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Do you have a great Halloween costume planned for this year? How about for your kids? Or your pets? Why do I ask? According to the National Retail Federation, 71.5% of Americans plan to celebrate in a spooky fashion. Even if you're not the dress-up type, that means you're probably planning to decorate your house in some way, shape or form. Overall, it's estimated we'll spend $8 billion on Halloween this year alone. With all of the money spent on this day, you'll want to preserve your investment as best you can. Especially when you consider that, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Halloween is one of the top five days for candle fires. Let's talk about candles. According to the NFPA, they are the number one cause of home fires. After you carve your pumpkin masterpiece, think twice before grabbing a tea light to place in it. Rather, place a flashlight, glow stick, or a battery-operated candle inside. When I bought my pumpkin carving kit a couple of years ago, it came with a battery-operated candle that flickers like the real thing. Keeping Halloween fire free is easy if you just take a few precautions. No one wants their fun memories tarnished by an accidental fire. If you do choose to use candles as a part of your decorations, make sure you keep a watch on them at all times. Place them on stable surfaces, far from any other decorations, especially dried out cornhusks or other highly flammable materials. Fires aren't only caused by candles, so make sure those highly-flammable decorations are also placed far from any heat sources, including light bulbs and heaters. Underwriter's Laboratory (UL) also recommends checking all power cords for loose connections, frayed or bare wires, all of which pose a fire risk. Even if your power cords are OK, UL also reminds you not to overload extension cords. If you're using special heavy duty appliances like fog machines, make sure your extension cord is rated to handle the wattage of the device. Keeping Halloween fire free is easy if you just take a few precautions. No one wants their fun memories tarnished by an accidental fire. Source: https://www.foremost.com/learning-center/keep-halloween-a-fire-free-fright-fest.asp
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Today's well-built, well-insulated homes can trap excess moisture and condensation inside, especially if you have inadequate ventilation. Obviously a dripping pipe can cause water damage inside your home. To find problems before they cause damage, here are some tips.
Recognize the signs
Source: https://www.foremost.com/learning-center/emergency-water-damage.asp Is your hard-working kitchen getting cluttered and unmanageable? If you need more storage, but every cupboard, shelf, nook and cranny is filled, it's time to take a second look at your use of space. Chances are you can reorganize and reclaim more storage than you ever thought possible.
Well-planned cabinets, drawers and shelves maximize space, save steps and eliminate frustrating searches for necessary kitchen tools and gadgets. An organized kitchen doesn't cost a lot of money, but does require a practical plan to keep items handy and easy to reach. Here are a few ideas to help make efficient use of your kitchen space and create some new storage areas as well. Clear the Clutter Your kitchen holds an awesome amount of stuff. The more stuff you collect and store in the kitchen, the more you have to manage. It makes sense to get rid of anything you don't need or want anymore. Reducing clutter is a must. If you do nothing else to organize your kitchen, do this. A well-designed, folding step stool is an indispensable tool for your reorganizing strategy. Choose one that helps you access storage space without requiring much of its own. Be sure it's sturdy and can easily hold your weight while you're stretching and reaching into upper cabinets, shelves and closets. Pick a starting point and begin at the top. Work one shelf, cupboard or drawer at a time and remove everything you find. Most items you run across will require a decision, so group your “stuff” into categories. For each item, ask yourself:
Create separate stacks for each category and stick to the plan. Remember these tips:
Look For Extra Storage To make the most of potential kitchen storage, think beyond the individual cabinets, shelves and closets to every available inch. A careful inventory of existing space can help you plan how to use it effectively. Start your planning process by searching for unused or underused spaces. Examine all surfaces, including the area above or below appliances, behind doors and unused floor space. Grab a notebook and pen and make a list of any potential storage spots or areas that can be better organized.
These quick and simple pointers will also help you gain extra kitchen storage in unexpected places:
Get Reorganized Now that you've cleared out the clutter and discovered a few new storage areas, it's time to take your final step toward creating an efficient, well-organized kitchen. Think of your kitchen as a single room with three separate work centers: preparation, cooking and cleanup. Keep in mind where, what and how you use an item before you put it back into each cabinet or drawer. Easy access and return is important. If you can get to something and return it to its designated space without a hassle, the chance of your kitchen staying organized is greater. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
How to Arrange a Food Pantry When your pantry or food storage cabinets become packed with food that isn't sorted or organized, you will eventually have a huge mess on your hands. The pileup of ingredients can be avoided without spending a lot of time or effort. It just takes about an hour from start to finish. Start by emptying pantry shelves and moving everything to boxes or a nearby countertop. Clean shelves with warm, soapy water and wipe dry. Before you put things away, think about how you will fill prime and non-prime spaces. For example, prime, eye-level shelves should be reserved for your items used most often.
