Preparing You, Your Family and Your Ulster County Home For Winter Weather

12/14/2021 (Permalink)

Winter weather always requires preparation! Remember, water always does the most damage!

It’s here—the holidays, colder weather and a jam-packed schedule. We all know that the holiday season can be quite hectic, and sometimes, we can forget some important things.

But you should never forget about safety. Here in New Paltz, it’s safe to say that we know a thing or two about winter weather. Snow, ice and even blizzards have been known to make their mark.

That’s why we want to help you review some important things so that you can be better prepared for the season ahead.

Protect Your Family

Letting your family know what is going is essential. Does your family know what the emergency action plan is?

Make sure your family is aware of what to do and where to go if a winter disaster strikes your home. By communicating this, as well as practicing it, you can help reduce the fear and anxiety when a storm does take place.

Your home is an important thing to start preparing, but it is also a great idea to winterize your vehicle. You never know when you might get trapped in your car or have to take shelter there for a little while. Ensure you have an emergency kit in the car that contains an ice scraper, extra clothing, blankets, a portable phone charger, a first-aid kit, food and water.

Protect Your Home

Winter weather can be gorgeous, but if you’re not careful you could have frozen pipes. Frozen pipes are no fun—you’ll have no water, but they also can cause your pipes to burst and cause chaos in your home.

Another thing you need to prepare is your heating system. No matter what you are using, you need to ensure that it is well-maintained and in good working condition. If you are going to be using a fireplace, now is the perfect time to have your chimney inspected to make sure it is clean and well-ventilated.

If you want to help insulate your home, you could install storm windows with extra insulation to help maintain heat inside your home.

Protect Your Pets

Pets don’t need to be stuck outside in bad or cold weather. Bring them inside, or at the very least, set up a warming area for your pets to seek shelter.

If you have livestock that can’t be brought indoors, ensure that they have shelter, plenty of food and thawed water.

Watch for Melts and Flooding

Winter brings snow and ice, and eventually, these two things begin to melt and can cause dangerous floods. Keep an eye on the forecast and take precautions if flooding is possible.

If winter weather should bring damage or flooding to your home or business, contact SERVPRO of Kingston/New Paltz for fast, restorative solutions.