I’m feverishly preparing for what I consider to be a rite of passage:  I’m hosting Thanksgiving for the first time. While I love to cook and host my family from time to time, there’s something extra intimidating about preparing the quintessential meal of the year.  How do I manage preparing a turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and vegetables at the same time? In one oven? At this point I have a spreadsheet listing what I need to do on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and the baking times and temperatures broken down in chronological order. (Thank goodness my mom is bringing the pumpkin pie.)

While I was researching ways to prevent the turkey from drying out, I stumbled upon this fact. According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), Thanksgiving is the peak day for cooking-related home fires. Add another thing to worry about to the list.

It’s pretty clear to see why 69% of all home fires on Thanksgiving are cooking fires. People are stressed and busy, which can lead to carelessness and inattention in the kitchen. Let me join the chorus and reiterate the NFPA’s tips regarding cooking safety:

• Make sure your stovetop is clear of anything that could catch fire, like oven mitts, towels, hot pads, wooden utensils and food packaging.
• If you are frying, grilling, or broiling, stay in the kitchen. If you have to leave the kitchen, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling, check on your food regularly and remain in your home. Use a timer help remind you that you are cooking.
• Only cook when you are alert. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove.

Then there’s the use of turkey fryers, which the NFPA actually discourages. So does Underwriters Laboratory (UL), which will not certify any turkey fryers with their UL Mark. This video explains why UL finds those appliances dangerous.

I know that won’t stop everyone from frying a turkey. If you are considering it, please read Underwriters Laboratory’s article on the subject. They list not only the hazards, but key tips you should follow to make the process as safe as possible.

We hope everyone can celebrate a safe and happy Thanksgiving. And if you’re in the market, consider talking to a Foremost Agency about an insurance policy for your home.

It’s a necessary task for any seasonal home owner, and you still have time to get it done: preparing your seasonal home for the rigors of winter. Properly planning now can help you avoid damage and expensive repairs in the spring.

The best preparation is to develop a checklist of tasks and then follow it faithfully. Here are the major areas for winterization that Foremost recommends your list includes:

• Plumbing. This is one of the most important areas to address when winterizing a seasonal home. If your furnace fails, any water in the house could possibly freeze and cause major damage. Make sure the water system is turned off at its supply point and any pipes are cleared to prevent possible freezing and bursting. Further, the toilet as well as the shower and sink traps should be flushed and protected with non-toxic antifreeze.
• Appliances. You should drain any appliance that may hold water, including the water heater, washing machines, dishwashers or ice makers  Also make sure the refrigerator and freezer are properly defrosted and propped open to prevent mold and mildew from growing. Unplug all devices that don’t need to be powered and shut off the valves for any gas appliances.
• Furnace. Turn down the thermostat to about 55 degrees to help prevent freezing problems unless your home is an area that doesn’t get too cold in the winter. If your heater will be turned off over the winter, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for winterizing the system.
• Structural repairs. Check the roof and siding to make sure it’s secure and intact. If a shingle or piece were to blow off while the house is empty and go unnoticed, it could cause bigger water or structural damage problems. Examine the exterior around windows, doors and any pipe openings and caulk any areas that could let air, water, bugs or rodents into the house.
• Outdoor work. Clean up the yard and trim back bushes from the home to make it harder for burglars to hide. Secure all outdoor furniture in a locked garage or shed.
• Indoor cleaning. Thoroughly clean the house before closing it for winter to help prevent mold, mildew or insect and rodent problems. Remove all perishable items and any boxed food that animals could eat. Move electronics, TVs or computers from plain sight so anyone looking in the windows won’t see them. Consider removing any other small valuables from the premises altogether.
• Security. Make sure all windows are closed and locked and sliding doors are secured with bars in the track to prevent entry. Check door locks to make sure the latch plates are screwed into the wall studs and not just the door frame.  Close the curtains and if any neighbors are permanent residents, consider giving a trustworthy one a spare key to check on the place. Otherwise, arrange to have someone check on the place weekly, or install a remotely monitored security system.

It’s also important to do an insurance check-up with your insurance agency to make sure your home’s policy adequately covers it while it’s closed. Seasonal homes often require a specialized policy that addresses the specific situation of a homeowner who only occupies a residence for part of the year. If you’re interested in a seasonal home policy, consider giving Paul Miner at The Compass Insurance Group a call at 207-790-2300.

The people who escape the harsh winters of their primary location to live in a warmer climate are known as snowbirds. Snowbirds are typically retirees or business owners and the snowbird season runs from October through April, but may vary from year to year.

