It’s important to prepare your home and car for the winter months. There are certain security precautions and safety steps to complete before that first storm hits. Your car and home need special care, extra supplies and maintenance.
Carbon Monoxide Detection
The National Safety Council reports that there are more carbon monoxide poisonings in December and January than any other months of the year yet less than a third of homes in the U. S. have a carbon monoxide detector.
For security in Boise, experts suggest connecting the carbon monoxide detector to the home’s alarm system so help can be called at the first sign of trouble. Maintenance should be performed after every storm too.
Home Security
If there are cameras outside the home, they should be cleaned after every storm. Motion detector lights should be cleaned of snow and ice after storms too. They can’t protect the home if they are covered and the sensors and lens are covered.
Driveways and walkways should be cleared as soon as possible. An unplowed walkway or driveway can alert thieves to an unoccupied home. If you’ll be away during a storm, consider paying a local teenager or neighbor to shovel the driveway.
Driving Safety
The Idaho Transportation Department has many tips regarding safe driving in icy and snowy conditions. They recommend driving slowly and allowing extra time for travel. If a state of emergency is called, do not travel. Allow the plows to do their work undisturbed.
Car Preparation
Before the first snowstorm, prepare your tires for the new weather conditions. Consider purchasing snow tires, which have a deeper tread. The car battery should be tested to make sure it can withstand the cold weather months.
Car Supplies
It’s important to have supplies in the trunk of the car like flashlights and extra warm clothing in case of emergency. Sand or bags of snow salt can help if you’re stuck in the snow. Protein bars and other snack foods should be included in the emergency kit too.
Security experts in Boise talk about the need for investing in a lock defroster. It’s tempting to leave your car unlocked because the lock will freeze overnight. This is an invitation to thieves. Instead buy a lock defroster to protect your car from theft.
Do not leave the car warming with the keys in the ignition. You wouldn’t leave the car running at the store with the keys in it so don’t do it at home. Thieves can steal the car and when they steal the car, they may also have keys to the home.
Before leaving for a road trip in the winter, make sure other people know where you’ll be heading. Share your itinerary with other people and check in with them occasionally so they’ll know that you traveled safely to your destination.
Take time to be prepared for the winter season. Ensure your home is safe with proper carbon monoxide and smoke detectors and if possible, engage a home security company for extra protection. Get snow tires for your car and pack the trunk with flashlights, protein bars, bags of salt and warm clothing to prepare for emergencies.
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