New Poll Reveals Which Hazards Increase During Holidays

New Poll Reveals Which Hazards Increase During Holidays 

Allstate finds homeowners not quite prepared for holiday home hazards 

Festive, joyful and togetherness are just a few words that come to mind when thinking about the holidays. However, a new Allstate poll shows “hazardous” should be at the top of the list, too. 

Allstate’s fourth annual national holiday home hazards survey The 2016 Allstate Holiday Home Hazards survey was conducted by FTI Consulting from October 6-16, 2016. The survey was conducted among N=1,015 adults (home/condo owners and renters) and an oversample of N=224 first-time home or condo owners who purchased their very first home in the past year.

reveals homeowners as well as renters aren’t prepared as they could when it comes to protecting their homes during the holidays. Some of the most common pitfalls are leaving temptations for “porch pirates” and sharing too much on social media. (See details below). And in Southern States* specifically, Allstate found the following hazards have the largest spikes during the holiday seasonPercentage change based on holiday season versus non-holiday season homeowners, condo and renters claim frequency for *Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi during the three-year period of Jan. 15, 2013-Jan. 15, 2016, with the holiday season from Nov. 15-Jan. 15. Only hazards that occurred at least 10 times during the three-year period, with positive and statistically significant percentage changes, were included.   :

1. Bursting Pipes from Freezing 
2. Fire originating from a fireplace
3. Smoke damage from Kitchen
4. Ice Dams 
5. Glass breakage

“With so much focus on shopping, gift giving and making holiday meals and other preparations, people may overlook simple, but important safety steps to protect their homes,” said Steve Blume, Allstate agency owner. A few precautionary measures can better protect the hosts and their guests:

• Test smoke alarms and/or carbon monoxide detectors 
• Inspect home interiors and exteriors (including windows, roofs, gutters and chimneys) for leaks and damage.
• Keep your home heated above 65 degrees to prevent pipes from freezing
• Limit the number of lights per outlet or power strip to prevent a live Christmas tree fire. 
• Place a live tree away from heat sources to minimize fire risk 

Not taking proper precautions can lead to costly damage. Allstate claims data shows the median cost of bust pipes from freezing was $5,500, fire-related fires was $10,149 and electrical fires was $22,683. 

Holiday trips also may become holiday home hazards as travelers often leave behind opportunities for theft. 

• Consider stopping your mail and/or newspaper delivery before taking a holiday trip.
• Ensure all doors and windows are locked before leaving on a holiday trip (Only about 77% of homeowners and renters plan to do this).  
• Lock all vehicles left in their driveway or garage. 

Think no one will notice you’re not home? Think again. Allstate found the following happens more frequently during the holidays: 

• Missing Property from garage increases 37% during the holidays (median cost $1,697)
• Burglary increases 6% (median cost $2,911)
• Theft from unlocked vehicles increases 2% (median cost $1,177)

SOCIAL MEDIA SHARING – Oversharing can send a message to criminals that a home may be unoccupied. Those who post on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and other popular sites should think twice before: 

• Sharing pictures of yourself at holiday travel destinations 
• Sharing details of travel itinerary, such as being at the airport or on their way home 
• Showing off presents

Taking a few simple steps can be the difference between the holidays being happy and memorable for all the right reasons. 

Take to the Stairs and Fight for Air

Registration is open for the 2017 Fight for Air Climb in Nashville If the stairs don't take your breath away, the view from the top of the Fifth Third Center will. The American Lung Association in Tennessee is holding its annual Fight For Air Climb in Nashville on Saturday, February 18, 2017, and they're looking for hundreds of participants to help them in their fight for clean air for everyone!  On Event Day, climbers, walkers, runners, firefighters, first responders and supporters of the American Lung Association will climb Fifth Third Center in downtown Nashville. The participants will challenge themselves to climb 29 flights of stairs, 644 steps, while raising money to help support the fight against lung diseases.  The registration fee for the Fight for Air Climb is $25 through December 31, 2016; and $35 after January 1st. For $45, thrill seekers can take part in the new Power Hour Challenge, in which 20 advanced climbers will racer up and down the stairs as many times as possible in one hour. In addition, all participants need to raise a minimum of $100 to participate and can quality for a variety of incentive prizes based on the amount of money they raise.  Lung diseases such as asthma and COPD cannot yet be cured, but they can be managed. Making sure people know what's needed to take control of these lung diseases is one of the American Lung Association's top priorities. Thirty five million Americans are living with chronic lung diseases such as asthma, lung cancer and COPD; lung cancer is America's #1 cancer killer.  You can climb as an individual or form a team with family and friends or one's company. Anyone interested in more information about the Climb, participation in the Climb or in making a donation to support this event, please visit the website at www.ClimbNashville.org.