The arrival of Winter also means the arrival of freezing weather that can cause many risky situations, including freezing pipes, power outages, and dangerous driving conditions. Being prepared and cautious can help keep you and your love ones both safer and better prepared for dangerous winter events that may arise. Below are 10 winter safety tips to help you prepare your home and keep your loved ones a little safer.
- Don’t leave any fires burning when you’re not at home or when you’re asleep. Also, keep children and any flammable items away from fireplaces.
- This is especially important for real Christmas trees, which can cause extensive damage in seconds!
- On Christmas morning, be sure not to leave the boxes for any valuable gifts, such as TVs or computers, by the street for trash pick up until the day your trash is scheduled to be picked up. This could increase your risk of home invasion because potential thieves now know what items are in your home.
- With the cold setting in, let your faucets drip at night to help prevent water freezing in the pipes and causing them to burst. In the event a pipe does burst, make sure you know how to shut off water valves and what to do to limit damage.
- If you’re unsure, we have some tips on what to do immediately after a water loss here.
- Be sure to keep all space heaters away from flammable items such as drapes, furniture, Christmas trees, and clothing. Always turn them off before leaving the house.
- Use rock salt to melt ice on walkways and steps to prevent slipping and falling
- Always have at least a week’s worth of food and safety supplies in case of inclement weather or power outages
- Keep safety supplies, such as blankets, water, snacks, and flashlights, in your car in case of an emergency
- Keep a portable cell phone charger and extra batteries available in both your home and your cars
- Be aware and cautious of road conditions before driving when ice is a possibility
- Make sure to have a heat source (light, heated pipe tape, etc.) in your well house and/or crawl space to prevent frozen pipes
You can find more winter safety tips at Ready.gov and CDC.gov