Is It Safe to Have a Fire Pit Under a Pergola?

fire pit under pergola safe

As a homeowner, you’ve likely considered the usefulness and aesthetic charm of adding a fire pit to your outdoor living space. Perhaps you’re drawn to their cozy atmosphere and delicious smoky aroma. But before you invest in one, it’s important to understand all of the potential risks involved—particularly if you plan on placing it under your pergola or patio cover structure.

This blog post will discuss whether it’s safe or not to have a fire pit beneath your pergola. We’ll address common safety concerns associated with using this type of setup and outline solutions that can help ensure everyone stays safe while enjoying this warm and inviting feature within the comfort of your own backyard!

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4 Facts about Homeowners Insurance That No One Tells You

homeowners insurance facts

Purchasing homeowners insurance is an important step in the home-buying process. You must have enough coverage so that you can protect your home and its contents, but there are also things that many people don’t know about homeowners insurance. From discounts available to understanding common policy exclusions, here are some facts regarding your homeowners insurance policy.

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Tips for Reviewing Your Home Insurance Policy Limits

policy limits

With ever-fluctuating home values in Georgia, are you confident your home insurance policy limits are enough to cover the cost of rebuilding your home, should the unexpected happen?

The cost of rebuilding your house may be higher than the price you paid for it or the price you could sell it for today. As a homeowner, you need to protect your investment. The following tips will help you ensure you have the coverage you need—eliminating worry and additional hassles.

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12 Tips for Buying a Home in Atlanta

Whether you’re tired of renting or you’re moving to a new town, buying a new home can be stressful – especially in a big city like Atlanta. There are many diverse neighborhoods and various things to do around the city. You’ll feel like you don’t want to miss out on any of it!

However, there are numerous things to consider before you make that final step. To make the process easier, here are 12 tips for buying a home in Atlanta.

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Theft Prevention Tips

theft prevention

No home is immune to the risk of theft. Whether you’re looking to protect your home while you’re on an extended vacation or simply at the office for the day, it’s important to take precautions to help deter criminals from targeting your property.

Be sure to utilize these theft prevention tips to keep your home secure and help mitigate the likelihood of burglaries while you’re away.

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6 Tips For A Stress-Free Summer Home Maintenance Checklist

Summer Home Maintenance Checklist

The summer months are the time of the year when you want to enjoy your home, not have to fix it up! However, some things need to be addressed before fall rolls in. Also, some of these simple tasks can help you enjoy both the inside and outside of your home more.

Below we’ve provided 6 stress-free summer home maintenance tips for you to consider. If you keep on top of your home maintenance checklist you’ll have plenty of time to sit by the pool and have BBQs this summer! Let’s get started.

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Keeping your spirits up during COVID-19 times

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COVID-19 a

We’ve, of course, been dealing with COVID-19 for a long time, and it has been difficult. It is a very easy thing to get frustrated and downcast during this time when everything feels upside-down and we don’t know when it’s going to end. Everyone is feeling overwhelmed. We could all use a boost and a reminder to stay positive. Here are a few things that could help raise your spirits.

Keeping your spirits up during COVID-19

1. Having family time.

Maybe at the beginning of quarantine you spent a lot of time with family. But now, perhaps, everyone’s gone their separate ways. The kids have online school, the grown-ups have work (maybe work from home, but still – work). Yeah, life is busy and there’s a lot of juggling, but try to schedule in family time. Play games, have movie night, take the time to have meals together. Yes, everyone needs alone time, but it’s also important to have some companionship and to relax and have fun together. Pick a fun family activity.

2. Communicate with people.

Humans are social beings. We need to have social interactions and spend time with each other. It can help you feel like things are slightly more normal. So, wear a mask so you can chat with your neighbors or plan safe, socially distanced get-togethers with friends. Or use technology like video chats and Zoom to stay in touch with people. Just try to set up some sort of social time in a way that’s COVID-safe. You can really give yourself a boost just by having a nice chat. It can help you feel less isolated.

