Tag Archives: freezing

Dec13

Winter Proof Your Home With These Tips

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Winter Proof Your Home With These Tips

Looking after your home is harder in the winter because there are more threats to comfort and security that come with the cold weather. However, with preparation prior to the cold months, you can have peace of mind and plenty of comfort throughout the festive season and into the New Year. Be sure to winter proof your home with these tips:

Fix the Roof:

Some people put off having their roof repaired in the winter. It’s an extra expense and they might assume that roofers don’t work in the winter anyway. This is a misconception. A roofer can work in the winter and there and several reasons why it’s a good idea to have work done. Along with the obvious benefits of repairing leaks and damage to the roof for the onset of the winter weather, you can also benefit from lower prices in the winter months. Roofers still work in the winter but tend to charge lower fees because there is less demand for roofing services.

Check the Boiler:

Boiler checks are highly recommended in the winter. According to the best advice, a home should have its boiler checked once a year, but twice a year or more is ideal. Checking a boiler requires a professional call out, so make it at the start of the winter season. A boiler engineer will look at your boiler and check that everything is working mechanically; they will also check the pipes for any residual soot that might compromise the system. Following a boiler check, you can have peace of mind that the system is operational and reliable for winter.

Protect the Pipes:

When the water pipes burst in the winter, your home can flood. This will end up costing you huge sums of money and you might have to take time off work or away from your family at Christmas. Water pipes can burst in the winter because the water in them freezes and then expands, splitting the metal. Water pipes are one of the easiest things to protect in the winter; all you have to do is buy a foam tubular from the hardware store and cut a slit down one side of it. Wrap the foam around the pipes and secure it with a tie wrap. If you did this last year, double-check the foam quality to see if it needs replacing.

Check the Drains:

When the drainage system on your property gets blocked, you will notice flooding and debris in the garden and driveway. This is not a good thing to have to deal with in subzero temperatures! Unfortunately, dealing with blocked drains is more common in the winter months. Having your drains checked is one of the best ways to clear them out after the fall and before the winter to avoid expensive and inconvenient repairs. Arrange for a drain technician to inspect your system at a convenient time before the winter.

Use Insulation:

Don’t forget to use plenty of insulation options throughout the winter; not only will this keep you warm and comfortable in your home, but you will also protect the property from dampness and damage. Insulate walls with cavity insulation and the rooms with curtains and draft excluders.  

It’s freezing outside but the same doesn’t have to be true inside of your home. Check off your winter proofing chores and enjoy a nice and toasty winter in!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

 

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Feb20

A Night At The Theater OOTD Bloopers

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A Night At The Theater OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to some bloopers from my Night At The Theater OOTD! Before Johnny and I hit up Playhouse Square to see Jesus Christ Superstar last Saturday, we went to Lakewood for a delicious dinner at Pepper’s. When driving to the restaurant, we passed the skull adorned doorway that I posed in front of and I wanted my pictures taken there SO badly. Johnny told me that it was a bar called the Funhouse and if we had time, we would go there for a drink before the show.

Good to his promise, we stopped at the Funhouse after dinner and like the amazing blog husband Johnny is, he braved the cold to snap some shots – The good, the great, and the yikes lol:

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Our big night out just happened to be a frickin freezing one and So. Many. of the pictures that Johnny took ended up being blurry because he was shivering! This provided for a lot more not so muches than stellar shots and is also why there aren’t any bonus pictures for this OOTD. While scanning through the pictures he took when we got our drinks, I was less than satisfied and this sweet man of mine took even more pics once we were done even though it had started snowing. Best blog husband EVER! ❤

I wish that we had more time at the Funhouse so you all could have seen the inside because I wanted to take all of the pictures. It was basically the coolest place ever and their alcohol slushies were nothing to sneeze at, either. We are both itching to go back when we visit our friends in Lakewood because the bar also has arcade games and a huge basement that we didn’t get to explore. Johnny and I also love playing ski ball and were so disappointed that we couldn’t squeeze a match in, which is also a main selling point for going back. 😀

