Winter Can Be Hard on Your Home without Home Warranty Plan in California
Check These Things Before Problems Occur
Winter weather has been increasingly unpredictable over the last few years, leading to an increase in damage for homeowners trying to navigate the colder months. Unfortunately, for those who don’t have home warranty coverage in California, these winter damages can add up quickly.
The key to avoiding emergency weather-related bills is to be both educated on what can happen, and what you can do to avoid it.
Below, you’ll find some common issues, and information on what you can do to prepare for them:
Heating Equipment Failure
There’s nothing worse than coming home from work and finding that your home has turned into a veritable icebox – especially when this happens “outside of normal work hours.” Not only are you facing astronomical fees for potential heating equipment replacement, you can also get hit with the emergency rates charged by HVAC professionals.
Preventing this starts with a pre-winter equipment checkup. Have a trusted professional make sure that your heating system is in good working order prior to firing it up when the winter weather hits. In addition to prevention, a good home warranty plan in California can help you avoid damage to your bank account if there’s a breakdown anyway.
You can find additional info on the topic at Ready.gov.
Catastrophic Pipe Damage
As water freezes, it expands. And when water expands inside of your home’s plumbing system, you’re in for major emergency expenses if those pipes burst. Fortunately, there’s a relatively simple fix that usually prevents this from occurring. Simply go from sink to sink and shower to shower in your home and turn each one on just enough to let a tiny, constant drip come through.
Doing so can save you thousands along with a major headache while you wait for the pipes to be replaced.
Ice Dams
When snow melts and refreezes at different locations on your roof’s slope, it can form destructive ice dams. These ice dams then act as a buildup point for more snow and ice, leading to an increase in weight and weakening portions of the roof’s structure. As water becomes trapped and continues the thaw/freeze cycle, it can make its way under shingles and into attics or other portions of the home – causing serious and lasting damage.
This is an issue that can lead to both external structure damage on the roof and internal damage to various locations in your home. Keeping gutters clean year-round and making sure that your roof remains as free of snow and ice as possible during the winter months can help prevent the buildup.
Staying vigilant about the surface of the roof can also help prevent additional damage that can occur when iced-over branches break and make contact with the slope.
Fire Hazards Created by Fireplaces and Space Heater Use
A drop in temperature can herald an increase in fireplace and space heater use. Before lighting the first fire of the season, it’s important to make sure that the chimney has been professionally inspected and cleaned. Not doing so can mean smoke buildup and eventual fires due to the flammable materials built up within the flue.
In addition to fireplace safety, it’s also a good idea to replace any older space heaters that may be in the home. In addition to making sure the machines are up-to-date, it’s also important to carefully monitor space heaters when they’re plugged in. Never leave one unattended or on while you sleep. All it takes is one misplaced blanket too close to the heating element to start a house fire.
Get the Home Warranty Plan in California to Protect Your Investment
Being proactive during the winter months is about more than just winterizing your home though. It’s also about filling out a home warranty application in California to make sure that you’re truly prepared for everything that can happen.
Click here to learn more, and stop winter disasters before they occur!
