Did You Know? Water is the top preventable cause of damage to American homes — more than fire and theft. However approximately one in every 55 insured homes has a water/freezing claim each year.
Our friends at Nationwide shared an article about the importance of protecting your vacation home during the offseason.
Seasonal and vacation homes are at greater risk of water damage due to prolonged periods of inoccupancy. Undetected, the amount of water damage from a water leak in a secondary home compared to your primary home can be astronomical. However, with proper maintenance and oversight, you can reduce your risk of experiencing an extremely inconvenient loss from water damage to your secondary home.
Nationwide recommends the following tips to help prevent water damage:
- Keep your thermostat set at no less than 60 degrees Fahrenheit during winter months.
- Hire a professional caretaker or contract with a local building contractor to check on your vacation house and make sure the temperature is warm enough to keep pipes from bursting.
- Consider shutting off the water and draining the plumbing system before leaving your home for extended periods of time.
- Enhance your central station alarm system to include temperature monitoring. Your alarm company will notify you or your caretaker if the temperature in your house falls below a pre-determined limit.
- Consider having a wireless and programmable thermostat, such as Nest, installed as a lower cost option for temperature monitoring. This device can communicate the temperature at your vacation home with your smart phone.
- Consider installing an emergency electrical generator to operate the heating system when the power fails during winter storms.
For more information on properly protecting your vacation home this winter, contact a KnowledgeBroker at R&R Insurance.
