By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group
For starters, a note regarding hurricanes. A hurricane is a humongous thunderstorm, with strong winds and lightning possibilities. At the moment, there are a few churnings through the waters in the southern United States which range from minor annoyances to cataclysmic and may impact a good amount of the country. In case your move is booked for a time or location that coincides with the chance of a tropical storm or hurricane, delay it. A professional moving company will not chance their crews and equipment, but in the case you are the do-it-yourself type merely reschedule. Forecasting nowadays is advanced enough that you're cognizant of approaching storms weeks out, so prepare properly.
Here is how to handle your move to Houston during terrible winter weather conditions.
Prepare Your Homes
For starters, be sure that your homes are set. The power and water needs to be on at your new residence, so you can get yourself ready for the move-in if your new house is within the route of the weather. Ask your real estate professional to confirm that there is a water faucet on somewhere to prevent the plumbing from freezing, and that also the thermostat is set to a minimum of 55 degrees--nobody would like to arrive home to a broken pipe. If you're moving long distance, employ someone to clear the driveway and also salt the walkways so you can get inside the home safely. For a local move in Houston, send a teen or your normal snow removal source over to perform the clearing after your old property is completed.
Protect the entry with old blankets or bath towels to keep the slipperiness of tile or wooden floors to a minimum not to mention mitigate dirt, salt, and snow tracking in your house.
Professional movers in Houston know how to pack and prepare your stuff in order that they will not be broken in lousy weather. You should expect to see a lot of moving blankets and plastic wrap. Some sensitive things--art, china, or electronics--are vulnerable to temperature, so if you have packed these items yourself ask the movers to confirm that those items are correctly insulated from the cold weather.
Ask the movers to ensure that there are zero dripping spots in the moving truck--it's a tiny possibility but one that everybody would like to avoid.
Prepare Yourself
It will likely be a challenging, and admittedly, a unpleasant day should you be moving in the rain or snow. Get out your camping gear--waterproof boots, tarps, extra socks, ponchos, and rain jackets--or your winter stuff--ski pants, gloves, hats, and hand warmers--and have some dry apparel on hand for the drive. It is crucial that you layer--as you start moving you'll get heated and you do not want to get too hot.
Prepare Your Cars
If you are driving to the new house, have your vehicles serviced before moving day. A whole tank of fuel is a given, but have your mechanic to check out the tires and beneath the hood before you go. Indeed, you have AAA, but do not believe you're going to be the sole driver in distress on that day.
Arrange an additional path to your new residence--if secondary roads are the most effective choice on a clear and dry day, the same won't necessarily be accurate in a winter storm. Stick to primary roads--interstates and main highways--since you can be sure those will likely be cleared and salted regularly to avoid ice buildup.
Prepare to Stop
What is important to get ready for is the possibility that your move to Houston could stop midway-if circumstances deteriorate until it's not safe to drive. You should make hotel reservations for a night or 2 at home as well as along the way once you get the nasty forecast (remember to incorporate your pets); it is easy to cancel if you need to.
There are many clear benefits of hiring a professional moving company, but it's the intangibles which matter most. By using seasoned pros, they are able to direct your move to Houston through undesirable weather conditions with knowledge and care.
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