Swimming Pool & Spa Safety Tips

I know you may be wondering why I would be offering swimming pool and spa safety tips when the low temperatures have been in the 20's in Central NY lately.  The fact of the matter is now is the perfect time to offer these up for your review!  The swimming pool most likely is not being used at this time of year (unless it is indoor) and that makes it very convenient to correct any deficiencies before the high season arrives.  Also now is the time of year when outdoor tubs and spas are used the most!

Every year the CPSC reports that an estimated 300 children under the age of five drown in swimming pools and spas. And more than 3,000 children in that same age bracket are treated in hospital emergency rooms after sustaining submersion injuries.

Before you prep your swimming pool or spa for summer activities take a moment to read through the following safety tips.

General Pool Safety

• Enclose with a 4 foot fence around all 4 sides. Enclose your pool or spa area on all 4 sides with a fence that is at least 4 feet tall. If your house makes up one side of your fence, install secure locks that are out of reach of children and install alarms. It only takes a moment for a child to wander into danger.
• Remove covers completely. When the time comes to uncover your swimming pool, take the cover completely off. A child can easily become trapped in the portion of the cover that is not removed. 
• Install self closing gates. Make sure all gates leading to the pool area are self closing and self latching, with the latches high enough to be out of the reach of children. 
• Move tables and chairs. Keep all tables and chairs that are outside the enclosed pool area away from the fence to keep children from climbing into the pool area. 
• Have proper rescue equipment. Keep rescue equipment – a shepherd’s hook and life ring – near the pool and in good condition. 
• Keep phone close. Keep a phone near the pool whenever it is occupied. You don’t want to leave young swimmers unattended for even a few seconds while you run to answer the phone. It is also crucial to have a phone near the pool in case of emergency.
• Never let children swim unsupervised. Knowing how to swim does NOT mean children are safe in the water. Even children on swim and dive teams have drowned while swimming unsupervised. Never leave children unattended in or near a pool or spa.
• Know CPR. Make certain everyone who is watching over children in the pool knows CPR. 
• Educate babysitters. Go over your pool safety rules with all babysitters whether or not the children will be swimming while in their care. Also, insist that your babysitters know CPR.
• Practice “Touch Supervision.” Practice “touch supervision” with children under five years of age. This means children are always within an arm’s reach when in or around the pool. 
• Require swimming ability. Never allow children over four years of age in your pool or spa if they don’t know how to swim unless they are accompanied by a parent. Children under four should never be allowed in the pool or spa without a parent.
• Don’t use inflatable swimming aids. Never use inflatable swimming aids – water wings, float tubes, water mattresses, etc. – as a substitute for a certified life vest or floatation device. Be aware that inflatable swimming aids can lead to a false sense of security. 
• Remove toys. Remove all toys from the pool or spa after swimming. Children might try to reach for toys in the water and fall in. Putting them in a closed bin or small storage unit will keep them out of sight and reduce the risk of children going into the pool area to get them. 

Avoid Drain Entrapment

Drain suction can be powerful enough to trap an adult underwater. Keep children safe by following these drain safety tips.

• Keep drains and drain covers in excellent condition. Loose, broken or missing drain covers pose a serious drowning threat. 
• Keep children away. Never allow children to go near drains or suction outlets. This is especially dangerous in spas and shallow pools. According to CPSC, “children’s public wading pools, other pools designed specifically for young children, and in-ground spas that have flat drain grates and single main drain systems pose the greatest risk of entrapment.” Anything from hair, to body parts, to jewelry and bathing suits can become caught on a drain cover or entrapped in the drain.
• Have your pool and/or spa inspected. The CPSC recommends that all pool and spa owners contact a licensed professional engineer to regularly inspect drains and covers to make sure they are P&SS Act compliant. They recommend contacting “state or local officials to determine who is qualified in your area.” 

Enjoying the water is a wonderful way to escape the heat of summer. Follow these safety tips and have a safe, enjoyable summer.

Visit us on the web or contact us at one of our three locations for a free review of your insurance.

What May or May Not be Covered on a Standard Homeowner Policy

Did you know that the following may not be covered on a standard homeowner policy?