Although crunched for time and freezing cold, Johnny always manages to make my OOTD shoots happen and I am so appreciative of that. We had the best time on our date night and have still been reminiscing about it as if it just happened yesterday! ❤

What is your favorite arcade game? What is the coolest hang out in your area? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan28

Snowy Saturday OOTD Bonus Pictures

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Snowy Saturday OOTD Bonus Pictures

Hello everyone and welcome to some bonus pics from my Snowy Saturday OOTD! This was probably my speediest photo shoot to date because it was freaking freezing outside! It also took my hands several minutes to thaw out afterwards from throwing snowballs… Anything in the name of fashion lol.

My Johnny was such a trooper to snap these pics and, needless to say, the rest of the day was spent hibernating after just five minutes in the cold. I think this is enough winter for me! Check out these extra shots and you might want to sip some hot chocolate while doing so to keep warm:

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As I’ve mentioned before, the past several winters in Ohio have been insanely mild and, although we all knew a massive snow storm was coming, it still took everyone by surprise. In fact, Johnny and I can’t even remember the last time it snowed like this because in one night, Akron was covered in sixteen inches of snow. The winter wonderland is visually beautiful but I am so ready for spring!

While winter has never really bothered me before, that did a complete one eighty with the pandemic. Since Johnny and I have been laying low for the entirety of COVID-19, our activities are severely stunted once the cold weather hits. No hanging out in the fresh air means that most of our days are spent with our programs, board games, video games, and record player. It’s not the most awful thing ever but I have been craving an outdoor date day in the worst way.

Not many outings means no dressing up, either, which is something that I miss desperately. So, when I do brave the outdoors, I have to put my best OOTDs forward. Naturally, my coffee date with a girlfriend fell on the coldest morning ever but fashion called and I just had to pick up the phone! I love the outfit that I came up with but am hoping that the next time I bust it out, it’s at least ten degrees warmer!

What has your winter been like? How do you spend snowy days? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct24

Settle Your Home Anxieties For The Winter

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Settle Your Home Anxieties For The Winter

You needn’t be a high maintenance person to feel stress occupying a home in which cleaning is not the expected standard. For example, if visiting the home or apartment of a friend’s friend, we may feel dismayed to see the bathroom in poor state, or perhaps that their dogs have left hair all over the sofas.

Many of us have caring standards for our homes, even if they might get a little messy from time to time. Thankfully, the anxiety or at least noticeable necessary need for a clean we can see will direct us to careful action. Often, the transfer of the seasons will help us notice this more, as they show our homes in a new light. This is why the bright warmth of spring often gives way to cleaning, to use one example.

Settling your home anxieties for the winter then, as we begin our slow march towards it, could be a great method of ensuring your home is catered for and refined once cold weather strikes. We would like to offer you some worthwhile advice here, and hope it can make a real difference:

Roofing:

Roofing truly does matter. A solid roofer will be able to figure out if you have holes or damages that need attending to, because this could have opened you up to a terrible attic leak, a loss of insulation, or even an infestation of some kind. Settling your home anxieties will often mean caring for your roof first, because the intense coldness of the weather can cause cracks to show, shingles to become damaged, or tiles to become loose. An inspection, therefore, is always a wise idea.

Pavement Care

The pavement outside and leading up to your home (in the form of a patio, garden path, and driveway) can be a real victim of harmful black ice. This can lead to nasty trips, falls, and injuries, especially in the morning when you may still be waking up for your commute. Even if you’re aware of this it can be dangerous, let alone when elderly or younger relatives come to visit or bound from your home in an excitable fashion. We would recommend keeping an eye on this, and purchasing a good amount of gritting material to provide traction should it be a problem.

