Clive Gillett, Author at APHW Windermere

APHW Employees Volunteer for Special Olympics

Posted on October 9, 2018 | by Clive Gillett

The smell of freshly mown grass. The sun on your face. The ball. The competition. The cheering fans. These are things most kids enjoy easily. While special needs children may have to work harder to enjoy it, they want to compete just as badly—and win.

“That’s what it’s all about,” said Donna, the America’s Preferred Home Warranty (APHW) employee who organized the company’s volunteers for the Special Olympics of Michigan 2018 State Fall Games. “It’s to show the world that yes, they may have a handicap or disability, but it doesn’t stop them from wanting to achieve what everyone else achieves in the world. They have wants and desires. They have goals, and being part of the Special Olympics helps them achieve some of those goals.”

The games were held September 28-30 in Ann Arbor, Canton, Chelsea, and Ypsilanti, Michigan. At first, Donna accepted the task because she felt APHW, which has donated to the cause in the past, should be represented. “We support this, so we should be out there as a team, showing our support,” she said. After attending the games, however, it became more than just being present.

“Going there and helping out and seeing the kids just made me feel really blessed,” she said. “I enjoyed seeing the kids go out and do things that people thought they couldn’t, watching them prove the stereotypes wrong.”

Donna’s efforts resulted in an additional nine volunteers attending the events, something the organizers were very appreciative of. “The new president of the organization, Tim Hileman, said that without the volunteers, the coaches and the athletes, the Special Olympics wouldn’t be there,” Donna said. “He escorted the person carrying the torch during the opening ceremonies. I felt blessed to be a part of it.”

Dave, who volunteered in the Flag Football games, was impressed at the joyful spirit of all the participants. “It was really fun seeing how the kids were into it,” he said. “It caused me to pause and reflect on what we take for granted.”

“It was so much fun!” said Arricca, who volunteered in the Skills Golf area. “Everyone who participated was in such a good mood, and just laughing and enjoying themselves. To be part of something that can bring them as much joy as they bring to the rest of the world is a real blessing.”

Need-to-Know Plumbing Tips for New Homeowners

Posted on October 2, 2018 | by Clive Gillett

When your toilet is overflowing, or a pipe is leaking (a LOT), wouldn’t it be nice to know how to stop the onslaught of water? Read on to learn this and other essential tips about household plumbing.

Shut It ALL Off

Do you know where your main shut off valve is? In the event of an emergency, shutting it off will stop the water flow to your entire home. Make sure you and your family members know where the main shutoff valve is, and how to turn it off, because even a half-inch of standing water can cause structural damage. If you know nothing else about plumbing, this will at least prevent further flood damage until a plumber can get there. It’s also your first step for major plumbing repairs.

Main shutoff valves can be found in a couple of places, depending on your home, its location, and your water source. Yours may have a handle you can manually turn clockwise to shut off, or you may have a bolt, which will need a wrench or other tool to grip and turn. If you aren’t able to locate the main shutoff yourself, take a look at your property inspection report; it should include the location and a photo. If you find you need a tool for the job, your local hardware store can help. Keep the tool near that main shutoff valve—just in case.

Keep It Localized

Household water supply sources (sinks, toilets, washing machines, etc.) typically have shutoff valves very close to where the water comes out, allowing you to stop the water flow in one place without stopping your entire home’s water supply (handy if someone is taking a shower but your leak is by the washing machine). When you first move in, go through the house and locate all of these valves. They will typically have brightly colored handles made out of plastic or chrome, located on the exposed piping leading to the source. Turn the handles clockwise to shut off the immediate water supply in the event of a leak or overflow.

Avoid blocking these valves with furniture or accessories, which can delay access when you need it most. You may want to invest in a set of slip-joint pliers as well, to make shutting these valves easier as handles can sometimes be in difficult locations to reach and turn.

Defend Your Pipes!

Whether it’s food in your kitchen sink or hair in the bathtub drain, most people immediately reach for the drain cleaner—but you may want to consider an alternative. Drain cleaner is highly caustic and can wear away your pipes over time, particularly if you experience clogs often.

Pour baking soda down the drain and follow it up with vinegar. This combination creates a substance that eats away at only organic matter and is much kinder to your pipes. Finish it off by pouring boiling water down the drain. Use drain cleaner only as a last resort, and be sure to follow the instructions to avoid unnecessary damage.

There’s still plenty to learn about plumbing, but if you know at least these things, you can save yourself a lot of hassle, and a LOT of money.

Check back soon for more homeowner tips!

How to Use a Whole House Fan

Posted on September 26, 2018 | by Clive Gillett

Do you know what a Whole House Fan is? I didn’t, until I moved into my current home. It came with one, and my real estate agent explained how it pulls the hot air up through the attic and forces it out through the attic vents—a handy way to cool things down quickly in the summer.

