Take some preventative measures in snowy days to protect your property from damage.
Front door
Flooring and steps can take a real beating in freezing temperatures.
Protect door steps and entrance halls with door mats outside and inside the house. Keep a shovel at your front door to clear any snow on the path and place a waterproof tray in the hallway for snowy shoes, to avoid water paddles left on wooden floors.
Top up your supplies
During winter storms there's potential for power cuts and frozen pipes. Take action by keeping a supply of torches and spare batteries. Keep water containers filled for outdoor lifestock drinkers. Of course stock up with food and drinking supplies for yourself too... hot chocolate anyone?!
Check out smoke and CO2 detectors
This is specially important during winter moths, when doors and windows are kept shut and the burning stove is on constantly. Test the batteries of every detector and replace as required. But don't do it just in winter, this is one of those jobs that you should keep up on a regular basis too.
Outdoors
Keep pathways and drives free of snow and put down grit salt or sand to keep them save for cars and people. Give some attention to trees that may be building up with snow and gently brush branches to avoid any breakages that can be hazardous.
Prevention is always better than remedy
Ensure you keep the cold out by upgrading your insulation, using draft excluders and pipe lagging. Top up caulking around windows and doors and seal any cracks on the outside of your home.Outiside, pay some attention to taps and pipes. Cover with pipe lagging or similar to avoid frozen taps that can become brittle.
Also keep gutters free of leaves and debris by cleaning regularly. Blocked gutters will lead to a build up of ice, which in turn can damage your gutter. Place gutter gards and brushes in clean gutters to minimise maintenance.
And finally, your garden friends
Don't forget about wildlife during snowy days. Check drinkers regularly on freezing days and top up feeders for wild birds and animals. Nuts and other high protein feeds are essential for garden birds. Peanuts and mealworms are favourites.
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