This year, many parts of the country have enjoyed such a mild winter that even in the Northeast, spring weather seems like it’s just around the corner—if it hasn’t arrived already.
Take advantage of the moderate temperatures to get a head start on what should be an annual spring home maintenance routine.
EXTERIOR INSPECTION
“It’s good to do a walk-around of your property, especially after a storm,” says Curtis S. Niles, Sr., owner of Armored Home Inspections, Upper Darby, PA, and president of the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI). “Winter is tough on roofs and chimneys.” It can also take its toll on windows, walls, foundations, gutters and decks.
Roof. You don’t need to climb up there yourself; with binoculars and a keen eye, you can probably spot trouble. Do you see any shingle-shift, suggesting that some fasteners may have failed and need replacing? Any cracked or missing shingles? What about nail-pops? “We call them eyebrows,” Niles explains. “It’s when nails push the tabs of the shingles up, allowing water to get in where those nails are coming through.” All will need to be addressed to keep your roof at peak performance.
Chimneys. If you have a masonry chimney, check the joints between bricks or stones. Have any fallen out? Is there vegetation growing out of them? Each signals water infiltration. Also, look for efflorescence—”a white calcium-like deposit that indicates your masonry joints are no longer repelling water but absorbing it,” says Niles. Consider re-sealing masonry with a clear, impermeable or water-resistant barrier material (like Thoroseal products). Brush it on, small areas at a time; let it absorb for 15 minutes, then reapply—it may need a couple of applications.
Exterior Walls. Whether you have wood siding, stucco or brick, look for trouble spots, especially under eaves and near gutter downspouts. Water stains normally indicate that your gutters are not adequately containing roof runoff. If you have wood siding, check for openings, damaged areas or knots that have popped out, making way for carpenter ants, woodpeckers and other critters that may nest in or burrow through.
Foundations. When inspecting the exterior of your home, be sure to examine the foundation from top to bottom for masonry cracks. “Routine caulking by homeowners won’t do the job,” says Niles. “Hire a foundation specialist who can employ a two-part epoxy injection system that will bond cracks chemically,” he adds.
Windows. Leakage around windows will admit warm summer air and let cooled indoor air escape, so be sure to check that any caulking and weather stripping you have in place has remained intact. “A tight seal is the first line of defense against air and water,” says Marty Davis, marketing manager, Simonton Windows, Columbus, OH. If you experienced condensation inside the glass on double- or triple-glazed windows during the winter months, the weather seal has been compromised, and either the glass or the window will need to be replaced.
Spring-clean your windows—inside and out—with a store-bought or homemade window cleaner (one cup rubbing alcohol, one cup water and a tablespoon of white wine vinegar will work just fine) and either a squeegee or a soft cloth. Never use abrasive cleaners or a high-pressure spray washer. You don’t want to scratch the glass or crack the caulking around each unit. If screens were on all winter, remove and clean them with mild detergent. Lay them on a dry surface, like a driveway to air-dry before putting them back on. “Never power-wash screens,” urges Davis, “it could damage the mesh.”
Read the entire article here.
Content provided by http://www.bobvila.com/articles/2355-spring-home-maintenance-checklist/
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Three Live Oak women and a dog were displaced from their house on the 300 block of Seventh Avenue after a Tuesday night fire destroyed part of a garage and damaged the rest of the home with smoke. Shortly before 10 p.m., one of the residents at the home walked into the garage and found it full of smoke and on fire, said Mike DeMars, fire inspector for Central Fire. A housemate walked in after smelling smoke and found the first woman standing frozen in the smoke-filled room, DeMars said. “(The first woman) was a bit overwhelmed,” DeMars said. After calling 911, the two women told a third housemate to leave the house. Central Fire and Santa Cruz Fire arrived on scene to extinguish the fire, which was in one corner of the garage and spreading to the ceiling, DeMars said. Firefighters extinguished the flames within 10 minutes. The garage, which was attached to the two-story home, had been converted to a living space where one of the women lived, DeMars said. Investigators said the fire was accidental and traced the cause to combustible materials, including a bookcase, that were placed too close to a water heater in the garage, DeMars said. The woman who first discovered the fire may have suffered smoke inhalation but declined treatment, DeMars said. There were no other reported injuries. The home was declared uninhabitable, with fire damage to the garage and smoke damage to the rest of the two-story home. The women and dog were relocated with the help of the American Red Cross Santa Cruz County. DeMars noted that the home did not appear to have any smoke detectors, which could have notified the residents of the fire. Content provided by http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/copsandcourts/ci_25625610/cops-and-courts-april-24-2014-three-women Don’t let this happen to you. Make sure you have working smoke detectors in centralized locations throughout the house. Contact Scurich Insurance Services today to make sure that you are completely covered in the event of a fire.
