Prepare Your Family and Home for Winter Weather Dangers

Winter weather can be beautiful and soothing, especially as we watch the snowflakes fall and see the ground get coated in a fluffy blanket of white.

Unfortunately, winter weather also includes the dangers of ice, freezing temperatures, howling winds, and blinding whiteout conditions.

There are a few steps you can take to prepare your home and family for the dangers of winter weather. Here are some of the top tips to help you stay safe and warm this winter season.

Remove large trees from near the home

One essential winter home prep step is to cut down trees that are in danger of falling over near your home. Heavy snow, ice, and strong winter winds can topple branches or entire trees on your home and result in tragedy, so it’s best to clear precarious and unsafe trees as soon as possible. This can be dangerous, so it’s important to hire a professional; you can just search for tree removal companies near me to find a reputable contractor to do the work. Ensuring this is done properly will bring peace of mind and prevent a terrible calamity.

Winterize your pipes, hoses, and sprinklers

Wrapping pipes in foam rubber sleeves, fiberglass insulation, and heating tape helps prevent freezing, especially in areas like crawl spaces and attics. If you have outdoor faucets, sprinkler systems, and hoses, remember to winterize them as well. Draining pipes for sprinkler systems and outdoor spigots is recommended, and you should bring in hoses or at least detach them from spigots prior to the first freeze.

Stock your pantry with nonperishable foods and water

Even if you don’t lose power, winter weather can make it difficult to get to the grocery store. Be sure your cupboard has nonperishable items, such as canned goods. And if there’s time before the storm, buy apples, bananas, oranges, and other foods that do not have to be cooked. Pretzels, baked chips, crackers, peanut butter, and jelly are good options for families with children who need to make quick meals during storms. You also should have a case of bottled water on hand in case your pipes would freeze or burst.

Be ready for power outages

Heavy snow and ice can down power lines and put you and your family in a dangerous position during the winter months. To prepare your home and family for power outages, stock up on a few necessities and make sure everyone knows where they are in case of a winter weather emergency.

While it may be tempting to stock the cupboards with candles and matches for winter power outages, consider flashlights and batteries instead. If you have children and pets, candles are a disaster waiting to happen, and fire trucks and emergency personnel have a much more difficult time getting to your home quickly when winter weather hits.

Investing in a standby home generator if you live near an area that is prone to lots of winter storms can be valuable. Especially if you have family members who are suffering from chronic ailments and need a constant supply of electricity to power the devices that help them out, then a home generator is a necessary expenditure. If the cost of a standby home generator is too expensive, consider a portable generator.

If you live in an area that is prone to bad winter weather, it is better to be safe than sorry. Taking the necessary steps to prepare your home and family ahead of time is a smart way to protect everyone. Since bad weather will happen, contacting Banas & Fickert Insurance Agency to make sure you have enough insurance to protect yourself and your loved ones is also part of essential planning.

The more prepared you are, the more you will be able to enjoy watching the snow fall with your family.