DIY Fix: Window air & water leak

Take a close look at your windows, doors, and skylights to stop air leaks, foil water drips, and detect the gaps and rot that let the outside in. You can perform a quick check with a home air-pressure test, or a DIY energy audit.

Luckily, these inspections are easy to do. Here’s how to give your house a checkup:

How to Check for Air Leaks

A home air pressure test sucks outside air into the house to reveal air leaks that increase your energy bills. To inspect windows and other openings:

• Seal the house by locking all doors, windows, and skylights.

• Close all dampers and vents.

• Turn on all kitchen and bath exhaust fans.

• Pass a burning incense stick along all openings — windows, doors, fireplaces, outlets — to pinpoint air rushing in from the outside.

How to Pinpoint Window Problems

Air and water can seep into closed widows from gaps and rot in frames, deteriorating caulking, cracked glass, and closures that don’t fully close.

To stop air leaks, give your windows a thorough inspection:

• Give a little shake. If they rattle, frames are not secure, so heat and air conditioning can leak out and rain can seep in. Some caulk and a few nails into surrounding framing will fix this.

• Look deep. If you can see the outside from around — not just through — the window, you’ve got gaps. Seal air leaks by caulking and weather stripping around frames.

• Inspect window panes for cracks.

• Check locks. Make sure double-hung windows slide smoothly up and down. If not, run a knife around the frame and sash to loosen any dried paint. Tighten cranks on casement windows and check that top locks fully grab latches.

Some older windows can be repaired and save you money over new windows. However, if you think you’ll automatically gain energy savings, think carefully — there may be other, cheaper ways to cut utility bills, such as sealing air leaks.

Related: Should You Repair or Replace Your Windows?

Inspecting Doors for Leaks

• Check doors for cracks that weaken their ability to stop air leaks and water seeps.

• Inspect weather stripping for peels and gaps.

• Make sure hinges are tight and doors fit securely in their thresholds.

Related: Choosing an Exterior Door

Checking Out Skylights

Brown stains on walls under a skylight are telltale signs that water is invading and air is escaping. Cut a small hole in the stained drywall to check for wetness, which would indicate rot, or gaps in the skylight.

To investigate skylight leaks, carefully climb on the roof and look for the following:

• Open seams between flashing or shingles.

• Shingle debris that allows water to collect on roofs.

• Failed and/or cracked patches of roofing cement put down the last time the skylight leaked

article from Homelogics.com

By Lisa Kaplan Gordon

The Health Insurance Marketplace- An Easier Way to Shop for Health Insurance

The Marketplace is a new way to find quality health coverage. It can help if you don’t have coverage now or if you have it but want to look at other options.

With one Marketplace application, you can learn if you can get lower costs based on your income, compare your coverage options side-by-side, and enroll.

What you'll learn when you apply in the Health Insurance Marketplace

When you use the Health Insurance Marketplace, you'll fill out an application and see all the health plans available in your area. You'll provide some information about your household size and income to find out if you can get lower costs on your monthly premiums for private insurance plans. You'll learn if you qualify for lower out-of-pocket costs.

The Marketplace will also tell you if you qualify for free or low-cost coverage available throughMedicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Most Americans will be eligible to use the Marketplace. Learn more about Marketplace eligibility.

The Health Insurance Marketplace is sometimes known as the health insurance "exchange."

Apply online, by mail, or in-person

You can apply for Marketplace coverage three ways: online, by mail, or in-person with the help of a Navigator or other qualified helper. Telephone help and online chat are available 24/7 to help you complete your application. Call the call center to have a copy of the paper application mailed to you..

Plans and prices are now available. Coverage starts as soon as January 1, 2014. Open enrollment ends March 31, 2014.

Learn about your options if you need coverage that begins before January 1, 2014.

What plans in the Marketplace cover

Insurance plans in the Marketplace are offered by private companies. They cover the same core set of benefits called essential health benefits. No plan can turn you away or charge you more because you have an illness or medical condition. They must cover treatments for these conditions. Plans can't charge women more than men for the same plan. Manypreventive services are covered at no cost to you.

Learn who runs the Marketplace in your state

While all insurance plans are offered by private companies, the Marketplace is run by either your state or the federal government. Find out who runs the Marketplace in your state by using the menu at the bottom of this page. If your state runs its Marketplace, you'll use your state’s website, not this one.

How the Marketplace presents plan information

The Marketplace simplifies your search for health coverage by gathering the options available in your area in one place. You can compare plans based on price, benefits, and other features important to you before you make a choice. Plans will be presented in five categories – bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and catastrophic – to make comparing them easier.

In the Marketplace, information about prices and benefits will be written in simple language. You get a clear picture of what premiums you'd pay and what benefits and protections you'd get before you enroll. Compare plans based on what's important to you, and choose the combination of price and coverage that fits your needs and budget.

