Fires cause an estimated 3,500 deaths and nearly $4 billion in property damage in the United States. By taking a few precautions, you can prevent your home and family from a devastating blaze.

Home heater safety

• Keep flammables, such as drapes and furniture, away from space and portable heaters.
• Hire a certified chimney sweep to regularly clean and inspect the chimney.
• Inspect heating equipment regularly for proper design, installation and operation.
• Follow manufacturer instructions when installing and filling liquid and gas-fueled heaters.
• Never leave auxiliary heating equipment unattended.

Electrical plug safety

• Don’t overload wall outlets.
• Don’t use fuses rated too high for your home’s circuits.
• Don’t use frayed electric cords.
• Don’t run extension cords under rugs or furniture.

Cooking safety

• Keep the stove clean and free of grease.
• Keep the handles of pots and pans turned inwards.
• Keep flammable material (including shirt sleeves) away from burners.
• Keep a fire extinguisher rated for grease fires nearby.
• Never store flammable liquids in the kitchen.
• Never leave cooking unattended.

Since most fires start between midnight and 4 a.m., the key to survival is being awake and alert. Working smoke detectors save crucial time in responding to a blaze and also saves lives.

Smoke alarm safety

• Install at least one smoke detector on each floor and one near each bedroom area.
• Check detectors regularly to make sure they are working.
• Change the batteries twice each year. An easy way to remember is to put in fresh batteries when you change the clocks in the spring and the fall.

Contact your ERIE Agent for more information about protecting your home, possessions and family from the impact of a devastating fire.

Smoke Detectors

Most home fire deaths happen in the middle of the night between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.  A smoke detector can save your life by waking you up and giving you time to escape.  When you purchase a smoke detector, look for one that is approved by an independent testing facility. 

• Keep smoke alarms away from air vents.
• Check the alarm batteries once a month by pressing the test button with your finger.
• Replace batteries once a year.
• Keep the grillwork on the outside clean and vacuum the outside to keep the detector dust-free.

The best places for your smoke alarms include:

• On every level of your home, including the basement
• Outside of every bedroom
• On the ceiling or wall 6 to 12 inches below the ceiling

It is also important to teach children about what to do in the case of a fire and formulate a family meeting place outside if there is a fire.  Contact your ERIE Agent for more information about fire safety and fire insurance on your pennsylvania homeowner’s policy.

“Many home heating fires can be easily prevented with proper installation, maintenance and a little common sense,” says Terry McConnell of Erie Insurance Group. “Among the main causes are – lack of regular cleaning leading to creosote build-up in chimneys and improper installation when wood burning stoves are placed too close to walls or other combustibles.”  When using alternative heating sources, Erie Insurance recommends the following:

• Inspect fireplaces and wood burning stoves and have chimneys cleaned prior to home heating season each year. Use floor protection and a sturdy screen when burning fires to prevent damage from flying sparks.
• NEVER light or rekindle a fire with kerosene, gasoline, or charcoal lighter fluid.
• Nearly all wood burning stoves require a 36-inch clearing from walls and other combustibles.
• Follow manufacturer’s installation instructions. Use only seasoned wood. Never leave a fireplace or wood burning stove unattended. 
• Have smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors on each level of the house and outside every sleeping area. Keep a fire extinguisher in a central location.
• If you must use a space heater, choose one that has been tested and certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.  Make sure the space heater has an automatic shut off feature and do not use in sleeping areas.

Remember, when you need pennsylvania homeowners insurance, Erie Insurance is the place to go

Are there “loopholes” to be found in your pa auto insurance ?

Many of us get that renewal bill expecting to see a rate that is the same as last time. Not that we all enjoyed paying it last time, but now the price has climbed a few dollars higher again.

What are your options ?

A quick call to the agent should be your first reaction. How proactive is your agent ? have they already contacted you with some options ?

Answers is what we want at this stage. Someone blowing smoke about cost of repairs, increasing claims, etc is the last thing any of us wants to hear. We want to hear “I’m working on something that should produce some savings” 

If you haven’t checked around in several years, or your agent only represents one insurance company, you may want to do some checking.  Many companies have made significant changes to their pennsylvania auto insurance programs in the past several years. Significant rate reductions for many preferred clients have been developed to ensure those “A” clients are getting the best possible bargain. If your agent can’t offer a better value it might be time to try my office.

Who is a “preferred” driver?

