This winter has thrown much of the country into a deep freeze, complete with heavy snow and ice. With all of the severe winter weather blanketing much of the country, homes are experiencing considerable damage.
Although we can’t prevent all damage caused by the cold weather, ice and snow, there are things we can do to protect our home, our family and our visitors.
Here are some winter-weather home tips to keep your home safe and keep your homeowners insurance claims to a minimum:
- Remove snow and ice from your walkway, driveway and sidewalk as soon as possible.
- Prevent ice dams in your gutters and downspouts by clearing them of leaves and other debris.
- Keep the interior of your home to at least 65 degrees to prevent the pipes from freezing and bursting.
- Know where your main water shutoff valve is located in your home, and make sure you have easy access to it in case of a water problem.
- If you lose the ability to heat your home, keep all faucets at a slow drip to prevent the pipes from freezing.
- Turn off all outside spigots and remove all outdoor garden hoses.
- Trim back any dangling tree branches from your home. They can break off and cause damage if they become heavy with snow or ice.
- Have your fireplace and furnace inspected before the beginning of each winter season to ensure they are working properly. Keep your furnace filters clean as to prevent the furnace from working too hard.
- Purchase carbon monoxide detectors and place them on every floor of your home.
- Knock off all dangling icicles from the entrance of your home, as they can cause severe injury if they drop onto someone.
- Never, ever leave a space heater or kerosene heater unattended.
- Never, ever use your oven or stovetop to heat your home if you lose power.
- Make sure all windows and doors are properly caulked and insulated as to save on energy costs.
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