Author: Laura Glover

Fire prevention tips

The thought of a house fire is incredibly scary, but most home fires are quite preventable. As Benjamin Franklin famously said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In the case of home fires, that couldn’t be more accurate. Follow these 10 fire prevention tips to protect your family and your home.

1. Keep your kitchen safe.

The kitchen is the heart of every home. But did you know that kitchens are the most common place where fires begin? According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), cooking is the leading cause of home fires.
Follow these tips to keep your kitchen safe:
     *Make sure nothing flammable is near the stove, such as curtains, towels, cookbooks, etc.
     *Clean your stovetop and oven regularly.
     *Stay nearby when something is cooking on the stove or in the oven.
     *Turn pan and pot handles inward so that no one accidentally bumps them off the stove.
     *Keep your clothing away from the stove by wearing short-sleeved shirts or shirt sleeves that are close fitting and tightly rolled.
     *Regularly clean your toaster and toaster oven to remove crumbs.

2. Install and maintain smoke alarms.

Smoke alarms are only helpful if they’re working properly. Make sure your home has a smoke alarm in the kitchen, in every room with a heat source (such as a fireplace), and in each bedroom.
     *If someone in your home is hearing impaired, install smoke alarms with flashing lights.
     *Test smoke alarms monthly by pushing the “test” button.
     *Replace the batteries in your smoke alarms twice a year to keep them functional. It’s easy to set a reminder on your smartphone’s    calendar to help you remember. If your smoke alarm starts chirping, that means it’s time to replace the batteries immediately.
     *Replace the smoke alarms themselves every 10 years (the average lifespan of a smoke detector).

3. Place fire extinguishers in the appropriate areas.

You should always have a working fire extinguisher in your kitchen and in any room with a fireplace. Just remember to store the fire extinguisher in a place that’s far enough away from the potential fire source (stove, oven, fireplace, etc.), allowing you to easily access it if needed.

4. Inspect electrical cords, power strips, surge protectors and extension cords.

When it comes to these items, attention to detail is key:
     *Be on the lookout for things like frayed wires and melted plastic—sure signs that the item needs to be replaced immediately.
     *Make sure electrical cords aren’t trapped under rugs or furniture. Since electrical cords can produce heat, this is a fire risk.
     *Purchase trusted name brands and highly rated power strips and surge protectors.

5. Maintain your clothes dryer.

Here’s how to keep your dryer safe:
     *Empty the lint filter on your clothes dryer after each use.
     *Regularly check beside and behind your dryer to pick up any stray lint or clothing (such as those pesky missing socks!) that may have become trapped.
     *At least once a year, clean your external dryer vents to remove all lint and trapped debris (you may want to hire a professional for this task).

6. Use proper wattage with light bulbs.

Lamps and light fixtures should have stickers on them indicating the maximum light bulb wattage that’s safe to use. For example, if a lamp says 60-watt bulb maximum, it’s a potential fire hazard to use a 100-watt bulb on that lamp!

7. Use candles with caution.

Yes, candles make your home smell lovely and add beautiful ambiance, but they can be risky. Always stay nearby when a candle is burning, and make sure there aren’t any flammable items near the candle (like clothing, curtains or furniture).

8. Follow fireplace safety best practices.

According to the NFPA, home fires are more common between November to March when people spend more time inside and use heating equipment, such as fireplaces.  Here are some tips to keep your fireplace safe:
     *Never leave a fireplace unattended when it’s lit.
     *Install a metal fire screen and keep it pulled together to prevent any sparks from escaping.
     *Make sure the fire is completely out before leaving your home or going to bed. Never go to sleep with a fire going in the fireplace!
     *Allow ashes to cool off before cleaning them out of the fireplace.
     *Dispose of fireplace ash in a metal container that isn’t used for anything else.
     *Hire a professional to clean your chimney at least once a year to remove any materials that could cause a chimney fire. According to the NFPA, chimney fires are the most common type of heating fire. 

9. Grill with safety.

When you’re grilling on your back patio, deck or outdoor living space, make sure the grill isn’t too close to your home’s exterior walls or next to a wooden fence or deck railing. And never leave your grill unattended when you’re cooking.

10. Make sure you have the right insurance coverage.

If it’s been awhile since you reviewed your homeowners insurance, now is a good time to take a look and make sure you have the right amount of coverage on your home in the unfortunate event of a fire. Contact McGriff today for a personalized and consultative review. We’ll take a look at your options and find the right policy and insurance carrier to meet your needs.

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COMBATING EYE STRAIN FROM REMOTE WORK

The Vision Council reported that more than 70% of Americans don’t know—or don’t believe—that they could suffer from eye strain. The reality is that most adults are on digital media for about four to six hours each day. If your job involves working on a computer and you’ve been logging on from home, you may be racking up even more hours than normal in front of a brightly lit screen.

