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Weather Proofing The House: A How-to Guide

It doesn’t matter where you live in the U.S., your home is vulnerable to the elements. Whether you live in a cool or temperate climate, the exterior of your home is still susceptible to wear and tear.

Your homeowners insurance coverage will cover some of the damages suffered by your home in the event of a winter storm or fire, but your premiums will rise with every claim you file. The 2017 winter season is expected to be one of the frostier winters on record. If moisture from melting icicles should get into the eaves of your roof and get trapped, causing a serious mold problem, you will be forced to have it removed, at the expense of your wallet.

To lower your homeowners insurance premium and protect your house against a fierce winter, follow this easy weatherproofing guide, you won’t regret it!

Invest in Storm Window Treatment

According to This Old House, a gap only 1/8 of an inch big can really make your heating costs rise. By sealing gaps that are 1/8 of an inch large or more, you will save 15 percent on your heating bill. To close the gaps, use weather stripping or caulk. This Old House suggests lining the cracks with a closed-cell foam with an adhesive back.

If sealing the cracks doesn’t work, you may need to replace your current window treatment with stormproof windows. Though replacing your windows will be expensive, the new windows will save you money in the long run, both on your heating bill and homeowners insurance.

Insulate the Attic (or Basement)

The idea of insulating a space you only use for storage might seem like a waste of resources, but come the first winter storm, you’re going to quickly see the benefit.

Attics and basements are generally drafty areas in the home. Attics for example are usually only insulated with loose-fill insulation, leaving spots in the space unprotected and exposed to the elements. Heat rises. The heat in your home moves up to the ceiling and to the attic, where it leaves through the untreated cracks in the storage space. Homeowners who insulate the attic save between 30 and 50 percent on their energy bill. The insulation keeps the heat in the house, keeping your family warm when the outside temperature drops after midnight.

Use the Ceiling Fan

Using a ceiling fan during the winter seems counterintuitive. Isn’t the ceiling fan meant to keep us cooled off? Not when you run the fan counter-clockwise. When you run your ceiling fan counter-clockwise, it circulates the heat in the room. As mentioned above, heat rises. The ceiling fan pushes the heat from the ceiling back down along the walls of the room and to the floor, where it begins to creep back up once more to the ceiling, only to be pushed back down by the wind currents generated by the ceiling fan. By keeping the heat circulating through the room you won’t have to up the levels on the thermostat and raise your energy bill.

After you have made these changes in your home, contact your insurance agent. They will send an adjustor to look at the weatherproofing upgrades you have made and will reevaluate the cost of your current homeowners insurance premium, ultimately lowering the cost.

If your insurance agent doesn’t make any changes to your premium, despite you having made upgrades to your home, look for a better and more affordable policy with a new company. Find an assortment of homeowners insurance coverage policies with CoverHound. Shop for a free quote today!

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Insurance shopping simplified

Review personalized quotes, select coverages, and buy online - Everything insurance, all-in-one-place.

Insurance shopping simplified

Review personalized quotes, select coverages, and buy online - Everything insurance, all-in-one-place.
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