This phrase is often used when people tell things about themselves that others might not know. And, it’s usually not-such-great-stuff (therefore, “dirty”) that they share. The intent is to air all of your dirt so you feel better. Thus, “airing your dirty laundry.”

This time, however, we’re talking about real laundry. Dirty clothes that were washed and then placed in your dryer. The next time you do your laundry, consider this information.

According to the  National Fire Protection Association (NFPA),  dryers and washing machines were involved in one out of every 23 home structure fires reported in 2003-2006 (most recent statistics). Dryers accounted for 92% of the fires, washing machines, 4% and washer/dryer combos, 3%, for a total of $194 million in property damage!

Failure to clean the appliances is the leading cause of these fires!

To help you prevent fires related to washing machines and dryers, here are 5 safety tips:

1.       Do not use the dryer without a lint filter.

2.       Clean the lint filter before or after each load of laundry.

3.       Remove lint that has collected around the drum.

4.       Don’t overload your dryer.

5.       Turn the dryer off if you leave home or when you go to bed.

For additional washer and dryer safety tips, visit the NFPA website.

No one expects to have a fire. Similar to a car accident – no one anticipates one, but there certainly are a lot of them every day! Take precautions. Also have a home inventory. Then, if you do have a fire, you’ll be able to recover quickly and with a greater insurance settlement.

Are you prepared? A business continuity plan is essential. The Houston Area Research Center cites these statistics in support of the investment of time and money into creating a plan:

• 35–40% of businesses without a continuity plan never reopen when disrupted by a disaster.
• Every dollar spent on disaster preparedness saves $7 in recovering disaster related economic losses.

Your ability to reopen quickly is imperative. The sooner you are back in business, the less you’ll suffer from lost revenues. Customers will be retained because they are aware you’re down time will be minimal. And, extremely important, is how this will impact your employees. As a business owner, you’ll want to get them all back to work so they don’t experience a financial hardship for their families.

When creating your business continuity plan, there are many questions to ask and then answer. Here are my top 10:

1. What disasters could we face (natural and man-made)?
2. What operations are critical to open quickly?
3. Do we have a data backup in place to be able to access our records from any location?
4. Who are our key resources (utilities, insurance agent, CPA, etc.)?
5. Who are our key suppliers and do they have a business continuity plan?
6. Do we have a relationship established to ensure we will be one of the first served if we experience a wide-spread disaster (tornado or flood vs. one-building fire)?
7. Where can we set up a temporary location, and who will direct the process?
8. What supplies, inventory and equipment will be needed immediately?
9. Is our employee call chain up to date, and does each employee know what their role is in our disaster plan?
10. Do we have an inventory of all of our assets so we can complete an insurance claim quickly and thoroughly, and maximize the claim for proper financial recovery?

Though this is just the tip of the iceberg in business continuity planning, it is a good start to begin the necessary steps for preparedness. Without a plan, the odds are far greater that you will not re-open if you’re forced to close.

The big question is, do you know how many pots, pans, mixing bowls and baking dishes you own? During this month, while you’re having fun baking with your family, pay attention to how many of these items you’ve collected over the years. I’m sure you’ll be surprised.

Next, look at your drawers of utensils. Again, you probably wouldn’t be able to list them all, especially after a disaster. And if you have the high-end brands, you’re even looking at the chance for a higher loss than if all were purchased at a discount store.

The last thing to consider is your mixer. Do you own a hand mixer or a top of the line counter top model? And possibly a full set of accessories as well?

Often there is a lot of money spent on kitchen items. They are frequently forgotten because they become part of every day life to where they become “part of the landscape.” On the opposite side of the issue, they are used so rarely that you forget you even own them, let alone be able to name the manufacturer and the model number and serial number.

List all of these items while you have them out, mixing your favorite cookies, cakes and brownies. This will be a good start on creating your home inventory.