After June 29th, in NC it will no longer be legal to perform installations or repairs on irrigation systems unless you are a licensed irrigation contractor. There are a few exceptions to this rule but not many. And to receive your license, you will need to provide the state of North Carolina with a $10,000 Surety Bond. Who needs this bond and why does the state of NC require it?
The North Carolina irrigation contractors license bond is a requirement for any contractor wishing to obtain the NC irrigation contractors license. No exceptions there. If you want the license, you will need the bond.
But why does the state of North Carolina want each licensed contractor to have this NC irrigation license bond? Well, the answer is that if you break the law in the process of installing an irrigation system, and if your actions cause a loss for your clients, the state of NC wants to know that you have some surety that these problems you have caused will be solved. To that end, they have asked for this bond. The bond has a limit of $10,000 and it allows direct action against the bond company for losses caused as a result of your violation of the law.
Remember, the irrigation license bond is not insurance per se. It is a financial guaranty that you will respond and correct the problems you may have caused by violation of the new laws. But if the bonding company has to pay a claim, they will have rights to a judgment against you for that same claim. They will then own the claim that your client had against you.
While the bond is a requirement of the licensing process, it is not designed to protect your assets from loss. Every irrigation contractor should have general liability insurance, workers compensation insurance as well as commercial auto and perhaps even equipment and tools coverage. At Clinard Insurance Group, in Winston Salem, NC we specialize in helping all kinds of landscaping contractors with their insurance needs. If you have any questions about the nc irrigation contractors license bond or about your other insurance needs, please visit us on line at our landscapers site, or call us, toll free at 877-687-7557.
The source information for this article was pulled from www.insuranceanswerguy.com.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
NC Irrigation Contractors – Are You Grandfathered In?
If you are installing irrigation systems in North Carolina and you want to continue to do it after June 29, 2009, then you will need to get your NC Irrigation Contractors License. One of the requirements for this license is that you pass a test which will test your knowledge of installation and repair best practices for irrigation systems.. But for some contractors there is a way around the test. This falls under the grandfather clause.
Basically, there are 3 sections under the grandfather clause that might allow a contractor to avoid taking this test. They are referred to as Section 2, Section 3 and Section 4.
Section 2 allows those who had previously obtained a CIC (Certified Irrigation Contractor) designation or a CID (Certified Irrigation Designer) designation to avoid taking this test. Of course those with this status will have to meet all of the other qualifications for licensure.
Section 3 allows anyone who is a registered landscape contractor under Chapter 89D of the General Statutes or any licensed plumbing contractor under Article 2 of Chapter 87 to avoid the test requirement. This particular grandfathering rule has some irrigation contractors frustrated and rightly so. Installing irrigation systems in a manner that will conserve water and still properly nurish the plants they are designed to water is not necessarily something a plumbing contractor would understand or have experience doing. If the goal of this new license is to make sure that we clean up the less experienced irrigation system installers, then this grandfather clause would seem to work at cross purposes with the overall goals of this license.
Section 4 allows anyone who can document 10 years in business as an irrigation contractor as of Jan 1, 2009 to avoid the test. The documentation process will be rigorous to be sure. While I understand why this section was inserted in the law, I think like section 3, this may not serve the public in the way that this law was designed to do. If you were a poor installer without skills in the first place, then perhaps you should be forced to take the test and learn the techniques that help irrigation systems conserve water.
In addition to the test, this license will require the irrigation contractors to submit a bond to the state of North Carolina. To get your NC Irrigation Bond set up, visit us on the web at http://www.ncirrigationbond.com. At Clinard Insurance Group, we specialize in helping landscaping contractors of all stripes and we can help you get this bond set up in 9 minutes or less and get you off the phone and back to work serving your clients. If you want more information on all kinds of insurance for landscapers, please visit our landscape contractors web site, or call us, toll free, at 877-687-7557.
Information for this article can be found at http://www.insuranceanswerguy.com
Basically, there are 3 sections under the grandfather clause that might allow a contractor to avoid taking this test. They are referred to as Section 2, Section 3 and Section 4.
Section 2 allows those who had previously obtained a CIC (Certified Irrigation Contractor) designation or a CID (Certified Irrigation Designer) designation to avoid taking this test. Of course those with this status will have to meet all of the other qualifications for licensure.
