Parade of Homes

Not your cookie cutter builder! www.signaturehomes.ca or call 204-453-7014 Tourond Creek 15 Willow Lane Highland Pointe 30 Thrush Street Prairie Pointe 30 Firestone Drive Meadowlands 116 Cowley Street 80 Cornerstone Heights homessig Signature Homes Ltd. Where YOUR vision takes root. 52 PARADE of HOMES SPRING 2024 Home Protection cont. Turn it off One big risk you don't want to deal with at any time of year is a water leak or flood in your home. Turning off your water heater as well as shutting off your water at the meter should be one of the first things on your check- list, says Tara Smith, general manager at Mr. Furnace / Furnasman New Homes. "If there's anything that leaks, if you have a toilet that runs or a tap that drips, or if your water heater leaks or breaks down, it won't be be constantly running this water in your home while you're away," explains Smith, who's also the chair of the Heating, Refrigeration, Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI). "You also want to make sure your sump pump is running well. Some people also have a sump pump alarm, which can be Wi-Fi connected so if your sump pump stops working or the water level gets too high, it will send an alarm right to your phone. " Get connected Having a "smart home" setup isn't just handy for when you're at home but can be your eyes and ears when you're away too. In addition to a Wi-Fi-enabled sump pump, you can also install a water heater alarm for leaks, get a smart video doorbell, set up systems to alert you if smoke or a carbon monoxide leak are detected and install a Wi-Fi-enabled thermostat. "There's a lot of great technology available," Klimek says. "As long as your phone still works, you can check on your house while you're away to see that everything is OK inside and outside." The Wi-Fi thermostat can also help you save energy and money because you can use it to turn down the heat but still have the option to turn it back up if it gets too cold outside — or use energy to cool your home in summer only when it's needed, like on the day you'll be returning from a summer vacation, says Smith. " Turning off your water heater as well as shutting off your water at the meter should be one of the first things on your checklist." – TARA SMITH, GENERAL MANAGER , MR. FURNACE / FURNASMAN NEW HOMES

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