At laid-back barbecues and neighborhood gatherings across the country, the grill has become a popular fixture. While grills may be a convenient way to cook, they still require regular maintenance. Nearly 9,000 fires a year, on average, involve grilling. Five out of six of these reported fires involved gas-fueled grills.1 So what causes a gas grill to catch on fire? We’ll take a look at three of the leading causes, and explore the science behind gas [ Continue reading ]
Is Your Password Secure?
For World Password Day, our affiliate company, USA Wealth Group put out a fun infographic about password safety. Click the image below for a larger, zoomable version or continue reading below for the text version! Tips for a More Secure Password Passwords are critical in keeping our digital identities secure, allowing us to access online shopping, banking, social media, and work and life communications. Having a strong password allows us [ Continue reading ]
Avoiding Rain Damage
The spring is known as a rainy season, and when the rain is heavy, that large amount of water can start to affect your home. Powerful storms can overwhelm your gutters or worse, flood the soil around your foundation. To prevent any lasting damage, find and fix immediate problems as soon as you can safely do so. Water getting into your home can be a big and possibly expensive issue if not resolved immediately. Here's how to conduct a thorough post-storm [ Continue reading ]
Dealing with Ice Dams
Although icicles may look nice hanging off of your house, they are a warning sign for potential problems. The same conditions that allow icicles to form also lead to ice dams. An ice dam is a continuous chunk of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents water created by melting snow from draining off the roof. For the most part, while frozen, the biggest threat an ice dam poses is potentially tearing off gutters. However, once the snow on your [ Continue reading ]
Protecting Your Home from Burglars
Home security has always been the top priority for homeowners. Knowing how to stop burglars from targeting your home can go a long way to safeguard your home and your property. Targets for Burglars Most thieves target homes that look easy to break into. They look for homes with predictable patterns of people coming and going, properties in more isolated parts of the neighborhood, and houses that are well maintained or have an expensive car in the [ Continue reading ]
Holiday Fire Safety Tips
The holiday season is one of the most dangerous times of the year for household fires. At this time, they are more common, more costly, and more fatal than during any other time of the year. Here are some tips to help avoid this holiday risk! Cooking Cooking is the most common cause of holiday fires, mainly when food is left unattended. It’s easy to get distracted, so when you leave the kitchen, take a pot holder with you as a reminder. Make sure you [ Continue reading ]
Handling a Tire Blowout
Despite the advances in safety standards/technology, tire blowouts can still happen. They are a rarer occurrence now, but when they do happen, drivers are less prepared to handle them properly. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, tire blowouts and flats result in nearly 11,000 collisions and 200 fatalities each year. How to Prevent a Tire Blowout The best way to deal with a tire blowout is to not have to deal with one. [ Continue reading ]
How to Drive Safely During the Winter
For those living in a temperate climate, chances are that at some point during the winter, roads will be covered with ice or snow. The reduced traction on the roads because of this make your vehicle harder to control and can challenge even the most experienced drivers. Almost 6,000 people are killed in weather-related traffic accidents annually, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The best way to deal with dangerous winter conditions is to [ Continue reading ]
About Umbrella Insurance
What is Umbrella Insurance? Personal umbrella insurance is insurance designed to add extra liability coverage over another insurance policy, like auto or homeowners insurance. This protection tends to kick in when the liability limits on these other policies has been exhausted. What does umbrella insurance typically cover? You may already have auto and homeowners insurance that covers some of these situations, but umbrella insurance goes above and [ Continue reading ]
Why You Need Renters Insurance
If you rent an apartment or home, you'll need an insurance policy to cover your possessions. Your landlord's property insurance will cover losses to the building, but won’t cover anything that is yours, which is only covered through renters insurance that you have to find and pay for. 95% of homeowners have homeowner’s insurance, but only 37% of renters have renters insurance. Some reasons for this are: Many people assume they are covered by their [ Continue reading ]
