Get your car ready for winter part two
Yesterday I told you about my latest get ready for winter task, getting my car ready for winter. Today I am looking at getting my car ready for winter part two. Lately I have talked a lot about winter weather preparations. We looked at getting our yards, homes, food storage, emergency supplies and more ready for winter. All of these preparations will be worth it once winter temperatures and weather hits. When preparing for winter weather it is always best to prepare for the worst possible conditions you may be facing. When preparing for winter weather I think it is always better to be over prepared than under prepared.
In the bad weather it is definitely better to minimize travel, but if travel is necessary, keeping your car ready to operate safely in severe weather is a must. I can’t say that enough. Winter weather can provide a variety of unexpected vehicle emergency situations. These are some of the things I am doing, follow along and get your car ready for winter part two.
Window washer fluid for cold temps
This is easy and inexpensive but the results are huge. Change your windshield wiper fluid to a fluid with deicer. It makes keeping a clean and clear windshield so much easier. Being able to see well is a huge safety issue, obstructed vision can contribute to accidents. Spend a couple of dollars and check this get your car ready for winter part two item off your list.
Windshield wipers
While you are changing your windshield wiper fluid, check your windshield wipers. Do they appear to be free from tears and cracks? Are they brittle or flexible? Replace your windshield wipers if they are damaged or worn. You need good windshield wipers to avoid obstructed vision, which can contribute to accidents. Again, spend a couple of dollars and check this get your car ready for winter part two item off your list.
Gas tank de-icer
This is sold at most discount and big box stores. Adding it when you fill your car up with gas can help you avoid having your fuel line ice up. One more time, spend a couple of dollars and check this get your car ready for winter part two item off your list.
Keep gas tank at least half full
Remember to always keep your gas tank at least half full. This helps keep condensation from building up in your gas tank. Condensation in your gas tank equals water and ice, something you do not want. If you become stuck in traffic or stranded having at least a half tank of gas can help you avoid an emergency. This is a freebie, you don’t have to spend any money to check this get your car ready for winter part two item off your list.
Spare tire
Check your spare tire. Is it in good shape? Is it inflated properly? If you have to use it, you want it to be ready to go. This is another good thing to remember as we work through the list to get car ready for winter part two.
Brakes
How about the brakes in your car? Brakes are not something you want to ignore in winter weather. Stopping on less than ideal road conditions requires brakes and a braking system that is in good shape. If you notice anything unusual when braking, have your brakes checked by a professional.
Heater and defroster
These are probably working just fine or you would have already noticed. It is easy to tell because you are cold and your windows fog up. If for some reason you haven’t checked these yet, now is the time. Also check to be sure the vents are not covered or obstructed. Hopefully this is another freebie and you don’t have to spend any money to check this get your car ready for winter part two item off your list.
After we’ve checked all of these things on our get your car ready for winter part two list, our cars should be ready to get through winter weather and driving a bit more safely. Have an idea or tip that wasn’t mentioned? We’d love to hear it!
Get your car ready for winter
Over the last couple of weeks I have talked a lot about winter weather preparations on our blog. We have talked about preparing our yards, homes, food storage, emergency supplies and more. I have one more area of preparation I am tackling this week. I checked my car for emergency supplies and got it stocked with everything I need for winter driving. Now I need to get my car ready for winter.
In the bad weather it is definitely better to minimize travel, but if travel is necessary, keeping your car ready to operate safely in severe weather is a must. Winter weather can provide a variety of unexpected emergency situations. When preparing for winter weather it is always best to prepare for the worst possible conditions you may be facing. In my area this is blizzard conditions and iced over roads. My car needs to be ready to face these hazardous road conditions. Here are some of the things I am doing, follow along and get your car ready for winter too.
Snow tires or all-season tires with good tread
Check out the tires on your car. How is the tread? There is a big difference between tread that passes state safety inspections and tread that will drive well with icy and snowy roads. On bad roads, bald tires are a hazard to you and to all of the other cars around you. If you already have snow tires, put them on your car now. If your car’s tires have unsafe tread, get new tires or get snow tires. Tire preparation is a big part of getting your car ready for winter.
Antifreeze
When was the last time you checked or changed your antifreeze? This is another important vehicle preparation that often gets overlooked. Antifreeze keeps for car from overheating and keeps your engine from freezing during extreme weather. Check your owner’s manual for specific instructions on how to replace the antifreeze in your car. Checking and changing the antifreeze is important when you are getting your car ready for winter.
