After a warm start to the fall season in South Central Pennsylvania, the temperatures are quickly dropping, and with colder temperature comes winter weather. Now is the perfect time to start preparing your home for upcoming winter weather. Don’t know where to start? Westwood has you covered. Keep reading to learn how you can protect your home from winter storms.
Inspect Your Home
When was the last time you or someone else inspected your home? Take a walk around the interior and exterior of your home. Look for anything that could be a problem during a winter storm like loose shingles, structural damage, or spaces where snow and cold air can enter the home. Remember, snow can be heavy. Make sure to trim back any tree branches close to you home that could fall and cause damage.
Weatherize Your Home
If you do notice drafts coming through your windows or doors, take this opportunity to seal them. Weatherstripping is an easy way to ensure your home is properly insulated. We even have a helpful blog that can help you do it yourself. Make sure your fireplace and chimney are clean and ready to act as a secondary heat source if needed. If this is something you’re not familiar with, we recommend calling a professional chimney sweep to assist you.
Protect Your Pipes
If you haven’t already done so, remove all hoses from the water sources on the exterior of your home. Drain the water and store somewhere safe for the warmer months. The last thing you need during a winter storm is frozen or broken pipes. To prevent frozen or broken pipes, there are a few things you can do. If you have pipes located in colder areas of the home like the basement or along exterior walls in your home, insulate them using foam tubing or rubber insulation. You can also turn on the faucet just enough to allow cold water to drip. Try to keep your home’s temperature at 55 degrees Fahrenheit or above to prevent pipes from freezing.
Stock Up
In order to stay inside and avoid travel, you need to be stocked up on food and hygiene items. Make sure your pantry is stocked with non-perishable items in case of a power outage. We suggest having enough food to last each person in your household for 3 days and a minimum of 3 gallons of water per person. Don’t forget to stock up on hygiene items like toilet paper, prescription medications and other personal care items. If you have pets, make sure they have enough supplies as well.
Make sure you’re prepared with snow and ice removal tools as well. Stock up on ice melt and ensure you have the proper shovels and tools needed to clear your home’s exterior after the storm. We recommend stocking up early as these items sell quickly when a storm is coming.
Build an Emergency Kit
This is a great tool to have in your home for all potential emergencies or natural disasters. We have another blog post that goes into detail on how to create an emergency kit for your home that you can read here. Some important things to include are a battery powered or hand crank radio, non-prescription medications, important family documents, and a flashlight.
Stay Informed
Sign up for emergency alerts from your local government and monitor the storm through local news outlets. Having a backup battery pack for your phone will help you stay connected even if your power goes out. If you live in Pennsylvania, you can sign up for emergency alerts through this link: https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/ready/stay-informed/alerts.html.
We hope you found this guide helpful as you prepare for the winter season. Westwood is here to be a go-to resource for homeowners, so don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or needs. Wishing you a safe winter season!
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