Are you a snowbird, or better yet, are you going to become one? Before you take flight towards a warmer climate and leisure lifestyle, check out Kiplinger’s 6 tips for your home and finances so you can fully enjoy your home away from home.

Prepare your home for winter.

It is important for everyone to prepare their homes for the winter season to avoid expensive damage or homeowners claims caused by cold weather and snowstorms. It is even more important to prepare your home for winter if it will be vacant during the coldest months of the year since you won’t be there to notice any problems that may arise. Prior to closing up your home, inspect your roof for any damage that could result in leaking and clean gutters and downspouts. Insulate any water lines that run along exterior walls and open cabinet doors to allow heat from the room to get into concealed spaces, which can make pipes less likely to freeze. Also, drain and shut off outdoor water faucets.

Trim trees.

Winter’s high winds and snowstorms can cause a lot of damage from fallen tree limbs; therefore, make it a priority to remove dead trees or large overhanging tree limbs before you leave town.

Ask someone to shovel snow.

Arrange to have a neighbor shovel snow from your driveway. This will help prevent snow that melts from leaking into the home and causing damage. It can also prevent your home from looking vacant and becoming a target of thieves.

Secure your home.

Home security is a big issue if you’re away from your house for months. Stop your newspaper delivery and forward your mail to your winter address or have it picked up on a regular basis. Also have someone check the house at least weekly to make sure any flyers or packages that are delivered while you’re gone don’t build up and make the house look unoccupied. Secure doors and windows with deadbolt locks, and install slide locks or other security locks on sliding glass doors or French doors. You can also install variable light timers, which turn lights on and off at different times to make it look like someone is home.

Notify your bank.

Before you leave, provide the bank with your contact information as well as your temporary address. This will give the banks a heads up, so there are no issues regarding out-of-state debit and credit card charges. If your financial institution is not aware that you will be away for a long period of time, your account could be frozen temporarily as they may see out-of-state charges as suspicious activity or fraud.

Sign up for online banking.

Online banking allows you to receive bills and make payments online. It gives you the peace of mind that your bills are being paid on time, without having to wait for statements to be mailed to your current location.

Maintaining two homes can be a lot of work, so it’s important to be prepared as seasons change. Having a good and reliable insurance policy is also important. So, if you’re in the market for insurance locate a Foremost agency near you.

The Compass Insurance Group is proud to be a Foremost Insurance Agent. Call us at 207-790-2300.

I’m guessing I’m not the only one who doesn’t want to share their home with eight-legged strangers. When I see those creepy spiders crawling across my floor I immediately feel like I need to check under every chair, table and rug for the rest of their families. Of course, in the part of the country I live in, the spiders are harmless, but that doesn’t stop me from feeling just a little uneasy when crawling friends start taking over my home.

It’s starting to get colder out and that means that my home is beginning to be infiltrated with spiders! Because of that, I feel the need to share some tips and tricks for keeping those creepy, crawly creatures out of our homes:

Outside:

• Seal and cover cracks. Walk around your house and think like a spider. Cover the gaps around the house and especially around doors. Check whether screens and windows are repaired. Air vents need to be covered in hardware mesh and cracks sealed in the foundation.
• Clean up the perimeter. Clean up or move any leaves, woodpiles, or other debris next to your house. Spiders don’t like wide open spaces, but they love dark nooks and crannies.
• Get rid of their paths. Trim any shrubs or stray branches that are touching the sides or roof of your home. These are a direct path for spiders.
• Spraying isn’t the answer. According to the University of California’s Integrated Pest Management Program, pesticide control is difficult and rarely necessary. Spiders are very resilient and you’ve practically got to fire the spray right at them. Instead, just clean up anything around the base and sides of your home.

Inside:

• Clean up your act. Allowing things to build up, like a stack of newspapers or a pile of shoes make perfect homes for spiders. Try to hang up or put away whatever you can.
• Vacuum their hiding places. Vacuuming up webs and dust leaves little room for spiders to feel comfortable. Spiders love hiding in webs and dust.
• Caulk. Caulk around doors and windows to keep the spiders outside and you safe and warm inside.

Whether or not you have eight-legged roommates trying to move in, it won’t hurt to follow the above steps to deter any little creatures from trying to make your home their home!  And, if you are in the market for home insurance consider giving a Foremost Agency a call.

November 9, 2012 11:32 am Featured Articles, Home Sweet Home, Maintenance, Safety At Home