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…
Many homeowners in Livermore see their energy bills each winter and think, “How can I be spending this much when the house isn’t even that warm?” To get an answer to that question, you should start with some other questions that will help determine just how efficiently you’re heating your home. Where is the warm…
Leaving your lights on — is it really a good way to keep burglars away from your Pleasanton home, or can it actually attract them? Or, is it just a “good” way to increase your electricity bill? As with so many questions in life, there isn’t one “right” answer. Using lights to enhance your home security…
Your home protects you from the elements, but heavy rains can weaken that protection. With a little maintenance and a lot of vigilance, it’s not hard to stay safe and dry. Spring rainstorms are a fact of life in many areas of the country, and they help keep things green, even if they keep you…
We have conversations daily with our clients about the extreme rise in insurance premiums lately. We are also here to tell you give you even more bad news: This is absolutely not expected to end any time soon. Why? Historic inflation and other contributing trends have been driving up costs related to the repair and…
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…
Many homeowners in California are unaware that there are options for earthquake insurance; you are not obligated to California Earthquake Authority only. There are many other private insurance companies that offer earthquake insurance, and often times it is less than HALF as much as CEA! You read that right. In many areas in California, the…
With our California winter storms well under way, it’s always a good idea to have an emergency kit handy in case of power outages or other issues — especially with the threat of stormy weather in fall and winter. See recommendations from the American Red Cross below. Emergency kit basics Water (one gallon per person,…
