Protect Your Home This Winter

Fall and wintertime have to be my absolute favorite of all. It must be the crisp air, the changing colors of green to burnt orange, cozy cuddles by the fire, stews, preparing for the holidays, and…if you are like me, and are a fan of pumpkin spice, then you know the glee that follows in its sweet release.

At the same time, wintertime can also mean the welcome of beautiful, but overly bountiful winter
snow. Minus the fun sledding, snow can bring along many difficult problems if not prepared.

I remember our first winter as a newly married military couple, living in a 1950’s craftsman home
in North Carolina and curling up beside a wood burning fire…out of necessity because the
furnace broke as we were snowed in on the coldest week of the year. I have wonderful
memories of that home, but recall how terribly warm it became over the hot summer months,
when the air conditioning so conveniently broke or in the winter when the furnace would fail and
the pipes would freeze.

So many home ownership life lessons were learned on the fly. I wish I had known the tips and
tricks available now.

Armed Forces Insurance is dedicated to helping your family in all situations and offers the
following quick tips and safety items to ensure your property remains safe so you can enjoy the
holiday season!

Fire Prevention: One of the most important things you can do during the winter months, when
you are running heating systems, is to make sure your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide
detectors are in working order.

Chimney: Check your chimney draft and make sure it’s free of any blockage or wildlife.

Prevent Water Damage: If temperatures are expected to drop below freezing, a few important
steps can help avoid a costly problem that can occur if pipes freeze and burst. Turn your
thermostat to at least 68 degrees, close any windows near exposed pipes, open the cabinet
doors that house any pipes to allow the warm air to circulate around them, and allow a faucet to
drip slowly with lukewarm water.

Those are just a few tips from AFI. With just a couple of those suggestions, I could have
ensured a much more comfortable and safe holiday season. Home ownership can definitely
present its challenges in harsh weather, but with the right frame of mind, and preparedness, you
can rest assured that you’ll have a warm and toasty home this coming winter.

For a more detailed list of tips, read Armed Forces Insurance Protecting your Home this Winter.

Here’s to a wonderful winter season! Now, excuse me while I heat up my pumpkin spice latte
and pumpkin muffin.

As a military family, you need insurance that matches your needs and protects what you value
most. You deserve an insurance company that is committed to serving you. MilHousing Network
is proud to partner with Armed Forces Insurance to bring military families reliable homeowner’s
insurance options when buying a home. Contact them today at 800-313-1936 or visit
www.afi.org/milhousing to learn how they can support your unique military lifestyle.