As temperatures begin to drop and winter weather arrives, it is important to keep the following tips in mind to ensure your safety and the safety of your living space.

If you live on-campus:

Prevent freezing pipes by maintaining adequate heat in your room, apartment, or house. Keep your thermostat set around 65 degrees or higher. This is especially important when leaving for the holidays or breaks.

Open curtains during the day to let in natural heat, then close them at night to keep heat in. 

To report heat-related emergencies, save the following contact information:

  • Virginia Tech Facilities Customer Service Line: 540-231-4300
  • Virginia Tech Facilities repair email
  • Virginia Tech Facilities outage and issue reporting link
  • Virginia Tech Electric Service: 540-231-6437 (off campus, in some areas of Blacksburg)


If you live off-campus, consider following up with your landlord or property management company around these winter preparations:

Seal windows with plastic and double-sided tape to prevent heat from escaping and seal doors with foam, felt strips, spray foam, or a sock filled with rice to prevent heat from escaping.

Replace dirty air filters in your heating system.

Ensure that the recommended number of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in place. Check the operation of these and replace batteries if needed.

For all members of the Virginia Tech community:

Prevent falls: Wear sturdy shoes with heavy treads to avoid falls on slippery surfaces.

Heads up crossing streets and intersections: When roads are slippery, vehicles may not be able to stop.

Prepare your car: Get a winter car kit ready that includes items like a shovel, scraper, windshield wiper fluid, salt, flashlight, water, snacks, and a blanket.

  • Have your car serviced as the cold weather season approaches, including checking the level of anti-freeze protection.
     

All students living off-campus should check with their landlord or property management company first before making any the modifications recommended above.

Virginia Tech students, faculty, and staff should bookmark the University Status Page for the official updates around closings and delays.


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