Love being outside, but hate the bugs? Here are a few things you can do to prevent them from hatching as well as a few suggestions to help during a gathering outside.

1. Remove things that will attract bugs to your yard. Standing water is a good place to start, where mosquitoes lay their eggs. Look for buckets, empty planters, dishes, old tires, unused kiddie pools and turn them over or put them away.
2. Change the water in your birdbaths often or add a small pump to circulate the water and discourage mosquitoes from laying eggs.
3. Clear out rain gutters so they don't hold water and become a mosquito breeding ground.
4. Keeping your grass mowed prevents Mosquitoes from hanging out in tall grass and weedy areas.
5. You could also add a bat house in your yard. One brown bat can eat as many as 1,000 mosquitoes in one hour.
6. A fan can create a breeze which mosquitoes dislike.
7. Move trash and recycling bins away from the house. Make sure lids are always secured. If using trash cans outside at your party, make sure they have lids.
8. Keep all food covered. Mesh food tents work well to keep flies off your picnic fare and can be lifted off easily when it's time to eat.
9. To keep ants off your deck, slide some garlic cloves between the boards.
10. Put a chalk line around the area you don't want the ants to cross. Cucumber slices, peels and mint leaves also repel ants.

These tips can help you enjoy your next gathering or day outside without as many bugs. Visit foremost.com for more info.

Our agency can assist with all your homeowner’s insurance needs. Feel free to give us a call or send us an email.
The team at Hutto & Dalchau Insurance Agency help with auto insurance, home insurance, life insurance, renters insurance and umbrella insurance as well as business, commercial liability, contractor, commercial auto and surety bonds in the Hill Country area. For more information and to learn about our agency visit our website at www.huttoins.com
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Thinking of buying or building a house, but wondering how much insurance will cost? There are a few factors to consider before that can be answered.

• The deductible you choose
• The value of your home and belongings
• Your claim history
• Age of your house
• Location: material costs vary from place to place and the types of weather your home is exposed to will vary depending on location
• Condition of roof
• Does your home have a pool or a fence?
• Do you have any custom items in your home such as hardwood floors, a gourmet kitchen, or a custom tile roof?

 
When you are shopping for homeowner’s insurance it helps to understand your options. Call our office to talk to an agent if you need help understanding a home insurance quote or your current home insurance needs. The visit the allstate blog for more info.

Our agency can assist with all your homeowner’s insurance needs. Feel free to give us a call or send us an email.
The team at Hutto & Dalchau Insurance Agency help with auto insurance, home insurance, life insurance, renters insurance and umbrella insurance as well as business, commercial liability, contractor, commercial auto and surety bonds in the Hill Country area. For more information and to learn about our agency visit our website at www.huttoins.com

It’s officially summertime! Here are few tips and tricks to keep your house cool as temperatures rise.
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First check to make sure your air conditioning unit is working efficiently and effectively. The last thing you want is to be stuck with a broken AC in the middle of the summer.

• Be sure your air conditioner is the correct size for your home.
• Avoid air conditioning unused rooms.
• Check that your air ducts are properly sealed and insulated.
• Provide shade for the outside half of your air conditioner.
• Clean your air conditioner's air filter at least once a month to increase the air flow.

It's a good idea to have a few alternatives to cut down on energy usage. Here are 10 ideas for staying cool in your home during the summer without air conditioning:

1. Cook outside on a grill instead of preparing food with an indoor stove or oven.
2. Open the windows and let the cooler nighttime air in before you go to bed.
3. Turn on bathroom fans after you take a shower and turn on the exhaust fan in your kitchen after you cook. This will blow away the hot air that is created by both activities.
4. Unplug your electronics when they are not in use. Even if they are turned off, your gadgets will produce heat when they are plugged in.
5. Make sure your house is properly insulated.
6. Plant trees around your home to create shade.
7. Use appliances like dishwashers in the cooler parts of the day.
8. Switch to cotton bed sheets. Cotton is lightweight and lets more airflow.
9. Be creative and experiment with fans. Try facing box fans out the windows so they push away hot air.
10. Keep the lights off in rooms you aren’t using because they emit heat.

These tips can help keep your home cool this summer and save on your electric bill. Visit foremost.com for more.

Our agency can assist with your insurance needs. Feel free to give us a call or send us an email.
The team at Hutto & Dalchau Insurance Agency help with auto insurance, home insurance, life insurance, renters insurance and umbrella insurance as well as business, commercial liability, contractor, commercial auto and surety bonds in the Hill Country area. For more information and to learn about our agency visit our website at www.huttoins.com

Safe boating practices are important, because unlike roads, waterways have no stop lights or painted lines. To minimize the risk of accidents in the water here are a few tips to consider.

• Take a Boating Safety Class. If you are new to boating this is an excellent place to start. A class can help you learn and understand different signals and maneuvers commonly used while boating.
• Use Safety Passing Techniques
  • Being passed by another boat: the boat being passed must maintain it’s speed and course to allow other boats to safely pass.
  • Approaching a boat head on: Both boats should keep to the right to pass.
  • Crossing paths with another boat: The boat on the right has the right of way. The other boat should slow down or change course to pass behind it.
• Horn Signals
  • One short blast: This means you plan to pass when crossing paths with another boat, leaving them on your left side. If you are behind a boat and intend to pass, one quick horn blast signals that you will pass on their right side.
  • Two short blasts: opposite of one short blast. If you are crossing paths, you’ll leave the boat on your right side. And I passing when your behind a boat, you’ll pass on their left side.
  • Three short blasts: This lets others know you are backing up.
  • Five or more blasts: Danger signal. If a boat responds with the same signal it  means they understand.
  • One prolonged blast: Leaving dock.
• Be careful to avoid high speeds at night. The dark makes it harder to see what you are approaching.

Being cautious and paying attention to your surroundings can help you minimize the risk of accidents while enjoying time on the water.
Visit theAllstateblog for more information about boating safety.
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Our agency can assist with your boater’s insurance needs. Feel free to give us a call or send us an email.

The team at Hutto & Dalchau Insurance Agency help with auto insurance, home insurance, life insurance, renters insurance and umbrella insurance as well as business, commercial liability, contractor, commercial auto and surety bonds in the Hill Country area. For more information and to learn about our agency visit our website at www.huttoins.com