Michigan

4 risk-management challenges of using cross-laminated timber in construction

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cross-laminated timber |

In the last few years, a surprisingly conventional material has swept the sustainable building industry: wood. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) construction, a building method in which wood is layered to create a strong and durable frame, is now competing with traditional concrete and steel foundations. This method, which has become increasingly popular in Europe, is now making headway in the United States. According to the Globe News Wire, the industry is projected to grow by 12 percent between 2021 and 2027.

Construction companies, architects, and environmental advocates alike are embracing CLT because it’s more sustainable than traditional materials, durable, lightweight, and suitable for prefabricated construction projects. But this building method also poses new risk-management challenges for owners, builders, and insurance providers. In this article, we’re examining the challenges of CLT across multiple insurance lines—and sharing suggestions for contractors to help mitigate potential risk.

Challenge 1: protecting the project during construction

In terms of builders’ risk coverage, CLT has some benefits. Because it can be built off-site and transported, the method can result in shortened building cycles, which means contractors may save money on insurance costs. However, builders will need coverage in the event of fire or water damage. CLT is made entirely of wood and—even though the material has been proven to burn slowly in fire tests—it is at a higher risk of fire damage than more traditional materials. On top of that, staining and charring of the wood from water and fire damage can cause aesthetic issues, and project owners might require builders to replace the panels even if the building is still structurally sound.

How to mitigate risk: contractors should ensure that CLT is pre-treated with a fire retardant before building. It’s also crucial that all members of the building team understand transport, storage, and staging best practices to limit exposure to the elements.

Challenge 2: evaluating environmental risks

When it comes to environmental risks, CLT has a leg up over traditional building materials. Although CLT is bonded with glue, most manufacturers use formaldehyde-free adhesives to improve air quality and reduce off-gassing. However, when building with CLT, construction companies should take notice of potential water damage and subsequent mold exposure risks. The 2021 International Building Code allows for CLT buildings up to 18 stories—but these taller buildings are exposed to the elements for more extended periods during construction, increasing the risk of water damage and mold growth. If property owners discover mold, contractors may be liable for any damages or associated health risks.

How to mitigate risk: builders should treat CLT with water repellents, particularly on the end-grain where the wood is more porous. During construction, using tent structures that cover exposed materials can also reduce the risk of water damage that can lead to mold growth.

Challenge 3: understanding cross-laminated timber performance capabilities

Because CLT is a newer material for many builders, design-build contractors should take special care to ensure their designs are structurally sound and materials meet quality standards. Both designers and builders should reference and comply with the applicable International Building Codes and stay up to date on evolving research. For example, as this study highlights, the shape and number of layers of CLT can influence the risk of delamination, in which the adhesive holding boards together fails and can put a structure at risk.

As an example of delamination, work came to a halt on a $79-million building under construction at Oregon State University after two layers of CLT floor panel came unglued and fell. While the incident did not cause any injuries, it did result in a several-month-long investigation, extensive rework to replace the damaged panels, and a delayed opening.

By staying informed on CLT performance capabilities, designers and builders are better able to build safely and on schedule and help mitigate the risk of damage, work delays, and related builders’ risk and liability claims.

How to mitigate risk: designers and builders should ensure that building codes align with the use of cross-laminated timber. Using building information modeling (BIM) during the planning process can also help ensure that all stakeholders—including owners, designers, engineers, and architects—are on the same page during the project. 

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8 Fall Chores You Can’t Afford to Ignore

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Do these maintenance tasks now and reap the rewards later

By Paul Hope | Published October 15, 2016, | Updated September 22, 2021 | Consumer Reports

Early fall is the right time to get your yard and house in order because come winter, small problems can turn into expensive nightmares.

Consumer Reports’ money-saving checklist covers everything from fallen leaves to your furnace. And many of these fall chores cost little more than time and effort. “A little bit of preventive maintenance now will help you avoid big hassles in the future,” says John Galeotafiore, who oversees CR’s testing of outdoor power equipment and other home gear.

Outdoor Fall Chores With Immediate Payoff

Close Your Hoses

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What every new homeowner should know about home insurance

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Your home is most likely the biggest investment you will ever make in your life. That makes protecting your investment even more important. Home insurance protects lots of different things and all of them are customizable. You need to make sure you have the right type and amount of home insurance. Your independent insurance agent is here to help you make that choice. In Michigan, Shield Insurance Agency has a team of experts who are here for you.

You can choose the type of content coverage you want

Two types of content coverage are available to homeowners. The less expensive option is actual cash value. This pays you what something is worth today. What that means is your 10-year-old washing machine won’t have the value you need to get a new washing machine today. If you want to be able to actually replace things, you need to have replacement cost coverage.

