Think It Can't Happen To You?

The reason for this post is "Awareness". I just heard a couple of days ago about someone I know, who lives in Maryland with his wife and 4 small children. They came home last Sunday to be face-to-face with 3 armed burglars. Fortunately, they were unharmed physically, but the emotional toll will take awhile to repair.

Here is some timely tips from a personal safety expert:

"I have personally witnessed the devestating crime of burglary numerous times in my career. There is nothing more unsettling than finding an unknown person has entered your castle and rifled through and taken your stuff. It is often more unsettling for your kids (i.e. Mommy, is the bad guy coming back?).

Most people cannot imagine people preying on neighborhoods, but the fact is, burglars drive around looking for potential targets. They are seeking the path of least resistance. There are three things you can do to secure your home while you are out and about for the holidays:

First, talk to your neighbors and let them know what you are doing, how long you will be gone, and that if they see anyone around the house, they should call the police. If you have someone caring for the house, tell your neighbor who they are and what they look like.

Secondly, stop your mail and have someone pick up all papers found outside your home. You would be amazed how many people don't do this. For the numerous burlgars who troll neighborhoods this time of the year, this is the telltale sign they can enter your home without any trouble and steal your stuff.

Thirdly, get a timer or have a caretaker turn on a light. Additionally, give a neighbor permission to use your driveway while they are hosting a party. Using outside lights is a great way to protect your property, especially the motion sensor lights.

Always remember bad people are like cockroaches...they don't want to be detected, and when the lights go on, they scatter.

These are simple steps, but they pay huge dividends toward securing your home while you're gone. If you find a door open when you arrive home, don't enter, but call the police and have them check it. There would be nothing worse than finding and confronting someone who feels cornered, especially if they have a gun (or are in the process of stealing your gun)."

Glen Evans (937-673-4274) is a police officer, speaker and personal safety expert. He created the ASSERT programs to help women and children have fun while learning important life skills to avoid bad people, so they never have a sad story to tell.

Check out his programs at:
http://assertkids.com
http://assertwomen.com
http://assertcorporate.com

How Old Are Your Appliances?

I just discovered a web site and thought it would be helpful to you.

Researchers at Freddie Mac decided to put together a list of life expectancies of various home systems and major appliances found in a home and published it on The Old House Web at www.oldhouseweb.com/stories/Detailed/267.shtml.

This is good information, whether you already own a home or are considering buying one.

This will give you time to save towards repairs or replacements, which can be costly. It lists appliances, gutters and downspouts, heating and air conditioning, plumbing, and roofs.

If you don't have time to go to the web site, then just look at the life expectancy estimates below:

Appliances - Life Estimate in Years
Dishwashers: 5 to 12
Disposals: 5 to 12
Washers and dryers: 8 to 12
Water heaters: 8 to 12
Refrigerators: 15 to 20
Stoves: 15 to 20

Gutters and Downspouts - Life Estimate in Years
Galvanized: 15 to 20
Copper: Life of home, if well-maintained

Heating & Air Conditioning - Life Estimate in Years
Warm air furnace: 8 to 12
Heat pumps: 8 to 12
Air conditioning compressors: 8 to 15
Hot water boilers: 30 to 50

Plumbing - Life Estimate in Years
Gas hot water heater: 8 to 12
Electric hot water heater: 10 to 15
Private disposal systems (septic): 15 to 25
Galvanized water pipes: 30 to 50

Roofs - Life Estimate in Years
Selvage or asphalt roll: 12 to 20
Wood shake and shingle: 15 to 20
Asphalt: 15 to 20
Fiberglass: 15 to 20
Asbestos shingle: 30 to 50
Slate: 40 to 75

(c) 1995 Freddie Mac. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission from Freddie Mac.

Now, obviously some systems can last a lot longer, while others will come up short. It's best to keep an eye on the various systems on an annual basis.

The $6,000 Unforeseen Bill!

A friend of mine, who lives in Michigan, has a daughter going to college in Florida.

Last week, he got the dreaded call - "I'm hurt and I'm going to the hospital."

She was opening a box with a knife and she cut right into two of her fingers and damaged a tendon. After the Emergency Room visit, they sent her to a hand specialist, who decided she needed surgery to repair the tendon. Now, all is OK. Well, almost.

He got a phone call just before they were ready to take her to surgery and was told that because his daughter was covered by a Michigan medical insurance policy, he would have to pay up front before they would operate. What was a father to do - of course he paid it. Now, he will have to go through the process of fighting with the insurance company to get the reimbursement that is due to him.

The moral of the story is that if you are going to send your child out of state for college, find out what your medical insurance is going to cover. If they will not cover things like what just happened to his daughter, get them a special insurance policy for whatever state you are sending them to.

He always thought that as his children got older, life would get easier. It has not necessarily gotten easier, but it certainly had gotten a lot more expensive.