Winter weather has officially arrived! The temperatures have been dropping rapidly. Some of us have already seen significant snowfalls, and you know what that means, treacherous driving conditions, and shoveling snow.
Once again it’s time to shift into winter weather survival mode. That is, unless you can spend the winter months in a warm tropical place, but I digress. If not, there are two areas that need to be considered related to winter weather – your home, and your vehicle.
There are many online posts to help you winterize your home to save energy and money. Here is one post from Popular Mechanics that has some things you can do yourself, and others that may require a contractor, depending on your skillset.
Below are some mindfulness tips for your home & vehicle to help keep you and your family warm and safe as you ride out the winter weather.
Home
- Be aware of current weather conditions, and dress appropriately.
- If you have to go outside, layering clothes keeps you warmer.
- Keep lip balm handy for chapped lips.
- Keep a supply of wood on hand for cozy fires in your fireplace.
- Stock up on salt and replace broken snow shovels.
- Keep snow shovels and salt by the door outside.
- Keep a supply of fuel on hand for snow-blowers and generators.
- Replace burned out bulbs in outside light fixtures asap to help prevent falls.
Vehicle
- Prepare a winter safety kit with the following items – blanket, small shovel, snow boots, kitty litter (for traction), de-icer, ice scraper with brush, anti-freeze.
- Keep tires inflated at the proper psi level for cold weather – see vehicle manual for more information.
- Replace tires if the treads are worn down.
- Make sure to keep your fuel level to at least half a tank to prevent the fuel line from freezing.
- Replace worn windshield wiper blades.
- Keep windshield washer fluid level at full.
- Clear snow off of all your windows and your roof before you start driving for clear vision.