Weather Debris:

Weather debris is important to consider. From damaged fencing, loose roof tiles, upturned trampolines, and uprooted signs, it’s important to consider your potential weather debris and plan for that. Perhaps if a heavy winter’s snowfall or hailstorm is predicted, then bringing your vehicle into the garage to protect it could be important or putting heavier locks on your doors, or even, in some cases, rooting down exterior belongings that could rise in the weather. This may seem outlandish, but these scenarios do happen, and it’s always best to remain prepared to that degree.

With this advice, you are certain to correctly settle your home anxieties for the winter. Now get some hot chocolate and relax!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jul11

How To Make The Most Of Your Family’s First Winter Getaway

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How To Make The Most Of Your Family’s First Winter Getaway

Winter can be magical, especially for those who’ll be experiencing it for the first time. If you’re planning on having your first winter vacation, it’s best to come prepared and also to make all the necessary arrangements beforehand. That said, we’ll be taking a look at tips to help you better prepare your first winter getaway:

The Transportation:

There’s nothing worse than having your trip cancelled before it even began. If you’re planning on going to your snowy destination through a series of air and land transportation, it’s best to purchase the tickets beforehand and don’t leave things to chance. Not only would buying your tickets be cheaper, but it would ensure that you have guaranteed seats.

And, if you’re planning on driving towards your destination, make sure that your car undergoes a tune-up to lessen the risk of it breaking down in the middle of the road. If you do plan on bringing your car (or renting an RV to serve as your transportation and your accommodation), make sure to bring an ice scraper or shovel, as snow can pile up on and around your vehicle very quickly.

The Accommodation:

As with transportation, the earlier you book your accommodation, the better — especially if you’re planning your vacation during peak seasons. This guarantees you lower prices and that you have a roof over your head. Apart from early booking, it’s just as crucial for you to consider where you’ll be staying. Don’t skimp on accommodation, choose someplace that has excellent amenities and can keep you warm — your family will thank you later, especially after they’ll be experiencing the snow and cold air for the first time. Popular choices would be cabins, condos, and even homes for rent, but you can also rent an RV with good heating.

The Activities:

There are many activities your family can partake in for your first winter vacation, from simple snowball fights and snowman building to more active activities such as skiing, snowboarding, or even snowmobile riding. If you plan on taking up the latter activities, it’s important that you make a reservation beforehand, and it would be a good idea to hire a guide or trainer to help you and the kids learn how to ski properly or for you to safely and properly use the snowmobiles. If you think skiing would, later on, become something that you or your family would repeatedly enjoy in the future, you might want to consider buying quality ski equipment, such as Nordica women’s skis for your wife or daughter.

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The Clothing and Apparel:

Lastly, you’ll want to invest in winter clothing. The last thing you’d want to happen is for you to freeze or get sick from the cold by not wearing the right winter clothing and apparel. There are many guides out there to help you out in packing up your winter clothing, and all of them would point to one thing: layers. Make sure that you all have many layers to keep your family dry and warm, but just enough that you can still comfortably move and enjoy your winter activities. It’s also important that you don’t skimp out on boots, gloves, and head protection. And, if you plan on skiing, make sure that you also buy or rent skiing or snowboarding goggles.

Your first winter vacation should be just as magical as your kids imagine it and, with these simple tips, you’re one step closer to making that a reality. So make sure that you plan and prepare for your trip to get the most out of it. Enjoy!

Jan27

Lots Of Snow In Ohio

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Lots Of Snow In Ohio

Hiiii! This past weekend, my neck of the woods in good ol’ Akron, Ohio got absolutely pummeled with snow. It had myself and my family stuck indoors for three days straight and the roads were so bad that I couldn’t get to work when Monday rolled around. I also couldn’t go to my planned weekend trip to Pittsburgh for some quality cousin time. I was so bummed! In a nutshell, it was insanely boring, freezing, and oh so very, very snowy. Lots of people have been interested in pictures of what this massive snowfall looked like, so I ventured out into the tundra and snapped the following:

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^^^ As you can see, the snow was up to my mid thigh – yikes!

