Surviving severe cold weather

Severe winter with weather with snow falls interspersed with periods of melting and freezing can conflict considerable damage on homes and vehicles.
Here are some tips to keep your possessions safe during extended severe weather.

Protecting your home
· Keep side walks and entrances to your home free from snow and ice.
· Make sure steps and hand railings are in good repair.
· Keep gutters free of leaves and debris so melting snow and ice can flow freely. This can prevent ice dams which cause water to build up and seep into your house.
· Keep the house heated to a minimum of 65 degrees. The temperature inside the walls where the pipes are located are substantially colder than the walls themselves. A temperature lower than 65 degrees will not keep the pipes inside walls from freezing.
· Open hot and cold faucets enough to let them drip slowly. Keeping water moving within the pipes will prevent freezing.
· Make sure all hoses are disconnected from outside spigots.
· Identify the location of the main water shutoff in your home. Find out how it works incase you have to use it.
· If your garage is attached to the house, keep the garage doors closed. The door leading to the house is probably not as well insulated as and exterior door.
· Remove dead tree branches. Ice, snow and wind could cause them to break, damaging your house or car or injuring someone near your property.
· Keep fireplaces, wood stoves kerosene and electric heaters working properly. Have chimney's cleaned periodically.
· Remember to close the flue in your fireplace when your not using it.

If you have to leave your home for more than 12 hours, you will need to take extra precautions.
· Keep the temperature at a minimum 65 degrees.
· Ask a neighbor to check the house regularly. If there is a problem with frozen pipes or water leakage, attending to it quickly could mean far less damage.
· If you plan to be away for an extended period of time, have the water system drained by a professional to keep pipes from freezing or bursting.

Home improvements
· Add extra insulation in attics and basements. If you're an experienced do-it-yourselfer, you might be able to handle the job. Otherwise, consider hiring a contractor. Solicit bids from at least three companies, ask to see their proof of insurance coverage, and talk to a few people for whom the contractors have completed a job.
· Wrap pipes with heating tape.
· Winterize doorways and windows.

A worse-case scenario
· If you discover that pipes are frozen, don't wait for them to burst. Take measures to thaw them immediately, or call a plumber for assistance.
· If your pipes burst, first turn off the water and then mop up spills. You don't want the water to do more damage than it already has. An insurance adjuster doesn't need to see the spill. However, he or she will want to inspect any damaged items.
· Remove any carpet or furniture that can be further damaged from seepage.

Protecting your car
· Check the anti-freeze levels in your car and the firmness of hoses.
· Check the power levels and water in your battery.
· Make sure the brakes are working properly.
· Replace headlights, tail lights and turn signals that re not working.
· Use snow tires or chains. Chains work best on ice.
· If your car is not housed in a garage, it's crucial to have a heating system for your engine if there are extremely low temperatures for long periods. Make sure you don't run a cord where it could create a fire hazard.
· If you don't have a garage or carport, parking near a wall or building can protect your car to some degree.
· Keep your gas tank filled. Doing so will keep condensation from getting in the tank. Condensation can contribute to fuel line freeze-up.

Standard homeowners polices will cover most of the kinds of damage that result from a freeze. For example, if house pipes freeze and burst or if ice forms in gutters and causes water to back up under roof shingles and seep into the house. However, not all policies cover backups from sewers and drains, which can also happen in freezing conditions. Check with your agent or company so you'll be sure of what your policy covers.

As soon as you notice damage:
-Call your agent or company. Follow up your call with a written explanation of
what happened, if your agent or company requests it.
-Make temporary repairs and take other steps to protect your property from further
damage.
-Save the receipts for what you spend and submit them to your insurance company
for reimbursement.
-Make a list of damaged articles.
-Save the receipts from any additional living expenses you incur if your home is
so severely damaged that you have to find other accommodations while repairs
are being made.