Worried about winter damage? Fall home maintenance can protect your home from a costly claim

Worried about winter damage? Fall home maintenance can protect your home from a costly claim

The maintenance you do this fall decides whether winter damage gets paid for or billed to you. Home insurance covers damage that's sudden and accidental, not deterioration that builds up over months, so a leak that traces back to a worn roof or a blocked gutter gets denied.

The claims that do get paid still cost you. A winter water claim raises your risk profile, which pushes your premium up at renewal or gives your insurer grounds to drop you.

Inspecting the roof, clearing the gutters, sweeping the chimney and insulating the pipes before the first freeze keeps the damage from happening and gives you the dated documentation an adjuster asks for when it does.

"The claims that spike in winter are rarely the dramatic ones people picture," says Roy Nissan-Cohen, home company lead for insurer Lemonade. "They're frozen pipes, ice dams, and water finding a path through a roof that was already tired back in September."

Insure.com shares what homeowners can do in autumn to get ahead of winter damage.

Fall maintenance steps to prevent insurance claims and nonrenewals

Roof, gutter, chimney and pipe failures drive most cold-weather home insurance claims, and a claim history built on them can raise your premium or cost you your policy at renewal.

Why your roof needs to be sound before the first freeze

Home insurance pays for damage that's sudden and accidental, not deterioration that builds up over months. A roof going into winter with debris, worn shingles or open gaps hands the adjuster grounds to call the resulting leak wear and tear.

Water damage is one of the most common causes of home insurance claims during the winter, and a well-maintained roof is key to keeping your home dry.

A poorly maintained roof can be susceptible to the following, according to Nicholas Riley, owner of Driftwood Builders Roofing in Austin, Texas.

• Debris in the valleys traps water, which backs up under the shingles and comes through the ceiling below.
• Worn or lifted shingles give wind an edge to peel them off, leaving the decking exposed to hail.
• Gaps and rotted decking let squirrels, birds, and insects nest in the attic.
• Overhanging branches puncture the surface when they come down under ice or wind load.

Book an inspection before the first freeze and keep the dated report. It establishes the roof's condition going into the season, which is the documentation an adjuster asks for when deciding whether a leak was sudden or long-running.

What to check on your roof before winter

Five checks catch the damage that can lead to a winter leak. Most take a trained eye and a ladder, so a roofer's annual visit covers all of them in one trip for less than the deductible on a single water claim.

• Clear the valleys. Leaves and needles collect where two roof planes meet and dam the water that should be running off, forcing it sideways under the shingles.
• Wash off moss and algae. Growth holds moisture against the shingle surface and lifts the edges, shortening the roof's life and giving wind something to catch.
• Check for loose or curling shingles. Curled edges mean the shingle has lost its seal; the next storm strips it and exposes the decking underneath.
• Press for soft spots. A section that is already rotted is underfoot, and rot spreads through the decking until the repair goes from patch to replacement.
• Trim limbs above the roofline. Branches loaded with ice snap and puncture the surface, and the ones that don't fall scrape granules off the shingles every time the wind blows.

Handle these before the first freeze, and you go into winter with a roof that sheds water the way it's supposed to, plus a record of the work if you end up filing a claim.

Why clogged gutters cost you more than the cleaning would

Water coming off the roof has to land somewhere. When gutters are blocked, it spills over the edge and pools against the foundation, where it works into cracks and freezes. In cold regions, the same blockage feeds ice dams — ridges of ice at the roof's edge that back up meltwater under the shingles and rot the trusses underneath.

Both failures produce water damage that develops over time, which is the category most policies exclude. The foundation repair and the rotted framing come out of your pocket.

Riley says gutters need to be cleaned and checked so water flows through them freely. He adds that animals nest in gutters, and a nest blocks water flow the same way a season of leaves does — regular inspections catch them before they settle in.

What to clear and check in your gutters each fall

Wait until the last leaves have dropped in your area, then work through the full run in one pass so you're not back on the ladder in three weeks.

• Clear the leaves, twigs and grit. A packed gutter holds standing water that overflows at the first heavy rain and freezes into a solid block at the first cold snap.
• Run a hose through and watch the joints. Seams that drip in October drip behind the fascia all winter, rotting the board the gutter is fastened to.
• Extend the downspouts three to five feet from the house. Water dumped at the foundation saturates the soil, then expands when it freezes and pushes against the wall.
• Check that the gutters are firmly fastened. Loose hangers let a section sag, water pools at the low point, and the weight of ice pulls the whole run off the fascia.
• Add gutter guards. They keep the bulk of the debris out and cut the number of times a year you need to clear the run.
• Install heat cables in cold regions. They keep a channel of the gutter thawed so meltwater has somewhere to go instead of backing up into an ice dam.

