Happy Thanksgiving!
Let us inspire you today with a story about gratitude ...
A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which read, “I am blind, please help.”
There were only a few coins in the hat – spare change from folks as they hurried past. A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. Then he put the sign back in the boy’s hand so that everyone who walked by would see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy.
That afternoon, the man who had changed the sign returned to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, “Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?”
The man said, “I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way.” I wrote,
“Today is a beautiful day, but I cannot see it.”
Both signs spoke the truth. The first sign simply said the boy was blind, while the second sign conveyed to everyone walking by how grateful they should be to see.
Gratitude is a heart-centered approach to being at peace with yourself and with all you have. When you practice this feeling of gratitude, it attracts even MORE things into your life for which to be grateful.
Don't Be Left Out In The Cold, It Is Time to Winterize Your Home.
Snow-covered and slippery sidewalks and driveways aren’t the only headaches we face each winter. Unfortunately, many homeowners learn too late about the damage ice dams, bursting pipes, and heavy snow on the roof can cause to ceilings, walls, floors, and furniture! Fortunately, you can avoid the aggravation and expense by taking several basic steps right now to prevent this kind of damage.
Ice Dams:
An ice dam is an accumulation of ice at the lower edge of a sloped roof. When interior heat melts the snow on the roof, the water will run down and refreeze at. Take these 2 steps now to avoid trouble later:
• Keep the attic well ventilated.
• Keep the attic floor well insulated
Freezing Pipes:
Frozen water in pipes can cause water pressure buildup between the ice blockage and the closed faucet at the end of a pipe. This leads to a pipe bursting at its weakest point. Pipes in attics, crawl spaces, and outside walls are particularly vulnerable to freezing in extremely cold weather. To keep water in pipes from freezing:
• Fit exposed pipes with insulation sleeves
• Use caulking to seal cracks and holes in outside walls
• Keep a slow trickle of water flowing through faucets.
Snow can overload a roof after a heavy snowfall!
Most roof designs can handle at least 20 pounds per square foot. For safe removal that won’t endanger you or damage your roof, consult a roofing contractor.
Follow these guidelines to help estimate the weight of snow on a roof:
• Fresh snow: Anything more than four feet of new
snow can put the roof at risk.
• Packed snow: Anything more than two feet of old
snow could be dangerous.
• Ice: One inch of ice equals about a foot of fresh snow
Underground service lines consist of pipes and wiring that provide services to a home and these lines can be damaged by causes NOT covered by the standard homeowners insurance policy.
Common service lines include:
- Gas
- Electrical
- Heating
- Water, Waste ... and MORE!
Common causes of line damage are:
- Freezing or Frost Heave
- Rust / Corrosion
- Wear & Tear
- Tree Roots
- Rodents & other vermin
- Vehicle weight ... to name a few!
If you aren't sure of your own coverage, reach out to Aspen before winter takes hold and find out how affordable adding this coverage can be at: 763-755-7000