Tips for Protecting Your Home for the Winter

Temperatures can drop severely in Boise, ID. You should think about protecting your home for the winter before the weather becomes extremely harsh.

  • Overhanging Trees – Trees that are not trimmed properly can have old branches that weaken when the weather changes. Weak branches can fall on your roof or damage other areas of your home. Make sure these branches are taken care of before winter arrives.
  • Water Heater Temperatures – Lower the temperature of your water heater by 20 degrees. Most heaters usually push hot water at 140 degrees. If you manually decrease the temperature to 120, you could save lots of money as well as reduce wear and tear on your water pipes.
  • Ceiling Fan Direction – During the winter, change your ceiling fan’s direction. Switch it from counterclockwise to clockwise. This will allow the heat, which naturally rises, to be pushed down by the circulation of the fan. Warm air will travel down and help keep your rooms warm. Changing the direction of the ceiling fan is a simple, yet great way to minimize heating costs.
  • Door Locks – Extremely cold weather can contract metal door locks causing the key to freezing inside the locking mechanism. A simple solution is to spray a small amount of lubricant in the lock to prevent freezing.
  • Check Your Policy – Winter begins at the end of the year, so it’s a good time to go over your policy and make sure you’re covered. Understanding your coverage for winter accidents or mishaps will give you peace of mind. It is also a good time to add extra coverage if it is needed.

Boise, ID residents, can have our expert agents helping them with their home insurance policy. We can also offer assistance with new or existing life, health, and auto insurance policies.

5 Ways to Decrease Your Home Insurance Premiums

The cost of homeowners insurance in Boise, ID can vary depending on several factors that may seem out of your control.  While some factors are determined by things you can’t do anything about, such as location, the material your home is made from, or the rates of home insurance in the marketplace, there are things you can change.  Here are 5 ways you can decrease your home insurance premiums.

  • Deductible – Raising your home insurance deductible, the amount you pay towards a loss, can decrease your home insurance up to 25%.  If you put this amount of money in a savings account, you can make money by keeping a higher deductible amount set aside.
  • Security – Improving home security can save up to 5%.  For example, adding smoke detectors to each level of the home, having fire extinguishers in easy access areas, installing burglar alarms, and deadbolt locks will all help.
  • Rebuilding Cost – Don’t confuse the home’s rebuilding costs with how much you paid for your home.  Remember, the land isn’t at risk for damage, so you only need insurance for the cost of rebuilding the home.
  • Good Credit – Maintaining a good credit history can decrease home insurance rates because insurance companies use credit information in determining rates.
  • Loyalty – Using the same insurance company for your insurance needs can make you eligible for up to 15% in discounts depending on what’s insured.

Fuhriman Insurance Agency

If you own a home in the Boise, ID area, you want to work with a community trusted company like the Fuhriman Insurance Agency.  Our independent agents will help you explore your home insurance discount options.  We can also give you helpful suggestions of things you can do to give you more discount opportunities.