During winter storms or harsh cold weather, it is not easy to stay safe and warm. For many people, it is no less than a difficult challenge – because winter snowstorms can cause extreme cold, communication loss, power failure and hazardous road conditions.
Driving on icy roads – as a result – of the winter storm can have harsh consequences such as, limiting your ability to go to the hospital, grocery store, or any other place of daily essentials. This is why it is necessary to prepare yourself and your family members before a snowstorm hits you – in order to avoid unnecessary danger.
So, without further ado, let us tell you how you can prepare yourself for extreme snowstorms. Read on!
Home Weatherproofing
Water is one of the most essential things you need to take care of. It is impossible to survive without water. So, first and foremost, you need to insulate water lines, which are running along your home’s exterior walls. This way, your water supply won’t likely to freeze.
Next, you need to weather-strip or caulk your windows and doors. Insulate your attic, walls, and other areas. Install thermal-pane or storm protection windows. It is also advisable to cover your home windows with plastic. Make sure you do it from the inside.
Smoke Detector Installation
Experts recommend having multiple smoke detectors around your home to sense smoke and warn of potential fires. Carbon monoxide detectors are also vital to alert homeowners of the colorless and odorless gas that is quite dangerous when it builds up in confined spaces.
If you are using a wood stove, a fireplace, or kerosene heater, installing a smoke detector near is important in order to be proactive against fires. Likewise, you must perform monthly tests and replace the batteries twice times a year.
You should also keep a dry-chemical extinguisher nearby. You should also vent all types of fuel-burning equipment to the outside of your home instead of crawlspaces and attics. You should check the furnace system and have it vented by a professional technician to make sure they are properly functioning.
Preparing Car Emergency Kit
If at all possible, it is recommended to avoid traveling during big snowstorms. However, if it becomes an utmost necessity – for instance, traveling to the hospital on an emergency basis, then you need to create and maintain an emergency car kit.
Your kit should be stocked with blankets, gloves, coats, hats, and other items that can keep you warm. A shovel, windshield scraper, flashlight plus extra batteries for it, battery-powered radio and a cell phone charger are also essential to keep in the kit.
Besides these things, it is important to have snack food and water. A first aid kit is also very important in case you have an accident. Rope and tow chains, tire chains, jumper cables, canned compressed air for emergency tire repair, waterproof matches, road maps, emergency flares, and help signs are other things required in traveling situations in heavy snowstorms.
Moreover, you must check the radiator system of your car and perform the anti-freeze test as needed. Keep spare anti freeze and windshield wiper fluid just in case you need to refill your car’s supply. Keep your car’s gas take full in order to avoid ice in the fuel lines and in the tank.
