On Sunday, March 9, Daylight Savings Time will begin at 2am! Setting the clock forward also means its time for a seasonal safety check. As you circle the house, setting clocks ahead, make time for this short safety checklist. Itll see you into Spring from a safe--and organized--home. * Change the clocks, change the batteries Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors save lives ... if theyre powered on by a fresh battery. Safety experts recommend replacing smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries twice a year--so celebrate Time Change Sunday with fresh batteries all around. While you’re at it, check the expiry date; smoke detectors should be replaced every 10 years, Carbon Monoxide detectors every 5 years. Energy savings hint: dont toss the replaced batteries just yet. While theyre likely not fully charged, replaced batteries can still do duty in childrens toys, media players or electronic devices. Squeeze the last drop of power out of them before you recycle! It’s also a good idea to occasionally vacuum away dust and cobwebs in the area around your detector. * Inspect your car’s tires and the tire pressure Cold temperatures (like the ones that have been gripping our Province for what feels like weeks now) can cause your tires to lose air pressure of more than one pound per month. Driving with underinflated tires can cause damage to your tire and decrease vehicle handling. Driving in snow can be challenging enough. Don’t add underinflated tires to the mix. * Review your family emergency plan Your smoke detectors have fresh batteries in them now, will your family know what to do when they suddenly go off in the middle of the night? Review your familys emergency plan, or create one for the first time. Hold a meeting with family members to explain what to do and where to go in case of an emergency. Update phone numbers, addresses and contact information, and post an emergency information page near the phone. Learn more about what your family needs to know in case of disaster or emergency: getprepared.gc.ca/index-eng.aspx * Start Early The time change is usually scheduled for the wee hours of Sunday morning, in order to reduce the disruption of the workweek. To give yourself more time to adjust before the workweek begins, reset one of your clocks at the start of the weekend, such as Friday night or Saturday morning. Try to eat meals, sleep, and wake according to that clock. When Monday comes, you’ll be on your way to feeling adjusted. However, if you have activities and events during the weekend, make sure you don’t get confused about the correct time! Wishing you and your families a safe and warm weekend
Posted on: Sat, 08 Mar 2014 03:28:29 +0000