Honor our Vet’s – Thank a Veteran for their Service

Thank You to all who Served!

Cold Weather is coming and once again it’s time to button up your home and start preparing for winter. While homeowners are encouraged to be diligent about fire safety year round, it’s especially important now because home fires are more common in winter than in any other season. Whether you live in an apartment, condominium or a full size house the most important project to start with is Fire Safety.

U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,298,000 fires in 2014. These fires resulted in 3,275 fatalities, 15,775 injuries and an estimated $11.6 billion in direct property loss. Seventy percent of reported home fires and 84% of the home fire deaths occurred in one- or two-family homes, including manufactured homes. The remainder occurred in apartments or other multi-family housing. (Stats from NFPA)

Some fires are caused by issues related to the structure, such as lightning strikes, faulty wiring, furnace malfunctions, and other electrical and heating system-related mishaps. But most home and apartment fires are preventable.

Fairfield Home Inventory would like to pass along the following tips and suggestions to ensure the safety of homeowners, condo owners, renters and their families.

Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detectors

• Smoke Alarms save lives, install at least one smoke/carbon monoxide detector on each level of your home, including near sleeping areas.
• Daylight savings time is coming to an end on November 1^st. When you reset your clocks (fall back) remember to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Furnaces & Fireplaces/Wood Stoves

• Have a qualified technician (contract with oil/gas company) to inspect and clean your furnace once a year.
• Make sure emergency shut off and automatic controls are in good working condition
• Keep oily rags, trash, newspapers, paint, spray cans, etc. away from the furnace area.
• If you have a fireplace or wood burning stove have your chimneys/flu and vents checked by a reputable, certified Chimney Sweep/technician. Fireplaces produce creosote which can ignite. If you light fires frequently, you need a chimney sweep service at least once a year. When you burn wood, make sure it’s dry and seasoned (not green) so that it produces more flame and less smoke, reducing creosote build-up.
• Never leave a fire unattended – make sure the fire is out before going to bed.
• Place ashes outside in a covered metal container at least five feet away from the house or anything that can burn.
• Cover your fireplace or woodstove opening with a screen protector to eliminate sparks from jumping out into living area.
• Never close the damper to your fireplace while there are hot ashes present. Closing the damper could make the fire flare up and this will cause carbon monoxide to be released into the house.

Cooking & Kitchen Safety

Kitchens are a favorite gathering place in many families especially during the holidays. Cooking fires are the most common type of fires in U.S. households. By paying attention while cooking, you can prevent a kitchen fire.

• If you are frying, grilling, or broiling food, stay in the kitchen. Turn off the stove if you have to leave the kitchen, even if only for a short time. If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, you don’t have to stay in the kitchen, but you do need to stay in the home. Check the food regularly and use a timer to remind you that there is something cooking.
• Keep flammable objects—pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, and paper or plastic bags—away from the stovetop. Wear close-fitting clothing that won’t drape over or touch burners while cooking.
• Although turkey fryers may produce delicious holiday dinners, they pose significant fire hazards. For safe turkey fryer use tips, visit the US Fire Administration’s page on cooking safety.
• Know how to put out a grease fire; water will make it spread but salt or baking soda will smother it and extinguish it quickly.
• Keep a small all-purpose fire extinguisher in an easy to reach place in the kitchen.

I could go on and on about home fire safety but the areas covered above are some of the major places to start with your winter home safety projects.

Some other safety tips include:

• Candles – light only when an adult is around to watch them and blow them out when leaving the room. Make sure candles are kept away from drapes and anything flammable and keep kids and pets away from burning candles. If there are smokers in the family, try to smoke outside.
• Space heaters – place in a safe area, away from drapes and tablecloths. Keep kids and pets from getting too close and make sure the space heaters you buy have an automatic shut-offs before getting too hot and an automatic tip-over function.
• If your pipes freeze, do not attempt to thaw them out with a blowtorch, instead try a hand held blow dryer or use pipe wrap to insulate.
• When buttoning up your home to keep the cold out make sure windows used as emergency exits can be opened.
• Holidays are ahead – before you start putting up lights around your home check out all electrical cords. Make sure they are in good shape, not frayed or cracked, replace if questionable. Never overload outlets, extension cords or circuits.
• Have a plan for emergency escape from your home in case of fire or other disaster – learn proper escape techniques (for more info on this visit www.nfpa.org/homefires) and practice with everyone in the family. Teach children how to dial 911.

Use your common sense when buttoning up your home for the winter ahead. identify potential danger areas in your home and take the proper precautions. There are many organizations such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), US Fire Administration and local fire departments. Look them up on the web and read more about protecting your family, property and home this winter season.

