Posted on

Summer maintenance tips

Summer maintenance tips

Enjoy longer days and warmer nights while protecting your investment.

Summertime is the best time to be outside enjoying the weather. Make sure your deck or patio is ready for the summer sun by keeping in mind the seasonal maintenance tips below.

  • Check deck or patio for possible deterioration and safety hazards such as loose boards and protruding nails.
  • Check electrical outlets for potential fire hazards such as frayed wires or loose-fitting plugs. Be sure not to overload electrical outlets, fuse boxes, extension cords or any other power service.
  • Check all window and door locks to ensure correct functioning. Make sure all locks are secure and there are no holes in any of the screens.
  • Inspect recreational equipment for proper operation and possible dangers (e.g., Are swing sets secure, and do they contain any rusty bolts?).
  • Carefully inspect your toilet. Look for the erosion of plastic floater valves, and check all pipe connections.
  • Clean or replace your furnace filter.
  • Clean the clothes dryer exhaust duct and space under the dryer. Remove all lint, dust and pieces of material.
  • Inspect washing machine hoses periodically, and replace hoses that show signs of wear or leakage.
  • Have your roof inspected by a professional once every few years to identify areas of potential leakage.
Posted on

Backyard Summer Safety Tips

Backyard Summer Safety Tips

Here are 5 Backyard Summer Safety Tips for families looking to turn their backyards into a stay-cation hot spot.

The Pool

The Hazard: A backyard full of young children and adults looking for some relief from the hot sun. Between the adults relaxing in pool floats and children working on their cannonball, there is room for disaster to occur. As the sun becomes stronger and the pool becomes more crowded, the potential for risk grows. In fact, every year about 43,000 people are injured in and around swimming pools and more than 600 people drown in home or public pools†.

The Tips: Before your houseguests work on their diving, make sure they know how to swim. All new swimmers should be accompanied by an individual familiar with water life-saving skills and don’t let anyone swim alone. Make sure there is adequate lifesaving equipment in the pool area, including throwing rope with life saving rings, a reaching pole or rescue hook. While the food is coming off the grill and the drinks are refreshing, be sure to check the pool area regularly for glass bottles, toys or other potential accident hazards. Everyone loves listening to some tunes by the water but keep CD players, radios and other electrical devices away from pools or nearby wet surfaces to avoid electrical issues.

Learn more about pool safety »

The Grill

The Hazard: Your party guests are hungry and looking to refuel after a pickup basketball game in the driveway. Throwing some burgers and hot dogs on the grill during a party is what summer is all about, but barbecuing can be dangerous, even deadly, if you are not careful. Americans enjoy more than three billion barbecues each year and need to be aware of the dangers associated with grills†.

The Tips: As the cook you want to be around your guests, but remember that barbecue grills should be kept on a level surface away from the house, garage, l andscaping, and most of all, children. Although it may be hot out, protect yourself by wearing a heavy apron and an oven mitt that fits high up over your forearm. After a long day of grilling can be tiring, but take the time to soak the coals with water before you put them in the trash. Always remember that grills remain hot long after you are through barbecuing.

Learn more about grilling safety »

Trampolines

The Hazard: You want to make your backyard a more fun place for your children and their friends by adding toys like trampolines. These trampolines can be fun for kids but also can be extremely dangerous. In 2010 alone, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated that there were over 92,000 hospital emergency room injuries associated with trampolines‡.

The Tips: Although your kids may want to play with all their friends on the trampoline, limit the number of people allowed on at a time. The trampoline should also not be used without knowledgeable adult supervision and a set of rules should be established before allowing guests to use the trampoline. You may also reduce your risk by installing additional safety nets and other accessories.

Play Sets

The Hazard: Swing sets are a great addition to any backyard and enjoyed by children of all ages, however they can become dangerous if they are not maintained. Normal wear and tear can cause these play sets to become unsafe and in need of replacement.

The Tips: The winter can cause damage to outdoor structures and swing sets should be checked regularly for sturdiness. Over the years bolts can become rusty and may need to be replaced. Wooden structures can rot and should be reinforced if necessary. Young children should be supervised when playing on swing sets and should not be left alone. The play sets should be on level ground and should be placed on woodchips to prevent injuries.

