6 ways to protect your home this fall

While it’s time to get excited about all things pumpkin spiced and what Halloween outfits to get the kids this year, it’s also time to prep your home to withstand cooler fall temperatures and eventually, harsher winter weather.

Following these home maintenance tips can help protect your property, assets and family and reduce the chances of you having to make an insurance claim.

Fall home maintenance checklist: Top 6 things to do

1.	Clean/replace gutters
It’s vital to keep your roof’s drainage system flowing as it diverts water from your house’s exterior and foundation walls and clogged gutters can lead to damaged exterior surfaces, as well as water in your basement. Gutters can also rust and corrode, so it’s important to check whether they need to be replaced. Clean out the gutters and use mesh gutter guards to keep debris out.

2.	Inspect your roof
A leaky roof can be very costly and finding the source can be time-consuming, not to mention the damage to the interior of your home. Before ice and winter chills set in and cause a potential disaster, spend time this fall thoroughly inspecting your roof, checking shingles for cracks or wind damage. If there are large accumulations of granules inside your gutters, it’s a potential sign your roof is losing its coating.

3.	Seal up air leaks
Gaps in insulation around doors and windows can let cold air into your warm home and drive-up heating costs. Inspect all the windows and doors in your home and check that the weather stripping is intact. Seal up any gaps around windows, doors and electrical cables with caulk.

4.	Freezeproof all faucets 
Protect outside faucets and in-ground irrigation systems from freezing or bursting by closing shut-off valves and draining the lines. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s procedures for draining and protecting your in-ground irrigation system from winter damage. 

5.	Check your furnace
Your home’s heating system should be inspected by a professional once a year and fall is no better time, as we head into colder temperatures. The inspection will cover noisy belts, performance issues and checking for a faulty thermostat or misadjusted furnace. Be sure to check the furnace filter to avoid clogging of dust that can be spread through your home, by cleaning it every month or replacing disposable filters.

6.	Talk to your insurance broker
One of the most important steps to ensure your home is properly protected is to have adequate home insurance. If you’ve made any changes or renovations lately this can affect your insurance policy. Be sure to talk to your broker about your policy and to help you check there aren’t any gaps in coverage. Your broker can also help you with further risk mitigation steps you can take to protect your home and assets.

Hope this checklist helps you to protect your property. You can always contact us to get the home insurance for your property.