Fairfield Home Inventory advocates Home and Business preparedness for disaster. We will work with our Stamford and Fairfield County communities to get the word out. Be prepared for any disaster and stay safe!

Hurricane Joaquin Heading towards the East Coast

Emergencies can happen anytime and anywhere without notice. Households, businesses and organizations should prepare in the event an emergency causes you to be self-reliant for three days without utilities, electricity, or water, without access to a supermarket or local services or maybe even without response from police, fire or rescue. Preparing can start with four important steps:

1.) Be informed about emergencies that could happen in your community, and identify sources of information in your community that will be helpful before, during and after an emergency.

2.) Make a plan for what to do in an emergency.

3.) Build an emergency supply kit.

4.) Get involved

Fairfield Home Inventory encourages our community to be better prepared and invites community members to join us in this effort.

We would also like to remind everyone that being prepared includes having a detailed Inventory of all your personal/business property and assets.  Know what you have and what it’s all worth by having a complete detailed Home/Business Inventory performed and having it stored somewhere other than your home – it’s part of being prepared!

Even if we don’t get a direct hit from Hurricane Joaquin you should button up your home. Take anything that can be blown away on your deck, lawn or terrace and move it all indoors.  Close all windows in your home, garage and any separate standing structures.

Stock up on supplies in case of a power outage, fill your automobiles with gas, inspect gutters for debris, check your property for dead tree limbs and anything that may become a hazard in wind and rain.

You can never be too prepared for an emergency – keep enough supplies in your home to survive on your own for at least five (5) days. If possible keep these materials in an easily accessible, separate container.  Each family should have their own emergency supply kit put together to match your own individual needs. Take into consideration those in your household with disabilities, seniors, young children and pets – build your kit to match your situation and needs.

Emergency Supply Kit (To Stay)

* Design a safe shelter, preferably an inside room with no window

* Look all doors and windows

* Find your emergency supply kit (See below)

* Use plastic and tape to seal your safe shelter from the inside

* Have supplies ready

* Care for family members with special needs

* Check for news updates using your radio

Emergency Supply Kit (To Stay or Go)

* Water: one gallon per person per day plus extra for pets
* Food: non-perishable, ready-to-eat foods and manual can opener
* Flashlight: hand crank model or battery operated with extra batteries
* Water treatment: iodine tablets or unscented chlorine bleach and an eyedropper
* Phone: wireless phone, fully charged with charger or extra battery
* Documents: copies of important documents (insurance, photo ID) place items in a
waterproof, portable container like a zip lock bag.
* Emergency communication card: list of local and out-of-state friends and family and
their emergency contact information.
* Personal items: soap, feminine products, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc
* Whistle:  for signaling family and rescuers
* First aid kit: to treat minor family injuries
* Cash: be sure to carry a mix of small bill cash and credit cards
* Keys: an extra set for home and car
* Clothing: extra seasonal clothing for changing weather
* Matches: in a waterproof container
* Fire extinguisher: for protection against fire
* Tarp, tent, umbrella or poncho: in case of rain
* Tools: wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
* Meal kit: a set of compact cooking and eating utensils for preparing meals
* Paper and pencil: to write important information.

For more preparedness information contact your local, state and federal emergency management resources.

Let’s celebrate our country’s birthday – have a happy and safe Fourth of July weekend.

I watched a good report on one of the news shows the other night – it was about interstate moving company fraud. Moving interstate is a big deal, much different than moving between your own state or town. I did a little digging and this is what I came up with.

Last year some 6,000 complaints were filed by consumers who experienced some form of moving company fraud. This included items that were missing or damaged – in other complaints consumers reported that after signing a contract, the moving companies jacked up their prices and in some cases their possessions were held hostage until the extra money was paid.

Here are some telltale signs to watch out for when dealing with moving companies:

• Lateness – they don’t show up on time (in one complaint showing up 5 hours late)
• Can’t get in touch with them
• They show up in unmarked trucks or vans
• Dealing with a Brokering Agency
• Movers not keeping track of boxes

Here are some complaints from consumers once their move was in progress:

• The movers called saying they were delayed and there will be extra charges.
• Moving company calling saying household items are overweight there will be extra charges
• Possessions will go into storage if extra charges are not paid ( in one case after extra charges are paid owner got key to storage unit to find boxes damaged, crushed on purpose)
• When checking out boxes after them back there were no identifying stickers on them

Bottom line is to KNOW YOUR MOVERS – check their history and complaints against them. The more you know about your moving company, the better your move.

For the right information and key tips, contact the BBB (Better Business Bureau), use Google to find out if the company you’re paying will be moving you or will they contract out to someone else. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has great resources check them out.