All insurance policies are limited as to the coverage that they provide, if they did not we would all be paying much higher premiums.  Among the things that are not covered, we have identified some coverage options you may want to add to your standard homeowner policy.  

• Sump Pump Failure, sewer and drain backup
  
• Any at home business including daycare
  
• Any collections, jewelry, guns, furs, silverware, antiques, money, & cold all have very limited coverage
  
• Earthquake coverage
  
• Sinkhole collapse
  
• Watercraft Coverage including their trailers
  
• Trailers and campers
  
• Ordinance or law - if at the time of a loss a building code requires you to rebuild to comply with the ordinance - this coverage provides the extra expense to do this.
  
• Trees, Shrubs, Plants & Lawns

To find out more information or to find out if your policy covers any or all of the above please feel free to visit us on the web or contact us at one of our three locations.  

We also offer FREE insurance reviews even if you are not our customer. Contact us and we will go over your current policy and point out any coverage gaps.

Prevent Water Damage Caused By Winter Ice Dams

What is an Ice Dam?

In the winter a warm attic can melt snow on the roof causing water to run down and re-freeze at the edge of the roof where its colder.  If ice builds up it becomes an ‘ice dam’ that blocks water from draining, so the water is forced under the roof covering and into the attic or down inside the walls causing water damage.

How to prevent Ice Dams?

The best way to prevent ice dams is to maintain a cold roof.  Use sufficient insulation in the attic to keep the inside warm air from getting into the attic and warming the roof.  Also, maintain a cool, well –ventilated attic space that will not allow the roof to warm up.

Is there coverage ? 

To obtain coverage for this kind of leakage, not directly the result of damage to the roof by wind or the weight of snow, you would need an all-risks-not-excluded type of policy.  It is often referred to as an HO-3 or special form.

What to do if you get an ice dam?

First, take immediate steps to prevent further damage and contact our agency.  We will verify your coverage and give you instructions for preparing your claim.
Generally, you’ll be asked for repair estimates for structural damage and a list of items that will need repair or replacement.  Depending on the amount of damage, an appraiser from your insurance company may need to see the damage.  As with any insurance claim, keep all receipts.
Using a long handled snow puller, pull the snow from the roof, back just a few feet from the edge of the eaves before ice has a chance to form.  By simply removing the snow along the edge of the roof, you will give melting water a chance to drain from the eaves and prevent the formation of ice dams that  may damage your roof.
DO NOT GET ON THE ROOF TO REMOVE SNOW BUILDUP.  This is dangerous and you could easily damage the roofing material, resulting in leaks when it rains.

Please contact us, on the web or at one of our three locations, if you would like to know if you have this coverage on your existing homeowner policy - even if you are not a current customer we are happy to provide FREE insurance reviews.

This information is reliable and accurate, but we can not guarantee prevention or that the corrective measures will alleviate damages.  Always consult an experienced contractor or other expert to determine the best preventative and corrective action.

Fire Prevention Week 2013

This is national fire prevention week.  There was actually a presidential proclamation declaring this week in 2013.

Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires with heating related fires close behind.  Here are some tips to help prevent and put out fires:

1) Make sure you have a smoke detector in every room of your home, but not in the kitchen
2) Unplug appliances when not in use
3) Don't use metal in the microwave, beware dinnerware sometimes has metal paint on the trim
4) Keep your stove & oven clean and in good repair
5) Be extra careful when cooking with oil or grease - be sure you don't over heat or over fill
     NEVER pour water on a grease fire, use sand, baking soda or a fire extinguisher.
6) Be sure all flammables are kept away from the stove & oven - like pot holders, dish & paper towels
7) Around the holiday, if you have a real tree, water daily and keep several feet from heaters.
8) Be sure your chimney was cleaned before the start of the heating season
9) Have your existing furnace inspected and maintained by a professional regularly

Follow this CHAIN:

CALL 911 for help
HAVE a fire plan in place - arrange meeting place away from the home - and have fire drills
ASK your local fire department for window stickers to alert there are children or elderly in the home
INSPECT your portable fire extinguisher & keep in an easily accessible spot - Every home should have one.
NFPA the National Fire Protection Association has many more tips visit them & make a plan.

