Armour Insurance Blog | house insurance tips

6 No Cost Ways You Can Save Energy At Home

Sep 30, 2014 11:23:00 AM

Life in Canada has its perks, but energy bills certainly isn't one of them. Every year Canadian residents pay through their teeth just to keep their homes warm, but high energy bills seem to just come with the territory when you live this far North. What if there was a way to reduce some of those costs without sacrificing comfort? These 6 simple tips can, over time, help to reduce your winter and year round energy costs.

Topics: house insurance tips, Homeowners Insurance, Homeowners, Home Insurance Blog, home maintenance

Intact Insurance Continues to Evolve

Posted by Rob Stevenson

Feb 27, 2014 3:48:00 PM

Saying that it's been a tough couple of years for property owners in our province is a bit of an understatement at this point. In fact, Alberta receives the largest distribution of catastrophes in Canada - 62% of Canada's monetary property losses happened in Alberta in 2012.

Topics: home insurance, Insurance Claims, Home Insurance Tips, home insurance, Homeowners, Homeowners Insurance, home insurance, home, house insurance tips, Home Insurance Tips, Homeowners Insurance, Home Insurance Blog, Economical Insurance, intact insurance

Economical Insurance Announces Changes to Alberta Property Insurance Policies

Posted by Rob Stevenson

Feb 12, 2014 10:52:00 AM

Economical Insurance announced some changes to their property insurance policies last week that may seem minor when compared to the reactions to Alberta's severe weather claims that we've seen from other insurance companies. But, while these changes aren't laden with over the top rate increases, they are important for Economical policy holders to review.

Edmonton Offers Free Flood Prevention Home Check-Up

Posted by Rob Stevenson

Feb 5, 2014 2:32:00 PM

Did you know that the city of Edmonton will send qualified personnel out to your house to spend an hour with you reviewing possible measures you can take to help avoid flooding in your house? They do and it's free of charge. While they're there, you can ask them what to do to make sure that you qualify for their backwater valve subsidy program as well.

Topics: home insurance, Home Insurance Tips, Water damage, Basement Flooding, Homeowners, Basement Flooding, home maintenance, house insurance tips, Home Insurance Tips, Homeowners Insurance, flood insurance, flooding, Home Insurance Blog, flood

Is Your Home Covered While You're Renovating?

Posted by Rob Stevenson

Jan 7, 2014 8:47:00 AM

home insurance during renovations

Topics: Insurance Claim, home insurance, Sewer Back up, Insurance Claims, insurance edmonton, house insurance tips, Homeowners Insurance, Home Insurance Blog

Picking the Right Security System

Posted by Rob Stevenson

Dec 9, 2013 9:34:00 AM

Choosing a home security system can be a daunting task. It’s a purchase many make only once or twice in a lifetime, so it’s not uncommon for you to be unfamiliar with the process. You know you want to protect your family and home but just exactly what you need to do that might be a mystery. Don’t let the unknown scare you, here are some quick tips to help you get the right security system for your home.

Picking the Right Company

Topics: home insurance, Home Insurance Tips, Homeowners, house insurance tips, Home Insurance Tips, Homeowners Insurance, Home Insurance Blog, security

6 Things You Can Do To Prevent Ice Dams on Your Roof

Posted by Rob Stevenson

Dec 2, 2013 9:10:00 AM

Ice dams are typically caused by uneven heat loss from your home in wintry conditions such as snow, heat melting the snow, and cold temperatures re-freezing melted snow. The heat is typically caused by inadequate attic insulation or from warm air seeping into the attic from living spaces below. This causes the roof to warm above freezing temperature, which allows snow to melt and then re-freeze before it reaches the roof’s edge. If this cycle repeats over and over, an ice dam forms and water collects behind it. As the water pools, it backs up under your roofing material and can cause expensive water damage.

Here are our top 6 things you can do to prevent Ice Dams from forming on your roof this spring!

Keep the attic well ventilated. One-third square metre of free ventilation opening is recommended for every 45 square metres of attic space.
Seal air leaks to prevent warm air leakage from plumbing vents, junction boxes from ceiling fixtures and attic hatches.
Keep the attic floor well insulated (between 40 and 56 centimetres of insulation) to minimize the amount of heat rising into the attic from below.
Clean leaves and other debris from gutters before the first snow. This will help prevent ice buildup in your gutters. Also consider using an ice shield under your shingles when your house is getting re-roofed.
Use a roof rake to clear the snow above the gutter. Clear about one metre above the gutter to allow water to drain freely into the gutter.
Consider hiring an energy specialist to evaluate the performance of your home, and recommend some things you can do to minimize energy waste.