by California Casualty | Auto Insurance Info |
Brrrr…it’s cold out there. But those freezing temperatures don’t just affect us. They can also impact our cars, some even to the point where they may not start or function.
Here’s a quick checklist to help you know what to look for, and what to do, to ease the effects of frigid temps on your vehicle.
Check your tires.
A lot is riding on your tires. You want them to grip the road in all conditions, whether dry or wet, snowy or icy. However, as temperatures dip, so does the pressure in your car’s tires. That underinflation can result in serious safety issues. Underinflated tires can cause your car to lose traction, and slip and slide in wet conditions. The tires’ treads can wear unevenly. You could even be at risk for a tire blowout. Having the right tire pressure helps with a safe ride and also improves gas mileage.
What to do: Check your tire’s air pressure at least once a week and fill your tire as needed to manufacturer’s specifications. Consider getting winter tires that perform better on snowy surfaces if you live in a place with frigid temperatures.
Check the battery.
Batteries help start our cars and power electrical features. Most batteries use a chemical reaction with lead acid to generate the electric current. In freezing temperatures, this reaction is slower and your battery’s power is reduced. That means it may not have enough “juice” to start at all. This is especially true for older or weaker batteries.
What to do: If your car doesn’t start immediately, turn off the lights, heater, radio, phone chargers, and anything that is powered by your battery. Try starting your car again to see if that helps. If not, use jumper cables to get your vehicle going. In general, keep battery connections clean and free of corrosion, which will help it work to its best potential. Also, consider a battery warmer. Finally, replace your battery if it is more than 3 years old. If you’re unsure of your battery’s life, have it tested. Many auto shops offer that service for free.
Are you driving an Electric Vehicle (EV)? Cold can affect your battery too. There’s less energy for acceleration and your range may decrease. Preheat your EV before going out. Be prepared for longer charging times in winter months.
Check your fluids.
Freezing temperatures can affect your car’s oil, coolant, and transmission fluids. When it’s very cold, these fluids become so thick that the engine cannot circulate them, or has to work harder to do so. Without these essential fluids, your vehicle cannot operate properly or sometimes at all. With a lack of oil, your engine isn’t lubricated. With a lack of transmission fluid, your car struggles to switch gears. With a lack of coolant, your engine can overheat. The frozen coolant can also crack and damage your radiator hoses.
What to do: Let your car warm up fully before driving. Switch to low-viscosity oils, or synthetic oils, which flow more easily when it’s cold. Make sure there is a proper ratio of antifreeze (coolant) to distilled water. An improper mix can have a higher freezing point. You can check your coolant’s freeze point with a refractometer. Also, winter is a good time to have your transmission fluid checked and replaced if needed.
Fill your gas tank.
Gas will not freeze unless it’s 100 degrees below zero. But water in your gas tank or lines can become ice that clogs the system. The ice can make it hard to start your car or give you a sputtery ride. It also can leave you stranded with your car unable to go anywhere.
What to do: Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid this problem. If you do get stranded with a frozen fuel line, you can get your car towed to a warm location. You also can try adding gas and/or fuel line antifreeze to the tank.
Let screens warm up.
You may notice your liquid crystal display (LCD) screens being slow in the cold. That’s because the molecules in LCDs slow down when the temperature drops.
What to do: Wait for the car to warm up, and the screens should resume their normal speed. You can install an engine block heater to help things along or park in a warmer place like a garage to minimize the cold’s effects.
Clear your windshields.
On a cold day, your breath could condense and freeze on the inside of your windshield. Keep your windshields as clear as possible with the defrost function. Windshield washer fluid also may not work as well in the cold. It may be unable to spray because it’s frozen.
What to do: You can buy windshield washer fluid that is made for cold temperatures. Even so, it could freeze, so make sure your car is warmed up before using it. Also check that your car’s defrost system is in good working order.
Check the rubber on wipers and doors.
Freezing temps can cause the rubber on your windshield wiper blades to become brittle. They could easily tear or crack, which creates blurry windshields—a recipe for car accidents. In addition, doors can freeze shut in cold temperatures, which is an added annoyance.