Section 3 allows anyone who is a registered landscape contractor under Chapter 89D of the General Statutes or any licensed plumbing contractor under Article 2 of Chapter 87 to avoid the test requirement. This particular grandfathering rule has some irrigation contractors frustrated and rightly so. Installing irrigation systems in a manner that will conserve water and still properly nurish the plants they are designed to water is not necessarily something a plumbing contractor would understand or have experience doing. If the goal of this new license is to make sure that we clean up the less experienced irrigation system installers, then this grandfather clause would seem to work at cross purposes with the overall goals of this license.
Section 4 allows anyone who can document 10 years in business as an irrigation contractor as of Jan 1, 2009 to avoid the test. The documentation process will be rigorous to be sure. While I understand why this section was inserted in the law, I think like section 3, this may not serve the public in the way that this law was designed to do. If you were a poor installer without skills in the first place, then perhaps you should be forced to take the test and learn the techniques that help irrigation systems conserve water.
In addition to the test, this license will require the irrigation contractors to submit a bond to the state of North Carolina. To get your NC Irrigation Bond set up, visit us on the web at http://www.ncirrigationbond.com. At Clinard Insurance Group, we specialize in helping landscaping contractors of all stripes and we can help you get this bond set up in 9 minutes or less and get you off the phone and back to work serving your clients. If you want more information on all kinds of insurance for landscapers, please visit our landscape contractors web site, or call us, toll free, at 877-687-7557.
Information for this article can be found at http://www.insuranceanswerguy.com
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Product Recalls – How Can You Keep Up?
The Consumer Product Safety Commission will point to the growing number of product recalls and tell you that their system of oversight is working. But consumer compliance with recalls is often as low as 15%. Are people just not getting the message? Is it just too much of a hassle?
There are lots of reasons; many recall notices are low tech and require the consumer to discover the recall on their own, some recalls require the consumer to disassemble the product and ship it back and let’s face it, few people will go to that trouble for a large item. Of course many products are bought used at yard sales and on ebay and those consumers have no connection with the manufacturer so they will never be notified of a recall.
Recent changes signed into law by President Bush will help this problem a bit but really more steps are needed. Much of the manufacturing rules are voluntary and the ways that the manufacturer is required to notify the consumer is often not efficient. So what can you do to protect yourself and your family from using a dangerous or defective product?
Well one way is to check the recalls yourself. You can sign up for automatic alerts from the Consumer Product Safety Commission by going to www.cpsc.gov. Another site that has a broad range of recalled product is www.recalls.com. If you suspect a specific product of having a recall posted, you can visit the retailer or the manufacturer’s web site for this information.
At Clinard Insurance Group in Winston Salem, NC, we want all consumers to be informed and safe. There are hidden dangers in every insurance policy that you purchase as well. Insurance is not a do it yourself product, please get help from a licensed professional agent. If we can be of any help to you with any of your insurance policies from car insurance to home insurance or life insurance or business insurance, please call our office toll free at 877-687-7557 or visit us on the web at http://www.ClinardInsurance.com.
The source information for this article was pulled from http://www.insuranceanswerguy.com
There are lots of reasons; many recall notices are low tech and require the consumer to discover the recall on their own, some recalls require the consumer to disassemble the product and ship it back and let’s face it, few people will go to that trouble for a large item. Of course many products are bought used at yard sales and on ebay and those consumers have no connection with the manufacturer so they will never be notified of a recall.
Recent changes signed into law by President Bush will help this problem a bit but really more steps are needed. Much of the manufacturing rules are voluntary and the ways that the manufacturer is required to notify the consumer is often not efficient. So what can you do to protect yourself and your family from using a dangerous or defective product?
Well one way is to check the recalls yourself. You can sign up for automatic alerts from the Consumer Product Safety Commission by going to www.cpsc.gov. Another site that has a broad range of recalled product is www.recalls.com. If you suspect a specific product of having a recall posted, you can visit the retailer or the manufacturer’s web site for this information.
At Clinard Insurance Group in Winston Salem, NC, we want all consumers to be informed and safe. There are hidden dangers in every insurance policy that you purchase as well. Insurance is not a do it yourself product, please get help from a licensed professional agent. If we can be of any help to you with any of your insurance policies from car insurance to home insurance or life insurance or business insurance, please call our office toll free at 877-687-7557 or visit us on the web at http://www.ClinardInsurance.com.
