Preparing your home for cooler weather means checking your heating system, preventing frozen pipes, winterizing outdoor plumbing, and reviewing coverage that may not be included in your homeowners policy. Fall is also a good time to consider alarms and water shut-off technology that can help catch problems while you’re away.
You don’t need to tackle everything in one weekend. Start with the items that apply to your property, schedule the professionals you need, and check your insurance before an issue comes up.
1. Heat with oil? Check your oil spill coverage
A heating oil leak can affect more than the floor beneath your tank. Oil can contaminate soil, reach groundwater, or spread to neighboring property, creating cleanup costs and potential liability.
Standard homeowners insurance typically does not automatically include comprehensive protection for heating oil spills. Many insurers offer optional coverage through an endorsement—sometimes called a coverage “buyback”—subject to eligibility requirements.
There are two important parts to review:
- Property coverage: Helps pay eligible costs to assess and clean up contamination on your property and address covered property damage.
- Liability coverage: Helps address covered claims and defense costs when a spill affects others, such as a neighboring property owner.
Having one type of protection does not mean you have both. Ask about the limits, deductible, exclusions, and any inspection or documentation requirements.
If you use oil to heat a business, have its commercial coverage reviewed separately. A homeowners endorsement does not address a business’s insurance needs.
Read our guide to heating oil spill coverage for a closer look at the available protection.
2. Prepare for a heating failure or power outage
Frozen pipes can become a problem before anyone realizes the heat has stopped working. A low-temperature alarm can alert you to falling indoor temperatures so you or a trusted local contact can respond.
A properly sized and installed standby generator can help keep heat and other essential equipment running during an outage. Confirm with your installer which systems it will power, and keep up with its maintenance schedule.
These tools are especially useful for second homes and properties left unattended during travel. Make sure someone can act on an alert if you are away.
Explore smart home protection tools that can help prevent costly damage.
Portable generator safety: Operate a portable generator outdoors, at least 20 feet from doors, windows, and vents. Never run it inside a home or garage. The CDC’s generator safety guidance explains this essential carbon monoxide precaution.
3. Consider water leak detection with automatic shut-off
A water sensor can tell you something is leaking. A system with automatic shut-off can also stop the incoming water supply to help limit damage.
Examples to discuss with your plumber and insurance agent include Moen Flo, Phyn Plus, and EcoNet Bulldog systems. Models work differently: some monitor plumbing activity, while others use separate leak sensors to trigger a valve controller. Choose a configuration that provides the detection and automatic shut-off functions you need.
Cincinnati Insurance’s guide to water shut-off devices explains the difference between whole-house systems and devices that protect a single appliance or fixture. Union Mutual’s EcoNet Bulldog overview describes a sensor-based option and its policyholder purchasing program.
Two ways you may save: your insurance premium and the device purchase
A policy premium discount reduces eligible insurance charges. A device discount reduces the purchase price of the equipment. Ask about both, since qualifying for one does not automatically mean you qualify for the other.
Policy premium discounts
| Insurance company | Potential benefit |
|---|---|
| Andover | A water-leak detection system may qualify for a credit, with a larger credit available for systems that include a whole-house shut-off valve. Ask Risman Insurance Agencies to confirm the current Massachusetts percentage for your policy. |
| Arbella (Massachusetts) | Arbella’s winter 2026 information lists a 5% advanced smart device credit for qualifying homeowners with a water-leak detection system and automatic shut-off. |
| Union Mutual | Qualifying homeowners may receive credits for an active smart water shut-off device. Its EcoNet guide does not state a fixed credit percentage. |
These examples are described in Andover’s homeowners discount guide, Arbella’s winter 2026 update, and Union Mutual’s EcoNet guide. Eligibility and the portion of premium receiving a credit depend on the applicable program and policy.
Discounts on the device itself
- Cincinnati: Offers policyholders preferred vendor pricing on water shut-off devices. Ask Risman Insurance Agencies for current offers and purchasing instructions, including which products qualify and whether installation or accessories cost extra. See Cincinnati’s water protection information.
- Union Mutual: Offers exclusive discounted pricing on qualifying EcoNet Controls Bulldog devices for policyholders. Contact your Risman Insurance Agencies team to access the program; Union Mutual’s public overview does not specify a discount amount. Learn about the Union Mutual and EcoNet partnership.
Before buying, ask Risman Insurance Agencies to check your insurer’s requirements and current offers. A standalone sensor may not qualify for the same credit as a whole-home automatic shut-off system. Confirm the required model, installation, activation, and documentation so your purchase meets the program’s rules. Offers and eligibility can change.
4. Review alarms, cameras, and your travel routine
Fall often brings more deliveries and more time away for holiday visits. A few practical steps can help you keep track of your property:
- Turn on package notifications and arrange prompt collection.
- Use a secure pickup location or signature requirement for valuable deliveries.
- Check that cameras, exterior lighting, and alarm notifications work.
- Arrange for someone you trust to collect mail and check the property while you travel.
- Share vacation photos after you return.
Centrally monitored fire and burglar alarms can notify a monitoring service when an alarm activates. A camera or self-monitored device may work differently, so understand who receives the alert and who will respond.
Tell your Risman Insurance Agencies team about newly installed protective devices. Depending on your insurer, qualifying alarms may be eligible for a discount; cameras alone may not meet its requirements. Travelers’ protective-device discount information illustrates why the type of protection matters.
5. Schedule chimney and woodstove maintenance
Before lighting the first fire of the season, have your chimney, fireplace, or woodstove professionally inspected and cleaned as needed. Annual inspections help identify buildup, blockages, and damage that may make a system unsafe to use. Massachusetts provides additional fireplace, woodstove, and chimney safety guidance.
Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, keep combustible items away from heating equipment, and follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions. Place ashes in a covered metal container outdoors, away from buildings and anything that can burn.
For outdoor fire pits, check local fire department rules and current restrictions before use. Keep fires away from structures and dry vegetation, avoid windy conditions, keep an extinguishing method nearby, and fully extinguish the fire before leaving it. Never leave a fire unattended.
6. Winterize outdoor faucets and lawn sprinklers
Water left inside irrigation lines can freeze and damage pipes, valves, and sprinkler components. Schedule winterization before freezing weather arrives.
An irrigation professional can determine the appropriate method for your system, including a blowout where needed. Compressed air can cause injury or damage if used incorrectly, so this is a good task to leave to someone with the right equipment and experience. Rain Bird’s winterization guidance explains the considerations.
Disconnect garden hoses and have outdoor faucets properly drained or winterized for their design. This advice applies to lawn irrigation—not fire sprinkler systems, which require separate professional care.
Put a coverage check on your fall to-do list
Seasonal maintenance helps reduce the chance of damage. Reviewing your insurance helps you understand what protection is available if something does go wrong.
Risman Insurance Agencies can help you review heating oil spill coverage, check eligibility for protective-device discounts, and discuss insurance for your home or business.
Already a client? Contact your Risman Insurance Agencies team with questions about your policy or a device you’ve installed. Looking for coverage? Request a quote today and let us know about your property, heating system, and protective devices.
Coverage, exclusions, limits, deductibles, discounts, and eligibility vary by policy and insurance company. Insurance coverage cannot be added, deleted or otherwise changed until it is confirmed in writing from our office.
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