Preparing for Severe Weather During National Preparedness Month #LSSS

As a member of Master Lock’s Live Secure Safety Squad, I have been compensated for my time in writing this post and receive samples for review.

From texts on our phones, pop-ups on my desktop, alerts through local news channels, and live feeds of weather radar, technology allows us to keep up with the most current forecasts and continuously monitor severe weather to know what’s en route to our area. In honor of September being National Preparedness Month, it’s a good time to take stock of the types of equipment you have in your home to ensure that you’re adequately prepared for severe weather. Being prepared doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to go out and buy a new set of items to secure items around your home. Savvy consumers know that in a pinch, certain types of cables and locks can do double duty if they’ve invested in ones that can withstand the incoming weather.

Here are just a couple of my favorites from Master Lock that work well for securing items around our home on a regular basis but are durable and weather resistant against heavy rain and snow.

Python Adjustable Locking Cables 

The Python Adjustable Locking Cable 8413KA ($29) is most often used by our family as a way to secure our bikes on family rides but when we know that bad weather is on the way, we bring our bikes inside the house and can use the Python to keep other outside belongings together in a storm. We use a Python Adjustable Locking Cable to secure a large extension ladder to a tree in our side yard because it’s too large to bring inside. The cinch locking mechanism pulls the cable tight to make it difficult for anyone with bolt cutters to use to cut the 6 foot 10 mm cable. The Python is a great choice for outdoor equipment because the cable is coated in a black heavy plastic, making it weather and rust resistant. I also appreciate that the bright yellow python shaped head is easy to find for locking and unlocking in the dark or rain. In a pinch, the Python can also be used to loop through handles of garden equipment and lawn furniture.

Covered Laminated Padlocks 

As an owner of an older home that doesn’t have a garage, we store items in a shed at the end of our driveway. For years we relied on a traditional padlock that we already had for our shed, only to find that over time, it got rusty and became more difficult to lock and unlock. Instead of wrestling with the old rusty padlock, we now use a Master Lock Covered Laminated Padlock M115XDLF ($13.01). It’s an affordable choice that provides a lot of versatility around the home. It features weather resistant cover that protects the steel core from snow, rain, dirt, mud, grime, and salt plus Rust-Oleum certified protection that guarantees it will never rust.  The dual ball bearing lock provides maximum pry resistance and it also has a 4-pin cylinder for increased pick resistance to ensure that our belongings are as secure as possible.

Combination Padlock

For homeowners looking to secure belongings with custom combination lock, the M175XDLF Combination Padlock ($23.37) is an excellent choice. The price is higher than the Covered Laminated Padlock above, but it features the ability to set your own combination, rather than relying on a key. It’s a slightly larger lock (2” vs. the Covered Laminated Padlock’s 1 7/8” size) with a 1 1/2 “ shackle that’s made of boron-carbide- a substance 50% harder than hardened steel. Unlike the Covered Laminated Padlock that features Dual-Armor construction, the Combination Padlock has a shackle seal and hinged dial cover for weather resistance.

While it may cost more to purchase weather resistant security products over others at first, it’s always best to invest in the right products for the job. In the long run, money put towards purchasing high quality weather-resistant products like these from Master Lock will secure your belongings so you won’t have to worry that they’ll fail even when subjected to years of snow, rain, dirt, mud, grime, and salt.

For more preparedness tips, take a look at my 8 Ways to Prep Your Home and Devices for Severe Weather.

I am part of Master Lock’s Live Secure Safety Squad where I receive products for review, occasionally host product giveaways and am compensated for my involvement. All opinions are my own.