We also have more information direct from many of the fire insurance companies we work with.  They want to help you prevent fires.  Visit us on the web at http://www.tiains.com , stop in to one of our three locations or give us a call for more info or to get a free quote for fire insurance.

Disaster Preparedness

I recently came across the reality show Doomsday Preppers on the National Geographic Channel.  I have to admit I was hooked well for a hour or so.   Some people take this to the extreme - or so it seems anyway. However, It made me stop and think.  I thought about what I would have or do if I suddenly had no power for more than a few hours.  I would have no water, no can opener, no stove, no microwave. I have a family and just to be safe I started taking a few simple precautions.  Not building an underground shelter but setting a side a few simple supplies in case my family and I should need them.

Travelers Insurance has a wealth of helpful information on their website and anyone with an internet connection can access it.  There are several other sites available...some perhaps not so reputable.  I would stick to Insurance companies, and government sites like the CDC  and of course the Department of Homeland Security  and lastly FEMA .

If you don't want to read up, here are a few simple things you can do:

1) Get a couple of gallon jugs of spring water at your next trip to the store.  They are usually less than $1 each.  They suggest a gallon of water per person per day.  

2) Stock up on extra can goods (already cooked) like beans, soup, raviolis, fruit, etc.  The best way is to purchase them with the pull tab tops.

3) Non-electric can opener

4) Portable battery operated radio

5) Batteries

6) Blanket (ideally one for every person in the household)

7) Matches in a zip lock bag

8) First aid kit

9) Flashlight (rechargeable that do not need batteries is best)

10) Dust masks, these are really inexpensive and can be purchased at even the dollar store

11) Baby wipes, garbage bags and twist ties

12) Infant formula, diapers, baby food

13) Prescription medications, vitamins, and glasses

14) Some basic tools, wrench or pliers, screwdriver, hammer, utility knife

Of course there are lots of variations on this and you can find them by checking out the links I provided.

I gathered as much as I could and threw it in a backpack.  Hopefully I will never need to use this in my lifetime, but I am prepared at least for a couple days.

If you have questions or need more information go to www.tiains.com or stop into one of our three locations. We would be happy to print you out a checklist to help you be prepared.

Flood Insurance

We have received an extensive amount of rain which caused flash floods in several areas in our community.  Fortunately, FEMA stepped in and gave some of the local area homeowners some monetary assistance.  Unfortunately however, in most cases it was not enough to replace some irreplaceable items or to purchase another property. 

Homeowner policies cover some important perils, like fire, wind, vandalism, and many more perils are available depending on the level of coverage selected. There is also a coverage called water backup that is sometimes available, usually by endorsement.  This may have given some limited coverage for sump pump failure or backup of sewers.  Flood is ALWAYS excluded on a homeowner policy. 

In order for the peril of flood to be covered you need a flood insurance policy.  Flood insurance policies are not just available for homeowners.  You can rent or own a mobile home and still purchase a flood policy.  Flood policies can cover the building or contents or both.  Replacement cost policies are available. 

Often times when people think flood insurance, they think “expensive”.  That is not always the case.  It all depends on where you live.  If you live in an area that is prone to floods or your home is built below the base flood elevation (BFE), yes it is probably going to cost more than a couple hundred dollars.  With that said, many homes in our area were affected by the flood and are still in a preferred flood zone and a policy may be very affordable.

Flood insurance quotes are free.  Why not ask your agent for a flood quote and then you can make an educated decision as to whether or not you want to spend money on this additional policy?  When I quote a policy for someone, I give them a copy of the property profile report from the tax assessor’s database, a report on the Flood Zone determination and a copy of the quote.   It is especially important if you are thinking of purchasing a property to get a flood quote before you purchase. 

Much more information on what to do before, during and after a flood is available online by going to: http://www.fema.gov/

You can also obtain a free flood insurance quote along with all the reports I mentioned above by going to http://www.tiains.com or contact us at any one of our three locations.