by Flagship Staff | Feb 20, 2017 | Blog
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Now what?
Winter is here, and that undoubtedly means we’ll get snow. While it can create a winter wonderland and provide the perfect setting for a day of sledding or snowman building, it can also turn your sidewalks and driveways into hazardous areas.
When the snow hits, be sure to keep these tips in mind so you can enjoy your snow day.
1.Check your local ordinances about snow removal. You’re likely required to remove all snow on walkways within 24 hours of snow accumulation. If you’ll be out of town, make sure you arrange for someone to come to your property and take care of the snow removal for you.
2.Get yourself a present this year. Purchasing an ergonomic snow shovel can help avoid unnecessary strain to your body. Even fluffy snow can feel heavy when you have a lot of area to clear.
3.Salt freshly-cleared areas. When shoveling or snow blowing is complete, be sure to salt the freshly-cleared areas. A light dusting and freezing temperatures can turn quickly walkways into ice rinks. Driveways should get the salt treatment, as well. If you prefer, sand can be used instead of salt.
4.Keep the mail carrier and garbage/recycling collectors in mind too. Snowplows can make mailboxes and garbage/recycling bins difficult to access which makes their jobs that much harder.
Keeping your property safe is incredibly important if you want to avoid injury to a guest, passerby, or worker. If someone slips and falls on your property, you could be facing an insurance claim. The person who fell may also sue you. This is why it’s important to understand how your insurance policy works to keep your finances protected.
While your Homeowner’s Liability and Medical Payments coverages will respond if someone falls on your property and you’re found liable, will you have enough coverage? If your Homeowner’s Liability limit is at $100,000, you might not have enough coverage for all the medical expenses incurred by the person who fell. With the rising costs of hospital care, it’s best to review your policy with your insurance agent to make sure you have enough coverage.
If you don’t already have an Umbrella Liability policy, it’s a good time to look into purchasing one. If your Homeowner’s Liability coverage limit is met, but you still owe money, your Umbrella Liability policy will kick in and provide at least $1,000,000 of additional coverage.
If the chore of snow removal is too strenuous or you simply don’t want to do it, there are many professional snow removal services around. Give them a call and let them keep your property safe.
by Flagship Staff | Feb 13, 2017 | Blog
Today, safety experts recommend putting children in their car seats without their winter coats. Doesn’t this seem counter intuitive? After all, it is winter.
Recently on the “Today” show, Jeff Rossen did a segment on car seat dangers during the winter. He visited a crash test lab in Michigan. His segment shows the dramatic results of a car crash at 30 mph with a crash dummy inappropriately strapped in because of a puffy winter coat. Miriam Manary, who operates the lab, explains the proper way to strap in a child during the winter months. She recommends strapping them in without a coat. To keep them warm she suggests using a blanket or putting on their jacket backwards.
If you’re expecting your first child and haven’t picked out your car seat, check out the information at safercar.gov. Their website provides information on:
How to select the right car seat;
What safety ratings mean;
How to install your car seat; and
How to register your car seat and how to get recall notifications.
Consider ordering a TIKE (Toddler Info Kept for Emergencies) sticker to attach to your car seat. TIKE is a bright neon green sticker that includes a child’s emergency and medical contact information that goes on the car seat. This information in critical if you have an accident and you’re unable to help the first responders with the care of your child.
by Flagship Staff | Feb 6, 2017 | Blog
This is the time of year when ponds and lakes are frozen. Soon you’ll be getting ready to get your vehicle out on the open, frozen water to enjoy the great outdoors. But what would you do if the unthinkable – but sinkable – happens and your vehicle breaks through the ice?
How is your car covered if it breaks through the ice?
As long as you have comprehensive (other than collision) coverage on the auto, there’s actual cash value coverage for the auto. West Bend will also provide coverage for the retrieval cost of the vehicle’s extraction from the body of water.
