Seasonal Home Winter Maintenance Checklist

As we come into the season of winter, it is very important that you take some steps to prepare your home for the cold. This is especially true if you own a seasonal home, and plan on leaving it uninhabited for the winter. Leaving your home uninhabited opens it up to an array of perils that can be very costly for you; however, you can minimize these perils by taking some small simple steps outlined in this checklists.

1. Protect your home against vandalism and theft:
2. Forward your mail, stop your newspaper delivery
3. Have someone remove snow after storms
4. Set up motion sensor lights- Cheap way to ward off people and animals
5. Use deadbolts on all doors and slide locks on French doors
6. If it is within your budget consider purchasing a monitored security system
7. Do not mention on social media that the home is vacant
8. Make sure maintenance is up to date

If you plan on leaving your heat on while you are away, it is good to do some easy maintenance like replacing the furnace filters, have your system inspected, and fill your fuel tanks.

• Clean your gutters, otherwise, ice may build up on your roof.
• Any appliances that do not need to be plugged in should all be unplugged.
• Clear the areas surrounding your house of any potential hazards including; Recreational vehicles, machinery, tree limbs, or other potential liabilities.
• Clean house, including ovens and kitchen equipment
•  Turn off the water supply
• If your heat turns off while you are away, your pipes may freeze and could burst, causing costly damage to your home.
• Shut off your water and open up all faucets and flush toilets.
• Shut off water to washing machines and dishwashers
• Keep pests and rodents away from your home
• Ensure that there are no holes on the outside of the building
• Make sure chimney and dryer vents our capped
• Defrost and clean freezers and refrigerators and leave the doors open

These are some simple, easy steps seasonal homeowners can take to prepare their seasonal home for the winter. Lastly, make sure that you talk with your insurance agent to make sure that your seasonal home has the proper protection it needs if there was to be a loss while you are gone. You should have a conversation with your agent about your current coverage and make certain they are up to date and be sure to notify your agent about any updates or improvements to the home. If you need any further insurance advice or would like a quote on your seasonal home, give us a call at 888-484-2467.

Blog By: Joshua Peavey

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