Costly winter repairs to CNY homes

Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - From frozen pipes to leaky roofs, this winter has taken a toll on many Central New York homes.

Winter repairs can be very costly, but before you spend a lot of money on a plumber or roofer, it might be best to spend a few bucks on a quick repair, and then call your insurance agent.

Homeowners like Betty Paul are dealing with a collapsed garage after the heavy snowfall this month.

"My van with my lift for my power wheelchair is underneath the roof, so I'm stuck right here until the insurance company can do something," said Paul.

Betty is among thousands of Central New Yorkers dealing with property damage caused by this month's severe weather.

"When you have a situation like we have here not just in Central New York, but in the Northeast, where insurance companies are getting thousands of claims, delays might be inevitable," said Timothy Dodge, Assistant Vice President of Research with Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York, Inc.

Agents say the best advice for filing your winter claims is: - call your agent as soon as you can - take pictures of any damage in your home - only make temporary repairs before the agents survey the damage - keep all of your receipts

"Don't spend a whole lot of money on repairs, just enough to keep occupants safe," said Dodge.

For those who like to head south during the winter, make sure to leave your heat on and drain your pipes. And it's also important to note, as those snow banks melt, the threat of flooding is soon to follow.

"People who are worried about that should talk to your insurance agent today about flood insurance because when you buy it doesn't take affect until 30 days after you buy it," said Dodge.

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Costly winter repairs to CNY homes