Tips to Protect your Car, Home, or Business during the Winter Months
Winter weather can bring extreme conditions that can have adverse impacts on your car, home, or business. It does not have to take an enormous amount of time and effort to be prepared for the colder weather. Here are several tips to help you prepare your car, home, and small business for the Winter Weather Season.
Car
- Tires – Make sure to check the tread on your tires and ensure they are inflated to the correct PSI for the conditions of your area.
- Anti-Freeze – Make sure to correctly mix the anti-freeze properly for the conditions you will face in your area. If you are not certain how to do this, it is always best to have this done by a trained professional.
- Gas Tank – Make a habit to keep more than a half a tank of gas in your car at all times during the cold months of the year. If you do get stuck somewhere for an extended period, it may mean the difference between a small inconvenience, a trip tot he hospital, or something worse.
- Keep a safe driving distance – When you have to be out driving in snowy or icy conditions, the only way to do this safely is to go slow and give yourself room. Even if your vehicle has four wheel drive, in most cases this only helps a vehicle to get out of a situation where they are stuck. It will not prevent you from slipping on ice. Make sure to go very slow and keep more than adequate room between yourself and other vehicles.
Home
- Have your Furnace inspected yearly – It is best to do this early in the year. That way you are not tempted to turn on the heat when you unexpectedly get the first bit of Winter Weather.
- Have someone check on your Chimney before using it – Just like with your furnace, it is best to have your chimney checked early in the season. That way you are not tempted to go ahead and make a fire for the kids the first time it dips a little cold in the Fall.
- Be safe with Christmas Lights – Everyone loves to get in the Christmas spirit by decorating their house with Christmas Lights, but these lights bring with them a fire hazard. Make sure you are not plugging too many lights in to any one outlet.
- Clean out the gutters – Clean gutters can prevent snow and rain from causing other problems throughout your house.
- Seal all leaks throughout your house – This is important all year long, but is especially important in the Winter. Closing any leaks can save immensely on your energy bill and help your family live a more comfortable life in the Winter.
Business
Snow Removal – If you live in an area where you experience a lot of snow, buy snow shovels and salt for the parking lot early. Consider consulting with a snow removal business to have your parking lot cleared when there is big snow.
Communicate with Employees – Today we are living in a hyper-connected world. This gives you many options to communicate with your staff when you either are or are not going to be open. Have a system for communication in place and test it when the weather is optimal so you know what you need to fix before Winter Weather hits.
Limit the use of space heaters – It is difficult to keep your business at a comfortable temperature for everyone in your office. If you do allow some employees to use
