An insurer's view on winter home preparation
Covering your bases: Reduce the risk of damage by using loss prevention tech and following best practices for home maintenance.
In recent years, winter storms have impacted areas historically unaffected by cold weather. The ice storms and record low temperatures in Texas in 2021 and earlier this year made it clear that homes and infrastructure in warmer weather states are not equipped to handle sustained freezing temperatures, ice and snow.
Texas isn’t the only state to experience major disruption from recent record low temperatures. Virginia, the Carolinas, and Florida have all recorded freezing or near-freezing temperatures in recent years. This is especially problematic because building codes in these states often don’t account for extreme winter conditions. Many homes lack sufficient insulation or plumbing, making them more susceptible to freezing temperatures and burst pipes and leaving the home’s foundation vulnerable.
More broadly, across the PURE membership, winter storms have accounted for 28% of total catastrophic losses since 2015. Understanding the challenges and risks associated with low temperatures, snow, and freezing rain can help ensure that homes are more resilient throughout the winter months, regardless of location.
Even in winter-prone states, the standard for homes can fall short.
While there are state and local guidelines and requirements when it comes to building in cold-weather areas, changing weather trends continue to test the strength of homes and building codes alike. There may also be significant differences in requirements by state or county, making it difficult for homeowners to understand what exactly is needed to protect their homes.
Building codes in the Northern Midwest, for example, tend to require more than those in the Northeast — in Wisconsin codes require insulation with higher R-Values (a measure of how well insulation resists the flow of heat) than in Massachusetts. Among the PURE membership, we generally see homes in the Northern Midwest perform better following cold weather events. It’s also important to understand that building codes oftentimes only cover the bare minimum and can fall short of preventing damage. Building codes in some states require ice and water shields to be installed from the edge of the roof to two feet past the interior wall. However, we have seen claims where ice and water have caused damage past this point and often recommend going beyond the building code to install this underlayment even higher up on the roof.
When water is flowing, every minute is crucial
We have found that water damage claims are four times more severe when they occur in homes that are unoccupied. When no one is home to notice it, water can run undetected for days, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and displacing families for months at a time while repairs take place. An automatic water shutoff device, which shuts a home’s water off at the main valve if a leak is detected, can significantly reduce the damage. We typically recommend FloLogic, Leak Defense, or Phyn.
As another best practice, centrally monitored temperature sensors placed within the home can alert homeowners to extreme changes in temperature and humidity, helping to reduce the risk of frozen pipes and damage to climate-sensitive wines, collectibles, or other valuables.
Steps to prepare your home for cold weather
You can reduce the risk of damage by using loss prevention technology and following a few best practices for home maintenance.
- Install a water shut-off system. If a leak is detected, a water shut-off system can automatically turn off your water supply and notify you before serious damage occurs.
- Invest in a generator. A permanently installed whole-home generator restores electricity during a power outage. This mitigates costly losses by keeping critical home systems running and helps to maintain heat which is instrumental in preventing burst pipes.
- Hire a caretaker for your home. For homeowners who have multiple properties and can’t be physically present in all their homes at once, it is important to have a trusted friend or caretaker who is local and able to visit your unoccupied home as needed.
- Don’t forget about your attic. Many burst pipes claims originate in the attic. In some areas of the country, HVAC systems, water heaters, and other water lines are commonly placed in the attic and are more susceptible to freezing during cold snaps. You can keep these pipes safe by making sure your attic is properly insulated.
- Service your sprinkler system. If you have an interior sprinkler system, it should be properly insulated as well as serviced annually to prevent it from freezing or malfunctioning. It is also best practice to have an alarm attached to the system to alert you if there are any issues.
Winter losses can be extremely disruptive to homeowners and very costly for their insurers, but by encouraging homeowners to make improvements that reduce risks, we can foster safer, more resilient communities.
Jason Metzger is the Head of Risk Management at PURE Insurance where he guides initiatives that improve coverage adequacy and policy terms, loss prevention and member experience. He joined PURE in 2013 and has since served in a combination of strategic sales, distribution, field operations, service and underwriting leadership roles. Jason can be reached at pure@kwtglobal.com
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