Kate Betts

There are so many things that run on electricity. We’ve come to rely on it as part of our daily lives. So, a power out might be a major problem. Anticipating that fact, you might want to get an emergency generator to be prepared for power outages. While generators are helpful when it comes to keeping the lights on or preventing the food from going bad, they can be dangerous if they’re not used properly.

11 tips for emergency generator safety

1. Don’t run the generator in an enclosed space.

If you have a gas-powered generator, make sure that you don’t use it in an enclosed space. That generator is going to throw off some carbon monoxide (CO). And carbon monoxide is not good. It’s actually really dangerous. As in could-cause-death dangerous. Don’t play around with CO.

2. Keep an eye on the oil level.

You’ve also got to check how much oil the generator has on a regular basis. And be sure to check the oil level before you use it. Oil is kind of important. So, don’t neglect the oil level of the generator.

3. Let the engine cool before refueling it.

You also need to let the engine cool off before refueling it. Otherwise, your refueling mission may not go quite as expected. Take care and ensure that the generator is entirely cool before trying to add any fuel.

4. Keep the generator away from other objects.

It’s also important to remember that generators get really hot. So, keep the generator away from other items. Give it a bubble of personal space so that the generator’s heat doesn’t hurt anything. It’s not that it would mean to hurt anything, but … it might on accident. Don’t let the generator cause any mischief.

5. Make sure the generator stays dry.

Generators and water don’t exactly mix very well. You probably don’t want to let your generator get wet. That can help you avoid water damage. It can also help you avoid an electrical hazard. So, make sure to keep the generator away from water.

6. Don’t use appliances that have gotten wet.

Remember what we said about generators and water not mixing? Yeah, that applies to the appliances you’re using, too. You probably don’t want to plug in an appliance that has gotten wet – not a good plan. Just don’t do it.

7. Be aware of extension cord hazards.

It’s also important to be aware of the potential hazards of using extension cords. You could see a voltage drop if you’re using an extension cord that’s too long. You could also see a voltage drop if you’re using a cord with a wire size that is too small. So, all in all, be careful if you’re using extension cords.

8. Plug in generators carefully.

When you’re connecting your generator, connect it directly to the appliances. Don’t connect it directly to the home electrical supply box. That’s a no-no. You have to be really careful with how you connect generators and appliances.

9. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Grounding the generator is something else you need to be concerned about. When it comes to grounding the generator, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. They’re the ones who know how to do that safely. Reading instructions is important. Don’t skip that step.

10. Choose the outlet carefully.

It’s also important to select your outlet carefully. It needs to be an appropriate outlet with the proper voltage. That sort of thing really matters when it comes to generators and electricity. You can’t just plug the thing in anywhere.

(Also, start running the generator before you turn on the AC circuit or before plugging in the appliance.)

11. Understand some electricity terms.

It can be helpful to understand some basic electricity. Maybe you have a 200-watt generator. An appliance that needs 120 volts and uses 10 amps requires 1200 watts of power. By doing some quick calculations, you can see if your appliances can be used safely with your generator. (That way you can base it off the wattage rating.)

So, those are a few tips for using an emergency generator safely. Though you might find a generator extremely helpful, you also have to be careful. Generators can be dangerous.

If you need to get some home insurance or car insurance quotes, we can help. We’re committed to helping people save money on their insurance … and making insurance easy. You can get started on your quotes by filling out our online form, giving us a call, or messaging us. Our team would be happy to help you look into different Atlanta home insurance options.

As a homeowner, you know how important it is to have home insurance for your Atlanta house. It’s important to protect yourself financially in case something happens. (Houses can be very expensive to repair, after all.) But sometimes certain homes can be more difficult to insure than others, and that’s because they face risks that make many insurance carriers reluctant to insure them. For that reason, they’re sometimes referred to as “hard to place” homes. We’ll go over some of the reasons that a home might be considered “hard to place”.

