With all the weather activity the country has experienced in recent years, the industry is expecting Homeowners Insurance rates to increase. Whether or not you have had any claims... we are all going to be affected. But, maintaining your home to avoid unnecessary claims will only help with retaining the most preferred rates. A common claim occurring in the winter months is ice damming and with a little loss control - the potential of this happening to you is minimized.
This might be a good weekend to clean those gutters. Most of the leaves are off the trees and it looks like we'll have some sunshine Saturday and Sunday.
Ice Damming
These 'dams' are just that, they are blockages of ice that can form just about anywhere on your roof and they prevent water from flowing off your roof. This water then begins to back up beneath your shingles.
Ice damming causes damage to drywall, wall paper, trim and even flooring. I even had a claim where the water traveled down some electrical conduit to a dining room light fixture. The water proceeded to drip onto a $10,000 dining room table. The homeowner was out of town for a few days and needless to say - the table was destroyed. Sometimes the entry of water into your home comes in behind the drywall and is not apparent... at least not until there's a major mold issue!