What happens if your car does not have comprehensive coverage (other than collision)?
Your insurance may provide coverage for the retrieval costs of the vehicle’s extraction from the body of water as property damage under your auto liability coverage.
There’s no coverage for the cost of the vehicle itself. Any fines assessed to you for the car falling through the ice would also be paid by you.
What happens if your ATV, snowmobile, or other recreational vehicle breaks though the ice?
If your recreational vehicle carries physical damage coverage, it would be covered if it sinks. The deductible would apply. Your insurance company may also provide coverage for the retrieval costs of the recreational vehicle’s extraction from the body of water.
What happens if your ATV, snowmobile, or other recreational vehicle doesn’t have comprehensive coverage (other than collision)?
If you don’t have physical damage coverage on your recreational vehicle, your insurance may provide up to $1,000 of coverage for the recreational vehicle itself and the retrieval costs of the recreational vehicle’s extraction from the body of water.
Pollution and any other fines assessed to you for the recreational vehicle falling through the ice would be paid by you.
Before heading out on the ice
To keep you and your vehicle afloat, be sure to take the necessary safety precautions. First, check with your local bait shop or lakeside resort about ice conditions, then check the ice thickness when you get there.
Ice thickness guidelines:
2″ or less – STAY OFF!
4″ – Ice fishing or other activities on foot
5″ – Snowmobile or ATV
8″ – 12″ – Car or small pickup
12″ – 15″ – Medium truck
Remember, temperature, snow cover, currents, and springs all affect ice safety. Ice is rarely the same thickness over a single body of water; it can be two feet thick in one place and one inch thick a few yards away. Check the ice at least every 150 feet. Park cars, pickups, and sport utility vehicles at least 50 feet apart and move them every two hours to prevent sinking.
With common sense and precaution, you’ll keep your vehicles above water and enjoy a safe season outdoors!
by Flagship Staff | Feb 1, 2017 | Blog
Do you have a new furry member in your family? Is this your first winter with them? If so, winter weather can be challenging for both of you.
Pets are a great addition to the family. They bring laughter and companionship to our lives. In return, most of us want to provide the best care we can to our beloved pets, and during the winter months, they may need a bit more care.
Here are some tips that can help you if you live in a Winter Wonderland.
1. Don’t zap your cat. A cat’s physiology, and its behavior, are different than dogs. Many dogs like to snuggle with you and enjoy it when you pet their heads or rub their bellies. On the other hand, while your cat may like to hang out you, he may not like being petted. The reason is static electricity. If you stroke a cat, from head to tail, this may aggravate him because static electricity builds up in his body. When we run the furnace in the winter, the static electricity in our home intensifies and can make your cat uncomfortable. Simply walking around the house can cause a zap if you touch your cat. If your cat likes to play on your furniture, he could be zapped.
To help control the zap factor in your home, run a humidifier. Keeping the humidity in your home between 20 and 50 percent can create a more comfortable environment.
If your cat tolerates water, spray a mister on his entire body to help eliminate static electricity.
Keep in mind that there are several benefits to installing a humidifier in your home even if you don’t have pets.
2. A good pair of boots. Depending on your level of activity during the winter, a good pair of boots can prevent cold feet and frostbite. If this is your first winter with your pet, don’t forget about their paws. Our pet’s paws can take a beating during the winter months. Check their paws frequently to make sure the paw pads aren’t cracked or bleeding.
3. Clean their boots. After a refreshing winter walk, it’s important to clean off their paws as soon as you return home. They may have picked up toxic chemicals or have sidewalk salt stuck between their toes. This is also a good time to check for injury or trauma to their paws. If you want to protect their paws or avoid cleaning them, booties are an option if they’ll wear them. Don’t forget to scrub their bellies as well!
4. Eliminate access to the garage. Our vehicles make a mess on the garage floor in the winter with slush and toxins from melting snow. If you have an older car, it may contain antifreeze that tastes sweet to our pets. Antifreeze, which is crucial to keeping our cars running, is extremely dangerous. If a small amount is ingested it can be fatal because it will lead to kidney failure.
