Have a Winter Safety Plan for Your Home

A monitored alarm system can help notify you and the authorities of an emergency so you can get to safety. It is also important to be proactive and do what you can to prepare yourself for these situations. Extreme cold can lead to power outages or appliance malfunctions in the home. Here are a few tips to help prepare you and limit these occurrences.

One of our products that we wrote about last time was temperature sensors that should be installed in sensitive areas like those around plumbing. If you know of a potential area in your home that would be more prone to this hazard, install heat trace along these sensitively located pipes so that you can switch it on when it gets cold.

Heat trace, or self-regulated heat cable, can be installed on its own temperature sensor so that it automatically switches on at a certain temperature. Heat Line is one of the most well-known companies that make heat cable for pipes and other applications.

Vent pipes clogged with ice can also be a potential issue. You can also install heat trace here to prevent freezing.

Have candles and flashlights ready to go in an easy-to-reach place in your home. It can get pretty cold while you are waiting for the power to come on, so make sure everyone is bundled up well with lots of blankets. Make sure you keep your cell phone charged and pre-program the emergency number for the power company so that you can contact them to get updates on when the power will be back up. Make sure you contact the power company to get the right phone number for updates.

If your furnace goes out, which can happen any time of year, it can take a few days to repair or replace. To avoid the hassle of a hotel, consider installing a secondary heat source such as a pellet stove as backup. You don't want to pay the electric bill for space heaters should this happen to you, and a supplementary heat source like a pellet or wood stove may even help you to save money on your heating bills. Consult your insurance company for approved installation methods before going ahead with this.

Make sure you have regularly scheduled maintenance of your furnace to ensure that a costly breakdown doesn't happen when you are least expecting it. Regular furnace maintenance will also reduce the likelihood of carbon monoxide leaks, dust and bacteria build up, and increase the overall lifespan of your furnace.

Hot water heaters are often installed in unheated spaces. Purchase an insulation jacket that will keep it immune to the effects of harsh cold weather. If you don't have an insulation jacket, a space heater is a good stopgap measure, but an expensive long-term solution. There are several websites with information on insulating various water heater tank types. Keep yourself educated, so you can protect the ones you love.