Frank Cheshire

How to choose a business to pressure wash your roof

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If the stains on your roof are beginning to drive you crazy, you might be thinking of hiring a roofing cleaner. In just a few hours your roof can be sparkling like new again. The key, though, is hiring the right roof cleaning company. We interviewed Jeremy Cassel of JSC Pressure Washing, located in McDonough, GA, to get his advice about choosing a roof cleaning company.

Jeremy started pressure washing tractor trailers while working for a cousin in Ohio back in 2008. When he moved to McDonough, GA, he passed out some fliers to start his own residential pressure washing business. “I’ve invested in $15,000 worth of pressure washing gear to clean roofs correctly,” Jeremy said. “This is not a cheap business to get started in. You must understand how each piece of equipment works when you’re working with caustic chemicals because your equipment could break down fast.”

What questions should our readers ask of their roof cleaning company?

  • How much experience do you have in roof washing?
  • What kind of water pressure will you use to clean my roof?
  • What’s your plan for rinsing my roof?
  • How will you protect my garden?
  • Are you insured?
  • Could I see some references?

How much experience do they have?

 “Your roof washing contractor needs to have the experience to know which chemicals to use. A pressure washing professional knows what chemicals to use and the correct concentration of chemicals to use when cleaning your roof. For example, sometimes you might have red mud stains on your home. An acid must be used first, then a degreaser works best as a catalyst to remove it. On the other hand, the green mold must be killed with a bleaching agent. If you attack all stains with the same chemical, you’ll be disappointed with the results you get.”

Power washing contractors are a dime a dozen. Not all of them have the experience or equipment to wash roofs correctly. So, ask how long they have been washing roofs.

These additional questions will also help you to see how experienced they really are.

What kind of water pressure will they use?

“Will they use high pressure? Or will they soft wash it?” Jeremy said. “Here’s the problem with using high pressure to wash your roof. First, it can destroy your roofing shingles by blowing the granules off. It can also break shingles. Finally, you can force water underneath your shingles, which can lead to water damage and mold. When you soft wash the roof, the first thing you do is chemically douse your roof. The key thing is to let the chemicals do the work. Not the water pressure! Then all you have to do is a soft wash rinse to remove the cleaning chemicals.”

As far as how mold gets on the roof in the first place, Jeremy had this to say: “Mold spores fly through the air looking for a dark shady spot to land and grow. Is any part of your roof in the shade? Black mold loves to eat lime. Lime is used to help weigh down your shingles. Eventually, mold can burn a hole through your shingles.”

 

Next question: What’s their plan to clean your roof?

 If they don’t want to share it, then you need to hire someone else.

“Make sure that they use enough water to rinse your roofing shingles,” Jeremy advised. “The chemicals need to be diluted with water at a 10 to 1 ratio. Do not leave any chemicals on the roof. For every gallon of chemical used, you’ll need to spray three to four gallons of water to rinse it properly.” Why is it so important to use enough water? “If you leave too much chemical on your roof, it will corrode your gutters and you’ll need to replace them sooner than you want to.”

How will they protect your garden?

Jeremy said that roof washing chemicals can harm your garden. “Extra care must be taken to protect bushes, flowers, and vegetable gardens. Cover them with plastic tarps and use extra care when using chemicals in these areas. Do they offer you the option of cleaning your roof with biodegradable chemicals that won’t harm your bushes and plants? It’s true that these environmentally safe chemicals cost more to treat a roof, but it’s a lot less money than replacing all of your bushes, flowers, and plants.”

Remember to protect your pets.

“It’s best to keep your animals inside your home while you’re having your roof cleaned. The mist from the chemicals used can hurt your animal’s lungs. The chemicals that are washed off of your roof can harm your animal’s feet. The same goes for children! Make sure they have shoes on, no bare feet allowed. Keep them indoors while [the workers] spray your roof.”

Do they have liability insurance?

Respectfully ask to see proof of insurance. Check the date of coverage make sure that it’s up-to-date. An outdated insurance policy isn’t going to help you if they cause an accident at your house. Jeremy said they should have a $1 million liability policy. “Accidents can easily happen when using a pressure washer with 4000 PSI at 88 gallons per minute. A window can break easily if you’re not paying attention to where you’re working.”

How reputable are they?

“Check Google for reviews,” Jeremy suggested. “I’ve been doing this almost 10 years now. Every year the competition grow stronger. Unfortunately, there are many fly-by-night companies out there that want to wash your roof. So, take the time to check them out.”

Any final tips for our readers looking to hire the right roof washing service?

 “Sometimes while [I’m] washing the roof the homeowner will ask me to wash their siding also. Do you have cedar siding? It’s important that pressure washing cedar siding is done perfectly with the grain. An experienced power washing company understands this. But an inexperienced person with a Home Depot pressure washer will wash it any old way. In the end, you’ll get splintering and you’ll see lines and indentations on every board. You will not be happy with what you paid for. It always cost less to go with a contractor that is experienced and has a good reputation.”

We hope you found this article helpful. Here at Atlanta Insurance, we’re serious about helping you protect your home. We want to think Jeremy Cassell of JSC Pressure Washing for giving this helpful information on finding a company to pressure wash your roof. If you want a free quote on pressure washing your roof in the greater McDonough and Stockbridge area, you can contact Jeremy on his website.

If you want a free quote for your insurance, we can help! We can help you build a customized insurance plan to protect your family and home. We’ll help you get the coverage you need at the best possible rate. All you have to do is fill out our quote form or give us a call today.

Part One: How to choose a concrete contractor to repair your driveway

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Learn how to avoid the common mistakes homeowners make when choosing a concrete contractor to repair their driveway.

If you have a cracked or sinking driveway and you’re looking for someone to fix it for you, then this article will be useful. We interviewed Matt Cook of Complete Concrete and Masonry in Woodstock, GA.

Matt started to work for his cousin 15 years ago doing sales and estimating for concrete work and repairs, but 11 years ago he took the plunge and started working for himself. Matt’s company specializes in residential driveway repairs, patios, and masonry. He said there are two things that influence his work ethic: his love for the Golden Rule in business—treating others the way he would want to be treated—and that his father was a hard worker who taught him to be particular in his work.

We asked Matt what you should know before choosing a driveway repair company.

Matt advised that you always research the company. He suggested that you find out:

  • How long their crew has been with the company.
  • What kind of warranty the company provides.
  • How long they’ve been in business.
  • Whether or not they have insurance.
  • What’s included and excluded in the concrete work.

Always research the concrete company.

Matt suggested using websites that filter out the reputable concrete companies from those that don’t care about customer service. You can use websites like Kudzu or Angie’s List to do this very easily. Read the reviews and focus on how the company provides customer service.