Fire Pits

The Hazard: Summer nights are the perfect time for making s’mores in the backyard fire pit. Fire pits can quickly get out of control and can cause major damage. These fires can also be dangerous as young children often get too close to the flames.

The Tips: Although your kids may beg to light a fire with their friends, never allow them to start a fire alone and there should be adult supervision at all times. Even if you are called away from the fire, always have someone keep an eye on the flames to ensure the fire is maintained. At the end of the night, make sure the fire is completely out by using s and to extinguish.

¹ Source: Harris Poll “Harris Poll Finds People Planning More Staycations” May 30, 2012
†Source: Insurance Information Institute; www.iii.org
‡ Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission “CPSC Safety Alert” 2010

Posted on

Spring maintenance tips

 

Spring maintenance tips

Spring ahead with these home maintenance tips.

 

Spring cleaning and spring maintenance tips go h and in h and. Take a cue from the tips below and spruce up your gutters as you spruce up your rose garden.

  • Inspect your smoke detectors, and make sure that there is one on each floor of your home. Test them monthly, and change the batteries annually or as needed.
  • Check the light bulbs in all your fixtures to be sure they are the correct wattage as recommended by the manufacturer.
  • Replace all high-intensity bulbs (such as inc andescent) with fluorescent bulbs that don’t produce as much heat.
  • Check your electrical outlets for potential fire hazards such as frayed wires or loose-fitting plugs. Be sure not to overload electrical outlets, fuse boxes, extension cords or any other power service.
  • Keep a multi-purpose fire extinguisher accessible, filled and ready for operation.
  • Have your air conditioning system inspected by a professional as recommended by the manufacturer.
  • Check for damage to your roof, and clean gutters and downspouts to keep debris from accumulating.
  • Check water heater for leaks and corrosion.
  • Clean or replace your furnace filter.
  • Clean the clothes dryer exhaust duct and space under the dryer. Remove all lint, dust, and pieces of material.
  • Remove all dead trees in your yard, and keep healthy trees and bushes trimmed and away from utility wires.
  • Safely store oil and gas for lawn equipment and tools in a vented, locked area.
  • Repair cracked, broken or uneven driveways and walkways to provide a level walking surface.
Posted on

Winter maintenance tips

Winter maintenance tips

Keep the chill out and safely enjoy the season.

Winter means rosy cheeks, but it also means harsh weather and frigid temperatures. Make sure you’re prepared for the snow and sleet by following the winter maintenance tips below.

  • Check your outlets and all electrical holiday decorations for potential fire hazards such as frayed wires or loose connections. Do not overload the outlets, extension cords or surge protectors.
  • Check and clean your heating system to make sure it is in good working condition for the winter months. This is generally a job best performed by a professional.
  • Keep adequate fuel reserves on h and because fuel carriers might not be able to refuel for several days during severe weather.
  • Close off and lower the temperature in rooms that are not in use. Make sure there is sufficient heat to prevent the freezing of water pipes.
  • Insulate pipes that pass through unheated areas. Your home’s crawlspace and attic are two such areas.
  • Clean or replace your furnace filter before the heating season begins.
  • Clean the clothes dryer exhaust duct and space under the dryer. This prevents lint from accumulating and reduces the risk of fire.
  • Service snow removal equipment, and keep ice melting compound on h and to melt ice on walkways.
  • Set the heat in your home no lower than 55 degrees.
  • Remove screens from windows, and install storm windows.
  • Protect your roof against heavy snow and ice loads. Keep gutters clean and roof drains open.
  • Inspect washing machine hoses periodically, and replace hoses that show signs of wear or leakage.
Posted on

Child safety seats

Child safety seats

Make sure your child is always properly secured when you drive.

Using a car seat correctly can prevent injuries, but wrong usage is very common. Even a small mistake in how the seat is used can cause serious injury in a crash.

