Ready Your Home for Cold Weather and Vacant Periods in the Holidays
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The holidays are here! Bring on the festive parties, gift-giving, and plenty of rum punch. With the holidays come a busy time of year, which can be quite stressful even if it is the most wonderful time of the year. To avoid disaster, it’s important to prepare your home for the season. Whether you’re staying at home and enjoying the local festivities or heading out to grandma’s for a vacation away, check out these tips to protect your property.
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Ready your home for cold weather:
- Clear out the gutters, removing dirt and foliage. If the gutters get clogged, water will eventually start leaking into your roof.
- Position downspouts away from the home’s foundation.
- Insulate the attic to keep the warm air in the property.
- Replace broken or missing roof shingles to prevent water from getting into the property.
- Check outdoor lights are clean and in working order.
- Keep your pipes warm. Block up holes that let cold air in around the pipes. Insulate exposed pipes with foam sleeves.
- Open cabinets to allow warm air to circulate around pipes.
- Leave faucets dripping to prevent the pipes from freezing.
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Leave your home alone safe and sound:
- If you’re only going to be away for a couple of days, consider leaving your heating on low to prevent pipes from freezing and bursting.
- If you’re going away for longer, turn off your water valve and drain your pipes.
- Ask a neighbor to check in on the property often to ensure all is well.
- Put at least one light in your house on a timer so that the property looks occupied.
- Remove the hidden key from the porch step – You’re not fooling anyone and thieves can spot a good hiding spot for house keys.
- Unplug small appliances and electronic devices.
- Install a motion-activated sensor or an outdoor floodlight that will stop burglars in their tracks.
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We hope that these tips help you to protect your property over winter. In any case, having the right homeowners insurance can help if the worst happens. When you’re ready to secure the right home protection, contact the team at CAV Insurance, serving Wellesley, Weston, and neighboring cities in Massachusetts.