Here’s a tip: Look at how recent the referrals are. Sometimes you’ll see a concrete company that had reviews 4 or 5 years ago, but nothing since then. Why should you care about this? Management and supervising personnel—and their attitudes—change over the years. The awesome people that were bragged about on Angie’s List 4 years ago may now work for another concrete company.

Here’s another tip: Ask how long the concrete installers that will be working at your home have been with the company. There’s a high turnover with crews at many driveway replacement companies. You want the best crew to work on your driveway, don’t you?

We appreciated what Matt had to say about his own crew. “I’ve had the same bunch of guys working for me for the last 10 years,” he explained. “They’re reliable, dependable and trustworthy. Each of them has at least 20 years of concrete experience. There’s no need to micromanage them because they know how I want the job done.” There probably aren’t too many business owners who can say that!

What kind of concrete warranty does the company provide?

Many driveway installers don’t offer a warranty. Perhaps they imply that they’ll guarantee their work, but that’s not enough. Remember, if it’s not in writing it’s not enforceable.

Tip: Make sure the warranty is part of the written contract, and make sure it spells out what it does and does not cover. Matt said, “If there’s no written warranty, that should be a huge red flag about working with them.”

Complete Concrete and Masonry includes its warranty as part of each and every contract. Matt offers a five-year warranty against major cracking (cracks over 3/16″), major scaling, water holding, and improper sloping away from the house.

The lesson? Always get a written warranty as part of your contract.

How long have they been in business?

This goes hand-in-hand with having a 5-year warranty. Companies open and go belly-up every day. You probably want a company that’s been around long enough to service a 5-year warranty on its work. Choose a company that has a five-year track record of happy clients.

Are they insured?

There are lots of people that like to “play” concrete contractor – without insurance. Matt told us, “The industry standard is a $1,000,000 general liability insurance policy for residential concrete work. With regards to workers’ compensation, the state of Georgia requires all concrete companies to carry workers’ comp if they have more than three employees.”

Matt suggested that you request the contractor to have their insurance company send you a certificate with you listed as the certificate holder. Why is insurance important? What if the workers accidentally splash cement all over your new car’s paint? What if they back the cement truck up and dent your car or fence? Who will pay for these things to be repaired? Thus, you should always ask for proof of insurance.

Will they contact the Georgia Utilities Protection Center before starting work?

Did you know that if a concrete crew starts to break up your existing concrete or dig in your yard it could mean thousands of dollars in fines for you? “Your front yard may contain water pipes, natural gas lines, phone company cables, cable TV conduits, and electrical power lines,” Matt said. “It’s important to contact the UPC before starting any work. They’ll identify all underground utilities so that they aren’t damaged by accident. Failure to do so may result in thousands of dollars in fines to repair the damaged pipes and wires.”

So, make sure your contractor calls UPC before beginning any work on your property.

Matt shared a tip that will help you prepare for the future.

Matt shared, “We always recommend installing a PVC pipe under the sidewalk and driveway for future access. This will allow you to, later on, add low voltage lifting, outdoor speakers, cable or phone lines, or wiring for a sprinkler system.” This is a small investment to future-proof your yard!

What does the concrete work include and, more importantly, exclude?

“Having a driveway contractor provide you a contract that says they will install a new concrete driveway for you is not enough,” Matt said. “You must insist on getting a scope of work with your contract. Without a scope of work, there are too many unknown surprises for the homeowner later. It must be clearly defined and not vague at all.”

Matt continued, “Some people just want a bottom dollar price. They don’t care about quality or the concrete lasting for many years. As a result, many concrete installers will look to do it as cheaply as possible and want to get in and out as quickly as possible. In the end, [the homeowner] gets what they pay for. A lot of the time I get called in to repair bad concrete jobs.” So, how long do you want your concrete to last? If you want the job done right, you’re going to have to look at the scope of the work.

That, of course, begs the question of what the scope of work should include. We’ll cover that, plus other driveway-related things that you might never have thought about, in Part Two of this article. Our goal is to educate you so that you can make an informed decision about what to ask for and what to look for when you’re having work done on your driveway. You can check out Complete Concrete and Masonry’s website here. 

Need insurance for your home, car, or rental property? Or are you looking for life insurance? Give us a call or fill out our quote form today and we can get you a free quote! We’re committed to getting you the best coverage for the lowest possible rate. 

How to choose a window washing company

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Let’s face it – we’ve all been there when it comes to icky, grimy windows. Over time they just get dirty, and so you might be thinking about hiring a company to wash them and get rid of the grossness once and for all. But windows are breakable, so you want to make sure that you hire a reputable window washer to take care of the glass. We spoke with Nathan Neal of Squeeky Kleen Window Washing to find out what to look out for when hiring a window washing company.

We asked Nathan what he loves most about what he does, and he said that he most enjoys, “Working outside, meeting new people, and learning about the window business.” Wait a second. Nathan’s been washing windows since 2003—what does he mean by learning about the window business? He clarified by saying, “There are all different types of window and glass. From antique windows to restoration glass to the modern double pane windows with different coatings on them. There is always something new to learn.”

Here are a few things that Nathan told us you should keep your eye out for when you’re hiring a window washing company.

They should be fully insured with proper insurance.

The term “proper insurance” was a new one for us, so we asked him to explain. “A few years ago I learned an expensive lesson,” he said. “I had $4 million worth of liability insurance. My insurance agent assured me that I was protected. Then I found out about a policy exclusion that cost me thousands of dollars I had to pay for out of pocket.”

Naturally, we had to know what this exclusion was that had cost him so much. As it turned out, Nathan’s former policy had a workmanship exclusion. What that means is that if a window washer dropped a ladder on the homeowner’s car, then the homeowner is covered and insurance would pay out the claim. However, if that same window washer were to, say, scratch your window on accident while trying to remove paint with a razor blade…not covered. And that’s Nathan’s story about how a $.25 razor blade wound up costing him thousands of dollars.

As you can imagine, Nathan replaced that insurance company with one that covered “workmanship” mistakes. The lesson for you as a homeowner? Check for “proper” insurance. Then make sure that workmanship is covered under their policy. You don’t want to be stuck with scratched windows.

Is the company environmentally friendly?

Does the window washing company use harsh chemicals, or are they environmentally conscious? Nathan said that all you need is a dab of Dawn dish soap to “make your windows shine again.”

Are they a bonded company?

The window washers might be entering your home. Wouldn’t you be more comfortable knowing that your window washers have a clean background? A company that bonds their employees takes 100% responsibility and accountability for them. You should always demand that all employees entering your home be bonded.

