12/18/2017

Don't Let Your Home Ruin Your Christmas

If you’re planning Christmas at home you likely have a long and healthy “to do” list when it comes to getting your beloved home ready for the big day. You’ll have wrestled with the Christmas tree and decorated it with multicolored baubles. You’ll have decked the halls not only with boughs of holly but with tinsel and LED fairy lights. Christmas cards not only adorn your mantel but every spare inch of shelf space. The fire will be full of logs because nothing says festive like a real log fire, and the door will be bedecked with an inviting and ornate wreath. When all that’s done, your home will be 100% Christmas ready, right?



Well, sorry but… no.

As tempting as it may be to focus solely on the festive accouterments of the season, to do so is to overlook an unpleasant but pertinent fact… Your home may well ruin your Christmas! If you don’t guard against these common seasonal household mishaps today, your home could compromise your Christmas day in ways that no amount of glitter and tinsel can compensate for…


Leaking roof
Snowfall may look romantic on greetings cards, but when it collects on your roof overnight and thaws in the morning sun it can conspire to exacerbate the roof leak that’s been building up all year. If you see any signs of roof leakage like brown rings on your ceiling, it’s time to call in a roofing specialist before the leak ruins your big day. The last thing you need is for your Christmas dinner to be diluted by leaking water from the roof.

Lax household security
Picture the scene. You go away for a couple of days to visit family over the holidays only to find upon returning that the door has been a colorful collection of presents under your tree is gone. It’s a horrible thought, but it’s a harsh reality for people who don’t consider their home security at this time of year. Make sure that:

  • You keep your tree and presents hidden when you go away.
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  • Ask a neighbor to check in on your house now and then.
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  • Don’t leave a spare key in a “safe” place like under the doormat.
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  • Be careful what you throw in your garbage. Gift wrap cutoffs, receipts, and bank statements can all be open invitations to burglars.

Burst water pipes
Extreme cold causes water to freeze in pipes which can lead to burst pipes which can create huge problems which we could all do without facing on Christmas day. Make sure that all external water pipes are winterized and insulated to avoid this potential catastrophe.

Insulation
Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful… So long as you have adequate insulation. As winter draws near you may find that heat from the fireplace, radiators or electric heaters just seems to float away leaving you shivering... yet still with an enormous heating bill. Check your attic insulation for signs of rodent infestation (such as droppings, bite marks or rodent shaped burrows) as well as for signs of water leakage to make sure that your home stays warm and cozy over Christmas.

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