Here’s the thing: There’s actually a bit of a trick to using it—you shouldn’t just turn it on like a ceiling fan. So here are some quick tips to make your summer a breeze—literally!

Windows

If you’re going to pull air out of the house, you will need air to come in and replace it. Make sure you have a few windows open before you turn it on, or you could create something of a vacuum, causing your ears to pop and other potential discomforts.

You’ll find that how many and which windows you open is a bit of a balancing act, as well. If you only open one, you’ll create a wind tunnel way stronger than you intended. On the other hand, if you open too many windows, the air-pull will be too spread out and won’t cool as effectively. It will take some trial and error (as every home is different), but once you find a good balance, you can enjoy a beautiful light breeze.

Timing

Whole house fans are best to use when it is hot and dry—not when it’s humid. If you live in a dry climate, a whole house fan could save quite a bit off your electric bill compared to air conditioning. If you live in a climate that splits between dry and humid, stick with the A/C on humid days, and you can still save a healthy amount on the dry days with your whole house fan.

You’ll also want to use the whole house fan when it is cooler outside than inside, like when you get home from work and the house feels stifling because the sun has been beating down on it all day. Open a few windows and switch the fan on, and it’ll cool right down.

Lastly, don’t forget to clean it at least once a season, much like you would maintain an air conditioner.

Happy cooling!

America's Preferred Home Warranty, Jetted Tub Maintenance

How to Maintain Your Jetted Tub

Posted on September 18, 2018 | by Clive Gillett

Everybody loves to soak in a hot bath, especially if it happens to be in a jetted tub. Those extra goodies, though—they come with a little extra maintenance.

To help keep those jets running in good condition, you’ll want to perform these steps at least once every four months with rare use, or monthly with frequent use.

Fill the tub with hot water to a few inches above the jets and add about 2 cups of vinegar.
Run the jets on high for 10 to 15 minutes to cycle the solution through.
Turn off the jets and empty the tub.
Fill it again to the same level as before (only hot water this time) and run the jets on high for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Turn off the jets and empty the tub.
Sprinkle a healthy amount of baking soda over everything, let it sit for a few minutes, and then use a damp cloth to scrub everything down. Use a toothbrush to gently brush any remaining build-up from the nozzles. Don’t forget to remove the air-intake cover and give it a good soapy brushing, too, then rinse it and replace the cover.
Rinse everything thoroughly and enjoy your nice clean jetted tub!

Ah, the bubbly life. Enjoy your newly maintained jetted tub!

Call 888.351.3681 to get a home warranty today, or visit APHW.COM for more information!

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A Dusting Conundrum: Ceiling Fans

Posted on September 4, 2018 | by Clive Gillett

Ceiling fans — can’t live without ‘em, don’t want to clean them. They should just spin off any dust on them anyway… right?

Sad to say, ceiling fans are not self-cleaning. I don’t know about you, but I don’t spend much time looking upward, so they tend to get cleaned when a dust bunny hits me in the forehead. That’s when you get out a wet paper towel, give it a quick wipe and you’re done… right? Wrong.

Shoving dust off of your ceiling fan’s blades all willy-nilly will likely leave them unbalanced, and we all know how annoying an unbalanced fan is—creaking, clicking or whining as it spins. So here are some better options to choose from.

- For light dust, use your vacuum’s brush attachment and gently run it over the top and bottom of each blade (yes, there’s dust underneath too).

- Heavier dust bunnies need a little more heft. Start with step one, then fold a damp cloth (microfiber is best, but any soft cloth will typically do) over one side of a blade, and slowly pull it from one end to the other, applying equal pressure on the top and bottom of the blade to avoid warping. Rinse your cloth and repeat on the other side, and for the remaining blades.

No matter what method you use, DO NOT use heavy cleaners like bleach, as they will likely strip away the finish and cause warping. Also avoid any form of one-sided pressure on the blades from any direction.

Now that you know how to clean those fan blades, you’ll keep them sparkling, right?

(What? Dust bunnies can be cute…)

Call 888.351.3681 or visit APHW.COM today for more information about our home warranty!

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Swimming Pool Cleaning 101

Posted on August 21, 2018 | by Clive Gillett

It’s summer! Time to jump in to that gloriously cool, sparkling, green swimming pool! Wait… green?

Chlorine and filtration systems can only do so much to keep the water clean, so let’s get some elbow grease going and see what we need to keep it more on the blue side of the spectrum.

TELESCOPIC POLES
Step one: Scrubbing the bottom of the pool by yourself could get a bit uncomfortable, to say the least, so get yourself a Telescopic Pole. These extendable poles are a must for pool owners, allowing you to readily reach across and to the bottom of your pool from one spot, and they work with multiple attachments for different tasks. You’ll likely want a skimmer net, brushes & squeegees, and a vacuum head.

