Advanced Insurance Solutions Blog
All You Ever Wanted to Know About Insurance
Protect your pet this summer with these hot-weather safety tips
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
In July 2016, he was a neglected 7-week-old puppy clinging to life. He was severely underweight, dehydrated, and had open wounds infected by maggots. His rescuer described him as “like a scabby little alien,” too weak...
That rotten egg smell could be a sign of a natural gas leak in your home
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
In July 2017, a natural gas explosion in Manor Township, Lancaster County, killed a UGI worker, injured three other people, and destroyed a home. Four other nearby homes had to be condemned. “I just saw pieces of...
If you really want to know about a car, find its Vehicle Identification Number
Monday, January 8, 2018
It has been described as a car’s fingerprint or DNA. It is a Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN, and every car or truck made since 1981 has one comprising 17 characters (a combination of numbers and capital letters)...
Making a case for stockpiling drinking water
Monday, October 16, 2017
Water, water, every where,/Nor any drop of drink That’s a line from a 220-year-old poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge called “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” In it, a sailor is surrounded by salt water that he can’t...
Can you dig it? Call 811 before any digging project
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
It might be as simple as planting a tree or something a little more involved, such as building a deck. Whether you’re a homeowner or professional contractor, if you’re digging with powered equipment, you first must call...
College's major problem: excessive drinking and its aftermath
Monday, August 7, 2017
It turns out that the famed “Freshman 15” is fiction, for the most part. Contrary to the notion that the average first-year college student gains 15 pounds, an Ohio State University study found that 2.4 (women) and 3.4 (...
Beware the lint trap: clean regularly to avoid dryer fires
Monday, June 12, 2017
A Google search of "dryer fire" readily yielded three incidents that occurred within one month of each other: In Lock Haven, Pa., a dryer fire destroyed the home of a 34-year-old man who had lived there most of his life;...
Soaking up our Guide to Summer Safety
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Summer means fun and sun, but that doesn't mean that we can throw caution to the warm breeze. Some of our favorite summer activities also come with significant safety or health risks, especially to children. We can...
Best used cars for teen drivers: IIHS survey
Monday, May 15, 2017
Among "4 ways to save money when insuring young drivers" we identified in a previous blog post, at No. 3 we said don't buy them a new car. In fact, according to a survey by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 83...
Top of mind: When do you need to replace your roof?
Monday, April 3, 2017
In early 1963, The Drifters had a big hit with the song, "Up On The Roof," which began: When this old world starts getting me down /And people are just too much for me to face/ I climb way up to the top of the stairs /...
One in 15 homes in U.S. has a radon problem: does yours?
Monday, March 20, 2017
In 2014, a home in Lehigh County, Pa., was found to have the highest radon level ever recorded in the United States. The concentration was more than 900 times greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's...
Give your heart some love, for health's sake
Monday, February 6, 2017
Neil Young sang that only love can break your heart. Well, we hope Neil Young will remember that a poor diet and a lack of exercise can do a number on your heart, too. But he wouldn't be alone if he didn't. An American...
It's snow lie: Here's the scoop on your responsibility for sidewalk shoveling
Monday, January 23, 2017
When it comes to snowfall and your driveway, how quickly you tend to shoveling is up to you. Maybe you're an early riser and get right at it. Perhaps you're a procrastinator, and you'll get around to it when the...
Push, don't lift and 10 other tips for safer snow shoveling
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Winter Storm Jonas: Oh, brother, was that a snow shoveler's worst nightmare. The January 2016 blizzard dumped a record 30.2 inches on Harrisburg. No one knows what the future holds for snowfall, but it's always a good...
To keep your home safe, water your cut Christmas tree daily and keep it away from heat sources
Monday, November 28, 2016
In January 2015, a massive fire in Annapolis, Md., claimed the lives of a couple and their four grandchildren, ages 6 to 8. In the mansion's great room stood a 15-foot Fraser fir Christmas tree that had been lit 24...
Lawn mowing is not child's play: 12 safety tips
Monday, April 18, 2016
Just like morning dew and fireflies at night, the whirring of lawn mower blades is a staple of summer (not to mention much of spring and fall). We love our manicured lawns and take great pride in maintaining them. But...
A roundabout way: improving safety, reducing delays
Monday, March 21, 2016
If you’re a fan of the progressive rock band Yes, then you’re probably familiar with the song “Roundabout.” The lyrics are obscure, to wit: “I'll be the round about/The words will make you out 'n' out” Traffic...
Off-season is the perfect time for 5 maintenance and safety tips for your wood-burning fireplace
Monday, February 22, 2016
Even as winter winds down and warmer weather beckons, it’s a perfect time to think about preventive maintenance for your fireplace. By planning ahead, you’ll be in great shape when the need for heat returns in the fall....
Pedestrians 14 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths: safety tips for walkers and drivers alike
Monday, January 25, 2016
The next time you go to the movies, think about how you got there. You probably drove. On your way, you may have witnessed someone crossing a street, jogging, or even walking to the same cinema. As you settle into your...
5 smart phone apps for a safer, healthier, more economical holiday season
Monday, November 30, 2015
Smart phone apps are available by the millions, with more coming all the time. But research shows that Americans have a limited appetite for them. On average, according to Nielsen, U.S. smart phone users accessed 26.7...
Get ready for winter with a car emergency kit
Monday, November 2, 2015
Santa’s checking his list, and he’s checking it twice. But we’re not talking about what all of the children want for Christmas. We’re referring to the list of things he needs to ensure safe travel on Dec. 24, such as...
Follow these tips to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning
Monday, July 27, 2015
A brother and sister travelled to a family cabin in Maine to celebrate his high school graduation and her 22nd birthday. What should have been a joyful week soon turned tragic for the siblings and two other adults who...
A safe bet for your road trip is to check tire pressure
Monday, May 18, 2015
The road trip is back. Memorial Day weekend travel volume – the vast majority of it by automobile – is expected to reach a 10-year high in 2015, according to the AAA auto club. Some 37.2 million Americans are forecast...
Pressure situation: getting tire inflation right
Monday, February 2, 2015
The road to Super Bowl XLIX was a rocky one for the New England Patriots, accused of having used illegally under-inflated footballs in the American Football Conference championship. NFL fans and non-fans alike learned...
Here’s how to PASS muster when using a fire extinguisher
Monday, January 19, 2015
It's pretty easy to see how dangerous home fires can be when you consider that they can be life threatening in just two minutes. Flames can engulf a residence in five minutes. Each year, more than 2,500 people die and...
A breezy look at wind chill
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
It's one thing to take on a home-improvement project, but patching a hole in a wall is like a walk in the park compared with figuring out the wind chill. Here's the formula, courtesy of the National Weather Service:...
Making spirits bright: 8 holiday light safety tips
Monday, November 24, 2014
Forty-five thousand Christmas lights set to the Penn State fight song can’t be wrong. Nor can a website called ChristmasLightFinder.com. Of course, Hersheypark’s “Hershey Sweet Lights” offers nearly 600 illuminated...