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3. Take care of yourself.

It’s also really important to take care of yourself. You might feel like you’ve got a ton on your plate, and maybe you’ve been putting yourself at the bottom of your priority list. The kids have online school, you’ve got work, then there’s just the every day tasks to keep the house running. (Cooking, laundry, cleaning, going to the store in COVID-19 times.) But you’ve got to take some time for you. If you take some time to do the things you enjoy and/or self-care, you’ll be better able to care for your family and handle the day-to-day demands of life. You need to be sure that you’re being good to yourself and taking care of you, too.

4. Remember that people are still doing good things for each other.

In times of great struggle, there are people who will step up to the plate. There are still good people who want to help each other and want to alleviate the struggles happening to others. Just knowing that there are still good things happening can be a real morale boost.

5. Figure out what activities are calming to you.

You can also do some experimenting to find out what helps you feel relaxed and calm. Maybe you enjoy going for walks. Or maybe you like to paint or doodle or bake. The point is try to find something that takes your mind off things and gives you some peace. That way you can have some time to relax and have time away from the things that are stressful or overwhelming.

6. Save money on your insurance.

Here’s something that can help you lift your spirits – saving money. The present times have put a lot of financial strain on people, and you’re probably keeping a very close eye on your bank account. Insurance is one of those things that you might not want to think about – we get it. But we want to help you save money on the coverages you need, whether that’s home insurance, auto insurance, or renters insurance. Our goal is to make insurance easy and stress-free so that you can look at different options and see what savings could be out there for you.

It’s really important to find ways to keep your spirits up during this COVID-19 time. You can incorporate family time into your schedule, and you can try to have some more communication with people (in a safe, socially-distanced way). Don’t forget to take care of yourself during this time. Find out what sort of things help you relax. This has been a tough year, so take some time to figure out what can help you through it.

Get home insurance quotes.

As we mentioned above, we would be happy to help you save money on your home insurance or on your auto insurance. You can get in touch with our team by filling out our online form, giving us a call, or messaging us on LiveChat. Then we can help you with your Atlanta home insurance quotes and help you on that mission to save money.

Source:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbevis/2020/09/30/4-ways-to-stay-positive-in-trying-times/#30c2ded46b12

Tips for deciding about your kids going back to school

Kids going back to school

Kids going back to school

There is a lot of fear and wariness going on today with the pandemic. One major concern or decision that many metro-Atlanta families are facing is whether to send the kids back to school or keep them in virtual school. School districts have created plans for re-opening, some of which involve “phases” or “stages”. But there is a lot that goes into making this decision, and it might feel like it’s a huge weight on your shoulders. Fortunately, the CDC has plenty of tools, considerations, and resources to help you make the decision about sending your kids back to school. We’ll go over some things you need to consider and some resources the CDC has available.

Considerations for sending your kids back to school.

When it comes to sending your kids back to school, you need to consider what’s best for your family and your situation. Different factors can come into play, such as health concerns, work considerations, and the schooling itself. This situation is stressful and there are a ton of different things you’re juggling. You might also be thinking about things like services your school offers, childcare, and even your kids’ extracurriculars.

What it comes down to is weighing the pros and cons of sending your kids back to school. Think about the benefits of in-school learning and the services the school offers versus the risk of COVID. (A major factor to consider is whether your child or anything in your family is at increased risk of COVID-19.) What does the spread look like in your community, what do the numbers look like? It might feel impossible to weigh these things against each other, but you can look at the CDC’s resources. They have tools that can help gauge your family’s risk and choose between remote learning, in-person learning, or hybrid-style learning (if you have the option to choose). It can help you prepare for your school year. So that might be a tool to help you navigate this difficult decision.

Tips for reviewing your school’s plan.

If your child’s school has communicated their plan for re-opening with you, there are a few questions you can ask to evaluate the plan and the measures the school will take.

