A list of important family information including phone numbers.
• Special items for infants, elderly, or disabled family members.

The great thing is that most of these items are already in your home; it’s just a matter of assembling them before a disaster occurs—and there’s no better time than now while we await the next big Incline Village winter storm.