Many things are a liability

Part of your home insurance is liability coverage. This protects you and the members of your family from lawsuits against you. It also pays for medical expenses if someone is hurt while visiting your home. If you have a dog, a pool, or a trampoline, you are at increased risk and should take that into account when choosing the amount of liability coverage you choose.

Home insurance doesn’t cover everything

Like most types of insurance, home insurance has some exclusions. Some may surprise you. Flooding is not a covered peril. Sewer backup is also not covered. Earthquakes and other types of earth movement are also excluded. Termite damage as well as other pest damage is not covered, since as a homeowner it is up to you to protect your home from these types of damage.

When you are ready to get your home insurance, Shield Insurance Agency will be here to help.

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What Jane Austen can teach us about resilience

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By Heloise Wood | 2nd February 2021 | The BBC

What Jane Austen can teach us about resilience

Sales figures would suggest I’m far from the only one relying on her humor and heart to get me through these strange days. In the UK, as Kiera O’Brien, charts and data editor of the Bookseller, notes, Austen experienced a sales rise of 20% in the UK between 15 June and 7 November last year, compared to the same period in 2019. Last December saw the 245th anniversary of her birth and her popularity only seems to be getting stronger.ADVERTISE

Her novels may be mischaracterized as romantic escapism, but at their core, they have a lot to say about perseverance – and it makes them perfect reading, for now, writes Heloise Wood.

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10 Hacks to Keep Your Home Cool Without AC

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By Fred Decker | July 9, 2020 | eHow.com | Cool Without AC

Turning on an air conditioner is the quick and easy answer to hot days, but AC isn’t always available. Even when it is, there are downsides: It can drive up your power bill dramatically, and it’s not exactly the most eco-friendly appliance in your home. Keep your home cool with out ac with these 10 smart home hacks, which are good for the planet and your pocketbook.

1. DIY Cooling for Where You Are

It’s a lot of work to cool the whole house when really all you need to do is cool the spot where you are. You can make a simple DIY desktop mini air conditioner unit with just a few inexpensive pieces, including a USB fan, a plastic bucket, and some disposable containers. It does a fine job of keeping you comfy at your desk, or while you’re watching TV from your favorite chair. You can follow the same basic steps to make a larger version from a foam picnic cooler, if you wish, and cool a small room.

2. Be Smart About Appliance Use

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How to Protect Your Brain Health Now

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The pandemic can be hard on your memory, too. Here, from a new report, are tips for building resiliency

by Hallie Levine,  AARP, March 8, 2021 | Brain Health

“While a COVID-19 infection itself can directly harm your brain, months of isolation can take a toll as well,” says Sarah Lenz Lock, executive director of the Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH), an independent collaborative of scientists, doctors, and policy experts convened by AARP to provide trusted information on brain health. That’s why the council has released a report on how the brain health of older adults has been affected by the pandemic and what research is needed to address the problem. Along with the latest scientific findings, the report includes tips for older adults to adopt.

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Money disagreements can destroy families. Here’s how to prevent that from happening

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Michelle Fox |AUG 25 202112:06 PM EDT | UPDATED WED, AUG 25 202110:53 PM EDT | CNBC.COM | Money disagreements

Money disagreements over money can ruin relationships.

To be sure, families will not always agree on all financial matters. It is how you handle the situation that counts.

“Money is emotional,” said licensed marriage and family therapist Dr. George James, chief innovation officer, and senior staff therapist at the non-profit Council for Relationships.

“Try to communicate about money,” he added. “Don’t make it this thing that no one talks about.”

For Derek and Jocelyn Porter, who own a Philadelphia-based children’s entertainment business called D&J Costumes, it was a disagreement over whether to buy a new $60,000 car that brought them to a stalemate.

Jocelyn Porter, who appeared on CNBC’s “Money Court” along with her husband, wants to get a new Mercedes to replace her old car, which is having transmission problems.

“I have had my E350 Mercedes for the last five years,” Jocelyn Porter said. “It adds a touch of class and quality to my business.”

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19 Mistakes People Make With Houseplants

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Experts share common missteps in “plant parenting” and how to get it right.

By Caroline Bologna | 08/16/2021 06:00pm EDT | Updated August 17, 2021 | Huffpost.com

If you follow interior design influencers or otherwise keep up with trends in home decor, you’ve likely noticed the mania around houseplants. Indeed, over the past few years, millennials, in particular, have developed a love affair with all things green.

But as newcomers to the indoor plant world quickly learn, keeping your indoor flora alive can be challenging. The leaves may turn brown, wilt away, develop spots or otherwise fail to thrive. Still, there’s no need to despair!

