As the days turn colder, make sure your home, your family and your vehicles are ready for the potential dangers that winter weather brings.
Start your winter preparations by securing your house. Winter is when most home fires happen, and heating is the second leading cause of home fires. Check out this Home Fire Safety Guide for tips on ways to keep your home safe.
Here are other ways to keep your home warm and safe this winter:
- Install a smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector and make sure the batteries are working.
- Never leave lit candles or other flames unattended.
- Have your chimney or flue inspected every year.
- Keep blinds and curtains open during the day to absorb heat from the sun. Close them at night to keep the heat from escaping.
- To save on heating bills, close the doors and shut the vents of rooms you are not using. Keep the basement door closed.
- Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows.
- Insulate walls and attics.
- Insulate any water lines that run along exterior walls so your water supply will be less likely to freeze.
- Repair roof leaks and cut away tree branches that could fall on your home or other structure during a storm.
Additionally, make sure your family is safe by dressing warmly and limit exposure to the cold to prevent frostbite. Avoid getting wet and change out of wet clothes as soon as possible to prevent hypothermia. Always remember to bring your pets indoors as temperatures drop. Take extra precautions if you work in the cold.
Don’t forget to make sure you and your family are up to date on your respiratory vaccines as we spend more time indoors.
If a winter storm heads your way, make sure you understand the warning and advisories. Winter storms, including blizzards, can bring extreme cold, freezing rain, snow, ice and high winds. Make sure you have an emergency plan, listen to weather forecasts regularly, limit your time outside, and have an emergency supply kit on hand. If power lines are down, call your local utility and emergency services. Have extra blankets and warm winter coats on hand to stay warm during power outages. If using a portable space heater, make sure it has an automatic shut-off switch and non-glowing elements and is placed at least three feet away from drapes, furniture, bedding, or other flammable materials. Never using generators, gas or charcoal grills, camp stoves, or similar devices inside your home, in basements, in garages, or near windows. The fumes are deadly.
Additionally, make sure your car is travel ready for the winter.
- Check the forecast and road conditions before you leave.
- Check antifreeze level and have radiator system serviced.
- Replace worn tires and check tire air pressure.
- Keep an emergency kit for your car.
This winter remember to stay warm and stay safe!