Do your research.

Nathan advised that if you’re looking for a window washer, you shouldn’t take the first bid you get. “Always accept two or three bids before making a decision. Make sure that you compare apples to apples.” This is important because window washers might have a different definition of what it means to wash your windows. Some might hand wash your windows. Others might spray them down. And there are some that might pressure wash them.

So, you’re going to want to ask them a few questions:

  • What is your process for washing my windows?
  • Will you use razor blades on my windows? (As we learned from Nathan’s story, not a good idea.)
  • Will you use a pressure washer to clean the windows? (Again, not a great idea—window sills can easily be damaged by the force of the water, and pressure washing can also cause water damage. Plus, pressure washing could actually break your windows.)

Nathan’s most advised method for washing windows is good old-fashioned “nose-to-glass.”

Will they use ladders?

Many window washers do not have liability insurance coverage for using a ladder or going on a roof. That sounds like a recipe for disaster. Nathan said, “That’s why when it’s impossible to wash the window by hand we use a water-fed pole with purified water to wash your windows. This is the safest way without getting on the ladder. You’ll love how your windows come out.”

Do they use subcontractors to clean windows?

If the window washing company does use subcontractors, do they and all of their people have proof of insurance coverage? Be aware that if they don’t have coverage and they hurt themselves on your property, they will most likely sue you as the homeowner to cover medical expenses. Nathan advised that you should “insist on hiring a window washing service that only uses employees and not subcontractors. Then make sure that all employees are covered by liability and workers’ comp insurance.”

Having clean windows will make your house look shiny and new. Plus, it makes it easier for the sun to shine in and brighten up your morning. We hope that you found these tips helpful in your quest to find a window washing company for your home. If you have any questions or would like a free window washing quote, you can reach Nathan at http://squeekykleenga.com.

We at Atlanta Insurance are serious about helping you protect your home, your most valuable investment, in any way we can. Contact us today if you’d like to get a free quote on your homeowner’s insurance – we’re here to help.

How to choose a company to repair your water heater

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If you woke up to find a portion of your home underwater, there could very well be a problem with your water heater. Unfortunately, you might need an entirely new one. It might be hard to know where to start when it comes to choosing a reputable company to repair or replace your water heater, but we talked with Steve Cassel of JSC Enterprises to see what his advice was for choosing a water heater repair company. Steve has been involved with refrigeration from a young age, and he’s been in the refrigeration and water heater repair business for eight years now. He even teaches future technicians at a technical college, sharing his knowledge of AC and HVAC systems with them.

We started out by asking Steve about important things to look for in a water heater repair company.

He responded with these five points:

  • Appearance
  • Reputation
  • Insurance
  • Licensing
  • Experience

Why is appearance so important?

After all, you just need a new water heater, right?

Steve had a few things that really mattered to him when it came to the appearance of the employees.

  • Do the workers look like clean people?
  • Are they wearing old, dirty pants and boots?
  • Do they use profanity?
  • Do they show respect for the cleanliness of your home?

Steve explained, “All of these things reflect their personality, their work ethic, and their ability to do the work in your home. ” Steve said that he drills into his students that appearance does matter. “I tell them they need to clean up their mouth and they need to clean up their act if you’re going to make it in this business.”

But alas, this work ethic isn’t practiced by all companies.

What kind of reputation does the company have?

Take the time to do some research. Read some online reviews and see what kind of experiences other people have had with the company. This will help you gain a picture of what kind of a company it is and how they work. Then trust your gut—what do your instincts tell you about the company?

Steve often gets 5-star reviews without doing any work.

How is this possible, you may ask? It’s simple—he’s honest.

“Many times we go out to look at a job and tell people they don’t need to replace their unit or their hot water tank. In other words, we do not install a new one and we don’t make any money. Yet the person takes the time to leave us a nice review thanking us for our honesty and saving them tons of money. We believe this is the best form of advertising in the world!”

Do you get the sense that the company you’re considering is honest and trustworthy?

Is the company insured?

It’s surprising, but many homeowners don’t ask a water heater repair company if they have proof of insurance. Be sure that you will be protected from any mishaps that could happen while having your water heater repaired or replaced.

Steve recommends that your installer has at least a $1 million general liability insurance policy. He added, “There are tons of guys out there that do work on the side and do not have proper insurance.”

How do they get away with this? No one asks to see proof of insurance. Unfortunately, it’s very easy for someone to lie and say that they are insured when in fact they are not. So do yourself a favor and ask to see a copy of the insurance policy—do your due diligence.

Are they licensed?

Many people install water heaters without a license. Sure, they may work for someone with a license during the day, but what if they work on your home in the evening or on the weekends for themselves as a side job? Make sure that your installer is licensed and understands the code and requirements. Ask for proof of licensing.

There are advantages of working with a smaller water heater installation company.

Steve told us, “Many of the big companies hire kids right out of tech school without any work experience. They usually last for five months before they’re put in the truck to do service calls on your home.”

So the $99,000 question is, do you want someone practicing on your home?

When you work with a smaller company, you might get the owner him or herself at your house working on your water heater, or a member of their family. The owner will work hard to make sure that you’re 100% satisfied with their service—happy customers are their lifeblood. Fun fact—about half of Steve’s business comes from referrals from his company’s reputation.

How much experience does the company have?

Like we said, lots of bigger companies hire kids right out of tech school. This ought to concern you because there are a lot of things that could go wrong when it comes to your water heater. What are some possible disasters, you may ask? Well, there are challenges to every type of water heater, and the more experience the installer has, the better they’ll be able to help you with your specific system.

If you have an older home, your water heater might not have an expansion tank. Steve told us that adding expansion tanks to water heaters is part of code now, but your older water heater probably doesn’t have one. This is a major concern because as water heats, it expands. This expansion causes powerful water pressure, which can cause premature wear and tear to your plumbing pipes, water heater, and plumbing fixture. Remember you want the air tank to act as a shock absorber for your water heater. Otherwise excessive hydraulic pressure will result in you having to replace your hot water tank a lot sooner than the 15-year warranty that it may come with.

If you have a gas water heater, you really don’t want someone practicing on your gas lines. Leaking natural gas pipes can cause explosions, which is terrifying. You really have to have an experienced installer to fix your gas water heater because natural gas is not something to play around with.

If you have an electric water heater that needs to be replaced, there’s an important step that the installer has to take to make sure that the entire heater doesn’t burn out. The water heater has to be filled with water before ever being turned on. The heater element gets extremely hot, so without water inside the tank it would overheat and the entire heater would have to be replaced. An inexperienced installer might not know this important trick to water heaters, or they might forget to add the cold water. Don’t put yourself in that position.