For three days in a row, I basically did nothing but hang out, play Candy Crush, watch TLC, and a few LifeTime movies. And, of course, stare out the window and watch all of the snow that we didn’t get throughout the winter fall outside in a matter of a day and a half. It was pretty crazy to see, because my area barely got any snow for the past few months – in fact, we had a lot of days in the forties and fifties. Incredibly mild, to say the least!

Since this RAS (Random Act Of Snowfall), things have pretty much gone back to normal weatherwise in the 330. It is definitely a lot colder than what we’ve been used to, though. But, single digit temperatures have never stopped us Midwesterners yet. 😀 #ope

What is the weather like where you live? What is your favorite type of weather? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec26

6 Ways To Warm Your Wintry Walls

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6 Ways To Warm Your Wintry Walls

Houses get cold in the winter. They just do. The onslaught of freezing conditions from rain to snow is enough to make the interior temperatures fall dramatically inside the house. It’s not nice, it’s not comfortable, and we didn’t buy and build houses just to feel like we are outside. Keeping your home warm in the winter is important, and you want to be able to do that with the least amount of money spent at the same time.

It’s crucial that you start thinking about warming your home for the winter as early as possible before the season begins. You don’t want to be caught freezing your toes off because you didn’t get that furnace tune up that was on your to-do list and had been from the last month. Heating a house takes a lot of energy – especially if the house is a big one. If you’re not looking after your home energy properly, all you’re going to do is cost yourself some cash. So, let’s look at six ways that you can make sure your walls are warm this winter:

  • Use Your Curtains: You have windows and they allow for sunlight. The sun is free – and it’s hot, even in the winter. Open your curtains in the day to allow the sunlight in for the free warmth. When it gets dark, shut the curtains and keep that extra insulation layer. Make sure there are no gaps, and you won’t have any warm air leaking out.
  • Use Timers: Central heating should be programmed so that you aren’t wasting your energy. Put the heater on the timer so that it’s not burning all day and not costing you money at the same time.
  • Move Your Furniture: If you have a sofa in front of the radiator, move it now. You may feel warm and toasty in your favorite chair, but the sofa and other furniture is blocking all the hot air from heating the room.
  • Layer Up: Adding blinds under the curtains, rugs to the carpet and throws to the furniture is going to add layers to each room, making you warmer than you thought you could be. Lagging the boiler can also help massively.
  • Block Draughts: Make your own draught excluders and replace the rubber sealant around the windows and doors. They’re both easy to install, but you should get them all done before the winter really does set in. Think of it this way: if there are cold air patches coming into your home, then there will be warm air leaking out of the sides, too.
  • Upgrade The Boiler: Sometimes, your actual boiler really needs an upgrade. These can make all the difference to the way your home is heated, and you should be looking into it properly before you spend winter in a freezing house with no hot water or heat.

Getting warm? Not always easy. Assessing and fixing the problems that could occur before they could happen is the key!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Dec17

Bad Weather? Here’s How to Protect Your Home

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Bad Weather? Here’s How to Protect Your Home

If you’ve never experienced the damage bad weather can do to your home, you should consider yourself lucky. Sure, rain may make your living room floor soaked if your windows are leaking and a hard gust of wind may weaken the shingles of your roof – but it’s still nothing at all compared to the floods and hurricanes we’ve experienced over the last decade.

While it’s difficult to prepare your home for that kind of weather unless you live in a bunker, you can still prepare it for cold days and heavy falls of both snow and rain. The spring has yet to arrive for a couple of months and the more you can do for your home now, the better off it will be in case your area should experience a storm anytime soon.

Here is a handful of tips in terms of making sure your home is strong enough to handle the elements. It just makes it a bit easier to put your feet up and relax as the wind howls outside:

First: Seal windows and doors

It’s only logical that the first thing you need to do is to ensure that the storm has no way of entering your home. This means, of course, that you need to make sure that all of your windows and doors are sealed properly. Wind funneling through your home will push upwards and may even lift your roof if it’s strong enough. It’s the kind of water damage your home could definitely do without.

