The best time to prepare for the extremely cold winter is before autumn even ends, so you would have enough time to fix any parts of your house that need repairing. You wouldn’t want to start preparing when winter has already arrived, especially if you live in a place where it gets extremely cold. So, since winter is coming soon, you have to check out what you need to do before it gets really cold.
Table of Contents
How to Keep Yourself and Your Home Warm During Winter
The planet is going through extremely hot summers as the climate crisis is worsening. With heatwaves happening everywhere to the point that July 2021 was officially deemed the hottest month, you would think that winter would be a season that people would be looking forward to. But for anyone living in places where temperatures could get extremely low, it’s not any consolation from the hot summer.
So, you should know what you need to do to make sure you will stay warm and that your house will be protected in the event of a snowstorm and other extreme winter weather. Here are some things you should do to prepare for winter:
Pay attention to weather forecasts.
One of the first things you should do to prepare for winter is to check the weather report. By doing this, you will have a better idea of how the weather will be like in the next few days. Before the days that the weather forecast has predicted a snowstorm will happen, you could stock up on food and supplies in your house so you wouldn’t need to go out.
If there is extreme weather during a workday, your employers will likely understand that you wouldn’t be able to make it to work. They will most likely cancel work for those days, but you should still communicate with them to let them know. If you own a business, you should also advise your employees and other people who might come to your shop that you will be closed for operations for the day and that it is best to stay home instead.
Slip-proof the sidewalks around your house.
When you know for sure that a winter storm is about to happen, you should make sure that the sidewalks around your house wouldn’t be slippery to avoid any accidents. You can sprinkle salt on the ground to prevent ice from forming in those areas. Doing this is crucial as winter accidents are pretty common as people and vehicles slip on icy grounds.
Prepare for a blackout.
Once a winter storm gets too intense, you should expect some blackouts, so if you have a generator, you should make sure it’s ready for use. Of course, it will get extremely cold, so if you need to contact a furnace repair service company, do it soon. Having some spare batteries and other battery-operated heaters and torches would also go a
Have a winter kit.
By a winter kit, it means you need to have some essential items available in your houses in the event that a winter storm hinders you from getting out for a few hours. Harsh weather would force you to stay at home and wait out the waiter. So, besides having a torch and batteries, you would need to have a first-aid kit, extra food, snacks, water, medicines, toiletries, coat, blankets, and more.
Winter-proof your house.
Of course, you need to check every corner of your house to make sure there aren’t any power lines damaged during the storm as this could cause a fire. Make sure all the windows are closed. Saving energy would also help to make sure your energy consumption wouldn’t dramatically increase.
Have a backup plan.
Lastly, you would need to have a plan B if the worst-case scenario happens, and you get stranded at home without many resources. You have to communicate with your neighbors, friends, and co-workers to let them know your situation and if you need help. If any of them would need help, then you should also offer some assistance.
Winter could also be a fun time of the year that some people look forward to it. But don’t underestimate how tough it can get when the weather gets too cold, and snowstorms happen. You should be ready for any kinds of accidents and problems so that you can lessen the damage to your properties and avoid any health concerns. It’s better to be prepared than sorry.