Source: https://www.foremost.com/learning-center/reclaim-your-kitchen-space.asp A leaking water heater will do a lot of damage to your home. Even a small, slow leak can soak into the particle board subflooring and cause the subfloor to decay. Leaking water may also seep into carpeting, create mildew and permanently stain your walls. As awful as this sounds, a faulty water heater can cause even greater damage. Fire or toxic fumes from a water heater that is not properly installed or maintained could pose a real threat to you and your family.
Fortunately, most water heater problems can be avoided with proper maintenance. All water heaters should be frequently checked for leaks. It's important to check the pipe connections, the valves and underneath the unit. Simple preventive maintenance will help you avoid lasting damage from a leaking water heater. Take time to test the temperature/pressure relief valve once a year to make sure it's working. Be careful when you do. The water in the tank is HOT and can cause scalding burns. Pull up or push down on the valve handle; hot water should come out of the overflow pipe. If it does, the valve is working properly. Periodically drain a bucket of water from the drain faucet at the bottom of the water tank. Again, take care not to get burned by the hot water. Draining a bucket of water will remove sediment from the tank bottom that could corrode the unit as well as reduce its heating efficiency. Check all water lines, connections and valves for signs of leakage, especially where connections have been crimped. With a flashlight, check under the tank for small leaks that could be caused by rust and corrosion. You can protect the floor under the water heater from water damage by painting the area with a water sealant. If you do, be sure you've turned off the heat source to the water heater. Otherwise, you may create a fire hazard. Since particleboard may be damaged if it's soaked, consider replacing it with plywood flooring. You can install a specially designed drip pan under the water heater. These pans are available at most building supply stores for about $10. Make sure the pan you select has a drain out the bottom. AN IMPORTANT NOTE: If your water heater doesn't have a temperature/pressure relief valve, install one. This is a safeguard every water heater should have – it's an inexpensive attachment that can save you thousands of dollars, especially on home insurance. After you have installed the valve, test it. Open the lever on the valve. If water spurts out, the valve is working. Source: https://www.foremost.com/learning-center/water-heater-maintenance.asp Why buy a vacant home? One of the biggest perks is being able to make the home whatever you want it to be. You can make it your new home, create a vacation home, rent it out, or fix it up and sell it to someone else. In some cases the seller may be willing to sell a vacant home cheaper than an occupied home. This is good news for you because you can save some money, but it could also mean something might be wrong with the house. It may need a little love, attention and renovating. Before you purchase a vacant home, here are a few things to do and watch out for: Professional Inspection Ask for an inspection from a professional and take notes on what they discover. You'll want to know what's broken, what needs to be fixed and what could possibly go wrong. (Note: Be prepared to pay for the home's electricity to be on for the duration of the inspection). Critters Since vacant homes can sit for quite some time, critters may come in and make themselves at home. Although they are usually small animals such as mice or bats, they can cause damage to a vacant house. Those unwanted critters can eat at the floors, carpets, walls and wiring. Be aware that you may need to hire a pest control service, and this could be costly based on the number of animals and the amount of damage. Plumbing
There may be plumbing issues that have caused dried and cracked seals, slow faucets, leaks and other issues. If the heat hasn't been on and the temperatures dropped, the pipes could be at risk to freeze or burst (if they haven't already). Appliances The previous owner may not have unplugged their indoor appliances, such as refrigerators and freezers, or let them dry out. There may be mold inside from the moisture being trapped. Having appliances plugged in with no one there could result in a fire (if the electric was on). Appliances in the house may become unusable due to long periods of sitting with no use, which means you will need new ones. Molds Remember, molds can grow on more than just appliances! Check for mold in the walls, floors, pipes…everywhere! Some molds may cause health issues, so if mold is found during your inspection, you may want to rethink purchasing the home. Talk with your inspector about the extremity and presence of mold, and evaluate the safety risks. Unanticipated Repairs There are other potential sources of damage. For example, break-ins are more likely when a home appears empty, and windows, doors and other items could be damaged by the intruder. Storms are another danger. Debris could hit the home and cause damage that may have gone undetected. Always thoroughly inspect the home before buying! There are a lot of things to do and watch out for before purchasing a vacant home, but the possibilities of what the home could be are endless. If you are looking to buy a vacant home but haven't found one yet, there are a few ways to move forward. Look online, talk to neighbors, get a realtor or simply drive around. There are more vacant homes than you think…happy hunting! Do you have more advice on buying vacant homes? Let us know in the comments! Homes become vacant for many reasons. Maybe your home is for sale but you haven't found a buyer yet. Or you've purchased a new home but won't move in for a while. It could be a rental property that's between tenants. Whatever the cause, there are some insurance risks that you should keep in mind.
