Colorado Springs Utilities reminds customers to prepare for the upcoming winter storm

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Ahead of Tuesday's overnight storm, Colorado Springs Utilities is reminding customers to be prepared for the inclement weather.

The strong winter storm is expected to have widespread impacts across the region with snow showers beginning Tuesday and intensifying overnight into Wednesday.

According to Springs Utilities, crews are already taking steps to prepare for this storm and are standing by, ready to respond to an outage if one occurs.

Below are steps customers can take before the storm moves in to stay safe and help mitigate energy use and costs.

• If it’s been more than 30 days, change your air filter so your furnace doesn’t have to work as hard. 
• Caulk cracks, gaps, and holes around interior and exterior doors, window frames, walls, and vents. 
• If you have medical support equipment that is dependent on electricity, be ready with a backup plan to maintain your use of that equipment. 
• When temperatures are below zero, let your kitchen sink (or sinks that sit on exterior-facing walls) run a drip about a pencil width in size and open cabinets below to help avoid frozen water pipes. 
• Fill containers with tap water. Fill your bathtub with water to flush your toilet. 

Check Springs Utilities' digital Storm Center for more tips on how to stay prepared, informed, and safe.