Tips to Protect Your Property

Protect Your Home Against Weather Disasters

Water
Apart from major flooding, most damage occurs when water seeps in through cracks and leaks. Make sure that windows and doors are well sealed. Seal any cracks and holes in the foundation and exterior walls. Repair or replace roof shingles around any area that allows water to penetrate the roof sheathing. Check for holes or air leaks in the attic and basement. Your basement windows and doors should have built-up barriers or flood shields. Inspect your sump pump regularly to make sure that it is working properly. Install or make sure that the flashing, a thin metal strip, around the doors, windows, thresholds, chimney and roof are intact.

Wind
Minimize the damage by keeping the wind from getting inside your home. Windows and glass doors should be fitted with impact-resistant laminated glass or covered with impact-resistant shutters. Consider solid wood or hollow metal doors, which are more likely to resist wind pressure and flying debris. There are also roofing products with high wind resistance available.

Be aware that flood damage is not covered under the traditional homeowners insurance policy. Flood insurance needs to be purchased separately through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a federal program. Contact Dowling Insurance for more information.

Periodically review your homeowner's insurance policy to make sure that you are adequately covered to rebuild your home and replace your contents. If there is ever damage to your personal property, having a home inventory can make it easier when filing an insurance claim. Start with a sheet a paper for each room in the house. Go around the room and list every item. Don’t forget the attic, basement or other storage places. For each item, write the original cost, purchase date, replacement cost, model number, brand name, where purchased, and a general description. In addition, take photos or video of each room for visual documentation. It is also a good idea to arrange valuable collections, silver, jewelry, etc. and take close up photos. Make sure you update your home inventory photos and list at least once a year.

Preventing Fires

House fires in the U.S. kill more than 5,000 people every year. Most of these deaths are not from burns but from inhaling smoke and other toxic gases.

Most household fires start in the kitchen through human error – not mechanical failure of stoves or ovens. Be smart in the kitchen and work to prevent house fires.

Smoke detectors, when properly installed and maintained, are one of the best and least expensive ways to ensure your safety. In fact, you’re twice as likely to survive a fire if smoke detectors are working properly in your home.

In addition to placing a smoke detector on each level of the home, you should also place a carbon monoxide detector on each level. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless poisonous gas that can kill you without warning. Changing the batteries every six months is a good idea.

Protecting Your Home Against Theft

While burglaries sometimes occur, there are precautions you can take to protect yourself and your family:

Know your neighbors. Look out for each other.
Trim your shrubbery so it doesn’t cover any doors or windows.
Use deadbolt locks and secure all entries into your home. Keep doors locked while you’re there.
Have a peephole in your front door, and use it.
Don’t hide keys outside the house.
Mark valuable property with a code or number you would recognize.
Use timers to turn lights and radios on and off when you are on vacation, and stop newspaper and mail delivery until you return home.
Don’t let strangers into your house. Always ask for proper identification.

Winter Safety

Ice Dams are an accumulation of ice at the lower edge of a sloped roof. A warm [] melts snow, causing water to run down and refreeze at the roof's edge, where it's much cooler. If ice builds up and blocks water from draining off the roof, water is forced under the roof covering and into your attic or down the inside walls of your house. To help reduce the risk of ice dams:

Make sure your gutters are clear of leaves and debris
Keep the attic well ventilated so snow doesn't melt and refreeze on the roof's edge
Make sure your attic floor is well insulated to minimize the amount of heat rising from the house into the attic, but keep combustible insulation (e.g. insulation other than fiberglass) at least 3" from any recessed lighting fixtures, fan motors or other heat-producing devices

Winter means relying on a crackling fire to create a cozy atmosphere in your home. Remember these Fireplace tips to keep warm but safe:

Before lighting logs, clear the area around the fireplace and chimney, and check that the flue is open and free of debris
Minimize creosote buildup, which can cause chimney fires, by burning fire logs instead of firewood. You can also reduce resosote accumulation by burning only dry, well-seasoned hardwood
Place logs at the rear of the fireplace, preferably on a grate, and use a screen to keep sparks and embers safely away
Never overload the fireplace, and never burn garbage or piles of paper
When disposing of ashes, do not place them into a paper bag or cardboard box. Instead, dispose of ashes by shoveling them into a metal bucket with a metal lid

Protect your home and family when using Space Heaters.

Keep electric space heaters at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn, including curtains, bedding and furniture, and clothing
Keep children and pets at a safe distance
Do not use an extension cord with your electric space heater, as the cord can overheat and cause a fire. Beware of overloading circuits, and check the cord and outlet regularly for overheating
Be sure your space heater has an emergency shutoff in case it tips over, and avoid using it in areas where water is present, such as kitchens and bathrooms

Protecting Your Home Against Termites