4 reasons a house might be a hard to place home.

1. Natural disasters.

Though we don’t necessarily have many natural disasters in the metro-Atlanta area, natural disasters are one reason that a house could be a hard to place home. Homes in areas that are likely to experience a disaster like a wildfire, hurricane, or earthquake can be difficult – and/or expensive – to get insurance for. If you make some changes to your home to help it stand up to the weather, like reinforced shutters or a sturdy roof, that can help protect the house from severe weather. By taking steps to strengthen your home, you can help prepare the house accordingly for any ordeals it may face.

2. If it’s a vacation home.

Vacation homes can also be tough to insure. That’s because, since they’re not permanently lived in and remain empty for a lot of time, the owner probably wouldn’t know if there’s damage to the house. For instance, what if a pipe bursts or someone breaks in? The owner wouldn’t know about it right away. That’s why it’s so important to have a security system to alert you to any damage to the house. A vacation home is a special case when it comes to insurance.

3. “Dangerous” features.

If your house has equipment or entertainment that could be considered dangerous, that could make home insurance more difficult. So, if your house has a playset, pool, or trampoline, you could be liable if someone is damaged – err, hurt – on the property. The same goes if there’s a steep drop or body of water. That’s why it’s really important to have fencing to protect against natural hazards that might be on your property. And to keep people from trespassing.

4. If the home is on the older side.

Okay, we’re not trying to insult your home, but the reality is that older homes might have electrical or plumbing systems that are outdated. And if there are aesthetic architectural features, these can be very expensive to replace. Keep your agent posted about any updates or improvements you make to the home. This is important.

FAIR Plans.

Now, it still might be super difficult to find a policy on the standard insurance market. But every state has what’s called a FAIR plan (a.k.a. fair access to insurance requirements) program. However, these plans are sort of a last-ditch effort. And you can probably only get a FAIR plan if you’ve tried to get other insurance and taken steps to mitigate risk at your home. So, that could be a Plan Z when all other avenues are exhausted.

Getting home insurance might seem impossible, especially if your home has features that make it tricky to insure. But we would love to see if we can help. Not to brag, but we’re fairly decent at helping people get Atlanta home insurance. Get started with your quotes by filling out our online form, giving us a call, or messaging us on LiveChat. Reach out to us and we’ll help you go over insurance options that might work for you.

If you’re thinking about moving out of your apartment, you might be dreaming of getting a house of your very own. But you might be a little stressed about your finances – specifically saving up for a down payment. Houses are expensive, as are down payments. The prospect of saving up that much money might seem daunting, but we have a few tips to help you with your plan to save for a down payment. Here’s how you can save up.

8 tips for saving money for a down payment for a house.

1. Establish how much you’re saving.

The first thing is to set up some goals. Do some research on the area you’d like to move, the kind of house you want, and how much it might cost. You also need to consider what percentage of the purchase price would be the down payment (to give you an idea, 20% is a fairly typical down payment for a house). When you have an idea of how much the down payment will be, you can start figuring out how much you can set aside on a set schedule, whether that’s every week, every two weeks, or every month.

2. Create a separate savings account.

To keep your money organized, you can create a savings account specifically for your down payment. That way you can keep track of how much money you’ve stashed away. (It’ll also keep the money safe so you don’t either accidentally or not accidentally spend it on something else.) When you set up your new savings account, consider whether you want to have the account with your normal bank. And don’t forget to think about the interest rate, fees, and account minimums.

You can also set up an automatic savings plan if that works for your situation. That way you can decide how much money you want to drop into your savings plan from your checking account each month. The only thing about doing this is that you have to make sure you have a fairly predictable income. If the money in your bank account is going up and down a lot, it might be trickier to make an automatic savings account work out. If you tend to have a less predictable income, you may want to move the money yourself when you can.

