Housing is a right, but many consider home ownership to be a privilege. When you have that privilege, the goal becomes to protect it at all costs. Here, we outline how.
The beauty of living in a country that encourages and promotes homeownership is that it has become far more attainable than most anywhere else in the world. Financing is generous, it’s a buyer’s market, and there are countless resources to tap into and figure out how to come out on top in the purchase of a home.
When the transaction is said and done, and the ink is finally dry— the first question is… when do I get the keys?
When you first insert the key, that you now own, into the lock on the door that you now own, and enter the home that you miraculously now own… the rush of euphoria and pride becomes nearly overwhelming. You, for the first time notice the smell of “your” house. The kitchen pendant light that flickers slightly before fully illuminating causes a quick furrow of the brow that is closely followed by a brief jolt of excitement in that you now have your first excuse to go to the hardware store and conduct the first “project” on your home. Yes— changing light bulbs classify as home improvement too.
You did it. You are a homeowner. Though, on paper, you own a piece of your neighborhood/city/state… on the inside you feel like a stakeholder in the Earth itself.
Being a stakeholder however means accepting the good and the bad of your investment. The spoils and the toils. The triumph and the defeat. As mentioned above, it’s been nothing but bliss since signing the closing docs. AND THEN…
Your head hits the pillow and you have the timeless realization of… I HAVE TO LOOK AFTER A WHOLE HOUSE.
New concerns start to surface that may have never crossed your mind. Especially as a renter or tenant. That garbage disposal? That’s yours now. Better to be safe than sorry and not dump those potato peels down there. That steam from the spa-like shower you just took? Yeah you should probably turn the exhaust fan on because you know that the thousands of steamy showers you’re about to take can’t be a good thing for your drywall.
But then… then it hits you. These are small concerns in the grand scheme of things. Those are a couple of quick calls and Yelp searches to find a competent and available handy man around the corner. What about the big stuff? What about the potential catastrophe that’s always on your mind yet you struggle to murmur out loud…FIRE.
You viciously Google “most common causes of house fires.” “How to prevent house fires.” “What systems should I install to detect, prevent, and extinguish house fires?”
The information is conflicting. Mostly regarding detection, hardly prevention. Never mind how to put a fire out. At that point it’s more of a “here are the top 5 insurance providers in your area…”
Why aren’t there more options and more acceptable “norms” regarding fire prevention.
There are. You just haven’t heard accurate information about them. Search engines are engulfed in insurance company ad-spend. This isn’t news to anyone, but it’s a fear tactic. It’s a play at driving your dollars towards outlandish insurance policy premiums and away from preventative systems that will allow you to sleep far better at night— with more money in your bank account.
In this short series of blog posts we’ll unpack what we have gotten wrong about house fire prevention in the “lightning belt” of America. We’ll discuss misinformation on lightning rods. You’ll understand why grounding mechanisms and surge arrestors are a darn good-and far more formidable- defense against lightning damage and lightning induced home fires. Lastly, you’ll be releaved that you found the best solution available on the market.
For now, and before you jump to the next piece of the series, I’ll leave you with a stellar resources to self-educate. Please, don’t just take it from us and our completely, totally unbiased take on this issue that hits so close to home.
1. Lightning.org: The Lightning Protection Institute is a not-for-profit organization that promotes lightning protection education, awareness, and safety. Their website offers an overview of lightning protection systems and their benefits.
Cheers— and congrats on being one of the lucky individuals that gets to call themselves a “homeowner.”
