Tips for Staying Safe and Healthy in Winter

It’s autumn now, and the weather may be quite mild, but this is the perfect time to start working on getting your home ready for winter. And once winter arrives, there are a number of things to keep in mind to keep you and your family safe and healthy.

Insulation is a key factor in preparing your home for winter. Make sure you have adequate insulation in your walls, attic and crawl spaces. Seal up drafts around windows and doors using weatherstripping. If your windows and doors already have weatherstripping, check it for brittleness, and if found, replace with a fresh application. Install door sweeps under your doors and make sure they fit properly to create a tight seal.

Insulate your exposed outdoor pipes. If you’re expecting a particularly cold freeze, also wrap insulation around your spigots, then disconnect and drain your hoses. Have a professional gardener drain your sprinkler system. Also insulate your water heater for maximum efficiency. Rather than just wrapping and taping up your water heater, you can buy a form-fitting jacket for it.

Clean your gutters to free them of debris in order to prevent water backup and ice blockages. Check your roof and shingles before it snows over, since repairing a roof in the middle of winter is a real hassle. Trim any tree limbs near your house that could gather snow and break, causing personal injury or damage to your home.

Clean your fireplace and chimney. If your chimney has excessive creosote buildup, have a professional chimney sweeper take care of it. Wood stoves heat more efficiently than fireplaces, so consider getting a stove insert for your fireplace. Also make sure you’ve got enough firewood for emergencies, and keep it stacked and stored in a dry place.

Since people will be cooped up inside during winter, germs tend to spread. Prevent colds and other illnesses by using portable air purifiers. These will keep your air quality clean and comfortable.

Install smoke and CO detectors throughout your home and make sure they have fresh batteries. Have a plan to evacuate your home if one of your detectors sounds, and be sure to take your mobile phone to call 911 once you’re safely outside.

Inspect your heating system before you actually depend on it. Check out these 10 things to check before turning on the furnace.

Stock up on food and emergency supplies in case you lose power or the ability to easily travel to the store. Canned and dried foods will store well and be easy to prepare. Store flashlights and a portable radio, and make sure you have extra batteries. If you have a baby or a young child, make sure you have supplies for them. And don’t forget about your pets -- make sure you pet food, cat litter and other pet supplies.

Finally, be careful while working outside on ice and snow. Many serious injuries can easily occur in slips and falls while shoveling snow or simply walking from your car to the house. Work slowly to prevent strain and stay warm by dressing properly.