The costs of not preparing your home and property properly for fall can be high. Here are some timely maintenance tips you may find helpful:

• Clean Gutters: Gutters clogged with debris can lead to damage to your roof line, soffit, exterior siding and even the foundation of your home. Clearing gutters allows them to perform their job of moving water away from your home.
• Check the Roof: Summer wind and rains may have lifted or even peeled away some shingles. Visually inspect your roof for damaged shingles and raised areas. Repair these areas before colder temperatures arrive.
• Have Your Furnace Checked: This is the best time for a professional tune-up of your heating system. You also want to replace filters to help it run more efficiently.
• Check Your Chimney: If you didn’t have your chimney cleaned in the spring, have it done now. A build-up of creosote in your chimney can cause a destructive fire.
• Check Outside: Various slip and fall hazards may take place in and around your home. With the accumulation of leaves on your walkway, it can be easy for you or someone else to stumble and fall. As you plug in holiday lights, there may be cords left across the walkway, and this can cause a fall as well. Additionally, you may be doing a lot of entertaining and a simple spill can result in someone slipping on your floor. 
  • You want to take caution against all of these slip and fall hazards. Place non-slip mats near all of the exterior doorways. This will make it easier for people to dry off their feet before they enter tile or hardwood areas.
  • It is also a good idea to remove debris from all of the walkways in your yard. This can be done by raking or by using a blower. Whether you do it on your own or you hire someone to do it, it needs to be done on a regular basis, especially when you have a large number of leaves in your yard.

Having home insurance can protect you against a variety of issues. You can do a lot in order to prepare for fall, but in the end it comes down to having a good policy so that you can file a claim in the event that something happens. For example, you will want to have liability coverage in the event that someone hurts themselves while at your home.

Call and talk to one of our independent agents today. We are happy to give you some additional tips to prepare for the fall months and answer questions that you have about homeowners insurance. We can guide you through the process of shopping for a policy. We can also get quotes from some of the top insurance companies in the state to help you with comparing rates so that you get the best price possible.