And by all means, don’t sign a contract unless you know who you’re dealing with.

Good luck with your move, plan ahead and be safe!

1 – Don’t Settle with Your Current Rate

Even if you already have homeowner’s insurance, there’s nothing that says you have to stay with your current plan. In fact, you could potentially save by making a few simple phone calls and transferring your policy to another, more cost-effective company.

This method is often the most successful money-saving tool because various companies are competing for your business (just like banks do with mortgages). As a result, they’ll likely be willing to negotiate a lower rate to beat the competition.

Doing research on different Insurance Carriers and figuring out the details will save you money, every month, and every year. It doesn’t take a lot of time – you just need to know what to ask as you compare prices and coverage.

2 –Multiple Insurance Carriers

If you have different Insurance Companies for your home, auto, boat, RV, summer home, motorcycle, etc. ask each one of them if you switch to their company for everything will you get a discount. In most cases you will get a substantial savings if you have one company covering everything.

Note: Buying your policies from the same agent is usually a good idea, but automatically buying them from the same company can be a bad idea if you want an “Umbrella Policy” (type of Insurance that provides liability coverage over and beyond your automobile or homeowner insurance).

More on Umbrella Policies another time

3 – Install a Home Security System

Taking precautions to make sure you won’t have to file a claim also ranks high on the list of how you can effectively lower your monthly payments.

Insurance companies are encouraging homeowners to install monitored security systems by offering them substantial discounts on homeowner’s insurance.

4 – Increase Your Deductible

When you file a claim to your insurance company, the deductible is the amount of money you have to pay out-of-pocket before your insurance kicks in.

And it turns out that by raising your deductible, the insurance company assumes you’re less likely to submit a nuisance claim for something small, such as a maintenance claim. And if you’re less likely to file claim, your insurance company will typically reward you with a lower premium.

For this reason, the Insurance Information Institute’s (III) website says raising your deductible is a viable way for homeowners to reduce insurance costs.

The higher your deductible, the more money you save on your premium, consider a deductible of at least $500. If you can afford to raise it to $1,000, you may save as much as 25 percent.

5 – Review the Claims History for Your Property

A C.L.U.E. report, short for Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange, reveals any and all claims on your home, including the details of the event and how much was paid out. This report is similar to a Credit Report but it’s for the Insurance Industry.

C.L.U.E. reports are generated by LexisNexis, a consumer reporting agency that provides customers with access to documents and records. An insurance company may request this report when you apply for a coverage plan to determine how much you should pay.

Knowing what’s listed in a C.L.U.E. can possibly end up saving you money in the long run. If you already own a home, you should still request a C.L.U.E. report to ensure there isn’t any erroneous information that could be affecting your monthly payments.

I’ll have more on C.L.U.E. and LexisNexis at a later date.

6 – Assess the Value of the Possessions in Your Home (Asset Management)

Do you know how much everything in your home is worth? Would you be able to remember everything you own if you have to file a claim after a loss?

If not, you may want to start assessing the value of your possessions, because it could help you save money on your homeowner’s insurance,

Knowing this information will allow you to have a more balanced discussion with your agent on understanding the proper amount of coverage based on the actual contents of your home, versus an estimate or guess.

Many homeowner policies have a coverage amount to replace the physical structure, and then a percent of that number is an amount for your personal contents.

If a homeowner does not have a home inventory, they really don’t know the value of their contents, and therefore they can’t compare it to what the policy is covering.

Understanding the value of your possessions is crucial because if the total value is less than what is covered, you could ask about lowering your policy fee.

On the other hand, if your possessions are worth more than what’s covered, or if you have one-of-a-kind artwork that’s not covered by the standard policy, you’ll need to specify these items in a home inventory and insure those separately through a “rider.”

Spring is finally here – time to clean out your home from attic to basement to garage.

We at Fairfield Home Inventory can help you organize and simplify this task by offering our Inventory Express Package.  Let us catalog your Garage or Tag Sale with our inexpensive express package – quick and easy, we’ll come in and take high quality photos and download them to our software for a wonderful catalog display that you can download to your computer or tablet. Our catalog software includes tabs for you to organize your sale items by original purchase price, sale price, warranty info, appraisal info, estate planning and much more.

Let us help you get organized and set up your inventory. For more information about our Express Package call Fairfield Home Inventory today.

Happy Spring!

P.S. We also offer a High Definition Video Express Package for recording the outside of your house.

Springtime, New Beginnings!

Spring has finally arrived! Time to start anew – clean out the old, make way for the new. Summer is right around the corner and you might want to start cleaning the garage & attic so you have plenty of free time to enjoy the short (but sweet) summer days.

