Abatelli Group, Inc.

A fireplace provides warmth while avoiding the costs that come with turning on the heater, but how do you stay safe with a live fire in your home? 

As winter chills the temperature and natural gas prices on the rise, you may be tempted to light your fireplace and warm yourself up the old fashioned way. It can be comfortable and provide a sense of nostalgia watching the fire dance and hearing it crackle under the heat. But the fact remains that it is a live flame and the smallest spark could cause a fire in your home. Here are some fireplace safety tips to keep you and your home safe.

Clean the Chimney

The chimney is directly affected by the burning of wood. As wood burns it releases smoke, soot, and creosote, all of which are toxic to us. Hire a chimney sweep to make sure your chimney is free of any buildup; a clogged chimney can force smoke back down into your home which can cause suffocation.

Cap the Chimney

Make sure that your chimney is well capped in order to allow smoke out but disallow foreign objects in. A well-capped chimney keeps out rain and snow, along with leaves, and small animals like squirrels and birds from coming in and wrecking your home.

Use Dry Hardwood 

Only use dry hardwoods, like oak, to fuel your fires. A byproduct of burning wood is a creosote, a carcinogenic chemical that builds up in your chimney. Hardwoods produce less of this chemical which is why you should only burn the hardwoods. Softer and resinous woods, like pine, are known for producing more of this harmful carbon-based chemical.

Make sure that your home is protected with the right home insurance policy. Contact Abatelli Group, Inc. for a proper policy on your insurance needs.

The cold is settling in and if our homes are not well-maintained, we can be throwing money away as we try to keep ourselves warm. 

Cold temperatures are great for some unique outdoor activities: snowball fights, sledding, ice skating, making snowmen, and other fun activities. But outside of play, living in the cold can be rough. Luckily for us, we do not have to live in the cold; humanity can do what no other animal can do: change our environment to suit our comforts. If our homes are not properly ready for winter, we can essentially rack up our heating bill and waste a lot of energy. Here are a few winter home maintenance tips for your home.

Insulation 

• Add weather stripping around your doors and caulk the window seals in order to stop drafts and prevent heat loss. The more heat you keep in your home, the more energy you save and the more money you save.
• Heat rises so make sure to insulate your attic to keep the heat from escaping into the atmosphere. If you allow heat to escape from the attic, it warms the roof melting snow and creating ice dams.
• If allowed, remove screens from windows and install storm windows.

Utilities

• Learn how to shut your water supply off and know where your pipes are located to prevent water damage. And turn them off if you are leaving your home for an extended period of time.
• Check and fix any water leaks. Use only thermostatically-controlled heat tape if your water pipe is plastic and is exposed to unheated areas like garages, crawl spaces, and such other areas.

Protect your home from the dangers of winter. Make sure that your home is protected with the right home insurance policy. Contact Abatelli Group, Inc. for a proper policy on your insurance needs.

As the end of the year winds down, small businesses in Whitestone need their owners now more than ever–make sure your business is ready for the new year. 

Before you go out and purchase your 2017 party hat and shades, make sure that you have your business taken care of. As a small business owner, you know there is a lot for you to do at the end of the year. Ensure you hit the ground running in 2017 by paying attention to your business accounting and IT. Here is what you need to do for your small business before we turn the final page of 2016 and start a new chapter in 2017.

1. Analyze Your Cash Flow Statements
   You need to know how your money was spent throughout the year so you can restrict a little here and a little there. You want to take a look at the following three forms of your business’ cash flow:
   – Operating activities
   – Investing activities
   – Financial activities
2. Run Standard Reports
   Use this time to review where your business stands financially and how that compares to your previous years and what that could mean for the future. You want to create a complete financial report–you can use an accounting software to do so.
3. Back Up Your Data
   Make sure that all of your files (accounting, client files, creative briefs, emails, etc.) are backed up and secure. You should secure them on an external hard drive and on the cloud.
4. Back Up Your Contacts
   Most of us simply store our contacts on a digital file and no longer use a phone book. But what if the disc on which your data is stored becomes corrupt? Your contacts are gone forever. Make a habit to write down your contacts or store them on the cloud.

Make sure that your small business is protected with the right commercial insurance policy. Contact Abatelli Group, Inc. for a proper policy on your insurance needs.

The winter may be a beautiful season but it is not without its own risks. In this case, driving becomes more dangerous and you should know how to stay safe. 

The winter brings snow and ice, which may be beautiful for a National Geographic nature documentary, but it is nothing short of annoying and dangerous when it comes to driving. The winter roads become a lot more dangerous when snow falls and ice forms, but there are some steps you can take to lower your chances of an accident. Here are a few winter driving safety tips you can use to help you stay safe while you drive during the winter.

Tires

Your tires are not made for gaining traction in the snow and can slip and slide at any given moment. Make sure that you are prepared and install your snow tires before the first snow of winter falls.

As the cold temperatures arrive, your tire pressure will lessen. This is because of the ideal gas law which states that as temperature drops, pressure follows. It applies to the atmosphere, your tires, and, yes, even footballs. Ensure that your tire pressure is at the optimal level, especially during the winter; refer to the owner’s manual to know your car’s recommended psi.

Windows & Mirrors

If you park your car outside overnight, you will have ice that condensates onto your windshields and mirrors. Invest in an ice scraper to scrape the ice in the morning. You can turn on your car and start the heat for about five minutes to simplify this task.

Driving Practices

With ice on the roads, it’s important that you leave plenty of space between you and the car in front of you. That way, you will have plenty of time and space to come to a full stop should the other car come to a sudden stop.

Make sure that your car is protected with the right auto insurance policy. Contact Abatelli Group, Inc. for a proper quote on your insurance needs.

Abatelli Group, Inc. would like to extend a warm welcome to our new website and blog! Through our newly revamped website and blog, our team will update you on the latest news within the insurance industry while also offering regular lifestyle tips.

Our blog will be your first stop for not only the latest information but also community events in Queens and surrounding areas in New York. We encourage you to browse through our new innovative website to see all that we have to offer.

We are always available to guide you through the insurance shopping process for all of your New York insurance needs. We work to serve the best interests of you, your family, and your business.