It’s that time of year again, when winter weather rears its ugly head. While we’re fortunate to live in an area where snowstorms are rare, we do have to grapple with ice storms. While they look beautiful, they can be extremely dangerous. The time to prepare is before they happen, so read on for some tips on how to make sure you get through an ice storm as problem free and safely as possible.
First, if ice is forecast, get off and stay off the roads! No matter how good a driver you think you are, an ice covered road is no match for your car. Attempting to drive on one, even with chains on your tires, can lead to tragedy. Get out to the store for supplies as soon as possible, then stay home! If you have a garage, put your car inside to protect it from falling tree limbs and ice, otherwise try and park it in an area away from any trees-and off the street.
Ice melt, lock deicer and a good scraper should be part of your ice storm supplies. A bag or two of regular (not clumping) clay litter can also be helpful. Don’t ever try to melt ice with hot water (it’ll just freeze right back up into another layer of ice) or an open flame of any kind. The chance of starting a fire is just too great.
Since ice storms are very likely to bring down power lines and cause outages, it’s a very good idea to have a generator, especially if you have very young, very old, or infirm family members at home. If you are in the market for one, check out kohler generators Houston. Be sure to ask lots of questions when buying a generator and that you understand how to operate it safely. Be aware that some generators can be quite loud so consider turning it off during late night/early morning hours so you don’t disturb your neighbor’s sleep. A good generator can make getting through an ice storm or any kind of severe weather a whole lot easier.
If you don’t have a generator and it’s not in the budget, stock up on non-perishable foods so you can prepare a good meal even without a stove. Weather permitting you can use your grill, but never attempt to use it indoors!
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