Be Prepared for a Winter Storm

By Bill Dilworth On January 8, 2018 0 Comment

If you live in an area where “winter” means cold temperatures, high heating bills, and snow days, then you most likely take steps to prepare for the dreaded forecast of a “winter storm warning.”

While the kids are excited at the prospect of a day off from school, sleeping in, and going sledding, the adults worry about power outages, road conditions, and keeping the family safe and warm.

As the winter season bears down upon us there are ways to prepare your family, home, and car for cold, windy, snowy, and icy weather:

Prepare your FAMILY by investing in warm jackets, hats, gloves, scarves, and boots. Check that flashlights are working; make a list of items you need from the store such as water, extra batteries, and food that needs no refrigeration or cooking; charge all cell phones and portable chargers.
Equip your CAR with an ice scraper, snow brush, shovel, jumper cables, and something for traction if you get stuck. Also, check tires and fill up the tank!
Prepare your HOUSE by adding extra insulation or weather stripping around doors and windows to keep heat in and cold air out. If you have a fireplace clean the chimney and have a supply of dry firewood nearby in case you lose power. Clear debris from gutters and away from downspouts so melting snow and ice can flow freely away from your home.

Don’t forget about your window wells!

When that dreaded snowstorm comes blowing through your area, it’s difficult enough to keep walkways clear without having to worry about snow or ice settling in window wells.

Besides preventing light from entering basement windows, a possible escape route could be obscured as well. Plus, melting snow or ice could easily begin seeping in through window cracks or the foundation.

Just like you invest in quality shovels, ice scrapers, and flashlights in anticipation of bad weather, THE best solution for keeping window wells clear of SNOW is to invest in window well covers, BUT not just the cheap plastic “one size fits all” covers.