Local Archives - Mancuso Nowak

Potholes!

Ugh it is that time of year when our tires meet the inevitable potholes on so many roads in the area. As the state is trying to meet the high demands of fixing all the potholes, you will probably hit one of these road problems. Potholes on town/city roads should be reported to that municipality’s highway department. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) would like you to report any potholes you come across on state run roads by calling 857-DOT-INFO.

Since it is the season for potholes, please make sure you use extra caution on the roads. Always pay attention to the road ahead, especially if you see a puddle…it could be hiding a large pothole. If you are trying to avoid a pothole, make sure it is safe to do so. Knowing your traffic surrounding you at all times, makes it easier to make split second decisions on the road. If you can not avoid the pothole, slow down. Slamming on breaks may not be the best option if someone is in close proximity directly behind you. Letting off the gas and slowing down safely could be your only option.

If you have hit a pothole and fear substantial damage to your car, make sure you pull over to a safe area. If you believe it is only minor damage, wait to you get to your destination to check the car. Listen for unusual sounds coming from your car after you have hit a pothole. The alignment could be off or a wheel could be damaged. Bring your car to a mechanic to get a professional assessment of the damage. If you sustained extensive property damage or injury there is a claim process on the DOT’s website: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/dcr-property-damage-or-personal-injury-claim-procedures.

Most potholes should be fixed during early spring, but please report any that have not been repaired. Save your car and many others’ cars!

All About Nina Arroyo

Nina is our newest member of Mancuso-Nowak Insurance Agency. She makes sure we all laugh everyday! Nina’s position at the office is Account Manager and Customer Service Representative. Nina is busy during the day quoting new business, shopping policies for current clients, assisting with customer’s policy changes, and submitting claims.

After Nina had her second child, she began her career in insurance. She contacted a temp agency and received a job at Liberty Mutual where she began her training in insurance. After a year at Liberty her position was eliminated and she was referred to Mancuso-Nowak by a co-worker. And as they say, the rest is history. We are so happy to have Nina part of our team for the past 7 months.

Nina is not a wallflower and keeps us all on our toes with her crazy stories and comments. Insurance can be funny when Nina is around! The customers are always happy to work with Nina, she makes insurance easy to understand. She has a way of having customers feel like she is their best friend and will help them in any way she can.

When asked, Nina said her favorite thing about working at Mancuso-Nowak is the people. She likes that we are down to earth people that are easy to get along with, and that management is very approachable. We love having Nina as part of our team in the office!

On the weekends you can find Nina hanging out with her family. Spending time with her kids, husband and relatives is a priority. She loves when they are all together. According to Nina, Mancuso-Nowak is now her second home and her extended family : )

Blizzard Safety!

As you can see out the window there is a blizzard! As veterans of winter storms, we New Englanders know the drill: snow, whipping winds, freezing temperatures. With this wonderful trio of Mother’s Natures forces we can often lose power and heat.

Preparation is the best way to be ready for a blizzard. Have a few flashlights with extra batteries and fully charge cell phones, iPads and laptops. Keep all of your personal documents in a fire proof box in a readily accessible area. Make sure you have plenty of non-perishable food items, such as canned food, bread, peanut butter, crackers and lots of water. The American Red Cross suggests having 1 gallon of water per person per day. A first aid kit is essential. Find out exactly what to put in a first aid kit.

If you lose power and heat, keep warm by having plenty of wood readily available for a wood burning fire place. You can use a gas fireplace by bypassing the electrical igniter, read the manufacturers instructions on how to do this if you are not sure. Stay in the room with the alternative heat source and keep lots of extra blankets around. If you do not have heat for an extended period of time, go to a relative or friend’s house that does. Make sure all carbon monoxide detectors are in working order!

During a storm make sure to unplug sensitive electrical items such as computers and TV and microwaves (if these are possible to do easily). By disconnecting them you will prevent a power surge when the power comes back on, if you have lost power during the storm and do not have surge protectors. Turn your refrigerator and freezer up to the coldest setting (remember to turn back after you have power returned) to keep food from spoiling if the power goes out. Keep your refrigerator and freezer closed. If you lose power your food will stay colder for a longer period of time, if they are not opened.

If the power goes out and you plan to use a generator, please follow specific safety instructions.

After the storm call us with any damage that has occurred to your home or auto www.mancuso-nowak.com. Stay safe and stay warm!

