Allstate Finds Burst Pipes, Fireplace Smoke and Wood Stove Hazards Drastically Increase in DMV Area During the Holiday Season

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Festive, joyful and togetherness are just a few words that come to mind when thinking about the holidays. However, a new national Allstate poll – released just in time for the 2016 holiday season – shows "hazardous" should be at the top of the list, too.

Allstate's fourth annual national holiday home hazards surveyⁱ also reveals first-time homeowners are often slightly ahead of their more experienced counterparts, as well as renters, when it comes to preparing their homes for potential holiday hazards. Still, each group has room for improvement, especially since more than half of adults say their home is one of their most important possessions.

When it comes to DMV area, Allstate found the following hazards have the largest spikes during the holiday seasonⁱⁱ:

1. Finds Burst Pipes From Freezing increases by 367 percent in District of Columbia
2. Smoke From Fireplace Increase increases by 337 percent in Maryland
3. Wood Or Coal Stove Caused Fire Increase 246 percent in Virginia

"With so much focus on shopping, decorating, making holiday meals and other preparations, people may overlook simple, but important safety steps to protect their homes," said Shaundra Turner Jones, corporate relations manager. "Now is a great time to make sure your home is safe and secure, so you can enjoy a hazard-free holiday with friends and loved ones."

Allstate's Top 10 Tips for Holiday Home Safety

To help make the holidays festive, joyful and safe, visit Allstate's Holiday Decorator for a fun, interactive lesson on how to avoid disasters that can come with decking out your home. Other tips to protect against potential holiday hazards include:

1. Install new batteries in and test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
2. Inspect the inside and outside of your home for leaks or other needed repairs to avoid home damage and insurance claims.
3. To prevent frozen pipes, keep your home heated above 65 degrees and open cabinet doors to expose pipes to warm air.
4. Have chimneys and furnaces inspected annually before the holidays to make sure they're safe for use.
5. Read the fine print on your holiday lights to avoid overloading outlets or power strips, and when lighting up the outside of your home, only use lights and extension cords specified for outdoor use.
6. Schedule deliveries for when someone will be home – or have packages delivered to a neighbor or friend who is home during the day.
7. Routinely lock your home and vehicle, even if you're only leaving for a short time.
8. Stop mail and newspaper deliveries during holiday travel, or have a friend or neighbor pick them up daily.
9. Avoid "checking in" to vacation locations or activities on social media.
10. Wait until you return home to post photos and/or video of your holiday trip, and ask family and friends not to tag you on vacation photos they post while you're away.

You can read more specific information about the DMV area in our online article here: https://www.allstatenewsroom.com/news/allstate-finds-burst-pipes-fireplace-smoke-wood-stove-hazards-drastically-increase-dmv-area-holiday-season/

About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, protecting approximately 16 million households from life's uncertainties through auto, home, life and other insurance offered through its Allstate, Esurance, Encompass and Answer Financial brand names. Now celebrating its 85th anniversary as an insurer, Allstate is widely known through the slogan "You're In Good Hands With Allstate^®." Allstate agencies are in virtually every local community in America. In 2015, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate, its employees and agency owners gave $36 million to support local communities.

ⁱ The 2016 Allstate Holiday Home Hazards survey was conducted by FTI Consulting from October 6-16, 2016. The survey was conducted among N=1,015 adults (home/condo owners and renters) and an oversample of N=224 first-time home or condo owners who purchased their very first home in the past year.

ⁱⁱPercentage change based on holiday season versus non-holiday season homeowners, condo and renters claim frequency for DMV area during the three-year period of Jan. 15, 2013-Jan. 15, 2016, with the holiday season from Nov. 15-Jan. 15. Only hazards that occurred at least 10 times during the three-year period, with positive and statistically significant percentage changes, were included.  

SOURCE Allstate Insurance Company