Winter is finally here! That means we need to take steps to protect our home and save our money for the the winter time. As nice as the snow is, it also can bring problems up with your home. Luckily Panhandle Farmers Mutual can give you some helpful tips to protect your home. An important thing to remember is to try to keep snow away from your foundation, Snow can lead to freezing pipes, and other problems. Once the snow melts it could also seep into your basement and create more problems. Easy ways to remove it would to shovel it or even using a Leaf blower to blow the snow away. Before the snow arrives it would be smart to clean your gutters, During the cold times water can build up and create “Ice Dams” in your gutter. These can be very problematic.

Ensuring that heating systems are in optimal condition not only keeps your home comfortable but also contributes to energy efficiency. Woodstoves and Fireplaces are also more frequently used in the winter time. If these are not well maintained they could cause problems for you and your home. There are a couple of actions you can take to make sure these problems are prevented.

1. Have your fireplace or woodstove and chimney inspected and cleaned by a professional at least once a year.
2. Keep Combustible Materials at least 3 Ft away.
3. Use Dry wood only. Avoid burning green, wet, or treated wood.
4. Build small, hot fires, they produce less smoke and ash.
5. Do not overload your stove or use flammable liquids to start or accelerate the fire.
6. Never use your woodstove or fireplace to burn trash.
   

Investing time and effort in winter maintenance not only safeguards your property from the seasonal challenges but also adds to its overall resilience, providing a secure and comfortable living environment.