Key Takeaways
- Fall weather in Connecticut brings beauty along with risks like wind, rain, and early freezes that can damage homes.
- Clogged gutters from falling leaves can lead to water damage if not properly cleaned and maintained.
- Heavy rains and Nor’easters can cause flooding, roof leaks, and power outages that may require an insurance claim.
- Falling trees and burst pipes are common seasonal hazards that a public adjuster can help assess and document.
- Robinhood Adjusters is your local partner for managing storm, water, and fire damage claims quickly and fairly.
Fall in Connecticut: one of the best things about New England, or the very best thing about New England?
That final heatwave finally broke. The kids are headed back to school (just like the song, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year…am I right?), the evenings are cooler, and the trees are starting to turn color.
We’re closing down the pool for the year and anticipating activities like waiting in line for a baked potato at The Big E.
We’ve had our fill of summer vegetables at the local farmer’s market and are now eyeballing cornstalks and gourds and big beautiful pots of mums in classic autumn colors. We’re planning our annual visit to a scary haunted event. That’s right…fall is definitely in the air.
Break out the sweaters, high boots, and pumpkin spice everything. And with the change in the weather, it’s also time to break out the number for your favorite local public insurance adjuster.
Fall brings a lot of beauty and nostalgia, but now’s the time to remember that with the flutter of golden leaves and rustic rumble of annual hayrides, we’ve still got typical New England weather to contend with. Let’s take a quick look at some typical fall-themed problems your home could be up against.
Falling Leaves, Clogged Gutters
Living here in Connecticut, we’ve come to love the bright colors of the fall leaves; our vibrant foliage is absolutely iconic and draws people from all over to spend these cooler weekends leaf-peeping and sightseeing.
As the season progresses, those leaves start doing what they do best: fall. Fall from the trees and fill your lawn, the streets, and yes, your home’s gutters.
There are myriad gutter solutions available, and keeping them cleaned out and maintained is the first line of defense when it comes to avoiding damage.
It’s true, sometimes things get away from us. The summer-to-fall season can be a whirlwind with activities and events, and everything we have to remember as school starts back up.
Ideally, proper maintenance is key for your gutters, and a little advance planning can avoid things like backups and water intrusion, damage to your roof or foundation, or heaven forbid it eventually fills with ice and detaches from the house, swinging down like a frozen pendulum, crashing through your bay window and giving your cat permanent trauma as a result.
Don’t ask how I know this.
So the lesson here is don’t be me. Take care of those gutters as part of your fall clean-up. And if you can’t get around to it, be sure you have your public insurance adjuster on speed dial. Since you’re reading this, it should go without saying that you should add Robinhood Adjusters to your phone contacts before we go any further. Your cat may not thank you, but they’ll appreciate your attention to this.
Heavy Rains and Nor’easters
Not my favorite events, but a part of life here in Connecticut. Hurricane season doesn’t wrap up until the end of November, which sounds wild, but here we are. Who can forget the year none of us had power for days and had to essentially cancel Halloween? Every year since then, this writer clenches up completely around the end of October, hoping we don’t have a repeat of that.
So while we ride out any hurricanes, we’re also avoiding those freak winter-in-autumn situations, the Nor’Easters, those weather events basically named after us and our location.
Regardless of the cause, these fall storms can do damage to your home. High winds can strip shingles and siding as well as bring down branches and sometimes entire trees. Heavy rain causes flooding and water damage wherever it can sneak in.
If any of these things happen, and in Connecticut, it’s just a matter of time, it’s good to have a public insurance adjuster ready to step in and help you deal with the damages.
Trees and Branches Coming Down
Those trees. Our beloved makers of air, givers of shade, inspirations for poets, well, they’re also a potential problem, no matter where in Connecticut you live. Suburban tree canopies, Rural woods and forest areas, and even carefully placed city trees are all subject to weather and gravity.
Branches are weakened when a storm blows through, so the tree that was fine last year may be barely holding on this year. Sometimes it just takes one good gust to bring down branches or even the entire tree!
Downed trees can damage your roof, siding, or outbuildings. They can pull down power lines, cutting your power for hours or even days (I’m looking at you, 2011).
Again, preventative maintenance is your best bet here. Having a local tree expert inspect and maybe trim up the trees on your property can definitely save you time, money, and stress after a bad storm. But again, time flies, and we can’t always keep up on everything the way we’d prefer.
Conclusion? If a tree falls on your property, whether you hear it or not, call your favorite public insurance adjuster to help get the damage under control.
Early Freeze and Burst Pipes
An early freeze can sneak up on us, and before we know it, there’s a burst pipe in the basement, leaking icy water all over the place. If your house is older, as are so many here in Connecticut, there may be a bit of an insulation deficit in your home, so sudden cold spells can cause a wet mess inside the walls and floors. This is that sneaky, hidden damage that an adjuster like Robinhood can help you uncover as well as recover once the mess happens.
Fire Risks with Fall Comforts
Cozy season is great, but don’t overlook the risks. We look forward to the first evening snuggling by the fire, nursing hot chocolate or warm cider, but did you have your chimney inspected and cleaned before you settled in? Are your candles away from any fire hazards? Is your fire pit far from anything that can catch fire with an errant ember? And space heaters. We can’t be too careful about placement and the safe use of space heaters in our homes.
This isn’t a scenario anyone wants to even think about, but the months of November through March generally account for almost half of all house fires annually.
A fire insurance claim can quickly become complex, considering the actual fire, soot, and smoke damage, as well as any structural or water damage that may occur when the fire department steps in to put out the fire. Solution? Be ready to call in your public adjuster.
Stay Safe, Stay Ready
Now I’m not talking about normal wear and tear, things just getting older and not as effective. But fall storm damage, whether caused by water, wind, or fire, is something covered by our insurance policies, and a public insurance adjuster can help determine this for you.
Autumn in New England is a glorious time. Have fun. Take in the sights and smells, kick up some leaves, decorate the front porch, and argue with your partner about whether or not you really want the 12-foot skeleton this year, as one does. But be careful! Take care of those fall maintenance tasks the best you can; this is your best bet to avoid any possible catastrophes.
If something does happen, however, an unavoidable Bad Thing you didn’t even consider, you’ve got a local team ready to help. If unpredictable fall weather causes damage to your home or property, give Robinhood Adjusters a call to get the ball rolling.