The source information for this article was pulled from http://www.insuranceanswerguy.com
Friday, June 5, 2009
Contractors – Prepare For The Impact Of Your Uninsured Subcontractors
Uninsured subcontractors are often just a necessary evil in some types of construction jobs. But if you are the contractor who is hiring extra help, and this help is uninsured, you should know what you need to do on the front end to be sure that this cheap labor option doesn’t turn out to be the most expensive help you’ve ever hired. Understanding exactly how uninsured subs will affect your general liability insurance policy and your workers compensation insurance policy is key to reducing your risks and your costs. At Clinard Insurance Group in Winston Salem NC, we specialize in helping all kinds of contractors with their construction insurance policies. And we want to make sure that all of our insurance clients avoid the nasty surprises that often come along with hiring uninsured subcontractors.
There are really three ways that the subcontractors that you hire that have no insurance policies in force can hurt you. The first is the classification audit trap. The second is the insurance coverage punch, and the third is the out of control large loss problem. Let’s take them one at a time.
First up is the classification audit trap. Two of the main insurance policies for contractors are the general liability policy and the workers compensation policy. The North Carolina general liability policy and the North Carolina work comp policy both compute the premium due by using payroll as the rating basis. If you hire a subcontractor to work for you, you can provide a certificate of insurance for that subcontractor and anything that you have paid that subcontractor will not be charged against you as payroll at the end of your policy term when the policy is audited by the insurance company. Likewise, if you can’t provide a certificate of insurance for that sub, then you are going to have to add the entire job cost paid out to that sub as payroll. You can protect yourself against this going in by withholding an amount for insurance from the payment you make to the sub. But, beware, the general liability policy and the workers compensation policy both have different rates for different kinds of work. If you are a carpenter and you hire a roofing contractor to work for you to do roofing work, you won’t be protected from the audit trap by using the rate shown on your policy. That’s because the rate for the roofer is much higher than that for a carpenter. If you are unsure of what to withhold, either demand that your sub get insurance, or call your agent to find out what the correct amount per $100 of payroll should be withheld. As you can see, this is a tricky business and if you don’t pay attention to the details and do your homework, you will get burned and will be overpaying for your general liability and workers compensation policies.
Now let’s take a quick look at the insurance coverage punch. Hiring an uninsured subcontractor is a big no no from the insurance company underwriter’s viewpoint. This is because the underwriter immediately assumes that you don’t have the same control over a subcontractor that you do over your own employees. This means that losses are more likely from an uninsured subcontractor. The underwriter will view your uninsured subs as big liabilities that make you a less attractive risk to the insurance company. This means that when your audit comes in with uninsured subs listed, the underwriter will be less generous with discounts and you may actually see your rates go up for all of your insurance policies from you commercial auto to your general liability to your workers compensation policy. Once again the real message to you is that you should not hire uninsured subs.
Last of all, we have the out of control large loss problem. While you might want to argue against it, statistically is it true that you have less control over your subcontractors. And that not only means that they are more likely to cause losses on your policies, it also means that they are more likely to generate losses which are not covered by your policy. Does your policy have an exclusion for the type of work they are doing? Will the losses they cause exceed your coverage limit? The answer to both of these questions could well be yes. Ask yourself why your uninsured subs don’t have insurance protection. Is it because they are deemed uninsurable by underwriters? If so, why are you letting them have a free ride on your policy at the risk of damaging your ability to purchase insurance in the future?
The truth is that hiring an uninsured contractor to work on your projects is risky and in some cases just plain costly. If you can avoid this type of practice you will be better off from and insurance standpoint every time. At Clinard Insurance Group in Winston Salem, NC, we work hard to make sure that our contractors understand the ins and outs of their policies and the best practices they should put in place. If you have any questions about workers compensation insurance, general liability insurance or any other business insurance policy, please feel free to call us, toll free, at 877-687-7557 or visit us on the web at http://www.ClinardInsurance.com.
The source information for this article was drawn from the informative blogs at www.insuranceanswerguy.com
There are really three ways that the subcontractors that you hire that have no insurance policies in force can hurt you. The first is the classification audit trap. The second is the insurance coverage punch, and the third is the out of control large loss problem. Let’s take them one at a time.