Natural Disasters Covered and Not Covered By Insurance

Most people have a homeowners and an auto policy, but most of us don’t know exactly what types of natural disasters are covered. So, what natural disasters DO these policies cover? In Massachusetts the most common types of storms we see are: snow and ice storms, thunder/lightening storms, hurricanes and hail storms. A homeowners policy covers most damage from these storms. The exceptions are flood damage and earthquake damage, these are not covered. If you want coverage for these disasters, you can buy a separate flood policy or if you want earthquake coverage you can add an endorsement to your homeowners policy for additional premium. Don’t try to add flood insurance right before a storm, as there is a 30 day waiting period before federal flood coverage is effective. A convenient chart was created by the Insurance Information Institute to quickly see the types of perils covered by a homeowners policy.

Under a homeowners policy if your house is struck by lightening and it catches fire, you will be covered up to the policy limits. What if heavy, wet snow causes structural damage to your roof? This is also covered under a homeowners policy, unless the damage was from lack of maintenance. For example, if you have an old deteriorating roof, that has missing and worn shingles and it is damaged from a storm, this might not be covered. As a homeowner, it is your duty to maintain your property to an adequate state. In 2009, 2013 and last August the area had hail storms that caused a lot of property damage to houses. These claims were covered. Watch the 2015 hail storm in Waltham, MA.

In regard to auto policies, if you have comprehensive coverage most of these physical damage claims will be covered. Check out this damage done by the hail last August to this man’s car: car hail damage. The car may be considered totaled after all the damage is assessed. All of this damage should be covered if he had comprehensive coverage on his Honda. If you have any questions about your homeowners or auto policy, please call us and we are happy to help!

Halloween Week Activities

Halloween is such a fun time of year, so much going on! The week leading up to Halloween is no exception. In and around Shrewsbury there are lots of exciting things to do! Some of the events we will checking out this week are:

Zoo Boo Days at Southwick Zoo – all this week bring the kids dressed in their Halloween costumes and they will get in for free. There will be trick or treating too! Zoo Boo Days Southwick Zoo

Shrewsbury Child Development Committee Halloween Party – on Tuesday there will be the annual Halloween party and parade from 10-11:30 am at the Mt Olivet Church.

Halloween Party at Wicked Good Cookies – on Wednesday from 6-8pm is having its first annual cookie decorating Halloween party! Come in costumes! Wicked Good Cookies Party

Northborough Crossing Halloween Trick or Treat Event – on Thursday from 4-8pm there will be Omer Black the Magician, face painting and trick or treating at the shops! Northborough Crossing Halloween Event

White City Trick or Treating – come to the plaza from 11am-2pm on Halloween day and go trick or treating early!

Trick or Treating in your neighborhood! Be safe, be smart by wearing glowing items and using a flashlight!

A busy, fun-filled week ahead!!! Happy Halloween!

Tax Free Weekend

Time to shop! Tax free weekend is August 15-16 this year. It is a great time to buy that bigger ticket item that you have been putting off purchasing. Back to school shopping should be a little less costly with this tax break. If the kids need a new computer for college, Apple is urging people to wait until tax free weekend, since Apple products never go on sale. The 6.25% savings is substantial if you are spending a lot of money. The item must cost less than $2,500 to be included in the tax free benefit.

The tax free weekend has just been determined by lawmakers because many of them oppose the idea. The state of Massachusetts will loose $20-$25 million in tax revenue during this one weekend. But the surge in sales during a slow time of year far out weighs the taxes that will be lost. The goal is to promote buying within the state. It will benefit our economy.

So shoppers get your credit cards handy….ready, set, shop!

Air Quality Awareness Week

This week is Air Quality Awareness Week. Everyone is trying to take good care of themselves…eat right, exercise, maintain healthy relationships. What about monitoring the air that you breathe? Seems very important, right? Why aren’t we paying more attention to it then? Start this week!

Let’s start with your indoor air quality. Check to see if you or someone you live with is at a higher risk of having complications with poor air quality.

Do you need your air ducts cleaned to provide a healthier environment inside your home? Find out the facts.

Even if it is not necessary for you to clean the air ducts, changing the filter at least every 6 months is absolutely necessary. It is also important to make sure you are using a HEPA filter vacuum along with an air purifier if you have individuals in your household that are sensitive to air quality.

When going outside there are many air pollutants. The most common are ozone and particle pollution. If you or ones you know are in a higher risk category for sensitivity to poor air quality, then you should be mindful of the Air Quality Index (AQI) daily, especially in the summer months. Here is an explanation of what the AQI is and how to know if you should stay indoors or alter your plans:

Take these steps to insure that you are taking care of yourself and others around you. Stay healthy!

