WINTER STORM TIPS

DRIVING IN THE SNOW

CLEAN OFF YOUR CAR

Why on earth would you start driving without being able to see out of your windows?  Far too often I have seen people driving their car with one swipe of the brush off the windshield and every other window covered.  I understand its cold and snowy but the extra minute of effort to clear the snow off your car could mean the difference between causing an accident or getting to your destination safely.  I hate to be rude, but is being lazy really worth putting life in danger.

STAY HOME

This is by far the safest option.  If you have a job that allows you to work from home, take advantage.  The less cars on the road the safer we will all be.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

If you dont have the luxury of staying home take public transit.  Again congesting roads that are getting narrower with every storm is making conditions worse than need be.

Find out all you need at the MBTA.com

NO PHONES

Keep your phone in your pocket or out of reach.  In dangerous road conditions distractions can be fatal.  Jim Morrison said it best "Keep your eyes on the road, and your hand upon the wheel".  Granted he wasnt the role model to be taking safety lessons from, but its the right idea.

HOMEOWNERS

PREVENT ICE DAMS

Ice dams are common cause of water damage that can be very costly to repair.   Find out some tips on preventing ice build up before it happens.  For instance, I know there is no where to put it all but make sure you clear away the snow from the bottom of your downspouts so the melting snow has someplace to go.

PLAN AHEAD

Emergencies dont wait for the snow to melt.  Make sure you and your family are prepared in the event of an emergency.  Go to Ready.gov then sit down together and make sure everyone nows what to do in the event of an emergency. 

And most importantly make sure all means of exit are free of ice and snow.

KEEP YOUR PIPES WARM

Another very expensive cause of loss brought on by dropping tempatures are frozen pipes.  When pipes freeze they can burst and crack, causing damage to walls, floors and ceilings.  Find out more on measures you can take to keep this from happening even if these crazy New England storms knock out your utilities.

The information here is not an exhaustive list.  I will be adding more as I can.  In the meantime some very good resources on preventing claims and safe driving are: