How to Fireproof Your Home – Inside & Out

by California Casualty | Homeowners Insurance Info | 0 comments

It takes just about 30 seconds for a small fire to turn into a major blaze. That same fire can destroy your home in minutes. Spending some time to fireproof your home, inside and out, can help to protect it. Fireproofing can also buy you precious time if you need to escape your home and get to safety.

Whether it’s a fire that accidentally started in your home or a wildfire in your area that could affect you, the following guide lists ways to reduce the risks.

Inside Your Home

The kitchen is a common place for fires to start while we’re cooking.

• • Clean the grease and oil on your stovetop and around your stove. These oil deposits are fuel for a fire.
  • Avoid storing things above or around the stove that can catch fire, such as pot holders, paper towels, and wooden spoons. Make sure flammable cleaning chemicals are stored safely away, too.
  • Stay in the kitchen when you’re cooking. Don’t leave your home with the oven on.
  • If a fire occurs in the kitchen, cover the flames and remove it from the heat. Don’t douse it with water. That can cause an explosion of oil. See our blog for tips on how to prevent and handle cooking fires.

Electrical outlets can only handle a certain amount of power. Overloading them can lead to a fire.

• • Don’t overload outlets. Limit the use of extension cords. Don’t plug too many appliances into one outlet.
  • Unplug appliances (coffee maker, toaster) when not in use.
  • Plug large appliances directly into wall outlets, not into extension cords.
  • If you’re constantly tripping the breaker or blowing a fuse, you’re either overloading your outlets or you may have something wrong with your electrical system. Get it checked out.

Space heaters can sometimes spark a fire. Position them carefully.

• • Place your space heater on a hard non-flammable and level surface.
  • Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn.
  • Avoid putting heater cords where they can be pinched by furniture, under rugs, or carpets.
  • Turn off the heater and unplug it when you leave the room or go to bed.

Pro Tip: Choose a space heater with an automatic shutoff safety switch if it is overheated or tipped over.

Dryers are filled with dust, fibers, and lint that is fuel for fires.

• • Clean the lint filter in your dryer before each use.
  • Check the air vent pipe at least once a year and remove built-up lint.
  • Clothes stained with chemicals or cooking oil should not be put into a hot dryer, even after a wash cycle. Use the lowest setting.

Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are your best defense in the event of a fire.

• • Install a smoke detector in each bedroom and in areas outside bedrooms. Make sure there is at least one on every floor.
  • Test batteries every month. Change batteries twice a year. Replace smoke alarms at least every 10 years.
  • Get a fire extinguisher and keep it in an easily accessible location. Make sure it is an ABC-rated extinguisher that is good for fires involving combustible materials, flammable liquids, and electrical equipment.

If you’re planning a home improvement project, consider fire doors and fire-resistant flooring.

• • Fire doors can hold flames and smoke back, giving you time to escape.
  • Synthetic and wool carpets spread fire. Fire-resistant carpets slow down the spread.
  • You can also treat your carpet with flame retardants.

Outside Your Home

Depending upon the material, roofs and siding can catch fire. Chimneys also can ignite.

• • You may not have a choice in the material of your roof. But if you do, choose fireproof options such as tile, metal, or concrete.
  • Similarly, choose materials like stucco or stone for siding. If you must use wood, paint it with a fire-resistant coating.
  • Embers can enter through openings. Cover soffit vents and gable end vents with 1/8-inch wire mesh.
  • If you have a chimney, get it professionally inspected and cleaned once a year. The buildup that sticks to the inner walls is flammable.

Clogged gutters filled with leaves, branches, and other debris are flammable.

• • Clean your gutters regularly and consider gutter guards to keep debris out.
  • Choose metal gutters rather than vinyl ones that can melt during a fire.

Windows can break when exposed to extreme heat.

• • Install dual pane window glass, which is thicker and can last longer than traditional glass in a fire. These windows are also energy-efficient and can save you money.
  • Windows are usually framed in wood, which can be a way for fire to enter your home. Instead, frame windows in metal.
  • Replace nylon window screens, which may melt, with metal screens.
  • Consider nonflammable shutters, which are similar to hurricane shutters.

When doing home improvement projects, choose materials that are fire-retardant.

• • Replace wood decks with tile, concrete, brick, or stone.
  • Use fire-resistant materials, when possible, with your projects. Examples include gypsum boards, perlite boards, calcium or sodium silicates, treated fibers (cotton, hemp, flax), treated lumber, brick, concrete, and cement.

Fire prevention starts in the yard. Create a border around your home that is fireproof.

• • Get rid of flammable vegetation and replace it if desired with fire-resistant plants. Examples include California lilac, ornamental strawberry, French lavender, California Fuchsia. These plants are high in moisture content.
  • Similarly, plant fire-resistant trees such as cherry, birch, and poplar.
  • Replace mulch with gravel. Mulch is highly flammable while gravel is not.
  • Consider paving with stone or concrete to create an additional barrier.

Trees could fall and carry the fire danger right to your home.

• • Trim trees near your house so that fiery branches will have fewer chances to drop on your roof.
  • Downed power lines are electrical fire hazards. If your trees are growing between the power lines, report them to your power company, which may come and trim them for you.

Water can be effective in slowing down a fire.

• • Invest in fire sprinklers which release water when they detect fire. (These are also available for the interior of the home.)
  • Wet down your deck, bushes, and grass if you are anticipating a wildfire danger.