I’m not going to tell you that we’re saving everyone hundreds of dollars on their insurance. Not that I don’t wish that were true. Fact is, we represent several companies who are very selective in their auto insurance programs. That selective nature has allowed them to be very profitable by insuring only the best drivers with the best credit. What does this mean to you? Probably a substantial savings if you fit those guidelines. If you don’t fit as a preferred driver it may be best to wait a while before trying our services. We’d love your business but we value your time and don’t want to waste it.

Why Try Williams Agency ?

Good question! Not only do we think we’re offering great products at great prices, so do our clients.  Can you write a rave review for your agent ? Then why not give us a try and see what others have been finding out !  We never fail to over deliver in every area of buying pennsylvania auto insurance.

Windfall of $178,458 !! I know…I’ve got a prettygood idea what your saying to yourself right now.  Sure Dan…Sure…Car insurance is car insurance, and everyone is claiming to save customers money.  It’s perfectly normal to be skeptical.  Afterall isn’t all auto insurance in pennsylvania created equal ?

Well it’s simple math. Or not so “Simple” to those who haven’t tried us out yet.  Totalling up the savings to our new clients in 2009 we came up with 514 clients who saved a total of $178,458 in premium.  Not only did we receive many testimonials from happy clients, we received many comments that our service and reputation were the reasons for calling us. Wow, that’s a nice testament to the staff at my office and their dedication to serving all clients and “overdelivering” in every aspect.

This new program is designed for “select” drivers in pennsylvania and has tremendously low prices along with excellent coverage and claims service that is top notch. According to a few of our newest clients, this is what they thought about my outrageous claims of saving folks huge amounts of money:

 “I totally agree with the Williams Agency ads, he saved us $300 a year on our auto insurance. They are such pleasant, friendly people. The Erie adjusters are quick to contact you also. Thanks to all of you at the Williams Agency.”

 -  T. Smith          Port Allegany, Pa

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“

I saw Dan’s ad recently, and what he’s saying is true.  He saved us $1460 a year and it was actually as quick and easy as he promised. The staff was very friendly and helpful”

-M & R Farnsworth Sr        Bradford, Pa

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“Definitely saved us money…close to $300 for substantially more coverage. We were also very impressed with the speed and efficiency of the staff.”

 - S & R Knapp   Lewis Run, Pa

Don’t be so sure that all pennsylvania auto insurance is created equal. I encourage you to take a look at our new program and see for yourself if what I say isn’t true!

Protect yourself from losses on your pennsylvania homeowners insurance policy. Follow a few simple guidelines provided by Erie Insurance and you can avoid claims that could possibly affect you pennsylvania homeowners insurance rates.

Ice dams can form when melting snow and ice refreeze around the eaves of your roof and back up under the shingles. It’s especially prevalent this time of year when temperatures warm up during the day and then get much colder at night. Because heat rises, the air in your attic is always warmest at the top and coolest down by the eaves. With nowhere else to go, the accumulating ice backs up under the shingles, roofing felt or sheathing and as it melts causes interior leaks.

Prevention is the key when dealing with ice dams. Erie Insurance and the Institute for Business and Home Safety recommend the following:

• Make sure your gutters are clear of leaves and debris.
• Seal the places where warm air could leak from your house to the attic: vent pipes, exhaust fans, chimneys, attic hatches and light fixtures are all possibilities.
• Have a professional inspect your roof and attic inspected for proper ventilation and insulation.
• Look for signs of inadequate ventilation: rust spots, rusty nails or a mildew smell are all signals that moisture has formed on the inside of your roof.
• If you have soffit vents in your eaves, make sure they are not blocked and the insulation surrounding them is secured so that air can flow easily.
• If you do not have soffit or ridge vents, you can have them installed or install them yourself fairly easily.
• Install snow and ice slides. These are metal strips about 24″ wide installed as a retrofit solution over the existing roof to prevent ice and snow from “bonding” to the lower roof.
• Install a rubberized ice and water shield beneath the roof shingles for the first three to six feet from the eaves up.
• Consider installing heating cable along the eaves to melt ice. While generally effective, heat cables can cause pooling behind the ice if the snow pack is very heavy or if the cable is not turned on early enough.

Installing slides and shields can be effective in treating the symptoms of ice damming. However, you should recognize that these methods only treat the symptoms, not the disease itself. Only proper ventilation and insulation prevents ice dams. Talk with a professional to discuss the best options for your home. You should also speak to your Agent to review your homeowners coverage and to make sure you have flood insurance.