How to Prepare Your Home for a Winter Storm

You don’t want a winter storm to hit your house without you being ready! These important tips will have you well prepared the next time the snow falls.

What to Have in Your Garage

It’s important to have your garage or storage stocked with items that will help you fight off the cold of a winter storm. In the fall, buy these items so that you are prepared when winter strikes!

• Rock Salt

During the winter, check the weather channel frequently to see when the storm is going to come. Before it does, lay rock salt down on your side walks and in your drive way.

• Snow Shovel

I suggest not leaving your house during a winter storm. But if you need to get somewhere, a shovel will lead you to your car! Keep a snow shovel around incase an emergency happens and you need to dig your way out to the road.

• Wood

If you have a fireplace, keep a pile of wood ready for when you need extra warmth.

• Food and Water

In case the storm gets bad enough, you’ll want to keep extra food stalked in your pantries in case you can’t go to the store. It’s always a good idea to have gallons of water on hand in case the pipes freeze.

• Blankets

In the event a storm does happen, you’ll want all the warmth you can get! Keep extra blankets around the house to snuggle up with.

• Flashlights, Candles, Matches

Power outages happen during winter storms. Buy extra candles, matches, and flashlights to have all over the house. You don’t want someone getting hurt trying to find their way in the dark!

• An Emergency Kit

Last but not least, you will want to keep an emergency kit on hand. You’ll need to take care of an injury or cut the properly way so it doesn’t get infected. An emergency kit will have the supplies to do this. Before winter, fill your emergency kit back up with the items that are a little low.

What to do in Your Home

• Have Chimney and Flue Inspected

If you have a fireplace and it is a source of heat for you and your family in the winter, make sure these two things get checked. You don’t want a winter storm coming and find out there is something wrong with the fireplace when you need to use it for heat.

• Drafts

Drafts can come from windows, doors, and cracks. Most cracks and drafts can simply be filled in by caulking. Check everything and fill them in during the fall so when winter comes you won’t feel the cold finding its way into your home.

• Cleaning

If you have a reusable furnace filter, take it out and give it a rinse! If not, just purchase a new one. If the filter is dirty, the furnace has to work on overdrive to provide you with warm air. During a storm you want the furnace to be working properly to keep you and your family feeling the heat.

• Preventing Leaks

The roof should be in tip top shape before winter to protect you from potential leaks. Fix the problem now before the snow falls on your roof, melts, and leaves you with a mess in your attic.

• Insulation

The pipes, attic, and basement need properly insulated. The pipes on the walls that are exposed to the outside especially need insulated so they don’t freeze because of the cold temperatures. This can easily lead to pipe bursts and frozen pipes. That’s something you don’t want to mess with during a winter storm!

Stay Safe

Better to be safe than sorry. Prepare your home for the worst but wish for the best. Have a happy, healthy, and safe winter!