Windy Winter Seattle area winters are known to be rainy and can be very windy. Along with the wind comes power outages that turn already dark days even darker and colder. Many homeowners have discovered the magic of the gas-powered generator. Ranging from small ones able to run a few lights to “whole-house” generators that […]
Browsing Posts in Preparedness
Snow!!! I was delighted to see snow on Christmas Day! There’s just something magical about the quiet blanket of freshness that completes the winter atmosphere. I love playing in the snow and I want it to last forever, but my husband (Mr. Scrooge) sees the practical side and immediately starts thinking about the impact on […]
Garage Secure? A neighbor recently had his car stolen from inside his locked garage. The thief was able to defeat the garage door opener, enter the car (with the keys inside) and make off with his prized possession. For those of us who presume our garage (aka storage unit) is secure, consider that a thief […]
Easy Inventory 2:00 AM. “Water has flooded the upper floor and is puddling in the light fixtures downstairs. The carpet is soaked, the ceiling is coming down and the floor is ruined!” What followed was a disaster recovery project that lasted months and required all items in the house to be removed and either placed […]
Summer is coming and most of us are planning a much needed vacation. Don’t let all those fun memories disappear by returning to a home that has been burglarized while you were away. There are many simple and inexpensive things to do to reduce the odds you will be victimized. Research reveals that if it […]
Gas Off! We just re-set our clocks for daylight savings. Traditionally this is a good time to check the batteries in our smoke alarms but it’s also a good time to assess our overall emergency preparedness. Whether it’s a house fire, power outage, earthquake or other disaster we are all encouraged to do what it […]
Did you know that water tanks can loose their effectiveness over time? And did you know that you should drain your tank each year? Most people never give their water heater a second thought — until it stops working or starts leaking. One thing you can do to extend the life of your water heater […]
If you are like me, insurance is easy to take for granted. After we buy it, we don’t think about it much. We recently sat down with our insurance agent to review our policies and were surprised at how many changes we needed to make. We insure our cars, business, home and rental properties. We […]
Spring is a great time to inspect your home for wintertime invasion of pests of all kinds. During the winter your home was an inviting place for critters to find warmth, food and water. Now that it’s springtime they may be planning to make your home their permanent residence, make a family and even invite […]
The roof is arguably the most important part of the home and often the most neglected when it comes to maintenance. The Pacific Northwest climate is particularly harsh on all types of roofs. Rain, snow and wind are hard enough but the biggest threat is actually moss. Moss, if allowed to build can turn a […]
