Homeowners Insurance Information

Winter Weather Preparation

Ice, snow and wind can have devastating consequences on your home. To insure you’re prepared for the cold weather ahead, the time to winterize your home should begin when the leaves are turning, not when the snow is falling.

Homeowners, consider the following precautions for those cold nights ahead:

Maintain Gutters

Remove all leaves 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 damage to the ceilings and walls. Gutter guards can be a great option for roof maintenance. Available in most hardware and home stores, gutter guards are screens that prevent debris from entering the gutters, thereby cutting down gutter cleaning time and enabling the flow of water to be uninhibited.

Tree Trimming/Cutting and Removal of Debris

Ice, snow and wind can cause tree roots to weaken or branches to break, damaging your home, car or injuring persons on your property. Should the health of your trees ever seem questionable, contacting a tree service to evaluate issues could save money and property loss in the long run.

Check Insulation

Adding extra insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces can not only help you save on your energy bill, but it can help protect the integrity of your home. Ideally, the attic should be five to ten degrees warmer than the outside air in order to encourage the melting of ice and snow. If too much heat escapes from the attic, ice and snow can build and refreeze on rooftops, breeding the potential for a collapsed roof. Well-insulated basements and crawl spaces can protect indoor pipes from freezing.

Maintain Pipes

Wrapping pipes with heating tape and insulate unfinished rooms where pipes can be exposed, such as garages, can help prevent freezing issues with your pipes during the winter months. Also, regularly checking for cracks and leaks in your pipes could mean the difference between a minor problem caught early, or a much more costly repair.

Keep the House Warm

The temperature in your home should be at least 65 degrees during the winter months. The temperature inside the walls where the pipes are located can be substantially colder than the walls themselves.

Check Heating Systems

The proper use and maintenance of furnaces, fireplaces and wood-burning stoves can help prevent fire and smoke damage. Have furnaces, boilers and chimneys serviced by a professional at least once a year. Check smoke and fire alarms quarterly to ensure they are working properly. If your furnace or hot water heater is a gas appliance, if you have an attached garage or if you have gas or wood-burning fireplace, consider installing a carbon monoxide detector in your home. Carbon monoxide is odorless, tasteless, cannot be seen with the naked eye and can be highly poisonous to your family. For more information on Carbon Monoxide, visit the U.S. Fire Administration (a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency) at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/index.shtm.

Maintain Steps and Handrails

Broken stairs and banisters can cause serious injuries when covered with snow and ice. Be sure to make repairs and replacements as they become necessary for your home.

Get to Know Your Plumbing

Learn the locations of all your primary and secondary water shut-off valves, as well as the potential problem areas for your pipes. If your pipes freeze, time is of the essence. The quicker you shut off the water, and can direct your plumber to the problem, the better chance you have of preventing a pipe bursting.

Hire a Licensed Contractor

Your best resource when selecting a licensed contractor is your network of family and friends. A glowing recommendation can be as good as gold when hiring a contractor. Once you’ve made your selection, have your home professionally surveyed for structural damage. If damage is discovered, have it repaired immediately so further damage will not occur during the winter months. Contractors can also make recommendations on preventing water damage due to snow-related flooding. Products such as plastic coatings for internal basement walls, sump-pumps and other methods can help prevent damage to your home and belongings.

Plan for Being Away

If you are not going to be in your home this winter for an extended period of time, having the water system drained by a professional can keep your pipes from potentially freezing or bursting. Also, having someone check on your home on a regular basis can help identify problems. Activity in your home can also reduce the likelihood of being burglarized.

Standard homeowners policies cover winter-related disasters such as burst pipes, ice dams, wind damage caused by weight of ice or snow.

Damage to homes caused by flooding is usually excluded from most standard homeowner policies. Flood insurance is available from the National Flood Insurance Program (http://www.fema.gov/nfip/a_facts.htm) Ask your insurance professional about flood insurance, as well as specific advice about winter-proofing your home.

Back to Homeowners ArticlesObtain a Homeowners quote

Information provided with permission from the Insurance Information Institute, Inc.