First up is the classification audit trap. Two of the main insurance policies for contractors are the general liability policy and the workers compensation policy. The North Carolina general liability policy and the North Carolina work comp policy both compute the premium due by using payroll as the rating basis. If you hire a subcontractor to work for you, you can provide a certificate of insurance for that subcontractor and anything that you have paid that subcontractor will not be charged against you as payroll at the end of your policy term when the policy is audited by the insurance company. Likewise, if you can’t provide a certificate of insurance for that sub, then you are going to have to add the entire job cost paid out to that sub as payroll. You can protect yourself against this going in by withholding an amount for insurance from the payment you make to the sub. But, beware, the general liability policy and the workers compensation policy both have different rates for different kinds of work. If you are a carpenter and you hire a roofing contractor to work for you to do roofing work, you won’t be protected from the audit trap by using the rate shown on your policy. That’s because the rate for the roofer is much higher than that for a carpenter. If you are unsure of what to withhold, either demand that your sub get insurance, or call your agent to find out what the correct amount per $100 of payroll should be withheld. As you can see, this is a tricky business and if you don’t pay attention to the details and do your homework, you will get burned and will be overpaying for your general liability and workers compensation policies.
Now let’s take a quick look at the insurance coverage punch. Hiring an uninsured subcontractor is a big no no from the insurance company underwriter’s viewpoint. This is because the underwriter immediately assumes that you don’t have the same control over a subcontractor that you do over your own employees. This means that losses are more likely from an uninsured subcontractor. The underwriter will view your uninsured subs as big liabilities that make you a less attractive risk to the insurance company. This means that when your audit comes in with uninsured subs listed, the underwriter will be less generous with discounts and you may actually see your rates go up for all of your insurance policies from you commercial auto to your general liability to your workers compensation policy. Once again the real message to you is that you should not hire uninsured subs.
Last of all, we have the out of control large loss problem. While you might want to argue against it, statistically is it true that you have less control over your subcontractors. And that not only means that they are more likely to cause losses on your policies, it also means that they are more likely to generate losses which are not covered by your policy. Does your policy have an exclusion for the type of work they are doing? Will the losses they cause exceed your coverage limit? The answer to both of these questions could well be yes. Ask yourself why your uninsured subs don’t have insurance protection. Is it because they are deemed uninsurable by underwriters? If so, why are you letting them have a free ride on your policy at the risk of damaging your ability to purchase insurance in the future?
The truth is that hiring an uninsured contractor to work on your projects is risky and in some cases just plain costly. If you can avoid this type of practice you will be better off from and insurance standpoint every time. At Clinard Insurance Group in Winston Salem, NC, we work hard to make sure that our contractors understand the ins and outs of their policies and the best practices they should put in place. If you have any questions about workers compensation insurance, general liability insurance or any other business insurance policy, please feel free to call us, toll free, at 877-687-7557 or visit us on the web at http://www.ClinardInsurance.com.
The source information for this article was drawn from the informative blogs at www.insuranceanswerguy.com
Thursday, June 4, 2009
The North Carolina Personal Auto Policy – There’s A Hidden Gem In There
If you have a car that is tagged in the state of North Carolina, then you almost certainly have a NC auto insurance policy to cover that car. While car insurance seems like a necessary evil, there is a hidden gem of a coverage in there that might be something that could come in handy for you. At Clinard Insurance Group in Winston Salem, NC, we want all insurance consumers to be informed consumers so take a moment to read this short article to discover and inexpensive coverage that might be a big help to you someday.
The coverage that many people don’t know about but might be of great benefit to them is called towing and labor coverage. This is an add on benefit to your policy that will pay the costs of towing your car after a breakdown or accident, or pay the cost to of labor to have a mechanic come out to your vehicle breakdown site and help you get your car started again. So if you needed a jump start and had to call a mechanic for help, the labor costs associated with this would be covered and if they had to tow your vehicle, then the towing charges would be covered as well.
So what does this cost? In North Carolina the towing and labor coverage on your policy has three different limits so first of all you must choose the limit that will apply to any one breakdown event. Your choices are $100, $50, and $25. The cost per year, per vehicle are $6 for the $100 limit, $4 for the $50 limit and $2 for the $25 limit. Remember that in order to add this coverage to your policy, you must have comprehensive coverage or collision or both on that vehicle beforehand.