You may be thinking, why get vacant home insurance when you already have regular homeowners insurance? Well, most homeowners policies exclude or limit coverage if the home is vacant, so you'll need more specific coverage. Insurance coverage is extremely important for a vacant home, because there are lots of dangers that threaten vacant homes in particular. If you're debating whether or not you need a vacant policy, talk to your insurance agent! Here are some things to ask about: Cost Vacant home insurance typically costs more than regular homeowners insurance due to potential risks like weather threats, fires and vandalism. However, you may be able to get a discount by installing security systems around the house. Even if your insurance company doesn't provide a discount for extra security, it's a good idea that will make your home safer! Coverage Each vacant home insurance policy is different. Many cover damage caused by fires, lightning, wind storms, hail, vandalism and theft. Check with your insurance company to see what options you have. (Remember to ask if flood damage coverage is an option!) There are also different time lengths for policies. Many are 12 months long, but they could go up to four years, so find out what will work best for you. You'll also want to consider Liability coverage, which applies if anyone is hurt on your property and you're found legally responsible. Restrictions Many insurance companies have different definitions of what is vacant and what is unoccupied. Additionally, there may be a specific time length distinction for the type of coverage. Restrictions can also be based on the age or value of the home. Discuss these variables with your insurance agent to find the coverage that works best for you! Still not sure if vacant home insurance is for you? Contact our local agents to learn more and get a quote! Overall, don't be afraid to ask questions about insurance. Let us know if you have any questions in the comments. Don't forget those loyal family members — your pets. They need preparation just as humans do.
Find shelter for your pets Unless you rely on the assistance of a guide or leader dog, Red Cross and other public shelters cannot accept pets. It's up to you to make other arrangements for your pet. Contact your veterinarian, Humane Society or Animal Control office for more information. There may be space available at 'pet shelters' on high ground in your community. Make sure your pets have up-to-date shots. Pet shelters require proof of vaccinations. Your pet survival kit Before a hurricane strikes, be sure to put together a Pet Survival Kit:
Keep an eye on your pet after a hurricane After the danger has passed, be careful in allowing your pet outdoors. Familiar scents and landmarks may be altered, and that could be confusing to your pet. Be careful that your pet doesn't become lost. Downed power lines present real danger to your pet, as do snakes, insects or animals driven to higher ground by floods. As one of the most common crimes, burglary is nothing to be taken lightly. Did you know that a burglary takes place every 18.2 seconds in the United States? That adds up to nearly 200 per hour, 4,800 per day, and 1,752,000 every year!
And unlike common belief, most of these burglaries happen in the middle of the day. According to the National Council for Home Safety and Security, break-ins are more likely to happen between 6AM and 6PM, right in the middle of the day! With the fall season upon us and the holidays approaching, it is important to make your home safe from break-ins. While there are many safety recommendations out there, HowStuffWorks has covered the seven most effective. Don't showboat. If you've just purchased a pricey new computer or television, breakdown the box and place it in the garbage bin instead of leaving it on the curb for everyone to see. Also, take a walk around your house to see how visible expensive items are with the curtains open. You may want to move some of them out of view to avoid enticing thieves. Pretend to be home. A break-in typically happens when no one is home, especially during the day while many people are at work. For that reason, create an illusion that someone is still there. You can leave a light on, along with music or your television. Secure sliding doors and windows. You can easily break into some older sliding doors by simply popping them off of their frame, even when locked. It's harder to do that with newer ones, but you should still take extra precaution to secure them since they can be an inviting entry for burglars. Simply take a strong dowel, steel bar or two-by-four and slide it into the back groove. Although you should always lock your windows before leaving the house, you can install a simple pin or nail into to the frame to stop it from raising more than a few inches. This will add an additional layer of security in case someone pops off the screen and you have left the window unlocked. Also remember to check window air conditioning units. If you can jimmy the window up from the outside, add a stopper to that frame. Don't leave a spare key out. It may seem like a good idea to leave a spare key hidden under a flower pot or doormat in case you get locked out of your house. But that's an open invitation for a burglar to walk inside without any difficulty. Instead, give a spare to a neighbor you know well or friend who lives nearby for safekeeping. Remember to never put any identifying information on