What to do: Consider buying winter wiper blades which are made to hold up to cold temperatures. Make sure you replace your wiper blades when they are worn. For frozen car doors, try using silicone spray on the rubber door gaskets to keep them from freezing shut.
Check your belts and hoses.
Older serpentine belts may be brittle and can break when they get cold. They also may be so cold that they don’t bend as they should. Cold weather can also take its toll on your coolant hoses. A bad belt can continue to function but there often are signs that it is failing and needs to be replaced. Listen to noises your car may make to indicate that and other problems.
What to do: Have your mechanic check the drive belt system and coolant hoses at every oil change. Replace parts when they show signs of wear and tear.
Your car is one of your greatest investments. Keep it well-maintained and protect it with the right insurance.
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.
by California Casualty | Homeowners Insurance Info |
Dry, hot weather makes the risk of fire especially dangerous in many parts of the country. Even if you’re not in a region prone to wildfires, you could be affected. Fires can happen anywhere, and once they start, they can spread quickly, putting your property and home at risk.
Fire prevention starts in the yard, and there are some simple steps that you can take to protect your home and property.
Fire Prevention Steps to Take for Free
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- Remove flammable materials from your yard, especially from 5 feet around your home. These include bark mulch, dried leaves, and garden debris. Also, remove any tree branches that hang low and could fall on your house.
- Keep your yard clean by regular raking. Use a steel rake to remove dead grass and leaves and place them on a tarp. Then transfer them into a leaf bag placed far from your house or put them into a fireproof composter.
- Replace your plants with low flammability plants. While no plant is fireproof, there are some plants that are more difficult to ignite due to their high moisture content. These include sedum, succulents, cacti, lilac, and lavender.
- Pro Tip: Highly flammable plants often have gummy sap and/or leaves that carry a strong odor when crushed. It’s probably best to avoid these types of plants.
- Space your plants farther apart so it’s harder for them to ignite each other. Also, keep plants and grass watered regularly. Avoid planting anything that could catch fire and block your escape from windows or doors.
- Do not store anything under your deck that can catch fire. Move any stored wood well away from your house.
- Follow fire pit and barbecue safety when using those items.
Low to Moderate Cost Fire Prevention Adjustments
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- Remove wooden or plastic garden borders and replace them with stone or corrugated steel landscape edging. Replace mulch with gravel or seashells.
- Cover your eaves or openings in the exterior walls of your home with 1/8-inch metal screens to block embers.
- Install metal gutter guards to keep leaves and pine needles out of gutters. These can become dry and brittle and add fuel to a fire.
- If you have a deck, install metal wire mesh no larger than 1/8 inch to prevent dry leaves from collecting underneath.
- Plant deciduous trees, such as Serviceberry trees, that don’t produce a lot of dead wood. Avoid conifers such as pine, juniper, or spruce trees.
More Costly Fire Prevention Actions
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- Redo your wooden deck with fire-resistant decking materials.
- Add hardscaping to your property. This can create a break in vegetation that can slow down or stop the spread of a fire. Plan for paths at least 4 feet wide.
- Install concrete retaining walls. These also can help slow or stop a spreading fire.
- Consider fiber cement or aluminum siding which stand up to heat better than their more combustible alternatives such as vinyl. You also can add flame retardants to wood siding or surfaces.
- Add steel exterior shutters to pull down over windows to keep a fire’s heat from shattering the glass. You also can install double or triple-paned windows.
Make sure that you are in the best position to protect your property and your home in case a fire does occur. Here are some ways that you can prepare.
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- Check your property to ensure that emergency vehicles, including firetrucks, will have easy access to your home and can get close enough to deploy their hoses.
- Keep a hose available in your shed or fire extinguisher on your property away from your house in case you need it.
- Make sure you have smoke detectors on every floor of your home and check them monthly.
- Store extra extension cords nearby in case you need them. They may be useful to power emergency lights after dark.
