The winter season is a fantastic time for family and friends to gather and share moments and memories. However, with the season also comes hazardous conditions. From snow and sleet to ice and a penetrating chill, you need to know how to keep your family and guests safe over winter when they visit.
Fix Your Driveway
Since you are going to have plenty of people driving up to visit over the holidays, you may as well fix your driveway to improve the conditions and prevent significant wear and tear or elemental damage. If your driveway is in severe need of repair, companies like Black Tar can offer a solution. This can keep your vehicle guest’s vehicles safe, but it also makes your home look nicer, and is ideal for you to go into the New Year with one less thing to worry about.
Keep Snow And Ice Clear
If you live somewhere prone to snowfall and then icy conditions, you should be familiar with how to deal with it. However, if you’re out of the house all day, shoveling snow could be the last thing you want to do when you get home. It’s still worth doing so, as this saves you a job in the morning and prevents a sheet of ice from forming under the snow, as this can create a slip hazard even if you manage to clear most of the snow on your driveway and around other areas of the house.
As winter approaches, it’s important to keep driveways and walkways free of ice to prevent accidents; using a reliable de-icing solution like those from JennyChem can help maintain safer outdoor surfaces. A convenient solution to consider is installing a heated driveway to automatically manage snow and ice. Discover more about the costs involved by checking out information on Heated Driveway Cost, which provides a detailed guide on making an informed decision. This innovative solution can make winter mornings much safer and more convenient.
Lay Down Mats At The Entrance
Laying down mats can also make your home safer as people step inside. People can clean their wet shoes, which saves plenty of risks, especially if you have an elderly family member visiting your home. These mats can also make it easier for you to clean up after people leave since you won’t have a pile of sludge and slush around the doorway.
Insulate Your Pipes
Insulating your pipes is an essential safety tip, especially for older homes that may lack the quality and durability of modern materials. These pipes have also had longer to deteriorate, making them even more susceptible to damage if the water in the pipes freezes and expands. The worst part is that you often don’t know about this until it’s too late and considering how pricey water damage can be, it’s worth getting any problems fixed as soon as possible. Use foam insulation or even cut-up pool noodles to provide vital insulation from the chill.
Keep Your Home Warm (But Be Careful)
A warm home is a happy home, but you need to be careful if using a gas-powered fire. While these will keep your home toasty, there is an increased risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, so checking or installing your carbon monoxide detector can keep you and others safe. The cold weather makes it unlikely that you’ll open the windows so your home won’t be as ventilated. A detector can prevent potentially severe problems.
Plug The Gaps In Your Roof
Your roof is out of sight and therefore out of mind, but this can make things uncomfortable during the winter months. Take some time beforehand to check for any gaps in the roof and plug them. You might not be able to get it repaired quickly, but knowing where the gaps are and taking small but effective steps to cover or close them will save you a lot of chilly nights and mean you won’t need to spend a fortune on energy bills.
Prepare For Bad Weather
Some homes are unsuitable for terrible weather, and although this can depend on where you live, you should still make sure you prepare for potential problems. Being snowed in or experiencing storms could lead to issues, so it’s worth investing in a generator in case of a blackout and stocking up on plenty of food for you and your family to eat over the holidays. While it’s unlikely that you’ll be stuck inside for too long, it is always better to be prepared just in case, and you’ll be able to keep your guests and kids happy.
Safe and Seasonal
If you have a big day planned around the holidays, you should know the best ways to keep your guests and family safe. While some of these tips may seem extreme, it’s always better to be more prepared than you might need to be. Going the extra mile will put you and others at ease to ensure you can enjoy the holidays with the confidence that everything here will keep you safe, happy, comfortable, and full.