“Plant parents of all skill levels have trouble with houseplants at one time or another, so don’t worry or be afraid to try, try again!” Liam Heeks, manager of Tula Plants & Design, told HuffPost.

To help new and aspiring plant parents, we asked experts to share the biggest mistakes they see people make with their houseplants. Read on for 19 approaches to avoid (and their advice for getting it right).

Choosing Houseplants For The Wrong Reasons

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When Disaster Strikes: What to Put in Your Medication Go Bag

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Atlantic hurricane season is a good reminder that everyone should prepare this potentially lifesaving kit

By Consumer Reports Last updated: July 05, 2021

A well-stocked Medication Go Bag can be used to soothe a cut or burn—or to save your life during a hurricane, flood, fire, or other emergencies.  

But it’s important not to wait until you’re faced with the need to leave your home in a hurry to assemble your medication go bag, says Geoffrey C. Wall, Pharm.D., a professor of pharmacy practice at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

Whether you buy a kit from a drugstore or build it yourself, Wall recommends that all households keep a medication go bag on hand. It should contain the essentials, including: 

  • At least seven days’ worth of over-the-counter and prescription medications you take on a regular basis. Label the containers clearly, and include a printed-out list of everything you take and the regimen for each medication, plus a copy of your health insurance card (in case you need medical care while you’re away from your home).
  • An antihistamine for allergic reactions, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl Allergy and generic) or loratadine (Claritin and generic).
  • Pain relievers, including acetaminophen (Tylenol and generic), aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, and generic), or naproxen (Aleve and generic).
  • Stomach and antidiarrheal remedies, including loperamide (Imodium and generic) and bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol, and generic).
  • An antacid for heartburn, such as Maalox, Mylanta, Rolaids, Tums, or generic.
  • Antiseptic wipes; an antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin, Bacitracin Plus, Curad, or generic (use only for infected wounds); and bandages, gauze, and tape, for treating burns, cuts, and wounds.
  • Mosquito repellent to prevent bites, and aloe gel, hydrocortisone cream, or calamine lotion to soothe bites and skin irritation.
  • An eyewash solution for flushing out eye irritants.
  • Water-purification tablets.
  • Scissors.
  • Thermometer.
  • Tweezers.

If you and your family have special medical needs, you can build a more sophisticated medication go bag—for example, one that contains hearing aids with extra batteries, an epinephrine auto-injector, glasses, contact lenses, or syringes.

Fill Prescriptions in Advance

For prescriptions, you and your family members take, consider asking your doctor for 60- or 90-day refills rather than a month’s worth. That way, you’re more likely to have extras on hand for your medication go bag. (This can also save you money.)

Always fill prescriptions on the first day you become eligible for a refill, rather than waiting until the day you run out. If you are able to obtain an emergency supply, establish a plan for rotating your go-bag supply so that it remains up to date. And remember to check medications periodically to ensure that they have not expired.

“During an emergency, some states allow pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of medications without doctor authorization,” Wall says. But, he adds, “certainly if a known potential disaster, such as a hurricane, is predicted, make sure you have prescription meds and supplies before it hits.”

You might also ask your health insurance company to assist you in obtaining enough medication and supplies to have on hand.

Storing and Maintaining Your Kit

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How to Get Rid of Ants

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By: Francisco Guzman | Updated: Aug 13, 2021 | How Stuff Works

Ants invade homes for one reason: food. Whether you left crumbs on the kitchen table or forgot to take the trash out, where there’s food, there are ants. Ants aren’t all bad. They help to clean up dead animals and naturally create topsoil as they burrow into the ground. But they can also pose a danger to you and your home.

Ant bites aren’t only annoying, they can trigger an allergic reaction in some people. A typical ant bite can cause pain and discomfort, but bites from a fire ant can lead to difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, nausea, and dizziness. While fire ants pack a big sting, other ants can do different types of damage.

Carpenter ants, similar to termites, can cause damage to your home’s walls, decks, doorframes, and other wooden materials. These ants create nests in wooden areas that are moist and starting to decay and cause damage by tunneling through the wood.

But if your home has become infested with ants, don’t worry. Getting rid of them is fast, easy, and cheap. Most of our suggestions below use ingredients that are safe to use around babies and pets. Here are some home remedies to quickly and successfully rid your house of ants.

How to Get Rid of Ants

  • White vinegar: Mix a solution of one part white vinegar to one part water or just use straight vinegar. Wipe your counters, tables, appliances, and jars with the solution to kill ants and prevent them from returning. Although you won’t be able to smell the scent after a while, ants will.
  • Hand soap: Spray a soapy water solution into holes and crevices that may be the entry point for ants in your home. Soap is an effective remedy for preventing ants from entering your home because it removes the scent of ant pheromones, which ants use to communicate with each other.

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