Get Your Home Ready For Winter

While the weather might not feel like fall outside, it’s almost November, and winter will be here before we know it. Now is the time to take advantage of the nice weather and get your home ready for winter so you will be cozy and secure when the temperatures dip.
Here are some tips from the Insurance Information Institute on getting your home ready.
Outside
● Trim back any over hanging tree limbs and dead branches. Ice, snow and wind can cause weak trees or branches to break, damaging your home, car or injuring someone walking on your property.
● Clean out your gutters by removing leaves, acorns, sticks and other debris from gutters so melting snow and ice can flow freely. This can prevent “ice damming” — a condition where water is unable to properly drain through the gutters and instead seeps into the house causing water to drip from the ceiling and walls.
● Drain water from outside hoses and store hoses inside for the winter.
● Have your sprinkler system lines blown out by a landscaping contractor to avoid a cracked pipe from freezing water in the lines.
● Store outside furniture, grills, and other items inside. If that isn’t possible, cover with plastic and secure them in a protected location.
Inside
● Check heating systems. The proper use and maintenance of furnaces, fireplaces, and wood-burning stoves can prevent fire and smoke damage. Have furnaces, boilers, and chimneys serviced at least once a year. Make sure that smoke and fire alarms are working properly, and consider installing a carbon dioxide detector.
● Keep the house warm. The temperature in your house should be at least 65 degrees. The temperature inside the walls where the pipes are located is substantially colder than the walls themselves. A temperature lower than 65 degrees will not keep the pipes from freezing.
● Maintain steps and handrails. Broken stairs and banisters can become lethal when covered with snow and ice. Make repairs now to prevent someone from falling and seriously being injured.
● Get to know your plumbing. Learn how to shut the water off, and know where your water shut off valve is located. If you do not have a shut off valve, talk to a plumber about having one installed in an easy to reach place.
This will allow you to turn off the water, even if you are going away just for a weekend, and prevent the pipes from bursting. A broken pipe is the cause of some of the most frequent and costly claims in our area.
These loss prevention tips can help give you months of peace of mind, knowing you minimized your potential loss.
—Submitted by McMahon Insurance Agency