MetLife Auto & Home Offers Auto and Home Tips for Surviving Winter Weather

WARWICK, R.I.--Dec. 2, 20040, 2004--The weather outside's expected to be frightful this winter, at least for much of the country, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which reports a great likelihood of cooler-than-average temperatures in much of the East, Middle Atlantic, and South. Bitter cold can lead to serious problems for property and vehicle owners, but an ounce of prevention can help significantly reduce the chance of damage to your auto or home this winter, according to leading insurer MetLife Auto & Home.

"The best defense is preparation," said Bob Smith, chief claim officer at MetLife Auto & Home. "Experience has shown us that many winter-related claims are avoidable, which is why it's important to take precautions to ensure the safety of your property and, most importantly, your loved ones."

Among the problems are frozen pipes. A frozen pipe can burst and flood a room, or even a whole house, in minutes, destroying irreplaceable possessions and sometimes making a house unlivable. Likewise, with heavy snowfalls and ice, ice dams may form on roofs, or weak tree branches can become coated until they break and crash into the house. Fortunately, taking just a few minutes to prepare as the storm and cold approaches can avoid some uncomfortable situations.

Here are some simple tips to avoid damages from winter weather:

-- Keep sidewalks and entrances to your home free from ice and snow.

-- Keep the house heated to a minimum of 65 degrees, even when you are not home. If it were any lower, the temperature within the walls may fall low enough to allow pipes to freeze.

-- Keep cupboard doors open below sinks to allow household air to warm the pipes (remove any dangerous chemicals or cleaners if any children are in the home). In poorly insulated areas of the house, turn on hot and cold faucets enough to let them drip slowly.

-- Remove dead tree branches overhanging the house.

-- Identify the location for the main water shutoff in your home, so that you can quickly shut off the water before any more damage is done, should a pipe burst.

-- Keep gutters and downspouts clear. Conduct a quick visual inspection of the gutters and downspouts around your house.

-- If possible, keep snow off the roof with a snow rake. Ice dams can form when warm temperatures inside a home cause snow on the roof to melt and trickle to the roof's edge, where it refreezes, blocking gutters and drains. Removing the snow will help to avoid this. However, do not climb on the roof to clear the snow as serious injury may result--and be cautious of electrical wires.

-- In an emergency situation, where water is seeping into the house, the best advice is to hire a professional contractor to fix the problem right away.

Snow, ice, and extreme cold can also cause problems for the vehicles you drive, especially during snow and ice storms, when driving can become treacherous. Before the snow starts to fall, consider taking the following precautions:

-- Before winter arrives, give your vehicle a tune-up. Check the level of antifreeze and windshield wiper fluid, make sure the battery is fully charged, check your tire tread and, if necessary, put on snow tires. If you haven't changed your wiper blades in the past six months, consider purchasing a fresh set.

-- Keep emergency gear in your car--things like a flashlight, jumper cables, an ice scraper and snowbrush, windshield wiper fluid, warning devices (such as flares), and blankets for warmth.

-- If you must travel during snow or ice storms, drive slowly. Let someone know what route you're taking and when you plan to arrive, so they can take action and alert authorities if you don't get there.

-- If your car is parked outside, make sure the exhaust pipe and the area around it are free of snow before you start the car. Snow packed in or around the exhaust pipe can cause high levels of carbon monoxide build-ups inside the car. Also, never sit in a parked car with the engine running unless a window is open.

-- Even if you hate to get up in the morning, take the time to warm up the car, and always consider the road conditions. Driving over the speed limit--or even at normal speed--can be hazardous, and the extra time you gain isn't worth the risk.

-- If your car got stuck in snow, light two flares and place one at each end of the car, a safe distance away. Make sure snow has not blocked the exhaust pipe. Then stay in your vehicle and open a window slightly to let in fresh air. Wrap yourself in blankets and run your vehicle's heater for a few minutes every hour to keep warm.

To help property owners ride out the winter storms, MetLife Auto & Home offers two free brochures: "Protect your home against damage from freezing weather," which is co-branded by the Institute for Business and Home Safety, and "Up in Smoke!" which provides tips on fire safety at home, in the car, and outdoors. Both are available by calling 1-800-638-5433 (1-800-MET-LIFE).