You might have heard talk of tankless water heaters, which sound appealing at first. Steve said, “What people do not know is that tankless instant hot water heaters cost up to 3 times the cost of a standard water tank. On top of that, many times you have to upgrade the electrical wiring not just for the water heater but for the entire electrical service. This could cost thousands of dollars. It would take many, many years for the electricity savings of an instant hot water heater to pay for itself.”

An improper installation can also cause water leaks and damage. You don’t want to find your basement flooded, right? That would not be fun to deal with, so make sure that your installer knows what they’re doing and won’t make a mistake on your system.

We hope that this article about how to choose a contractor to install, replace, or repair your water heater was helpful. Special thanks to Steve for sharing his professionalise about water heaters with us. You can visit his company’s website here.

Need insurance? Want to get a free quote on your home insurance? Have questions about your home insurance? We can help! Fill out our quote form or give us a call today! 

Part Two: Tips for choosing a water filtration system installation company

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Welcome to Part Two of our article about choosing a company to install a water filtration system in your home! If you missed Part One, you can read it here.

Our bodies are made up of 80% water, so it makes sense that you want to drink only the good stuff! Today we’ll finish up our interview with Peter Van Cleave of Water for Life. We’re going to address:

  • The hidden costs of buying a filtration system online
  • Why you want a backwash system on your whole home filtration system
  • How to find the best filter for your money
  • Why testing your water before installing your system isn’t enough

Be wary of buying filtration systems off the internet

“Many of our customers were tempted to buy their filtration system off the Internet,” Peter said. “After all, it usually seems like the cheaper option at the time. [But] there are many hidden costs that the homeowner might not be aware of. We always encourage our clients to think things through before looking at a product online and buying it that way.”

Peter said that a good water treatment professional will want to discover your objectives for having your water filtered:

  • Why is having clean water important to you?
  • What are your major concerns?
  • What is the quality of your water to begin with so you get the proper filtration product?
  • Who will install the unit?
  • Who will maintain the unit?
  • How long will you be living in the home in which you’re having the filter installed?
  • Why is the difference between upfront and total costs important?

Once a water professional has the answers to these questions, he or she will be able to make suggestions and give the homeowner options. Buying a unit online because it was a good deal will most likely mean not getting everything that you need in a filtration system. Peter shares the following tips to help you think things through:

Be wary of miracle claims on the Internet.

Wild claims have been made about what some water filtration systems can do. Unfortunately, many of these claims are not based on real science, nor have they been verified by third-party labs.

 

On the other hand, all certified water treatment professionals are under a code of ethics from the Water Quality Association that requires them to be honest in their marketing promises. This is another reason to only buy equipment that has the NSF seal of approval.

Remember that ALL filtration units have to be maintained.

Take the time to figure out the cost of maintenance to get the real total expense for the system. Some filters are cheaper upfront, but the replacement cartridges and membranes are more expensive to purchase. Or, the replacement cartridges and membranes may need to be changed more frequently.

Clearly, this will add up over the next five years. So, before you buy that water filter online, calculate the cost for the next three to five years to get an accurate comparison between systems.

Does the system have a backwash system?

What’s a backwash system and why should you want one? Both are excellent questions. A backwash system is an electronic valve cycle that shoots water through your carbon filter, shakes it up, and cleans it. The jet of water removes dirt from the nooks and crannies of your filter, kind of like when you wash your hands with soap and water. This means that your carbon filter will last longer and you won’t have to replace it so often.

Two or three of the top whole-house water filtration systems sold on the Internet don’t have a backwash system. A whole house system that doesn’t have a backwash system might cost less upfront, but you’ll have to replace the filter three times faster than you would with a unit that does. A backwash system can save you up to $300 for every time that you would have to prematurely change the carbon filter.

Who will install the water filtration system?

Will you really save money buying the system yourself and then hiring a plumber to install it for you? The plumber may not know the brand of filter you bought. This means that they might take longer to install it as they try to figure it out. Plus, if they’re inexperienced they might install it backward, as we mentioned earlier. Or they might install it incorrectly and void the warranty. Also, they will generally charge more per hour.

Here’s a scenario. You have a plumber hook up your filtration system. He tells you it doesn’t work, so you call the manufacturer. The manufacturer says the plumber did not install it correctly, so they aren’t going to honor the warranty. Now, where does that leave you? Stuck, frustrated, and with dirty water, most likely. How does Peter know this? He’s gotten calls to straighten similar situations out. And yes, he has repaired units that were installed backward.

Remember, you need to invest in a unit based on your total cost, which includes:

A smart consumer wants the best buy, not the cheapest price.

The BEST water filter?

We asked Peter which filter he thinks is the best. His answer supported everything he taught us in this article. He said, “For my money, the best filtration system out there is the Kinetico K5 Reverse Osmosis system.”

We asked him why, and he said, “Yes this is the most expensive water filtration system upfront, running about $1,545. However, you save money [because there’s] little to no maintenance required. For example, the filter is equipped with a patented membrane technology called Everclean Rinse, which makes it last much longer than usual. The Reverse Osmosis membrane on this machine comes with a 10-year parts and labor warranty. That means you won’t have to replace it for 10 years! On the other hand, [the filters of some competitors] must be replaced every year or two at $200 a pop. Do the math and you can easily see that after 10 years you could have paid between $1,000 or $2,000 for membranes depending how often you are required to change them.”

But that’s not all.

“The Kinetico sediment cartridges last for 1500 gallons while the competition may only last for 500 gallons,” Peter said. “The same goes with the carbon filters. They last for one year while the competition’s [filters] have to be replaced after only six months. That means they last twice as long. This can really get expensive, buying two times as many filters over 10 years!”

We asked Peter if someone should spend money on their filtration system if they’re moving in less than ten years. “That’s the best part,” he said. “You can have your water treatment professional move this to your new home. All you have to do is state it in the real estate contract when selling your home.”

The lesson? The real price you pay for a filtration system includes installation, filter replacement, and maintenance. Take the time to find out your true costs.

A few words of wisdom on water testing

“Sure, someone may test your water in order to sell you a system. But if you think about it that isn’t really enough, is it? Make sure that your installer tests your water AFTER the filtration system is installed. After all, you do want to make sure that it is doing what they promised,” Peter said. “We also recommend having it tested annually too. Our self-serve customers can drop a water sample off to us for testing at any time. We also check it ourselves when we make our pro annual visits to install filter replacements. This means you can feel confident that your water is safe to drink year-round and for years to come.”

