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Fall Home Maintenance Tips

Ross Fraser — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 02:36:38 +0000

While spring is a common time for many homeowners to spend some extra attention on upkeep and maintenance, autumn is just as critical a season for preparing your home to withstand the potentially harsh winter weather and temperature conditions that may await you. By making maintenance part of your annual fall routine you can identify potential problems before they arise, and help prepare your home and property for what Mother Nature has to offer. These tips are provided by Travelers Canada, the underwriter of the CottageFirst Insurance program!

Following are some home maintenance tips from our Risk Control professionals to help you prepare for the coming winter:

Have your heating system cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified technician.
Replace your furnace filter in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
Insulate water pipes in areas exposed to freezing temperatures.
Check gutters for damage and confirm they’re securely attached to the house.
Clean gutters and downspouts to keep debris from accumulating. This is especially important during the fall season when leaves may collect in gutters.
Check and repair caulking around doors and windows that show signs of deterioration.
Have your chimney cleaned and maintained by a professional. If you use a wood stove, check for wear and tear, corrosion, etc. and store your wood in a dry, cool area away from the wood stove and potential sources of ignition or pests.
Clean the clothes dryer exhaust duct and space under and behind the dryer. Remove lint and dust that may have accumulated inside the dryer in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendation.
Check electrical outlets for loose-fitting plugs or receptacles. Be sure not to overload electrical outlets.
Keep a multi-purpose fire extinguisher accessible. Confirm that it is fully charged and ready for operation.
Inspect your smoke detectors. Make sure you have a smoke detector in each bedroom or sleeping area and also, a smoke detector in the hallway outside each sleeping area. You should also make sure you have at least one smoke detector on each floor of your home, including your basement. Test them monthly, and change the battery annually or as needed.

The steps you take during the fall can help protect your home and property from more potentially expensive damage and emergency repairs in the colder months to come.

Original Article

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Snowbirds: Winterize Your Home While You’re Away

Ross Fraser — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 11:30:18 +0000

If you are a snowbird heading south for the winter, there are several key things you can do to help protect your vacant home. Taking these steps can help protect your home from theft, water damage, heating or electrical system malfunctions and other possible threats while you are away for an extended period of time. These tips are provided by Travelers Canada, the underwriter of the CottageFirst Insurance program!

Download the Snowbird’s Checklist for Preparing Your Home

1. Make Your Home Appear as Though It Is Continuously Occupied

Forward your mail, stop newspaper delivery, and ask a friend or relative to collect flyers or other items that may be left at your door.
Arrange for someone to remove snow after storms.
Put motion-sensitive exterior lights and interior lights on timers and set them to come on at varying times to discourage prowlers.

2. Take Steps to Protect Your Home from Thieves

Confirm that your alarm systems are in working order and have been activated.
Secure external doors and windows with deadbolt locks, security-type hinges and sturdy door frames that cannot be spread apart. Install slide locks or other equivalent security locks on sliding glass doors or French doors.
Store valuables that you are not taking with you in a safe deposit box or other secure offsite location.
Do not post your vacation or travel plans on social media sites, as potential thieves can use that information to learn that your house is vacant.

3. Protect Your Pipes to Avoid Water Damage by Turning Off Your Water Supply

If a pipe bursts or leaks while you are away, it may cause significant damage. Consider completely turning off the water supply if no one will be in the home for an extended period of time. If your home is heated by an older system, consult with your heating professional.
Drain your pipes of all water by opening the faucets, and flush your toilet to clear the water from the tank and bowl, then consider pouring antifreeze in toilet tanks and bowls to prevent any remaining water from freezing and cracking.* Always use non-toxic antifreeze rated for plumbing systems.
To help confirm that the pipes have been drained, consider having a plumber blow compressed air through the pipes.

4. Keep Your Home and Plumbing Warm if Your Water Supply Stays On

If you decide against draining your water pipes, keep the furnace running to help ensure the home stays warm and the pipes do not freeze.
Set the temperature at around 13°C or higher to help keep the interior of the floor and wall cavities, where the water piping is likely located above freezing temperatures. Keeping room and cabinet doors open also helps heat to circulate and warm the areas where pipes are located.
Shut off the water to washing machines and dishwashers and drain the appliances where possible, to avoid any leaks or broken hoses while you are away.
Turn off the heat source and water supply to hot water heaters (unless you have a boiler).
Consider shutting off and draining outdoor water faucets to prevent vandalism and freezing damage.
Have a water flow sensor and low temperature sensor installed on your main water supply pipe and hooked into a constantly monitored alarm system.