your house keys. If you lose them, and someone else finds them, it would be fairly easy to trace them back to your home and break-in. Secure your yard. Tall shrubs and overgrown trees are welcome hiding places for criminals to wait until the coast is clear to get into your house. That doesn't mean you need to cut down every plant in your yard. Just keep things manicured. Prepare before vacation. Alert neighbors you trust about your trip and ask that they keep an eye on your property during that time. More importantly, when you leave town, don't leave signs of an empty house. First, if you have a home phone, don't change your message to alert callers that you have left town. Also avoid having piled up mail, overgrown lawns and newspapers strewn about your yard that send surefire signals you're miles away. Last, but certainly not least, don't announce vacation on social media. Lock it up. More than 40% of break-ins happen without the use of force, which means a lot of people are leaving their houses without locking the doors and windows. If you have a thumb latch lock and a deadbolt on your doors, always lock the dead bolt. Double-check weaker doors such as patio and sliding ones to make sure their locks are strong enough to withstand kicks. When you leave your home, don't forget to lock up the door leading from the garage to inside. Even if your garage door is down, someone can easily open it. According to the American Red Cross, more than 200 young children drown in backyard swimming pools each year. That's pretty scary to think about. And if you're a parent, that's your worst nightmare. Luckily, there's ways you can prevent a tragedy from happening in your backyard by following these guidelines from the American Red Cross:
Attracting birds
There are so many different kinds of feeders to choose from, each attracting different kinds of birds. Some birds prefer to perch on a small dowel while others prefer to eat right from the ground. Redpolls, nuthatches, woodpeckers and chickadees tend to prefer tube feeders. Jays, finches, sparrows and crossbills like to sit on trays. When you purchase a feeder, don't just think about the style that would look nice in your yard also think about the feeder style that the birds would prefer. Consider different kinds of food options for the birds. Many people resort to the popular seed mix that usually sells in a large quantity. Seed mix attracts cardinals, jays, nuthatches, chickadees, flickers and white-crowned sparrows. The mixed seed is inexpensive and readily available. But if you watch birds that flock to eat it, you'll see that they intentionally eat the tasty seeds and kick out the artificially flavored seeds from the mix. The seeds they like best are the sunflower seeds. Try a black-oil type sunflower seed to see a variety of birds that will keep coming back for more. Many birds including sparrows, finches and chickadees favor a beef fat called suet which provides birds with a concentrated source of energy. Suet mixed with peanut butter is a favorite meal for woodpeckers, cardinals, goldfinches, jays, bluebirds, thrushes, and wrens. The winter months are the best time to offer suet so the fat stays cool. Genuine suet will melt and rot leaving a horrendous smell if it's warm. Although you can cook up your own suet, it is best to use an artificial suet made especially for birds. Artificial suet provides the same nutrients but can be used any time of the year. If you want a specific kind of bird at your feeder make sure to buy the food it will like best. Mourning doves and song sparrows love canary seed. All small finches will devour niger or thistle seed. Look into the varieties of seed available and consider other feeding options as well. Many birds like to eat the foods we do. Jays, chickadees, woodpeckers and nuthatches like peanut hearts. Orioles love grape jelly and orange halves. Try foods like popped popcorn, pieces of melon or other fruit, cereal and cooked oatmeal to see what kinds of birds will come. If birds aren't coming to your feeder:
Although the same birds might visit a feeder regularly, they do not completely depend on your food for a primary source of energy. Birds get most of their nutrition from eating things like insects, worms and berries. Rather than a feeder, consider planting a tree or shrub that will give a food source to the birds and enhance your landscaping. Birds like to eat from trees such as red cedar, juniper, hawthorn, crab apple, dogwood, hackberry, and sweet gum. Plumb bushes, holly, honeysuckle, currants, barberry, chokeberry, elderberry are favorite plants as well. Check with a gardening store or soil conservation district to see what kinds of native plants will thrive best in your yard. Water Providing a water source is a sure way to attract all species of birds. Whether it's a built-in pond or a simple birdbath, water offers a fresh place for the bird to bathe and drink as opposed to polluted run-off rain and snow. Beginning in autumn to mid-winter, natural sources of food start to dwindle making a feeder and bath most attractive at this time of year. Birds need water most during the winter season when it is in short supply and when they need to warm themselves by bathing. In the winter a heated birdbath offers a warming station and energy source which will quickly be adopted. Location and time
Source: https://www.foremost.com/learning-center/bird-feeders.asp |
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