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By Debbie Arnold of Sound Insurance
November 15, 2019
I hate to say it, but summer is over. With winter around the corner its time to prepare for snow and ice. Here are some tips to keep you and your family safe during the frigid season:
Automobile Safety Tips
Ensure your winter tires are installed prior to November 1. If you haven’t done so already, check with your insurance company if your policy has a discount for winter tire installation. All carriers must provide the discount as of June 2016. The terms and amount of the discount varies from carrier to carrier. Installing winter tires once temperatures are down to 7 Celsius make you 40% more likely to be able to stop on icy and snow covered roads.
Placing a winter hazard kit in your car can save your life! Be sure to include a blanket, flashlight, flares, water in plastic bottles, extra clothing and food, first aid kit, windshield washer fluid, boosting cables and a collapsible shovel along with road salt if you get stuck.
Remember to clear all snow and ice from your vehicle so you can see clearly.
Give yourself extra time when traveling and keep in mind that the weather at home may not be the same as the weather at your destination. Check for weather hazards along your route before leaving
Property Safety Tips
- Put away or secure all outdoor items such as patio furniture. Gusting winds can launch that patio umbrella through your window or worse…your neighbour’s head!
- Check trees on your property for loose branches than can become projectiles during a storm damaging your house or others’.
- Clean out eaves troughs of leaves and debris so that melting water has a clear path to the gutter and will not back up and re-freeze to cause ice damming.
- If going on an extended vacation, make sure your water lines are clear and water has been turned off. Toilets have been known to flood unoccupied homes and cause extensive damage.
- Turn the furnace down low but keep it on to ensure pipes don’t freeze
- Have a responsible individual check the house every 4 days, inside and out, removing mail and other signs that the house is unoccupied. Put lights on timers.
- Put together a basic emergency kit that is easy to access and contains a flashlight, food, water and blankets, manual can opener, first aid kit, cash, toiletries etc
- Purchase salt or sand for your driveway, sidewalk and walkways. Make sure that you apply it one icy days to avoid slip and falls
Most importantly, enjoy the winter and remember that spring is only a few months away!
Debbie Arnold
Group Business Development Manager
Sound Insurance Services Inc.
debbiea@soundinsurance.ca
416-646-0155 or 1-888-756-3334 extension 321
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