Protecting your home

Frozen Pipes

They don’t actually fly, nor are they birds. Yet, “snowbirds” are on the move at this time of year and in greater numbers than ever before. Starting in 2001, over 4.2 million baby boomers each year started reaching the prime age for second home ownership. Whether this is a cabin in the woods, a luxurious lake home or a condominium in Florida, having a second home means one of the homes will always be unoccupied. And an unoccupied home is a home that can fall victim to the dangers of bad weather, burst water pipes, power outages and theft.

Damage from frozen water pipes alone has caused more than $4 billion in damages in the past decade according to the Insurance Institute for Property Loss Reduction. A large majority of these homes and cabins are second homes, where the owner leaves it unoccupied for weeks or months at a time. Damages from frozen, burst pipes have propelled the problem into the top ten of insurance claims. With second home ownership growing at a rate of 9.3% each year, home owners and insurance companies are looking at ways to reduce claims related to frozen pipes, power outages and theft.

Control Products, Inc. of Chanhassen, Minnesota has developed the FreezeAlarm™ and miniAlarm™, a line of temperature monitoring and security products that automatically call up to three phone numbers when there is an emergency. All of the products require no installation, no monthly fees and are extremely affordable. Best of all, they provide peace of mind to a growing group of second home owners.

The FreezeAlarm™ monitors the temperature and power status in an unoccupied home and calls out to warn the owner, neighbor or a relative of a low temperature alarm, a prolonged power outage or even if the back-up battery needs replacing. There is even a model that allows cabin owners the ability to turn up the heat before heading up for a winter weekend of fun. Worry warts can call their second home and check the current temperature or power status from any phone in the world. This type of peace of mind is affordable, starting at $110.00.

Control Product’s line of miniAlarms™ are compact, affordable security systems that can install in minutes and require no monthly fees. “Home security doesn’t need to be complex or expensive” says Chuck Guerin, Product Manager for Control Products. “The miniAlarm products are designed as simple, “no installation required” products for the unoccupied home.”

As more baby boomers become second home owners, their needs for products like the FreezeAlarm™ and miniAlarm™ will increase dramatically. Homeowners gain peace of mind with these types of products and insurance companies reduce claims.

For more information about the FreezeAlarm™ and miniAlarm™, contact Control Products at 800-880-6000 or visit them on-line at www.ProtectedHome.com. FreezeAlarms™ are available at our web site as well as your local heating contractor, Midwest Home Depot stores, Menards and Ace Hardware Stores.

Since 1985, Control Products has been designing and manufacturing innovative electronic products for both residential and commercial use. To learn more about Control Products, call us or visit our corporate web site at www.ControlProductsInc.com.

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