The season is now getting cold. And when you want to prepare for something, it is always good to prepare for the worse. Especially when you are preparing for the winter. You also need to prepare for the worse, like winter storms and the likes.
Though the temperature is already dropping. There is still some sort of comfort that can help you do activities even while in jeans and a shirt. There are many ways to prepare your family and home for colder weather. May it be indoors and outdoors.
Freezing weather and winter storms can be very dangerous. They can result in health problems such as flu, colds, and cough. It can result in power failures and loss of other home utilities. Road accidents may also happen when ice builds up on roads. Worse, your car may crash right in your driveway.
Here’s a checklist, so you can focus on what matters most:
Outdoors
- Gutters
As leaves pile up during the Fall, one of those places is your roof gutter. And not removing these may cause melting snow to look for holes. And it can make its way inside your house through tiny openings. This is better to do while the cool weather is still comfortable. Otherwise, it will be difficult to do it in winter clothes.
- Doors and Windows
These are parts of your house that have many ways to let in cold air. So it will help to keep your family warm if you block those openings. It will be better if you can install storm windows and storm doors. You can also add insulation to your windows if it will help.
- Backyard Faucets
Keep in mind that faucet pipes keep water. And when the weather becomes freezing, the stored water will turn into ice. This will cause the pipes to burst open and break. So while it is not yet wintertime, keep your pipes drained all the time. Better yet, shut down your backyard faucet. And make sure to disconnect the hose and remove stored water.
Indoors
- Heaters and Furnace
This is the most important thing in your house during the winter. But you need to take careful steps to make sure it is working properly. You might want to double-check its working conditions. And have your furnace professionally repaired as soon as possible. This is your family’s only source of warmth and comfort when the weather starts to freeze.
You also need to prepare your fireplace. Make sure you have stored dry firewood and follow proper instructions. Your vents must be checked to make sure that smoke gets vented outside. You want your family to stay warm but safe at the same time. Get blankets and warm winter coats clean and ready ahead of time.
And in case you want to keep an alternative heater as backup, have them inspected first. Portable space heaters, kerosene heaters, and electric heaters must be safe to use. They must pass your local fire department’s requirements before using it. And make sure to keep them away from flammable curtains and other materials when in use.
- Emergency Lights
In the event of possible power failure, you must light your home safely. Rather than candles and lamps, rechargeable lamps and flashlights are safer. Also, check your generator’s condition. Have it inspected by experts to make sure that it is working despite its inactivity. Then put your generator 20 feet away from your doors, windows, and vents. And keep it away from water or snowfall. Make sure all portable power banks are charged. You will need them to keep the battery power in your gadgets.
- Water Supply
Remember that freezing weather causes water from faucets to freeze. This is the reason you want to keep the warmth indoors. So your indoor water pipes are in are stored at perfect room temperature. When you don’t have water coming out from your sink, you got to have water stored in the warm spots of your house. Something you can use for other things than drinking. You can also allow warm air to reach your sink pipes. And you can do this by keeping your kitchen cabinet doors open.
There are many other things in your house that need winter preparation. But the essentials have been covered in this article. The whole point is that you don’t want to be surprised by sudden changes and incidents. What’s more is that winter is still a season to enjoy with the whole family.