Prepare for Winter Storms Now!

The new year is upon us, and with it the forecast of very cold weather, with even some snow and icy conditions possible later in the week. There are a number of things you can do before the storms hit to protect yourself and your family from the effects of this wintry weather.

Create a Home Winter Prep Kit

First things first, you want to have the right supplies on hand.  Create a basic emergency kit that includes a battery-powered radio and at least one week’s worth of food and safety supplies.  Also include:
• Drinking water
• Canned/no-cook food
• Non-electric can opener
• Prescription medicine as needed
• First aid kit
• Bag of cat litter or sand to add traction on walkways
• Battery-powered lamps
• Carbon monoxide and smoke alarms in working order

An Emergency Kit for Your Car

For all of us who can't fix anything with gum wrappers and a Swiss army knife, there's hope! Our claims team, along with the Washington State Department of Transportation, has put together a list of must-haves you'll want to assemble and keep in your car to make sure you're prepared for anything on the roads:

• Crank flashlight (so you'll never have to worry about dead batteries)
• Synthetic blanket (one that sheds water)
• Nonperishable food (energy bars are a good choice)
• Water (replace every six months)
• Gloves (two pairs: disposable latex if you need to render first aid; warm and wooly for putting on tire chains)
• Boots
• Cell phone charger (that plugs into your car's accessories socket)
• Tire chains
• Ice scraper/snowbrush
• Jumper cables
• Flares or warning triangles
• Sand, salt, or non-clumping cat litter to help with traction
• Antifreeze and windshield washer fluid
• Fire extinguisher
• First aid kit (that includes a seatbelt cutter)
• Whistle to signal for help. (A potential lifesaver if your car slides into a ditch and can't be seen from the road.)

Prepare Your Home

In addition to the snow, the New Year’s forecast is expected to include some of the consistently coldest temperatures we’ve seen in the last two years. With that in mind, now is the perfect time to start taking preventive steps so your water pipes don’t freeze.

• Wrap any exposed pipes with insulated materials
• Put bibs on all outdoor faucets
• Leave one inside faucet trickling to keep water moving
• Have an alternative heat source in case the power goes out

The most important thing you can do? Be prepared! A benefit to winter storms is that you generally have plenty of warning that one is on the way. Don’t wait until the roads are icy and dangerous. Get your supplies packed, your pipes protected, and a backup plan in case of a power outage.

And make sure that you have great homeowners insurance, in case something bad happens!  We can help with that.  Call SAV-ON Insurance at 888-867-2866 or go to www.sav-on.com for a free quote today.


We hope that taking these small steps now will help save you from big winter problems later.