Home Insurance

Tips for Keeping Your Pipes Warm this Winter

Posted on by agentinsure

There are some pretty cold nights in Milwaukee, WI. Even if you are staying warm inside, you may still be setting yourself up for bigger problems. When temperatures get below freezing, pipes are prone to freezing. If this happens, you will have a huge mess on your hands once they defrost. Not only that, it can be costly to fix. Use these tips to ensure your pipes are warm this winter and avoid the hassle. 

Insulate Your Pipes

If you have pipes that are exposed to the outside, you need to insulate them so they can stay a bit warmer. You can get insulation for pipes at our local hardware store. Make sure these are on your pipes before they have a chance to freeze.

Let Faucets Drip

When temperatures are going to get below freezing, you should let a faucet or two drip throughout the night. It does not have to be a stream of water, just a steady drip. Just do not let it drip too much or you will spend too much on your water bill. The constant flow of water will prevent it from being able to freeze during the night. 

Use the Heat Inside Your Home

You are probably already heating the inside of your home when it is that cold outside so use it to warm your pipes. You can leave the cabinet doors open to exposed pipes to let the heat get to them so they can avoid freezing. 

Another great way to protect yourself from mishaps in your home is a great home insurance policy. If you do not already have one, contact our office serving Milwaukee, WI. We can take a look at some options that will best protect your home while still fitting into your budget. 

What Milwaukee WI Homeowners Need To Know

Posted on by agentinsure

If you’re looking to buy a home in Milwaukee, WI, there are a few things you’re going to need to know before you put your money down:

  • Your home can suffer some pretty serious weather damage. Wisconsin is one of those states that really gets the seasons in spades. Falls are beautiful, Winters are snowy, Summers are hot and Springs are rainy. This means that you need to protect your home against all of the elements. Dern & Company can help you to get a great insurance policy, but you’ll get more discounts the better you take care of your home, so invest in the right siding, roofing, storm windows and so on.
  • The safer your home, the lower your insurance. It’s not just the neighborhood you’re in, it’s whether or not you have a burglar alarm or monitored system, whether or not you have any surveillance equipment and so on. Any policy you buy through Dern & Company, you’re more likely to get some great discounts if you’ve taken some measures against theft and burglarly.
  • Prepare for salty air. Living right by one of the great lakes is the next best thing to living right on the beach, but the salty air can do some serious damage to the surface and even the structure of your home. Invest in some protective primers and siding to keep the salt from taking hold of your home and chewing it up.

Milwaukee WI is one of the best cities in the US for homeowners. The city is not as pricey as, say, NYC or San Francisco, it stays close to its working class roots, but it is also more pleasant than many other parts of WI.

How to protect your home during the winter

Posted on by agentinsure

Winter can be such a harsh time of the year. Especially in Milwaukee, WI, because of all the snow that is produced. Dern & Company has come up with some ways to protect your home during the winter.

First, it is important to keep your pipes warm and that can be done by keeping the water running when temperatures get really low. Burst pipes can be really expensive. Also, wrapping the pipes with insulation can help. Also, avoid ice damage by making sure ice dams do not form by keeping your attic cold, sealing holes from light fixtures, and ceiling fans. It is also important to protect the outside of your home by cleaning gutters so water does not back up and freeze. Trim low hanging tree branches that can freeze and break off causing damage to your home or even power lines.

Next, check your roof for snow accumulation because if it starts to build up then it could collapse. Also, purchase a carbon-monoxide detector because it is one of the biggest winter damages. It is caused by improper ventilation of furnaces, generators, and charcoal burning devices. It would also be a good idea to purchase a generator that can keep your heat and power going, as well as a sump pump. It can also help to install storm windows or covering them with plastic from the inside to keep the cold air out. Make sure you have homeowners insurance on your home to protect you from a winter disaster. It’s easy to find the best coverage for your budget by comparing insurance quotes with Dern & Company in Milwaukee, WI online in minutes.