ATTACHMENTS
The Skimmer Net is useful in taking care of any sizeable debris that finds its way into your oasis. Your filtration system can handle a lot of tiny things, but the larger leaves and other various things that end up in the water can cause it to clog or, worse, run down the motor. Make sure you’re skimming out any excess leaves etc. at least every other day, if not daily.

Brushes and Squeegees allow you to give the walls and floor of your pool a good scrubbing. While chemicals can, and do, take care of a lot, debris like the leaves you skim away still leave behind heavier sediment, which can create a breeding ground for algae. Scrubbing down the walls and floor knocks most of it free so your filtration system can eat it up. This task is also every other day to daily.

The Vacuum Head does exactly what it sounds like: It vacuums the floor of your pool. The difference between it and a brush is that the vacuum catches what it knocks loose in a mesh bag rather than letting your filtration system handle it, extending the life of your filtration system.

WHEW!
This is probably sounding like a lot more work than you bargained for, so there are alternatives. One is to move somewhere without a pool. In lieu of that, though, you could invest in a Robotic Pool Cleaner. It does the same as the vacuum head, but without all the manual labor. You’ll still need to brush down the sides of your pool, and it does come with a higher price tag, but it might be worth the investment to you.

Have a great summer!!

It’s Just the Right Thing to Do

Posted on August 17, 2018 | by Clive Gillett

Randy Caltrider is a man who cares about his employees. The president and owner of America’s Preferred Home Warranty (APHW) is known for meeting and greeting every new staff member personally. What he’s lesser known for (outside of the company at least) are the lengths he goes to make sure this family—yes, family—is taken care of.

“Why God picked me I have no idea. All I know is I care about my people, and treat them like I want to be treated,” Randy said. “Family Fest is a way for us to show our employees and family members how much we care about them.”

APHW’s annual Family Fest involves the employees voting on a place to go, and Randy covering the cost of the visit for them and their immediate family members, along with customized shirts to commemorate the event.

This tradition has been in place for quite a while. “I remember the first one we had,” Randy said. “We had like five people, hamburgers and hotdogs in a park in Michigan.” APHW now has over 130 employees across the nation, most of whom work at the corporate headquarters in Jackson, Michigan—and Family Fest is as strong as ever.

According to APHW Marketing Manager Jeff Fett who organizes this event every year, APHW currently has 278 employees and family members attending this year’s trip to Mackinac Island, “…which is our largest Family Fest yet,” he said. The previous year had 256.

“The number one most important thing is our employees, and their ability to make our company great,” Randy said. “And they’ve done that. Everybody’s got a place and a responsibility, and they all do it very well and with a great attitude. Who would we be to not give back? So, this is a really big deal to me.”

Business minded individuals might question if this is all worth the cost. According to Randy, the evidence is in the people. “This isn’t about what it costs. All you’ve got to do is be there during lunch to watch the families, the joy and happiness,” Randy said. “They’re laughing and having fun.”

In the end, Randy just wants to be able to give back to his family. “I love people and I especially love my employees,” Randy said. “I’ve got this philosophy—I don’t own all of it anyhow. The employees are the ones that put us on the map, who do the hard tasks to get us ahead as a corporation in this world. They put their heart and soul into what they do, and they make us one of the greatest companies in America today.”

“Family Fest is about the ability to give back to them,” Randy said. “I want them to know we care.”

And they do.

Fund-Raising the Bar

Posted on August 2, 2018 | by Clive Gillett

It’s not uncommon for a company to raise money for a charity. Slightly less common is a company completely demolishing their previous year’s contribution. But a company that does both several years in a row? Now that’s downright rare—and America’s Preferred Home Warranty (APHW) has done it again.

The APHW family has a special place in its heart for cancer charities, particularly the Relay for Life. “The previous owner [of APHW] passed away from cancer,” said Heidi, captain of the APHW Relay for Life fundraising team, adding that the current president and owner of APHW, Randy Caltrider, has lost multiple family members to it as well. “One way or another, we are all connected with someone who has struggled with or survived cancer.”

The American Cancer Society charity is held annually in their hometown of Jackson, Michigan, and APHW has already blown past 2017’s total by more than $6,000—and they’re still going. “I’m really proud of the support that all the employees give to Relay,” Heidi said. “They continuously give, and show up, and are supportive. It’s very heartwarming.”

While APHW is still growing as a company (which certainly helps), the fundraising team’s incredible efforts are the real driving force behind everything raised. “We have fun with it,” Heidi said, listing off some of the fundraising events they’ve put together. “Spirit Day for the Michigan vs. Michigan State game, Halloween costume contests, food events like our Chili Cookoff and Cupcake Wars, monthly raffles—and we try to switch it up to make sure everyone has an opportunity to participate.” In the month of June alone they raised $812.23 by running Change Wars, an event where the winning team got a brownie party, and all anyone had to do was drop off their spare change (literally). Praise God for coin-counting machines!