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A benefit of the Affordable Care Act may be a drop in car insurance premiums as health care providers shoulder more of the treatment costs tied to accidents and injuries, according to a new report from a leading think tank.
The nonprofit Rand Corporation says the rise in the number of people with medical coverage under the ACA, also known as Obamacare, could result in a “modest” drop in claims against auto insurers. In turn, the cost savings could be passed to consumers as insurance companies and state regulators evaluate and refine coverage rates, according to Rand’s report, “How Will the Affordable Care Act Affect Liability Insurance Costs?”
“The Affordable Care Act is unlikely to dramatically affect liability costs, but it may influence small and moderate changes in costs over the next several years,” says David Auerbach, a Rand policy researcher and the study’s lead author. “For example, auto insurers may spend less for treating injuries, while it may cost a bit more to provide physicians with medical malpractice coverage.”
Besides auto insurance rates, expenses tied to homeowners insurance, workers’ compensation and general business liability insurance may also fall once the ACA further takes hold. But on the downside, expenses for malpractice coverage could rise, according to the report.
Obamacare to trim insurance costs by up to 5 percent?
“Researchers say the changes could be as much as 5 percent of costs (for auto, home and the other forms of liability insurance) in some states, but caution there is considerable uncertainty surrounding such estimates,” the study notes.
Auerbach and Rand point out that liability insurers currently reimburse tens of billions of dollars each year for medical care related to car crashes and workplace injuries, among other claims. “For example, auto insurers collectively paid $35 billion for medical costs associated with accidents in 2007, about 2 percent of all U.S. health care costs in that year,” according to Rand.
The reason for a possible jump in malpractice claims faced by doctors and health providers is simple: Rand says that more claims could be filed as more people get medical coverage.
“Insured individuals have more contacts with physicians, make more visits and receive more procedures,” the report says. “Such a shift could drive malpractice costs modestly higher.”
The malpractice figures are already significant. The study points out:
In 2012, nearly 12,000 medical malpractice claims paid on behalf of individual physicians and other providers accounted for $4.3 billion in costs. A substantial additional number of claims were paid on behalf of institutions, such as hospitals, some of which self-insure, that are not included in the $4.3 billion number.
The study was sponsored by Swiss Re, which stresses the powerful effects the ACA may ultimately have on the insurance industry and elsewhere. “Businesses and policymakers need to understand how and why their risk profiles might change as the Affordable Care Act is implemented,” Jayne Plunkett, Swiss Re’s head of casualty reinsurance, said in a statement.
A surge in medical insurance enrollments
In a separate survey, Rand estimated “a net gain of 9.3 million in the number of American adults with health insurance coverage from September 2013 to mid-March 2014.” While noting that any survey has a margin of error, Rand added that its findings didn’t include those who signed up for coverage in late March and early April. That enrollment surge could “dramatically affect” the total figures, Rand said.
Rand estimated that Americans without insurance fell to 15.8 percent, from 20.5 percent.
Of those who secured new medical coverage between September and March, 8.2 million didn’t buy it on the ACA’s federal or state-run exchanges, but through an employer. Rand says the increase was likely because of a drop in unemployment, which opened the door for many to be eligible for workplace plans, and ACA incentives encouraging employees to get coverage.
Rand added that 3.9 million secured health insurance through the exchanges, 36 percent of them previously uninsured. That number was expected to rise as the March and April numbers came in.
In declaring the ACA an unfolding success, the Obama administration recently said that more than 7 million people signed up for coverage through the marketplace exchanges.
Content provided by: http://www.moneytalksnews.com/2014/04/21/obamacare-may-reduce-auto-insurance-rates/#Kqdfh4ZHhsjylE1J.99
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We’re often asked when is a car so old that it’s no longer a wise investment to continue buying collision insurance for it. The answer depends on your individual situation.
First, what’s the true worth of the car? Any repair or replacement costs following a collision will be based on the value of the vehicle at the time of the claim. Also consider your deductible amount. For example, if your car is now worth $2,000 and your deductible for collision claims is $500, insurance will pay no more than $1,500 for your loss.
