Although watching the snow fall and the ice form throughout the winter can be beautiful and magical, it can also be dangerous if it brings with it a winter storm. While summer storms can be dangerous, the environment surrounding a winter storm can be just as deadly.
To help ensure that your family has what you need to survive any inclement weather that might come your way this season, here are three ways you can prepare your home and family for winter storms.
Prepare Your Home’s Exterior
The very first line of defense for your home during a winter storm is your exterior. Knowing this, you’ll want to be sure that nothing in or around your home is going to be particularly vulnerable to bad winter weather.
If you have trees near your home, you should spend some time trimming back the branches and limbs so that they won’t break over your home or vehicles if the snow and ice get intense. Also, HomeAdvisor suggests that you clean out your gutters to avoid any ice dams on your roof as well as ensuring that all water gets diverted away from your home’s foundation, otherwise you could experience both physical and structural danger on your property. And, if you have any exterior water lines, make sure you drain them before the temperatures start hovering around freezing, as frozen pipes could burst and cause a lot of damage.
Keep Certain Supplies On Hand
During a winter storm, the last thing you’re going to want to be doing is heading out on the roads in search of supplies. For this reason, you should make sure that you always keep certain supplies on hand during the winter months.
According to Heather Levin, a contributor to MoneyCrashers.com, you’ll want to keep food and water, alternative cooking sources, and hygiene essentials all stocked up so that you will be able to stay safe and healthy at home in the event that you’re stuck there for a few days, with or without power. While you don’t have to stockpile a lot, you should try to make it so you’re never running out of important items, especially in the winter.
Make Plans To Stay Warm
If a winter storm knocks out the power in your area, you’re going to want to have another way to stay warm other than your electric heaters.
Some options you might want to consider, according to T. Lacoma, a contributor to the Family Handyman, could include purchasing a generator or using a wood-burning fireplace. You should also stock up on blankets to snuggle up with as well.
If winter storms are a possibility in your area, consider using the tips mentioned above to help prepare your home and family for these scary and dangerous events.
