How can you reduce the risk of damage to your home and dodge a home insurance claim? The best way to minimize risk is to understand and know what steps you can take to avoid a loss.
Prevent Fires
- Install smoke alarms.
- Turn off & unplug all small appliances when not in use.
- Maintain & clean all working fireplaces.
- Do not overload or connect one power strip to another.
- Clean out your lint trap in the dryer after every use.
- Replace any plastic vents with metal vents.
- Maintain your furnace with annual inspections.
Avoid Water Damage
- Know where the main water shut off is for your home.
- Maintain your water heater.
- Keep water from pooling near your foundation.
- Replace plastic and aluminum washing machine hoses with copper or stainless steel.
Deter Theft in Your Home
- Keep all personal information like passports and financial information in a locked fireproof safe or safety deposit box.
- Keep garage doors closed and locked, if the garage doors have windows, put the garage door release cord away from those windows.
- Replace worn keypad entry devices. After extensive use, the combination of letters and number could be worn and visible to potential criminals.
- Make sure the home’s address is visible for responding police, fire or paramedics.
- Secure a wireless network at home. Computer access could allow criminals easy access to confidential information.
- Don’t talk about family vacation plans in public or post about being away from your home on social media.
- Secure sliding glass doors and windows.
- Be a good neighbor, neighbors play a key role in preventing home thefts. Close neighbors are more likely to call the police if they see someone suspicious poking around your property.
