Do I Need Flood Insurance?

If your home is not located in a floodplain, do you still have to worry about flood insurance?

Let's consider what has happened in Fort Bend County and parts of Houston and Montgomery in the past few months. Is this what we can expect from future storms? Why risk it!?

With Hurricane Season underway, it is likely we see a couple of storms this year. Don't wait until a storm is at your doorstep... act now! Every flood insurance policy comes with a 30-day waiting period before it can take effect. Review your policies to check for coverage and value.

You can call John at Godbee Insurance for a policy review and to ask any questions you may have about flood insurance. 832-886-5544 or email him at GodbeeJ@NationWide.com

What's Covered Under Flood Insurance?

Flood insurance policies cover physical damage to your property and possessions. You can use the following list as a general guide to what is and isn't covered to help you better understand your policy and coverage.

Building Property

• The insured building and its foundation
• Electrical and plumbing systems
• Central air conditioning equipment, furnaces and water heaters
• Refrigerators, cooking stoves and built-in appliances such as dishwashers
• Permanently installed carpeting over unfinished flooring
• Permanently installed paneling, wallboard, bookcases and cabinets
• Window Blinds
• Detached garages (up to 10% of building property coverage); detached buildings (other than garages) require a separate building property policy
• Debris removal

Personal Contents Property

• Personal belongings, such as clothing, furniture and electronic equipment
• Curtains
• Portable and window air conditioners
• Portable microwave ovens and portable dishwashers
• Carpets that are not included in building coverage
• Clothing washers and dryers
• Food freezers and the food in them
• Certain valuable items such as originals artwork and furs (up to $2,500)

What's Not Covered

• Damage caused by moisture, mildew or mold that could have been avoided by the property owner
• Currency, precious metals and valuable papers such as stock certificates 
• Property and belongings outside of an insured building such as trees, plants, wells, septic systems, walks, decks, patios, fences, seawalls, hot tubs and swimming pools
• Living expenses such as temporary housing
• Financial losses caused by business interruption or loos of use of insured property 
• Most self-propelled vehicles such as cars, including their parts 

5 Ways To Keep Your Garden Pest Free

Growing a garden takes a lot of hard work and patience. The last thing you want to see is a family of opossums eating your tomatoes! And since most of us aren't nocturnal, it doesn't make sense to try to stand guard the garden all night. So, we want to offer you a few tips that will surely slow these critters down. 

First you must determine what kind of animal problem you have. There are a wide range of animals in Texas that love fruits and veggies just as much as you. We are going to give tips about the most popular perps; deer, opossums, rabbits, raccoons, armadillos and birds. 

You could purchase a game camera with motion sensors that will allow you to see who's been in your garden. The moment comes when you see those little eyes of.... and Gotcha! Now that you know what's been in your garden, here are a few ways to keep them out. 

1. Electric Fencing

Electric Fencing can deter lots of different animals away from your fruits but it depends on how you set it up. 

If Deer are your problem, make sure your fence's first wire is around 10 inches off the ground. From there, add four spaced wires about 12 inches apart. 

If smaller rodents are your problem, then lower the first wire and the fence doesn't need to be more than two and half feet tall. This type of fence should not provide lethal shock, but a good scare to keep the opossums, raccoons and even feral cats out of your garden. 

We would recommend a visible electric fence so humans around your property will not get jolted. 

3. Netting For Birds

Are birds taking all your fresh fruit right off the vine? We have a fix for that! As your fruit starts to ripen you can cover them with nylon mesh. If they are picking other ground vegetables, you can try 'box' in your garden with a mesh ceiling to keep birds out. 

4. Natural Barriers

There are many natural barriers to use around your plants to keep out unwanted guests. For example, Daffodils are completely poisonous to eat and would provide natural protection. Rabbits love clover and dandelions and would prefer to eat those over your fruits. Coffee grounds work against cats, deer and slugs. Other herbs that grow with a strong scent will also keep away deer, such as marigolds, peonies and cosmos. 

5. The Scarecrow & Other Weird Noises

While this may not be a long term plan to protecting your project, we know that a good scarecrow can keep away most birds, animals and some neighbors. In this day and age, we are past the regular scarecrow. Now you purchase a motion sensor scarecrow that also sprays water at unsuspecting critters. 

Most wild animals scare easily so any noise makers or even a battery-operated radio will help deter animals from sniffing around. One idea is to tie pie pans to several stakes around your garden so they rattle in the wind. 

What we DON'T suggest is trying to trap any animals. Wildlife can be very dangerous and unpredictable. If you do not have professional help, it can turn bad. If you think your problem consists of one or two pesky animals, then call a professional or Fort Bend County Animal Control to assist with trapping the animal to relocate. 

Plan For A Safe July 4th Weekend!

For most, July 4th means a long weekend this year and that means more fun! We want you to be safe when celebrating our Independence so we have several safety tips for you.

Firework Safety

1. Never give fireworks to small children.
2. Always follow the instructions on the packaging.
3. Never throw or point a firework at a person, animal, vehicle or other flammable materials
4. Be safe and responsible when lighting fireworks around lots of people
5. Wear ear protection! - Fireworks are loud and can damage your ears.

Grilling Safety

1. Always supervise your grill while it is in use.
2. Don't grill indoors!
3. Be aware of where your grill is being used. Keep clear of low hanging trees, decks or your home.

Beach Safety

1. Always check for warning signs along the beach.
2. Never go swimming alone!
3. Leave wildlife alone! - Not only jellyfish and sharks, but rattlesnakes have a natural habitat along the coast too.
4. Stay at least 100 feet away from piers and jetties. These pose a threat for children and adults.
5. Use Sunscreen!