Reducing tree damage

Falling trees and limbs cause millions of dollars in damage each year to homes, cars and downing power lines. Homeowners are a first line of defense, but often neglect taking their surroundings into consideration when trying to protect or prepare their property.

Potential problems that are easy to spot include:

·         Cracks in the trunk or major limbs

·         Hollow or decayed trees

·         Trees that look one-sided or lean significantly

·         Branches hanging over the house near the roof

·         Limbs in contact with power lines

Pruning and removal of diseased, damaged or dead plant parts can help to limit the spread of harmful insects and disease, and may help reduce future storm damage.

Tree care tips include:

·         Check local tree regulations prior to pruning or tree removal.

·         Avoid pruning branches flush to the trunk. Doing so removes not only the limb but some of the trunk wood, opening the plant to possible decay or insect damage.

·         Begin by making a cut part way through the bottom of any limb to be trimmed, a few inches from the trunk. Then cut through the limb just above the first cut. This ensures that when the limb falls, it will not tear off a long strip of bark on the way down

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·         Finish by cutting off the few inches sticking out from the trunk. Leave the “branch collar,” (swollen area of trunk tissue that forms around the base of a branch) as this protects the main trunk from damage.

·         Cut off broken or torn limbs to avoid unnecessary bark stripping.

As always, please use your best judgment when doing any home maintenance and consult a professional as needed. Please contact me anytime with questions that you may have regarding your coverage to ensure what matters to you is protected.

Four social media strategies to help deter burglaries

Although it is fun to share photos of your vacation or weekend plans on social media, advertising you are away from home may make you a victim of theft and burglary. Please consider taking the following precautions to ensure you find your house and belongings just as you left them when you return.

1.       Check your privacy settings. Make sure your posts are only being seen by certain “friends” or “followers.” Keep in mind that maintaining a “public” profile usually means the entire world can see your posts.

2.       Control how others can tag you. Even if you have strict security settings, friends may still be able to tag you in posts or photos – exposing you to potential security risks. Manage how others tag you in posts by checking your privacy settings. Decide who can see posts and photos that other people tag you in.

3.       Limit your connections. You likely have high school classmates, casual acquaintances and former colleagues who you have not spoken to in years taking up space in your social network. While social media is great for making big announcements, remember that everything you say may lead to an invasion of your privacy. Advertising your travel details or expensive purchases to all your connections is neither smart nor safe.

4.       Think twice before posting. Whether you’re “checking in” at your favorite restaurant or posting photos from the beach, once you put it on social media, you lose control. Be sure your check-ins are only shared with a select group of trusted friends rather than publicly displayed.

It is important to remember that there is no such thing as total social media privacy nowadays. People who use security settings on their accounts may be at risk of having their personal information shared with unintended audiences.

I hope you and your family find these tips helpful. Please contact me anytime with questions that you may have regarding your coverage to ensure what matters to you is protected.