You might be thinking that this is not such a great deal because if you file a claim, then the insurance company will probably just raise your rates. Not true. Insurance companies in NC cannot raise your premiums for filing towing and labor claims. If you file too many claims, their only option is to remove the towing and labor coverage from your policy. High claim frequency for just towing and labor coverage will almost never impact the general underwriting opinion of your full auto policy in the company’s eyes.
So take a moment to pull out your auto insurance policy and check to see if you have towing and labor coverage. If you think this coverage is a good deal and might benefit you, call your agent and ask them to add the coverage. In some cases, the additional premium for adding this protection will be below the insurance company’s billing threshold so you won’t even be charged until the next renewal.
At Clinard Insurance Group in Winston Salem, NC, we specialize in helping families all across North Carolina with their insurance needs. If we can be of help to you, or if just want a no charge insurance “second opinion” on your car insurance or your home insurance, please give us a call, toll free, at 877-687-7557 or visit us on the web at www.ClinardInsurance.com.
The source information for this article was drawn from information on the blog at www.InsuranceAnswerGuy.com.
The coverage that many people don’t know about but might be of great benefit to them is called towing and labor coverage. This is an add on benefit to your policy that will pay the costs of towing your car after a breakdown or accident, or pay the cost to of labor to have a mechanic come out to your vehicle breakdown site and help you get your car started again. So if you needed a jump start and had to call a mechanic for help, the labor costs associated with this would be covered and if they had to tow your vehicle, then the towing charges would be covered as well.
So what does this cost? In North Carolina the towing and labor coverage on your policy has three different limits so first of all you must choose the limit that will apply to any one breakdown event. Your choices are $100, $50, and $25. The cost per year, per vehicle are $6 for the $100 limit, $4 for the $50 limit and $2 for the $25 limit. Remember that in order to add this coverage to your policy, you must have comprehensive coverage or collision or both on that vehicle beforehand.
You might be thinking that this is not such a great deal because if you file a claim, then the insurance company will probably just raise your rates. Not true. Insurance companies in NC cannot raise your premiums for filing towing and labor claims. If you file too many claims, their only option is to remove the towing and labor coverage from your policy. High claim frequency for just towing and labor coverage will almost never impact the general underwriting opinion of your full auto policy in the company’s eyes.
So take a moment to pull out your auto insurance policy and check to see if you have towing and labor coverage. If you think this coverage is a good deal and might benefit you, call your agent and ask them to add the coverage. In some cases, the additional premium for adding this protection will be below the insurance company’s billing threshold so you won’t even be charged until the next renewal.
At Clinard Insurance Group in Winston Salem, NC, we specialize in helping families all across North Carolina with their insurance needs. If we can be of help to you, or if just want a no charge insurance “second opinion” on your car insurance or your home insurance, please give us a call, toll free, at 877-687-7557 or visit us on the web at www.ClinardInsurance.com.
The source information for this article was drawn from information on the blog at www.InsuranceAnswerGuy.com.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Homeowners Insurance – don’t let that escrow account bite you.
As a convenience (and a way to earn more money for bankers) the insurance escrow system was set up many years ago. This technique of having your home insurance policy premiums paid by your mortgage servicing company looks like a great deal for the consumer but in fact there are several traps in this procedure that the smart consumer must avoid. At Clinard Insurance Group, in Winston Salem, NC, we want all insurance buyers to be informed consumers so if you have an escrow account associated with your home mortgage, read this short article to make sure you stay out of these traps.
First of all, even though the escrow account seems like a real convenience for the consumer, keep in mind that the banks make money on these accounts and so they cost the consumer money. Sure, you have your insurance and taxes etc rolled up in your monthly house payment but remember that the bank has collected all of this money (usually 16 months or more of expenses) ahead of time. In other words, they are making interest on your money. In addition, if you have scheduled items on your homeowners insurance policy like jewelry, or fine arts, the bank is escrowing funds ahead of time on the premium associated with these items when these items, along with your personal contents inside the home, are not what you borrowed money against in the first place.