5. Perform Routine Maintenance Before You Leave

Have your heating system inspected and serviced before winter. Have your fuel tanks filled before you leave, and ask someone to check on heat and fuel levels regularly while you are gone.
Be sure to maintain electrical power if required to keep the heating system running. If electrical service to the home is to remain on, consider having a licensed electrical contractor inspect your main electrical panel, wiring and outlets, if necessary. This way, they can repair or replace anything that may be defective.
Have your roof inspected before you leave and clean your gutters to help prevent ice from building up.*
Remove dead trees or large overhanging limbs that could damage your house.
Unplug all unnecessary appliances before you leave. Make sure you can retrieve messages on your home answering machine or voicemail so it does not indicate FULL or unattended when someone calls.

6. Make Your Home Unattractive to Pests

Clean your home thoroughly to help discourage new “residents” from moving in.
Clean, defrost and unplug refrigerators and freezers, wiping them dry and leaving doors propped open to prevent mildew. Also clean the oven.
Inspect your home for openings that animals could use to enter. For example, make sure your fireplace flue is closed, as bats, birds and squirrels are known to get inside this way.
Check weather-stripping, insulation and exterior doors and windows to ensure no major deficiencies are present. Water and insects can enter through these openings.
Chimneys should be inspected by a chimney service and, if necessary, cleaned to ensure that they are free from obstructions such as nesting birds. Install chimney guard screen-caps to help prevent any infestation.

7. Be Ready for Emergencies

Call the non-emergency number of your local police department to see if they would like notice that the property will be vacant. If so, provide emergency notification numbers.
Install smoke detectors on at least every floor (preferably tied to a constantly monitored fire alarm system so the fire department will automatically be notified in case of alarm), and confirm that the sensors and system are tested regularly.
In higher wind-exposed or coastal areas, install storm shutters (or other mitigation measures, such as 5/8” marine plywood) to secure windows. Properly anchor personal property that will remain outdoors.
Ask a trusted friend, neighbor or relative to keep an eye on your home and be available in emergency situations. Give them access to your home and ask that they monitor heating, electrical and water systems. You may wish to hire a professional property management firm to provide this service to ensure it is completed on a regular schedule.
If the weather turns frigid, have your friend or property manager also check the roof for ice dams and inspect for leaks inside. Make sure they have your contact information and a list of local contractors they can reach if repairs or service are needed.

* Source: https://www.homeadvisor.com/article.show.How-Do-I-Winterize-a-Vacant-House.10834.html

Original Article: https://www.travelers.com/resources/home/safety/snowbirds-winterize-your-vacant-home.aspx

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Weathering a Winter Storm

Ross Fraser — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 22:30:02 +0000

What kind of Canadian winter would it be without a big snow storm! While these storms are a favourite for lovers of winter sports, they can also cause extreme disruption to travel, infrastructure, and day-to-day life. Remember that in serious emergencies, local governments expect households to be able to sustain themselves without assistance for at least 72 hours. If your local forecast has a winter storm on the horizon, take some time to consider how to best prepare. Many of the leading Canadian insurers offer suggestions about winter safety and how to avoid damage to your home and property, including the following by Travelers Canada:

Check Your Supplies

Make sure you have a snow shovel and some supplies for melting ice to keep your walkways and driveways clear and safe
Depending on how you heat your home, ensure you have a sufficient supply of heating fuel and fuel for your generator, if you have one.
If you have a fireplace or wood-burning stove, keep a supply of dry, seasoned wood in a place well clear of the fire itself.
Have warm clothing and blankets on hand, and stock up on non-perishable food items and necessary medications to last you and your family at least three days.

Prepare for Power Outages

If you think the coming storm may cause a power outage, turn your heat up now and close off any rooms not in use.
Check pipe insulation in your home. If you lose power, run the water at a trickle to prevent pipes from freezing.
Charge any battery-powered electronic and communication devices.
Keep a battery-powered radio on hand to stay aware of any change to the weather conditions.
Put your flashlights, batteries, first aid kit and other emergency supplies in a easy to find location.

Stay Warm and Safe

If you are going to rely on a fireplace or wood-burning stove, follow all regular safety precautions and visit our post about keeping your wood-burning stove and chimney in good working order.
Do not use an oven, range, or BBQ as a home heating device.
If you have a generator, only use it outside where there is sufficient ventilation.
Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they work properly.
Do not let candles burn unattended, and keep them away from any combustibles. Battery-powered LED lights are a safe, energy efficient alternative to candles.
If your roof has an ice dam prevention system, turn it on before the snow falls.

