Hurricane Isaac: Tips for Protecting Your Home Against Damage

As Tropical Storm Isaac threatens to accelerate into a Category 2 hurricane targeting the Gulf Coast, it's a reminder to homeowners in areas exposed to such destructive storms that they should always have measures in place to protect their homes from such severe weather.

Analytics firm CoreLogic said Isaac alone threatens nearly 270,000 homes worth a total of $36 billion, most of them in already storm-battered New Orleans.

Batten Down The Hatches

In the event that a hurricane does hit, make sure your property is ready to weather the storm by following these tips from ACE Private Risk Services.

• Wash out all your rain gutters and exterior drains to avoid water backups. Water in gutters may not just spill over onto the ground -- it could back up and cause water to seep into a home's walls.

• Install a battery backup system for your water pump to guard against flooding and interior damage. "When these storms come through, power lines are knocked down," said Dale Tomlinson of ACE. "So it's important that you do have a battery backup to keep that [pump] going while there's water coming." Having a backup generator is also a way to ensure that necessary equipment can continue to function in the event of a blackout.

• Reinforce your windows with shutters, add heavy-duty hinges and deadbolts to doors, and make sure that roof sheathing can withstand strong winds. If wind bursts into your home, the risk of structural damage to the home's roof and doors increases substantially. "The internal partitions of your home are not built to withstand positive and negative pressures from the exterior," Tomlinson said.

• Trim trees whose branches could fall and cause damage, and be sure to clear all items that could become projectiles during a storm. "Move any outdoor furniture that could become debris that would either float or cause damage," Tomlinson said.

Make Sure You're Covered

In order to safeguard your home's value, you should make sure that you have homeowners insurance, flood insurance, and, in some cases, wind insurance.

Homeowners insurance usually covers wind damage and other hurricane-related losses. However, in some coastal areas especially prone to hurricanes, wind coverage may not be part of a policy, and you may have to purchase wind insurance from a different carrier. There is usually a deductible amount for named-storm wind damage, such as 2 percent of the value of the home, Tomlinson said.

Flood insurance covers water damage and can be obtained through the government's National Flood Insurance Program. The government insurance, which has a $2,000 deductible for high-risk areas, may cover up to $250,000 in property damage and $100,000 in damage to personal belongings, depending on the premium you choose to pay. To receive coverage for damage beyond those two amounts, you can sign up for a supplementary policy with a private insurance company like ACE.

To make sure that you get the most protection out of your policy, you should be sure to take inventory of and document your belongings and property before the onset of a storm.

Use Know Your Stuff, a free insurance software provided by the Insurance Information Institute, to help efficiently take inventory and store records of your belongings. Doing so will enable you to speed the claims process and maximize your settlement if some of your possessions are damaged.

Filing a Claim

If your home sustains damage and you have insurance to cover it, you may contact your service provider to file a claim. To do this, you must provide evidence of the damage to your home and possessions by taking photographs of the property damage and making a list of damaged items with their date of purchase, value and, ideally, receipts.
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Best Places to Live Money's list of America's best small cities

Homes on the west side of town

Top 100 rank: 1
Population: 80,100

Five years ago Carmel was a quiet, upscale bedroom community that offered an easy 20-minute commute to downtown Indianapolis. Despite the recession, this formerly sleepy burb has since transformed itself into the ideal place to work and play.

Carmel's business district now has the second-largest concentration of office workers in Indiana and an unemployment rate that's just over half the national average.

The city also has excellent schools, a big sports and recreation center, a performing arts center, and wide bike lanes. All that, plus a variety of housing options ranging from older homes to new subdivisions, and you have an irresistible draw for families.

Compare Carmel to Top 10 Best Places

resource:http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/best-places/2012/snapshots/PL1810342.html

'I'm trapped in a high-rate mortgage'

Name: Kristy Robinette and Ronald Schiller

Hometown: Livonia, Mich.

Interest rate: 7%

Shortly after her mother passed away five years ago, Kristy Robinette bought a home with her father, Ronald Schiller, for $189,000.

They love the place, but its value has plummeted to $120,000 -- and they still owe $178,000. Even worse: the mortgage is carrying a sky-high 7% rate.

For three years now, they've been trying to refinance but they owe too much to meet Freddie Mac's guidelines. And since they haven't fallen behind on payments, they don't qualify for a modification under the government's Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP).

Their mortgage servicer, Ocwen Financial, told them to either short sell or walk away, according to Robinette. "My dad is 74 years old and worked the transmission line at Ford Motor. He's never missed a payment: It would kill him to walk away," she said.

Recently, they tried to refinance through the Home Affordable Refinancing Program (HARP), a government program that helps underwater borrowers who are current on their payments. After they met with Ocwen about applying for the program, however, they didn't hear back for weeks.

