So another glorious summer is over, and what do we have to look forward to now? Just imagine it: 10-degree temperatures, icy slush to drive on, and cold, drafty breezes inside our homes. If that excites you, you’re living in the right area, and you’re in the right month. If the whole idea sends a chill down your spine, you’re in good company.
While most of us can’t do anything about the icy slush or the outside temps, we do have a good deal of control over how warm our homes can feel. The following list of tips provides some ideas on getting your home winter ready. Surprisingly, a few dollars spent upfront not only saves money all winter but makes us warmer as well. It’s kind of like having your warmth and your wallet, too.
Roofs
Most of us would prefer to ignore our roof and hope it keeps taking care of us. Shingles can look OK from the ground but can be cracked, curled, and wind damaged when you get a closer look. And when there is a problem, you can’t fix it in the winter. That foot of snow that will be on your roof in January? Well, that will pretty much prevent any attempts at stopping the mold momentum that will be growing with each passing January hour.
If you can safely inspect your roof yourself, please feel free. If not, hire a home inspector or roofer that you trust. This is one of those items that meet the $10/$10,000 rule: a few dollars spent now can save you a bundle later this winter.
Rain Gutters
Many of us are quite unaware that rain gutters perform a vital purpose. Their job is to capture all that water from the roof and run it well away from the structure — especially the window wells. If your gutters are full of leaves, pine needles, kite string, and tennis balls, then water that doesn’t drain stays right there and freezes leaves you with a problem: an 800 lb. ice cube tray lurking over your head. And it’s just waiting for that perfect moment to fall.
Even worse: when your gutters don’t drain, you get water that drains where it shouldn’t. Now you have water into your window wells and mold in your manor. As a bonus, wet basements are an awesome way to introduce termites into your living space. To prevent all of the above, make sure your gutters are clean, drain toward the down spout, and drain tube at the end of the spout to run water well away from the foundation.
Seals
Nobody loves that waft of cold air flowing through your home in the middle of winter. Where does it come from? The usual suspects are the doors and windows, but it can come through electrical plugs and other openings on the exterior. There are solutions for all of the above, but the easiest and cheapest fix will be the weather stripping and door sweeps at your front and back doors. If you close your door and see daylight around the edges, then you have work to do. Don’t wait until you’re doing this project with the door open in 10-degree weather.
Hose Bibs
Ah, the lowly hose bib. Home inspectors will routinely see where homeowners leave a hose bib attached to something. One thing is pretty much certain: If you leave your hose on the hose bib all winter, you’ll have frozen pipes in the winter and broken pipes in the spring. When that valve is turned next March, you’ll find you’re the proud new owner of a swimming pool in your basement. The rot, mold, and termites will be soon to follow.
To avoid this, get all attachments off your hose bibs — now. Make sure that your hose bib is securely attached to the structure so you can’t pull the hose out of the house. It only takes two screws to do this right, but the absence of those two screws can mean the $10,000 fix is heading your way.
Heating and Cooling Systems
To be able to take care of you safely, your furnace needs to see some love. Get a good filter, and then make sure it goes where it actually filters the incoming air to your furnace. Take a look at where the air comes in and make sure your filter won’t lean, fall, or lift improperly when the air flow happens. Next, take a look at your furnace. If it looks like the place where all the dust on earth comes to die, you might have a problem. Get your furnace serviced regularly.
If you have a swamp cooler, you have some tasks to do. First, start saving — central air is better in 1,000 ways. Until then, make sure that the pan is drained, the supply line is drained, the supply valve is off, and the supply line is disconnected. Next, please make sure the unit is protected against drafting cold air into your home, the power is off, and for good measure, take out the motor and bring it in. Or roll the whole thing off the roof.
Avoiding Slips, Trips, and Falls in the Winter
Arvada Insurance, Blog, Denver Metro InsuranceSlips and falls are some of the most expensive claims homeowners insurance companies have to deal with. Avoiding these types of claims can also have a dramatic effect on decreasing your premiums. During icy and snowy conditions, the incidence of injuries due to slips and falls increases. Below are several suggestions which, if followed, can reduce the number of slips and falls or reduce injury if a fall occurs. Please read them carefully.
TO AVOID SLIPS:
1) Concentrate on the path ahead — take your time and proceed slowly.
2) Where possible, avoid slippery surfaces — take a route around obvious slippery hazards, such as wet leaves, icy areas, and snowbanks.
3) Wear appropriate footwear — wear shoes or boots with rough (waffled, ridged, or heavily textured) soles to work and change into dress shoes if you must wear them. The inconvenience of changing shoes is insignificant compared to the inconvenience due to a serious fall-related injury.