The real problem with your escrow account paying your homeowners insurance premium is that it puts your homeowners policy into “out of sight, out of mind” mode. This is dangerous for several reasons. Most people, upon receiving their annual homeowners renewal policy don’t even give it a sidelong glance, they just toss it in their insurance file. But, these same people, when forced to get the checkbook out and pay for that home insurance policy renewal bill, then take the time to look at the bill and hopefully ask questions. Questions like – “How does this renewal premium compare to what I paid last year?” and “How much coverage am I buying when I write the check to the insurance company for this renewal?” This should eventually prompt a call to their insurance agent to get these questions answered.
At Clinard Insurance Group, we often find with our new clients coming to us to purchase homeowners insurance, that if their policy has been paid by escrow for many years, they are often paying far too much for their insurance coverage and in some cases they have too little protection because they haven’t taken the time to review and update their policy each year. If your homeowners insurance policy is paid each year by your escrow account, then it is important that you take the time to review your coverage with your personal agent each year to make sure that your rates are staying competitive and that your coverage amounts are appropriate for your situation. If you have any questions at all about your homeowners insurance in North Carolina, please call us toll free at 877-687-7557 or visit us on the web at http://www.ClinardInsurance.com.
The information for this article was collected from the website blog, www.insuranceanswerguy.com.
First of all, even though the escrow account seems like a real convenience for the consumer, keep in mind that the banks make money on these accounts and so they cost the consumer money. Sure, you have your insurance and taxes etc rolled up in your monthly house payment but remember that the bank has collected all of this money (usually 16 months or more of expenses) ahead of time. In other words, they are making interest on your money. In addition, if you have scheduled items on your homeowners insurance policy like jewelry, or fine arts, the bank is escrowing funds ahead of time on the premium associated with these items when these items, along with your personal contents inside the home, are not what you borrowed money against in the first place.
The real problem with your escrow account paying your homeowners insurance premium is that it puts your homeowners policy into “out of sight, out of mind” mode. This is dangerous for several reasons. Most people, upon receiving their annual homeowners renewal policy don’t even give it a sidelong glance, they just toss it in their insurance file. But, these same people, when forced to get the checkbook out and pay for that home insurance policy renewal bill, then take the time to look at the bill and hopefully ask questions. Questions like – “How does this renewal premium compare to what I paid last year?” and “How much coverage am I buying when I write the check to the insurance company for this renewal?” This should eventually prompt a call to their insurance agent to get these questions answered.
At Clinard Insurance Group, we often find with our new clients coming to us to purchase homeowners insurance, that if their policy has been paid by escrow for many years, they are often paying far too much for their insurance coverage and in some cases they have too little protection because they haven’t taken the time to review and update their policy each year. If your homeowners insurance policy is paid each year by your escrow account, then it is important that you take the time to review your coverage with your personal agent each year to make sure that your rates are staying competitive and that your coverage amounts are appropriate for your situation. If you have any questions at all about your homeowners insurance in North Carolina, please call us toll free at 877-687-7557 or visit us on the web at http://www.ClinardInsurance.com.
The information for this article was collected from the website blog, www.insuranceanswerguy.com.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Tips For Making Your Cell Phone Battery Last
Every time you get a new phone you find more and more features crammed into this tiny device. For the most part, this is a good thing, except that these features are a drain on your phone’s battery and the battery technology has not kept up with the increase features. So what do you do when you need to conserve your phone battery because you are away from home or away from your charger?
Here are some tips and tricks that might help you make your phone battery last a bit longer when you need it the most.
Disconnect What You Don’t Need.
Many phones come with an option to connect to a Bluetooth device, such as a headset or hands free speaker in your car. When the Bluetooth is turned on, the phone is constantly searching for the Bluetooth devices and this can drain power. Also, if your phone has the ability to connect to the internet by a Wi-Fi wireless device, you can turn that off as well when you don’t need it.
The Apple Iphone comes with the option to switch between 2G or 3G mobile technology. Switching to 2G will slow down your internet connection and make Web surfing slower but it will increase your battery life tremendously.
Pull That Memory Card
Many phones now feature slots for external memory cards to carry photos and music. The phone uses a small amount of power to access those memory cards even when you are not using them. Therefore, if you are trying to conserve battery life and you don’t need to access the memory card, take it out of the phone.
Slow Down Email Updates
If your phone has email capability, then this feature can drain your battery even when you are not sending or receiving any emails. This is because the phone is going out and checking for updates on your email very often. If your phone uses Windows Mobile, you can change the frequency of the email updates and this will extend your battery life considerably.
