Winter is quickly approaching and now is the time to plan ahead for the cold season. Follow these 3 easy tips to make your life a little easier.
Treat Walkways with a Deicer
No one likes to slip and fall and its never fun having to brace yourself on the ice with an armload of groceries or a small child in your hands. Before the storm hits, throw a little deicer down.
This will save you some time and sweat in the morning. You’ll easily be able to scrape aside the fallen snow and ice. Let’s face it, the last thing you want to do before work is break your back shoveling your walk.
Don’t forget to throw that deicer down after the snow has fallen as well. Pre-treating your walkway is effective, but it’s not always enough.
Tip: All out of deicer? Throw down some clay cat litter or cool ashes from the fireplace or wood stove. These materials help provide traction and provide a green solution to deicers.
What to do with Stove Ash
Anyone who has a wood stove or fireplace knows they’ll end up with buckets full of ash by the end of the cold season. For all you gardeners and composters out there, save your ash in a tin bucket or metal garbage can outside and away from your home. Ash is great for the garden and compost piles in moderation.
Tip: Always let ash cool before spreading it outside. Make sure to only spread ash in gardens with plants that can tolerate it and remember not to over do it.
Plan Ahead for Power Outages
Power outages happen, especially in the wake of a strong winter storm. Keep extra batteries, flashlights, candles, and matches on hand for such occasions. Keep them in a handy spot; one you won’t forget about.
Make sure to have plenty of firewood to last you the winter and know where the shelters in your area are in case your power goes out for several days.
Tip: Check your batteries often to make sure they’re working. Place flashlights, candles, extra batteries, and matches on the counter before the storm hits so they’re within easy reach. As always, use precautions when burning candles.
Photo Credit:
Beaulieu Industries of Maine 