Avoid Winter Woes — and Insurance Claims — With These 4 Home Maintenance Steps

Fall is here — which means winter is coming. And no matter how you feel about frosty weather, one thing’s for sure: If you don’t make the proper preparations, it can wreak havoc on your home.

From frozen pipes to hail damage and even house fires, there are plenty of homeowners insurance claims that are more common in the winter. Of course, having to file a claim is never fun — and even less so during a time of year which, thanks to holiday festivities, is already expensive for many. (Worse yet: Sometimes, your homeowners insurance premiums may go up after a claim.)

Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to get your house set up for the upcoming season and lower your chances of damage.

How to prepare your home for winter weather

Get ahead of Jack Frost by taking the following steps to get your home geared up for wind gusts, chill and snow.

1. Wrap your pipes

If it’s in good, working order, your home’s plumbing system is usually fairly innocuous — but in the winter, it can turn into a disaster waiting to happen.

Metal pipes can, of course, freeze, and frozen pipes can burst. But along with the obvious material water damage your home might sustain, burst pipes can also lead to slip-and-fall accidents. (The good news: Even if your homeowners insurance policy, like most, doesn’t cover flood damage, it likely does cover "sudden, unexpected water damage" — the kind of damage that may be caused by a burst pipe. Still, it is worth double checking.)

The solution: Wrapping your pipes in insulating materials custom made for that purpose… or even towels and rags. (It doesn’t have to be sophisticated or expensive.)

This is also a good opportunity to disconnect any outdoor garden hoses and turn off outdoor faucets. They’re connected to your plumbing system, too — and could cause pipe freezing — but may easily be out of mind since they’re out of everyday sight.

One more note: If you do happen to notice that your pipes have frozen, shut off your water supply at the main valve. This can help you prevent burst pipes and all their unfortunate side-effects.

2. Inspect your heating system

When winter rolls in, most of us turn up the heat — and if it’s the first time your furnace is going to see any action in a while, it’s a good idea to give it a thorough inspection beforehand.

Change out your furnace filter and test the ignition system and other components as outlined in your owner’s manual. Doing so could save you from finding out it’s not working at an inopportune (i.e. chilly) time, at best — or save you from having to file a heat or fire-damage claim, at worst.

3. Clean your chimney

Even if you’re not planning on roasting any chestnuts, winter is a popular time to enjoy a cozy fire. If you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace, however, fall is a good time to clean and inspect the chimney — backed-up smoke could not only cause interior damage to your home, but also health problems for the people inside it.

This is also a good moment to review your overall home fire safety preparedness strategies. With more cooking and candle-lighting going on than usual — not to mention how many of us bring a pine tree indoors for the season and decorate it with lights — holidays are a common time for house fires to erupt. While your dwelling coverage should cover the cost of repairing or rebuilding your home in the event of a fire, we’re willing to bet you’d probably rather not have to go through the process.

4. Clear your gutters

Clogged gutters may seem like no big deal. But once the rain comes — and, worse, freezes — things can become more complicated.

Along with loosening the gutters or causing ice dams, winter weather combined with clogged gutters could lead to water damage or an infestation of pests. And even if you live in a relatively temperate area, rodents or insects could find that bed of sticks and leaves inviting — and most homeowners insurance policies don’t cover any damages they might cause.

What isn’t covered by homeowners insurance?

Even the best prepared homeowner may find themselves in a pickle if they sustain damage that isn’t covered by their policy. That’s why it’s a good idea to review your plan every year to ensure you understand exactly what’s included — and what’s not.

While every plan is different, most homeowners insurance policies don’t cover damages due to certain types of natural disasters or "acts of God," like earthquakes. And while sudden and unexpected water damage (for example, due to burst pipes) may be covered, flooding due to heavy rainfall or overflowing natural bodies of water usually isn’t.

Either way, make sure you understand your policy’s exceptions — and consider purchasing additional riders or policies to fill in any gaps, like home repair insurance. When winter’s on its way, it’s better to be safe than sorry!