"I know they are bombarded, but I feel as if those of us that have pretty good credit are being shoved to the back of the line," she said.

Eventually, she received a letter from Ocwen offering to review their options, but it's still not clear if they will be able to refinance. Ocwen did not respond to requests for comment from CNNMoney.

resource:http://money.cnn.com/gallery/real_estate/2012/08/29/homeowners-high-mortgage-rate/index.html

Get a Clean, Attractive and Durable Kitchen Floor

While choosing tile flooring for your kitchen you should choose one which is durable and easy to clean and maintain. Some of the different types of tiles that are available for kitchen flooring are ceramic and porcelain tiles, cork tiles and wooden tiles.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles:

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are durable and will prove to be a great investment for your kitchen. While installing porcelain and ceramic Kitchen tile flooring you should make sure that that the floor is stable and sturdy. Before installing ceramic and porcelain kitchen tiles, the old flooring will have to be disposed of and you have to find a way to do that because most garbage services will not pick up these items. You will have to take the old flooring to the garbage dump. You also need to keep in mind that most dumps will charge a fee. Once the basic floor is clear of dust and debris, you can either install the tiles yourself or hire a professional installer.

Cork tiles:

Cork tile flooring is also not a bad choice for your kitchen. This is because it is aesthetically very appealing, durable and easy to maintain. Apart from this cork is a renewable and sustainable resource and hence environment friendly. Cork as a material is made up of a large number of small air filled cells or chambers. These air filled chambers give the properties of shock absorbing and insulating. In fact walking on cork flooring gives the feeling of walking on a lush carpet. Other flooring materials are hard and cold. On the other hand cork flooring is as comfortable as a wall to wall carpet. It is also interesting to know how cork tiles are manufactured. They are made from the bark of the cork oak tree. This tree can be found mainly in Morocco, Algeria, Spain and Portugal. This bark is mainly used to make corks for bottles of wine. The leftover scraps are processed in order to manufacture cork tiles. The trees are not killed in this process as the bark grows back again.

Wooden tiles:

In kitchen tile flooring, wooden flooring is quite popular. However maintaining kitchen tiles made of wood requires some amount of effort and expense, as wood ages fast and has to be polished to give a fresh look. At the same time wooden tile flooring is durable and long lasting. It is also aesthetically appealing and provides good insulation.

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Choosing Between Carpets or Laminate Floors

Let's face it, choosing between carpets and laminate floors can be quite tough, especially in this day and age. Carpeting has certainly come a long way over the years. In fact, it is known to have been a part of people's daily lives for centuries already. The only thing that has changed is that they have become more durable, long lasting and look a great deal better. Laminated flooring too has come a long way as now new and improved versions are made available for easier installation and an ultra modern look and feel.

The following can be expected from each of these options:

• Carpeting- this type of surfacing is created with comfort, insulation and overall atmosphere in mind. A close look at what is available on the market will have you quickly informed that there is a wide variety of options to choose from. Nylon, acrylic, wool, polyester, polypropylene and various blended fibres are made available. What type you choose will depend on your home and unique situation. Of course there are various patterns and colours available and the texture will depend on whether you choose cut pile, multi-level loop, loop pile, shag, frieze twist, hard twist, velvet, Saxony or even cut loop.

A quick chat to the professionals in the field will have you informed of which types are best suited to the various areas within your home. There are a number of pre-installation systems that you can consider before the product is installed - this will protect the health and air quality within your home.

• Laminated Flooring- this type of surface is designed with convenience in mind. The new style of panel that simply click into the next means that it is quickly installed. The thick protective outer layer also ensures that cleaning this surface is hassle free and that it is not easily scratched, stained or damaged. Of course there are various finishes and shades of real wood and stone made available on the market, so you should easily be able to match this to your existing décor and furniture. This surface is very easily repaired or maintained too - when properly cared for, it can be expected to last a life time.

Of course regardless of which of these options you go with, you are going to need a professional supplier to assist you. Leading suppliers on the market will be able to install the chosen product for you and further guarantee both the product, and the workmanship involved in the installation. There should be a showroom for you to visit in your area, or alternatively the option of having a representative visit your premises with samples and catalogues as well as a wealth of product related information and advice. This alone will give you the peace of mind that you are investing in a product that has the full faith of the supplying team as well as the original manufacturer.

One should never settle on the very first product encountered so take your time to shop around and investigate the quality of each of the products offered to you. Each supplier will have their own terms and conditions so check what these are too - just so that you know what to expect should something go wrong after the installation is complete.

