While hurricane season is not yet over, people are already looking towards the winter months, with the potential risk of snow and ice that it carries. Winter is fast approaching, and the preparations you make now can save you and your home later on. Here are just some of the things you can do to help prepare for winter:
- Clean your gutters
- An often underestimated way to protect your home against winter weather is to make sure your gutters are clean. If they are clogged, you have a higher risk of ice accumulating and forming a dam, which increases the risk of your roof getting damaged and causing a leak in your home.
- Check your insulation
- Ensuring your home is well-insulated is critical to making it through the winter. Not only does it cut down on the amount of heat your home leaks, saving money on your heating bill, it can help prevent problems like melted snow damaging your home.
- Maintain your roof
- If it has been a while since you last got your roof repaired or replaced, it may be time to consider doing some maintenance this winter. If your roof is not well maintained or properly constructed, it can leak an enormous amount of heat, leading to higher heating bills and an increased risk of ice dams and other hazards.
- Trim your trees
- People often underestimate the damage that a fallen tree branch can do until it comes down on their home or property. Keeping your trees trimmed can prevent this kind of catastrophe, which becomes more likely when trees are weighed down by snow and ice during the winter.
- Clean your chimney
- Having your chimney swept is not just a matter of hygiene, it is also a matter of safety. Chimneys can become clogged with soot and other detritus, even when not in use, and can potentially cause sparks or smoke to go back into your home if they are not cleared.
- Keep an emergency kit ready
- If a severe weather event happens this winter, you need to be prepared to either tough it out or seek shelter elsewhere. Either way, you will need an emergency kit, which includes first aid supplies, a radio, flashlight, and any medications you can stockpile, as well as enough food and water to potentially last a week without power or heat.
- Check your homeowners insurance policy
- If you do suffer damage to your home this winter, your homeowners insurance policy will be necessary for covering any costs associated with repairing it. However, you should check your policy to ensure it covers all likely situations you may face this winter, and consider purchasing supplemental insurance for anything it doesn’t cover.
Anytime your home or other dwelling has been ruined or severely damaged, it is essential that you protect your property and the interest of your investment by enlisting the services of a Rubin and Rosen public adjuster. We can provide the assistance you need by helping you to work through the entire insurance process. If you want to make a property insurance claim and need assistance to obtain fair compensation for your losses, please give us a call at 718-376-6800 or visit our contact page.