
Arrival of cold air in Central Texas suggests winter has moved in and also reminds us that spring is not too far behind. Shifting into the winter months there is a real possibility that your home will be exposed to cold or possibly freezing temperature.
Your first home purchase may be the largest investment you will ever make. Shield your investment with a Texas homeowners insurance policy and begin your quote now.
Get your free insurance quote!
How to Protect Your Home From Severe Texas Winter Weather
The following tips can help you protect your home from severe Texas winter weather conditions and may reduce damage to your home.
- Have a professional inspect your roof, gutters and wrap exposed pipes located outside or in unheated areas of the home.
- Inspect your homes electrical, heating and air conditioning systems.
- Complete a quick energy audit checking for aged weather stripping, air leaks around doors, windows and vents.
- Dripping water from faucets can assist and may help keep your pipes from bursting or freezing during low temperatures.
- The roads in Central Texas can be slippery under hard freeze conditions, and Austin is not well equipped with the infrastructure to salt or sand the roads.
- Stock up on some essential items to last a few days in the event of inclement weather.
- Open the cabinet doors below your sink so the warmer air in the house will reach the pipes. If you keep any toxic cleaning products or items under the sink, move them to a place where they will be inaccessible to children and pets.
- Be sure roof and gutters are clear of debris and downs spouts drain effectively and functionally move water away from the house once the ice begins to melt
- Look for water stains on ceilings and walls and take steps to repair before there is a larger issue.
- Have large tree limbs trimmed away from the home and roof as the extra weight of ice can cause limbs to break.
- Sign up for notifications and community warnings
- Conduct an emergency drill so everyone in the home knows where to go if there is an emergency. Do not forget pets if it’s safe and time allows.
- Assemble materials that are necessary to make safe temporary repairs in the instance damages occur to protect your property from additional damage.
What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?
Typically, a renters or Texas home insurance policy provides coverage to repair or replace your property in the event of damage from Hurricane, Tornado, Lightning, Fire Vandalism, Stormy Weather, frozen pipes or possibly a Fallen tree. In addition, you are covered for some living expenses if you need to find a place to live while your home is repaired. Flood is a separate policy and not covered on your homeowner’s policy in Texas.
Resources
Protect your home from Water Damage
*Descriptions of insurance products are meant to offer general ideas only, are necessarily brief, and are subject to policy provisions, limits, deductibles, exclusions, and conditions that can only be expressed in the policy itself. In the event of a conflict, the terms and conditions of your policy prevail. This information is provided solely as an insurance risk management tool.