- Create a family disaster plan so that everyone knows what to do in the event of a fire. Make disaster preparations for your pets as well.
- Make sure you have home insurance that protects against damage caused by natural disasters such as wildfires. The right insurance provides peace of mind in the event of a fire.
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.
by California Casualty | Educators |
It’s the end of the year and you’re feeling burnt out. You have no motivation to teach. At this point, you may be numb and simply just going through the motions, day in and day out. There’s a name for what you’re feeling. It’s called languishing, and you’re not the only one feeling it…
What is ‘languishing’?
Languishing is the opposite of flourishing. It’s a combination of apathy, restlessness, and an overall lack of interest in things that ordinarily would bring you joy. Languishing is not a mental illness; it’s a mental state of low energy.
What causes languishing?
For many people, languishing was brought on by the uncertainty and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s as if we’ve been on high alert for two years and we’re simply running out of mental energy. It’s a feeling not limited to teachers or to U.S. citizens. An international study
of nearly 10,000 people in 78 countries found at least 10 percent were languishing.
Are you languishing?
Maybe. See if you share any of these common signs and symptoms:
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- Isolating yourself from friends and family
- Going through the motions
- Struggling with basic tasks
- A feeling of numbness
- A lack of self-worth
- A feeling of restlessness but not knowing what to do
- A tendency to miss work lately
If you are susceptible to anxiety and depression, you might be more prone to languishing.
Is languishing the same as depression?
No. Languishing and depression share many of the same characteristics but they are not the same. Depression is a mental illness. With depression, you may experience fatigue. You may sleep too much or too little, and have negative emotions and suicidal thoughts.
Languishing is not a mental illness; neither is it a description of mental health. It’s somewhere in between. With languishing, you experience negative emotions. You feel as if you’re not in control of your life. You may feel empty. For some people, languishing could be a risk factor for a mental illness like depression.
What can you do about languishing?
No one wants to feel empty and numb. It’s exhausting and not good for your quality of life. That’s why it’s important to recognize your feelings and do something about them. Fortunately, there are simple self-care strategies that you can take to recharge your emotional batteries and restore your spark. Here is a sampling.
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- Take time off. You probably work a lot, after school, evenings and weekends. Give yourself a break. If you can’t take a couple of personal days, then at least give yourself weekends off. Take the time to recharge so that you can come back reenergized.
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- Find your happy place. Spend time doing what makes you happy, not what should make you happy. Carve out some time each week for a favorite hobby, a coffee date with a dear friend, or simply some precious alone time with a favorite book. Choose something that you look forward to doing, and that will be the right thing for you.
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- Practice self-care. Eat well. Get enough sleep. Taking care of your body will help put you in the right place to support your mental wellbeing.
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- Change your scenery. Take a walk in the park. Stroll along a body of water. Find a quiet place to enjoy nature. Just getting away from your normal daily scene can do wonders to perk up your thoughts. Bring a friend and you can enjoy wonderful social connections, too.
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- Perform acts of kindness. Make someone a cup of coffee. Help a work colleague. Pay the toll for a stranger. Volunteer in your community. The simple act of doing things for others will boost your spirits.
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- Practice gratitude. Remember that you have a lot for which you are thankful. Make a list. Include your thanks for the physical, emotional, and spiritual parts of your life. Do this daily, and you’ll start to see a difference in how you view your life.
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- Try something new. Get yourself out of the languishing rut by working on a new skill. Seek out a new interest. Invite a friend to join you, and you’ll get the added bonus of time spent together.
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- Consult a therapist. If you cannot shake the feeling of languishing on your own, ask for help. A licensed therapist is there to help you navigate through this mental state and emerge on the other side more confident, energized, and in the perfect mindset to flourish.
It may be hard to push through right now, but the end of the school year is in sight. And if there is anything we have learned over the past two years, it’s that teachers can do anything they set their minds to. Go on! You’ve got this!
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.
by California Casualty | Homeowners Insurance Info |
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.
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- 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.