Battery
A good battery in your car is essential in winter weather. Winter temperatures are hard on a car’s battery. One battery website states that “Your vehicle’s battery loses 33 percent of its power when the temperature dips below freezing, and over 50 percent of its power when the temperature falls below zero.” That is enough of a change to make a marginally functional battery useless in cold weather. Don’t chance being stuck and left stranded in the cold. Replace any car battery that isn’t in great shape. The battery is another thing you don’t want to forget when you are getting your car ready for winter.
Don’t warm up car in garage or unattended outdoors
This item is more of a reminder than a preparation. Each year there are reports of people who have an emergency situation because they try to warm up their cars in a closed garage or unattended outdoors. There are carbon monoxide poisonings and car thefts. Avoid the possibility of these situations by deciding now to warm up your vehicle safely. Keep gloves and a blanket in the car if necessary to stay warm when warming up your car. Do whatever it takes to mentally prepare to warm up the car safely. It is another important thing to remember when you are getting your car ready for winter.
These are a few of the ways I getting my car ready for winter. I’ll share a few more tomorrow in part two of the blog. Have some ideas to share? We’d love to hear from you!
Car Winter Checklist Part Two
As I mentioned yesterday, winter preparations are in full swing at my house and I’ve been sharing this on the blog. We talked about getting our yards and homes ready. We talked about food storage, emergency supplies and yesterday we talked about some of the items we need to have in our vehicles. Our cars are often overlooked as an important place to get ready for winter weather. That’s caused me to think about a car winter checklist. We talked about common, already in the car items yesterday and today we are moving on to car winter checklist part two, items we need to add specifically for winter.
I said it yesterday but I am going to say it again – it is that important. In the bad weather it is definitely better to minimize travel, but if travel is necessary, keeping your car equipped with items you need in an emergency is a must. Winter weather can provide a variety of unexpected emergency situations. You might need to add the following car winter checklist part two items to your vehicle:
Tire chains
Tire chains can be necessary if you need to drive through canyons or on other snow packed roads. They can be inexpensive and purchased at most auto parts and stores like Target or WalMart. They take up very little trunk space and can provide peace of mind when driving in bad weather. This car winter checklist part two item is a good one to add to your vehicle this winter.
Shovel
A shovel is a must have if you get stuck in the snow. You’ll need to be able to dig yourself out. This car winter checklist part two item is much better than trying to dig with your hands or whatever you can find in your car.
Road salt, sand or kitty litter
If you are stuck in the snow or on the ice, any of these car winter checklist part two items will give you traction. Adding traction can make the difference between being stuck, possibly for hours, and being able to get out of a bad weather situation.
Battery-powered radio with extra batteries
If you do get stuck, having a car winter checklist part two item like a battery powered radio will keep you aware and informed. You won’t want to overuse the car radio because you could drain the battery.
Flashlight with extra batteries
Have a flashlight with extra batteries in your car. If you get stuck at night you will need a light source. A flashlight with extra batteries is a car winter checklist part two must have item.
Bright colored flag or help signs
If you get trapped in a major snow storm, you may end up waiting out the storm in your car. A brightly colored flag or help sign will alert emergency responders to your location. Adding these items to your car winter checklist part two can help you get rescued in a severe storm.
Are these on your car winter checklist? Want to suggest something we forgot? Watch our blog tomorrow for even more winter specific items to keep in your car. There are more items than you might think! See you then!
Car Winter Checklist
There has been a definite theme to our recent blogs. Winter is almost here and we have been thinking a lot about how to get ready. We talked about getting our yards and homes ready. We talked about getting our food storage in shape and getting our emergency supplies gathered. If we have followed through and taken care of the items on our lists, we are very close to ready. There is another important place to get ready for winter weather – our vehicles. That’s caused me to think about a car winter checklist.
In the bad weather it is definitely better to minimize travel, but if travel is necessary, keeping your car equipped with items you need in an emergency is a must. Winter weather can provide a variety of unexpected emergency situations. Make yourself a car winter checklist and be prepared. Your car winter checklist will include lots of things. You might already be keeping the following in your vehicle:
Cell phone and portable charger
We have our cell phones with us most of the time. When driving in winter weather it is a good idea to keep charging them as we drive. If we become stuck have a charged cell phone will be very important. This is also a good time to consider having a portable charger with a full reserve in your car. These car winter checklist items are probably easy to check off.