  • What measures or procedures will be in place to reduce the spread of COVID? Will there be measures like social distancing, frequent hand washing, and masks?
  • Will the school environment be kept healthy and clean with appropriate ventilation, cleaning, and disinfecting?
  • What operational procedures will be in place? Will schedules be staggered? Are groups going to be kept small?
  • What is the plan or procedure for when someone is sick?

Now, we’ve mentioned that the CDC has a tool to help you evaluate your situation and the pros and cons of your child going back to school. Their tool can help you take stock of your family’s needs and evaluate your comfort level with your child or children going to in-person school. It’s set up with boxes that you can check off to say whether you answer Agree, Disagree, or Unsure about different questions. When you pick the box that most closely suits how you feel. If you realize that there are a lot of Unsure or Disagree boxes checked, you might want to open up a conversation with your school, your family doctor, or your employer. (And it can even help you pinpoint the specific concerns you want to talk about.)

The pandemic led to a lot of changes, and it’s not easy to juggle working from home, childcare, and online learning. Schools starting to reopen presents yet another dilemma. If your school is opening back up for in-person learning, it might be tough to decide what to do. Of course, you have to evaluate your own situation and your family’s needs – the CDC tool we mentioned is just one way to do that.

Get home insurance quotes.

If you are looking for Atlanta home insurance, we can help. We like to make insurance easy, and we also like to help homeowners save money on the insurance they need. You can get started with your quotes by filling out our online form, giving us a call, or messaging us on LiveChat. We’d be happy to help with your insurance needs.

Atlanta Home Insurance 101

Find out the basics of home insurance in Atlanta.

Find out the basics of home insurance in Atlanta.

So, you’re looking into buying a new home. You, as well as your bank, will want to protect your investment. If you’re a first-time home buyer, insurance companies can throw a lot of terms and paperwork your way that you may not understand the basics of. So, to help you make an informed choice about the home insurance you need, here’s a crash course in homeowners’ insurance 101.

What is home insurance?

When a disaster or unfortunate accident happens, home insurance is a great way to make sure you have the funds to rebuild. There are plenty of different types of home insurance, but at their core, most homeowners’ insurance policies will include ways to help you cover the costs of property damage, medical expenses if someone is hurt on your property, and legal fees if that person decides to sue. So, let’s dig a little deeper into home insurance in Atlanta:

What does home insurance cover?

There are multiple types of home insurance, but most plans will provide these basic types of coverage:

Liability

Homeowners’ liability coverage is built to help you cover the medical expenses and legal payments that might come up if someone was hurt at your home. If a court determines that the injury was caused by your negligence, your home insurance’s liability coverage could help you pay out the friend’s medical fees, the legal fees of defending your case in court, and your legal obligation to the other party that may arise out of the case.

Physical Structure

What would home insurance in Atlanta be without being able to actually cover damages to your home? The property damage portion of your homeowners’ policy can help you cover damages to the actual structure of your home caused by:

  • Fire
  • Lightning
  • Windstorms
  • Hail
  • Theft
  • Vandalism
  • Falling Objects
  • Explosions
  • Damages from vehicles/aircrafts

Depending on your particular home insurance policy, you may be covered for more perils than those that are listed here. Some policies, like HO-3s, have a strict list of named perils, which means that the plan won’t cover damages caused by anything outside of the listed situations on the policy. However, some policies – like HO-5s – can also include an open perils section, where your insurance could help you cover damages due to anything that isn’t explicitly listed on the policy as not covered.

Home insurance in Atlanta covers a variety of perils.

Personal Property

Homeowners insurance can also usually help you replace the personal belongings inside your home if they’re damaged by the above perils. There are two ways to insure your personal property – for its actual cash value (ACV) and for its replacement cost value (RCV).

If you insure your belongings for their actual cash value, your insurance can only reimburse you for the value of your belongings at the time of loss – meaning its depreciated value. However, if you insure your personal property for its replacement cost value, your insurance can help you cover the cost of replacing the item at today’s prices.

