8 Things To Do Before Winter Weather Hits

Is a big winter storm headed your way? A bit of pre-snow preparation will go a long way. Follow along with our guide to getting ready for inclement winter weather so you can rest in comfort while the snow piles up.

1. Be smart about stocking up on supplies

A severe winter storm can leave you stuck inside, potentially without power, for days. Make sure you’ve got a good supply of basic necessities – non-perishable food, first aid, and blankets – but be smart about what you buy, too. You probably won’t need a three-month supply of toilet paper, for example, but you do need to give a little thought to what you have on hand.

Per FEMA recommendations, you’ll want to have seven days’ worth of non-perishable food on hand, enough to feed everyone in your home, pets included.

• If you can manage it, you’ll want the food you’re storing to be edible without needing a heat source. Peanut butter, dried fruit, granola, infant formula, and baby food if needed, and canned goods like tuna and tomato soup are good options for this.

• Make sure the food you’ve selected meets any special dietary needs your family may have.

• Select foods that you know your family will eat. It may be hard to convince a six-year-old to eat potted meat from an MRE, and it’s okay to have bags of chips or chocolate donuts on hand, too. Comfort foods can help relieve some of the stress from the situation.

• Make sure you have a manual can opener and proper eating utensils.

• Check on your pets’ food stores, as well! They’ll need a week’s worth of food, too.

• Stock up on water – we’ll get into more detail there in our next tip.

Beyond food, you’ll also want:

• A well-stocked first aid kit with clean water, clean sterile wipes, bandages, and medications like painkillers and burn creams.

• Enough blankets for everyone in the family.

• Warm clothes, including coats, hats, socks, and gloves or mittens. While you shouldn’t go out in a winter storm if you can help it, you’ll also want to stock your vehicle with a warm blanket or two and an extra pair of dry socks, gloves, a hat, and a coat.

• Batteries, flashlights, and a storm radio. If you have a generator, extra filters and oil.

• A fire extinguisher – and don’t forget to look over its instructions so you’re familiar with how to use it.

2. Set some water aside in your refrigerator

Fill pitchers, bottles, or even ziplock baggies with water, and store them in your refrigerator or freezer. While you don’t want to overcrowd your fridge, a well-packed freezer will actually be more efficient than an empty one. You’ll get a few benefits from storing all that extra water:

• If the power goes out, the cold water or ice will keep the interior of your fridge and freezer cooler longer. This means your perishable food won’t spoil quite so quickly.

• You’ll have a source of potable water if you find yourself in a particularly dire situation with your water lines.

• In the event that someone is injured, you’ll have ice packs ready to go.

Even outside of winter, it’s not a bad idea to store some extra water in your fridge. Not only can it help in a power outage, but it will make your appliance run more efficiently, which can save you a bit of money on your electrical bill.

3. Keep your backup power sources in good shape

Whether we’re talking about a power block for your mobile devices or a whole home generator, you’ll want to make sure your backup power sources are in good working order.

• Keep power bricks and backup batteries charged, and unplug them once they’re done to avoid wearing them out.

• If you have heated blankets or space heaters, inspect and test them before the storm. If you notice fraying wiring or difficulty starting, you may need to replace those creature comforts.

Have a generator? Make sure it’s properly set up and maintained:

• Generators should be set up on a level surface at least 20 ft from the home, away from any windows or doors, and bolted down to the ground. Never run a generator indoors, not even in your garage.

• Keep your generator clear of debris like fallen leaves or snow. You’ll want to ensure it has good airflow.

• Check the spark plugs. Generators generally need their spark plugs changed annually. If you notice that the generator’s spark plug is blackened on the end, it needs to be replaced.

• Make sure the fuel is topped off.

• Before the storm, you’ll want to run it at full capacity for 15 to 20 minutes to make sure it works. Consult your user manual before doing this – chances are, the manufacturer has guidelines for regularly running your generator to keep it in good working order.

4. Check on and shore up your home’s insulation

Make sure the weather stripping on your doors and windows is in good shape, and make note of any gaps or cracks that you might need to block or seal up. A variety of products exist to help keep the warm air in – shrink wrap for windows, for instance. You can lay down blankets or towels at the bottom of doors and keep curtains closed to better trap warmth in your home.

5. Take steps to keep your pipes from freezing

Ahead of the storm, detach any hoses you may still have in the garden and turn off the water to outside hookups. If you leave those hoses in place, the frozen water can back up into your house’s lines and cause a burst.

For indoor pipes, you should have your home’s thermostat set to at least 55° F to protect pipes and water lines. Running a trickle of water from faucets – particularly the faucets furthest from your main water line – can help prevent them from freezing, too. You can also keep cabinet doors open to help move warm air to the pipes, just make sure to relocate any harmful chemicals you may have stored below sinks if you have pets or children.

6. Protect your appliances

Do you have a garage refrigerator? Maybe a washer? You’ll probably want to unplug it if temperatures are plummeting. Major appliances like refrigerators, washers, and dryers are generally not designed to run at extremely low temperatures.

7. Know how to safely use a space heater

Make sure your space heater is in good working order. That includes ensuring that any features like overheat protection or automatic shut-offs are functional.

Space heaters should be set up on a flat, stable surface, out of the way of foot traffic. They should be plugged directly into a wall outlet, not used with extension cords. While running, keep a 3 ft area around them clear of anything that might burn – that includes people – and if you aren’t in the room or you’re sleeping, any space heaters you have should be turned off.

8. Make a plan for clearing snow or ice

Eventually, you’re probably going to need to clear some snow, so make sure you have adequate supplies and that your snow removal tools are in good shape. What are you using? A shovel is fairly straightforward, but if you plan on breaking out the snow blower, there are a few more steps you’ll need to take to make sure it’s winter storm ready.

• How are the tires? Make sure they have adequate air pressure before you need your equipment.

• How are the skid shoes? If they’re worn out on one side, you may be able to flip them over. If both sides are worn, it’s time to purchase replacements.

• Don’t forget to check the oil. If it’s dirty or dark, you’ll need to change it before using your snow blower.

• Are any parts looking damaged? We can help with that! Check out our snow removal tool components page for a list of snow thrower and blower parts.

You can start clearing snow while it’s still snowing – it’ll be easier to work in short shifts than to try and clear a bunch of snow all at once. Just be sure to take frequent breaks to rest your body and warm back up, and before going back outside, change into dry clothes – gloves, hat, and socks included.

Once you’ve cleared your paths, you may still want to lay something down to either melt ice or make sidewalks less slippery. Check the label on whatever snow melt you plan on using – they all have a minimum effective temperature, and won’t work if the temperature has dropped too low. If you’re in a situation where your rock salt isn’t cutting it, you can use sawdust, sand, or non-clumping kitty litter instead. It won’t melt the ice, but it will create some traction on slick pathways. 

What To Do Once Winter Weather Hits

First and foremost, if you’re in the midst of a winter storm, do your best to stay inside unless it’s absolutely necessary that you leave your home. Unless it’s an emergency situation, you are almost certainly safest inside. Be sure to bring pets in, too, or make sure those animals that can’t be brought inside are well sheltered in barns.

If you do need to leave your home, make sure you’re properly protected from the elements with gloves, boots, a hat, and multiple layers of clothes. If you emergently need to drive somewhere, don’t leave until you’ve got the following:

• An emergency road kit, including an ice scraper.

• First aid kit

• Ready-to-eat snacks like protein or granola bars

• A warm blanket

• Extra pairs of socks, gloves, and a hat, at minimum, to change into if anything gets wet. An extra coat is also a good idea.

• A red rag, flag, or article of clothing that you can tie to your antenna if the snow pile-up is particularly bad and you become stuck.

Wrapping Up

We hope our guide has set you up with some helpful tips to get you through your next winter storm. If you’d like more safety tips, check out our blog for a variety of home help guides. Snow or sunshine, AppliancePartsPros.com is here to help you keep your home and appliances in great shape. Whatever you’re facing, stay safe and stay warm this winter!