4) Use handrails wherever they are provided — a secure handhold can prevent a fall if you should slip.
5) Check those entrance halls and stairs are clear of snow and slush — tracked in snow, and slush often causes slips and falls.
6) Beware of changes in walking surfaces — many falls are caused when someone doesn’t realize he/she is leaving a secure area for a slippery one.
7) Clean your shoes when you go inside — caked snow and ice on shoe soles can be treacherous.
IF YOU SLIP:
1) Try to /roll with the fall/ if you begin to fall forward.
2) Sit down if you begin to fall backward — when a falling person relaxes, an injury is less severe than when he/she tenses. Fighting a fall on ice can cause twisting or bending injuries, which may worsen the bump the fall would have produced.
Christmas Tree Safety
Arvada Insurance, Blog, Denver Metro InsuranceChristmas tree safety tips
Placing the tree
Lighting the tree
After Christmas
Holiday Shopping and Identity Theft
Arvada Insurance, Blog, Denver Metro InsuranceThe holidays are just around the corner, and it’s time to start thinking about what gifts to buy your loved ones. The holiday shopping season is a fun-filled time, but it presents risks since there are so many transactions taking place and more opportunities for identity theft to occur.
Did you know that according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, an estimated 17.6 million persons, or about 7 percent of U.S. residents age 16 or older, are victims of at least one incident of identity theft every year?
The most common type of identity theft is the unauthorized misuse or attempted misuse of an existing account—experienced by 16.4 million persons. Most identity theft victims discovered the incident when a financial institution contacted them about suspicious activity (45 percent) or when they noticed fraudulent charges on an account (18 percent).
Two-thirds of identity theft victims reported a direct financial loss. And of those that experienced losses, approximately 14 percent lost $1,000 or more. With that information in mind, we have put together a list of 10 tips to avoid identity theft during this busy shopping season.
Be Wary of Contests
Many online contests promising large prizes could be scams, such as sources of computer viruses that will try to hijack your information.
Change Your Passwords
Have you had the same password for the last five years? It’s time to change it up. Create a long and complicated password and doesn’t reference any of your personal information like your birthday. Stay away from using coherent phrases by breaking up words with exclamation points and other symbols, and of course, don’t use the typical “password” or “1111.” It’s also crucial that you use a different password for each account. If you need help with this, try using a password vault instead of trying to memorize them all yourself.
Check Websites
Make sure that the websites you’re using are secure. To lessen your chances of becoming a victim of credit card theft, only enter your credit card information on sites with URLs beginning with “HTTPS.” The “S” in the address stands for “secure” and lets you know that your connection to the site is less likely to be overseen by hackers. This is especially important whenever you enter sensitive information, such as credit card or Social Security numbers.
Check Your Credit Score
As the end of the year approaches, take a look at your credit report to check for inaccuracies as well as monitor your credit score. Every person can receive one free report from each of the three credit bureaus.
Cover Up
Shield your credit card and PIN from view when making transactions so that thieves can’t steal your numbers by looking over your shoulder.
Don’t Trust Public WiFi.
It’s tempting to do your online shopping at Starbucks, but you shouldn’t trust public WiFi networks to protect your identity.
Email with Care
Don’t submit personal information via email, even if it’s for a reputable organization.
Only Use One Credit Card
Shopping online is a very efficient way to get every item on your list checked off, but consider ways to practice internet safety. For instance, designate one credit card for online shopping purposes instead of using multiple ones across different sites.
Take it with You
Identity theft doesn’t only happen over the internet. The police also advise against leaving items in the car as you go shopping. If someone breaks into your vehicle, they could steal something that reveals your identity and puts your information at risk.
Laundry Room Safety
Arvada Insurance, Blog, Denver Metro InsuranceAre you aware of the risks lurking in your laundry room? According to the U.S. Fire Administration, an estimated 2,900 clothes dryer fires are reported each year. And in 2013, more than 10,000 children were exposed to dangerous detergent, reports the American Association of Poison Control Centers.
Clean, check and store to maintain a safe laundry room.
What to Clean
What To Check
What to Store
5 Ways to Winterize Your Home
Arvada Insurance, Blog, Denver Metro InsuranceSo another glorious summer is over, and what do we have to look forward to now? Just imagine it: 10-degree temperatures, icy slush to drive on, and cold, drafty breezes inside our homes. If that excites you, you’re living in the right area, and you’re in the right month. If the whole idea sends a chill down your spine, you’re in good company.
While most of us can’t do anything about the icy slush or the outside temps, we do have a good deal of control over how warm our homes can feel. The following list of tips provides some ideas on getting your home winter ready. Surprisingly, a few dollars spent upfront not only saves money all winter but makes us warmer as well. It’s kind of like having your warmth and your wallet, too.
