Cure for the common cold

Cure for the common cold

‘Most of us have something in common this time of year; yes, it's cold weather. Cold weather can be detrimental to our homes, if we are not prepared. We cannot stop the cold from visiting, but we can prepare some cures to prevent costly repairs and discomfort of this common cold.

Recently, I experienced a cold weather disaster to my rental property. When I talked to my insurance agent I was surprised to find out the extent that cold weather has on costly repairs. My agent told me that it is not unlikely to have cold weather related insurance losses mount to over a billion dollars a year.

In my case, I found out the hard way that during severe cold, your house temperature should not fall below sixty-two degrees, even when no one is home. The exterior walls of your house are commonplace to house water pipes. To keep the pipes from freezing inside the walls, you must maintain at least a temperature of sixty-two or sixty-five depending how severe the cold gets in your area. Pipes that freeze usually burst. This is not good. I know too well. It is a good idea to check for water pipes that are exposed near exterior walls in basements or crawl spaces. These pipes should be insulated; this is an inexpensive cure for a costly problem.

Roof and gutter damage are also major contributors to insurance losses and costly repairs to homeowners. Excessive snow and ice build up can tear off gutters and cause roofs to leak or even collapse. We cannot prevent all problems and catastrophic disasters. But here are some ways to help cure the “common cold" problems:

 Keep trees trimmed back at least ten feet from the roof
 Keep gutters attached properly
 Keep gutters cleaned
 Make sure that downspouts are properly attached and free of debris
 Keep attic vents clear (well vented attics will help protect your roof from damage due to “ice damming”)
 Make sure that the insulation in your attic is adequate for your climate (this will also help protect your roof from “ice damming”)

Take some time to learn what steps you can take to prevent damage to your house. Preventive maintenance is the best way to save you money on costly repairs. With house repairs, you pay now or later. I found that now saves you money over later.

"Call Your Handyman and Take A kid Ice Fishing"

Now is the time to protect your house from”The Common Cold”.

Safe Holidays are Happy Holidays

Every year we hear of household accidents taking lives around the holiday season. To keep the holiday season a happy season we need to practice safety awareness. The simple fact is this season brings an increased use of electricity, candles, fireplaces, extension cords, live trees indoors, and holiday lights both in and out doors, all of which can increase the risk of fire.
With the holidays approaching, excitement fills the air with the anticipation of lots of food, lots of new toys, and seeing the family members that you only see on special occasions. To ensure the holidays are truly a wondrous event here are some tips to keep you and your family safe:

* Test your smoke detectors
* Test your carbon monoxide detector—if you do not have one, get one- it is worth it
* Check to make sure your fire extinguisher is operable and easy to get to
* Do not leave burning candles unattended
* Dispose of fireplace ashes outside and in a metal container
* After guests have left, take all trashcans outside—in case sparks or a cigarette may have gotten in
* Use indoor extension cords indoors only
* Use only outdoor lights outside your home
* Connect no more than three strands of lights together
* When connecting outdoor light strings together, cover the connections with plastic or something to keep out moisture
* Read the warning labels on decorative lights and follow them
* Check to make sure that all light strings are in good condition
* Unplug light strings before replacing the bulbs
* Do not overload electrical outlets
* Use only UL-approved lights

Remember if you are entertaining guests that smoke, provide plenty of ashtrays, check for cigarettes left burning, and again remember to remove all waste-cans before going to bed.

If you have a live tree in your house for the holidays, here are some tips for you:

* Do not purchase a tree that already has the needles falling off
* Trim a couple of inches off the bottom of the tree just before you put it in water- this will help it absorb water
* Locate the tree away from fireplaces and heat sources
* Water the tree regularly
* Use low voltage bulbs or “twinkle” type bulbs- these types of bulbs generate less heat
* Never use candles, even on artificial trees
* If you use a metallic tree, do not use electric lights on it
* Turn off lights before going to bed

After the holiday season, when it is time to dispose of the tree, you can call your local sanitation office to see what provisions they provide for disposal, but for safety’s sake never burn it in your fireplace.

If you have that hard-to-shop-for person on your gift list, or just want to give someone you love that gift of safety, here are some gift ideas:

* Smoke detectors
* A fire extinguisher
* A carbon monoxide detector
* Flashlight and batteries
* A first aid kit

We all are aware of the danger of fire and smoke and most of us have smoke detectors, and most of us check the batteries. But what about “The silent killer” carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is generated through incomplete combustion of fuel such as natural gas, propane, heating oil, kerosene, coal, and charcoal, gasoline or wood. This incomplete combustion can occur in a variety of home appliances. The major cause of high levels of carbon monoxide in the home is faulty ventilation of funaces, hot water heaters, fireplaces, cooking stoves, grills and kerosene heaters.Faulty or improper ventilation of natural gas and fuel oil furnaces during the cold winter months accounts for most carbon monoxide poisoning cases.Carbon monoxide (CO) detectors are affordable and easy to install, and in my opinion a must for every home.

Youth groups often sell these items to raise money during the holiday season, so they are easy to find.

Remember the first step to keep your family safe begins with keeping your house safe!!!!

“The very best of holiday wishes to you and yours from all of us”

Who Needs Home Repairs?

Who Needs Home Repairs?

The answer to this question is anyone that has a home; of course this is the answer. But the other question is why? The simple answer is to save you money. Okay, how can paying for repairs save me money? The answer to that is easy. By having repairs done when needed can save you from having much more expensive repairs down the road. For example a leaking hose-bib repair normally would be under one hundred dollars, but what can happen if this repair is deferred? A moderately leaking hose-bib will let water run down beside the foundation and if remediation is not preformed in a timely fashion, serious foundation problems can occur. Foundation repairs can cost two to twenty thousand dollars, no I am not kidding. In fact most of the major foundation problems I have found could have been avoided with low cost repairs. Another example is a minor roof or flashing repair. A minor roof or flashing repair is normally between two and four hundred dollars, but the damage that a leak can cost could easily be thousands of dollars. Another example is higher utility bills from the lack of simple repairs, such as worn weather stripping, bad caulk, dripping faucets, and toilets that run when not in use.

The bottom line is keeping your home in good repair will save you money.



"Call Your Handyman and Take a Kid Fishing"