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2018-09-12
By: Advocate Brokerage
It’s hard to believe that we are talking about fall, yet the time is near. The official first day of autumn is next weekend!
To keep your home, safe, warm and dry as we leave summer in the rearview mirror and head toward cooler weather, there are a few things you should consider.
As soon as frost is in the air, turn off outdoor sprinkler systems, drain outdoor faucets and shut off and cover outdoor faucets to protect the pipes from freezing.
Clean your gutters and be sure all downspouts are clear. You want all water to be flowing free and AWAY from your home.
Schedule a professional to come clean and service your furnace, chimney, and generator. You don’t want to wait for a cold snap to find out there are issues.
Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. If they are battery operated, be sure to change the batteries. We strongly recommend you have a central station fire and burglar alarm installed in your home; this is a great time of year to get this important protection in place.
Inspect your windows and doors. Replace any damaged weather stripping and do any necessary re-caulking.
Take a look at the walkways heading to the entrances and exits of your home. Repair any cracks, replace loose stones and consider making upgrades to your lighting to prevent the risk of slips, trips or falls.
Take a look at the trees around your home and either trim or bring in a professional to trim any branches that look dead, weak or damaged.
Change the direction of your ceiling fan. Make sure it is turning clockwise to have warmer air circulate. If it is turning counter-clockwise, it will continue to push colder air.
If you have been considering making any improvements to your home’s energy efficiency, now would be a good time. Have a professional come in and do an energy audit or have a programmable thermostat installed.
If you have not already done so, take steps to prevent the devastating damage of a water leak. Consider having a whole house water detection system installed. Find out more here.
Have any questions? We are here for you. Please don’t hesitate to contact us. Educating every client we serve is a high priority for us and we are always happy to help our clients with questions regarding their home, auto or commercial insurance.