Symptoms of Eye Strain

Eye fatigue is caused by staring at screens for long periods of time. According to the Mayo Clinic, you may have eye strain if you have:

• Sore, tired, burning or itching eyes
• Watery eyes
• Dry eyes
• Blurred or double vision
• Increased sensitivity to light
• Difficulty focusing

Combating Eye Strain

The simple solution to eye strain is to limit the time you spend in front of screens. That can be especially tough if working at a computer is part of your job. The same goes for children who may be virtually learning and using devices to stay connected to school.
It comes down to being mindful about how you are interacting with screens throughout the day. Even if you are a computer-bound worker, eye strain is preventable and mitigable. Here are ways to help reduce eye strain:

• Reduce glare. Try turning down your monitor’s brightness and cleaning the screen regularly. Dust can increase glare.

• Dim lighting. If possible, dim any other competing light in the room. You may be craving natural light, but try to configure your workspace away from front- or back-facing windows. If that’s not possible, consider applying a removable anti-glare filter on the screen to reduce sunlight glare.

• Pay attention to ergonomics. Place your screen in front of your face, just below eye level. Additionally, keep the monitor an arm’s length away.

• Increase font size. If you feel your eyes straining to read, increase on-screen text size.

• Wear computer glasses. Blue-light-blocking computer glasses are designed to filter the light from your screen, which can help reduce eye strain. When blue light enters the eye, it scatters, and the eye perceives it as glare. As a result, the eye works harder to keep vision clear and focused, which causes strain.

• Blink regularly. This is a simple one, but your eyes may feel dry just because you’re staring and have forgotten to blink. In fact, blue light exposure can cause people to stop blinking while using screens.

• Practice the 20-20-20 rule. If possible, look away from your screen every 20 minutes at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

If you are experiencing symptoms of eye strain and at-home adjustments aren’t working, consult with your eye doctor. This is especially important if you’re experiencing prolonged discomfort or vision changes.

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As the holiday season is upon us, Stapleton would like ensure you are properly protected as you celebrate. Here are some tips to consider for your insurance needs to help keep you safe and covered:

1. When buying items such as jewelry, cameras, guns, etc. during the holiday shopping season, please remember to contact Stapleton to review the need to add these items to your Inland Marine or Homeowner policy. Don’t assume the full value of the item is covered by your policy.

2. Identity theft risk can increase during the holiday season when people are more frequently shopping online. Scammers are always phishing and trying to spam your email with fake online deals. Contact Stapleton to discuss adding Identity Theft coverage to your Homeowner policy. Most carriers offer this option for a minimal annual premium.

3. Consider adding an Umbrella policy. Typically, the number of guests and visitors to a household increases in November and December with holiday parties. Protect yourself against potential legal liability if someone is injured on your property.

We thank you for choosing Stapleton for your insurance needs and want to help offer peace of mind during the holidays! Call us at 419-720-6446!

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The Scam

This new scam involves callers who pose as contact tracers from local and state health departments. In many cases, the caller will tell victims that they’re calling from the health department to notify the individual that they have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19. At this point, this may seem like a legitimate call that people may get or may have gotten from the health department during the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the scammer will then ask for payment or banking information before they can continue. Public and federal officials say that this will never be some- thing that a legitimate contact tracer would do. Again, a legitimate contact tracer may call you to notify you that you may have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19, but they will never ask you to provide financial or credit card information.

What should I do if I receive a call?

Because contact tracing is part of a federal, state and local response to minimizing the spread of COVID-19, you may receive a phone call from your state or local health department. It’s important to your health that you don’t avoid these calls out of fear of falling for
a scam, but rather be cautious when answering the
phone.

You may be asked to confirm your name, but be wary of providing any other confidential information, including your Social Security number. If the caller asks for any financial or credit card information, hang up the phone. This is a scam phone call.

If you’re suspicious about the call, ask for the caller’s name and number to call them back at a later time. Legitimate contact tracers will provide this information, which will also allow you to double-check the legitimacy of the call with your local or state health department. 

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1. Clean the Gutters: Removing debris from the gutters can help prevent ice dams from forming.

2. Check the Fireplace: Before using the fireplace in the winter, it is recommended to have the chimney swept to thoroughly clean soot and other debris build up.

3. Protect against Frozen Pipes: Insulate unprotected pipes, weather strip and caulk around crawlspace doors and basement windows, and keep the thermostat set above 55 degrees if you’ll be away for several days during subfreezing weather.

4. Maintain Furnace: Have your furnace inspected annually to keep it running efficiently and prevent loss of heat during the cold winter months.

5. Test Detectors: Residential fires are more common in winter months. Test smoke detectors and replace batteries as needed. Consider installing a CO2 detector to avoid the danger of a carbon monoxide leak. 

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