How Homeowners Can Protect Their Homes This Winter

Preventing damage to your home this winter.

Because winter weather conditions are the harshest that you will face all year, it’s important to protect your home from the elements.  To prevent damage caused by freezing temperatures, wind, snow, and hail, here are some of the precautions to take around your home.

• Keep Your Home Heated– Homeowners should keep their home heated to at least 65° F, even when there is no one present in the home. Keeping your home warm will ensure that the plumbing running through your walls doesn’t freeze and burst, causing significant water damage.
• Let Your Faucets Drip– If you live in an area where the temperatures drop below freezing, then you should leave the faucets inside your home to drip slightly. This keeps the water in your pipes moving, which reduces the chances of it freezing and causing your pipes to burst.
• Close Your Fireplace Flue– When your fireplace is not in use, you should make sure to close the flue. Leaving your flue open will allow cold air, water, and even vermin to enter your home.
• Clear Snow and Ice from Your Walkways– If you receive heavy snowfall or if temperatures drop below freezing, then you need to remove the snow and ice that accumulates on your driveway and the walkways leading up to your home. Shoveling the snow and salting your walkways will ensure that visitors do not slip and injure themselves while on your property.
• Check Your Roof– During the winter months, ice dams can form on your roof and near your gutter downspouts. These dams can cause water to build up on your roof, increasing your chances of serious water damage.  So, make sure you routinely check your roof for ice flows and clear them away, so water is able to drain off your roof.
• Keep Your Garage Door Closed– Most homes do not have heated garages. This leaves the plumbing running through your garage susceptible to freezing temperatures.  The best way to keep your pipes insulated is by opening your garage door as infrequently as possible.  This will keep warm air trapped inside your garage.

These are some of the precautions that you should take around your home to avoid winter damage.  Want another way to keep your home safe?  Then make sure you have the right homeowners insurance in place.  For assistance with all your home coverage needs, contact the experts at James Page Insurance today.