Questions? Call 1-800-318-2596, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. (TTY: 1-855-889-4325)


VISIT www.MyCDJInsurance.com for details.

A Dedicated Insurance Agent

"Dedication"

Finding a good relationship is hard these days.  In particular, a lasting client/customer relationship which requires hard work and a friendship that both parties feel good about. 

Why do you have an insurance agent? Why is it important to have their number? 

An insurance agent always serves your best interest because it is their livelihood. If you are satisfied with the quality of work and savings over years of insuring your property, you probably have a good agent. 

On a daily basis insurance professionals evaluate your property, provide coverage to customers in need, and listen to their clients requests.  These are very broad an easy to understand concepts of insurance .

Behind the scenes lies a patient waiting game and many opportunities for multi-tasking. From following up with renewal checks from escrow accounts to double checking on payments being sent out to ensure no lapse in coverage. Always looming is the possibility of a claim in which case contacting your agent or the company is fine.These are just a few meticulous tasks of upkeep all files require. 

Why cant I just take care of this? Do I really need an agent?

The answer is, any person willing to dedicate their time to waiting on hold lines, speaking to various customer service representatives within a single major bank organization, and double checking with investors to make sure payment is taken care of can take care of this themselves. This can take up to 15-45 minutes every time you have a questions about your insurance while. Calling your insurance agent should only take a few minutes to get the details of your policy. Time is money and is also the main reason you need a qualified professional navigating through the insurance world for you.

Dedication

Finding a dedicated individual who can be your point of contact for this is FREE. Our agency does not charge extra fees for taking your call, processing paperwork, or answering any questions at any hour (including weekends).  In todays world you have to be able to do business anywhere & anytime. Our ability to connect to the internet anywhere in the United States with our IPad and mobile internet technology ensures our clients feel confident in our abilities to serve them. 

Along with hard work, our great ability to communicate with our customers is due to our positive outlook on the insurance industry. As an agent, I love what I do. I make intrapersonal relationships, which means, taking the clients relationship a step further. By nurturing the clients motivations and understanding their perceptions, this allows us to create a greater trust with our policyholders.

Finding someone dedicated and trustworthy of your personal information & personal property is a big deal. I feel honored each day that my clients have chosen me to represent them and to take care of all issues regarding their major investments. Their home, property, health, and life!

Alan Long/James Cardenas

CDJ Insurance Owners/Agents

211 N Loop 1604 E Ste 260

San Antonio TX 78232

210-378-9534

Home/Auto/Life/Health

A vendors experience at Traders Village in San Antonio

   On Saturday morning, 1/21/2012, I set out to feel out the insurance market located at the Traders Village in San Antonio Tx. Traders Village is a brand new facility located on 410 & I-35. This location provides vendors with areas to sell a variety of valuable services and delicious entertainment. Some of the vendors I saw sold cell phone services, haircuts, stone work, tile, home buying services, hand made dog accessories, and about 60 other things I didn't even get a chance to see. These areas create value by allowing price efficient mini-store fronts for vendors who do not have the funds or the need for an office. The place is clean and you can bet I will be back!

 CDJ Insurance had a booth with 2 separate 2012 San Antonio Rampage ticket raffles, information about carbon monoxide, and a dancing contest for the children. Even some adults got their boogie on too!

 We will be continuing out Awareness of Carbon Monoxide campaign for the next 2 months at the Traders Village. Day 1 was a total success and it was fun.

Thanks everyone for your support.

A video inventory of your personal Items Will Save you an Insurance Headache

Take the time to compile an inventory of your home now, and it will save you precious time and frustration later. A personal property inventory helps to:

• Ensure you have the coverage you need
• In the event of a loss, it makes it easier for you to file a complete and prompt claim, supported by accurate documentation
• Helps determine the replacement cost of your lost or damaged possessions to settle your claim quickly (subject to the provisions of your homeowners or renters policy)

Visit this website to download a free PDF log to help you with your inventory:

http://mycdjinsurance.com/uploads/item_inventory_trtavelers.pdf

 A great way to save time is to just take a video!

Automobile Insurance 101

Bodily Injury Liability: Provides coverage to an accident victim in the event of a law suit and is required by the State

Property Damage Liability: This covers the cost of any damage that your vehicle causes to another person’s property. While this usually refers to the other vehicle involved in an accident, it can also include houses, garages, and anything else that counts as property.

Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist: This pays for the damages that result from an accident caused by an uninsured motorist. This also pays for damages which cost more than an underinsured motorist’s coverage can pay for.

Personal Injury Protection: This offers medical coverage for the policyholder and his or her family in the event of a collision, regardless of fault. It will also provide coverage for pedestrians who are hit by a vehicle. Many options are available to provide funeral expenses and other important coverage's needed when you are hurt and cannot work.

