Winter in northwest Ohio has a way of finding the weak spots in a house.

A small roof problem can turn into a leak. A hose left connected can lead to a frozen pipe. An aging furnace can decide to quit on the coldest night of the year.

Before the temperatures really drop, a little preventive maintenance can go a long way toward protecting your home and avoiding an unnecessary insurance claim.

Here are a few things worth checking before winter settles in.

1. Disconnect Your Garden Hoses

This is one of the easiest winter precautions and also one of the easiest to forget.

Disconnect hoses from exterior faucets, drain them, and shut off the interior water supply to outdoor faucets if your home is equipped to do so. Water trapped in a hose or pipe can freeze, expand, and potentially cause damage inside the wall.

2. Take a Look at Your Roof

You don’t need to climb onto the roof to give it a basic inspection.

From the ground, look for missing, lifted, curled, or damaged shingles. Also check flashing around chimneys and roof penetrations if they’re visible.

Winter snow, ice, freezing temperatures, and strong winds can make an existing roof problem considerably worse.

3. Clean the Gutters

Leaves and debris don’t just prevent water from draining properly. During winter, clogged gutters can contribute to ice buildup around the edge of the roof.

Make sure gutters and downspouts are clear and that downspouts direct water away from your home’s foundation.

4. Have Your Furnace Checked

Don’t wait for the first bitterly cold night to discover a heating problem.

Replacing the furnace filter and having an HVAC professional inspect an older system can help identify problems before you’re depending on it around the clock.

And while you’re at it, check the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

5. Protect Your Pipes

Pay particular attention to plumbing located in garages, crawlspaces, exterior walls, and other poorly insulated areas.

Insulating exposed water lines can provide additional protection against freezing. During severe cold, keeping your home adequately heated is especially important.

If you’re leaving northwest Ohio for an extended winter trip, don’t simply turn the heat off.

6. Check Your Fireplace and Chimney

If you have a wood-burning fireplace that gets regular use, consider having the chimney inspected and cleaned before the heating season.

Creosote buildup, damaged chimney components, and combustible materials near a fireplace can create serious fire hazards.

7. Trim Problem Trees and Branches

Heavy snow, ice, and winter winds can bring down weakened branches.

Look for dead limbs or branches hanging over your house, garage, vehicles, or electrical service. If you see something questionable, have a qualified tree professional take a look before winter weather arrives.

8. Know Where Your Main Water Shutoff Is

If a pipe does burst, knowing how to quickly shut off the water can make an enormous difference.

Every adult in the household should know where the main water shutoff is located and how to operate it.

Five minutes spent finding it today could potentially prevent thousands of dollars in additional water damage later.

9. Don’t Forget Detached Buildings

Garages, sheds, workshops, barns, and other structures need attention too.

Check roofs, gutters, doors, windows, plumbing, heaters, and electrical systems. If you’re storing vehicles, equipment, or other valuable property inside these buildings, it’s also worth making sure your insurance policy properly accounts for them.

10. Review Your Homeowners Insurance

Winter preparation isn’t only about maintaining the house.

It’s also a good time to make sure your insurance coverage still reflects what you actually own.

Have you remodeled the kitchen? Finished the basement? Added a garage or outbuilding? Installed a new roof? Purchased expensive equipment, jewelry, firearms, or collectibles?

Your insurance agent should know about significant changes to your home and property.

At Frost Insurance Agency, we believe a homeowners policy should do more than simply meet a mortgage company’s requirements. It should be designed to protect the home, belongings, and financial security you’ve worked hard to build.

A Little Prevention Goes a Long Way

Most homeowners would much rather spend a Saturday preparing their house for winter than spend a January morning dealing with frozen pipes, water damage, or a roof leak.

Take a walk around your property now. Make a list. Fix the small things before winter has an opportunity to turn them into big things.

And if it has been a while since someone reviewed your homeowners insurance, we’re happy to help.