Once you’ve estimated the maximum that your policy is likely to pay for a collision, ask yourself whether the value of the car would create a significant financial hardship if it were totaled in an accident without insurance. Is the cost of collision coverage reasonable, considering the maximum you can receive at the time of a claim? Don’t forget peace of mind — if dropping collision will make you lose sleep at night over a possible loss, it’s better to keep your coverage and get some rest.
If you’re considering whether it’s still worth insuring your older car for collision, call our personal auto representatives. We’ll be happy to review your current coverage, give you the book value of your vehicle, and estimate the changes in cost of your insurance if you make any changes. Let us help you make the best decision.
Content provided by Transformer Marketing.
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Springtime is known for many things, including beautiful blooming plants and flowers. Getting ready to plant new crops, warmer weather, longer days and allergies.
Allergies bring watery, itchy, irritated eyes; runny noses; uncontrollable sneezing and plain sinus misery. The most common allergies come from pollens, animal dander, mold spores, dust mite and cockroaches allergens.
Here are a few tips to help you with your allergies this Spring season:
- Head over to the pharmacy and stock up on allergy medications. Talk with your doctor to see which ones will work the best for you. Antihistamines, decongestants and nasal sprays should be at the top of your list.
- You can also ask about allergy shots. An allergy shot could mean the end all of all allergy medications.
- Dehumidifers and air purifiers work great in the home.
- Get mattress and pillow coverings. Mattresses and pillows host a ton of allergens. Getting a cover for the mattress and pillow and washing them once a week or so, will keep allergens to a minimum.
Before settling on any specific medical treatment for your allergies, please consult your doctor for the best treatment plan.
Content provided by Transformer Marketing.
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When you think of insurance, the typical ones come up. Auto insurance, health insurance, homeowners insurance and business insurance. Some people may have even heard of umbrella insurance, flood insurance, farm insurance and so on.
But we want to share with you about some of the more uncommon types of insurance that are out there.
- Cold Feet Insurance. That’s right. If your spouse-to-be happens to get cold feet right before the big day, reimbursement could be in order. However, there are some conditions: The change of heart has to happen a full year before the wedding and the reimbursement will be sent to a third party (such as parents).
- Fantasy Football Insurance. Football lovers all over are excited about this one! FantasyPlayerProtect.com allows fantasy players to insure their teammates.
- Multiple Birth Insurance. Oh boy, a bundle of joy is coming your way! And then you find out you’re having 3 bundles of joy! The insurance will pay out a lump sum to parents who were expecting 1 bundle of joy. The condition is that you did not use a fertility treatment.
- Divorce Insurance. Splitting up assets and debts and adding legal expenses to the mix, divorce can get costly. Divorce insurance will help with a payout in case of divorce.
- Chicken Insurance. Yes, you heard me correct. Pet insurance has been popular for all of the dog and cat lovers for years, but now some insurance companies have included the not-so-common pets such as chickens and mice.
- Kidnapping Insurance. For companies who have overseas employees to people who travel to third world countries, kidnapping insurance is there to help cover the costs associated with kidnapping, including negotiators fees, travel expenses and the ransom itself.
- Drunk Guest Insurance. For everyone who loves to entertain at your home, this one’s for you! The formal name is social host liquor liability coverage and this will provide coverage for an intoxicated guest who destroys property or harms another person. Most homeowners insurance policies have something like this in the policy.
- Infertility Insurance. You really want to have a baby and in-vitro is a viable option. The costs of fertility treatments can be excessive. Infertility Insurance will help you out with your dream, but only if you live in one of the fifteen states that offer this special insurance.
- Golf Insurance. This kind of insurance is popular throughout Asia and Europe.
- Bedbug Insurance. Typical homeowners and renters insurance won’t cover the costs associated with a bedbug infestation, which can add up to the $1,000s. Most bedbug infestations occur during travel, so when you sign up for travel insurance, make sure you have a bedbug rider.
Scurich Insurance Services can help you out with many types of insurance policies. Give us a call today!
Content provided by Transformer Marketing and http://money.msn.com/insurance/10-crazy-insurance-policies-you-didnt-know-existed
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This year, many parts of the country have enjoyed such a mild winter that even in the Northeast, spring weather seems like it’s just around the corner—if it hasn’t arrived already.
