Prepare Your Home for a Winter Storm

If you live in an area that is regularly hit by winter weather, planning ahead is the first step in getting through a bad storm. Take a little extra time to prepare your home and be ready in the event a winter snowstorm, ice storm or blizzard hits your area. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers the following tips for homeowners.

Plan a Backup Method of Heat
Yep, a severe winter storm could isolate your home and family. Being prepared for such an event will help you make it through. Isolation due to weather conditions could mean lack of access to fuel to heat your home or a lack of power that provides electric heat.

Make sure you have a backup heat source--a wood burner, a kerosene heater or a safe, indoor-rated propane heater. Be sure you have extra fuel for your heat source--dry, seasoned firewood, kerosene or propane.

Winterize--Before Winter Sets In
Winterizing your home needs to be done in the summer or fall--before cold, winter weather rears its head. Some tasks can wait (such as putting plastic over windows), but most tasks should be done before temperatures drop. Winterize by caulking around doors and windows, installing weather stripping, install extra insulation and add plastic over windows to seal in heat and seal out the cold.

Trim Trees
Cut tree limbs that could cause a problem in the event of ice or heavy snow. At my home, there are a number of trees and in the past, ice storms have caused large limbs to drop and cause damage to fences and other things on my property.

Insulate Water Pipes
In the event of a severely cold winter, you run the risk of water pipes freezing and bursting. Avoid this by insulating pipes with foam pipe wrap or combining insulation with heat tape. You can also invest in a small under-house heater with an automatic temperature control designed to kick on when the temperature drops below freezing.

In the event of a really cold snap, allow water faucets to drip and open cabinet doors to allow heat from the home to warm the pipes.

Fire Extinguishers
This is one of those things you probably don't think about much in winter--fire hazards. Fires can happen at anytime but if you have to use a space heater or other type of backup heat due to power outage you should make sure you are prepared for the possibility of fire. Make sure you know how to use your fire extinguisher BEFORE you have to actually use it.

Water Shutoffs
Regardless of the season or weather, it is very important to know where your home's water shutoff valves are located and how to turn the water off in the event of an emergency. This will be very important to know if you have a water pipe that freezes and bursts.

Stock Up
Stock up on extra non-perishable food, drinking water and toiletries and household items. A severe winter weather event may keep you from going to the store and it is important to have plenty of necessary items on hand.

Have a Plan
The most important step in preparing for severe winter weather is to have a plan. Discuss with your family what you will due if you need to leave your home, how you will care for pets and elderly or disabled family members. Write out a plan and keep it handy so every family member can access it at any time. Include emergency numbers, medical information and any other pertinent information.

Planning ahead may be the difference between severe winter weather being a disaster or just being another day.