We hope you’ve found this article helpful! We want to thank Peter with Water For Life again for sharing his insight with us. If you have any questions for Peter, you can reach out to him on his website here. Don’t forget that it’s important to make sure the company you select is insured because even a small water leak from a hose or pipe connection can cause you thousands of dollars in water damage repairs. The suggestions here will save you a lot of heartache later on. We wish you much success in choosing the right water filtration company in Atlanta to work with.

Let us know if you want to talk insurance! As you can imagine, it’s one of our favorite topics! We can get you a free quote and get you the coverage you need.

How to choose a pressure washing company

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Choosing a contractor can be tricky. You want to make sure that you find someone who’s trustworthy and who will take good care of your home. That’s especially true when it comes to finding a pressure washing company. Over time, a layer of dirt and gunk can build up on your deck and house, necessitating that you hire someone to clean it. But you don’t want to choose just anyone.

We caught up with Mickey Rickard of MJR Pressure Washing to get some advice for choosing a pressure washing contractor. Mickey started pressure washing homes back in 1998. There aren’t many people who can say they’ve been pressure washing houses here in Atlanta for the last 19 years!

What should our readers look for when it comes to hiring someone to pressure wash their house?

  1. Experience.
  2. Insurance.
  3. Licensing.
  4. References.

What kind of experience should our readers look for?

Mickey said, “Ideally you’d want someone that has 10 years or more of experience…[but] 3-5 years is pretty good too. You will find that most have less than three years of experience and this is average.”

It’s important to find someone who has plenty of experience. Mickey himself admits that he’s still learning, even after 19 years in the business. Your home is a huge investment, so you want someone who knows what they’re doing to pressure wash it.

What kind of insurance should a pressure washing company carry?

Mickey said that your contractor should carry liability insurance at the least. To illustrate his point, he told us a story about how, when he was starting out, he accidentally tripped a breaker. He was washing close to an electrical outlet and some water slipped behind the box, causing the breaker to shut off. Fortunately, he was able to reset it and everything was fine, but if he hadn’t realized the breaker had been tripped it could have gotten messy. What if there had been a freezer filled with expensive foods connected to that particular breaker? Yikes.

He also shared a story that he heard in which smoke came out of an outdoor electrical outlet on a house that had been power washed. The smoke ended up causing a small fire, which is unsettling. A trick that Mickey has learned is to tape all outdoor outlets to seal them against any water trickling in—water and electricity don’t mix.

Again, the moral of the story is to make sure that your pressure washer has insurance and lots of experience. You don’t want your home to catch fire from power washing.  

What kind of licensing is required?

Mickey explains that the business must have a business license to be a legitimate pressure washing company. All it takes is going to the county office to get licensed.

What kind of references are best?

“Good and honest!” Mickey said.

Some places will actually ask you for a positive review after they do the job that you hire them for, but Mickey believes that a contractor should do such a good job that asking for a good review won’t be necessary. After all, it’s in their interest to do quality work so they get good reviews and build up a strong reputation. No one’s going to hire a power washing company with bad reviews. Mickey also points out that a contractor should strive to do an excellent job so that their customers will call them back the next year and pass along their name to their friends and family.

What kind of problems can an inexperienced pressure washer cause?

If your home has vinyl siding, you’ve probably noticed that it turns a very vivid shade of green, caused by algae. Oxidation from weather and the sun can also be an issue—it’ll leave a powdery substance all along your vinyl siding.

If an inexperienced pressure washer uses a pressure setting that’s too high, they’ll leave your house looking great while it’s still wet, but as soon as it dries you’ll notice squiggles and lines. This happens because a setting that’s too high and only removes some of the powdery oxidation.

Mickey explained that an experienced pressure washer knows to let the chemicals do the work instead of the blast of water. The bleach in the chemicals will remove all the gunk and oxidation, and then all the washer has to do is use a low setting the rinse off the bleach. To make sure that your pressure washer knows their stuff, ask them about their process and how they clean houses. If they mention a high setting…you may want to reconsider.

Also, if someone improperly bleaches your home, they could do some real damage. Using too much bleach or leaving the bleach on the surface for too long could cause the color of your house to fade.

Your home is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make, if not the biggest. To protect your investment, you should consider pressure washing to add life to your siding—plus it makes it look nice! And special thanks to Mickey of MJR Pressure Washing for sharing his professionalise with us. If you’re interested in getting your home pressure washed or you want to find out more, you can check out http://mjrpressurewashing.com.

If you’re looking to protect your home with insurance, we can help! Contact us today and we’ll help you make sure that your investment is safe and sound.

Part One: Tips for choosing a water filtration system installation company

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If you’re tired of bad-tasting water and are ready to install an under-the-counter filter or a whole house water filtration system, this article should catch your interest. We asked Peter Van Cleave of Water for Life to share some valuable tips to help you be a savvy consumer when you’re choosing a company to install your filtration system.

Pete started as a water treatment professional back in 1989. Today his company is a 28-year-old independent, family-owned drinking water business. We asked Pete what he meant by independent. “A water filtration franchise can only offer you one brand of filtration system,” Pete explained. “On the other hand, because we’re independent, we represent over 40 different manufacturer’s lines to choose from. Greater choice and no franchise fees mean the customer wins.”

What are some things a homeowner should know before choosing an Atlanta water filtration contractor?

Are they a plumber or a certified water treatment professional?

Many people are surprised to learn that there’s a certification required to become a water treatment professional. “This training is conducted by the Water Quality Association,” Peter said. “This course of study requires passing a 300-question test. There are six levels of certification that are available to achieve. It includes learning about water chemistry as well as the technology behind the many kinds of water filtration options. They are also trained on the plumbing codes as well as how to properly make the connections. Finally, they get trained on various types of water treatment equipment. They receive a certification to install the various products as well.”

This means that your water treatment professional will provide you with the best options based on what’s important to you.

“On the other hand, many plumbers will install a water filter unit for you,” Peter continued, “but if you ask them to recommend one, they’ll go to their plumbing supply house and see what’s in stock right now… And that’s what you get to choose from. If you ask them to install the filter that you supply, they may not know how to operate it properly and might even install it backward. I know this because we have had to re-install many water filtration units that were installed incorrectly.” Peter tells us that installing a whole house filter system backward is easy to do. Why should this matter to you? It will not operate properly and may plug up your water lines.

So, make sure that the installer is a certified water treatment professional.

Has the product they sell been certified by the NSF or the Water Quality Association?

Let’s explain what this means. Both NSF International and the Water Quality Association are third party testing labs that check water filtration units for performance. Peter said, “The water filter systems that receive the NSF stamp and the Water Quality Association Gold Seal have been rigorously tested to work in your home for a minimum of 10 years.”

