Winter brings snow storms and other cold-weather issues that can cause damage to your home. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to keep your house safe and avoid making a homeowners insurance claim this winter. Here are a few maintenance tasks you should perform.

How to Protect Your Home This Winter

1. Have Your Fireplace & Chimney Cleaned

If you use a fireplace, you should have the chimney cleaned each year. Built-up creosote or other debris in the chimney are fire hazards and need to be removed. A chimney sweep company can do this for you. They’ll also do a general inspection to make sure that your fireplace and chimney are functional and safe.

2. Seal Leaky Doors or Windows

If you feel cool air coming in through closed doors or windows, you should seal them. Place weather stripping or foam tape around the doors and windows. Any cracks or holes can be filled with caulking.

3. Check the Batteries in Your Smoke Detectors

House fires are more likely to start in the winter than any other time of the year because you’re using the heater or fireplace more often. This makes checking your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors doubly important. The US Fire Administration recommends replacing your smoke detectors every ten years.

4. Prepare for Winter Storms

A winter storm can quickly knock out your electric and heat source. Some useful items for lost power during winter storms include a generator, flashlights, batteries, extra blankets, and non-perishable food.

5. Clean Your Dryer Vents

While fires are covered by your homeowners insurance, you should do everything in your power to avoid one. According to the NFPA, washers and dryers cause more than 15,000 structure fires per year.

During the winter, when clothes are likely to become wet from snow, the dryer is used more often than at other times of the year. This makes cleaning the dryer vent during the winter a must-do task.

One of the best ways to prepare for winter weather is to make sure that you have adequate homeowners insurance. Pella Mutual Insurance Company in Marion, WI, has been providing home insurance policies and excellent customer service to Northeastern Wisconsin since 1876. Visit their website to learn more or call them at (715) 754-5039 to find your local agent today.