Tag: water heater

Preparing Your California Home For The Fall Season

Posted on by butlervetinsurance

The California homeowners guide to getting their home ready for the coming cold.

Can you believe September’s almost already over? If the end of this month snuck up on you the way it did us, you might find yourself scrambling to get your house ready for the coming colder seasons.

We can help! To make maintaining and preparing your home for winter easy this fall, use these handy tips.

  • Clear Your Water Heater: What’s better than a hot shower after being out in the cold air? To make sure you can enjoy that feeling this winter, drain your water heater and clear out any debris that’s collected.
  • Seal It Up: Check your doors and windows for any cracks that will let hot air out, increasing your heating bill and your home’s chill. When you find them, seal them up.
  • Clean Your Gutters: With the winter comes an increase in precipitation. Make sure your home can handle it by cleaning out your gutters and drainpipes. Double-check that all of your downspouts are still pouring down a grade away from your foundation.
  • Get Your Chimney Inspected: Don’t try to clean your chimney yourself; have a professional come out and handle the job for you. While you have him or her there, make sure the damper gets checked so you can seal out cold winter drafts.

Another crucial aspect of preparing your home for the coming season is reviewing your homeowners insurance coverage. Do you have the right policy to protect your home? To make sure you do, contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency. Our committed California team can help you get the right coverage to fully safeguard your home this fall and throughout the rest of the year.

Knowing when to change your water heater

Posted on by butlervetinsurance

One of the most frustrating feelings in the world is turning on the hot water and not getting any. Whether you’re trying to wash your hands, wash dishes or take a shower, not having hot water is a truly irritating inconvenience. Of course, the first thing you’ll think of is replacing your hot water heater and how expensive that can be. However, you may not need to replace your hot water heater and here are some ways to tell:

  • If you examine the area around and under your hot water heater and find water, you may have a cracked tank. Not only can this cause water damage which may require you to file a homeowners insurance claim, but it would be cheaper to replace your hot water heater.
  • If you see no water around the water heater but the pipe leading out of the tank is cold and the heater exterior is cold, either your heating elements have gone bad or you may have a different electrical issue (for electric hot water heaters) or you may need to have your natural gas feed checked.
  • If your hot water tank is over 30 years old, parts are quite likely unavailable to repair it. This will require upgrading to a ‘modern’ hot water heater.

Regardless of the situation, calling in someone such as a plumber that specializes in water heaters will be your best move. They’ll be able to tell you exactly what the issue is and whether or not you truly do need to replace it. Unfortunately, hot water heaters do wear out and have to be replaced.

A great homeowners insurance policy will give you the financial protection you need if pipes burst or your tank leaks and if you live in California, calling Stromsoe Insurance Agency is your best move to making sure your homeowners policy gives you the protection you need.