When winter hits it is time to get those heavy, warm clothes out and put on, not to be removed for at least 4 months out of the year. Usually we can deal with a few inches of snow, in fact, people love snow. Snowball fights, snowman building and the white glaze view but when snow hits, disasters can come with it. It is always nice to be prepared for these dangers.

Your home is the main focus, floods can occur with frozen piping and electrical damages. The next is your car, you can become snowed in, meaning you can not move your car due to the depth of the snow surrounding it. If you are not prepared for these dangers it could lead to you spending a great amount on repairs.

Tips to help you get through the storm.

  • During a storm, it is important to stay inside until the storm passes.
  • When you are outside careful of icy concrete. Walk on clear pathways.
  • When clearing your pathway or driveway, take breaks. Overdoing it can cause you injury.
  • Try to keep dry, being in wet clothing can make you ill and cause hypothermia.

Injuries you can get from cold weather.

  • Frostbite – cold, tingling feeling in your limbs. White patches on the skin. If you feel these symptoms match please seek medical help right away.
  • Hypothermia – feeling exhausted all of a sudden, your limbs begin to shake out of control, you feel like you cannot remember anything and your speech becomes slurred and hard to understand. Please seek medical attention if any of these symptoms appear.  Remove any wet clothing and get to a dry, warm place. Inhale warm drinks that are non-alcoholic.

Important Home checks.

  • Make sure all your gutters are clear and flowing correctly with no blockages. This will ensure the snow and rain can clear out and not seep through your walls.
  • Weatherproof your windows and doors, make sure all walls are insulated.
  • Ensure your piping work is wrapped in insulated sleeves, this will make sure they do not freeze over and burst.
  • Make sure that all the roof tiling is up to standards that will not allow for leakage.

Important car checks.

During winter there is a higher risk of car accidents than that of a normal sunny day. This is due to poor safety procedures and bad weather conditions. These can be limited and avoided altogether by following simple safety checks.

  • Only drive if you absolutely have to, never at night only in the daytime.
  • Avoid back streets, drive on the main road where it will be clear of any residue.
  • Put weather-appropriate tires on your car. Make sure they are full of tread.
  • Make sure you have all your insurance details to hand just in case you need them.
  • Top up on weather condition products.

If you follow these simple steps you are giving yourself a better and safer time over the winter period.