4 Exterior Upgrades to Maximize Safety and Security This Winter
As the days draw shorter and we start to settle in for some serious snow, the risk of slips, falls, and property incidents rises. This isn't just about shovelling snow—it's about proactively upgrading your home's exterior to manage darkness, ice, and potential security issues.
Your home should be safe for your family, your guests, and the busy delivery people serving our neighbourhoods.
1. Anti-Slip Solutions: Grip for Your Guests (and Yourself!)
Icy walkways and stairs are the number one hazard around any Canadian home in winter. Simply laying down salt isn't enough; addressing the underlying tread provides a permanent safety solution. The fastest way to dramatically improve traction on exterior wood, concrete, or stone steps is by applying specialised anti-slip coatings or treads.
Anti-Slip Paint: This is typically an acrylic or epoxy paint with an aggregate (fine sand or rubber particles) mixed into the formula. Brands like Behr or Benjamin Moore offer porch and patio paints (e.g., Insl-X Sure Step) that cure to a slightly rough, skid-resistant finish.
Peel-and-Stick Appliqués/Treads: For wood or composite stairs in good condition, commercial-grade abrasive treads (similar to sandpaper) offer instant, high-traction grip. They are fast to install, highly effective and typically last for 1 - 3 years.
2. Lighting: Protecting Guests and Delivery Drivers
Darkness settles fast, and as the winter solstice approaches, it will get dark earlier and earlier each day. Good lighting is no longer just an aesthetic choice; it’s a necessary safety feature, particularly for delivery drivers juggling packages, ice, and unfamiliar properties. Ensure light fixtures are placed to eliminate dark spots, especially on stairs, at the edge of landings, and near the doorway.
Motion-Sensor Lights: These are excellent for energy efficiency and security. They illuminate automatically when someone approaches, deterring potential intruders and ensuring safe passage.
Pathway Lighting: Consider installing low-level pathway lights along your walkway. These can define the path, highlight any subtle changes in elevation, and prevent trips in the dark.
Pathway Railings with Integrated Lighting: Railings with integrated lighting provide a continuous visual guide and support for guests (especially those with lower mobility) in icy conditions. Maximize energy savings and convenience, by pairing lighting with a light-sensing timer device so that lights turn on automatically as darkness falls and off at dawn.
Entryway Lighting: Ensure your porch and entryway lights are working and remain on from dusk until at least 9 PM. Maximize visibility by upgrading old, dim (possibly flickering) fixtures; the clean, bright light of modern, energy efficient LEDs drastically improves depth perception and the ability to see tread nosing (the edge of your steps).
3. Security in the Dark: Smart Monitoring
The long hours of darkness provide cover for "porch pirates" and trespassers. Upgrading your camera system is essential for monitoring deliveries and actively deterring unwanted visitors. Modern security cameras and video doorbells now offer two-way audio, transforming a passive monitoring system into an active deterrent.
Deliveries: You can speak directly to a courier through your phone, guiding them to a secure drop-off location (e.g., "Please place the box behind the planter") without opening the door.
Deterrence: If you notice a suspicious person (a "porch pirate") lingering near a package, you can immediately speak through the camera: "I see you. Please leave the package and exit the property." This verbal warning often causes intruders to leave quickly, stopping theft before it happens.
4. Snow Guards and Thermal Control: Preventing Ice Avalanches and Dams
In the Ottawa Valley, the freeze-thaw cycle is relentless. This leads to ice dams: ridges of ice at the roof edge that trap melting snow, forcing water backward under the shingles and into your walls and attic. Preventing ice hazards is far cheaper than repairing damage—or dealing with an injury. The major risks from roof ice are twofold: sudden snow/ice sheets sliding off (Avalanches) and large ridges of ice forming at the roof edge (Ice Dams).
Snow Guards: Snow and ice can slide off pitched roofs (especially metal) in large, heavy sheets, creating a dangerous "ice avalanche" over your entryway, stairs, or driveway. Installing Snow Guards above high-traffic areas holds the snow pack in place. These small fixtures allow snow to melt gradually and drain safely, rather than falling as one sudden, catastrophic mass. This significantly reduces the risk of injury to people or damage to property below.
Thermal Control: Ice dams form when heat escapes your attic, melts the roof snow, and then that water refreezes into a solid ridge near the cold eave, forcing water backward under your shingles and into your walls. The best defence is to prevent heat loss in the first place:
Attic Insulation: Ensure your attic has adequate, evenly distributed insulation to keep warm household air inside your living space and away from the roof deck.
Ventilation: Proper attic ventilation (intake and exhaust vents) keeps the temperature of your roof deck cold and consistent with the outdoors, preventing the melt/freeze cycle that causes dams.
Ready to Make Your Home Safer This Season?
These few home maintenance upgrades significantly increase the safety, security, and functionality of your home this winter. Don't let the short, icy days catch you unprepared; addressing slips, lack of light, and potential ice damage requires focused, careful work. Your Local Handyman Service is equipped with the tools and expertise to handle this entire comprehensive safety checklist—from securing railings and installing snow guards to precisely applying anti-slip coatings.
Don't wait until the first slip or incident. Secure your home now so you can enjoy the holiday season with peace of mind.
Call or text Your Local Handyman Service today for a free quote on your exterior safety upgrades!
(613) 851-8828 | info@YourLocalHandymanService.com | www.YourLocalHandymanService.com
Proudly serving Brockville, Kemptville, Ottawa, ON and surrounding areas.