Fast Response Mitigates Home Water Damage

Author: Carolyn Ethington
Source: ezinearticles.com

It can happen at virtually any time and it’s one of a property owner’s worst nightmares: home flooding! Water damage from a backed up sewer, broken water pipe, ice dam, overflowing creek or any one of a number of other reasons can quickly destroy belongings and the structural integrity of a building; it’s up to YOU to mitigate the damage as much as possible before professional help arrives. Here are some fast response strategies that can alleviate some of the long-term effects of home flooding disasters.

Have a plan in place: Take some time to work out a family emergency response plan BEFORE flooding occurs. Things can be replaced, but precious people cannot: so make sure everyone knows what to do and where to meet following disaster. Make a priority list of what should be removed first in case of flooding.

If there is sewage in your flood water, evacuate people and pets from the house immediately. Avoid any kind of direct contact with the sewage and contact a disaster cleanup company for emergency services: the risks to your health are significant under these circumstances. If water does not contain sewage, proceed with the following steps.

Remove irreplaceable valuables: Get family treasures and expensive items such as photographs, paintings, etc out of the house immediately and place them in a secure location to dry. Remove electronics if possible and as many of your home’s moveable contents such as clothing, and hang them in the sun to dry.

Immediately remove colored magazines and similar items from wet floors and furniture since they will leave dye behind.

Mop and blot as much of the water as possible, but NEVER attempt to get the water up by using a vacuum cleaner.

Starting the drying process as quickly as possible can literally save thousands of dollars in replacement costs: open all windows in winter to expedite drying and turn on the air conditioning during the summer months.

As soon as your family and belongings are secured, contact an experienced Utah disaster cleanup company or a similar service in the state where you live. They will stop mold growth in its tracks and thoroughly complete the mitigation and cleanup process so your life can get back to normal again.

Carolyn Ethington

Energy Performance Certificate

Author: Mark D Leyland
Source: ezinearticles.com

From 1 October 2008 it became compulsory that all commercial buildings with a floor area over 50m2 require an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for sale, letting, change in the buildings purpose or when constructed.

Not dissimilar to the domestic Home Information Pack (HIP), the legislation requires buildings to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), which details the potential energy efficiency of the property.

The EPC is intended to highlight the amount of energy it is estimated to meet the different energy needs associated with its standard use, so the buyer or tenant can make an informed judgement before the transaction is made.

The EPC takes into account the buildings fabric and services (heating, cooling, hot water, ventilation and lighting) and lasts for 10 years. It does not have to be reissued until then, unless major modifications are made to the property which will affect its energy consumption.

The energy performance regulations have been implemented to help combat the increasing effect that property has on carbon emissions into the atmosphere, which currently stands at a staggering 52% of all emissions.

In order to obtain an EPC, a site survey needs to be carried out by an accredited Energy Assessor or approved Data Collector. They will look at a number of key elements such as the buildings fabric, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting efficiencies and control of these elements.

After a short period of time spent on site the certificate takes around 20 days to come through. However this is subject to the receipt of necessary information and is depending on the size and complexity of the building.

As of the 4th January 2009 additional legislation also now affects the person who controls a property that has air conditioning (over 250kW output), which requires a five yearly energy inspection report.

Non compliance will hinder any transaction (buying or selling) and could lead to actions or fines being imposed by Trading Standards of up to £5,000, not to mention the requirement still to have an EPC in place.

Do you have the adequate building plans required in order to complete an EPC? If you don’t, our providers can arrange for plans to be completed at the same time as an EPC which will reduce costs and increase efficiency.

http://www.theovalgroup.com

Mark Leyland – Webmaster for the Oval group

How Flood Insurance Works

Author: Carson Koziol
Source: ezinearticles.com

Far too many homeowners are under the erroneous belief their homeowner insurance covers flooding. This simply isn’t true. If you live in an area prone to hurricanes, tropical type storms, heavy rains and other watery weather conditions, flood insurance would be a wise investment.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was created by Congress in 1968. The purpose was to provide a means for property owners to financially protect themselves in the event they experienced a flood.

The program isn’t for home owners only. It covers renters and business owners as long as their community participates in the NFIP. This means the participating communities have agreed to adopt and enforce ordinances that meet or exceed FEMA requirements to reduce the risk of flooding.