Some easy ways to burglar-proof your home

Posted on by agentinsure

Popular Mechanics, quoting Department of Justice statistics, notes that 1.7 million home burglaries took place in 2014 with the resulting loss of $3.9 billion worth of property. The article lists a number of easy ways to make your home more burglar proof.

Secure your doors by strengthening the deadbolt lock or by installing a smart keyless lock. Some of the smart locks that are controlled by a phone record the date and time when the lock is opened.

Install a home alarm system. An alarm service will have a monthly fee but will offer the feature of alerting the police if someone breaks into your home. Cheaper, peel and stick alarms are also available to install on your doors and windows.  These emit a piercing sound if opened.

A lot of people use a stick of wood or a broom handle to secure a patio door, but it looks ugly and has to be removed every time you use the door. Consider installing a patio door lock that works like a dead bolt.

You should remove hiding places around the house by keeping trees and bushes trimmed. You can also install motion sensor lights around your house that trip on automatically when an intruder is detected.

A new product called the Ring has been introduced that allows you to know whenever anyone rings your doorbell and to communicate remotely with your smartphone. Some thieves will ring the doorbell to make sure no one is home before breaking in. The Ring fools the would-be criminal into thinking you’re at home when you may be miles away. Also, you can install webcams inside your home to detect and record intruders so they can be identified by law enforcement. 

For your home insurance needs contact Dern & Company serving Milwaukee, WI.

Major Home Appliances: Inventory Checklist for Major House Appliances

Posted on by agentinsure

When a fire, storm, theft, or related mishap occurs to your Milwaukee, WI home, it may cause damage and destruction to the house along with not only the exterior structure itself, but the interior area, as well as, fixtures, and personal items. Categorized under your possessions located in the interior of the home are some of the highest value and most costly items – appliances. These are machines that you most likely use day-to-day and rely upon to maintain your basic life needs, such as food storage along with preparation, and clothes cleaning.

Dern & Company knows that the advantage of having a prepared checklist of the major appliances in the home is to provide a backup and support system in case these primary-use machines are damaged, stolen, or destroyed. Your life doesn’t have to be put on hold while you scramble to locate replacements for these items. A checklist facilitates the substitution or reimbursement process of them to avoid long drawn out periods of time where you don’t have access to these lifestyle tools.

Types of major appliances for addition to your checklist should include any high-cost units you use and rely upon on a regular basis. Home machines categorized under this definition are washer and dryer units, dishwashers, stoves, refrigerators, and microwaves.

Important information to add to this checklist involves any data that describes the item and the resources to replace it. It is wise to keep this list in the form of a paper file and a data file stored on an external server, preferably on a cloud-based server system, in the case of a home along with file loss. The following information should be included in an inventory checklist for major home appliances:

  • Model number,
  • Serial number,
  • Style,
  • Year of manufacturer and purchase,
  • Local appliance facilities and online websites for quick item replacement include phone numbers and websites.
  • Area appliance repair services include phone numbers and websites.

It’s wise to keep a file and take pictures of any manufacturer user booklets and purchase receipts of the appliances for easy and quick access to them. These documents help identify the machine and potential stores for replacement of it. When you purchase your machines with warranty, transfer a service agreement, or buy an extended service warranty on these items, you should verify with the store or service provider whether or not the warranty carries over in the event of loss or damage to the appliance. With this in mind, you’ll know what repair service to access if your appliance or appliance replacement is in need of repair or service.

This checklist support system is designed to provide you with fast and easy access to information that can get you up and running quickly with new, repaired, or refurbished appliances. This way, you can continue with your life needs through the use of them, such as food storage refrigeration, stove-top meal preparation, and the washing and drying of clothing. Just as a checklist provides a backup plan in case of destruction and damage to your appliances when a home disaster or theft occurs, Dern & Company serving Milwaukee, WI, provides home owner’s insurance for protection and relief from covered home-related damage. With insurance protection, you can receive a fast and reliable replacement or reimbursement of insured appliances, personal items, and the structural home itself. Each day, you depend upon your house and these items to meet you and your family’s living needs. Dern & Company is here to help preserve your living arrangement with insurance.