Make Sure Your Home’s Value is Up-to-Date

Have you noticed the growing popularity in home improvement? It seems like almost every town has at least one home improvement store.

As consumers, we have become so much more focused on improving our homes’ functionality and value. This, in turn, has led to us pouring more money into our homes in recent years, upgrading our kitchens or bathrooms, or adding on to our backyard decks.

According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, in 2005 consumers spent an estimated $155 billion on home improvements. This is up 27% from 2004.

At the same time, there has been a drastic increase in commodities’ pricing, lumber, copper piping and other necessities. Labor costs have also seen a significant jump, going up an average of 7% a year since 2001.

Therefore, to face these challenges, we must become faithful stewards in making sure our home’s insurance-to-value is accurate. Taking the time to proactively communicate with your agent of possible improvements is essential.

Even if no changes have been made to your home, it is critical to have us rerun a replacement cost estimate every couple of years to determine if the true 100% replacement cost has changed.

The worst possible time to discover you had an insufficient amount of coverage is at the time of a loss. Call us so we can review your home’s insurance-to-value.


11 Energy Saving Steps
You Can Take NOW To Lower Your Energy Bill At Work!
You don’t have to make huge sacrifices to lower your energy bills this summer. After all, the point of going into business is to make money so shouldn’t you keep more of your hard earned dollars in your pocket?
Using these energy saving tips will save you money and you can feel good about doing your part for the environment. Most of these ideas and tips can easily be implemented in just a few minutes and for very little cash.
1. Whenever possible limit the use of large equipment during peak usage hours between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m.
2. Choose energy efficient office equipment the next time you make a purchase.
3. Set energy-saving features on all office equipment to put them into “sleep mode” when not in use.
4. Consider having your power company come in and do an energy audit.
5. Set the thermostat in your workspace to 78 during working hours and raise the setting to 85 when your business is closed.
6. Close window blinds to shade your offices from direct sunlight which can heat up an office space very quickly!
7. Consider allowing a more casual dress code for your staff during the summer months. Why keep a work space so cool your staff needs a sweater or jacket indoors?
8. To save energy keep exterior or freight doors closed as much as possible.
9. Don’t forget to check the filters in your ventilation system. Regular maintenance can save you hundreds of dollars over time.
10. Replace old fluorescent lights with newer and more efficient models. Replacing your high use incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lights can save you more than $90 per bulb over the 10,000 hour life of a compact fluorescent.
11. Instruct your staff to turn off their computers at night and over the weekend. This simple act costs nothing and can potentially save as much as $44 per year per computer.

There it is! Now you’re armed and ready to join thousands of business owners who have pledged to cut their energy usage this year. For more information on what role you can play to cut energy visit: http://www.environmentaldefense.org


5 Ideas You Can Use NOW To Stay Fit And Healthy All Year Round
With our busy schedules it’s easy to fall out of the fitness habit. It’s more important than ever to keep on track with your fitness regime; if you don’t have one it’s a great time to get started. Here are just 5 simple steps anyone can use to a healthier more fit life. 

1. Get plenty of rest. Your body needs to rest as much as it needs the exercise so going to bed at a reasonable hour is vital for good health. 

2. Consider a vitamin supplement. Most of us don’t get every vitamin and mineral we need from our meals. There are many good products out there; if you need more advice ask your Doctor to recommend a product. 

3. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Now we have access to more fruits and vegetables than ever before so there’s no reason to skip that apple a day. Incorporate local seasonal favorites into your meal plan.
 
4. Exercise! Add a few steps to your basic routine each day. Look for the farthest parking spot, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and go for a walk on your break instead of a doughnut. Just 30 minutes every day of brisk walking can go a long way to keeping you fit. 

5. Break the habit. Heart Disease and Cancer are the leading causes of death in the United States and the number one way to prevent them is to not smoke or quit smoking. 

Even the busiest person can find a little time to put one or more of these good habits to work. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water and see your doctor on a regular basis. There’s no time like the present so dust off your jogging shoes and get ready to stay fit.