What You Need To Know About Radon

January is Radon Action Month. The most important thing you can do to protect yourself and household against radon exposure is to test the radon levels in your house/condo. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. There is a direct link between household radon exposure and lung cancer. “We know that radon is a carcinogen. This research confirms that breathing low levels of radon can lead to lung cancer.” The below map show the radon zones in Massachusetts. The red indicates the zone where radon is most prevalent, but radon has been found in all 3 zones.

Protect your home from this damaging radioactive element:

Get a radon test kit. You can buy one at Home Depot, Lowes or most local hardware stores
Mail in your results to the address indicated on your test kit
Contact a certified radon mitigation specialist, if your radon levels are high. Here is one we have used.
Have a radon mitigation system installed in your home/condo
Check radon levels periodically on your radon mitigation system to make sure the radon levels do not rise into the danger zone

More information for the state of Massachusetts on radon organizations.

Mancuso-Nowak wants our customers and potential customers to know these important facts on radon and what to do if you have radon. If you have any questions about the company we recommend, please contact us www.mancuso-nowak.com, ask for Joe or Melissa. Good luck and we hope your home is radon free!

* Picture from the EPA website

Be Prepared! Storm Safety

September is National Preparedness Month and the 30th is National Prepareathon Day! Join FEMA and their quest to have our nation prepared for national disasters. The more we know, the better prepared we will be. In Massachusetts we have been voted as one the top 5 states to have a national disaster. So begin getting ready for a big storm now!

Preparation is the best way to be ready for a dangerous storm. Have a few flashlights with extra batteries, your cell phone with the charger, a battery powered radio. Keep all of your personal documents in a fire proof box in a readily accessible area. Make sure you have plenty of non-perishable food items, such as canned food, bread, peanut butter, crackers and lots of water. The American Red Cross suggests having 1 gallon of water per person per day. A first aid kit is essential. Find out exactly what to put in a first aid kit.

During a storm make sure to unplug sensitive electrical items such as computers and TV and microwaves (if these are possible to do easily). By disconnecting them you will prevent a power surge when the power comes back on, if you have lost power during the storm and do not have surge protectors. Keep your refrigerator and freezer closed. If you lose power your food will stay colder for a longer period of time, if they are not opened. If the winds are very strong stay away from windows as debris can come flying through. The basement is the best area of the house to stay in during particularly dangerous storms, such as tornadoes and hurricanes.

If the power goes out and you plan to use a generator, please follow specific safety instructions.

When surveying outside damage after a storm, always treat downed power lines a live and never touch them! Call your electrical company immediately. Contact your town/city for help with trees that are down in community areas, such as the street and on power lines. If your home has flooding, contact your electrician on what to do about before turning things on in the basement or area that was flooded. If your electricity is off for an extended amount of time bring your family to another family or friend’s house. Make sure everyone is safe.

After the storm call us with any damage that has occurred to your home or auto. Remember that flood and earthquake damage are not covered by your homeowners policy unless you add the respective endorsement/policy. Read our blog about what type of storm damage is covered by your policy,

Information on storm safety is from the National Grid.

Safety Before, During And After A Storm

This past weekend there was a tornado in Worcester. The previous tornado was over 60 years ago in 1953 and was a category F4. Even though Sunday night’s tornado was only a category F0, there was still damage and power outages. Brushing up on what to do before, during and after a storm to keep safe is always a good idea.

During a storm make sure to unplug sensitive electrical items such as computers and TV and microwaves (if these are possible to do easily). By disconnecting them you will prevent a power surge when the power comes back on, if you have lost power during the storm and do not have surge protectors. Keep your refrigerator and freezer closed. If you lose power your food will stay colder for a longer period of time, if they are not opened. If the winds are very strong stay away from windows as debris can come flying through. The basement is the best area of the house to stay in during particularly dangerous storms, such as tornadoes and hurricanes.

If the power goes out and you plan to use a generator, please follow specific safety instructions.

When surveying outside damage after a storm, always treat downed power lines a live and never touch them! Call your electrical company immediately. Contact your town/city for help with trees that are down in community areas, such as the street and on power lines. If your home has flooding, contact your electrician on what to do about before turning things on in the basement/flooded area. If your electricity is off for an extended amount of time bring your family to another family or friend’s house. Make sure everyone is safe.

Information on storm safety is from the National Grid website.

Picture is from tornado on Sunday near Worcester Academy