If your pet has wandered into your garage and afterward, shows these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately. Medicine is available but must be given quickly after ingestion.
Symptoms of antifreeze poisoning
Staggering;
Lethargy;
Excessive drinking; and
Seizures.
Today, major marketers of antifreezes have changed the formula from a sweet taste to a bitter taste. Please be aware, however, that this doesn’t make antifreeze safer. It’s an attempt to keep them from ingesting large quantities.
If you notice an antifreeze leak in your garage or if you spill it, clean it up immediately. Using kitty litter is a safe way to soak it up. Use large amounts of water to rinse your floor.
5. Shovel your yard. While shoveling snow isn’t fun, it’s important to clear a spot in your yard for your pet. Some dogs hate going out in the snow and cold. An area free of snow and salt can make life easier for both of you. Also, consider accompanying them outside if it’s very cold. Using familiar verbal commands may keep them focused on what they’re supposed to do (i.e. “go potty” or “get busy”). A delicious treat afterward will help reward and reinforce their good behavior.
6. Cold cars are dangerous too. During the summer months, we hear news reports about the danger of leaving your child or pet in the car unattended. Winter can be just as dangerous. If you have to leave them unattended, it’s best to leave them at home.
7. Too cold for you? If you have multiple pets, each one may experience the cold weather differently. Pay attention. If one dog loves long walks and playing in the snow, let her at it. If your other dog is miserable, come up with a different routine for him. In the end, if it’s too cold for you, it’s probably too cold for them.
8. Wear reflective clothing. If you enjoy walking your dog before sunrise or after sunset, make sure both of you wear reflective clothing. Motorists don’t expect to see people out and about during the winter months. Even if you live in a well-lit neighborhood, it still may be difficult for motorists to see you.
9. Keep them on their leashes. City ordinances usually require your dog to be on leash when strolling through your neighborhood. If you normally give your pet some freedom and remove the leash, winter is not the time to do it. Snowfall can make it difficult for pets to find their way home if they get lost.
by Flagship Staff | Jan 26, 2017 | Blog
If you’re building a new home, remodeling your existing home, or you recently built a new deck, you may be staining the new woodwork yourself. While it saves money, it can be a bit scary and dangerous.
Stain is permanent! It will stain your clothes, fingers, and anything else it meets. So if you’re trying a DIY staining project, wear protective eyewear, rubber gloves, and old clothing. Oil-based stains also have fumes, so it’s important to work in a properly-ventilated area.
The staining project turns dangerous if you don’t properly store or dispose of the used rags.
Oil-based stains are very common with woodworking projects. Linseed based stains can be found on every hardware store’s shelf. They’re used for staining furniture, floors, decks, and woodwork in your home. However, if they’re not stored or disposed of properly, they can auto-ignite and start a fire in your home. Unfortunately, people have lost their homes and possessions because of this dangerous situation.
So how can a pile of rags sitting on your garage floor start a fire? As oily rags begin to dry, heat is produced. If they’re thrown into a pile, oxygen is trapped underneath. The combination of heat, oxygen and the cloth can lead to spontaneous combustion, which results in a fire that could destroy your home.
Here are some tips for storing and disposing of oily rags.
1.Never store rags in a pile. Used rags should be spread out in a safe flat area to dry. If you lay them out on your garage floor or driveway, weight them down so the wind doesn’t blow them away. Once they’re dry, check with your city or municipality for disposal instructions.
2.Store the rags in an airtight, non-combustible metal container. If you plan to use your rags later, this step is critical. The metal container should be filled with a solution of water and an oil breakdown detergent.
3.Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Since manufacturers use different oils in their products, it’s important to follow their warnings and disposal instructions. They may differ from manufacturer to manufacturer.