Roofs
Most of us would prefer to ignore our roof and hope it keeps taking care of us. Shingles can look OK from the ground but can be cracked, curled, and wind damaged when you get a closer look. And when there is a problem, you can’t fix it in the winter. That foot of snow that will be on your roof in January? Well, that will pretty much prevent any attempts at stopping the mold momentum that will be growing with each passing January hour.
If you can safely inspect your roof yourself, please feel free. If not, hire a home inspector or roofer that you trust. This is one of those items that meet the $10/$10,000 rule: a few dollars spent now can save you a bundle later this winter.
Rain Gutters
Many of us are quite unaware that rain gutters perform a vital purpose. Their job is to capture all that water from the roof and run it well away from the structure — especially the window wells. If your gutters are full of leaves, pine needles, kite string, and tennis balls, then water that doesn’t drain stays right there and freezes leaves you with a problem: an 800 lb. ice cube tray lurking over your head. And it’s just waiting for that perfect moment to fall.
Even worse: when your gutters don’t drain, you get water that drains where it shouldn’t. Now you have water into your window wells and mold in your manor. As a bonus, wet basements are an awesome way to introduce termites into your living space. To prevent all of the above, make sure your gutters are clean, drain toward the down spout, and drain tube at the end of the spout to run water well away from the foundation.
Seals
Nobody loves that waft of cold air flowing through your home in the middle of winter. Where does it come from? The usual suspects are the doors and windows, but it can come through electrical plugs and other openings on the exterior. There are solutions for all of the above, but the easiest and cheapest fix will be the weather stripping and door sweeps at your front and back doors. If you close your door and see daylight around the edges, then you have work to do. Don’t wait until you’re doing this project with the door open in 10-degree weather.
Hose Bibs
Ah, the lowly hose bib. Home inspectors will routinely see where homeowners leave a hose bib attached to something. One thing is pretty much certain: If you leave your hose on the hose bib all winter, you’ll have frozen pipes in the winter and broken pipes in the spring. When that valve is turned next March, you’ll find you’re the proud new owner of a swimming pool in your basement. The rot, mold, and termites will be soon to follow.
To avoid this, get all attachments off your hose bibs — now. Make sure that your hose bib is securely attached to the structure so you can’t pull the hose out of the house. It only takes two screws to do this right, but the absence of those two screws can mean the $10,000 fix is heading your way.
Heating and Cooling Systems
To be able to take care of you safely, your furnace needs to see some love. Get a good filter, and then make sure it goes where it actually filters the incoming air to your furnace. Take a look at where the air comes in and make sure your filter won’t lean, fall, or lift improperly when the air flow happens. Next, take a look at your furnace. If it looks like the place where all the dust on earth comes to die, you might have a problem. Get your furnace serviced regularly.
If you have a swamp cooler, you have some tasks to do. First, start saving — central air is better in 1,000 ways. Until then, make sure that the pan is drained, the supply line is drained, the supply valve is off, and the supply line is disconnected. Next, please make sure the unit is protected against drafting cold air into your home, the power is off, and for good measure, take out the motor and bring it in. Or roll the whole thing off the roof.
Winter Weather Checklist
Arvada Insurance, Blog, Denver Metro InsuranceAs we continue to experience freezing weather all across the country, it’s important to ensure your home is prepared for the plummeting temperatures.
A frozen pipe or collapsed roof will not only cost thousands of dollars in repairs to either you or your insurance company, but it will almost certainly displace you and your family from your home until the work is complete.
Below you will find a few tips on preventing potential damage to your property from freezing weather.
If you would like to know how your homeowners insurance policy would respond to the scenarios below, please feel free to give our office a call.
WINTER WEATHER MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST
A two-step approach is the most effective way to reduce the size of ice dams. First, keep the attic floor well insulated to minimize the amount of heat from within the house that rises into the attic. Second, keep the attic well ventilated so that the cold air outside can circulate through it and reduce the roof system’s temperature. The colder the attic, the less thawing and refreezing on the roof.
Step One: Insulating the attic. The attic floor should be airtight, have sufficient insulation, and keep the transfer of heat from the downstairs to the attic at a minimum. Even a well-insulated attic floor may have several openings that can permit warm air from below to seep up into the attic. For instance, these items may cut through the attic floor:
Seal all openings around these penetrations, but be careful not to block attic vents with insulation. Additionally, pull-down stairs or a set of regular stairs leading up to the attic from the lower level can be avenues for rising heat. Weatherstripping around the edges of the attic access door and insulation on the door’s attic side should minimize the passage of heat to the attic.
