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Prevent these 4 winter home problems now
When you start feeling those fi rst hints
of winter, the instinct to get ready kicks
in. You may dig out your car’s snow
brush, blanket, shovel and winter survival
kit and place them in the trunk of your
car. Th e winter coats and boots come out
of storage, and you may pick up some
extra mittens.
But what do you do to protect your
house against the hazards of winter? If
you don’t take time for maintenance and
winterization now, you can end up paying
for it later, in the form of higher energy
bills, frozen pipes or fi xing a broken
furnace.
Here are four common problems that
can hit home during the winter and how
you can ward them off .
Sky-high energy bills: Do your electric
bills rise during the wintertime? Heating
your home accounts for about half of
your home’s energy bills, according to
the U.S. Department of Energy. Combat
the cold by sealing off any cracks or gaps
with caulk and inspect entrances for worn
or broken weatherstripping. Schedule a
furnace inspection with an HVAC contractor
and consider installing a smarter
thermostat. Learning thermostats can
remember your favorite temperatures,
turning down when you leave for work,
and returning to your favorite temp at the
end of the day.
Water leaks: According to the Insurance
Information Institute, water damage
accounts for half of all property damage
claims. Add winter’s freezing temperatures
to the mix, and you can end up with
a big problem if your home has a power
outage or your furnace malfunctions.
For extra peace of mind, there’s now
a leak and fl ood protection system you
can purchase that shuts off your water
main’s supply when it detects leaks -
and sends an alert to your smart device.
LeakSmart Snap installs in seconds without
any tools or the need to cut into the
main water supply line. Wireless sensors
placed around the house can detect a leak
or temperature changes and shut down
the whole house water supply in seconds.
It is compatible with LeakSmart Hub 3.0,
which off ers battery back-up and built in
Wi-Fi for 24/7 whole home protection.
Power outages: When a winter storm
hits, the ice and wind can break power
lines and interrupt the supply of electricity
to our homes. It’s not uncommon for
some outages to last for days, which is
why it’s always smart to be prepared.
Before winter hits, make certain your
generator or other backup power source
has ample fuel and is in good working
order. Keep basic supplies at the ready,
so you can keep your family comfortable.
Make sure you have extra blankets,
stocking caps, batteries and fully charged
power banks for your mobile phones. It’s
also good to have a few gallons of fresh
water and some cans of ready-to-eat chili
and stew. If you have a camp stove, keep
it in an easy-to-reach place, along with a
fuel supply.
Ice dams: Another thing to watch for in
the winter are pools of water forming on
your roof. Th ese can be caused by ridges
of snow and ice, and eventually cause
leaks to the interior of your home. Ice
dams can also lead to the formation of
large, pointy icicles that hang from the
gutters, which can fall and injure people.
A little work upfront can go a long way
toward preventing ice dams and the damage
they can cause. First, make sure the
gutters and downspouts are clear of leaves
and other yard debris, so the snowmelt
has a place to go. Next, poke your head
into the crawlspace of your attic and see if
the insulation layer is still thick enough to
keep the heat from escaping through the
roof. While you’re up there, look for gaps
and leaks. Finally, this is an appropriate
time to invest in a simple snow rake, so
you can easily remove wet, heavy snow
from your roof before the dams can start
forming.
Now that you know the most common
winter hazards that can hit home, you
can take the steps to protect your investment
and keep your family comfortable
and safe.
To learn more about protecting your
home, visit LeakSmart.com.
Courtesy BPT
at home