5 Safety Reminders for Winter
Winter can be a time of warmth and happiness, or it could be cold and frustrating. The difference lies in how well we prepare..
The coldness of winter poses a variety of health and safety concerns which, if overlooked, can ruin your day at best and cause long term health issues at worst. It can be easy to forget that with the change in weather must also come a change in the way we live- if only temporarily. Below are 5 safety reminders to help make your winter a time of joy and happiness, not discomfort.
1. Snow can still cause sunburns
Despite the overcast skies and soft powder on the ground, sunlight can still have very potent effects on our skin. If you’ve ever gone to the mountain and worn snow goggles, you’ve probably come home with that racoon sunburn look, or have seen it on others. Snow is a powerful refractor of sunlight, due to its liquid and icy composition. Just because it’s cold and windy outside, doesn’t mean you can’t get a sunburn from the snow. Cover your face or put some sunscreen on! Although- a little bit of vitamin D can certainly help cure those winter blues.
2. Run your hot water pipes
As the ground freezes, so do your homes water pipes. When you start to run hot water after an extended period of non-use, this sudden change in water temperature can cause the pipes to crack and burst- a financially and physically expensive repair! Best practice is to run the hot water at least once a day, so as to keep the pipes from freezing over. This is a good practice for any type of home, apartment, condo, etc. Now you have another reason to pour yourself one of these super tasty, warm winter drinks!
3. Practice putting on chains
If you’ve ever put chains on your vehicle before, then you probably are well aware of the frustration that comes with doing it for the first few times. They can be challenging to put on, and the last place you want to be learning how to do it is on the side of the road in a snowstorm. Take a few minutes and practice putting on your vehicle chains when there’s no snow, and you’ll set yourself up for a smoother transition later on. This might also be a good way to find your chains, incase you misplaced them from last year. Now you won't be the one late again for Thanksgiving!
4. Don’t charge dead car batteries
When car batteries run out of charge in the winter, they are at risk of freezing- due to the freezing point of electrolyte. Many parts of the world have temperatures that go well below these freezing point in the winter, and charging them from this state could literally cause the battery to explode. If your battery is dead, bring it inside to warm long enough to make sure it’s not frozen, before attempting to charge it. Suggested time to thaw a frozen battery is about 2-3 hours.
5. Buy summer clothes
During the winter, stores expect people to buy winter clothes and thus put their summer selection on massive discount. This could be a great time to do some black friday shopping for the holidays or hint to your significant other that you’re planning a special summer vacation by buying them a sleek bathing suit or tank top. Often times retailers won’t list their summer sales online, but they’ll usually have a section in-store dedicated to summer items. You can also use this time to one-up your funny holiday sweater game.
Have yourself a great winter by preparing and adjusting to the seasonal changes. If you enjoyed these tips, please consider sharing using the social media icons below and save someone else from a bad time!
Aleksey Weyman
Aleksey Weyman is a web designer, music artist and creator of Millennial Moderator
