A few precautions can help protect you from serious losses and disruptions this season.

Indoor Floods

While home fires make headlines, water damage is more common and often just as severe. The most frequent cause is faulty or broken pipes. In fact, Fireman’s Fund Personal Risk Consultants see a surge in water damage during the first three months of the year, when pipes are most likely to freeze and burst. Be sure to insulate exposed pipes.

If you leave your home to spend time in warmer climates or even just a weekend on the ski slopes, always leave the heat on in your home and set it to at least 55 degrees. Don’t let high fuel prices tempt you into going lower. The pipes that come in through your foundation or run through external walls can reach temperatures much lower than the setting on your thermostat. Have someone check on your home while you are away.

A foolproof way to protect your home from broken or leaking pipes at any time of year is to install an automatic water shutoff system. Attached to your home’s main incoming water line, the device senses increased water flow caused by a burst pipe and automatically shuts the system off. Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company recommends the Leak Defense System from Sentinel Hydrosolutions. A 5 percent premium discount is available to policyholders who use this system, so let your insurance agent know if you install one.

Chimney and Furnace Fires

While fire presents a year-round risk, certain causes of fire occur more frequently during the winter. Chimneys, boilers and furnaces are particular risks. Approximately 25,000 residential fires begin in a fireplace or chimney every year, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Why so many? Over time, a layer of unburned carbon-based residues (sometimes referred to as fireplace creosote) builds up along the inside walls of your chimney and can eventually catch fire. The solution is to have a trusted, professional chimneysweep clean and inspect your chimney annually.

An annual inspection is just as important for those with furnaces and boilers. And, remember, your furnace room should never be used for general storage. Wood scraps, old books, paint, solvents and other flammable liquids are significant fire hazards and should be removed and stored elsewhere.

Ice Dams and Old Trees

Snow and ice storms can create a number of potential threats to your home. One of these is ice damming, which occurs in the days after a snowstorm.

Icicles hanging from your eaves, while they may be beautiful, usually indicate that a dangerous ice dam has formed. An ice dam is a build-up of ice that can form at the edge of your roof when snow melts but is blocked from draining. When more snow melts and is trapped behind this ice, the resulting water backup can soak through your roof and cause damage to ceilings, walls and more. The most common causes of ice dams are clogged gutters and insufficient insulation, both of which are easy to remedy.

Mature trees on your property represent another potential hazard during storms. Strong winds or frozen water that covers old branches with a heavy coat of ice can lead to failure and collapse, a clear threat to your home or other nearby structures. Have a trusted horticultural expert take a look at your property’s mature trees and prune or cut down unstable specimens.

For more advice on how to protect your home from winter’s severe weather, visit www.firemansfund.com.

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“Fires, even small ones, can quickly become out of control,” says Lou Manfredini, Ace’s “Helpful Hardware Man.” “Taking the time now to prepare your home can help save lives and money.”

Protect Your Home

Any home is susceptible to fire, and the first step to keeping your family safe is to purchase two essential items.

Fire alarms

Fire alarms are your first line of defense when it comes to fires. Make sure that you have one installed on every level of your home – even the attic. To get the most protection, install one in, or near, every bedroom.

Fire alarms use three different methods to detect fire: photoelectric, which responds to smoke; ionization, which responds to smoke and gas; and thermal, which responds to heat. When choosing an alarm, select one that utilizes more than one of the above methods.

Once the fire alarms are installed, be sure to test them once a month and change the batteries twice a year “A good reminder is to change the batteries when you change your clocks for daylight savings,” says Manfredini.

Fire extinguishers

Every home should have a fire extinguisher, specifically one that is labeled as “ABC” which means it can be used on all types of fires. Additionally, bigger is not always better when it comes to these products. It is important to select a size that fits within your appropriate storage location. “The general rule of thumb is to have one fire extinguisher on every floor of your home, especially a small one for your kitchen,” says Manfredini.

The experts also suggest keeping a fire extinguisher within 10 feet of the stove, on the same side of the kitchen that has the exit. Many fires occur in the kitchen, such as grease fires, and keeping an extinguisher nearby can help you contain the damage.

Once you have selected your fire extinguisher purchase the desired number plus one additional extinguisher for you to try out. Remember, you don’t want to have to learn how to use the extinguisher while there is a fire in your home.

Stop Fire Before It Starts

While fires can start for any number of reasons, there are two common causes that are easy to fix.

Fireplaces

There is nothing better than sitting in front of a warm fire on a cold day, but unmaintained fireplaces can be a huge hazard.

“Your chimney should be cleaned and inspected on a yearly basis,” says Manfredini. “This requires special tools and ladder work, so it’s a project that is better left to a certified chimney sweep.”

After you get your fireplace cleaned, install a chimney spark arrester that will prevent stray sparks from catching your roof on fire and a fireplace screen that will keep stray sparks from coming into your home.

Appliances

Electrical fires can occur out of nowhere, so if your appliance is emitting an unusual smell, unplug it and have someone repair it before using again. Additionally, replace frayed or cracked electrical cords and don’t overload extension cords. Never run cords under rugs.

If you find you have too many plugs going into one outlet (or extension cord), purchase a surge protector, which will keep your appliances safe should a surge occur, and keep overloaded electrical systems from catching fire.

For more home safety tips and advice, visit www.acehardware.com or stop by your neighborhood Ace Hardware store.

Courtesy:ARAcontent