Spring Cleaning Tips to Help Prevent Home Insurance Claims
The temperatures are warming up, which means it’s time to begin thinking about spring cleaning.
Although most of us think of spring cleaning in terms of dusting and decluttering, there are many things that you can do that will help to prevent home insurance claims.
We’ve compiled a list of the top ten spring cleaning tasks that will help you to prevent home insurance claims down the road. We recommend cycling through this list once per year. This will help to ensure that your home is running efficiently, and will also help you to reduce the risk of preventable claims.
- Be sure to clean your home’s gutters and downspouts. This will help the rain water to flow easily. By doing this, you’ll help to ensure that the gutters won’t get backed up and damage your house.
- Examine your roof and chimney for any leaks or damage. Be sure to also look for cracked or missing shingles. By repairing roof damage right when you notice it, you can save yourself significant time and money in the future. If you’re unsure of what to look for, or if you’re unsure if your roof needs a repair, we recommend having your roof inspected by a professional.
- Be sure to wash your windows and screens inside and out. For easy cleaning, screens should be taken outside, then rinsed thoroughly with soap and water. If screens are damaged, you should repair or replace them immediately before more damage occurs.
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors every three months — at the minimum. This will help you to make sure that your family is protected in case of a fire, smoke or a carbon monoxide leak.
- Did you know that built-up lint can cause a fire? We recommend vacuuming the lint from the hose of your clothes dryer. This should be done at least once a year.
- Test your GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets. These outlets are designed to protect you from electric shocks. To test your GFCI, plug in a lamp, then push the test button, followed by the reset button. Look to see if it turns the light off and on again.
- Falling trees pose a danger to both your home and your family. Walk around your property and look at the trees around the house to make sure they’re not too close to power lines. If you notice that they’re too close, call a tree service to trim them back.
- This is one of the most important items on the list: replace furnace filters to keep them running efficiently.
- Examine the ground around the foundation of your house. If you notice any imperfections or issues, re-grade the area if necessary. This can also help to keep water overflows away from the house, thereby preventing water damage.
- Look at all of your doors and windows and check for any leaks or drafts. If there are, seal them with caulking to prevent any issues down the line.
At Haas Insurance, we’re passionate about helping our clients to avoid unnecessary claims. However, if problems do arise and you need to file a claim, our experienced brokers can help you every step of the way.