It is cold out there this morning! With that, winter weather conditions can have serious consequences to your home and to your wallet. Here are some simple tips to get your home prepared for the harsh winter weather.

1. Repair steps and handrails: Broken stairs and banisters can become lethal when covered with snow and ice.
2. Trim trees and remove dead branches: Ice, snow and, wind could cause weak trees or branches to fall and damage your home or car.
3. Clean out the gutters: Remove leaves, sticks and other debris from gutters, so melting snow and ice can flow freely. This can prevent ice damming which allows water to drip from ceiling and walls.
4. Have your heating system serviced: Furnaces, boilers and chimneys should be serviced at least once a year to prevent fire and smoke damage.
5. Know where your pipes are located and learn how to shut the water off: If your pipes freeze, the quicker you shut off water, the better your chance of preventing major damage.
6. Add extra insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces: If too much heat escapes through the attic, it can cause snow or ice to melt on the roof. Water then can refreeze, leading to more ice build-up—and may damage your roof. Well-insulated basements and crawl spaces will also help protect pipes. Consider insulating garages and other unfinished areas to keep pipes from freezing.
7. Provide a reliable back-up power source: In the event of a power outage, continuous power will keep you warm and help to prevent frozen pipes, or a frozen battery-operated sump-pump. Consider purchasing a portable power generator.
8. Consider insuring yourself for a sewer backup: Flooding related to melting snow can overburden sewer systems. Raw sewage backed up into the drains in your home can cause thousands of dollars in damage to floors, walls, furniture and electrical systems. Sewer backup can be purchased to be added on your policy. If you would like more information on this call the office at 636-528-8242.