Best and Worst Vehicles Link

Spring time is car buying time!  Take a look at the link provided by Consumer Reports that shows the best and worst cars and trucks by type.  They range from small cars thru large pick ups and SUV's, family vehicles to luxury cars.  When purchasing a vehicle, a little information on the reliability is worth its' weight in gold.  No one wants to purchase a vehicle and then have it spend more time in the shop than on the road! 

Secure Your Home While Away On Spring Break

Going out of town for Spring Break? I recommend 6 steps to secure your home while on vacation. 1.) Let trusted neighbors know you are leaving and ask them to keep an eye on your home.  2.) Ask someone to pick up your mail and newspaper, or stop those deliveries for the duration of your trip.  3.) Set your outside lights so one stays on at night, and put timers on your indoor lighting so they go on and off at random intervals.  4.) Trim overgrown hedges and bushes, especially around windows, so thieves don’t have an easy place to hide.  5.) Lock all doors and windows. A quality deadbolt is a great defense against intruders.  6.) In addition to taking steps to secure your home, it’s just as important to know what not to do. Don’t hide a spare key outside, don’t record a phone greeting saying you’re on vacation, and never announce your travel plans on social networking sites.  A few simple and easy steps to give you peace of mind while enjoying your vacation.

Classic & Antique Auto

The interior maintenance of a car can be just as important as the exterior.  Auto Interior Tip 1: Never use detergents, abrasives or petroleum distillates on vinyl interior components. Mild soap and water works well. Tip 2: Mildew bacteria can be killed and cleaned by using a medium soft brush and a 4-to-1 mixture of water and ammonia. Tip 3: Vacuum carpet. For stains, use a cleaner on a soft-bristled brush in circular, overlapping motions. Blot dry.  Tip 4: Apply a stand-alone protector to newly cleaned carpet to help future stains come out easier.  Tip 5: The final step of interior maintenance should be the glass. For best results, use an automotive glass cleaner versus a household ammonia-based one.  Now pray for the sun and nicer weather in order to roll these prized possessions out for the season!

Motorcycle Season is Approaching!

Warmer weather is here and the Karcher Agency wants you to have a safe and happy motorcycle season. Here are 4 quick tips to prepare your motorcycle for the road.  Motorcycle Prep Tip 1: Clean the entire engine with a mild detergent and water solution. Remove any metal-protecting agents as well as any plastic or rubber covers from the air box intakes, exhaust pipes and air box drain.  Motorcycle Prep Tip 2: Make sure the battery is in good condition and fully charged, be sure the vent hose is connected and routed properly, drain and replace any oil that was in the engine during storage, lubricate all areas as instructed in the operators manual, change the spark plugs and check the engine coolant.  Motorcycle Prep Tip 3: If your bike is chain driven, inspect the chain and drive sprockets for excessive wear or loosening and adjust if nMotorcycle Prep Tip 4: Inspect and correct the following equipment after pulling your bike from storage: tires, brake pads and shoes, coolant hoses and brake lines, cables, turn signals, reverse lights, kill switch, horn and headlight. If your bike has hydraulic brakes, check the fluid level and follow the manufacturer's recommendationsecessary. If shaft-driven, inspect the oil level in the final drive unit and make sure it's filled to the proper level.  Now you are ready to start the engine!  Let it idle to warm up and circulate the necessary fluids for operation.  If there are any unusual sounds have it looked at by a qualified cycle mechanic then enjoy the ride!

Know Your Stuff

In the event of claim each home owner is tasked with the daunting chore of itemizing the property that was lost in the claim.  I suggest doing a little work ahead of time to help minimize the amount of time spent developing that list.  The Insurance Information Institute provides software at http://www.knowyourstuff.org/ to guide and assist you in making an inventory of your personal property.  This information can become invaluable in the event of a total loss, especially by fire.  It can be used whether you rent or own your home. The software is free so I recommend signing up and taking advantage of this tool to minimize the stress that accompanies settling a claim.

Checklist to Winter Proof Your Home

Winter is often unpredictable and home owners report billions of dollars in damages every year from weather related claims.  There are some simple precautions that can be taken to help minimize and avoid winter related disasters. 
OUTSIDE THE HOME:
Clean out gutters- remove leaves, sticks and debris so the melting snow and ice can freely flow.  This can prevent ice damming, a condition where water is unable to drain, refeezes under the shingles, remelts and seeps into the home.  You can also try gutter gaurds to eliminate this cleaning.
Trim trees and remove dead branches.  Ice, snow and wind could cause branches to break damaging the home or car and possibly injure someone walking on your property.
Repair, sidewalks, steps and handrails to prevent a trip/slip and fall.  Unrepaired items can be lethal when covered with snow and ice.
Seal cracks in holes in outside walls/foundations and make sure skylights and other roof openings have proper weather stripping to avoid water intrusion.  Protect outside water sources from freezing with inexpensive covers. 
INSIDE THE HOME:
Keep the house warm and add extra insulation to minimize heat escape that can melt snow that can refreeze causing the ice dam and protects pipes from freezing/bursting. Learn where the main water valve is in case of a rupture and make sure all smoke alarms are functioning.  Also consider adding a carbon dioxide detector , since a well sealed home can trap this toxic gas.

What is a Flood?

My prior post provided a valuable tool in determining if your home is in a flood zone.  I would like to expand on that to clarify what is a flood.  The National Flood Insurance Program and the Federal Emergency Management Agency define a flood as:
"A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or of two or more properties (at least one of which is the policyholder's property) from:
--Overflow of inland or tidal waters; or
--Unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source; or
--Mudflow;or
--Collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake or similar body of water as a result of erosion or undermining caused by waves or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels that result in a flood as defined above."
If you have determined that you are in the flood zone, I recommend securing a flood policy to transfer this risk to the insurance company.
As side note, water backup of the sewer and sump pump malfunction is not part of the definition of a flood.  Make sure you add the water backup/sump pump overflow endorsement to your home owners policy to close this gap in coverage.  Most companies offer a minimum of $5000 with the option to purchase up to $50,000 or in some high value home policies, up to the policy limits.  I strongly recommend that you review your home owners policy for this coverage, especially if you have a partial to fully finished basement!