Homeowners Insurance | Boizelle Insurance Partnership - Page 12

Tips for Developing An Effective Escape Plan When You Have a House Fire

During a house fire, every second counts. That’s why it’s important for you and your family to be prepared.

Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst

Are you doing everything you can to help protect your family in the event of a house fire? Here are seven tips to make (or improve) your own fire escape plan:

1. Map your exits. Draw a map of your home’s floor plan and show it to your family. Then, establish two ways to exit from each room. If you have young children, take a walk around your home to show them exactly where each escape window, door or route is.
2. Determine a meeting place. Define one area where everyone should gather after escaping your home in the event of a fire. It should be a specific place, like a tree or mailbox, that’s a safe distance from your home’s structure. And make sure firefighters or emergency personnel can see you there, too.
3. Know who’s on point to help. Select a captain who will help young children or assist anyone who is unable to get out on their own, like seniors or those with limited mobility. Selecting one adult for this job will help eliminate further confusion during a chaotic time.
4. Teach your kids to get low. In a house fire, smoke can be as dangerous as flames. Explain to your children the importance of staying low to the ground during a fire. Practice crawling around the perimeter of a room to show them the proper way to escape.
5. Check your smoke alarms. Ensure that you have at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home. Then test them regularly to ensure their batteries work. Educate your kids and let them hear the sound of an alarm in advance, so they’ll recognize it during an actual emergency.
6. Practice, practice, practice. To make sure everyone understands the plan, conduct your own home fire drill. Send each family member to their room and have one person sound the smoke alarm. Start a timer and follow your designated routes to an outside meeting place. Then, check your escape time to ensure everyone makes it out in under two minutes.
7. Incentivize your fire drills. If you have younger kids, turn your drills into a game. See if you can speed walk from your bedrooms to your safe meeting space. If it happens under two minutes, reward everyone with a favorite dessert or a new toy. If you have an Amazon Alexa, you can play Pedro’s Fire Safety Challenge which teaches kids age-appropriate skills for handling a home fire.

Does My Homeowners Policy Cover Service Lines?

If you sustain damage to your underground service lines, because they are oftentimes deemed your responsibility, you very likely may be looking at a hefty bill when all is said and done.

A typical homeowners insurance policy does not come equipped with coverages for service lines. However, it possible to get coverage for these situations by adding an endorsement to your homeowners policy.

What Service Lines Might Run Under My Property?

Exterior underground service and utility lines include:

• Water and sewer pipes
• Cable, internet and electric wiring
• Natural gas pipes
• Propane pipes

How Service Lines Can Become Damaged

Service Lines can be damaged by tree roots, animals, electrical currents, a vehicle’s weight, corrosion, rust, and wear and tear.

Service lines are as fragile as they are essential. No matter what the cause of the damage is, repairing or replacing service lines is a costly endeavor. A homeowner may be required to dig up landscaping, driveways, or sidewalks in order to get access to the damaged service line. Add on top of that the cost of replacing trees, shrubs, and walkways and you’re looking at spending a very pretty penny.

If you have what’s referred to as an ErieSecure Homeowners Insurance policy, you have the option to purchase additional protection that will cover the cost of service line repairs as well as any excavation costs, outdoor property damage and even loss of use.

If you add this added protection, you will not regret it. Being able to maintain your peace of mind when disaster strikes is important. Your loved ones will thank you for being so diligent and prepared.

Service line coverage is available to you when you add either the Plus or Select bundle to your ErieSecure Home policy. This added layer of protection provides coverage for physical damage, caused by a covered service line failure, to exterior underground service lines i.e. cable, internet and electrical wiring. Additionally, natural gas, propane, and sewer pipes are covered.

Here’s What You Should Never Store In Your Basement

Are you one of those people who uses your basement as a storage area? You’re not alone. While many people choose to use their basements in this way, oftentimes, basements tend to evolve into entertainment rooms or—if you have a family—playrooms.

No matter how you choose to use your basement, you should always remember that there are certain items that you should never store there.

Here’s what you should avoid storing in your basement.

Printed photos: It’s easy to damage printed photos. Consider converting your personal stored photos to digital, so that you always have them.

Important documents: Personal documents such as birth certificates, passports, financial documents, or a will should always be stored a secured area. Consider storing them in a secure safe with a combination that only you know. That way, only you can access these documents when you need them and don’t have to worry about someone stealing them.

Antiques or family heirlooms: If your family has passed down certain items through the generations, you certainly understand how precious they are. While they could hold monetary value, they certainly hold sentimental value that can never be replaced.

