Winter weather ushers in a variety of challenging scenarios, from school closings to treacherous roads. This cold-weather season also presents a variety of risks to your home, ranging from minor to major. According to the service experts at Detroit-based C & C Heating and Air Conditioning, however, there are important preventative steps you can take to help stave off weather-related home disasters.
Begin with the most important step of all: protecting your family. Create a preparedness plan that details how you and your loved ones will evacuate in extreme situations and how you’ll communicate. Make sure your plan includes pre-planned meeting spots should you have to leave home in a sudden emergency and not be able to communicate with family members in other locations.
Once you have your evacuation plan in order, take the following steps to shore up your home against harsh winter weather conditions:
Winterize. Install storm windows, weatherstripping and insulation to fend off cold weather. Insulate pipes to help prevent them from freezing, and be sure to clean out gutters to avoid ice dams. If you’ve got an irrigation system for sprinklers, make sure the lines are flushed in the fall to prevent ice buildup during winter.
Know where your shut-off valves are located. This small but essential piece of knowledge will not only prevent your home from flooding in the event of a burst pipe, it can save your family’s life in the event of a natural gas leak.
Carefully inspect your roof. Before winter weather kicks in, repair any damage to your roof and trim any tree branches that may be hanging dangerously close. If your roof is on the older side or you’re not sure how to spot damage, hire a contractor to conduct a professional inspection and check the structural integrity of the roof. If you live in a particularly snowy area, make sure your roof can handle the weight of snow accumulation.
Invest in a generator. Having a generator will give you peace of mind that important electrical systems can keep running in the event of a power outage. This is particularly important if a member of your family relies on electricity for medical devices such as respirators or power wheelchairs. A stand-by generator is more expensive than a portable generator, but the stand-by, which usually runs on natural gas or propane, will operate for longer periods of time.
Have access to information. Should you find yourself without power in the midst of a weather emergency, you’ll want a reliable way of getting information. Invest in a battery-operated emergency weather radio and/or wireless battery chargers for cell phones in order to access the latest weather information. Then make sure to keep these devices charged and have plenty of extra batteries on hand.
In order to keep your home and family safe during a dangerous weather event, make sure you understand the forecast terminology: An advisory means winter weather is possible, a watch means hazardous weather is likely and a warning means bad weather is imminent.
Finally, keep in mind that these preparedness strategies are not only for those who live in cold-weather states. A winter storm can hit anywhere, any time, even in traditionally warm locations. As the adage goes, it is better to be safe than sorry.