All kidding aside, the team captain puts all the credit back on the staff and their willingness to give. “We wouldn’t be at our total without each and every employee that participates or donates,” Heidi said, “and I couldn’t be prouder of my coworkers.”

APHW’s fundraising efforts will continue until the final deadline of 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 4^th. After the totals are tallied and the crowds have gone home, it will start all over again—with an even higher goal.

God Has Blessed Us—So We Give Back

Posted on July 31, 2018 | by Clive Gillett

For those who receive much, much is expected in return. Luke 12:48

Randy Caltrider was 52 before he decided to look for a company of his own. America’s Preferred Home Warranty (APHW) caught his interest, and he met with then-owner Doris Anderson.

“I rode with her for a few days and visited her customers,” Randy said, learning how she had beaten cancer through her Christian faith. At the time, the price she quoted for the business was more than Randy could afford, so he had to step away from the deal—but the friendship remained.

“Unbeknownst to me,” Randy said, “her cancer had come back.” One day over lunch she told him she had to go get checked out, and they prayed together. Almost seven months later, Randy received a call from her husband, saying she had passed.

Cancer has been a very ugly thing for all of Randy’s life. He lost his mother to it in the 4^th grade, and many others over the years. His stepdaughter Crystal was only recently cleared of stage 4 breast cancer. So, he understood how Mr. Anderson felt. “He couldn’t set foot in the office anymore… she was his soulmate,” Randy said. Doris had spoken highly of Randy to her husband, however, and Mr. Anderson knew she would prefer APHW go to someone who would keep it in Jackson, Michigan. “He said if I came to meet with him, he’d make me a deal I couldn’t resist. I thought to myself, this must be a God thing,” Randy said.

APHW had a rough first year after Randy took over. “By February I was in trouble,” he said. “We did a lot of hours on our knees, praying.” In an effort to improve the situation he expanded into Indiana, Ohio, and North Carolina. As a result of that expansion, revenue tripled, and the company hasn’t stopped growing since.

“The Lord has really blessed us beyond measure. Even through the tough times we’ve experienced growth. People would ask me why, and I would say, ‘God Economics,’” Randy said, referring to the Bible verse Luke 12:48. “That’s why we’re able to give, and we give in a mighty way to cancer.”

APHW gives thousands every year to a variety of cancer charities, including the Relay for Life. Over the last 12 months the staff has raised nearly $14,000 for the relay through various events and raffles at the corporate office. With Randy’s contribution, the final amount will top over $41,000 at this year’s relay in Jackson, Michigan.

“It’s all about being able to help and give back to the community, for those people that can’t afford doctors,” Randy said. “I’m finally in a position where I can make a difference, and there’s a lot of people in this world that don’t have insurance or the ability to be involved with a good hospital. A lot of the dollars we give go toward that.”

“I’ve lost a lot of people in my life to cancer, so I have a burning desire to do everything we can to get rid of it. I get really excited when we as a corporation work so hard to raise the dollars we do. It takes a lot of organization and hard work—just thinking about what they give, it just amazes me,” Randy said. “We’ve got a great bunch of employees at APHW who have a heart to help other people,” he said. “And it’s an honor to serve them.”

Click here to learn more or get involved with the Relay for Life.

We’re Just Not the Vendor Type

Posted on July 26, 2018 | by Clive Gillett

Hi, I’m Luke Brock. You’re probably thinking, “You’re the home warranty guys.” We sure are. But we’re so much more.

As the Vice President of Strategic Accounts at America’s Preferred Home Warranty (APHW), I can tell you that a ‘vendor’ is a passive relationship. When it comes to vendors, everything that drives decision making has to do with pricing, products, services, and promotions—it is purely transactional. Because of that, there’s no focus on helping each other to accomplish goals and create synergy. There’s no deep value.

APHW walks a different path—as your business partner—to help Realtors® and real estate brokerages discover great opportunities. Business partners spend time working on things of strategic value together, helping each other to achieve goals and create win/win scenarios that drive success. It’s an active relationship.

You have choices when it comes to home warranties—you can even buy them online without ever talking to a live person. But here at APHW, we strive to be so much more than just a home warranty provider.

We want to be one of the pillars of your business. We develop a very specific program with your company as a core service partner. That’s profitability, sound risk management, training and development—we want to spend our time with you, talking about how we can help you reach your goals.

Our ClientSecure® program reduces your liability exposure, and our Real-Pro® app provides a fast and easy way to order warranties, saving you time. APHW continuing education courses add value to your agents while helping them increase profit. These are just the tip of the iceberg of ways we can help.

It’s the best feeling in the world, and why being your business partner is so important to me.

If your experience with home warranties doesn’t sound like this, feel free to reach out to me. Let’s have a conversation and see how we can help you and your business.