Not all water filters have received these third-party seals of approval. That’s why Peter suggested only using water treatment systems that are from time-tested companies in the industry.

Beware of this advertising pitfall

“Sometimes only one component of the entire system may have an NSF seal. Yet the manufacturer will advertise the entire unit as NSF approved—some Reverse Osmosis Membranes may carry the NSF Seal, [but] the storage tanks may not,” Peter warned. We asked Peter what you can do to protect yourself. He answered, “You must physically look for and read the NSF seal on the product itself and not just in the literature for one of the interior components.”

Why some water filtration systems do not have the NSF seal

There are three reasons for this:

  • It’s costly.
  • It takes a long time to go through testing.
  • Some new companies can’t wait that long.

This is another reason why Peter suggests using time-tested systems that have gone through the submittal process. It means your system will take care of your family for a long time to come.

We asked if Peter ever suggests water filter units that do not have the seal “In rare cases we do,” Peter said. “There is some water technology that is too new to be tested for 10 years. For example, there’s only one ultraviolet light water filter that has the NSF seal. It’s really expensive, and very few people can afford it. So, what we did is go to reputable companies that have excellent reviews by our peers and the consumer users. We may suggest these as an option if their heart is set on ultraviolet light filters.”

Does the company have third-party endorsements?

Peter said, “Just as we suggest third-party endorsed filtration equipment, we also suggest looking for installation companies with third party endorsements too. An example of this would be places like Angie’s List or Home Advisor.” Peter’s company, for example, is a Home Advisor Pro Elite company and has been rated best in the category to work with.

Does the installation company have valid insurance policies?

Peter said installers that come in your home should be covered with a minimum of $1,000,000 of general liability insurance.

Are they a full-time professional?

Do you want a professional water technician or a weekend multi-level marketing salesperson giving you advice on how to clean your water? There are many multi-level marketing associations that sell water filters. Peter said that you should be concerned if someone is a commissioned salesperson, especially if they only sell one brand. These water filters may be good enough for getting chlorine out of your water, but not much more than that. Plus, a commission is stacked onto these filters, making them more expensive than a similar, non-MLM brand filter.

The lesson? Make sure you’re working with a certified water treatment professional that will test your water so that they can customize a solution based on your home’s water issues.

In Part 2 of this series on residential water filtration systems in Atlanta, we will address the question of whether or not you should buy your filtration system on the internet to save money. There are a lot of good deals out there, and honestly, it might be tempting at first. In Part 2, Peter of Water for Life will share about:

  • The hidden costs of buying an online water filtration unit
  • Why you want a backwash system on your whole house filter
  • How to find the best water filter for your money
  • Why testing your water before installing your system isn’t enough

To read Part 2 of this article, click here!

Need insurance for your home, car, or rental property? We can help! Fill out our quote form and we’ll be in touch soon.

 

Part Two: What you should know before hiring an electrician to install or replace your electrical panel

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In Part 1 of this article, James Croffut of Big Frog Electric shared his advice for hiring an electrician to upgrade your electrical service or install a new circuit breaker panel. In Part 2 we’re going to pick up where we left off, and we’ll carry on by talking about why some electricians can charge a lot less than others, why James turns down some jobs, why you shouldn’t keep resetting that tripped circuit breaker, and why you should be concerned if your electrician uses contractors.

Before choosing an electrician to install a 200 amp electrical service for your home…

James warns us to ask the following questions:

  • Will they be bringing your home up to the currently enforced electrical code?
  • Do they have the right insurance?
  • Do they use employees or subcontractors?
  • Are their employees on salary or sales commission?

Some common mistakes when upgrading services or changing out electrical panels

Today’s electrical code requires that an overcurrent device, such as a main electrical breaker, be installed on the outside of the house. However, many homes built in the 80s or early 90s don’t have this overcurrent device because it wasn’t required at the time. Why should this concern you, you may ask? James told us, “It means that the wire that goes from the electrical meter outside all the way into your home’s electrical panel indoors is unfused, unprotected, and can cause a house fire.”

How does this affect you when getting an estimate to upgrade your service?

Let’s pretend that you have an older home with no overcurrent protection on the outside. If you want to upgrade your service, you’ll need to install an outdoor main circuit breaker by law. However, an inexperienced electrician may simply change out your panel and NOT install an exterior means to turn off your power. Now you can see why their quote will be cheaper. But remember, this won’t pass an electrical inspection and will create a potential fire risk.

Many inexperienced electricians do not realize what else is required after the installation of the exterior breaker. When an electrical panel is installed and an exterior breaker is added, the rest of the house’s wiring needs to be brought up to code as well.

That means that:

  • The electrical grounding must be brought up to code.
  • GFIs must be added and installed per the code.
  • Smoke detectors must be added and installed per the code.
  • Any 110-volt outlets that are replaced or 110-volt circuits that are added in the living area now require arc fault circuit breakers.

Now you can see why estimates to upgrade an electrical service or change the panel out can vary a lot in price. An inexperienced, unlicensed electrician might overlook all of these necessary code requirements. This is why you have to make sure to compare “apples to apples” and not just look at the price alone.

Why James may say no thanks to some electrical jobs

A licensed electrician is held responsible for ALL of your wiring if they do any work on your home. This means if your electrical contractor tells you about risky wiring or code violations but you don’t want to fix them, a professional electrician will walk away from the job. James told us that he will not work on homes that have old Federal Pacific breaker panels or aluminum wire unless the homeowner is willing to update their system to today’s code.

“It’s my license, it’s my livelihood, it’s my reputation, and it’s my conscience,” he said. “I don’t want to work on a house with existing bad wiring that’s a fire risk that the customer isn’t willing to pay to fix. We have walked away from a lot of business because of this.”

He went on to explain that this is another reason that his company loses bids. “We may lose the job because the customer is not comparing apples to apples on the bids. They are comparing panel change out quotes that do meet the code with lower priced quotes that don’t meet the code.”

James reminds us that the national electrical code is the minimum requirement for doing electrical work. The absolute minimum. On the other hand, James likes to install electrical work above and beyond the minimum. This protects you as a homeowner. Does the contractor you’re considering have a similar philosophy?

Do you have a circuit breaker that keeps tripping?

An inexperienced electrician may just reset the circuit breaker without finding out why it tripped. The problem with that is that constantly resetting the tripped breaker will eventually weaken the overload protection mechanical device inside the breaker. In short, that means that the breaker is no longer protecting you. That’s why James trains his people to find out WHY breakers trip. He teaches them to open up the panel and the device to see what the problem is. Why does he do this? James understands that when an electrician touches an electrical system, he or she is held accountable for anything that happens afterward.