3. Don’t overlook extra money.

Well, maybe it doesn’t happen as often as we’d like, but if you come into some extra money somehow, don’t forget about your down payment. Of course, maybe that’s not the most exciting splurge you can think of, but it can help you on your quest for your house.

4. Work on paying off debt.

You might also want to work on paying off credit card debt if you can. If you work on improving your credit situation, you might put yourself in a better position when you get ready to get your financing situation sorted. Just something to think about.

5. Look for other expenses you can cut out.

You can also examine your budgeting and see if there are any expenses you can lower or cut down on. Can you manage with only one streaming service instead of three? Could you bring your lunch to work instead of eating out at restaurants every day? Take stock of your monthly expenses and see if there are things that you can cut back on so you can send that money towards your down payment savings. Think of it not as making sacrifices, but as making an investment in your future home.

6. Try using coupons.

Coupons can help you score some pretty cool savings. If you really put some time towards couponing and other deals, you might wind up with a nice chunk of money that you can use for your down payment.

7. Consider if there are extra jobs you can do.

Is there a way for you to do a bit of work on the side of earn some extra money? Of course, you don’t want to overwhelm yourself and you don’t want to stress yourself out. But maybe there’s a fun little side gig you could start that would be both fulfilling and allow you to earn some extra money.

8. Shop your insurance rates.

You can bag some quick savings if you explore your insurance options. Especially if you haven’t compared rates in a while. You might be able to save some money if you get some car insurance quotes, and then you can channel those savings into your down payment fund. You never know – you might be able to get the same coverages at a lower rate, allowing you to have more money to put towards your future house. (Our team is really good at helping people save money on their insurance. You can get in touch with us by filling out our online form, giving us a call, or messaging us on LiveChat.) If you can save money, the trick will be putting the money into the down payment fund and not spend it on something else!

So, that’s a bit about saving some money for a down payment. Being frugal can be tricky, but saving money is do-able. And, as we mentioned above, you could be saving money on your auto insurance. Our team would be happy to help. Get started with your quote by filling out our online form, giving us a quite, or LiveChat messaging us.

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If you’re a first-time homebuyer, you’re probably just about overwhelmed with the seemingly never-ending list of tasks you have to accomplish. Buying a house is not for the faint of heart. One of the looming tasks on that list might be getting Atlanta home insurance. You might be dreading the price tag on that insurance, which is understandable. However, there are a few discounts you as a first-time homebuyer should know about. And discounts means you get to save money!

Home insurance discounts to know about if you’re a first-time homebuyer.

1. New home purchase discount.

Now, if you’re a first-time homebuyer, we’re operating under the assumption that you’re, well, buying a home…and that could work in your favor. The reason we say that is a lot of insurance carriers offer a discount to customers who have recently purchased a house. So, when you’re looking for home insurance, be sure to bring that up. You could set yourself up to save some money on your premium, which is always appreciated. Don’t underestimate the power of a good discount.

2. Bundling.

So, if you’ve got a car, you’ve got car insurance, right? And you’re buying a home. Believe it or not, that could work in your favor where your overall insurance situation is concerned. Why, you may ask? Well, once again you could end up seeing lower insurance rates because you could get a multi-line discount. So, if you have to get both car insurance and home insurance, you might want to consider bundling these coverages and investigate whether this is the best option for you. It’s definitely something to think about.

3. Having a security system.

If you’re going to get a burglar alarm, that’s another great way to score some savings on your insurance. Lots of insurance carriers offer a discount if you have a qualifying security or safety system. So, if you’re looking to get some peace of mind by protecting your new house with a burglar alarm, you could also get a pleasant surprise in the form of a home insurance discount. (Security systems are deterrents to burglary, plus they summon the police ASAP if there’s trouble, so home insurance companies are fans.)

4. Paying in full.

Okay, the sticker shock might be unpleasant, but you might end up paying less for your home insurance if you pay for it in full. It’s something to consider if you feel like you’d be comfortable doing that, so you might want to weigh the options.

