As if slippery sidewalks and snow-covered cars aren’t bad enough during the winter, you face another potential headache: ruined carpets and water damage to your ceilings and walls from leaks caused by ice dams or bursting pipes. You can avoid the resulting aggravation and expense by taking several basic steps right now to prevent this kind of damage.

First Things First
If you're handy with a hammer and screwdriver, you can do much of the work yourself. Work involving your home's structure may require a building contractor, however, or even a registered design professional such as an architect or engineer.
Before making any structural changes to your home, check with your local building officials to be sure what you're doing complies with local building codes.

Ice Dams
An ice dam is an accumulation of ice at the lower edge of a sloped roof, usually at the gutter. When interior heat melts the snow on the roof, the water will run down and refreeze at the roof's edge, where temperatures are much cooler. Eventually, the ice builds up and blocks water from draining off of the roof. This, in turn, forces the water under the roof covering and into your attic or down the inside walls of your house. Once an ice dam forms, the potential damage can be serious. Take these steps now to avoid trouble later:

.	Keep the attic well ventilated. The colder the attic, the less melting and refreezing on the roof.
.	Keep the attic floor well insulated to minimize the amount of heat rising through the attic from within the house.

This two-step approach decreases the likelihood that ice dams will form or, at least, reduces their size. As an extra precaution against roof leaks in case ice dams do form, install a water-repellent membrane under your roof covering. Talk with your local building official about minimum code requirements for ice dam protection.

Unfortunately, ice dams may be unavoidable if your home has recessed lighting near the roof. Heat generated from these lights melts snow, which then contributes to ice dam buildup. The only sure way to avoid this problem is to eliminate recessed light fixtures near the roof.

Review your homeowners insurance policy periodically with your insurance agent or company representative to make sure you have sufficient coverage to protect the investment you’ve made in your home. Report any property damage to your insurance agent or Kemper Underwriter immediately and make temporary repairs to prevent further damage.

Thanks to the Institute for Business and Home Safety and the Insurance Information Institute for this information. Visit IBHS at www.ibhs.org and III at www.iii.org.

Winterizing Your Home

It is recommended you check that the following steps are taken to ensure your home is ready for winter weather. Make sure that:

Inside

.	Furnace and furnace filter is clean and working properly
.	Pipe bringing fuel to the furnace is tight and insulated
.	Thermostat and pilot light working properly
.	Heating ducts are clean and clear
.	Areas where cold air may leak in are recaulked
.	Hose bibs are drained to prevent frozen water pipes
.	Temperature inside is always at least 65 degrees to prevent frozen pipes
.	Doors to unused rooms are closed to concentrate heat to populated areas

Outside

.	Trees are trimmed away from the house and power lines
.	Gutters are cleaned out to prevent backed up water from freezing and water damage to the roof
.	Extensions added to downspouts to direct water away from your home
.	Chimney is clear of debris; damper is closed when not in use
.	Gasoline drained from lawnmower and other engines not used in the winter
.	Standing water accumulated in crawl spaces drained with a sump pump to prevent foundation damage
.	Outdoor faucets and irrigation systems are drained

This list is not all-inclusive and particular precautions may not be appropriate in all circumstances. You are encouraged to use good judgment.