Winter's here, and as you know, the weather here can turn nasty in a hurry. Sleet, snow, freezing rain and gusty winds can stir up severe winter weather capable of disabling power lines, bringing traffic to a standstill and wreaking havoc on your home. When it does, you want to make sure you're prepared.
Here are three tips to help you prepare for a winter weather emergency:
Make sure your home is ready. It's a good idea to have your home heating equipment inspected and tuned up each year before the weather turns cold. The last thing you want is for your furnace or heat pump to stop working when severe winter weather hits. Also, make sure your rain gutters are cleared of leaves and other debris. Heavy winter precipitation needs to be drained safely away from your roof and foundation.
Have a winter weather emergency kit ready.When severe winter weather hits, it can strand people in their homes for days. Assemble an emergency kit that includes plenty of water for drinking and cooking, flashlights and batteries, non-perishable canned food, a first-aid kit, and at least a week's worth of any medication you or your family members require.
Plan for the loss of electricity. High winds, snowfall and freezing rain can bring down power lines and leave your home without electricity for days at a time. When this happens, you'll want to have an alternative source of heat (especially at night) to keep you warm and prevent your pipes from freezing. Kerosene heaters are a good option, but make sure they're operating in rooms with ventilation. Also make sure your
CO detectors are working. You may also want to have a
standby or portable generator for your home. Some standby units provide power for essential circuits; others are capable of powering an entire house. For communication purposes, have a battery-operated or hand-cranked radio on hand, and keep a cell-phone charger in your car.
If you'd like more information about preparing your home for a winter weather emergency, please contact us at
Russell's Heating & Cooling. We provide quality HVAC services to homeowners in the Hampton Roads area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Chesapeake, Virginia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about Winter Weather and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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