safety – Cooper Realty Associates

Winter Safety & Your Home

Winter can be a treacherous time of year. Ice and snow can lead to car accidents, falls and injuries. Falling an ice can seriously injure anyone, but can be especially dangerous for children & the elderly. But did you know that if someone slips and falls on your property, you are considered responsible and are therefore liable? Exact laws vary from place to place, but homeowners are responsible to “mitigate risks to others on their property” which means that as a homeowner you are responsible to put forth a good faith effort to keep your property free of ice and other dangers. Simply put, if you know about ice and snow you are responsible to clean it up. During storms it is best to salt or sand driveways and walkways to decrease the chance for ice and especially to prevent black ice from forming, which can be the most treacherous since it is not easily seen. If someone does fall on your property they may file a “slip and fall” lawsuit, which can cost you several thousand dollars (although your homeowners insurance may cover part of it). To avoid this the best step to take is prevention, so if the temperature falls below freezing you should salt your driveway, sidewalks, and walkways as a precaution. Laying salt before it snows helps to prevent ice from forming in the first place.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-629-6693.

Holiday Home Safety Tips

As merry and bright as the holiday season is, did you know that it is also one of the most dangerous times in your home? Home safety is often compromised during the holiday season.

As merry and bright as the holiday season is, did you know that it is also one of the most dangerous times in your home? Home safety is often compromised during the holiday season. Falls, fires, and trips to the emergency room are more common during the holiday season than any other time of year. To keep yourself, your home, and your family safe consider the following:

Lights – carefully inspect all strings of holiday lights for frayed cords, cracked bulbs and loose connections. Be sure to unplug the string of lights when replacing burnt out bulbs and always check the wattage to be sure you aren’t overtaxing the strands. In addition you should always, always turn off all holiday lights when leaving your home or going to bed. If you can, it is best to place all outdoor lights on a timer to switch on after 7pm.

Trees – if you have a fresh tree be sure to keep it well watered and far away from any fireplaces or candles. If you have an artificial tree be sure that it is labeled fire-resistant. Either way, be sure that your base is steady so that the tree won’t tip over easily.

Entertaining – when cooking for a crowd be sure to keep an eye on the stove. Unattended ovens/stoves are the number one cause of home fires in the U.S.

General Safety – keep all matches and lighters up high and out of reach of children. Test all smoke alarms and replace batteries as necessary. Do not discuss holiday travel plans publically or with strangers. Store scissors and ribbons used to wrap gifts well out of children’s reach. Inspect all toys, decorations, and gifts for small objects which can be choking hazards or sharp edges which can be dangerous.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you — 302-644-2266.

What to Look for in a Home Inspection

After you’ve found your dream home comes the scary part… inspection! Home inspections are meant to educate the buyer about the home they are interested in and ultimately give them piece of mind about the decision they make. Inspections are scary because they are not intended to uncover every nitty gritty detail about the house, so even a home that passes inspection with flying colors still might have an issue that was undetected. Home inspectors are not always able to pinpoint specific problems, but they are trained to examine the details of a home and determine if there might be any serious underlying issues. At the very least, a home inspector should be able to suggest that you get the expert opinion of a plumber, electrician, or other specialized contractor if they feel there might be a problem. When the home you love is being inspected, you should keep in mind that there are many problems that are fairly easy and cost efficient to take care of – these types of issues can even be bargaining chips in your negotiations with the seller. There are several key problems, however, that can be a matter of safety. If your inspector reports any of the following issues, you definitely want to keep in mind that these can be very costly and time consuming to fix. Here are the issues that might cause you to reconsider the house, or at least reconsider how much you are willing to pay for it, considering you will most likely have costly repairs to make:

Foundation problems
Roof problems
Structural problems
Moisture issues (pooled water, wet basement, moisture in crawl spaces, improper drainage, etc.)
Mold issues (usually caused by moisture issues)
Fire, carbon monoxide, and/or safety hazards
Electrical hazards

In addition to finding out whether or not the home is plagued with any big problems like these, you should also be sure to find out how old the roof is, how old the furnace and water heater are and the condition they are in, whether or not the routine maintenance of the house appears to have been kept up, and whether or not the home’s exterior has proper drainage, which is especially important if the home has a basement.

Thinking of buying or selling a home? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266!