Preparing your house for Buffalo Snow

Winter is coming. And if you live in Lake Erie region or in Western New York, you will know a thing or two about the infamous Buffalo Lake effect and 1/3 a year worth of snow. In truth, there is really no way to avoid it, mother nature can do whatever she wants. However, I can guarantee that there’s atlas a thing or two you can do as a homeowner to protect yourself and prepare your house for the frozen terror that is Buffalo Snow.

Curious how long Buffalo Snow would last this year? Well there’s really no way to tell

Buffalo weather is in all honesty impossible to predict. In late October it could be raining, hailing, snowing, or all of the mentioned all in one week. So hoe does one deal with such unpredictable forecast. Simply put, you just don’t. Unless you look at the weather forecast on the day of, there is no way to tell when the snow is hitting Buffalo. For example, the snow storm of 2014 was one of the worst in 15 years, and it lasts for months. On the other hand, in the year 2015 there’s barely any snow. You might be able to listen to the report a few days before the storm hits, but it’s a great idea to get yourself prepared a few days before.

Now, let me tell you exactly what you need to prepare for..

Make sure your house is already buffalo snow -proof

By snow-proof, I’m talking a typical Western New York house checklist. Are all your walls 100% insulated ? Is your heater work correctly like it should? More importantly, what’s the last time you had a roofing contractors come in to take a look at your house? This last bit is very critical, the heatwave from Buffalo summer along with the 5 feet of snow in the winter will surely do a number on your roof. If it has been more than a few years since you have fixed your shingles and check for leakages, it might even be on the verge of collapsing! Nothing is scarier that having your roof give out on you from feet of snow in the middle of a snowstorm.

If you cant answer all these things, I recommend bringing in contractors to take a look at your location in order to ensure that everything is in order before the storm comes. Ideally? Be prepared at least a few months before then. 

Other things you will need in your arsenal

Okay then, your house is most certainly ready for Buffalo snow. The question is are you? There are number of things you will need to have stored in your house that will help you last the entire winter.

  1. Two Giant Snow Shovels. Meet your best friend, a good snow shovel will do wonders in a harsh Buffalo winter. Why did I say two shovels? Because chances are one Shovel could easily break on you. They are very hard to come by and are in demand during the winter (not to mention expensive). It is highly recommended that you get 2 shovels in the summer when they are not expensive
  2. Salt. Not the type of salt you find on your dinner table. Get the snow removal salts in bulk and have them sit by your front door or near the stair case. You will need a lot of salt to make sure there is no nasty black ice in your driveway or on your stair case when you walk into your house. Nothing worst than slipping and falling down on your front porch !

Lastly, make sure you have a snow removal contractor on speed dial. Just in case the snow gets too out of hand. If you are curious how we charge our clients for snow removal. Give us a call and we will let you know why our clients love us.

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