Practicing an Ounce of Prevention
If the answer to that question is “no one” — or at least, not regularly — it’s imperative that the owner do one of the following (at least if their home happens to be located in Minnesota and it’s winter):
–Winterize the home (shut off the water and drain the pipes);
–Subscribe to a remote monitoring service (Comcast reportedly sells one locally; I’m sure there are others); or
–Arrange for a house manager to stay in the home (some companies combine that service with home staging).
Insured? Maybe Not
That’s because the single worst thing that can happen to a home in Minnesota in the winter (short of a fire that burns the home down) is for the heat to go out.
When that happens and temps are below zero, the next thing that happens, quickly, is for the pipes to freeze and then burst, causing tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands in damage.
Adding insult financial pain to injury: many home insurance companies will reject the home owner’s subsequent claim, because they failed to get a “vacant home” policy rider.
