While gearing up for the cold season, we tend to ignore the preventive measures that are required to keep our house safe during this harsh season. Winter brings along several unpleasant and unsafe conditions with itself, which we must be prepared for. Ice, heavy snowfall and unending cold can cause substantial damage to your home unless you take sufficient precautions beforehand.
Follow these steps to protect your house and your family from the wrath of winters.
- Prevent Snow Build-up
Snow build-up can cause a number of accidents and hazards, therefore, it’s a necessity that you shovel your doorway, driveway and other walkways as soon as it starts to snow. It also saves a lot of effort if you clean up immediately without letting it build-up.
- Inspect the Roof and Attic of the House
Conduct a thorough inspection of the roof of your house, and if required, hire a professional to do it. Heavy snow can cause your roof to collapse, which can be quite deadly. Remove loose shingles, debris, gutters and leaves as they can cause ice dams. Moisture build-up can lead to rotting of wood, hence, a thorough inspection of the roof and attic is required to ensure the safety of the dwellers.
- Prevent the Pipes from Freezing and Prepare for a Power Outage
Frozen pipes can cause massive damage in the house, and the exterior pipes can even burst as we know that water expands when it freezes. Pipes which are placed in areas like basements and attics do not get proper insulation. In order to stop the pipes from freezing, protect them with insulation, cover outdoor faucets with foam insulators, and drain water from outdoor faucets. During winters, power cuts are pretty common, and having an inverter or generator can be quite useful. You can also keep battery-powered lights and other sources of light.
- Secure Your Fireplace and Chimney
Other than not leaving a fire unattended, it’s also vital that you put a grate around the front of your fireplace in order to prevent coals and other flammable materials to fall on the floor, carpets, etc. causing major harm. You must ensure that the fireplace and chimney are properly cleaned because a clogged chimney can be dangerous.
- Trim Dead Tree Branches
Dead tree branches can crash any minute during winters once the show starts to fall, and the damage can be quite expensive. Therefore, it would be a smart call to trim off any dead tree branches before it starts to snow.
- Emergency Boarding Up
During an emergency, when you realise that that matter has gone out of your hands, you can resort to the emergency boarding up services. They will arrive in no time with all the necessary equipment and supplies to protect you and get you out of the situation.
The winter season can be quite cruel and cause many hazards. Hence, upon following these preventive measures, you will guarantee that your house is adequately protected so that you and your loved ones can enjoy a cosy and warm winter.