Prevention

Weather or Not – What’s Covered by Your Homeowners’ Policy?

The winter months usually bring more severe weather and much lower temperatures, and that often means an increase in weather-related damages to homes as well. What’s covered by a typical homeowners’ policy, and what isn’t? Frozen Pipes: Water expands when it freezes, and that’s bad news for copper pipes especially. Pipes exposed to low temperatures…

Getting Ready for Fire Season – Clean your chimneys and wood stoves

Click here for a Homeowner’s Quote Nobody wants poor old Santa to emerge from the chimney looking like a scary, sooty monster. Now that the weather is truly chilly and the generous man from the North Pole is on his way, it’s time to think about your chimney and/or to make sure your wood stove…

Fun Overload: When Good Times Get Out of Hand

March is a much anticipated month in Maryland, when many of us start shedding our winter layers in excited preparation for the coming spring. In addition to extra clothes, however, some folks also shed their common sense. There is such thing as having too much fun, and a few times illustrate that better than the…

National Poison Prevention Week 2016

What do bath salts, house plants, energy drinks, mouthwash, and over-the-counter medicines have in common? All of the items can be poisonous when used inappropriately and it only takes a second for a child or beloved pet to ingest a household chemical or medicine that could cause permanent damage. Every March, the American Association…

Weather Watch

Calculating the costs of natural disasters and extreme weather events is a complex process that takes a myriad of factors into account, including insurance payouts, lost income, property damage, and lives lost. In most cases, the cost of damage caused by these events far exceeds insured losses. Read on to find out some of the…

Keep Warm Wisely: How to Safely Heat Your Maryland Home

Is there anything quite as pleasant as coming home to a warm and cozy house on a cold winter’s day? Home isn’t just where the heart is in the winter, it’s where the hearth is. Heat comes to us in many forms: electric, gas, portable space heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces. All of these can…

Dangerous Driving Habits

There is no shortage of distractions in the modern world. Distracted driving has become a national issue, and many schools and public agencies are scrambling to raise awareness of the problem. The National Safety Council estimates that one in four car accidents involve cell phone use, but many people still believe that talking or texting…

Water Safety for Kids & Adults

When it’s hot, the cold water calls. If you’re lucky enough to have access to a lake, river, or community pool, it’s vital to know basic water safety in order to prevent serious consequences. Approximately 10 people die each day from unintentional drowning, and according to the Center for Disease Control, drowning is the leading…

Back to School with Allergies in Tow

Gathering school supplies, updating vaccines, and returning to a regular sleep schedule are part of a long list of things that need to be done before sending kids back to school. If your child also has a food allergy, preparing to go back to school takes extra effort and due diligence. Here are some things…

National Immunization Awareness Month

Many diseases that were once common and deadly have been nearly eradicated by modern day immunizations. However, in recent years, there has been a controversy surrounding vaccination safety and mandatory immunization laws, even though major health organizations, such as the Center for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics, still strongly support the use…