Each year around this time I like to take a quick drive out to the local drug store and maybe stop at the hardware store on the way home.
I have a few items that I need to gather, and I don’t like to procrastinate on my pre-winter errands.
I think that it’s important to have a winter survival pack ready to go before October ends. Some people think that this is extreme behavior and that I’m overly cautious with my preventative measures. However, I’ve learned in the past that the weather can be unpredictable, so it’s best to get this out of the way right at the beginning of the season. You never know when a massive snowstorm is going to blow through, a sheet of ice is going to blanket your entire town, or it will be so cold that you are putting yourself in danger to leave the house. That’s why, it’s best to be ready and fully stock your home. If my furnace ever fails, I know that I will be okay for several weeks. First of all, I have a backup generator so if the power ever goes out I’m not at the mercy of the energy company to reinstate to my central heating system. Secondly, I have gathered a number of safe electric space heaters to spread around the house if anything ever goes wrong with the furnace. Lastly, I always make sure that I have my forced air furnace professionally serviced at least twice a year. Before the cold air arrives I have a certified heating and cooling technician give my furnace the once-over. In the springtime before I hibernate my furnace for the summer, I invite the same ventilation specialist to service my heating system. People might think that I’m overly cautious with my winter prevention, I think I’m just prepared… but maybe it was more necessary when I lived outside of Texas.