You may want to purchase and install special storm shutters for your windows, for example, or just take a tour around your home to inspects the seals and make sure that there are no cracks to allow the wind in. Have a look here if you’d like to make your own storm shutters, by the way. They will be just as strong as the regular ones you’d buy in the shops as long as you follow the instructions.

Next: Consider steel doors:

You will only need this if you live in an area that often experiences stormy weather, but steel doors can really make a huge difference in terms of safety at home. When you have a steel door as your entry door, you avoid seeing hard winds tearing through those weaker double, French, or sliding doors for your patio. Install special hardware to strengthen the doors where they meet and try bolts that fasten the doors into the framing at the top and the bottom.

Think about the other doors in your house that are connected to the outside world; have a look at garage doors, for example, to avoid seeing the storm damage your vehicle, as well. It just makes the bad weather a lot lighter on your wallet when it’s over with so make sure that all of your windows and doors are sealed off and consider installing that steel door, too.

Other points to keep in mind while it’s still quiet before the storm is, of course, to clear out your yard so that no furniture is able to fly off – and have an extra look at your roof. While the damage bad weather can do to your belongings is big enough, it can do even more damage if a roof shingle should hit an animal or a person.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Dec11

Is Your Home Ready For Winter?

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Is Your Home Ready For Winter?

The days are getting shorter, the nights longer, and winter is officially among us. The temperatures are dropping and you don’t have to be an expert to know that you have to get yourself ready for the cold. As a person, you bring out the winter coats and sweaters, swapping sandals for boots and wrapping up in scarves and fluffy hats. Preparing yourself for the cold is easy, but you need to think about how you’re preparing your house for the battering of the wind and rain that’s bound to happen. There are a lot of things that you could be doing to make sure that your home is as ready as possible for the season.

Getting your house ready is not just about keeping the cold out of the house. It’s about making sure that you’re not paying out damages because your house hasn’t managed to stand up under the freezing conditions. So, with all of that in mind, you need to consider what you should be doing to get your house ready for the cold months and how to ensure that it doesn’t become damaged in the process:

Clear Your Gutters:

Rain and wind whip up leaves and debris, blocking the gutters and causing a sloppy mess to clog the drains. With the freezing temperatures, you end up with frozen water behind the gunk in the gutters. This causes a blockage, the gutter to crack, and an overflow issue that could turn into icicles over the side of the house. The problem with this, is that if they break up and fall, it could cause a lot of damage for cars – and people. Clearing the gutters should be a job that you hire out for someone else to do, but it’s one of the most essential tasks on your to-do list if you don’t want leaks in the roof and the walls of the home.

Check Your Boiler:

One of the worst things that could happen to your house during the winter is the loss of heating. Over the winter, the last thing that you need is to have freezing cold kids and be able to see your breath in the house. The one thing that you need to do is get your boiler serviced before the cold really does set in. making sure that your engineer is able to check over your boiler is important, and they will be able to catch any issues before your boiler breaks down and you lose your heating or hot water in a sudden breakdown.

Watch The Foundation:

Did you know that the cold has a huge effect on the foundation of your house? Fixing a foundation crack is only easy if you can find the crack and know what caused it in the first place. Soil heaves and contracts when the ground freezes and melts, and this is called a frost heave cycle. It’s also the cycle that has a negative impact on your home’s foundation. They are dangerous and can be incredibly expensive to repair. The damage can and does occur before freezing point, too, and if you don’t take care of the foundation, you risk huge damage to the rest of the house.

Sweep The Chimney:

Not everyone has one, but if you have a chimney that you need to maintain, it’s time to call in the professionals. Chimney fires are caused by unclean chimneys that haven’t been looked after. You could severely underestimate the severity of a chimney fire, forgetting to clear out the chimney altogether. They do occur frequently, though, so think about bringing in the professionals now and get it cleared so that you don’t end up with a house fire to end all house fires.

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Sweep that chimney!