Many home owners are starting to redo their home's interior décor and design and the flooring is one of the first things to change. You should find supplier's rates competitive and reasonable - and if you are willing to learn about the required product before you install it, you can ensure that you make the right decision for you and your home. Leaders on the market will not try to sell you a product that you can ill afford - they will present your options to you with your requirements, needs and of course your budget in mind.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7209015

Factors to Consider During Floor Installation

Choosing the right type of flooring is far more difficult than finding a suitable product and installing it. There are many technicalities involved in the process of choosing a flooring material. So it becomes

more important to consider various factors which can affect the quality and design of your floor.

Important Technicalities to Consider

Durability is one of the most significant options to consider before installing the floors. Although some items may seem durable, it is susceptible to scratches and blotches. It is important to select them accordingly.

The area of installation is another important factor to consider. It is important to select flooring that suit me

dium or high moisture environment. Installation charge is another important factor that needs to be considered. Professional installation charges are usually double the costs.

Apart from these factors, maintenance is another essential feature that needs to be considered. Choose products that involve easy installation and maintenance.

Popular Flooring Options

There are a huge variety of flooring products that are difficult to maintain and damaged easily but granite flooring is quite different from a myriad of products.

Granite floorings are beautiful and unique with its distinctive patterns and varieties. Moreover, it is embedded with a number of beneficial features which makes it a popular choice among most of the home owners. Some of the most significant benefits of installing it include the following.

Durability: Granite is known to be the strongest stone next to diamonds. Most people prefer to use it as it is tensile and lasts for many years. It is installed with a stain resistant sealant which protects the floor for many years. However, it needs to be resealed after a gap of ten years. It is also highly resistant to moisture and water.

Cool: Both granite and marble flooring are known to remain cool during summer seasons. It is one of the greatest advantages of installing these two flooring products.

Superior quality: Granite flooring products are available in a huge variety of designs and styles. It is also available in different attractive patterns and colors. There are black, red and green colored stones with different exquisite patterns and designs.

Easy to clean: It is quite easy to clean and maintain these flooring products as it is resistant to dirt and spills. Sweep the floor with a wet mop to keep it clean and shiny. Abrasive cleaners will scratch and destroy the floors.

Expensive: This flooring product can exude an aura of elegance and sophistication. It possesses unsurpassed beauty and so it is quite expensive compared to many other products.

Natural substance: It is also a natural stone product which is bio-degradable. It is therefore considered to be environment friendly. It is also resistant to bacteria and pollens.

Installation: It is one of the heaviest stones among flooring products, so it requires professional assistance for installation. The entire process requires extreme precision and installation skills.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7219339

An Introduction To Landscape Gardening

The outside of a home is the first thing visitors see and the first impression they have of the house. Landscape gardening is a relatively simple way to make the outside of a home look great and give off a clean, well-kept impression to guests. It can be done on a budget and it does not take a lot of gardening experience to put some of the basic landscaping principles to work in a yard. All it takes is a little sweat and hard work to make a front yard look like it is professionally maintained.

Landscape gardening is all about bringing several different elements together to create a streamlined landscaping look. The look should consist of a variety of different size bushes, shrubs and trees and may also follow a coordinated color scheme if flowers or other blooming trees are involved. To get started, simply visit the garden section of any home improvement store. A sales associate can point beginners in the right direction and provide helpful tips on getting started. Remember, it is easy to start with just a few basic pieces and then add on as time and skill level allows.

Inexperienced gardeners should choose hearty plants that require little upkeep and can withstand a range of climates. These will be the easiest to take care of and keep looking great. Choose one or two trees to create the main focal points of the landscape, then fill in the surrounding areas with smaller bushes and shrubs. A good set of tools is also important for any at home gardener. It is handy to have a set of long shears as well as smaller clippers to tend to different size bushes. A ladder, shovel, rake and a good pair of gardening gloves will also be necessary along the way. Some prefer landscaping trash bags to store yard waste.

Next comes the process of planting and installing the landscaping. A professional can be hired to assist with the project, or it can be done by the homeowner. It is sometimes helpful to put down a layer of plastic under any landscaping rocks or mulch, to help keep weeds from growing through. Make sure to cut holes to give trees and bushes enough room to grow and breathe. It is also important to consider whether an automatic or manual watering system will be used to regularly water the landscaping. Automatic sprinklers are convenient and save time, but manual watering with a hose can be just as effective.

Finally, it is important to regularly maintain the new landscaping for a polished and well-kept look. The smaller clippers are useful here for quick and easy pruning of bushes and clipping of weeds. Use the longer shears to reach any unwieldy branches on larger trees. Keep a proper yard trash can handy to dispose of all clippings, or use them as compost somewhere else. Landscape gardening is a great way to ensure the outside of a home looks great and inviting, and it's a project that will last for years to come.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7213120