If you never lived where it snows and were moving North to where it does snow, what would you have liked to have known? What would you do to prepare?

  • m-p{3}
    53•22 days ago

    Clothing

    • Make sure to have a good winter coat, neck gaiter, hat, gloves and boots. Staying warm and dry is important.
    • Hand warmers can be handy if you expect to be outside for a while. There are several variants (chemical, reusable, rechargeable)

    Driving

    • Winter tires. It may seems like an extra expense, but it will make your summer/all-season tires lasts longer. In some provinces, they are mandatory for residents (ex: Quebec)
    • Make sure to clear the snow from the car, INCLUDING the roof (aka don’t leave a snowhawk). Keep that snow brush in the trunk.
    • Make sure to keep your windshield washer fuild filled.
    • Have a small snow shovel just in case you get stuck in snow.
    • Keep one of those metallic safety blanket, and those emergency candle in case you get in an emergency.
    • A car battery booster might come in handy. A drained battery isn’t fun.
    • Drice defensively, it’s easier to lose control of the vehicle.

    Homeowner

    • A good shovel to clear out the driveway isn’t a luxury
    • Some sand in a bucket with a lid, to put over ice patches when it gets slippery. You don’t need to put a lot, just enough to not fall.
    • Be sure to keep the temperature above 18°C. If the temp inside the building drops too low, ice can form in water pipes, and you can imagine the mess it can make when a pipe bursts.
    • @[email protected]
      12•22 days ago

      Make sure to keep your windshield washer fluid filled.

      and make sure it’s winter grade fluid (rated for freezing temps)!
      I once had summer stuff in there (doesn’t smell as bad because no anti-freeze) and as soon as I turned the wiper spray on the whole window froze over and I couldn’t see shit while I was driving.
      scary shit!

      • @[email protected]
        6•22 days ago

        We had to make an emergency trip to Quebec in January 2022 because of health issues with the in-laws. Father-in-law advised to get the stuff rated to -20°F, but it wasn’t available where we live and I’d gotten the car serviced before we hit the road and they filled the washer fluid with what they had, I’m guessing 0°F. I bought some -20°F in Buffalo but didn’t have room to add any. The temperature was rapidly dropping as we headed farther north and as we neared Watertown, NY the fluid wasn’t spraying well. I tried adding what I could of the -20°F but by the time we stopped east of Montreal that night it was -45°F and the whole system had frozen solid. Tried using a hairdryer at the hotel, but we couldn’t melt it until we got it in the in-laws garage. Without fluid running the wipers can mean just smearing crud across your windshield, making it impossible to see.

        Now I always make sure whenever we leave Quebec that I have a bottle of -49°F rated fluid and fill the reservoir at home before heading up in the winter. If there’s a lot of warmer-rated fluid in the car I’ll actually siphon it out.

        • @[email protected]
          5•22 days ago

          good advice! I didn’t even think about the whole system freezing.
          and if you’re going a place that cold also get a (fresh) heavy duty battery. ours had trouble starting the car when it was -35F also in Montreal

    • fraksken
      8•22 days ago

      18°c is uncalled for though? Above 12 should be fine

      • @[email protected]
        9•22 days ago

        I’d go somewhere in-between to keep things dry.

        Condensation around windows and outer walls make great growing grounds for mold. 15°C is the recommendation here.

        Shit can happen. Boilers break. Leave your faucets dripping and run your circulation pump off of a battery and inverter to save your pipes.

      • m-p{3}
        4•22 days ago

        18°C is recommended, especially for uninsulated pipes and where the ambient heat may have trouble reaching, as these spots may get colder.

        More importantly, check your home insurance coverage policy, some will set a minimum temperature to maintain to be covered, with some exemptions in case of a power outage and other things outside of your control.

      • @WorxEnglish
        1•22 days ago

        Look at Dr Money over here, anything above 0°C will keep the pipes from freezing and is technically survivable

    • @[email protected]
      5•22 days ago

      Before it gets cold, turn off your outdoor spigots from the inside. If you have ducted air, change the filter every few months. If you have a furnace or boiler, be sure to have a carbon monoxide detector in addition to regular smoke detectors.

    • @[email protected]
      4•22 days ago
      • I would add keeping a jug of sand or cat litter along with a couple 12"+ 2x4s in the vehicle to help with getting some traction if you or someone else ends up stuck.
      • i dunno about EVs but if you’ve got an ICE vehicle give it a minute or two of just idling and warming up before going anywhere
      • When I start driving on snow I tap the brakes a couple times if nobody’s around just to get a feel for how good my traction is. Am I sliding a little bit? A lot? Not at all? That helps set the tone for what to expect on the roads.
      • Don’t accelerate through turns if you’ve already got momentum, and if the weather’s REALLY suspect I prefer to coast on overpasses as well since those ice over first.
      • Respect the possibility of black ice. If you live in a mountainous area then assume anywhere in the shade is black ice
      • If the house is on a crawlspace make sure any ductwork and copper piping are properly Insulated, keep the crawlspace vents closed during the cold months.
      • Use ice melt sparingly if you have to use it at all (sand is preferable) because it’s caustic to concrete.
      • if you’re somewhere that gets an absolutely stupid amount of snow, follow your neighbors’ lead if you see them shoveling snow off their roofs. I saw a lot of roof collapses in a luxury mountain town where rich people’s second (third? Fourth? Ninth?) homes were left vacant during a pretty nasty snowstorm
    • Binette
      2•22 days ago

      Yeah this is a great guide, especially for clothing.