Another mistake an inexperienced, unlicensed electrician might make is to simply put in a larger fuse or circuit breaker to prevent it from tripping again. But the wire is rated for the original breaker size only. This means that a bigger breaker will allow more electrical current than is safe. It could heat up the wire and cause a house fire.

The lesson? Hire only licensed electricians to work on your home’s wiring.

Do they have valid insurance?

It is important to verify proof of insurance. With today’s technology, anyone can print out a piece of paper that looks like an insurance policy. James suggested, “You should actually call the insurance company to see if their insurance policy is valid and paid up-to-date. Remember to insist on checking both general liability insurance as well as workers’ compensation.”

Do they use employees or subcontractors?

James told us that some electrical contractors are trying to save money and use subcontractors to do the work. However, many of these electricians are undocumented workers that do not pay taxes or have insurance. So they can charge a lower rate to wire your house.

That’s why James insists on hiring legal workers that pay taxes and that are covered by insurance. James believes in paying his workers a livable wage, not $50 a day like many are making as subcontractors. James said it’s hard to compete against illegal subcontractors. So, be sure to ask if employees or subcontractors will be working at your home. If the company will use subcontractors, ask to see proof of insurance that covers them all.

Are their electrical workers on commission or salary?

It’s surprising, but many local electrical businesses pay their installers a commission to sell you things, just like a car dealership would pay a car salesman. If your technician has a financial incentive, they may try to sell you things that you don’t need. That’s why all of James’s people are salaried employees. This means the customer has no need to fear being upsold. The electrician’s job is to educate you as the customer so you can make informed decisions.

 

Electrical fires are one of the biggest causes for home insurance claims. Take the time to research your electrical contractor before hiring them. We hope these tips will be helpful to you in choosing the best electrician to upgrade the panels or electrical service for your Atlanta home! To get in touch with Big Frog Electric, check out their website!  

If you’re looking for insurance for your home, we can help! Contact us today by calling or filling out our quote form and we’ll get you a free quote and make sure that all of your insurance needs are covered.

Part One: What you should know before hiring an electrician to install or replace your electrical panel

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If you’re looking to upgrade the electrical service for your home, this article is for you. We caught up with James Croffut of Big Frog Electric, winner of the “Best Electrician in Gwinnett” Award for 2015 and 2016. James became an electrical helper 20 years ago in the state of Colorado, and he appreciated learning from some of the top electricians in the field. He is also thankful that his company made him go to school to learn electrical theory and how to install things properly.

After working for some local electrical contractors here in the greater Atlanta area, James knew there had to be a better way to build trust with his customers and his employees. Five years ago, he started his own electrical contracting business. Of course, we had to know how he came up with the name. James’s wife loves frogs, and since James said he wanted to be the “big dog” of his industry, they combined both names and came up with “Big Frog Electric.”

We asked James what you should know before hiring an electrician.

James advised that you should consider the following questions:

  • Are they licensed?
  • Do they provide ongoing electrical code training to their staff?
  • What is their online reputation?

Make sure that your electrician is licensed in Georgia to install services and circuit breaker panels.

James said the first thing you should be concerned about is if they have a license for the state of Georgia. Here lies the problem—many electricians state that they are licensed and insured, but the question is what kind of a license they’re talking about.

Apparently, many electricians are advertising that they have a license, but they’re referring to a “business license” and not an electrical license. You could end up unintentionally signing a contract for electrical work to be done on your home by an unlicensed electrician that is NOT recognized by the state of Georgia—and doesn’t know the electrical codes to wire it safely. That wouldn’t be good. Remember, in Georgia, all electrical work must be done by a licensed electrical contractor.

Here’s a tip to make sure that the electrician has the proper licensing. Instead of just asking if they’re licensed, ask if they have an electrical license for the state of Georgia. We asked James how to tell if they’re telling the truth—technically they could just lie about it. He answered, “Actually it’s pretty simple because you can verify it yourself. Go to the secretary of state website at http://verify.sos.ga.gov/verification/. All you have to do is to type their name, profession and license number to see if it is real and current.”

The other problem is that many people say they’re electricians and do electrical work for themselves on the side. Some are electrical helpers under a licensed contractor during the day, but moonlight as electricians for themselves on the side. Or they might just be a handyman that hung a few lights or changed out some switches once upon a time and now call themselves an electrician. That’s why you have to verify that your electrician is indeed a licensed electrician—if they’re not, bad things may follow.

What could happen if the electrical panel isn’t installed properly?

James told us, “Many times people will hire an unlicensed electrician to save a few bucks. Sure, they may save a few dollars upfront, but you’ll have to pay much, much more later on to fix it correctly or replace it entirely. Remember, what’s important is not that your lights turn on today… but will they be working 10 years from now?”

To illustrate his point, James shared this story.

“There was a homeowner that called us that had built their house in 2011. Four years later, in 2015 the electrical panel burned up and caught fire. Electrical panels that are installed properly should last 25 years—not 4 years! The problem? The inexperienced installer didn’t tighten the connections at the main breaker in the panel. The loose connections got hot and eventually burned the panel up.”

Now here’s the scary part. The original panel passed an electrical inspection. However, no one checked the connections to see if they were tight enough. Yes, the homeowner did save a few dollars initially, but only to pay thousands of extra dollars afterward. And that doesn’t address the inconveniences they suffered or the anxiety they had of their home possibly burning down.

The importance of ongoing electrical code training to their staff.

James informed us, “Unfortunately here in Georgia there only needs to be one license holder for the company. This means that they can hire 100 new untrained electricians to work underneath them to work on your electrical wiring. The result is the mistaken thought pattern that if it ‘turns on’ … It’s good!”

That’s why James holds electrical code classes every two weeks. Attendance is mandatory. Why so often, and why make attendance required? “The national electrical code is updated every three years,” James said. “It is almost impossible to keep up with all of the code changes without providing continual education to employees.”

So, it’s definitely to your advantage to ask if the electrician has an electrical license for the state of Georgia before letting them anywhere near your electrical panel.

How much will it cost to swap out your service?

It’s a legitimate question—how much should you expect to pay to get your service changed? James explained that prices can be all over the place because there are no regulations in place to control them. So…how can you know that you’re getting a fair price? “As an educated consumer I suggest calling three similar companies to get competitive quotes from,” James said. “Make sure that they have valid electrical licenses and proper up-to-date insurance. Make sure the quotes you compare are apples to apples and not apples to oranges.”

Apples to oranges? James said that he loses bids every day because the competition isn’t licensed, isn’t insured, or doesn’t bring the house up to code in the proposal. In other words,  it looks good on paper because the homeowner is saving money. But in reality, they could be paying for dangerous wiring that could start a fire from a company with no insurance to pay for the repairs later.

