How to Prepare Your Home for a Blizzard

Check your roof. If you have any loose slates or shingles or you are unsure whether it can bear a heavy load of snow, hire a contractor to examine the roof and fix it, if necessary.

Winterize pipes. Wrap them in insulation sheets, bubble wrap or newspapers. Also loosen all your faucets so they drip a little. Pipes burst during winter storms because ice expands; a release for the increased pressure reduces the risk.

Seal gaps. Caulk gaps around windows, block up unused chimneys and fit weather stripping on external doors.

Acquire a portable, vented heater and a supply of fuel. Check that the heater meets current safety standards, especially if you are buying second-hand.

Obtain battery-operated items, including lights such as camping lights and a flashlight, and a radio. Power and phone lines get cut off during severe storms. Despite the Internet making communication fast and easy, the only reliable way to get news in severe storms is through radio updates.

Prepare food supplies. At the least, you need enough canned and dried food to last you for several days in the event you are snowed in. Also, acquire extra blankets to keep you warm if you have electric heating, a shovel to clear the snow after the blizzard and a first aid kit.

Fill clean, empty bottles with water. Melting snow to drink when pipes burst is time-consuming and not always hygienic.

Ensure the accommodation for any animals housed outside is weatherproof and insulated, and that you have plenty of bedding. Straw is a warm material suitable for most animals, including pigs, goats and hens so add extra to their sleeping areas. Check that hutch or shed roofs are securely screwed down. If you have animals that you can take inside, such as pet rabbits, acquire a suitable cage and move them before a blizzard strikes.

Place a football or other plastic ball in your pond to help stop ice from developing and to allow oxygen for fish. Don’t worry, however, if the pond freezes over. Cold-water fish adapt to winter weather. Remember not to break the ice. This sends vibrations through the pond that can shock fish.

Stock up on entertainment that does not require electricity. Being snowed in gets boring. Books, a pack of cards, jigsaws and board games can make all the difference, and are available cheaply from thrift shops and bargain stores.