News
Winter Weather in Canada – Deep Cold & Snowstorms
Across Canada, we’re all experiencing different types of inclement winter weather. As the deep cold temperatures and snowstorms arrive throughout season, it’s crucial to be well-prepared for the journey outside and ensure a safe home.
TRAVEL
Keep Winter Essentials in Your Car: Always keep an emergency kit in your car. Include blankets, a flashlight, extra clothing, non-perishable snacks, and even a compact shovel. These basics can make a significant difference in case of unexpected delays or emergencies.
Safe Driving Practices: Adjust your driving habits to winter conditions. Increase following distances, brake gently, and avoid sudden movements. Leave yourself plenty of extra time for winter travel. Consider extra time to scrape ice, brush snow and most importantly – to drive safely. Do not rush.
Winter Tires: Invest in quality winter tires for better traction on icy roads. Ensure they are properly inflated and in good condition, providing stability and control during winter driving.
Wiper Blades and Fluid: Change old wiper blades and use a winter-grade windshield washer fluid. This ensures clear visibility during snowstorms and prevents freezing on the windshield.
HOME
Shovelling: Shovelling snow isn’t a favoured chore but it’s an important task for keeping your home in good condition. Shovel before the snow has a chance to get compacted or frozen. Ideally when there’s 2-4 inches of snow. Shovel all snow away from your home. Clear snow from inlets, outlets, windows, vents and pipes. Although you may not shovel your roof or eavestrough, both should be cleared of snow and ice. Don’t forget to salt driveways and pathways to help lessen ice the next time the snow freezes.
Don’t Let Your Pipes Freeze: There’s a few ways you can prevent frozen pipes. Depending on the severity of the deep freeze in your aera, you might be best implementing multiple safeguards.
- Maintain a warm home. Avoid having any rooms blocked off from heat. Keep doors and cabinets open to help heat flow evenly though the entire home.
- Keep water flowing, even just a small, consistent drip. Water is less likely to freeze if it’s moving.
- Wrap your pipes. Insulating pipes with foam sleeves, heat tape or thermostatically controlled heat cables to avoid freezing.
Keep a Fully Stocked Emergency Kit: Ensure that you have well-stocked emergency kit at home. Include essentials like flashlights, batteries, blankets, non-perishable food, bottled water, medications, and a battery-powered radio. Emergency kits assures instant access to necessities, navigation during power outages and provides warmth.