Collision: Covers damage done to your vehicle when it collides with another vehicle or object.

Comprehensive: Covers damage to your vehicle resulting from something other than a collision. Examples for this would be hitting a deer, broken windshields, theft or flood.

Other Miscellaneous Coverage: This varies depending on the insurance provider.

• PIP: Personal Injury protection- PIP covers the medical bills that you incur in an automobile accident. If you have taken out PIP on your name it will cover you as the ‘named insured' additionally it offers coverages to people living in the same household or is in relation with you
• Medical Payments- Medical payments coverage may also cover policyholders and their family members when in others' vehicles, or when policyholders and their family members are on foot and hit by a car. Covered costs are subject to the limits you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.

Preventing Frozen Pipes tips from State Farm

Feb 15, 2011
By Staff writer State Farm™ Employee

What’s worse than a major home maintenance disaster? How about several major home maintenance disasters at once? For the quarter-million families who have their homes ruined and their lives disrupted each winter because of frozen water pipes, frigid nights can very quickly turn to ongoing, inconvenient, extremely expensive ordeals.
In cold and warmer climates alike, pipes freeze for a combination of three central reasons: quick drops in temperature, poor insulation, and thermostats set too low. Both plastic and copper pipes can burst when they freeze, and recovering from frozen pipes is not as simple as calling a plumber. A 1/8-inch crack in a pipe can spew up to 250 gallons of water a day, causing flooding, serious structural damage, and the immediate potential for mold.
In the United States, frozen pipes cause a huge amount of damage each year; unlike natural disasters, this disaster is largely preventable. By taking a few simple precautions, you can help save yourself the mess, money, and aggravation frozen pipes cause.

Your Best Bet: Don’t Let It Happen

There are a number of preventative steps you can take to keep your pipes from freezing. Here are a few simple tips:

Before The Cold

Remember the three central causes of frozen pipes? Quick drops in temperature, poor insulation, and thermostats set too low. You can prepare by protecting your home during the warmer months. Here’s how:

• Insulate pipes in your home's crawl spaces and attic, even if you live in a climate where freezing is uncommon. Exposed pipes are most susceptible to freezing. Remember: The more insulation you use, the better protected your pipes will be.
• Heat tape or thermostatically controlled heat cables can be used to wrap pipes. Be sure to use products approved by an independent testing organization, such as Underwriters Laboratories Inc., and only for the use intended (exterior or interior). Closely follow all manufacturers' installation and operation instructions.
• Seal leaks that allow cold air inside near where pipes are located. Look for air leaks around electrical wiring, dryer vents, and pipes, and use caulk or insulation to keep the cold out. With severe cold, even a tiny opening can let in enough cold air to cause a pipe to freeze.
• Before winter hits, disconnect garden hoses and, if possible, use an indoor valve to shut off and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets. This reduces the chance of freezing in the short span of pipe just inside the house.

When The Mercury Drops

Even if you’ve taken the right preventative steps, extreme weather conditions can still harm your pipes. Here are a few more steps you can take:

• A trickle of hot and cold water might be all it takes to keep your pipes from freezing. Let warm water drip overnight, preferably from a faucet on an outside wall.
• Keep your thermostat set at the same temperature during both day and night. You might be in the habit of turning down the heat when you’re asleep, but further drops in the temperature – more common overnight – could catch you off guard and freeze your pipes.
• Open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to un-insulated pipes under sinks and appliances near exterior walls.

Before You Leave

Travelling in the winter months might be good for the soul, but don’t forget to think about your pipes before you leave. What can you do?

• Set the thermostat in your house no lower than 55°F (12°C).
• Ask a friend or neighbor to check your house daily to make sure it's warm enough to prevent freezing.
• Shut off and drain the water system. Be aware that if you have a fire protection sprinkler system in your house, it may be deactivated when you shut off the water.

If Your Pipes Do Freeze

What do you do if your pipes still freeze, despite your best preventative measures? First step: Don’t panic. Just because they’re frozen doesn’t mean they’ve already burst. Here’s what you can do:

• If you turn on your faucets and nothing comes out, leave the faucets turned on and call a plumber.
• Do not use electrical appliances in areas of standing water: You could be electrocuted.
• Never try to thaw a pipe with a torch or other open flame because it could cause a fire hazard. Water damage is preferable to burning down your house!
• You may be able to thaw a frozen pipe with the warm air from a hair dryer. Start by warming the pipe as close to the faucet as possible, working toward the coldest section of pipe.
• If your water pipes have already burst, turn off the water at the main shutoff valve in the house; leave the water faucets turned on. Make sure everyone in your family knows where the water shutoff valve is and how to open and close it.