While you’re getting rid of the items you never use anymore, it’s a perfect time to inventory all your personal & business possessions.
Call Fairfield Home Inventory for your free quote – don’t put it off any longer.

Something we haven’t seen in a long time is coming soon – COLOR!

I am so tired of looking out the window or going outside and just seeing various monochrome shades of grey, black and white – dirty snow and not a lick of any color.

Well, in another two weeks spring will officially be here, at least that’s what it says on the calendar – now if Mother Nature is on board with that I’ll be very happy.

Anyway, now in the closing days of an awful winter it might be a great time for a little organizing project. What better time than now to go through your house from attic to basement (and all points in between) and pull out all the items you no longer want, use or need.  In another few weeks, when we see the grass starting to grow on our lawns again (you remember that green stuff), we can start thinking about having the first yard or garage sale. Pretty soon it will be time to venture outdoors once again to enjoy the warmer weather along the Long Island Sound. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to get an early start on spring cleaning so you can enjoy the nice weather coming soon?

Take a good look at some of the things you’re storing away in all the spaces you use for storage, including that storage unit you’re renting down the street or across town. Do you really need all that stuff?  It’s one thing to hang onto Mom’s heirloom silver set or that antique table Grandma handed down from her mother but if you have items you no longer use or need then it’s time to unload them. Recover all your closet or garage space and maybe you can even eliminate a monthly rental charge on that storage unit.

While you’re working on this project you should also be thinking about taking stock of all those valuable possessions you own, (it actually ties in with getting organized).  Yes, that heirloom silver set and fine old table should be inventoried along with your electronics, furniture, appliances, linens, snow equipment art/coin collections, clothing, sports equipment and any other items of value. If you have possessions in a storage unit you should also have them inventoried in case of damage or theft. Remember the storage rental company is not responsible for the contents of the unit in case of loss.

If this is something you’ve been meaning to do but haven’t gotten around to it, don’t put it off any longer. If you don’t have the time or patience or you’d rather be out on the Sound when the weather finally breaks, then now is the time to contact us at Fairfield Home Inventory for a free estimate. Working with home and business owners we found that once we perform an inventory for their home or business, they tell us they are underinsured and yes, in some cases, over insured.

If you don’t have the time or patience to perform your own inventory then contact us for a free estimate – it’s affordable and offers you protection and peace of mind.

Would you be able to remember everything you own in case of disaster or theft?

If your home gets burglarized that invasion of personal space is a terrible and traumatic experience. But that’s only the beginning – are you prepared for the problems ahead after the police recover your property?

The police will contact you if they recover property matching the description of your stolen items. They will ask you to supply proof of ownership such as model number, serial numbers or at the very least an owner’s manual. But if you’re like 90% of home owners in and renters in the U.S. you probably did not save the receipt or threw out the owner’s manual after a few months in a drawer or filing cabinet.

If you cannot identify you possessions then you will generally not get them back. Police departments hold auctions to sell off contraband items seized from drugs or other criminal related activities and if you cannot show proof of ownership your possessions might very well end up in one of these auctions.

National crime statistics show that property theft crimes are on the rise – they include:

• Burglary
• Larceny theft
• Motor Vehicle Theft
• Arson

Focus on prevention

Want to avoid filing a police report or insurance claim for property theft claim altogether? Here are some tips to keep burglars at bay:

Suspend mail and newspaper deliveries or arrange to have these items picked up by a friend or neighbor when you are on vacation.

Anytime you leave your home, lock your doors and make sure all the windows are secured. Turn on your home security, if you have one.

Do not leave a spare key under your mat or in your mailbox. Such “secret” places are known to experienced burglars.

Keep valuables, such as expensive jewelry, in a safety-deposit box.

Take your purse, wallet and laptop into your bedroom with you at night. Some burglars will avoid bedrooms if they think a home may be occupied.

Make sure your garage doors are locked and secured and even though your car is in the garage lock it and don’t keep laptops, cameras, smart phones or anything of value in there. Set alarms, if equipped.

Also lock all automobiles in your in your driveway (same as above).

Do not announce that you are not at home via social media.

Homeowners and business owners know they should have a home/business inventory but simply don’t have the time or patience to perform one themselves. Our professional documentation service includes high definition photographs for items inside your home and high quality video for your house exterior. This, together with our Protection-Plus Software, can offer you protection and peace of mind by providing detailed documentation of all your personal belongings.

Call Fairfield Home Inventory today for a free estimate or email us at:

info@fairfieldhomeinventory.com or contact me directly at: frank@fairfieldhomeinventory.com.

You can also contact us by phone at 203-914-5391.