What is the one thing that likely comes to mind when you think about the New Year?
No – not New Year’s Eve parties or their inevitable hangovers… I’m talking about New Year’s Resolutions.
Resolutions are of course, personal and different for everyone – unless it’s “Eat Less Chocolate”, but that is clearly unacceptable. Eat chocolate. Eat more chocolate – except if you’re lactose intolerant or allergic to it… then, maybe don’t eat more chocolate…
The New Year is a great starting point to go over many things in your life and since you’re reading this on an insurance website, let’s discuss some things you can do around the house in order to stay on top of things:
• Check all of the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home to make sure they are functioning correctly. If they have battery backups, replace the old batteries with fresh ones
• Change your furnace filter
• Double check that all window and exterior door locks work properly
• If you have a wood-burning fireplace that you use, arrange to have your chimney cleaned
• Check the outside vent for your dryer to make sure it is free of debris
• If you have a sump pump, check that it is working properly, If your sump pump has a battery backup, replace the batteries with fresh ones
• Confirm that all headlights, brake lights, and turn signals are working correctly and not burnt out (It helps to have children for this one. They can stand outside and check the lights, while you sit in the relative warmth of your vehicle)
• Check the tread depth on your tires and make sure they have enough air, Don’t forget to do the same with the spare tire if you have one
• Double check the contents of your roadside safety kit, if you have one. If you don’t have one, go get one or put one together yourself
• Install new wiper blades! Did you know it is recommended to replace your wiper blades every six months?
• Clean the inside of your windows and windshield. There is nothing worse than driving at night during a snowstorm and getting glare on the dirty streaks on your windshield. A lot of service centres offer winter service packages. If your vehicle is due for a checkup, it might not be a bad idea to schedule one of these.
After you’ve checked everything over, it’s time to sit down and relax with a warm drink.
And if you have any other insurance needs or you want to talk about how to keep your home in tip-top shape, give Absolute Insurance Brokers a call at 1-877-941-2266.
From all of us here, have a happy and safe 2018!