The reason the community adopts FEMA requirements is that FEMA administers the NFIP. The FEMA rules are not overly burdensome to the community. They have to first join the NFIP and enforce sound floodplain management standards.

Flood insurance is not purchased through FEMA or the NFIP. Rather, consumers purchase this coverage through property and casualty (PC) insurance agents. Neither the agents nor the participating insurance companies can set their own rates.

Flood insurance rates depend on many factors. The most obvious are the date and type of construction of your home coupled with your building’s level of risk. This tells you flood insurance coverage protects both buildings and contents. The land your buildings or contents occupy is not covered. You can not insure land.

According to the NFIP, building coverage includes the insured building and its foundation, the electrical and plumbing system, central air conditioning equipment, furnaces, water heaters, refrigerators, cooking stoves, built in appliances and permanently installed carpeting over unfinished flooring.

The NFIP says clothing, furniture, electronic equipment, curtains, portable and window air conditioners, portable microwaves and dishwashers, carpeting that is not already included in property coverage and clothing washers and dryers are included under contents coverage.

If you have a flood claim, you will be reimbursed in one of two methods. The first is called Replacement Cost Value (RCV) and the second is Actual Cash Value (ACV).

The RCV is the cost to replace damaged property. It is reimbursable to owners of single-family, primary residences insured to within 80% of the building’s replacement cost.

All other buildings and personal property (i.e. contents) are valued at ACV. The ACV is the RCV at the time of loss minus physical depreciation. Personal property is always valued using the ACV.

Flood insurance can seem complicated so it is wise to have the agent answer all of your questions. If you have to, go over each coverage until you understand what is and is not covered.

I own an insurance agency owner in the state of Nevada. I am licensed in both property and casualty as well as life and health insurance. I invite you to check out my agency’s website at Nevada Insurance. For more information about flood insurance go to Insurance Knowledge.

Play it Safe With Home Warranty Companies

Author: Ron S. Carter
Source: ezinearticles.com

Many people have a general home warranty attached to a home upon purchase. These warranties are offered by companies that specialize in warranties for household appliances. Homeowners can have their refrigerator, range and even air conditioning system covered through one of these warranties. It’s easy to run into problems with these warranties though.

Many times, maintenance must be performed regularly on these appliances to keep them in working order. Central air and heat systems for instance must be serviced once a year to maintain the validity of the warranty. If a homeowner skips or forgets the maintenance, and encounters a problem with the unit, the warranty will not cover it.

Be sure to ask for reputable contractors to be dispatched to your home. Many times contractors don’t want to deal with these calls because they don’t make enough money. When their business is slow, they depend on warranty companies, but when they’re busy, they want to work for the people who pay the most money.

For instance, a lady in San Antonio, TX called her home warranty company because she had a leak in her shower drain. She could tell what it was, she said, because the only time it leaked was when the tub was draining or when the shower was on. In other words, it only leaked when the drain was open. She paid a $65 dollar service charge (similar to a deductible) for a plumber to come out and tell her it was her water pipe and that she needed thousands of dollars worth of work done. She argued and called the warranty provider to let them know what she thought. It took her a matter of weeks to get a competent plumber on site to identify the problem, which was just as she believed. Since the shower drain was upstairs, the plumber had to cut the ceiling out just below the drain in order to fix the drain pipe. When he was finished, he left the mess he made with the explanation that he “doesn’t do drywall”. It was another week and another service charge before she had her ceiling fixed too.

Since many parts of your home may be covered by such warranties, be sure to read the fine print in order to keep your warranty valid. It’s an awful feeling to find that you’ve paid for a service that does you no good whatsoever. So be sure to request a reputable contractor that has very few complaints logged in the warranty provider’s system. That being said, your home warranty is a contract like any other. You must live up to your end of the agreement for the warranty providers to live up to theirs.

Ron is the Marketing Representative for All Seasons Air Conditioning based in San Antonio, TX. Ron has been in the HVAC industry for over 7 years. Although he hasn’t spent a lot of time in the industry, he has worked as a Regional Sales Manager for a prominent manufacturer of air conditioning units as well as the business manager for another local HVAC contractor.

