During winter, temperatures drop too low, snowfalls and days are shorter than nights because the earth is tilted away from the sun. Many challenges come with the season in homes, such as freezing water pipes, theft, light limitation, and water damage. Before the winter season, you need to prepare your house to prevent and minimize these winter challenges.
Are you looking for the best and easy way to prepare your house for winter? A Home Insurance policy or Home Insurance company will protect you from a significant repair or replacement financial impact and ensure that you don't have to worry about experiencing financial distress as a homeowner. You can also consider the best home insurance rates in Ontario.
By finding a reasonable price, you will get the most affordable coverage that you need. You may need the help of home insurance companies to prepare your house for the winter season. Here we will discuss common challenges in homes during winter and how to overcome them whether you choose to stay in your home in Canada or go for vacation in another country that does not experience extreme winter seasons.
Lighting
During winter, light is limited, and many families have no one at home when going on vacation. You may also lose your coverage if your home is vacant for several days. You should double-check with your insurer to see if your existing coverage is sufficient for the length of time you'll be away.
As days are shorter, darkness prevails most of the time. Some families prefer leaving lights on to keep criminals away and prevent damage. What they do not realize is that by doing that, they create possibilities of other risks. Leaving interior and exterior lights on for twenty-four hours and more may lead to overheating. Old systems more likely to be present in old homes have a higher risk of overheating. Leaving lights also increases energy consumption, therefore rising utility bills.
Instead of leaving lights on throughout, you can install timers in your system to control the lighting system in line with the sun's natural light. It allows remote control from your device. This way, you can turn off the lights when there is natural light and have them turn on when motion is detected. It enables you to monitor your home even when you are not around the house.
House Set-up for Warmth Purposes
Arrange items in your home in a layout that they all receive optimal heat. Ensure you move your furniture far from vents to allow easy circulation of warm air and increase rugs and mats on your floor for warmth. Finally, come up with a strategy for opening drapes to allow the sun's heat in for the few hours that the sun is up and closing curtains when there is no sunlight.
Seal Areas Allowing Heat Escape from the House
Keeping your home warm and failing to seal gaps and cracks is pointless; ensure all unwanted openings are closed and insulate windows strategically. Weatherstripping is an ideal method, and so is the use of bubble wrap and plastic wrap. When frost covers the surface of your house during winter, it melts away when the sun comes up or when you power on your heating system. If there is a crack or any space on your roofing and foundation, the melted frost gets into the house, and it may lead to more severe damages if not noticed and repaired sooner. As a result, the interior of the building may crumble or chip. You can seal such cracks by caulking.
Furnace and Fireplace Inspection and Cleaning
The furnace is for heating purposes in a home. As you enjoy your vacation away from home during winter, the furnace is still functional to keep the house warm and prevent your pipes from freezing. A malfunctioning furnace is a threat to your home; it may overheat, cause fire, and affect air quality when carbon monoxide leaks. For this reason, hire a professional to ensure the furnace and its filters get proper inspection and repair if necessary. It is important to change filters every three months and clean the fireplace at least once every year. If spider webs or bird nests clog your gas lines, it can cause a fire. Sealing the gaps also keeps pests looking for warmth away from your home.
Crime-Proofing
Smarter lighting is not the only way to prevent break-ins during winter. If you own fine jewelry, you should have your policy appraised, or you can compare Online Home Insurance Quotes in Ontario to purchase a policy extension that covers those items explicitly. Interior and exterior property crime-proofing are necessary; home insurance companies provide a comprehensive guide for the crime-proofing property. Social media broadcasting for everyone in a household going on vacation during winter is not advisable for your safety. Criminals may use social media to monitor and decide which houses to target and strike in.
Prevent Water from Building up
Water damages occur during all seasons, but probability escalates during winter because temperatures go below freezing. Water damage is the most common home insurance claim, so choose an insurance company where you can easily claim the damage. Tune-up the heating system, ensure electricity efficiency, and reverse your ceiling fans to increase heat production by pulling warm air downwards.
The freeze-thaw cycle increases water damage risks in plumbing. It causes expansion and contraction of pipes, which may lead to leakage or bursting. In such a case, water floods into your home and possibly the neighboring houses causing property damage. Ensure that a professional inspect the plumbing of your home before winter for repair and replacement. Your home insurance companies come in during this time. Disconnect all hoses, sprinklers, and pipes at your garden to ensure the faucets' remaining water is all drained. Undrained water freezes in the lines, and they burst due to the expansion of the ice. You can use faucets that are frost-proof during winter and, if not, ensure you turn off your shut-off valve.
Accumulation of Snow
Snowfall levels escalate during winter; it accumulates on your property, especially on the roof and around the foundation. The snow is massive and may collapse the top; if this snow melts into water, it gets into the basement, increasing the chances of water damage. You need to clear the snow at the foundation and roof with a shovel from time to time to prevent such occurrences. Doing this is dangerous as one could trip and fall off the top or ladder; besides, you may be on vacation, consider heating cables installation. If electricity is not your option, use calcium chloride tablets. Position the tablets and shingles; they melt the snow, but only if the gutters and downspouts are in good working condition. You may add extensions to the downspouts to ensure water does not fall anywhere close to the foundation. Clean your gutters to prevent water from backing up against your house, repair, and replace the damaged ones. Paths to and from your property should be clear of the snow to avoid tripping.
Inspect the tree branches on your property, trim them and clear dead limbs. You do not want any branches to fall on your home.
Stock up necessities during winter because going out is also a problem. Essentials include salt, emergency kit, warm clothing, non-perishable foods, battery-powered media form, shovels, and drinking water, to mention but a few.
Remember to have the slipped roof slates replaced and repair broken fences. Also, drought proof the windows. Ensure your smoke alarm is in good working condition before the winter season.
Why you should choose an Insurance Broker
An insurance broker or Home Insurance company assists in helping you find a perfect policy for your needs. Insurance brokers provide Online Home Insurance Quotes in Ontario and compare clients' budgets to provide ideal insurance plans.
My Insurance Broker is an excellent insurance brokerage, and you should not hesitate to contact us for help with an insurance plan. There are so many benefits to enjoy when you chose to work with the company.
You can also opt for home insurance quotes after filling in the details on our company website, which will give you an estimated price you need to pay for an insurance policy. This price depends on your house size, the neighborhood, and proximity to a fire station. You can get home insurance quotes online within minutes or use an agent. The home insurance quotes differ depending on the coverage options that you choose. The coverages for home insurance quotes are; dwelling, contents, personal liability, extra living expenses, and detached structures.
Home Insurance is essential as it covers damages and caters to repair and replacement costs. An online home insurance quote in Ontario has certain merits, as mentioned below:
Merits of an online home insurance quote Ontario
- They are convenient, and they provide an experience with low pressure. It is possible to compare quotes from various companies in a single session.
- It also gives you the possibility of seeing different prices by adjusting policy details.
Factors to consider for your Home Insurance Comparison in Ontario
Other than price, there are different ways that insurers use for their home insurance comparison in Ontario. The most effective is to consider people who have used an insurance plan before. You can see the customers' feedback, reviews, and ratings as these are readily available on websites.
Customers' satisfaction studies
A home insurance comparison in Ontario shows that insurance companies have certain coverages that they sell to help you determine the best coverage.
How to purchase insurance plans through brokers or directly? Give us a call! We are more than happy to point to the best home insurance coverage for you and your family.