Winterizing – Partial And Full House Closure

I'll never forget the sound. It was a hissing noise quite unlike any I had heard before. My family and I had just sat down for dinner. Our laundry room is just behind us. A water hose feeding the washing machine had just burst. I had a valve behind the washing machine that cuts off the water supply but it didn't work. The valve was frozen open because I had never used it since the day it was installed. By the time I got to the basement to turn off the water, perhaps 60 seconds had gone by. The laundry room floor was a mess and water started to leak through into a basement storage room.

Dodged the Bullet

We lucked out. We were home, heard the water leak instantly, and reacted. But what if we had been at a movie? I can assure you that probably tens of thousands of dollars of damage would have resulted. I bought some peace of mind that night and replaced the washing machine hoses with burst-proof stainless steel wrapped hoses. I intend to install new ball valves on the water lines behind the washer so I can quickly turn them off in an emergency.

Ask Your Agent

I think seasoned insurance agents have a wealth of information that they sometimes forget to share. They know the nightmares that happen and what often can be done to prevent them or at the very minimum, what can be done to minimize damage caused by accidents. Call your insurance agent and ask if there is a list of five or ten things they recommend that should be done before you leave a house vacant for a short or extended period of time.

If I sold insurance, I would seriously consider publishing a quarterly newsletter that told of the previous quarter's worst claims. Many people have email and the newsletter could be sent for free! Talk about building trust and a relationship, this would do it if the newsletter had concise tips and information most people could use. I wish my agent did this!

Stored Vehicles

Some people go away and leave cars behind. I remember doing this years ago, when I went out West for three weeks. Upon my return, I started up my Volkswagen beetle, put it in gear, released the emergency brake and it simply wouldn't go! The darn emergency brake cable had rusted into the closed position! I popped the clutch and the brakes released, but I learned my lesson. You need to pay attention to cars as well.

Contact your local auto repair shop and ask the manager what, if anything, you should do to protect the investment in your car. You may have to do nothing, but watch that emergency brake!

Stored Flammables

What about that can of gasoline in your garage? How about all of those cans of solvents or paint thinner? What happens if they spring a leak in your absence. It is a remote possibility but it can happen. For example, my walk behind lawn mower just sprung a leak two nights ago in the fuel line. I opened the door from the house to the garage and was overwhelmed by the gasoline fumes! If I had a cigarette or some other open flame maybe an explosion could have happened. I had never given it a thought that the darn fuel line would all of a sudden spring a leak. Ask your fire department if they have a travel list of things to do before you go away. I'll bet they have a ton of stories to share as well.

Security Lighting

It is easier than ever to install motion detector light fixtures and timing devices that activate lights at different times. Exterior spot lights and interior ceiling fans can be programmed to provide random lighting. It is a good idea to do this. Houses left completely dark telegraph that no one is home. Arrange for different lights to be on at different times to fool the rookie or timid burglars in your area.

You can purchase very cool remote controlled web cameras that allow you to view your property from a distant location. I can tell you, this is a good idea.

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