How To Help Santa Get Around This Christmas

A visit from Santa might be in store for your family this year, so it's important to take several steps to help the big man get around safely. Here's what you can do to make sure his special night goes off without a hitch.

Clean off your roof

If you live in a cold climate, your roof likely has snow on it during the end of each December. While a foot or two of snow is perfectly fine for most roofs, more than several feet of heavy snow could cause your roof to leak or even crack, as it has in hard-hit areas like Buffalo.

If your area gets hammered from one or two large snow storms and you're worried about the weight of that snow (and Santa) on your roof, use a roof rake to safely scrape off snow. Using a roof rake can keep you safely on the ground (as opposed to dangerously perched on top of your house) and can give you the reach you need to scrape snow without damaging your roof materials. These rakes are especially helpful for people with low-pitched roofs that don't naturally shed snow like higher-pitched roofs do.

Apply ice melt strategically

Black ice can be treacherous, especially in the middle of the night when it's even harder to see. To keep your sidewalks free of ice (in case Santa wants to let the reindeer rest for a bit in your yard), first scrape off the snow that accumulated in the area. It's important to really commit to this snow removal, as clearing only a narrow path can lead to the continual melting and refreezing of water in the middle of the small path that you've made.

Then, evenly apply your ice melt using a handheld spreader or by hand. If too much ice melt happens to fall in a certain area, you can use a broom to spread it around. Too much ice melt on the ground can more easily get ingested by an animal or child, and it can also get tracked into your house and end up scratching your floors. There are a wide variety of ice melts to choose from, and calcium chloride is a popular choice due to its effectiveness in colder weather and its relatively low price.

Clean your chimney

Finally, to make sure Santa can get down your chimney without inhaling too much soot, get your chimney cleaned by a chimney sweep at a business like Thomas Chimney Sweep.

A chimney cleaning and inspection performed every few years can ensure that your chimney is clean and will vent noxious fumes properly. If you don't get your chimney regularly cleaned, the buildup of soot could catch on fire either in a sudden explosion or a slow burn that could get extremely hot and warp the building materials in your house.

With these three safety procedures done, Santa will be able to safely come to your house this Christmas!