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“You Mean The Jewelry Wasn’t Protected”
If you have valuables such as
jewelry, silverware, cameras, furs or fine arts in your home, your homeowners policy many not provide
adequate coverage against fire, theft and other hazards. Under the basic HO-3 policy,
these items must be schedule in order to provide adequate
coverage. Adding a personal property floater to your policy
will give you the extra coverage not afforded by the
standard homeowners policy.
“Protecting Your Home From Ice Dams”
Insulating the attic floor
helps, because it keeps heat in the house and away from the roof. The attic temperature should be 30F or
lower whenever the outside temperature is 22F or lower. Be certain to insulate
around openings for exhaust pipes, vents, chimneys and light
fixtures. Also be sure to install weather stripping around
the attic’s access door and attach insulation to the attic
side of the door.
Ventilating the attic reduces the temperature of the
roof system, so there is less thawing and refreezing on the roof. The attic can be
ventilated with eave, soffit, ridge or gable vents, or a
combination of different vents. In addition, when the edge
of the roof has a low slope, a double layer of saturated
felt should be glued in place overhanging the metal drip
edge. On a normal slope of 4 inches or more per foot, a
flashing strip should be applied.
There are other ways to prevent ice dams from
forming, but none as effective as proper insulation and
ventilation. Electric heating cables can be installed to
melt the ice as it forms, but they are expensive,
unattractive and do not always work properly. A snow rake
can be used to clear snow three to four feet back from the
edge of the roof, but snow rakes can damage the roofing
materials. Some homeowners think not having gutters will
prevent ice dams, but that is not the case.
Ice dams
are a common problem, but they should not be, since they are
so easy to prevent. Owning a home that is properly insulated
and ventilated will not only prevent ice dams it will also
reduce heating bills.
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