Highly flammable or hazardous items

Firewood: In the event of a housefire, firewood will only help the fire spread faster and wider. If it gets wet, you are looking at a situation in which it can get especially smokey when you burn it. On top of all of this, it presents an open invitation to insects and rodents.

Paint, chemicals or household liquids: Basements are typically where your furnace, water heater, and dryer are located. If you have flammable liquids stored in this area, you are potentially writing an excellent recipe for disaster.

Book and magazines: Books can have both sentimental and monetary value. Don’t store them in the basement if you want to make sure they remain well-preserved.

Electronics: Climate issues and moisture control can present dangers in most unfinished basements. Additionally, they can leave your electronics exposed to water and moisture risks.

Furniture or artwork: If you’re a collector or art pieces, you’ve probably spent a pretty penny or at least a few in your collection. It’s not worth the risk of damaging them by storing them in the basement.

Clothes, shoes and jewelry: If you’ve ever splurged on shoes or jewelry for yourself or a significant other, you’ll want to make sure that where you store these items is secure and able to protect these items from the risk of damage.

Call us at 301-948-2010 to discuss adding the Extended Water endorsement to your homeowners insurance policy with ERIE. It’s great protection to have in place to give you the peace of mind knowing you’re well protected against an insurance claim.

15 Things You Should Be Familiar With For Your Home

1. Electric panels. It’s important that you know the location of your home’s electrical panels in case you trip a circuit breaker. Usually, electrical panels are located in either a basement, garage, or utility closet. You should become familiar with how to operate the breaker box i.e. how to turn off the main circuit and the individual breakers. If your breakers are not labeled, take some time to turn off each breaker individually and label them according to which part of your home they provide power.

2.      Water shut-off valve. First, you need to locate the shut-off valve that is connected to the main water line that enters your home. If you have a basement, check along one of the outside walls to locate the valve. If you do not have a basement, check for the water shut-off valve at the ground level close to your hot water tank.

3.     Gas shut-off valve. Certain appliances in your home may be fueled by natural gas. These may include your water heater, fireplace, furnace, oven, dryer and more. In the event of a gas leak, you should know where to find the gas supply in your home so that you can quickly shut it off. Typically, the main gas shut-off valve is outside your home near the gas meter. Most importantly, if you suspect your home has a gas leak, immediately vacate the premises and call 911.

4.     Dryer vent. Dryers cause approximately 15,500 home fires, 29 deaths, 400 injuries and $192 million in property loss every year. To prevent this from happening to you, clean the lint from your dryer regularly.

5.      Sewer or septic lines. If you ever experience a major plumbing problem in your home, knowing where your sewer and septic systems are located is a huge help. If your home is connected to a city sewer system, locate where your main sewer line exits your home and check for a cleanout valve. If you have an older home, it may be best to have your sewer system replaced. For septic systems, you’ll need to know where the access points to your tank are and any inspection ports.

6. Well location. If you have a home that is not connected to a city water supply, you need to know the location of your well. Depending on how your home is designed, it could be located inside your home in a crawlspace or basement. If you can’t find it inside, check your yard for a well cap, casing or pit. Knowing the location of your well can help speed up the process of repairs in the event of an emergency.

7. Meter locations. Each utility service for your home has its own meter. Once you locate them, be sure to clean the areas around them well, so that you can access them later if you need to.

8. Furnace filters. Filters help keep the air around you clean and safe to breathe. Your furnace will run more smoothly if it’s clean. Filters should be replaced every 30 to 90 days.

9. Crawlspace and attic access. These areas may be different in every home. While some may provide access to utilities and appliances, others may just be empty. Still, empty spaces should never be ignored for long periods of time. Rodents and other animals could creep into these tiny spaces, and, if you’re not diligent, could chew through wiring inside your home. This kind of damage could result in a costly insurance claim.

10. Sprinkler system. Take the time to understand how your sprinkler system works. During colder months, take the time to winterize your pipes and hose bibs to prevent freezing and bursting.

11. Smoke alarms. You should have a functioning smoke alarm on every floor of your home. Test them regularly to make sure they are working. Smoke detectors should be replaced every 10 years.

12. Property lines. Use a metal detector to find the stakes where your property lines are buried. You’ll want to do this sooner rather than later, especially before you begin any elaborate projects for your home. You don’t want your neighbors to get you involved in a nasty property dispute.

13. Sump pump. Test your sump pump a few times a year to make sure it’s functioning properly. Do this by pouring water into the sump pit until the pump turns on.

14. Gutters and downspouts. Clogged gutters and downspouts can spell disaster for the interior of your home. Test any underground drains with a garden hose to check for clogs. Be sure to clean the lines or to redirect water away from your home.

15. Your chimney should be inspected at least once a year to protect against fire and carbon monoxide.