Emergency Preparedness

Nobody knows if Mrs. O’Leary’s cow really kicked over the lantern but the Great Chicago Fire certainly ignited in the O’Leary barn. We may never know the true spark that ignited the city October 8, 1871, but whatever the source, that raging inferno stands out for its destructive power. The[...]

There’s not a cloud in the sky and the weather is gorgeous, yet here you are: filing a water damage claim with your insurance carrier because of a flood in your bathroom. Maybe it’s cold comfort, but you’re got lots of company: nearly half of all water damage claims stem from indoor plumbing[...]

The 2018 wildfires in the British Columbia charred many thousands of square kilometers and reduced entire towns to ashes, triggering scary memories of the severe 2017 fires that forced 65,000 people from their homes. In Canada, peak risks occur April through September but veteran forecasters warn of[...]

Dogs wag in our houses, cats bask in our apartments, canaries sing in our kitchens – this resident menagerie makes us better people. Study after study prove that sharing our lives with animals boosts mental and physical health. And oh boy, are we sharing with the frisky set: nearly half of all[...]

It’s a rule of nature: pulled by gravity, water always flows downward, relentlessly seeking the lowest point through even tiny openings. For many homeowners, that natural law sets up a constant struggle to keep water out of the lowest part of their house: the basement. Water may pour in suddenly[...]