Key Takeaways
- Winter in New England brings risks like frozen pipes, roof damage, and fallen trees that can lead to insurance claims.
- Early inspections of your roof, gutters, plumbing, and heating systems help prevent costly winter damage.
- Documenting maintenance and taking “before” photos makes future insurance claims smoother and stronger.
- A public adjuster can guide you before winter strikes, helping identify risks and organize essential records.
- Robinhood Adjusters helps Connecticut homeowners prepare now so they can face winter confidently and stress-free.
We’re barely into pumpkin spice season, or Spooky Season as the kids say, and here I am sitting here thinking about the cold winter days ahead. If you’ve lived around here for any length of time, you’re well aware that winter shows itself in the blink of an eye – any time between now and December or so, seasons are a construct, and we’ve tossed out the rules, so that means now is the time to consider the potential for winter home and property damage.
Winter in New England is more than snowmen and hot chocolate. More than just those busy winter holidays. This can also mean heavy wet snow bringing down the big old trees in your yard, ice dams in your gutters inviting water damage, burst pipes in the event of an early, surprise freeze/thaw cycle, and tons of snow sitting heavily on your roof.
Winter comes fast in New England. Now is a good time to start preparing for it, especially if you don’t want to have to meet your furnace repair guy at 2 am on a Sunday in January. I think it’s fair to say you do not want to be in that position. Especially on a Sunday. Ouch.
Prepping for winter isn’t just about looking good for the neighbors or home safety. It’s also about making any future insurance claim both simpler and stronger. The more prepared you are before you call your new best friend at Robinhood Adjusters, the easier your damage claim will play out and the sooner you’ll be able to get back to actually enjoying the winter season.
What We Mean by ‘Early Inspections’
Now we’re not talking about home inspections requiring a home inspector. In this instance, we’re talking about taking a look around your property and making sure everything is as ready as it can be for a long, cold winter.
- Check your roof and gutters. Remove any small branches or debris that could contribute to clogs in the gutters or damage your roof shingles.
- Check your plumbing and insulation. Look for existing drips and leaks and see about having them patched up or repaired now, rather than later. Seal up any cracks, make sure vulnerable pipes are insulated, or look into heat tape to keep them from freezing as the temperatures fall. Disconnect and put away hoses to avoid them freezing solid (and inevitably springing leaks come spring).
- Check your heating system and chimneys. For this area, it’s usually better to have an HVAC specialist on hand as well as a chimney inspector/repairman.
- Inspect your doors and windows. Look for cracks or damage, check for drafts with a candle or smoke, and repair or replace worn and porous weatherstripping. Look for condensation and drafts or leaks and get them taken care of before the snow flies.
- Go outside and inspect your property for dying or leaning trees. Check for branches hanging close to the powerlines as well as dead or diseased branches that could easily fall during high wind or snow events.
- Take pictures, too. These could eventually become your ‘before’ photos if you end up with winter storm damage.
Your insurance, as well as a local public insurance adjuster, will work together to make sure your damages are dealt with. However, taking preventative steps to avoid a Bad Thing altogether is even better. And if you do need repairs, having the documentation ready, showing that you’ve taken care of and maintained the property to the best of your ability, will make your claim smoother and easier. It will leave less room for doubt, so you can avoid finger-pointing and claims of neglect. That’s a win!
How a Public Adjuster Can Help Even Before Winter
Consider a scenario in which you’ve got a real mess on your hands. Frozen pipes, spoiled food in the freezer, and your big shade tree finds itself lying across your garage roof. Maybe the neighbor slipped and fell while cutting through your back yard again (despite your best efforts to dissuade them). What’s going to help? What can you do in advance to make any of these Bad Things a little easier?
One of the best answers? Consulting with a public insurance adjuster.
Robinhood Adjusters can be in your corner before you even need help. We can advise on documentation practices. We can also point out weak areas during a walk-through with you. We can also help create a baseline for you, a file with photos, documented repairs and maintenance, and appropriate notes. This will become your tool kit if winter does its worst, providing ample proof of maintenance and showing the ‘before’ situation.
If you have a plan in place before you need it, you can snuggle up in the cold weather a lot easier and with less stress. With our help, you won’t have to find out the hard way what counts and what isn’t helpful whatsoever.
Winter Comes Fast, Don’t Wait
Connecticut’s bears may be settling in for the winter, but that doesn’t mean you should, too. By the time you’re out there stringing up the lights, it might be too late to catch these issues. Most winter calamities don’t have to be a nightmare before Christmas; they just require some preparation and planning.
We’ll help you prepare now so you’ll be ahead of the game if your worst-case scenario comes to pass. Call Robinhood Adjusters today and set yourself up for a safer, simpler winter. Bring on the winter wonderland!