Tips to ensure you are using a child car seat correctly

  1. Never put an infant in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger air bag.
  2. Route harness straps in lower slots at or below shoulder level.
  3. Keep harness straps snug and fasten the clip at armpit level.
  4. Make sure the straps lie flat and are not twisted.
  5. Dress your baby in clothes that allow the straps to go between the legs. Adjust the straps to allow for the thickness of your child’s clothes. Do not use bulky clothes that could increase slack in a crash.
  6. To keep your newborn from slouching, pad the sides of the seat and between the child’s legs with rolled up diapers or receiving blankets.
  7. Put the car seat carrying h andle down when in the car.
  8. Infants must ride in the back seat facing the rear of the car. This offers the best protection for your infant’s neck.
  9. Recline the rear-facing seat at a 45-degree angle. If your child’s head flops forward, the seat may not have reclined enough. Tilt the seat back until it is level by wedging firm padding such as a rolled towel, under the front of the base of the seat.
  10. All new car seats are now required to come equipped with top tether straps. A tether strap is a belt that is attached to the car seat and bolted to the window ledge or the floor of the car. They give extra protection and keep the car seat from being thrown forward in a crash. Tether kits are also available for most older car seats. Check with the manufacturer to find out how to get a top tether for your seat. Install it according to instructions. The tether strap may help make some seats that are difficult to install fit more tightly.

Child Safety Seats

Do not use a car seat if any of the following apply

  1. It is too old. Look on the label for the date it was made. If made before January 1981, the seat may not meet strict safety st andards and its parts are too old to be safe. Some manufacturers recommend using seats for only 6 years.
  2. It does not have a label with the date of manufacture and model number. Without these, you cannot check on recalls.
  3. It has been in a crash. If so, it may have been weakened and should not be used, even if it looks all right.
  4. It does not come with instructions. You need the instructions to know how to install and use the car seat properly. Do not rely on the former owner’s instructions. Get a copy of the manual from the manufacturer.
  5. It has cracks in the frame of the seat.
  6. It is missing parts. Used seats often come without important parts. Check with the manufacturer to make sure you can get the right parts.

To find out if your child safety seat has been recalled, you can call the Auto Safety Hotline ( 888-DASH-2-DOT ). If the seat has been recalled, be sure to follow the instructions for the recall or to get the necessary parts. You should also get a registration card for future recall notices from the Hotline.

For more information about infant or toddler car seats, go to the Web site of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety at (www.highwaysafety.org). Also check out the National SafeKids Campaign (http://www.safekids.org) which offers a free Child Car Seat Locator which allows you to enter your child’s age and weight, and get back a list of recommended car seats. Another good source of information on car seats is the American Academy of Pediatrics website (http://www.aap.org/family/), which offers a detailed shopping guide to car seats.

Is your child ready for a regular seat belt?

Keep your child in a car seat for as long as possible. When he or she is big enough, make sure that seat belts in your car fit your child correctly. The shoulder belt should lie across the shoulder, not the neck or throat. The lap belt must be low and flat across the hips, not the stomach. The child’s knees should bend easily over the edge of the vehicle seat. Seat belts are made for adults. If the seat belt does not fit your child correctly, he or she should stay in a booster seat until the belt fits.

Never tuck the shoulder belt under the child’s arm or behind their back.

Use lap belts only as a last resort. Try to get a lap-shoulder belt installed in your car if it doesn’t already have one. If you must use a lap belt, make sure it is worn tight and low on the hips, not across the stomach.

Source: Insurance Information Institute; www.iii.org

Posted on

Air bag safety

Air bag safety

Air bags save thous ands of lives each year, according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In frontal crashes, air bags reduce deaths among drivers by about 30 percent and among passengers by 27 percent.

Air Bag Safety

Air bags, however, can be dangerous. If small children sit unbelted in the front seat, they can be catapulted into the path of a deploying air bag, which inflates with great force. This risk also applies to small adults—who must sit close to the steering wheel in order to reach the pedals—pregnant women and the elderly. Infants in rear-facing safety seats on the passenger side can be severely injured because their heads are in the direct path of an inflating air bag. If your airbag is stolen or it deploys, you must get a new one, but you will be reimbursed under the comprehensive portion of your auto insurance policy.

