Due to increased risks during the holiday season, it’s extremely important to have Alberta House Insurance with Lanes Insurance to protect your family and the investment you’ve made in your home.
The risk of home burglaries, fires, and radon gas buildup significantly increases during the holiday season.
Alberta House Insurance Provides Protection From Home Burglaries
According to the Conference Board of Canada, Canadians experience an annual burglary rate of approximately 682 burglaries per 100,000 citizens. Burglaries increase during the holidays when some homeowners are out of town. Be on the lookout for suspicious behavior and if you plan to leave town, let trusted friends and neighbors know and ask them to keep a watchful eye on your home while you’re away.
In case your home is burglarized over the holidays, the protection your Alberta House Insurance policy that Lanes Insurance provides becomes extremely important.
Alberta House Insurance Provides Protection From Increased Fire Risk During the Holidays
During the holidays, homeowners experience a higher than normal fire risk. As we gather to celebrate, we typically sit around a crackling fire, prepare more home cooked food to enjoy with family and friends, light candles to create a relaxing mood, and hang lights on our Christmas Trees. All of these activities increase the risk of a fire in our homes.
Increased Radon Gas Levels Create Potential Dangers
Radon buildup in a home results from a combination of three factors:
- Less fresh air coming in
- An increased stack effect
- Higher concentrations of radon in the soil
During the holidays, cold (and fresh) air is kept sealed out of your home to keep it cozy and warm. This increases the risk that radon is being drawn in and trapped inside.
The stack effect moves air through a home. The warm air inside is lighter than the outside air and as it rises and escapes, it must be replaced with new air, until the pressure equilibrates. In many homes, new air is pulled in through crawlspaces, cracks in the foundation, and gaps around the plumbing and floor drains. This air is drawn from areas nearest the soil and in many new, tightly sealed homes, most of this new air comes directly from the soil.
Air drawn directly from the soil often contains higher concentrations of radon because it’s been trapped under ice and snow. Once trapped, radon collects near the surface and its concentration increases. As a result, some homes pull in large amounts of highly concentrated radon.
The radioactive decay of radon gas creates particles that become trapped in the lungs. As these particles break down, they release tiny bursts of energy, called photons, that damage lung tissue and can lead to cancer. Not everyone exposed to high concentrations of radon develops lung cancer, but the time between exposure and the onset of symptoms can be several years.
Sealing cracks and other openings accomplishes three things: it will limit the amount of radon that enters your home, reduce your energy use, and make techniques to reduce radon more effective and cost-efficient.
If testing indicates high levels of radon in your home, your Alberta House Insurance agent can help you find the best solution.
To learn more, order this guide for contractors from Health Canada: Reducing Radon Levels in Existing Homes.
How Alberta House Insurance Protects Your Home and Family During the Holidays
Throughout the winter and holiday season, it’s crucial to have Alberta House Insurance to protect your home and family from the increased risks.
Alberta House Insurance with Lanes Insurance protects you with four types of coverage:
- Home and personal property
- Personal liability
- Medical payments
- Payments for living expenses
Don’t put your family or your investment at risk!
Please contact Lanes Insurance agent to learn more.
