Did you know that, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Americans spend about $11 billion each year on air conditioning? That might not be such a surprise if you’re the one who writes the check for your household energy bill every month. Believe it or not, you can spend less on cooling costs…
4 Things to Know About Taxes and Identity Theft In 2014, almost 18 million people in the U.S. were victims of identity theft. Two-thirds of them said they suffered a direct financial loss because of it, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). During tax season, your personal information is particularly vulnerable. After all,…
The Hartford now ranks highest in customer satisfaction with both the auto and home insurance claims experience HARTFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Hartford ranked No. 1* in customer satisfaction with the property insurance claims experience in the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Property Claims Satisfaction StudySM. The study measures customer experience with the home insurance claims process, from first…
With many families heading out of town this month for Spring Break vacations, follow these simple steps for keeping your home safe from burglars or damage! We recommend taking the following preventative measures to keep your home and personal belongings safe: Keep your home well-lit. Mount exterior lights in your yard or on your house so…
5 Tips to Help Prevent Tree Trouble Trees are pretty amazing things. They produce oxygen. They serve as natural air conditioners, both by blocking sunlight and through evaporation. And they even absorb sounds, helping to keep things peaceful. These benefits, along with countless others, are great reasons to keep the trees on your Tri-Valley property…
Power Outages and Food Safety: Toss it or Keep it? It seems like the power always goes out in the Bay Area when it’s either way too hot or windy– talk about inconvenient. Also inconvenient? Not knowing whether your food is safe to eat during and after an outage. Obviously you want to err on…
Making a Case for a Fire-Wise Landscape You’ve heard all about the record dry weather across the country, and you’ve probably heard about the increased threat of wildfires, too. But, have you considered the fire risk of your own landscaping here in the Bay Area? While there’s no such thing as a “fire-proof” plant, you…
5 Dos and Don’ts of Flying a Drone Drones are exploding in popularity in California, and so are the news stories about someone flying too close to a commercial aircraft or shooting down a drone. These are real incidents, but with these five dos and don’ts of drone operation, you don’t have to experience…
How to Check Your Property for Damage After a Storm When a big storm hits the Tri-Valley, you hunker down inside, relying on your home to protect you and your family. Once that storm passes, though, it’s time to repay the favor — identifying damage and protecting your home from further issues. The National Storm…
Earthquakes are real concerns for California homeowners. A recent USGS study puts the odds of having a magnitude 6.7 (the same magnitude as the 1994 Northridge Earthquake) or greater quake in California at more than 99% during the next 30 years. Homeowners’ insurance policies do not cover damage and loss caused by earthquakes. Many people…
