When temperatures drop, keeping your home warm can quickly become one of the biggest expenses of the season. The good news? A few simple steps can help your home stay comfortable without sending your heating bill soaring.
From an insurance perspective, many of these same steps can also help protect your home from winter-related damage. Proper maintenance and preparation can reduce the risk of frozen pipes, ice dams, fire hazards and other problems that can lead to costly repairs.
Here are some ways to stay warm, save money and protect your home this winter.
1. Seal Drafts Around Your Home
Cold air can sneak in through gaps around windows, doors and other openings, making your heating system work harder. Check for drafts and use weatherstripping, caulk or door sweeps where needed.
A warmer, more energy-efficient home can also help prevent extremely cold areas around plumbing from contributing to frozen pipes.
2. Keep Your Furnace Maintained
Your heating system works overtime during the winter, so regular maintenance is important. Have your furnace inspected and serviced as recommended by the manufacturer, and replace your furnace filter regularly.
A well-maintained heating system can operate more efficiently and may also help reduce the risk of heating-related problems.
3. Protect Your Pipes From Freezing
Frozen and burst pipes can cause significant water damage. Keep your home at a safe temperature even when you’re away, and make sure areas containing plumbing, such as basements, crawl spaces and cabinets beneath sinks, aren’t exposed to excessive cold.
During extremely cold weather, opening cabinet doors beneath sinks can allow warmer air to circulate around plumbing.
4. Use Your Fireplace Safely
A cozy fire can be a great way to supplement your home’s heating, but fireplaces and wood-burning stoves require proper care. Have your chimney inspected and cleaned as recommended, especially if you use it regularly.
Always use a sturdy screen or door, keep flammable materials away from the fireplace and never leave a fire unattended.
5. Check Your Attic Insulation and Ventilation
Heat escaping through the attic can make it harder to keep your home warm. Proper insulation can help keep heated air inside your living space and potentially lower your energy costs.
At the same time, proper attic ventilation is important during winter. It can help reduce moisture problems and the conditions that contribute to ice dams.
6. Don’t Block Your Heating Vents
Make sure furniture, rugs and other items aren’t covering heating vents or registers. Keeping them clear allows warm air to circulate more effectively throughout your home.
You may also want to close doors to rooms that aren’t regularly used, as long as doing so doesn’t interfere with your home’s heating system or create areas where pipes could freeze.
7. Check Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Winter means more time indoors and increased use of furnaces, fireplaces and other heating equipment. Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors regularly and replace batteries as needed.
Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas, so working detectors are an important part of keeping your household safe.
8. Take a Look at Your Homeowners Insurance
Winter is a good time to review your homeowners insurance coverage. Understanding what your policy covers before something goes wrong can make a stressful situation easier to navigate.
Coverage for winter-related damage can depend on the circumstances and the specific terms, conditions and exclusions of your policy. For example, damage caused by a burst pipe may be handled differently depending on whether the home was properly heated and maintained.
If you’re unsure about your coverage, call us today before winter weather arrives!
Stay Warm and Stay Protected
Keeping your home warm doesn’t have to mean simply turning up the thermostat. A little maintenance and preparation can help improve energy efficiency while also reducing the risk of some common winter home problems.
