Hello Everyone, It is the season right now in the Northeast to be aware of your home freezing up and pipes bursting, causing serious damage to your dwelling. Tonight the temperature will be down to -30 degrees. If you are a second homeowner and you have left your thermostat on 50 degrees you may come up to find a flooded home. At -30 there are not many homes that can withstand that temperature without some sort of damage. Remember it is better to leave the temp up to at least 55 degrees than to try and save a few dollars on your heating bill. When you leave your home and go back to the city it is imperative that you drain your pipes and shut off your well pump. This simple act could save you thousands of dollars and a lot of stress. In the past 25 years , after doing hundreds of restoration jobs, I can honestly tell you that at least 80% were caused by inattention to detail by the homeowner and about 20% due to malfunctioning equipment or natural circumstance. So, be proactive. In case of a water damage, shut off the water supply,do you know where this is? Call a plumber,call a certified restoration company. Go to www.ethicalservices.com and find a reputable firm in your area and then call your insurance agent. Move small breakables,lamps,etc out off harms way before the restoration company arrives. If you have furniture in the room , put saucers under the legs to prevent stains bleeding into the rug. Oriental carpet can be moved out to the garage to prevent color transfer to your wall to wall carpets. In case of a clean water loss the carpets can usually be salvaged and reused. If it is a black water loss, however ,the carpets must be discarded. Your obligation to your insurance company is to prevent further damage. There are insurance companies who will want you to use their preferred vendors. Some times this is a conflict of interest. Instead of looking out for your best interests they are looking out for the insurance company. You do not have to use their company. By law you have the right to hire anyone you trust. If they threaten or tell you they will not pay your claim, contact the Attorney Generals office in your state and report this to them. They will take action. This is referred to as steering and some agents are adamant about you using thier companies. So, know your rights. Thats it for now, stay warm and stay dry. Thanks Randy ans Shaun Pierce