Preventing air bag injuries

Drivers should have all children sit in the backseat wearing a safety belt. Infants should be placed in rear-facing car seats and put in the backseat. Small adults should move the seat back so that their breastbone is at least 10 inches from the air bag cover.

If this is not possible, air bag switches can be installed so that the vehicle owner has the option of turning the bag off or on, depending on the situation. In January 1998, NHTSA allowed auto dealers and repair shops to begin installing air bag cut-off switches. Before the switch can be installed, vehicle owners must complete a four-step process:

  1. Obtain an information brochure and request form from NHTSA, dealerships or repair shops
  2. Return the form to NHTSA
  3. Receive authorization from NHTSA after it reviews the case
  4. Take the vehicle to the service shop along with the authorization from NHTSA which certifies that the owner has read the brochure and met one of the four eligibility classifications:
    1. Rear-facing infant seat can be in the front (necessary if the vehicle has no back-seat)
    2. Driver’s seat cannot be adjusted to keep more than 10 inches between the driver and the steering wheel
    3. Putting a child 12 or under in the front seat can not be avoided
    4. Having a medical condition that puts them at risk of injury when an air bag deploys.

Source: Insurance Information Institute; www.iii.org

Posted on

Shopping for a safe car

 

Shopping for a safe car

Not only do vehicles vary in size and color, they can also vary in safety.

There are still important safety differences, and some vehicles are safer than others. Many automakers offer safety features beyond the required federal minimums. The following safety features should be considered when purchasing a car:

Crashworthiness

These features reduce the risk of death or serious injury when a crash occurs. You can get a rating of crashworthiness from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Web site (http://www.highwaysafety.org).

Vehicle structural design

A good structural design has a strong occupant compartment, known as the safety cage, as well as front and rear ends designed to buckle and bend in a crash to absorb the force of the crash. These crush zones should keep damage away from the safety cage because once the cage starts to collapse, the likelihood of injury increases rapidly.

Vehicle size and weight

The laws of physics dictate that larger and heavier cars are safer than lighter and smaller ones. Small cars have twice as many occupant deaths each year as large cars. In crashes involving smaller and larger vehicles, heavier vehicles drive lighter ones backwards, decreasing the forces inside the heavier car and increasing them in the lighter car.

Restraint systems

Belts, airbags and head restraints all work together with a vehicle’s structure to protect people in serious crashes. Lap/shoulder belts hold you in place, reducing the chance you’ll slam into something hard or get ejected from the crashing vehicle. If you aren’t belted, you’ll continue moving forward until something suddenly stops you – often a hard interior surface that will cause injuries.

  • Shoulder belts are on inertia reels that allow upper body movement during normal driving, but lock during hard braking or in a crash. Belt webbing is stored on the reel, and during a frontal crash any slack in the webbing can allow some forward movement of your upper body. Then you could strike the steering wheel, dashboard or windshield. This problem is addressed in some cars with belt crash tensioners that activate early in a collision to reel in belt slack and prevent some of the forward movement.
  • Airbags and lap/shoulder belts together are very effective. However in some circumstances, a deploying airbag can cause serious injuries and even death. The greatest risk of injury occurs when you are on top of, or very close to an airbag when it starts to inflate. Choose a car that allows you to reach the gas and brake pedals comfortably without sitting too close to the steering wheel. Some cars offer telescoping steering column adjustments that may help.
  • Side airbags are designed principally to protect your chest. They may also keep your head from hitting interior or intruding structures.
  • Head restraints are required in the front seats of all new passenger cars to keep your head from being snapped back, injuring your neck in a rear-end crash. But there are big differences among head restraints. Some are adjustable, and others are fixed. They also vary in height and how far they are set back from the head. To prevent neck injury, a head restraint has to be directly behind and close to the back of your head. Look for cars that have this type of restraint. If the restraints are adjustable, make sure they can be locked into place. Some don’t lock, so they can get pushed down in a crash.