Window scraper and snow brush
You probably already have at least one of these car winter checklist items and chances are they are still in your car from last winter. Make sure you know where they are and they are in good repair. Cracked or broken scrapers can damage your vehicle and won’t work effectively.
Canned compressed air with sealant for emergency tire repair
This is something else from the car winter checklist that you might already have in your car. In severe weather it could be quite hard to change a tire. If road conditions make changing a tire impossible, the canned air could make a bad situation much less tragic.
Tow chains or rope
These are more important to have on your car winter checklist than they might be other times of the year. Winter weather brings slick roads and increased chances of slide-offs. Having tow chains or ropes can help you be pulled from a being stuck or could allow you to help someone else.
Booster or jumper cables
Most of us have booster or jumper cables in our cars. It is a good idea to check them and see if they are in good working shape. With the colder temperatures, the chance of these being needed could be more than in other seasons.
Emergency flares or warning lights
This car winter checklist item is something that many of us already have. In blizzard or low visibility conditions, the importance of flares or emergency warning lights is increased. Warning other drivers of your vehicle or another road hazard can keep low visibility situations from being even more dangerous.
First aid kit
After summer and fall road trips your car’s first aid kit might be a bit depleted. It is a good idea to take inventory and restock the supplies that were used. Keep your first aid kit on your car winter checklist.
Tool kit
Simple tools are something most of us probably already have in the car. Like the first aid kit, your tools may have gotten misplaced or used somewhere else during the good weather. Check that the needed tools are still in your car. Having all of the tools you need can make a winter car repair or issue much less serious.
What is on your car winter checklist? Want to suggest something we forgot? Watch our blog tomorrow for more winter specific items to keep in your car. See you then!
Food items to stock up before winter!
Winter weather is fast approaching and I have been doing a lot of thinking about getting ready. I’ve thought about getting my yard and home ready. I’ve made the lists and shared the lists with our readers. I started thinking about another thing I do every year to get ready for winter weather. I try to think about what would happen if a snow storm was to be significant enough to keep me at home for a couple days. I hate driving on bad roads so I like to make sure I have food items I need and stock up before winter.
I have a lot of emergency supplies. I have 72 hour kits and food storage. I have cans of this and cans of that. Those are the things that we usually think of when we talk about emergency supplies. When I think of being ready to wait out a snow storm or bad roads, I don’t usually think of those things. I think more of easy to use, quick things. I think of things that we run out of every few days or things that make life convenient. Here are just of few of the things I stock up before winter.
Shelf stable milk
I know I have many cans of powdered milk in my food storage. I could open a can if I needed to but I just don’t want to if I am stuck home for just a day or two. I like to get a few boxes of shelf stable milk to have on hand if needed. If a snow storm hits and I am out of milk, I don’t want to make a quick trip to the store because we are out of milk. It’s a good stock up before winter item!
Bread
Like the milk, I know I have the supplies I need to make a batch of bread. I could make some if I needed to but it seems so much easier to think about buying extra ahead of time. I grab a couple extra loaves of bread and add them to the freezer. If we run out during a snow storm, there is no quick trip needed in bad weather. If the power goes out temporarily, sandwiches are a good quick meal. It’s another good stock up before winter item!
Peanut Butter
This isn’t an item that I usually make a quick trip out for when we run out but in the winter I think differently about it. I think it is very handy to make peanut butter sandwiches as a go to snack or meal. It is also one of my kids’ favorites. Like the other items peanut butter is something that you can store an extra jar or two of easily. Is there something like this that would be a great go to item for your family? Peanut butter or something similar is another good stock up before winter item!
Easy meals without power
We’ve talked about having the basics for a few shelf stable meals on hand before. I like to keep them handy for saving money and avoiding buying fast food. In the winter, I add another reason. If the power goes out for just an hour or two, I don’t want to break into the food storage or open cans of more long term storage foods. I just think of our favorite easy meals and plan a couple that don’t really require power or much cooking to make. I grab all of the needed ingredients and just keep them together on a shelf in the food storage room. It is so easy to save stress later and stock up before winter with a bit of planning ahead of time.
Having those few things gives me peace of mind when a storm hits. Do you have a favorite food item that you keep on hand in case of bad weather? What do you stock up before winter? Let us know! We love to hear from you.