Is It Time For The Christmas Tree ALREADY?

It is hard to believe that we are seeing these trees going up already. It seems that they are going up earlier and earlier each year. None the less it is time to review some important safety tips. The following link has some GREAT ideas on a variety of topics which I hope you find beneficial for your home safety. http://www.homesafetycouncil.org/SafetyGuide/sg_holiday_w002.asp

I hope you enjoy and please pass along any tips you find interesting and helpful to your family and friends.

All The Best!!

Peter Kanavas - Contents Supervisor

Do I Really Have To Pay My Deductible?

When you purchase a homeowners insurance policy, one of the decisions to be made is at what price point you want to set your deductible. The deductible is the amount you must pay personally BEFORE the insurance company steps in to cover the remainder of the loss amount. Essentially, you are self-insured up to the amount of your deductible.

When you file an insurance claim, either the insurance adjuster or a contractor, such as Champion Construction, will write a repair estimate. Let's say you had a $500 deductible, and the claim total was $5,000. The insurance company would issue a check for $4,500, with you personally owing the remaining $500. So, now you have a check for $4,500 and you want to know if the contractor can repair your home for that amount ONLY, saving you $500 hard-earned dollars. The short answer is "No", but let's take a step back into history for a moment.

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How To Protect Your Children From Fires

Children and Home Fires Facts

• Children make up 15%-20% of all fire deaths.


• Children younger than 5 are at greatest risk of fire deaths and injuries, with a fire death rate more than twice the national average. 


• Two thirds of fires that kill children younger than 5 are in homes that do not have a smoke alarm.


• Almost 55% of children ages 5 and under who die from home fires are asleep at the time.


• Nearly one third of children who die in fires are too young to react appropriately.


• Children set about 8,000 home fires each year.

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Protect Yourself From Winter Storms & Extreme Cold

Winter storms are considered "deceptive killers" because most deaths are indirectly related to the storm. Seventy percent of fatalities related to ice and snow occur in automobiles, and approximately twenty-five percent of all winter-related fatalities are people caught off-guard in the storm. Prolonged exposure to extreme cold can cause frostbite or hypothermia. Powerful winter storms can also have thunderstorms associated with them. These storms can dump as much as three inches of snow or one inch of ice in an hour.  So how can you prepare for winter weather?

Familiarize yourself with these terms to help identify a winter storm hazard:

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Cuddle Up to Fireplace Safety

More than one third of Americans use fireplaces, wood stoves and other fuel fired appliances to heat their homes. Nothing is quite as cozy as that warm, crackling fire in the fireplace. But if you aren't careful, more than your toes could get toasty. An average of 6000 people end up in emergency rooms for injuries associated with fireplaces and fireplace equipment and approximately 14,000 house fires each year are started by fireplaces.

Keep your family safe and warm by following these fireplace safety tips:

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What To Do If You Have A Fire Damage

The Do’s and Don’ts if you have a fire damage at your home or business:

DO:

• Call for professional help as soon as possible. Corrosive byproducts can cause irreversible etching.


• If the temperature is above 60 degrees, open windows to ventilate the home.



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What To Do If You Have A Water Damage

The Do’s and Don’ts if you have a water damage at your home or business:

DO:

• Have a professional plumbing contractor eliminate the water source.



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Turkey Fryer Safety

Turkey Fryers Facts

• Cooking fires peak on Thanksgiving Day.


• Between 1998 and 2005, the Consumer Product Safety Commission had 112 reports of fires or burns related to turkey fryers.


• Most fires from turkey fryers occur while the oil is being heated, before the turkey is added.


• Contact with hot oil can cause serious burns.

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Holiday Fire Prevention

Trees

• When buying a live tree, check for freshness - green needles, trunk sticky with resin, and few lost needles when tapped on the ground.


• Never place a fresh Christmas tree next to a heat source. Heat dries out trees and makes them easier to catch on fire.


• Keep your tree stand filled with water at all times.


• When the tree gets dry, get rid of it. Look for a recycling center near you.


• Never burn a Christmas tree or its branches in a fireplace or wood stove.

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Resolving Customer Issues Successfully Requires a Plan

Good customer service is planned and not an accident.  While we work very hard to provide the highest level of customer service, there are still issues that arise that must be dealt with in any business.  In order to handle them well, you need a plan.

We call our plan WALRAS.  While it is not spelled like the animal ‘walrus’ it certainly sounds like ‘walrus’ and it’s a great memory aid.  WALRAS is the acronym for the plan.  If you follow WALRAS you greatly improve your chances of calming the emotions of the situation, logically discussing solutions and regaining a happy customer.

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