Cold Cold Cold Alert

I am sure that there are not many people out there that do not like the cold as much as I do!  I am cold from November through April...I just know that this year maybe there can be a few things that I do to help eliminate the coldness from following me in to my own home!  Not only that, I am sure it will save us money on our Power bills through these cold months ahead.

 Window Insulation Film:You can buy window insulation kits from a hardware store. Kits usually include plastic shrink film that is applied to the indoor window frame with double-stick tape, then heated with a hair dryer to shrink the film and remove any wrinkles. Pros: Cheap and effective. Cons: Gives windows a cloudy, shrink-wrapped look.


 Rubber Weather Sealing:You can buy strips of self-stick rubber weather sealing at a hardware store. Cut long strips down to fit your window dimensions, then peel and stick to the frame to close any gaps and keep out drafts. Pros: Cheap, effective, minimal alterations to appearance of windows. Cons: When you peel away the rubber strips, they can damage paint or leave a sticky residue.

Okay I am just listing two ideas because they are cheap, effective and easy to do.  I am all for easy to do and if it works who cares what it looks like through the winter.  If you have to repaint in the spring I am sure it will be a wash for the money you will save on your power bill anyway.

I know I sound like a baby when I complain about the cold but there is no reason for me to complain if there is something out there that I can do to warm me up!! Safe, cheap, effective! 

Just remember if you are using space heaters to keep warm, do not leave them unattended and never leave them turned on if you are leaving your home to go out.  Get your renters insurance policy in place so if an accident happens with your fire place or heating device you will not be left completely out in the COLD!!!

Happy Winter Everyone!

Holidays Approaching

Today I was out shopping and noticed there were a whole lot of people out there doing the same thing I was.  Standing in lines, looking at our watches, wondering where we are going next and reading our lists to make sure we got everything we were after.  I notice a lot of people buying their cold winter clothing and I got chills just thinking about it.  The ice scrapers for our cars, the rock salt for the sidewalks, the sand bags for the back of the pick ups.  Gosh, didn't I just do this not to long ago.  Oh yeah!! That is the fun of living in the beautiful Northwest....Chills are now going up and down my spine thinking about it.  Let's get prepared and make sure that if anything unfortunate happens we are completely ready for it.  Check your homeowners or renters policies and make sure they are covered for ice storms or fires that are caused by Christmas lights or fireplaces.  Make sure you have your fire place checked and cleaned so the smoke goes up and not down.  Make sure your sidewalks are always shoveled and protected with salt for anyone who may pay you a visit.  Make sure if you need snow tires for your car you get them before it is to late.  Drive slow and contact your friendly insurance agent to make sure you are covered completely for any mishaps.  It is our pleasure at Schrader & Murphy Insurance to make sure you are all happy and well insured so please call us and let us assist you.  If we are not your agent, stop by anyway and we will be glad to explain to you what you do have in coverages and if you are in need of anything further to protect you.  Until we meet again have a safe holiday season and get your check list out!