• About
    Us
    • Our Insurance Carriers
    • About The Group Insurance Agency
  • Auto, Home &
    Personal Insurance
    • Auto Insurance
    • Boat & Marine Insurance
    • Condominium Insurance
    • Flood Insurance
    • High Net Worth Coverage
    • Homeowners Insurance
    • Motorcycle Insurance
    • Renters Insurance
    • – View All Personal
  • Business
    Insurance
    • Business Interruption Insurance
    • Business Owners Package Insurance
    • Commercial Auto Insurance
    • Commercial Property Insurance
    • Commercial Umbrella Insurance
    • General Liability Insurance
    • Hotel & Motel Hospitality Insurance
    • Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance
    • Surety Bonds
    • Workers’ Compensation Insurance
    • – View All Business
  • Life
    Insurance
    • Individual Life Insurance
    • Final Expense Insurance
    • – View All Life Insurance
  • Policy
    Service Center
    • Online Billing & Payments
    • File A Claim
    • Certificate of Insurance Request
    • Policy Change Request Form
    • Auto ID Card Request Form
    • Insurance Resources
    • – View All Policy Service Center
  • Contact
    Us
    • Springfield Office
    • Secure Contact Form
  • Insurance
    Blog

The Group Insurance Agency, Springfield

Insuring Springfield And
All of Illinois
Call (217) 787-7447

Home > Insurance Blog > How to Protect Your Home This Winter

How to Protect Your Home This Winter

Posted by The Group Insurance Agency on February 6, 2017

Home Insurance

Extreme winter weather can lead to serious damage to your home. Frozen water pipes can burst and cause a flood in your home and basement; a dam of ice within your gutter can divert the water to your interior walls creating a mess that will be costly to repair. Your homeowners insurance protects against specific types of damage, but every policy is different. Ensure you fully understand the terms of your homeowners insurance policy so you are not left in a tough financial position if your home is damaged by rain, snow, ice or other severe weather.
These simple tricks can help you make it through the winter months with your home and family safe and warm.

Drafty Homes

Energy conservation is not only important for staying warm and healthy this winter; heat seeping from windows and doors, through the roof, or into the basement will rack up a hefty heating bill. If you live in a drafty home, you can take some simple steps to keep more of the heated air indoors. Basement drafts can be sealed with spray foam or caulking products, and weather stripping along window openings will help keep frigid air out. In very cold areas, covering the outside of windows with plastic is an inexpensive method to keep warm air indoors. During the day, throw open your blinds, pull back the drapes, and let the light in to help warm your home. As the sun sets, pull the drapes or blinds to trap heated air inside.

Check Your Roof

Weather is unpredictable and we never know how just much snow or rain is on the way. To ensure the safety of your roof, have a contractor check its condition and whether it is strong enough to sustain the weight of a heavy snowfall. Roof cave-ins are not uncommon, even though building codes require roofs be built to withstand heavy snow – but not all homes have been built to current standards. If your interior doors begin to stick after a heavy snowfall, it is an indication that the roof is under stress. If you believe the snow should be removed, don’t do it yourself. Engage a professional snow removal company, but make sure they are licensed and insured!

Trees and Branches

Consider trimming overhanging tree branches or removing dangerously close trees, as the weight of ice often brings them down, causing terrible damage to roof and walls. Homeowners insurance policies cover certain damage caused by falling trees and branches, but avoiding the problem altogether is the better choice. Remove old and rotting trees or branches, as many insurance companies expect homeowners to have performed standard maintenance.

Frozen Pipes and Flooding

If you’re leaving your home over the winter months, drain your water system so that you avoid the risk frozen pipes that burst and leave you with an indoor flood and the interior the home unlivable. Most homeowners insurance policies will pay for the damage from burst pipes, but may not cover damage caused by slow leaks, so get a yearly check of the condition of your water system — particularly in older homes.

Do You Have the Best Homeowners Insurance Policy?

Every policy is different, and it is important that you know what you have. There are often homeowners insurance products that come on the market that offer better coverage at a better price. At The Group Insurance Agency in Springfield, Illinois, our local team can evaluate your current policy, explain your coverage, and help you find a policy that best suits your needs – including your budget. Call us – we are easy to reach, as we all live and work in Springfield. It is nice to know that a local insurance agent has your back!

Filed Under: Home Insurance, Homeowners Insurance, Insurance Agent Tagged With: Illinois, Insurance Agent, Springfield

Insurance Quotes

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

ABOUT US

  • About Us
  • Our Insurance Carriers

INSURANCE

  • Auto, Home, & Personal Insurance
  • Business Insurance
  • Life Insurance

POLICY SERVICE

  • Policy Service Center
  • File A Claim
  • Online Billing & Payments
  • Policy Change Request

CONTACT US

  • The Group Insurance Agency
    • 7006 Kings Mill Court
    • Springfield, Illinois 62711
  • Phone: (217) 787-7447
  • Fax: (217) 787-7427
7006 Kings Mill Court, , Springfield, Illinois 62711
The Group Insurance Agency Provides Auto/Car Insurance, Homeowners Insurance, Business/Commercial Insurance, and Life Insurance to All of Illinois, Including Springfield, Chatham, Riverton, Rochester, Decatur, and Peoria.
© Copyright 2018, The Group Insurance Agency | Privacy Statement | Login
BrightFireWebsites for Insurance