April 10, 2020
How to Negotiate With Home Warranty Companies
After you have purchased a home warranty, at some point in the future, there is no doubt that you will file a claim with the company in question. Negotiating with the different companies can be a hassle, but most of the reputable ones will deal with you professionally, but the outcome concerning your claim may not make you happy. What I am talking about here is claim denial and this is where I am going to give you a few pointers.
One thing that you should remember is that any type of insurance company has to deal with a great deal of fraud, so they have many protections put in place to roadblock fraudulent claims or frivolous complaints. But these policies sometimes frustrate homeowners with legitimate claims.
Here is the first thing that you should remember.
When you call in to report your claim, you must remember that the person that you are talking to is just doing their job. You should make sure not to exaggerate your situation or have an unnecessary attitude with the representative. You will catch more flies with honey. Always remember that.
After you have calmly reported your claim, you need to consider the fine print on your policy. If your problem is due to neglect or improper installation, you may just be out of luck, but if you feel like your claim is legitimate and you feel like you are being dealt with unfairly or in an unprofessional manner, then you have another option that many people don’t think about.
If you purchased your home warranty at the closing of your new home, then you probably bought it from your real estate agent. And chances are, he or she has made a commission off of its sale. And that means that the real estate agent has a relationship with the company and you can use this to your advantage. Call them up and see if they can offer you some assistance. Mostly likely they will be a little reluctant but willing.…
Saving Energy – It’s All About the Heat
First, some basic science:
A. Heat naturally flows from warmer areas to cooler areas. Its speed of movement depends upon how much a difference there is between these two temperatures. The greater the difference, the faster the flow.
B. Heat flow can be reduced by insulation.
C. Heat can be artificially made to travel in the opposite direction – from cold to hot. This is done by any device that “pumps” heat. Air conditioners pump heat out of the home. Pumping heat costs about one third the cost to create heat.
D. When heat enters your home, during the summertime, it must be removed by the air conditioning system.
E. Radiative heat, from the sun, can easily flow through glass. It heats up whatever it lands upon. Because of certain physical characteristics (called “black-body” radiation) that heat can’t pass back through glass. It is effectively trapped. This is called the “greenhouse” effect.
F. When you install or provide something which operates without need for additional energy, this is called a passive operation.
Okay – so based upon these simple rules, here are 10 basic actions that will improve a home’s energy efficiency which will save you money. I’ll mention the rule and then what you can do:
1. Rule B – Insulation is likely one of the best investments you can make. There are few actions that can give you a better cost to benefit ratio. This is passive in that it takes no energy to operate (rule F).
2. Rules D and E – Increasing the size of your eaves and other overhangs will reduce sunlight entering your home which just has to be removed by your air conditioner (costing money). This is also passive (rule F).
3. Rules D and E – Windows on the west side tend to bring in the most heat from the sun. It is best to limit western exposure either by design or by blocking the windows with shrubbery. This is a passive action (rule F)
4. Rule E – Using reflective glass can be extremely helpful. Curtains and shades do not work because by the time the sun light hits them it has already entered the home (remember greenhouse). Any time something heats up in your home your air conditioner will have to remove that heat. Sunlight must be stopped before it goes through the glass. This is a also a passive method and will save both energy and money during the summer.
5. Rule A – Place foil on the bottom of the plywood roof sheathing of your home. This is easiest to do while building a new home. If your home exists, then consider a radiation barrier in the attic. This will keep the attic cooler. This is also passive (rule F)
6. Rule A – Ventilate the attic. This can be passive or active. It reduces the attic temperature which slows the flow of heat into your home. The active, but effective, way is with a powered fan system …