{"id":2468,"date":"2020-12-23T18:51:40","date_gmt":"2020-12-23T18:51:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quincymutual.com\/blog\/?p=2468"},"modified":"2023-11-07T16:02:19","modified_gmt":"2023-11-07T16:02:19","slug":"common-winter-home-hazards-and-how-to-prevent-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quincymutual.com\/blog\/common-winter-home-hazards-and-how-to-prevent-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Common Winter Home Hazards and How to Prevent Them"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>These days, you and your family are probably spending much of your time at home, so making it a safe environment for everyone should be a top priority. In the winter months, a number of hazards can creep up without warning, leading to financial burdens and may even pose a danger to your health and wellbeing.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, there are some quick fixes you can do and a few maintenance check-ins to help reduce your risk of experiencing a problem in the coming months. Here are some common winter hazards and how to avoid them.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Falls<\/strong><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Inside and outside your home, falls can lead to a hospital visit and\/or expensive legal fees if you\u2019re hit with a lawsuit. Wet surfaces, uneven staircases, and items left on the floor can all lead to a broken bone or head injury. To help reduce your risk, make sure to do the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Secure staircases \u2014 This includes installing solid handrails, fixing loose boards, having adequate lighting at night, and keeping salt or sand on hand in the event of snowstorms. If you have small children, you should also have safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Keep hallways and walkways clean \u2014 Always clean up toys and items left on the floor in the way of foot traffic. In the winter, be especially careful to shovel walkways and salt any icy patches.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Cover surfaces prone to pooling water&nbsp; \u2014 If you frequently track water inside from your shoes, make sure to have a mat in front of the door to avoid slipping.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Fires<\/strong><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the National Fire Protection Association, there are an average of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usfa.fema.gov\/data\/statistics\/\">379,600 residential fires in the United States per year<\/a>. Many of these fires could have been prevented through safe practices and preparedness. Take these steps to help reduce your risk of loss or injury from a fire:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Install fire alarms on all levels of your home.<\/li><li>Keep a fire extinguisher handy in your kitchen and any room with a fireplace.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Blow out all candles before you leave the room or go to sleep.<\/li><li>Unplug appliances you\u2019re not using.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Turn off holiday lights before leaving the house or going to sleep.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Have your fireplace cleaned before using it for the winter and only run it if you\u2019re in the room.<\/li><li>Keep space heaters away from flammable objects and never leave them running unattended.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Along the same lines as fire prevention, you should also be mindful of carbon monoxide risks in the winter. Even low exposure can result in headaches and dizziness. It\u2019s virtually undetectable by sight or smell so having a working carbon monoxide detector is your best solution to keeping your family safe.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Frozen Pipes<\/strong><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Frozen pipes are one of the most common problems homeowners face in the winter and can also be one of the most costly. Before the frigid temps hit, be sure to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Drain and remove outdoor hoses.<\/li><li>Insulate areas in direct contact with attics, basements, and crawl spaces.<\/li><li>Identify areas of your home that have exposed water pipes.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Make sure your thermostat doesn\u2019t dip below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.<\/li><li>Have someone look in on your house if you\u2019re going to be gone for an extended period of time.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can learn more about how to prevent and treat frozen pipes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quincymutual.com\/blog\/2018\/02\/15\/how-to-prevent-and-treat-frozen-pipes\/\">here<\/a>.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ice Dams<\/strong><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not only is ice a hazard on your walkways, it also puts you at risk for ice dams. These will damage the interior of your home and cause major water damage in your attic and on your ceilings. A few things you can do to help reduce your risk is to make sure your gutters are cleaned before the first snowfall and install roof heating cables if your home is prone to ice dams.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We hope these tips help keep your family and your home safe all winter long. To review your current insurance policy or speak to an agent about your options for extended coverage, please visit our website. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quincymutual.com\/find-agent.htm\">https:\/\/www.quincymutual.com\/find-agent.htm<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>These days, you and your family are probably spending much of your time at home, so making it a safe [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2469,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\r\n<title>Common Winter Home Hazards and How to Prevent Them - 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