Does it feel like things tend to go wrong over the winter? You’re not alone, and it can feel like once one thing goes wrong, it creates a snowball effect, and it’s one thing after another. If it’s not catching one cold or virus as soon as you’ve gotten over a previous one, it’s things breaking in the home or disasters occurring in life in general. It never rains, but it pours, as the common saying goes.
And when the colder weather is here, it’s not just you who feels like these issues are even worse. Many others also face similar challenges; because who wants to be cold and miserable?
While there are many things you can do in your life to preempt issues or prevent them entirely, being prepared with the right contacts can give you a sense of control. Who do you call in a home emergency when things go wrong? Let’s find out.
Sadly, it’s not the Ghostbusters (although you can throw the film on and curl up on the couch when life gets too much). They’re not going to answer your call when things get rough. The following, however, will.
Plumber
Did you know that winter is a busy time for plumbers, and they experience more callouts at this time of year than other ones? Freezing temperatures, unserviced boilers, parties, and people flushing more items than they should, or overusing or mishandling plumbing fixtures can result in more emergency callouts. It’s crucial to find the name of an experienced, reliable Plumber you can trust this winter. Consider asking for recommendations from friends or family or checking online reviews. Then, should you need their services, you can call them and get things back on track faster (oh, and knowing where your water valve or stopcock is to shut off the water will help).
Locksmith
Like plumbers, locksmiths are kept super busy during the winter months. Again, freezing temperatures can cause older locks to malfunction and even fragile keys to snap in locks.
Then there are people forgetting or losing their keys when out at Christmas parties, shopping, or due to, sadly, higher crime rates at this time of year. Whether it’s a new car key or a house key, you’ve locked yourself in a cupboard under the stairs and can’t get out (everyone knows someone this has happened to!). Having the number of a good locksmith to hand in the absence of a spare key can be a literal lifesaver because the last thing you want is to be sleeping on the doorstep with a cold pizza in hand after a great Christmas night out.
Bank
Lastly, having the number stored for your bank, especially the fraud department can help you in the event you lose your card and/or phone or get scammed and need to contact them. As mentioned in the above point, crime rates are at an all-time high, and knowing the number for your bank, either by having it stored in your phone if you cannot access your banking app or at home, can help you get help and freeze your accounts faster.
Luckily, modern banking apps enable you to carry out multiple functions, but if you don’t have your phone, having a number (with your account details, too) somewhere that isn’t digitally stored can get you the help you need faster and stop too much damage being done.