Tips To Protect Your Home And Family From Winter Storms
With temperatures dropping and winter storms coming in, it’s important to make sure that your home is prepared for the next extreme winter weather event. Here are some tips for what you can do to protect yourself and your family from the cold:
1. Have an emergency plan in place
Power outages, blizzards, and other severe winter storms can be dangerous events that require an emergency plan. Everyone has different situations to plan for, but as head of the household, it’s important to make sure that everyone in your family knows what they need to do in these situations. Emergency food stock, flash-lights, batteries and extra blankets are invaluable when you can’t leave home during a power outage.
2. Have a backup heat source in case of a power outage
If the electricity is out how will your family stay warm? A good start is to make sure everyone has access to multiple layers of clothing and blankets to stay warm if the temperatures inside drop to an uncomfortable level. This is especially true for young children who may not be able to regulate their body temperatures as efficiently as adults. Have an alternate heating source available such as a gas furnace, wood stove, firewood, kerosene heater, or propane heater. Be sure to use these appliances safely according to manufacturer’s instructions and never leave them unattended! Lastly, try to spend most of your time in one room that has a closed door so that you can conserve heat within one area without it dissipating too quickly into other rooms full of cold air.
3. Invest in quality insulation in basements and crawl spaces to help retain heat and prevent pipes from freezing
Install insulation around cold walls in basements and crawl spaces. This will help keep the area warmer and more insulated against sudden drops in temperature that might lead to frozen pipes. Make sure all exposed pipes have adequate insulation around them – this includes hot water pipes as well as cold water ones! It’s also important to check regularly for any gaps or cracks where air could be getting in and reducing the effectiveness of the insulation. If possible, keep a space heater near the plumbing areas (especially in basements) so that any heat generated is concentrated there. Keep an eye on temperatures and check regularly for any signs of frozen pipes such as low water pressure or discoloration- this could indicate that there’s an issue that needs to be addressed right away before it turns into a major problem down the line!
4. Trim back any overgrown trees or bushes so that branches won’t break off under heavy snowfall or strong winds, potentially causing damage if they fall on your roof-line or siding
Inspect your property and look for any branches that are peeling away from tree trunks, drooping down too close to windows, doors, or power lines, or are in need of removal for other safety reasons; these should be taken care of as soon as possible! Trim back any overly long branches or those that hang out over rooflines – this will reduce the risk of them being ripped off by strong winds and causing damage when they fall. Check all bushes and shrubs too – if they have grown longer than the height of the wall that surrounds them this can also be a danger if large clumps of snow accumulate on top of them during heavy storms! If there are some larger trees within close proximity of your house, consider getting an arborist to prune them back accordingly – this can help prevent dangerous falls during extreme weather conditions.
By taking these steps now, you can rest assured knowing that your home is ready for any extreme weather winter may bring this season!
Sansbury Electric is a small, locally owned business, with over 30 years of experience that have served Washington, D.C, Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware since 2010. Our team is known for our high-quality electrical services with a team that delivers a client focused experience. Honesty, ease for the client, friendliness, and an on-time and on-budget experience are the core values that drive our day-to-day interactions.