Alongside causing severe travel delays, winter conditions can cause problems to piping, cost you money through heating and even be life threatening when the temperature drops below freezing.

So here are some tips, and some great Tradefix products, that can help you through the winter, for both your home, personal safety and precautions whilst out on the roads.

1. Dress For The Occasion

Some of us have to endure the cold conditions when out and about on the job. Whether you are on-site or merely pottering around the garden, you will want some Builders Thermal Grip Gloves to keep your hands warm.

Wearing plenty of thin layers helps keep you even warmer, but what you wear on your feet is just as important as keeping warm. NHS A&E wards report a huge surge in admissions during the winter months as the public slip and fall onto hard icy ground, twisting ankles and breaking limbs.

Dunlop Safety Wellington Boots and Capps Safety Dealer Boots offer great support, grip and water resistant qualities to keep you on your feet as the streets and roads get more hazardous as December closes in.

2. Prepare For The Worst While Driving

Cars, Jeeps and vans are all in danger of getting stranded when heavy snowfall hits our roads. Driving in more rural areas or on roads less used is a bigger problem for drivers, and cars can often get stuck in piles of snow.

A bad snowfall overnight could even leave your car stranded in the driveway!

Keeping Winter Emergency Kits in your vehicle will ensure you are prepared for the worst scenario. Our own emergency kits include compact folding snow shovels with robust metal blades, foil blankets to keep the heat in, and the cold out, plus adjustable snow and ice grips to fit over everyday footwear.

If you can’t dig your way out, the foil blanket will prove important whilst you wait for the emergency vehicle to arrive.

3. Pre-Winter Maintenance Around The House

There are an array of other tasks to do around the house that will help reduce structural damage as a result of the harsh weather.

Firstly, have a look your boiler to make sure it doesn’t need a check and is functioning well – the last thing you want is to discover you can no longer heat your house!

Check that gutters and TV aerials are secure, and that there are no loose tiles on the roof that could fall when a thaw or strong wind sets in. And even simple things like clearing paths and gutters of leaves, getting draft blockers for that ancient front door, and reviewing the insulation of your household will help keep the cold out, and hopefully reduce those ever-rising energy bills.

Also, your water pipes are extremely susceptible to the cold weather, and when thaw sets in can lead them to freeze, crack and leak. If you are leaving your home to visit family or go on holiday, leave your heating set at a low temperature to keep the pipes warm and avoid returning home to a water damaged home.