When it鈥檚 40 below, most Jasperites want to be safe in their houses, curled up under a blanket or beside a fire. Keeping warm is important, but keeping safe is integral. That鈥檚 why every homeowner should ensure his or her home is safe during the winter.
John Desjardins has lived in Jasper for decades, and has owned a home for most of that time. He said his number one concern during the winter is making sure he has what he needs to get through a power outage.
鈥淲e live in a place where we are isolated from things,鈥� he said, and when those strong winter winds knock the power out, Jasperites should have the equipment to rough it until crews get the juice running again.
鈥淗ere, if we were plagued with extreme cold, we鈥檝e got to make sure we鈥檝e got some kind of emergency stuff to take care of that,鈥� he said.
Candles, blankets and lots of flashlights and batteries are essential, said Desjardins, as well as an alternate source of heat that doesn鈥檛 rely on electricity.
If that heat is from a fireplace, it鈥檚 important to make sure the chimney is properly cleaned; any built up gunk can quickly cause a deadly chimney fire.
Keeping warm will be much easier when a house is properly winterized. That means sealing up drafts and any places cold air can sneak its way in.
It鈥檚 also important to keep houses as clear of snow as possible. Heavy snow settling on roofs can cause damage, or even collapse a roof, in the worst-case scenario.
Trevor Nichols
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