RICHMOND—As winter approaches, be prepared by readying your home for potential inclement weather.

Snow and ice can weigh heavily on roofs and cause extensive damage. Freezing temperatures can cause burst pipes, which can lead to water damage.

“It is important to take steps now to prevent damage to your home before the cold weather sets in,” noted Sam Rooks, vice president of underwriting and policy services for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. “It’s important to check with your insurance agent and make sure you have the coverage you need should a loss occur from cold or inclement weather.”

To prevent weather-related damage to your home from snow, ice dams and frozen pipes, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety offers tips at disastersafety.org/freezing-weather.

When planning for snow, it’s important to strengthen a roof to ensure it can handle the weight, and to remove snow as soon as it piles onto the roof.

To prevent dams—ridges of ice that form at the edge of a roof and prevent melting snow from draining off—increase the insulation above ceilings. Also, keep all drains, gutters and downspouts free of debris and vegetation that could cause water to back up.

To prevent frozen pipes, keep all entries to unheated spaces closed as much as possible. When extreme cold weather is predicted, let all faucets drip to prevent freezing water inside the pipes.

Leave cabinet doors open or use a fan to increase warm air circulation around pipes that are located adjacent to exterior walls. Insulate all pipes, and ensure all cracks, holes and other openings on exterior walls are tightly sealed with caulk or insulation to prevent cold air from penetrating.

Media: Contact Sara Owens, VFBF communications, at 804-290-1133.