However, there’s only so much that your insurance company can help you replace if they don’t know what they have to replace. So, make sure you make a home inventory of your personal belongings so you’re not stuck replacing everything in your home in an unfortunate situation.

Other Structures

Your home insurance can also help you cover the other structures on your property if they’re damaged. The other structures portion of your policy can help you cover damages to things like:

  • Detached garages
  • Fences
  • Sheds
  • Gazebos
  • And even your driveway

Loss of Use

Your homeowners’ policy can also help you with expenses and a place to stay when you can’t physically live in your home. Additional Living Expense (ALE) or Loss of Use coverage can help you with the additional costs of living somewhere else if your house is uninhabitable due to a covered loss. This part of your home insurance can help you cover costs such as:

  • Extended hotel, motel, or AirBnB stays
  • Eating out at restaurants
  • Doing laundry
  • Storage costs for your personal belongings
  • Moving if you’re displaced by a natural disaster
  • Boarding your pet if they can’t live with you during your temporary living situation
  • Gas costs for relocation
  • Renting furniture that you’re used to having every day

Keep in mind, though, that your insurance company will want proof of the cost of your normal standard of living. They’ll also want proof of the additional costs gathered while you’re not living in your house. This is because ALE is only built for the cost of maintaining your lifestyle outside of your home. So, if you’re used to making and eating modest meals in your home, your ALE probably isn’t going to cover ordering lobster dinners every night while you’re away. So, keep plenty of receipts, especially for things like groceries, hotels, gas, etc.

It’s also important to note that your ALE coverage can only help cover the additional amount you’re paying while you’re away. For example, if your mortgage payment is $1,200/month and you have to live in an Extended Stay hotel that charges $1,800/month, your insurance can only help you cover the additional $600 you would be paying for shelter per month, not the full $1,800.

Home insurance in Atlanta can cover other structures.

What doesn’t home insurance cover?

So, with everything that home insurance in Atlanta can help you cover, you may be wondering what home insurance policies exclude. Usually, home insurance policies won’t include coverage for:

While most homeowners’ insurance policies may not include these types of coverages normally, you can usually add on an endorsement or purchase a separate plan for perils and objects you would like to cover.

How much home insurance do I need?

When considering how much home insurance you’ll need, you’ll want to make sure that your coverage limits can help you restore your home and your belongings back to normal. So, it’s important to know the ways that carriers can choose to cover your structures and belongings.

Market Value vs. Replacement Cost Value

The first thing to know is that your home’s market value is not the same as its replacement cost.

Your home’s market value is the amount that your home would sell for. Your home’s replacement cost is the amount it would take to rebuild your house from the ground up – including the building materials and the labor of the contractors. That’s why you might end up getting home insurance for an amount that’s different than what you bought your house for.

Generally, you’ll want to insure your house for its replacement cost value to make sure that you have the right amount of home insurance. You’ll also want to talk to your agent if you’re considering an addition to your house, a structural addition to your property, or if you’re thinking about upgrading your pipes or your electrical system (which may even qualify you for a discount).

How much does home insurance cost?

So, here’s the big question – how much does home insurance in Atlanta actually cost? The true answer is that there are tons of factors about your individual house and situation that will determine your home insurance rate. So, your individual rate depends on:

So, it’s important to shop around for your insurance. Different carriers assess risk differently, so one carrier may price you differently from others.

So, these are the basic facts you’ll need to know about home insurance! Hopefully, you feel armed with knowledge when you’re shopping around for coverage. However, there’s a lot more that goes into getting your perfect home insurance for a great rate. That’s where our insurance professionals can help!

We have tons of experience with home insurance in Atlanta. So, we can take the hassle out of finding customized home insurance quotes. We’ll help you get the exact types of affordable coverage and limits you need. All you have to do to get started is call us today or fill out our easy online form.