7 Tips to Prepare Your Home for Hurricane Season
New Jersey’s coastal location is one of the reasons it’s the most densely populated places to live in the entire U.S. Unfortunately, while that prime oceanfront location is great for fun in the sun, it also makes us very prone to the effects of hurricanes that like to travel up from warmer waters, hugging the coastline and slamming residents across the state with heavy rains, winds and plenty of unpredictable weather.
Hurricane season begins in the early summer on the East Coast, and that means now is the time to start planning. Every year, thousands of people – sometimes hundreds of thousands – go without power for a day or more, often during some of the hottest days of summer. That means plenty of suffering without air conditioning, not to mention thousands of dollars of food wasted when refrigerators aren’t running.
How to Prepare
If you haven’t started preparing for hurricane season, here are some tips from the federal government to get you started:
- Trim trees and shrubs around your home, paying special attention to dead and overhanging branches.
- Keep patio furniture, grills, free-standing swings, trash cans and other outdoor equipment secured to the ground or move them into a shed of garage before a storm arrives.
- Clear out your downspouts at least once in the summer and several times in the fall to enable water to drain away from your foundation.
- Consider installing a generator to keep the power up and running in your home – this tip is especially important if you or a loved one has a medical condition like heart disease or asthma and for New Jersey residents who are older or very young.
- If you have a generator, schedule a tuneup and servicing now and make sure you have the parts and accessories on hand to keep it running once a storm hits.
- Put together an emergency kit with some basic supplies; you can download a list of recommended items at the FEMA website and read more about emergency kits at the FEMA build-a-kit webapge.
- When a storm is predicted, make sure you have gas in your car and be sure you know any local escape routes, especially if you live near the shore or another water source.
Just because we’re better at predicting weather now than we were 50 years ago, that doesn’t mean hurricane season shouldn’t be taken seriously; what it does mean is that we should take advantages of those advances in technology to carefully plan and take steps to keep our property and our loved ones safe.
If you’d like to learn more about generators and the role they can play in preparing for a hurricane, or if you have a generator that needs servicing, give us a call today at (732) 410-7695 or Contact Us.
4 Tips to Help You Upgrade to Better Security Lighting
The primary purpose of security lighting is to provide enough light to prevent and deter crime as well as provide security for workers, visitors and other people in the area. Unfortunately, all too often, security lighting simply addresses the task of “feeling” safer rather than “being” safer. And there’s a big and important difference between the two. Feeling safe can actually place you at greater risk for crime since you’re operating under the illusion that you’re safe, when actually the lighting might be just bright enough to offer a criminal a clear view of what he or she is doing, but not enough to keep them away. Being safe, on the other hand, ensures the types of lighting in use as well as their placement and design maximize visibility for everyone, providing a major deterrent to criminals.
If you haven’t upgraded your lighting lately, the new year is a great time to review your needs as well as some of the new design and fixture options that can help boost security for your property, your employees and your loved ones. Here are four tips to consider when deciding whether your security lighting needs an upgrade:
- Safe lighting does not mean blindingly bright. One of the biggest mistakes people make when installing security lighting is to opt for the strongest lighting available. Instead of providing extra security, lights that are too bright can make it more difficult for eyes to focus and see clearly, making it more difficult to see potential dangers. Plus, super-bright lights can cause problems with neighbors and may even result in “light trespass” or nuisance charges, which means your effort – and cash – will be for nothing.
- Safe lighting doesn’t mean saving money by installing poor fixtures that only “look” safe and bright. Good, effective security lighting isn’t always cheap, but many people try to cut costs by opting for the least expensive fixtures they can find, a move that can result in inadequate lighting and shadows that actual favor criminal activity. Invest in high-quality fixtures that offer direct lighting without glare and without the risk of burnouts or breakage that often go hand-in-hand with cheap fixtures.
- Safety lighting and security lighting are not the same thing. Safety lighting for use on steps and other areas where hazards can be a problem should not be confused with security lighting, which is typically brighter and covers a larger area. Don’t think that because you light up stair treads, that’s enough lighting to make stairwells safe and secure from criminal activity.
- Take care with positioning. Not only do you want the area to be properly lit, you also want to be sure there’s enough light in areas where security cameras are in operation. A combination of visible cameras and good lighting is often enough to make even the most committed criminal turn back.
The take-home message: Good lighting can significantly increase security; poor lighting always compromises it. To learn about all the lighting options we offer and how they can help your property stay safe and secure, give us a call.
Switching to High-Efficiency? You’ll Enjoy Lots of Benefits
Is it time to upgrade your lighting or your appliances? While less efficient options may seem like the more budget-friendly choices, there’s more at stake than just the out-of-pocket costs. Choosing energy-efficient appliances and lighting has three significant benefits that every homeowner should carefully consider before making any purchase:
- You’ll actually save money. Since high-efficiency appliances and lighting may have a higher price tag, saving money by purchasing them may seem counterintuitive – but it’s true. The real cost savings comes over time. That’s because efficient lighting and appliances use less energy and fewer other resources, like less water for high-efficiency washers and dishwashers. That means that little extra you pay when you make the initial purchase can be earned back several times over the life of your appliance or lighting fixture. For many high-efficient appliances and fixtures, the long-term savings can add up to a substantial sum.
- It’s kinder to the earth. It makes sense: When your appliance or lighting uses fewer resources, that means there’s less drain on the environment. But energy-efficient appliances and lighting add another layer of eco-friendliness through lower harmful emissions. That means that not only will you be using fewer precious natural resources to operate your lights or appliances, but you’ll also be creating far lower levels of pollution during use. It’s the same advantage offered by a fuel-efficient vehicle that uses less gas and emits fewer pollutants. Essentially, it’s like getting twice the environmental benefits from one purchase.
- You might save more through rebates. Manufacturers understand consumers may be less likely to purchase an appliance that’s a little more expensive. To do their part for energy savings, many manufacturers offer rebates to help offset that initial purchase cost. What’s more, many utility companies and government agencies offer additional incentives for energy-efficient purchases. In New Jersey, for instance, the Clean Energy program offers rebates to homeowners who select specific types of energy-efficient upgrades. Some communities even offer buy-back programs for outdated (and highly inefficient) appliances.
- You’ll have access to the newest designs. Most manufacturers today are moving to high-efficiency designs for all the products they offer. As a result, newer, improved designs and features are being offered more often in high-efficiency models. That means that to get the most convenient, cutting-edge options, high-efficiency is the way to go.
At Corbin Electric, we help homeowners and businesses in and around Marlboro Township make smart choices when it comes to energy use and savings. If you’d like to learn more about energy savings or if you’re considering upgrading or adding service, call us today at (732) 536-0444 to speak with a customer rep.
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