Stay Inside and Safe

Drive only if you absolutely must, and be sure your car has four snow tires, adequate fuel and an emergency supply kit.
If you go outside to shovel snow, know your limits and don’t overtax yourself.
Protect yourself from frostbite and hypothermia by wearing layers of warm, loose fitting lightweight clothing.
Stay away from downed power lines.
Keep your pets inside or make other suitable arrangements for them.

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Common Policy Exclusions – Freezing

Ross Fraser — Sun, 01 Nov 2015 13:00:12 +0000

Winter weather brings additional maintenance and insurance considerations for property owners and renters. Many property insurance policies carry an exclusion related to water damage resulting from freezing. Every insurance company approaches damage from freezing differently so we encourage you, before leaving your home or cottage for more than a few days in wintertime, to make sure you understand this exclusion on your own policy, and consider how you should best protect your property to avoid an uninsured loss.

Resultant damage caused by the freezing of any plumbing, heating, air conditioning systems or other household appliance in your home or cottage can cause serious havoc to you and your family, and often a significant financial impact if it is not insured. It is important therefore to understand that there are steps that should be taken to minimize the potential for loss. While we are all able to prepare for scheduled departures from our home, an unanticipated power outage or equipment failure during our absence will leave the home vulnerable to unexpected freezing temperatures. To prevent water damage resulting from freezing temperatures, if you are considering a trip during the winter months where the home will be unoccupied, we recommend you either:

Ensure your plumbing system is shut off and the water is drained from all appliances; or
Arrange for someone to enter and check your home every day while you are away to ensure heat is maintained and no issues are apparent.
If you have a centrally monitored alarm system for fire/burglary, we also encourage you to consider adding a low temperature alarm sensor as part of the monitored service.

While this is a generalization of an exclusion common across most Insurers, it not identical to every property owner. Be sure to speak with us if you have any questions about this exclusion or the specific coverages of your policy.

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Freezing Pipes: Keep your home warm during cold snaps

Mary Berg — Thu, 26 Feb 2015 20:19:15 +0000

With another cold snap coming our way in an already extensive deep freeze, the threat of freezing pipes is in the forefront of most homeowner’s minds.

Having the unique property of expanding while freezing, water puts a tremendous amount of pressure on whatever is containing it, including the metal and plastic piping found in your home.

While frozen and burst pipes can occur anywhere, some pipes are more prone to freezing than others due to their location. Pipes that are located outside or that run against exterior walls that contain little or no insulation are at high risk of freezing during prolonged cold weather as well as those that are located in unheated interior areas of the home such as basements, crawl spaces, attics, garages, and under kitchen cabinets.

In order to help mitigate the chance of frozen or burst pipes, here are some helpful tips and tricks that you can try at home:

Keep your garage doors closed as much as possible
Open kitchen and bathroom cabinets in order to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing
Use rigid foam insulation to close and seal all foundation vents that are near water pipes
Wrap high-risk pipes with pipe insulation which is widely available at your local hardware store
When an especially cold spell is expected, let the cold water drip from the faucet farthest from your main water intake valve. Running even a small amount of water through the pipes helps prevent freezing and can also help you detect a frozen pipe if the flow of water changes (the first sign of a freezing pipe is reduced water flow).
Make sure to keep your heat on, even when you are not home. Setting your thermostat no lower than 13°C/55°F helps protect against frozen pipes.

If you happen to find yourself with a frozen pipe, here are some methods to help thaw out the affected area:

Apply constant heat to the affected area that is closest to the faucet using a good hair dryer or an electric heating pad. Do not leave the pipe unattended while you attempt to defrost it using one of these tools.
*Do not use a blowtorch or any other open-flame device to defrost a pipe.
Keep faucets open. As you defrost the frozen area and the water begins to melt, it will begin to flow through the pipe helping melt ice in the affected area.
If you are unable to locate the pipe that is frozen, contact a licensed plumber.

If the worst occurs and a pipe bursts in your home, shut off the water at the main valve, call your plumber, and contact your insurance broker.

In terms of your homeowners insurance coverage, losses during the normal heating season relating to frozen pipes that are located within a heated portion of the dwelling hold insurance protection provided that you have not been away from your premises for more than 96 consecutive hours. If you are planning on a trip, please be sure to take at least one of the following precautions in order to ensure that your coverage remains in place:

Shut off the water supply to the home and drain water from all systems and appliances: and/or
Arrange for a competent person to enter your dwelling daily in order to ensure that heat is being maintained.

We here at Cade hope you (and your home) stay nice and warm during this chilly time! As always, if you have any questions regarding frozen pipes or the coverages provided by your habitational insurance policy, please feel free to contact us.

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