October 15 is Earthquake Preparedness Day

October 15 at 10:15 am is The Great California Shakeout.

Living in California, one of the biggest natural disasters that occur here are earthquakes. We get earthquakes in California everyday, we just don’t feel all of them since they are small. According to the California Department of Conservation, “Each year, California generally gets two or three earthquakes large enough to cause moderate damage to structures.” With that being said, it is best to always be prepared. We don’t know when the “big one” will come, but at least we’ll be ready for it.

Photo Credit: Fletcher Stewart via Compfight cc

So how do we prepare for an earthquake?

Participate in The Great California Shakeout! “Drop, Cover, and Hold On!”

For more information on how to participate in The Great California Shakeout, go to http://www.shakeout.org/california/

Here are a few tips provided by the Red Cross and Ready.gov:

• Pick a safe place in each room of your home, workplace, and/or school away from windows, bookcases, or tall furniture than can fall on you.
• Keep a flashlight and sturdy shoes by each person’s bed.
• Make sure your home is securely anchored to its foundation.
• Bolt and brace water heaters and gas appliances to wall studs
• Learn to shut off gas valves in your home and keep a wrench handy for that purpose
• Keep and maintain an emergency supplies kit in an easy-to-access location.
• Store critical supplies, such as water, medication and documents
• Plan how you will communicate with family members

Contact Kaplan Construction at 562-495-0483 or via email  to check your home’s foundation.

For a complete list of the earthquake safety checklist, you can find it at: http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4240216_Earthquake.pdf and http://www.ready.gov/earthquakes

Sources:
http://www.shakeout.org/california/
http://www.conservation.ca.gov/index/earthquakes/Pages/qh_earthquakes.aspx
http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/earthquake
http://www.ready.gov/earthquakes

DIY vs. Hiring a Contractor

DIY is short for Do It Yourself. With different websites and TV shows dedicated to DIY, people tend to opt for DIY option to save money. When considering a larger project, such as remodeling or renovating your home, is DIY the way to go? Or should a professional handle the job?

Photo Credit: SergioXC via Compfight cc

Bankrate.com offers three things to take into consideration when making the decision:

1. Assess your skills.
   Experience and patience are important factors to a successful project. It will be difficult to tackle a large project yourself without the proper experience.
   
   
2. Consider the costs.
   It may be cheaper just purchasing the material yourself, but if you do not have to tools needed for the project, it could be costly. It might be cheaper to hire a contractor.
   
   
3. Evaluate your options.
   Compare the cost of remodeling yourself with the cost of hiring a contractor, as well as the tradeoffs for each option, to determine which route to choose.

The article may be read here. 

Moneycrashers.com provides possible decision making considerations…

SAFETY FIRST!
- The DIY project can possibly kill you if you are not experienced.
- You could destroy your home
- Some projects may require a permit

KNOW THE ROPES…
- The job may be dangerous
- Mistakes can be costly
- It can hurt your home’s value

TIME IS MONEY
- Price the professional job
- Add the DIY costs
- Estimate time required
- Calculate your hourly wage

For a detailed explanation, the article may be read here.

With these topics to consider, one can determine whether or not it is feasible to do without a contractor.

Contact Kaplan Construction at 562-495-0483 or via email  if you decide to go with a contractor for any home renovations or additions.

Hello, October!

Today is the first day of October!

Photo Credit: worldofpctures via Compfight cc

It's still feeling like summer time, so most of us in California are still using our A/C units and fans. Neither we nor our electricity bills are getting a break from the heat. Here are some energy conservation tips provided by flexalert.org.

• Adjust your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher when you are not home.
• Close your windows and doors when using your A/C unit. Doing so will keep cool air in and prevent your A/C unit from working harder.
• Clean or replace your A/C filter. This will also prevent your A/C unit from working harder than it needs to.
• Power down your computer and enable power management when you are not using it.
• Unplug electronics. Even if the electronic itself is not being used, it is still drawing power if it is plugged in.
• Use heat-producing appliances after 6 PM. This includes, washers, dryers, dishwashers, and ovens.
• When using washers, dryers, and dishwashers, make sure they are full loads.
• Turn off unnecessary lighting.

By following these tips, you can easily reduce your energy consumption as well as reduce your electricity bill.

For a complete list of energy saving tips, click here.

National Preparedness Month - Week 5

Week 5 (September 27-30) of National Preparedness Month focuses leads up to the National PrepareAthon! Day on September 30. One thing each week in NPM had in common, despite being different types of events, is that they all require preparation.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides useful resources to use for National PrepareAthon! Day.

You can take part in the PrepareAthon by:

• Learning about your hazards and how to prepare
• Create your account and register your preparedness activities
• Download resources to help you plan and promote your preparedness activities

All this can be done by visiting http://community.fema.gov/