Step Two: Ventilating the attic. There are several ways to ventilate your attic. To the extent that household heat penetrates the attic, it should be able to rise and escape through, for instance, a ridge vent, while soffit or eave vents pull in cold air to replace it. Proper ventilation of the attic to let cold in, together with air sealing and insulation on the attic floor to help keep household heat out of the attic, work to minimize the likelihood of ice dams.
Furnace Safety
Arvada Insurance, Blog, Denver Metro InsuranceToday’s furnaces do an amazing job at simultaneously keeping our homes safe and warm. But just like any fuel-burning appliance, your furnace can develop problems that can lead to safety hazards in your home. To keep your home protected all season long, today, we’re providing you with six furnace safety tips to keep in mind this winter!
6 furnace safety tips to keep in mind this winter
Preventing Residential Break-ins
Arvada Insurance, Blog, Denver Metro InsuranceIf you ever wondered what the chances are that an intruder will find his way into your home, you’ll want to read on. According to the FBI, the United States leads the world in burglary occurrences with over 2.2 million instances each year.\
In fact, 23.8 percent of property claims involve burglary, causing an estimated $4.6 billion in lost property. Plus, with only 13 percent of burglaries cleared by police, the likelihood of retrieving your stolen items is fairly small.
This brings up two important questions:
Below is a breakdown of where and how burglaries occur, along with some additional information on protecting your residence from potential break-ins.
If you have additional questions on how your homeowners insurance responds to burglary, please feel free to give our office a call.
Where do burglaries occur?
Of all burglaries, 60.5 percent involved a forcible entry, with another 33.2 percent as unlawful entries (without force). The majority of break-ins occur in the following locations:
What can I do to help prevent it?
Protect the House:
Don’t Tempt a Thief:
Locks…Get the Best:
Targeting the Outside:
Windows:
Alarms:
If Your Home Is Broken Into:
Other precautions you should take:
What is Comprehensive Coverage?
Arvada Insurance, Blog, Denver Metro InsuranceComprehensive Coverage: A Definition
Simply put, comprehensive coverage protects you against damages to your car that are the result of covered perils not related to a collision. Think of a scenario that could cause damage to your car that has nothing to do with striking another vehicle. In many cases, this can include:
As with all insurance policies, you should check with your insurance agent to make sure what perils are included under the comprehensive coverage of your auto insurance policy.
Why Buy Comprehensive Coverage?
What is Rental Reimbursement Coverage?
Arvada Insurance, Blog, Denver Metro InsuranceRental reimbursement (or rental car coverage) is optional car insurance coverage that helps pay for the cost of a rental car. At the same time, your vehicle is being repaired after a car accident or after suffering damages that are covered through your car insurance policy.
This coverage is not required as part of your car insurance policy. Still, it is beneficial if you do not have a secondary vehicle and need to travel to work or school while your car is undergoing auto repair.
About Rental Reimbursement Coverage
Rental car reimbursement coverage typically helps pay for rental car costs when your car’s damages are covered by your comprehensive and collision coverages. For example, you may need to rent a car if your own car has been damaged:
When using rental reimbursement coverage, there are usually 2 different options:
There is often a per-day and per-accident limit for rental reimbursement coverage.
For example, your rental reimbursement coverage may have a limit of $25 per day or $750 per accident. This means that your insurance policy will only pay $25 per day for a rental vehicle, and that coverage will stop once you’ve hit the $750 limit.
You are generally allowed to rent a similar vehicle that is being repaired when you’re using rental reimbursement coverage. However, if you’re expecting the repairs to be time-consuming, you may want to choose a lower-cost vehicle to ensure that your rental reimbursement coverage does not run out before your vehicle has been repaired.
The cost for rental reimbursement coverage will vary according to your auto insurance company and the level of protection you select. The coverage is usually fairly inexpensive.
Rental Reimbursement Policy Exclusions
If you consider purchasing rental reimbursement coverage, keep in mind that this protection only covers rentals needed. At the same time, your car is being repaired for damages covered under your car insurance policy.
It will not offer reimbursement for rentals needed while your regular vehicle is in the shop for normal maintenance or repairs, and it will not cover rentals for recreational purposes.
Insurance for Rental Vehicles
Many car rental businesses will ask if you want to purchase additional coverage to insure the rented vehicle in the event of an auto accident. Your rental reimbursement insurance coverage does not cover this added cost.
Fortunately, if your car insurance policy includes collision and comprehensive coverage on your regular vehicle, this protection typically transfers to the rental car you are driving while your vehicle is being repaired.