Extra Precautions to Protect Your House While Staying at Home

Due to the stay-home orders which have been in place for months now, insurance companies are receiving several claims from not unusual, but uncommon, damages. This led to some important information you need to know to help keep your home safe.

Although Fire Safety was covered in our Jan. 2018 blog post, we need to reiterate some of that information here, mainly, keeping the batteries changed in your smoke detectors. One of the biggest sources of fires outside of winter months are candles. Therefore, it is imperative you do not leave candles burning unattended! Also, keep candles away from drapes, towels, rugs, and other flammable items. Another cause of fire claims lately – Dryer Vents. Dust and Lint are fire hazards so keeping your dryer vent clean and clog-free will help alleviate heat build-up which could result in a fire.

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With hurricane season upon us, home maintenance is important to help reduce the extensiveness of a claim. Here are a couple of items to check to help avoid water damage due to leakage and/or backup of drainpipes and/or sewer systems….

• Clean your gutters! Leaves, twigs, and other debris can clog gutters and cause serious damage to roof, exterior siding, and even interior walls of the home. Keeping them free and clear for water to drain properly will help alleviate the possibility of a claim from normal rainfall.
• Be careful not to overload your bathroom drainage/sewer system by flushing too much toilet paper or items that are not intended to be flushed at all, such as paper towels, disinfectant wipes, or other paper goods. With more people at home, this can turn into a real problem and although it may seem unsanitary to some, using a trash can in lieu of the toilet for paper that is only wet can help take the strain off of your plumbing system. Remember to wash your hands often and use a hand towel in lieu of paper towels to avoid trash build up. After all, these items usually end up in our landfills.
• Treating your sewer system may help also.
• Check for leaks around showers, tubs, sinks, toilets, and drains. Older pipes may not handle the strain of additional use as newer ones. Gaskets and seals are also under more pressure than normal. Checking and changing these can help prevent water damage to your home.

Did you know only 1 inch of water can cause up to $25,000 worth of damage to your home?!

Now might be a good time to review your home insurance policy and see if it offers coverage for Water Back Up and Sump Discharge or Overflow. Check your deductible amounts and whether mold is covered also and if possible, add these coverages to your policy. Renewing or adding a flood policy is always a good idea too.

We hope these tips help you in maintaining your home’s safety and value. If we may be of service in reviewing or placing insurance on your home, give us a call.

As always, we appreciate your business.

Tommy Curtis and Staff