Fall Back Safety Tips

As we fall back this weekend for Daylight Saving Time, it’s a good reminder to test your smoke alarm batteries. Here are a few other fire prevention tips to think about this fall:

1. Never leave a fire unattended. Whether you are having a fire inside, or are burning one in your outdoor fire pit, do not leave it unattended. It just takes one ember to fly out of the fire and set anything nearby in flames.

2. Have a professional inspect your chimney annually. A professional should always inspect and clean your wood burning stove or fireplace each year to ensure it does not have dangerous creosote buildup.

3. Use a metal container for your ashes. After burning wood, ash disposal must be in a non-combustible metal container with a tightly fitted lid. Plus, remember to only dispose the ashes after they have completely cooled.

4. Burning leaves or trash is dangerous. Burning leaves or trash can be dangerous to not only your property but also your neighbor’s property, leading to large liability exposure for you. Always check with your local community to see if trash or leaf burning is even legal in your area, especially on high wind days.

Want to view more safety tips?  Click here.

Photo by uberculture

5 Tips to Prevent Claims this Fall Season

Fall may be a cooler time of year, but it can be pretty hot for claims. Here are some quick tips on how to prevent damage to your property this fall. Be safe!

  1. Have your wood burning stove or fireplace inspected by a professional. A professional should always inspect and clean your chimney on an annual basis. Now is the time to schedule your appointment.
  2. Drain and disconnect your hoses. Before freezing temperatures arrive, please remember to drain and disconnect your hoses attached to outside faucets. Why? You can prevent a pipe burst.
  3. Dispose ashes properly. Do you have a non-combustible metal container with a tightly fitted lid to put your ashes in after burning wood? Remember to only dispose the ashes after they have completely cooled.
  4. Do not leave a fire unattended. Whether you are having a fire inside, or are burning one outside, do not leave it unattended. It just takes one ember to pop out of the fire and catch anything nearby on fire. It’s that simple: do not leave a fire unattended.
  5. Use caution when burning leaves or trash. This has to do with #4 above. Leaving fires unattended can be dangerous to your property and also your neighbor’s property if a fire gets out of control. Always check with your local community to see if trash or leaf burning is even legal in your area, especially on high wind days.

Fore more safety tips from MAX, click here. MAX’s vision of creating and sustaining wholeness is lived out by our staff dedicated to provide you WOW member service. Learn more about MAX’s insurance products and mutual aid ministries program and become a member of MAX today!

Prevent Water Damage: Don’t Start a Dishwasher When Leaving Home

Here’s a tip of advice on how to prevent water damage: Do not start your dishwasher and then leave home. A MAX member did this exact thing – started his dishwasher and then left home for a while. When he came back home, he discovered his dishwasher had malfunctioned and water had been escaping from the dishwasher for over four hours! Damage to the hardwood floors and subfloor had leaked down into his finished basement. The cost of repairs was in excess of $5,000.

Remember to start your dishwasher (and washing machine for that matter) and stay home while it’s running so if a malfunction arises, you are home to address the issue and hopefully prevent water damage to your home.

Would you like to read more safety tips on how to prevent damage to your home? Check these tips.

Is it time for a review of your homeowners insurance? It is our vision to create and sustain wholeness for all of our members. A MAX agent would be happy to assist you.

Are you new to MAX and wondering what we’re all about? Contact us for more information about insurance for your home or our other personal and commercial products. We would love to WOW you with our superior customer service.

Cooking Fire Prevention

It can happen in a matter of seconds. One second you are cooking and something distracts you like the children in the other room, someone at the door, or a phone call and you leave the stove for a few seconds. The next thing you experience are flames shooting up from the stove catching the cabinets, hood, and curtains on fire.

Each year, MAX receive fire claims for unattended cooking fires. Often, the fire damages the kitchen and can cause smoke damage throughout the home. Repairs can take several weeks and families are displaced during construction. Many insureds are devastated by these type of losses and are equally surprised at how fast the fire got out of control.

These fires may be prevented by a few simple precautions:
1) Never leave food cooking on the stove unattended, especially when cooking with grease
2) Always turn the stove off if you need to leave
3) If you allow your older children to use the stove, go over safety rules
4) Have a fire extinguisher readily available and know how to use it

We encourage our MAX members to review these tips and help prevent a cooking fire in their homes. For more safety tips, click here.

Photo by pragensismac

Weather Radios Help You Stay Informed of a Storm’s Progress

by Karen Morrone, Marketing & Communications Manager

When I was a child, I can remember going to my grandpa’s house and hearing him listen to his weather radio. At the time, I figured my grandpa enjoyed listening to the weather forecast each day and I’m sure he did. Perhaps he was listening for a storm’s progress near his home, but I never thought of a weather radio’s purpose for storm tracking.

Now, as an adult, I own a weather radio. I do not listen to my weather radio for daily forecasts like my grandpa did – that’s the advantage of having technology in your hands with the numerous Weather Apps on our smartphones. However, the reason I purchased a weather radio is for protection of me and my family. It gives me a heads up if there is a severe thunderstorm or tornado in my area. The weather radio gives you the progress of each storm and its forecasted path. Plus, it sounds off with a very loud alarm which I need because I am a sound sleeper. The tornado sirens in my neighborhood will not necessarily wake me from a deep sleep. Even if your power goes out during a storm, your weather radio should have a battery back-up, keeping you connected and informed.

Keeping yourself informed of a storm’s progress is always a good idea. Whether it’s with your smartphone or a weather radio, the goal is the same: Stay Safe. For more safety tips, check out our posts here.

About Karen

Karen is the Marketing & Communications Manager for MAX where she manages content marketing and social media. When she’s not at the office, Karen can be found transporting her children to soccer and other after-school activities. In her “spare time”, you can find her tending to her flowers outside or baking cookies and brownies.