Do this once the leaves are down and the water coming off your roof lands where it should, which keeps it out of the foundation and out of a claim your policy calls gradual damage.

Why your fireplace needs servicing before you light the first fire

Home fires happen more in winter than any other season, according to the National Fire Protection Association. A chimney that hasn't been swept is carrying a season's worth of creosote, which is what turns a normal fire into a flue fire that spreads into the framing around it.

Insurance turns on the servicing record. Some policies require an annual inspection to keep a wood-burning fireplace covered at all, and the report is what establishes that the flue was sound when the fire started. Your insurer may specify a technician certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America — check your policy for the requirement before you book.

What to inspect on your chimney before the first fire

Work through these before the first burn of the season, since most of them are only visible when the flue is cold and empty.

• Look for cracks in the flue. A cracked liner lets heat and embers reach the wood framing around the chimney, which is how a contained fire becomes a house fire.
• Check the cap and spark arrestor. A missing cap lets rain, leaves and animals into the flue; a damaged arrestor lets embers land on the roof.
• Remove the creosote. The tarry residue from burning wood is highly flammable, and enough of it will ignite from the heat of an ordinary fire.
• Confirm the flue is drawing properly. A blocked or poorly ventilating chimney pushes carbon monoxide back into the house instead of out the top.
• Repair the damage you find. Cracks get sealed, and a badly deteriorated flue takes a stainless steel liner to be safe to use.

Get this done before the first cold night, and you go into the season with a safe fireplace to burn and a record that satisfies the requirement in your policy.

Why your pipes need protecting before the first hard freeze

A frozen pipe splits and then floods the house when it thaws, which is one of the most expensive claims a homeowner can file in winter. The claim also remains on your record and carries over to your next renewal.

Protecting the pipes themselves is only part of it. A pipe freezes because the surrounding space gets cold enough, so the furnace, the attic insulation, and the gaps around doors and windows all determine whether the plumbing ever reaches that point.

Many insurers offer a discount for a leak-detection device that shuts off the water when it detects a leak. Check your policy or ask your agent what your carrier offers.

What to do before the temperature drops

Get through these before the first hard freeze, since several of them are difficult once the ground and the outdoor lines are frozen.

• Disconnect hoses and drain the outdoor lines. Water left in a spigot or irrigation line freezes first, splitting the pipe where it enters the wall.
• Insulate the pipes in an unheated space. Crawlspaces, basements, and attics run close to outdoor temperatures, so the plumbing there freezes long before anything inside the heated envelope does.
• Set the thermostat no lower than 55 degrees. That includes while you're away — a house left cold is the most common setup for a burst pipe.
• Give the sump pump a battery backup. Winter storms cut power, and a pump without backup stops working just as the basement starts filling. Backup power keeps the pump running; it isn't what pays for the water if the pump fails.
• Seal the gaps around doors and windows. Cold air moving through the house drops the temperature in the wall cavities where supply lines run.
• Check the attic insulation depth. Thin insulation lets heat escape into the roof, cooling the house below and feeding ice dams above.
• Change the furnace filter and service the system. A furnace that quits in a cold snap is what turns a normal night into frozen plumbing.
• Install leak detectors. They alert you to a break in hours rather than days, and automatic shutoff models are the ones that qualify for a discount.

Take action before the first freeze

Fall home maintenance isn’t only about creating a comfortable home. It’s also about reducing your risk of an insurance claim and avoiding the higher premiums that can follow. Be sure to keep receipts, photos and inspection reports in case your insurer wants to see them.

“If you replace a roof or upgrade plumbing or electrical, tell your insurer,” Nissan-Cohen says. Those updates let an insurer know you are taking care of your home. They may even entitle you to premium reductions.

Spend a few hours on fall maintenance this year and reap the financial rewards of fewer claims and potentially lower premiums.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does homeowners insurance cover roof leaks caused by ice dams?

Home insurance will generally cover damage caused by an ice dam so long as it is not the result of neglected maintenance or existing shingle damage. Insurers will not pay to remove the ice dam, however.

Can I do fall maintenance myself or do insurers require that I use a professional?

Many fall maintenance tasks, such as cleaning gutters and insulating pipes, can be done by homeowners. Insurers may require an annual professional inspection of chimneys and wood stoves as a condition of maintaining coverage.

Are burst pipes from cold weather covered by home insurance?

Burst pipes are often covered under home insurance dwelling coverage, so long as you take precautions to keep the house warm. If you turn off the heat while on vacation, for instance, and the pipes burst, then a claim would likely be denied.

Can my insurer refuse to renew my policy if I don't maintain my roof or gutters?

Yes, if an insurance company observes missing shingles, sagging gutters, or other signs of disrepair, they can choose not to renew your policy.

This story was produced by Insure.com and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.