Insulate Your House:

You invested in a proper winter coat, with scarf, gloves, and a hat for yourself. The thing that you have to do next is ensure that you’ve insulated your house well. Most of the heat in the home is lost through the roof and this means that insulating the loft is the best thing that you could do for your home. Cavity wall insulation is the next thing that you can invest in, and if you are really wanting to invest in some insulation, think about providing your house with extra carpet offcuts, rugs, and curtains! Any way that you can insulate the house should be done, and you should do it early so that you don’t end up with a house that is losing energy.

Hug Your Pipes:

Speaking of insulation, have you invested in pipe insulation yet? These look like pool noodles covered in electrical tape and they are the best thing that you can put around your pipes to make sure that there isn’t any freezing water in the pipes that could cause them to burst. It’s not just a way that you could flood your home, it’s also a way to have a very expensive repair bill when you have to replace your entire plumbing system. Go around your pipes and insulate them well, removing any vegetation as this can also cause damage to the pipe systems.

Being ready for winter with cute boots and a new thick coat is one thing, but you have a house to prepare, too. Get warm, get the right people, and make your house the coziest ever this winter.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Nov20

Risk Assessments To Consider When Working Outdoors

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Risk Assessments To Consider When Working Outdoors

Working outdoors presents its own unique set of challenges. No matter what type of work is being carried out, appropriate risk assessments are required. Otherwise, not only are you putting the safety of your workers at risk, but you could find yourself facing an unwanted legal battle, too. With that in mind, read on to discover some appropriate risk assessments you should consider when working outdoors:

What is a risk assessment?

A risk assessment is a systematic approach to assessing work activities. Business owners need to look at everything that could go wrong and determine suitable control measures for preventing injury, damage, and loss in the workplace. The assessment should include the controls needed to minimize, reduce, or eradicate the risks.

Working in hot environments:

The weather can be erratic at the best of times; one minute it is raining, the next minute we are welcoming a heat wave. When employees are working outside all day, it is important that they are protected from the weather. There are a number of administrative controls that can be used to protect workers when in hot environments. This includes:

  • Talk to workers about the early symptoms of heat stress.
  • Encourage the removal of personal protective equipment whenever a person is resting to help encourage heat loss.
  • Introduce shaded areas where people are working.
  • Supply free access to cool drinking water.
  • Provide more frequent rest breaks.
  • Reschedule work to cooler periods of the day.

Working in cold environments:

If your employees work outside all of the time, it is likely that they are going to need to work in cold weather. You will need to carry out a risk assessment so that you can reduce the risks associated with cold weather working. Some of the controls you can use to achieve this include:

* Talk to workers about the early symptoms of cold stress.
* Consider delaying the work. Is it possible to reschedule the work to a warmer time of the year that will not compromise safety?
*  Introduce more frequent rest breaks.
*  Encourage the drinking of warm fluids, such as hot drinks or soup.
*  Provide mobile facilities for warming up.
*  Make sure the personal protective equipment issued is suitable.

Working outdoors in specialist environments:

There are also a number of specialist workplace environments that require thorough risk assessments. This includes working outdoors under high air pollution levels. Factors to be considered throughout your risk assessment include workload, work arrangement, general/roadside AQHI category, workers’ health condition, and exposure to other air contaminants. Preventative measures include the likes of reducing the weight of loads being handled at one time, arranging for job rotation between indoor and outdoor work, and minimizing outdoor work in areas with heavy traffic.

When something goes wrong:

If you work outdoors and the correct safety measures are not taken, you could end up being involved in an accident and suffering an injury. If this does occur, it is important to find injury lawyers you can rely on. You should not merely sit back and accept what has happened to you. If it was not your fault because risk assessments were not carried out or the proper provisions were not put in place, you will be entitled to compensation.

There is a lot that needs to be considered when it comes to outdoor work. This is why thorough risk assessments are a necessity. Hopefully, you now feel like you have a better understanding regarding the steps that need to be taken in order to ensure that risks are minimized and workers are protected. If you are worried about the conditions you are working in, speak up!

Featured Image By: Pixabay