Winter looms, and with it comes the chance for severe weather that can cause havoc on your home’s exterior and introduce other property damage risks, all which is not covered in typical homeowners insurance Illinois policies, leaving it for umbrella liability or an exclusion. Use the following tips to ensure your home gets through the winter season unscathed
1.) Keep the roof clean, including the gutters. Built-up clumps of leaves can block water from flowing through the gutters.
- Consider trimming tree branches that extend over the house to minimize the collection of branches and leaves on the roof.
2.) Make sure the attic is insulated to prevent ice dams, which can occur when snow melts and then refreezes on a roof due to poor attic insulation.
- Remove snow from the edges of the roof to further prevent ice dams.
3.) Have a professional perform an inspection on the furnace before it is used constantly throughout the day.
-Don’t forget to change the filter! It should be changed monthly, or as needed, during the winter.
4,) Insulate water pipes to prevent frozen pipes from bursting.
5.) Add caulk to drafty windows, and consider purchasing a plastic window insulator kit to prevent further draftiness.
6.) Have the chimney cleaned to decrease the fire risk.
-You should also clean wood stoves for this reason.
For more tips, click here: Prepare Your Home For The Winter Weather!
If you have questions or concerns on this issue, do not hesitate to call Zeiler Insurance Services, Inc. and speak to one of our customer service representatives. As an independent agency, Zeiler Insurance prides itself with quality customer service for the people of the Chicago-land area and the rest of the Midwest. Customer or not, we can review your insurance and see if you are being protected appropriately for the right price.
Karli
karli@zeiler.com
708.597.5900 x130