4 ways to prepare for snow days

Winter has well and truly landed in the Northern hemisphere, with colder temperatures, darker mornings and the likelihood of snow on the increase. Depending on where you are in the world, you may have already had a bout of snow this year, and although many people love the winter weather, a lot of others would say it is inconvenient, unenjoyable and all-around something to be avoided. However, with a bit of preparation, you can ensure that the snow doesn’t bog you down too much! Read on for top tips on how to prepare for snow days…

Heating

First things first: you need to make sure that your home’s heating system is in good working order, preferably well in advance of any snowfall, as you don’t want to be left shivering in your living room with any form of blanket you can find. If you use heating oil at home, ensure you are well stocked up around this time of the year - you can get heating oil delivered to your door if needed (check out emo.ie for the best prices). However, due to each area having different companies providing oil, it can be a hard decision to decide which to contact. You should never go for the cheapest, another good factor is to consider the reviews, and if they're positive, similar to the feedback for Romeo's Fuel then the company is worth a try.

Generally speaking, it’s recommended that your boiler is checked out by a professional on an annual basis, added Taylor's, heating and solar specialists. A licensed engineer can make sure that everything is in working order, and that your boiler should last until the next check up, without putting anyone in danger. The last thing you want is to be without any form of home-heating in the event of snow! Of course, boilers can be unpredictable and problems can still arise out of the blue but having it checked out regularly (especially around the summer or autumn months before winter) greatly reduces the chance of any issues building up over time.

Car tools

Now, if you’re planning to drive in snowy conditions, you must always do so exercising caution. It is much easier to lose control of your vehicle in winter weather, as it is more difficult for your car to grip on snowy grounds, especially if there’s ice too. Consider a shovel to remove the snow from your drive so that you don’t slip and slide or get stuck, a scraper for your windscreen so that you can see with clarity, and winter tires if you’re experiencing high levels of snow and you drive often through unpredictable cold conditions. If you can walk to your destination instead of driving, this is recommended. Don’t drive in dangerous weather just for the sake of it, be sensible - or at least get the right tools for the job.

Comfort food

If you’re going to stay inside for the majority of the snowfall, trying to avoid it, then it’s a great idea to be stocked up on filling winter-warming comfort food to keep you going. You’re not going to want to crawl through the snow to get your sugar fix! So, in anticipation, get long shelf-life supplies of what your family love, from sweet treats to staple foods like dried pasta, rice and tinned foods. Just don’t buy all of the toilet rolls you can get your hands on, please.

Appropriate clothing

It goes without saying that you need to dress accordingly when the temperature plummets. We’re talking woolly hats, insulated coats, thick socks, wellies or walking boots, gloves, thermal underwear… the list goes on. Layering is your friend here.