How to Prevent Water Damage and Get Your Home Winter-Ready

With sudden drops in temperature, unpredictable weather, and not enough time to prepare for each season, it’s difficult to stay ahead of water damage. However, there’s a reason water damage is one of the top insurance claims for homeowners year after year. Get your home winter-ready and stay worry-free with these tips below.

Get in front of the freeze

One week it's warm and sunny and then the next you're breaking out your winter coat. The weather is unpredictable, but you can prepare for it.

If your home is vulnerable to freezing, the Smart Water Valve+Meter can sense the water’s temperature. Using local weather data, Alarm.com temperature sensors will send you an alert whenever the temperature drops to a freezing point, so you can get your home ready ahead of time.*

Some other quick and easy ways to keep your home safe during freezing temperatures are:

• Cleaning the gutters to prevent them from freezing
• Trimming branches and removing heavy snow to prevent them from snapping

Prep your appliances

According to the American Gas Association, the average American household spends more than $600 yearly on heating their homes. That cost can quickly add up when minor neglects, such as a window not being sealed correctly, allowing cool air to come in. Outdated heating systems can also put a dent in your monthly costs.

Most HVAC systems will last 15 to 25 years, depending on how well it’s maintained. Your HVAC system should be serviced by a professional once a year. Air filters should be changed regularly to keep your system running smoothly and to maintain optimal air quality. A clean air filter helps ensure your HVAC unit is running efficiently.

According to Home Depot, this is how often you should be changing your air filters:

• Fiberglass filters need to be disposed of and replaced roughly every 30 days
• Pleated air filters can last anywhere from three to six months depending on the material, manufacturer, and the frequency of use

Keep costs low

To avoid high heating bills, here are a few simple ways to keep your home warm without cranking the heat.

• Change the direction your fan spins to clockwise to pull cold air up to the ceiling and push warm air down to the room
• Change your filters to allow for thorough airflow
• Use a smart thermostat to optimize the temperature for any room

Alarm.com Smart Thermostats can read security sensors around the home and pause heating if you have a door or window open. It even protects your home by alerting you to dangerously low winter temperatures that cause water pipes to freeze and burst.

Stay on top of your plumbing

On average it takes pipes six to eight hours to freeze, meaning while you sleep, they can freeze without you knowing. Alarm.com’s water protection technology can prevent further damage, including flood prevention with the Smart Water Valve+Meter.

Installed at your home's main water supply, the Smart Water Valve+Meter will alert you and immediately shut off the water if it detects a leak to minimize the damage to your home.

Alarm.com will also send you reminders on the first cold day of the year to shut off water to hoses to prepare your home for the upcoming season.

Make smarter energy savings decisions

Did you know even if you have placed a device in standby mode, it can still be drawing power if it’s plugged in? “Phantom energy,” is a draw of electricity that electronics consume while not being actively used and could add an extra 10% to your monthly utility bill.

Alarm.com-powered smart plugs can help eliminate this waste by automatically turning on and off any appliance that plugs into a standard wall socket. You can control the plugs from the Alarm.com app and even set it up so that they will switch off when you arm your security to leave the house.

Test your detectors

Two of the most important devices attached to your in home security systems are smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. As life-saving devices, it’s crucial to ensure they work properly. FEMA recommends testing your detectors once a month and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends replacing your batteries twice a year—a good reminder is when you change your clocks for daylight savings time.

To test your smoke detector:

• Press and hold the test button on the smoke detector (It may take a few seconds to begin)
• A loud, ear-piercing alarm should proceed from the smoke detector while the button is pressed
• If the sound is weak or nonexistent, replace your batteries

To test your carbon monoxide detector:

• Press and hold down the “test” button until you hear two beeps sound off
• Once you hear these beeps, release your finger off the test button
• If the sound is weak or nonexistent, replace your batteries

If your Alarm.com-powered smoke detectors detect a fire or carbon monoxide leak, your smart home security system will alert your monitoring station to get you into contact with the proper emergency response team.

The first snow can cause a frenzy. Get ahead of winter weather with Alarm.com, so you and your family can enjoy the snowfall, instead of being inconvenienced by it.

*Alerts only available if you have the Smart Water Meter-150 installed.