Pro tip: Remember that these aren’t the only discounts you could qualify for! There are plenty of ways to save on home insurance.

Buying a home can be stressful and you might dread having to deal with getting home insurance as a first-time homebuyer. However, there are discounts to help you get better rates. If you want to explore your Atlanta home insurance options, we can help. Our agents can help you get quotes, and they can help you find out what discounts you might be eligible for. You can get in touch with our team by filling out our online form, giving us a call, or messaging us on LiveChat.

So, as of publication time for this article, Georgians have been informed that we’re under a “shelter-in-place” quarantine order until April 30^th. (Governor Kemp placed the order earlier this month.) Everyone has been adjusting to the new reality of being at home and not leaving the house except for what is deemed essential.

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As a homeowner, you might be pretty content with your Atlanta home insurance. Maybe you don’t think about it too much, or maybe it falls into the “out of sight, out of mind” category. But what if there are a few things that could improve your insurance situation in the form of lower insurance rates? Intriguing, right? There are a few things that could really help when it comes to your insurance. If you’re in any of the following boats, you might want to think about your homeowner’s insurance.

5 times your home insurance situation could get better.

1. Getting married.

Getting married is exciting, and it’s an occasion worthy of congratulations. It’s a really important milestone and it’s worth checking into your insurance situation with your partner. There’s a possibility that you’re in a position to get better home insurance rates. Tying the knot can be helpful to your home insurance situation for that reason, but you could be in a great place if you’re buying a home with your partner. Maybe home insurance companies offer discounts for being a new customer when you’ve bought a house. So, that’s something that you may want to look into if you’re a newlywed and you’re looking for home insurance.

2. Raising your credit score.

If you’ve been working hard at improving your credit, that can also be a good thing for your home insurance. Your credit score can be a factor in determining your home insurance rates, so if you have a better credit score you could see better premiums. (And a poor credit score can lead to some not-so-great insurance rates.) So, it’s important to work on keeping up good credit. You can see it pay off when it comes to your insurance, so if you’ve seen your credit score get better, don’t keep it to yourself. Use it to your advantage and see if you can score better insurance rates.

3. Having a new roof.

Your roof might just seem like the convenient hat that keeps the rain out of your house, but it’s more than that. It takes the biggest beating when it rains, when it snows, when there’s sleet, and all of that nasty weather. A sturdy roof is likely going to be more effective at protecting your home than an old roof that’s weathered many a storm (literally). So, lots of insurance companies offer discounts for homes that have recently gotten new roofs made of certain materials that will hold up well in the midst of a storm. If you’ve gotten a new roof recently, don’t forget about your insurance. You might find that you’re in a better insurance situation.

4. Bundling.

If you also need auto insurance, you might want to consider getting your home insurance and car insurance from the same carrier. (This is called bundling in insurance-speak.) There are a few reasons to consider bundling. First of all, it’s convenient because you’re only dealing with one insurance company. (The fewer people you have to contact to deal with your insurance, the better, right?) So, there’s that. But the other great thing about bundling is that a lot of carriers offer discounts if you get more than one line of coverage from them. And that means that you could save money over getting these two coverages separately. You may want to give it some thought and see if this is a good option for you.

5. Claims-free.

Another thing that could help your insurance situation is if you’ve gone a long time without having to file an insurance claim. Being claims-free can earn you another discount – you could see lower premiums. So, having a clean claims history is something to be quite pleased about, and not just because it means you haven’t had anything go wrong with your house. You may find yourself in a better insurance situation if you haven’t had claims, so keep that in mind.

So, these are just a few things that could help you find yourself in a better home insurance situation. It can also help to get Atlanta home insurance quotes, and our team can help you with that. We strive to make insurance easy and help people save money on their insurance. Get started with your quotes for Atlanta home insurance by filling out our online form, giving us a call, or messaging us in LiveChat.