We wanted to know what James meant by bringing a house up to code, and we’ll share his answer in Part Two of this article. We’ll also tell you why some electricians can seemingly afford to install your electrical service for less. Click here to read Part Two of our interview with Big Frog Electric founder James Croffut! You can also check out Big Frog’s website here. 

Got insurance questions? Want a free quote? Drop us a line, we’d love to help!

 

What you should know before hiring a commercial security system company

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It’s an unfortunate reality, but having a business in the city opens you up to a host of crime. Atlanta’s no exception. There are plenty of burglaries and other crimes committed within the ATL. To protect your business, you might be thinking about getting a security system and cameras installed on your premises. We caught up with Ty Williams of ADS Integration to find out what his advice is for getting a commercial security system. (Williams was a radar technician in the Navy before getting into the security industry, and then he started his own business in 1999.)

We asked Ty what you should know before having a system installed in your place of business.

He started off by listing a few questions:

Is there a monitoring contract involved?

Many alarm installation and monitoring services try to get you to sign a 36-month contract for your alarm system. Some might have a contract that lasts 12 or 24 months. It’s important to know if you’re going to be bound into a contract because three years is a long time if you’re not sold on the service you’re getting.

What happens if I want to leave my contract? What if I’m not happy with the service?

Let’s say that you sign a three-year contract, but you want to get out of it. Things change. You’re not happy with the service. Sometimes there will be a hefty penalty to you for breaking the contract. The company might even make you pay out the contract in full—and that can be upwards of $1,000 depending on how far into the contract you are.  

We also found out how some alarm companies are able to give away free security systems.

Security system companies can install a system for free or very little money down because of the three-year monitoring contract that we mentioned before. They charge between $33-$40 a month for monitoring services, which comes to about $1,200-$1,400 over three years. The alarm system pays for itself. It takes about a year and a half of you paying those fees for the company to get their investment back. Even after the contract ends, you’ll still be paying the same fees.

We learned that Ty doesn’t ask his clients to sign a contract.

Ty has built his business on not asking his clients to enter a long-term contract. If the alarm company has you pay on a month-by-month basis, there’s no contract for them to hide behind. You have the freedom to fire them if you’re not satisfied with the service they’re providing. If they have you sign a contract, you’re stuck.

Ty noted, “You pay a little bit more upfront for the equipment but you own the system and you can have anyone monitor it for you.”

What if you already have a security system but want to change monitoring companies?

Ty said, “Any reputable alarm company can take over the monitoring for you. Some existing systems can be reprogrammed while others cannot.”  Er, what does that mean, exactly? “All that’s required is to change out the main panel and keypad,” Ty explained. “This will give you a new system with a warranty. This means you can have peace of mind without having to buy everything from scratch.”

Oh, that makes sense.

Here’s how commercial security systems deter employee dishonesty.

Employee theft is a growing problem that many Atlanta-based companies face. We asked Ty how a security system might help businesses avoid being burned by their employees.

He said, “Each commercial security system provides every employee with their own unique alarm code. This means you will be able to identify who opens and closes your store or business every day by looking at the alarm code entered into the keypad.”

You’ll be able to tell if your employees are getting to work late or if they’re leaving early. All you have to do is check the report—it’ll give you the time and date that your employees arrived and left. If you receive a report of an unauthorized entry late at night or on the weekend, you can check and see whose code was used to access the building. If you suspect that an employee isn’t being truthful about their hours worked, you can rewind the security footage and check on what time they arrived and left. As a result, you won’t end up paying someone for hours they didn’t work.

Seeing the cameras serves as a visual deterrent for any employee that’s up to no good, whether it’s fudging hours or thieving. Ty told us about a warehouse operator who feared that one of his employees was stealing parts. The cameras served as enough of a deterrent to remedy the situation.

Security systems can also prevent your HVAC system from being stolen.

We didn’t realize how big a problem this was in the Atlanta area. “I recommend connecting your HVAC compressor into your security system with an outdoor wall siren overhead,” Ty said. “This prevents people from stealing the compressor and selling it for scrap metal. When someone goes to cut all of the lines, the alarm goes off and the overhead siren scares them away.”

Ty reports saving many air-conditioners this way. That’s a nifty perk to having a security system.

You can prevent burglars from incapacitating your alarm system by going wireless.

If a burglar’s smart, they know to cut the phone lines leading into your building to keep the police from getting the memo that your premises is being looted. To combat this problem, security systems can be monitored wirelessly. You can’t cut what isn’t there. This is also handy if a storm knocks out the phone lines in your neighborhood. Since you’re not using physical phone lines, you’ll still be monitored.

But that’s not all. Ty pointed out that, “Another benefit is that a wireless communicator will allow you to receive warning alerts on your phone. They will also enable you to arm or disarm your system remotely. There’s no reason to give out your alarm code to a service person. You can remotely turn on your system and turn it off.”

Hmm, but what can you expect to pay for this convenience? “About $200 for the communicator and an additional $10 per month for monitoring,” Ty replied. “This is about half of what many Atlanta alarm companies are charging monthly.”

Ty also explained that his company’s wireless communicators allow you to watch the security feed on your phone. Neat!

Say cheese!

Covert cameras can also be placed around your building to catch burglars in the act. If they skirt the visible cameras, chances are one of the hidden cameras will still catch them. Ty told us about a burglar who broke into a leasing center in Lawrenceville not too long ago. The thief ripped the security system off the wall, but they smiled at their reflection in the glass of a clock. Little did they know that there was a camera inside the clock’s face, so their face was captured for the business owner to see. The police were able to catch the guy.

Let’s recap.

Why are security cameras so important for your business?

  • They allow you to monitor your business.
  • They allow you to monitor your parking lot.
  • They deter shoplifting.
  • They deter employee theft.
  • They allow you to observe accidents and injuries. (Ty has been instrumental in resolving several fraudulent workers’ compensation cases because of the camera system that he installed.)

The best part of this is that the footage can be viewed on your cell phone, tablet, or home computer if you have Internet access, though Ty suggested that you have a minimum of 15 to 20 MG Internet speed to take advantage of this service. This means you can check on the office while at home, on vacation, or on the golf course!

One final bonus to having a commercial security system that we’ll mention before we sign off is that you might just qualify for a discount on your insurance. Talk to one of our agents to see if you’re eligible. You can also feel free to ask Ty any questions about commercial security systems by visiting https://adsintegration.com.

If you need insurance for your business, give us a shout! You can either call us or fill out our quote form and we’ll get you a free quote. Our agents will make sure you have the customized insurance you need.