Make sure you have home insurance that protects against damage caused by accidental fires and wildfires. The right insurance provides peace of mind in the event of a fire.

If you’d like to learn more, see our blog about fire zones and what they mean for your home.

This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.

Insurance Coverage for Your Location

by California Casualty | Homeowners Insurance Info | 0 comments

Droughts, fires, floods, and storms – natural disasters can wreak havoc on your home and your property. Yet, many of us live in regions that are prone to them. If you live in such a place – or if you’re considering moving into one – how do you protect your investment?

Two ways: 1. Know your risks. 2. Have the right protection.

Know Your Risks: Is your region prone to a natural disaster?

A natural disaster can happen anywhere at any time. Weather patterns in a region are a good predictor of whether your area will likely be at-risk now and in the future.

The average weather pattern in a place over several decades is called a climate. An area’s climate affects the weather and the type of natural disaster(s) they are prone to. For example, we know the West has a very dry climate that causes frequent wildfires; the Northwest is known for its wet weather, which could lead to severe flooding. The Midwest is associated with brutally cold winters which can lead to devastating winter storms. And the warm coastal climate of the South East is the prime environment for hurricanes.

If you want to know the most common weather risks to your home or in your area, you can do a free climate risk assessment on ClimateCheck.

Know Your Risks: 6 Common Disaster Risks

Disasters come in many forms, from tornadoes and hurricanes to floods and droughts. Following are six types of disaster risks that may affect your home or property.

1. Heat Risk

Extreme heat occurs when there is high heat and humidity, and temperatures exceed 90 degrees for a period of days. In terms of disasters, extreme heat can sometimes lead to fires. (See the Fire Risk section for more detail.) U.S. counties with the greatest risk for heat include 37 counties in the south with a third of them located in Florida.

2. Drought Risk

Droughts occur when there is not sufficient precipitation. Not only does this put a stress on the water supply, but it can also have a severe impact on your landscaping. Soil dryness can also lead to settling issues with your home’s foundation. Unfortunately, for most homeowner policies, settling or shrinking is not a covered loss. U.S. counties with the greatest risk for drought include 34 counties in the west, with 21 in Colorado.

3. Fire Risk

When drought occurs and heat becomes extreme, the conditions are right for a fire to start. Wildfires can destroy your home or community. Wildfires account for about $16.5 billion in damages annually in the U.S. In the event of a fire caused by a natural disaster, your home’s dwelling coverage will pay to repair or rebuild your home up to your policy limit. U.S. counties with the greatest risk of fire are located in the West.

4. Flood Risk

This includes coastal flooding as well as flooding from surface water or nearby lakes and streams. Rising sea levels and extreme weather have contributed to flooding, which cost as much as $20 billion annually in the U.S. A traditional homeowner’s policy does not cover flooding. For your home to be covered you will need to purchase a separate flood policy. U.S. counties with the greatest risk of flooding are mostly located in the south, including Florida, Louisiana, and North Carolina.

5. Severe Storm Risk

Storms include high wind, wet or snowy weather events. These could be hail storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, or other types of destructive weather. Storm damage in the U.S. averages about $17 billion annually. Your homeowner’s policy may cover some aspects of storm damage, including hail, wind or lightning. If you are unsure, check with your insurance’s Service Department to see what is covered under your policy. U.S. counties with the highest risk of storms are located in the Northeast or Southeast.

6. Earthquake Risk

Earthquakes typically occur along fault lines and can cost millions in damages. In the U.S., they are more common in California and Alaska. A pair of earthquakes struck Ridgecrest City, California, in 2019, causing nearly $40 million in damage. Importantly, while earthquakes cause significant damage to buildings and property, they are not covered by the typical homeowner’s policy. In some states, however, you can purchase coverage for earthquakes for an additional premium.

Have the Right Protection: Do you have enough insurance for a disaster?

If a natural disaster happens in your community, and your home and property are damaged, you want to be able to rebuild. Yet, many homeowners find themselves having to fund portions of the rebuilding process because they’re underinsured. Here’s what you need to know.

• • During a disaster, your neighbors will be rebuilding at the same time. When demand exceeds supply, that can drive up prices for materials and labor. These increased costs usually aren’t factored into homeowner’s coverage, and you have to pay out of pocket for the difference. Some policies carry a mandatory endorsement added to the policy that provides an additional 25% of coverage to cover these additional costs. There is a fee for this endorsement, known as extended repair/replacement cost.
  • You may be required to meet new and stricter building codes when you rebuild. You may use up to 10% of Coverage A for the increased costs you incur due to the enforcement of any ordinance or law. For an additional premium, increased amounts of coverage can be purchased via an endorsement.
  • If your area is prone to floods or earthquakes, you will want those additional policies. Your homeowner’s policy does not cover these events. Keep in mind that there is a 30-day waiting policy for flood insurance.
  • Rebuilding a home can take a long time. Your policy’s living expense coverage will provide a flat percentage toward living costs, usually 30% of the Coverage A amount. Some states have time limits (e.g. 12 months) on when you can use that coverage. Plan to cover those additional expenses out of pocket.

You want to be fully prepared for a disaster, and not just with a disaster plan. Talk with your insurer about your home and property to ensure that you are fully covered, no matter which location you call home.

This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.