Anti-lock brakes

When you brake hard with conventional brakes, the wheels may lock and cause skidding and a lack of control. Anti-lock brakes pump brakes automatically many times a second to prevent lockup and allow you to keep control of the car. If you were trained to brake gently on slippery roads or pump your brakes to avoid a skid, you may have to unlearn these habits and use hard, continuous pressure to activate your antilock brakes. Anti-lock brakes may help you keep steering control, but they won’t necessarily help you stop more quickly.

Daytime running lights

Daytime running lights are activated by the ignition switch. They are typically high-beam headlights at reduced intensity or low-beam lights at full or reduced power. By increasing the contrast between a vehicle and its backgrounds and making the vehicles more visible to oncoming drivers, these lights can prevent daytime accidents.

On the road experience

Other design characteristics can influence injury risk on the road. Some small utility vehicles and pickups are prone to rolling over. “High performance” cars typically have higher-than-average death rates because drivers are tempted to use excessive speed. Combining a young driver and a high-performance car can be particularly dangerous.

Source: Insurance Information Institute; www.iii.org

Posted on

What to do when your vehicle breaks down

 

What to do when your vehicle breaks down

Follow some of these steps if your vehicle breaks down, and take extra precaution if you are in a busy intersection or on a highway.

Getting out of the car at a busy intersection or on a highway to change a tire or check damage from a fender bender is probably one of the worst things you can do. The Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) recommends the following precautions when your car breaks down:

  1. Never get out of the vehicle to make a repair or examine the damage on a busy highway. Get the vehicle to a safe place before getting out. If you’ve been involved in an accident, motion the other driver to pull up to a safe spot ahead.
  2. If you can’t drive the vehicle, it may be safer to stay in the vehicle and wait for help or use a cell phone to summon help. St anding outside the vehicle in the flow of traffic, under most circumstances, is a bad idea.
  3. Carry flares or triangles to use to mark your location once you get to the side of the road. Marking your vehicle’s location to give other drivers advance warning of your location can be critical. Remember to put on your hazard lights!
  4. In the case of a blowout or a flat tire, move the vehicle to a safer place before attempting a repair – even if it means destroying the wheel getting there. The cost of a tire, rim or wheel is minor compared to endangering your safety. Tips provided by the Insurance Information Institute, Inc. (http://www.insurance.info)

Source: Insurance Information Institute; www.iii.org

Posted on

Prevent theft

Thous ands of unsuspecting motorists are carjacked every year. Here are some tips to help prevent your vehicle from being car jacked or stolen

To minimize the danger of being carjacked:

  • Think of saving your life first. Only then, think of your car and what’s in it.
  • If another car bumps your car, stay inside with the windows shut and the door locked and drive to the nearest police or fire station.
  • Don’t stop at isolated pay phones, cash machines or newspaper machines where you could become a carjacking victim.
  • Stay alert to people lurking near or moving toward your parked car.
  • Always keep the windows of your car shut and doors locked, whether you’re in or out of your car.
  • Park only in well-lighted areas.

To prevent your car from being stolen:

  • Keep your registration card in your wallet instead of your glove compartment
  • Use paint or an indelible marker to put the vehicle identification number (VIN) under the engine hood and trunk lid and on the battery. This number is usually found on the dashboard on the driver’s side of the car.
  • If you have to leave personal property in your car, leave it in the trunk.
  • Keep your car in a garage and lock the garage door.
  • Use a security device like a steering wheel lock or a gear shift column lock.

If your car is stolen, have the following information ready to give to the police:

  • The year, make, model and color of the car.
  • The approximate time the car was stolen.
  • A description of anyone you may have seen loitering around your car before it was stolen.
  • The names of any witnesses.
Posted on

After an accident

Move out of the way of traffic and turn on your hazard warning lights.

Call the police even in a minor accident. If someone is injured, request medical assistance. If fire is involved, request fire department aid.

Do not discuss the accident with anyone other than the police or your Travelers representative.

Exchange necessary information with the other driver(s). Be sure to write down the other driver’s name, address, phone number, license plate number and insurance information. Also write down the contact information of all witnesses.

Report the accident to Travelers as soon as possible. Call 800.CLAIM33 (800.252.4633). The faster you report your claim, the sooner we can get you back on the road.