Keeping Your Home Warm, Safe And Dry This Winter

By the time you read this, somewhere in the U.S., there’s no doubt already been ice and/or snow. And for the next four or so months, ice and snow are likely to be on your mind. We’d like to share some suggestions on getting through the winter without damage to your home:

Clean, clear and caulk. Remove any debris clogging your gutters, so melting ice and snow can flow smoothly and help prevent ice dams. Close up any cracks or holes in outside walls and the foundation to keep the cold air out (remember to close crawl space vents). Finally, trim trees away from your car and home to prevent gutter debris and damage from heavy ice/snow accumulation that can bring down trees and limbs onto your property. 

Warm ways. Ensure you have enough insulation in your basement and attic to keep heat in, and don’t lower the home temperature below 65 degrees to prevent pipes from freezing. Also, consider having a professional service your heating system and maintain the service records.

Know your snow load. Most residential roofs can support 20 lbs. of snow per square foot of roof space, according to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). For details on snow load dangers and how to safely remove snow from your roof, visit IBHS’ website, https://disastersafety.org.

Check your chimney. Have your chimney inspected by a professional every year and ensure any necessary repairs are made before you use your fireplace. Damage such as missing bricks, cracked or obstructed flue liners are often the cause of house fires.

Three feet from heat. Keep anything that could catch fire at least three feet from the fireplace or a portable heater. And keep the heater on a flat level surface.

Check your detectors. Ensure your smoke detectors are in working order and if you don’t have one, install a carbon monoxide detector. Both residential fires and carbon monoxide poisoning increase in winter.

Prepare for no power. Trees laden with heavy snow can bring down power lines. Consider investing in a generator, which can help keep you and your family warm, and help protect your home from frozen pipes.  

Contact us for all of your insurance needs! 

Illinois and Wisconsin residents, at R Hobbs Insurance Agency, we can work with you to make sure you’ve got the coverage you need, while at the same time using all possible credits and discounts to make that coverage affordable. Just give us a call at (847) 680-0888 or send us a note at [email protected]. We want to help you meet your goals, and make sure what’s important to you is protected!

Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

Content source: Kemper