Ron is working to grow All Seasons Air Conditioning and Heating with his brother Nick Carter. They would like to show people that air conditioning service doesn’t have to break the bank, and that anything can be repaired, but sometimes it’s cheaper in the long run to have something replaced.

Budget to Buy Auto Insurance

Author: Ted Kripps
Source: ezinearticles.com

One of the best tools to save money is a budget. In a budget you try to make realistic estimates of what it will cost to live. There are several items that you will need to include in your budget. Some of the expenses are fixed, such as the cost to buy auto insurance and for rent. Other expenses may vary. These expenses include items such as groceries, utilities, and gasoline. Still other options are purely optional, such as entertainment and gifts. Good planning will insure that you have enough money to meet your basic expenses and may even leave some money for savings and those optional items.

There is little you can do to change fixed expenses. You have to have a place to live and unless you are willing to move, the house payment or rent is a fixed expense. Auto insurance is a fixed expense unless you begin to shop around and find a better price. Your car payment is a fixed expense unless you are willing and able to sell your vehicle to purchase a less expensive one.

Variable expenses are still the necessities of life. You have to have utilities and food to live, but the expenses may change from month to month or week to week. In the winter, you will likely pay more in heating expenses and in the summer you pay more for air conditioning. The amount of water you use may vary according to other conditions. Food bills may vary according to what you find on sale from one week to another. Your budget should take into account these items as you plan.

Optional expenses should be at the bottom of your budget. These moneys should not be spent unless the other expenses have been met. If it means that you will not have money to pay the rent, a movie night out should be replaced with watching a movie at home. If you must give a gift and money is tight, then consider a gift that you make yourself.

When budgeting, many people consider savings a fixed expense. The first bill they pay is to themselves and they will pay ten percent of their income to a savings account. In addition, you may choose to include a fixed percentage of your income as a fixed expense that you give to your church, synagogue or other favorite charity.

As you set your budget, if you find that money to buy auto insurance is tight, remember that you can always begin asking for insurance quotes. Many people find that they are able to save several hundred dollars just by changing companies. The money you save may be enough to help make ends meet with your budget.

There are several items that you will need to include in your budget. Some of the expenses are fixed, such as the cost to buy auto insurance and for rent. Save comparing insurance now!

Budget to Buy Auto Insurance

Author: Ted Kripps
Source: ezinearticles.com

One of the best tools to save money is a budget. In a budget you try to make realistic estimates of what it will cost to live. There are several items that you will need to include in your budget. Some of the expenses are fixed, such as the cost to buy auto insurance and for rent. Other expenses may vary. These expenses include items such as groceries, utilities, and gasoline. Still other options are purely optional, such as entertainment and gifts. Good planning will insure that you have enough money to meet your basic expenses and may even leave some money for savings and those optional items.

There is little you can do to change fixed expenses. You have to have a place to live and unless you are willing to move, the house payment or rent is a fixed expense. Auto insurance is a fixed expense unless you begin to shop around and find a better price. Your car payment is a fixed expense unless you are willing and able to sell your vehicle to purchase a less expensive one.

Variable expenses are still the necessities of life. You have to have utilities and food to live, but the expenses may change from month to month or week to week. In the winter, you will likely pay more in heating expenses and in the summer you pay more for air conditioning. The amount of water you use may vary according to other conditions. Food bills may vary according to what you find on sale from one week to another. Your budget should take into account these items as you plan.

Optional expenses should be at the bottom of your budget. These moneys should not be spent unless the other expenses have been met. If it means that you will not have money to pay the rent, a movie night out should be replaced with watching a movie at home. If you must give a gift and money is tight, then consider a gift that you make yourself.

When budgeting, many people consider savings a fixed expense. The first bill they pay is to themselves and they will pay ten percent of their income to a savings account. In addition, you may choose to include a fixed percentage of your income as a fixed expense that you give to your church, synagogue or other favorite charity.

As you set your budget, if you find that money to buy auto insurance is tight, remember that you can always begin asking for insurance quotes. Many people find that they are able to save several hundred dollars just by changing companies. The money you save may be enough to help make ends meet with your budget.

There are several items that you will need to include in your budget. Some of the expenses are fixed, such as the cost to buy auto insurance and for rent. Save comparing insurance now!