Winter Prep for your Home and Vehicle

2016-11-30
By: Denise Koslowsky

Even with that dip in temperature a few weeks ago the weather has been on the mild side.  We want your home and auto to be prepared when winter finally decides to stick around for a while.  Below are a few important tips for making your home and car winter ready so that you and your loved ones can stay safe!

For your Home

• Have your furnace & chimney inspected and cleaned.
• Check your fuel oil and/or propane levels. If you don’t already have one in place, set up an automatic contract with your fuel delivery service and add a maintenance contract in place.  In the event of an equipment failure, you don’t want to be left out in the cold!
• If you haven’t already, turn off exterior faucets to prevent the pipes from freezing.
• Water is public enemy #1. Teach everyone in the house how to shut off main water valves.
• Consider installing a monitoring system in your home. If you travel frequently during the winter months or if you have a secondary home, this is very important!  There have been many developments in Smart Home Technology that can alert you in the event of a leak so that you can take steps to protect your home before any significant damage is done!
• Get your ice melt and salt ready and be sure your shovels and snow blowers are in good working condition.
• Check weather stripping around windows and doors for cracks or gaps so that you can stay warm all winter long.
• Double check smoke detectors and be sure you have fire extinguishers on hand.
• Educate yourself on Ice Dams. Ice dams are one of your biggest wintertime nightmares. See below for some of the basics:
  • Keep your attic well insulated and ventilated
  • Keep your gutters clear of ice, leaves and other debris.
  • Do what you can – safely – to keep snow from accumulating on your roof.

For your Vehicle

• Check tire pressure and consider switching to winter tires.
• Check anti-freeze levels.
• Do a check on both the heating and defrosting systems to be sure they are fully functioning.
• Install winter wiper blades and check windshield washer fluid levels.
• Put winter supplies in your car including a snow brush, an ice scraper and an extra blanket in case you get stranded.