Don’t Work That Antenna To Death
Believe it or not, your phone’s antennae requires battery strength as well. If your phone is dying, make it easier for the antennae to do its job. Keep your phone out in the open. Putting it in your pocket or purse will require more battery power for the antennae to function. Also, when you are using the phone, pay attention to where the antennae is so that you don’t block it with your hand. And if you are in an area where your phone is roaming or has poor service, then turning it off may save more battery than letting it roam continuously. Roaming is a big drain on battery life.
Final Tips
Get in the habit of dimming the backlight on the screen when you aren’t using it. Backlighting for one minute is roughly the battery use equivalent of one hour of standby time. Also, keep in mind that setting the phone to vibrate means more power use. Vibrate uses more power than a regular ringtone so only use the vibrate mode when you simply can’t avoid it. And last of all, keep the phone cool. Phones are designed to run best at 77 degrees Fahrenheit. The battery is more sensitive to heat than cold and on average a temperature increase of 5 degrees will cause your phone to lose 5% more power. So if you can, don’t leave your phone in the sun or in a hot car.
By combining all of these tips and tricks, you may find that you can more than double the battery life on your phone.
At Clinard Insurance Group in Winston Salem, NC, we work hard to give our clients a much richer experience than simply a monthly insurance bill. To see just what free products and service we provide our clients, visit our wiify page. To read more of our lifestyle tips and tricks, please visit our lifestyle blog at http://www.clinardinsurance.com/lifestyle/tabid/32965/default.aspx
The information for this article was sourced from the Clinard Insurance Group lifestyle tips and tricks blog.
Here are some tips and tricks that might help you make your phone battery last a bit longer when you need it the most.
Disconnect What You Don’t Need.
Many phones come with an option to connect to a Bluetooth device, such as a headset or hands free speaker in your car. When the Bluetooth is turned on, the phone is constantly searching for the Bluetooth devices and this can drain power. Also, if your phone has the ability to connect to the internet by a Wi-Fi wireless device, you can turn that off as well when you don’t need it.
The Apple Iphone comes with the option to switch between 2G or 3G mobile technology. Switching to 2G will slow down your internet connection and make Web surfing slower but it will increase your battery life tremendously.
Pull That Memory Card
Many phones now feature slots for external memory cards to carry photos and music. The phone uses a small amount of power to access those memory cards even when you are not using them. Therefore, if you are trying to conserve battery life and you don’t need to access the memory card, take it out of the phone.
Slow Down Email Updates
If your phone has email capability, then this feature can drain your battery even when you are not sending or receiving any emails. This is because the phone is going out and checking for updates on your email very often. If your phone uses Windows Mobile, you can change the frequency of the email updates and this will extend your battery life considerably.
Don’t Work That Antenna To Death
Believe it or not, your phone’s antennae requires battery strength as well. If your phone is dying, make it easier for the antennae to do its job. Keep your phone out in the open. Putting it in your pocket or purse will require more battery power for the antennae to function. Also, when you are using the phone, pay attention to where the antennae is so that you don’t block it with your hand. And if you are in an area where your phone is roaming or has poor service, then turning it off may save more battery than letting it roam continuously. Roaming is a big drain on battery life.
Final Tips
Get in the habit of dimming the backlight on the screen when you aren’t using it. Backlighting for one minute is roughly the battery use equivalent of one hour of standby time. Also, keep in mind that setting the phone to vibrate means more power use. Vibrate uses more power than a regular ringtone so only use the vibrate mode when you simply can’t avoid it. And last of all, keep the phone cool. Phones are designed to run best at 77 degrees Fahrenheit. The battery is more sensitive to heat than cold and on average a temperature increase of 5 degrees will cause your phone to lose 5% more power. So if you can, don’t leave your phone in the sun or in a hot car.
By combining all of these tips and tricks, you may find that you can more than double the battery life on your phone.
At Clinard Insurance Group in Winston Salem, NC, we work hard to give our clients a much richer experience than simply a monthly insurance bill. To see just what free products and service we provide our clients, visit our wiify page. To read more of our lifestyle tips and tricks, please visit our lifestyle blog at http://www.clinardinsurance.com/lifestyle/tabid/32965/default.aspx
The information for this article was sourced from the Clinard Insurance Group lifestyle tips and tricks blog.
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