{"id":29921,"date":"2018-07-09T16:56:28","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T16:56:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/07\/09\/winterize-in-july-maybe-not-but-vas-rules-have-changed\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:47:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:47:55","slug":"winterize-in-july-maybe-not-but-vas-rules-have-changed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/home-hq\/2018\/07\/09\/winterize-in-july-maybe-not-but-vas-rules-have-changed\/","title":{"rendered":"Winterize in July? Maybe not, but VA\u2019s rules have changed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As thermometers melt in some portions of the U.S., now is perhaps not the most popular time to start thinking about frozen pipes, mountains of snow and other signs that winter\u2019s coming to do a number on your house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But for service members facing a late-summer or fall change of station<\/a>, or for others who may relocate later in the year, it might not be too early to consider winterizing \u2015 maybe not shutting off your outside water, or anything, but planning for how to ensure your home is taken care of if nobody\u2019s in it when the temperature starts to drop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is some midsummer news for VA loan holders<\/a> in such a situation: While past VA rules have allowed loan servicers to claim winterization costs in some states in some parts of the year, a change allows those claims to be filed year-round anywhere outside of Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.<\/p>\n\n\n\t