Do you live in the US snowbelt? If so, you may be already dreading the arrival of winter snows, now that school is back in session, and the stores are full of Halloween and even holiday items. Fear not! There are services you can use to get yourself ready for the upcoming snow season. Here are four ways you can prepare in advance for that first snowfall, so you’ll not only be ready, but you may even enjoy the winter too.
Vehicle Winterizing
Many people dread winter because driving in snow can be fear inducing. There are things you can do, however, to reduce your risk of having an accident or getting stuck. Before the first snow ever flies, be sure to get your vehicle ready for winter.
First, check your tires with a professional, and make sure they’re up to the job of carrying you safely on ice and snow. If you need to have snow tires or chains put on, take care of that as soon as you can. If you need new tires because yours are worn, now is the time to make the purchase, and don’t forget to carry a full-size spare.
Visit your mechanic and ensure that your car is in good running order for the winter. Check antifreeze levels, spark plugs and the oil supply, and look for any other spots where you could be at risk of breaking down. You should also have working wiper blades, adequate wiper fluid and working headlamps and directional lights.
Additionally, you should make sure your car is ready for emergencies. If you are traveling any distance, take water with you, and always carry a mobile phone with a charger. Have the number of your auto club or towing service on your contacts list. Consider carrying the following in your car with you:
- cat litter or sand for traction in slippery spots
- portable shovel
- jumper cables and/or battery charger
- engine block heater
- snow removal tools for the vehicle, including an ice scraper
- flares
- flashlight
- emergency rations
- blankets
If you are still nervous about driving in the snow, think about taking a driving course. You can learn about driving in slippery conditions as well as emergency braking, high-speed maneuvers and how to spot dangerous situations on the road ahead.
Snowfall Removal
No one wants to get up hours early in the morning or come home from a long day at work to shovel snow. Make your snow season exercise something fun, like skiing or snowshoeing, and hire a service to take care of your snow removal for you.
With snow removal, the key factor is reliability, and this is even more important if you own a business that needs snow services. You don’t want to arrive at work only to find no one ever showed up to plow, and you can’t even get in your parking lot. Companies like Pro-Lawns and others offer a record of reliable snow removal and is available 24/7 because Mother Nature doesn’t keep bankers’ hours.
Other services a good snow removal company should provide include:
- salting of roads, lots and driveways
- sidewalk snow removal and salting to reduce liability risk
- snow pile removal for better visibility, less runoff when it melts and better aesthetics for your property
- environmentally safe ice treatments
- Roof Readiness
- Is your roof ready for winter? Don’t wait until you have a leak or an ice dam to find out. Have a roofing professional check out your home’s roof in the fall, while everything is still visible and while you have time to fix anything.
Check the heat escape from the rooftop to see if ice damming could be a potential problem. Also, double check loose shingles and flashing as these are prime spots for water leakage into the roof’s substructure or the home’s interior.
Have your gutters and downspouts cleaned after the trees have lost the last of their leaves. Trim back any tree limbs that could fall on your roof if they become laden with snow or ice.
Chimney Preparation
While you’re having your roof assessed, it’s the perfect time to check out your chimney too. A cozy fire on a snowy night is wonderful, but only if your chimney is safe.
Call in a chimney professional to check your chimney from top to bottom. Make sure the fire box is sound and that the flues are working properly. Cap the top, so critters can’t crawl or fly inside, and have the length of chimney cleaned of creosote and other buildup that can cause deadly chimney fires.
Don’t let winter snows bring you down. Use the services above, and you might just get a bit wistful for winter when spring arrives next year.