No matter where you choose to take your family swimming during the summer, there are a few basic water safety rules that you need to follow. The last thing that you should do, though, is become so comfortable with your surroundings that you allow members of your family to break these rules.
If you are fortunate enough to have a pool in your own backyard, you should make sure that none of your family runs around the pool for any reason, since this can lead to serious injury or even death in some cases. The worst case scenario is a child falling, hitting their head on the side, and drowning at the bottom of the pool.
You can avoid accidents involving small children around the pool if you enclose it with a fence and keep the gate locked at all times. You should do this not only to keep your own children safe from getting in the pool without your knowledge, but also because other children in your neighborhood can wander into your yard and possibly drown, leaving you responsible. This is a horrible thing that could happen, but it does.
Set rules for your children according to their level of swimming experience. They should be let to swim only in depths of water that you are completely comfortable with and those who have just recently started swimming should not be allowed into water that is higher than chest level.
You should also never dive into water that you do not know the depth of. Test the depth of the water physically. No one can tell the depth of a body of water just by looking at it, especially if it is clouded by mud and silt.
If you are swimming in an area such as a river, ocean, or creek, then there is local wildlife that you will have to contend with. Know the wildlife of the area that you may encounter and be prepared to deal with the situation should someone in your group come into contact with it.
Going boating requires that you have on life jackets at all times in most, if not all states in the United States, so make sure that you have them and some extra floatation devices, just in case.
The most important thing that you can learn to help protect your family is CPR and first aid. Lifeguards at city pools are trained in these things, but if you are going swimming in an area that does not have one, this is something that can save someone’s life. Consider taking a class on both subjects.
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Friday, January 25, 2008
A Few Sources Of Smoke Damage
Smoke damage to your home can come from a few different sources, but the main one is just an outright house fire. Having a good knowledge of fire safety and what should be considered fire hazards around your house is the best way to avoid this, so while we are going to give you a few fire safety tips, we will also tell you a couple of other sources of smoke damage to your home.
The most important place of the house to practice fire safety is the kitchen. Most fires start here and are usually due to clumsiness or simple carelessness that is almost completely avoidable. The first thing that you need to know is that you should never leave things in your kitchen unattended on the stove. Always try to leave someone to watch the cooking for you if you have to leave and if you do not have anyone that can stay, turn it off.
Grease fires are common occurrences in the kitchen, as well, and there are a few things to know about this. Heat any oil or grease that you are using slowly, since heating it too quickly can allow it to reach its smoke point before you can stop it, making it unsuitable for cooking. It gives the food a bad taste, so throwing it out is best. If it manages to catch on fire, you can use a pot lid to smother it with and this should work fairly well at putting it out. Grease fires also start under the burners sometimes if they have not been cleaned out as they should have been. You can use baking soda to put these small fires out with, but if it even remotely starts to get out of control, use your fire extinguisher. Every kitchen and household needs to have one.
Another source of smoke damage to your home is candles. If you burn a lot of candles or incense, the smoke has to cool and settle to the floor eventually and will become rubbed into the carpet as you walk across it. You can tell if you have this kind of damage if you move a piece of furniture that has been in the same spot for a while and the carpet is lighter.
Cigarettes and cigars are another source of this damage and the same principle that applies to the candles applies here. The best thing to do to prevent this is to just stop smoking, since it will affect your health.
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The most important place of the house to practice fire safety is the kitchen. Most fires start here and are usually due to clumsiness or simple carelessness that is almost completely avoidable. The first thing that you need to know is that you should never leave things in your kitchen unattended on the stove. Always try to leave someone to watch the cooking for you if you have to leave and if you do not have anyone that can stay, turn it off.
Grease fires are common occurrences in the kitchen, as well, and there are a few things to know about this. Heat any oil or grease that you are using slowly, since heating it too quickly can allow it to reach its smoke point before you can stop it, making it unsuitable for cooking. It gives the food a bad taste, so throwing it out is best. If it manages to catch on fire, you can use a pot lid to smother it with and this should work fairly well at putting it out. Grease fires also start under the burners sometimes if they have not been cleaned out as they should have been. You can use baking soda to put these small fires out with, but if it even remotely starts to get out of control, use your fire extinguisher. Every kitchen and household needs to have one.
Another source of smoke damage to your home is candles. If you burn a lot of candles or incense, the smoke has to cool and settle to the floor eventually and will become rubbed into the carpet as you walk across it. You can tell if you have this kind of damage if you move a piece of furniture that has been in the same spot for a while and the carpet is lighter.
Cigarettes and cigars are another source of this damage and the same principle that applies to the candles applies here. The best thing to do to prevent this is to just stop smoking, since it will affect your health.
Miami Water Damage Restoration and Miami,Boca Raton and Ft.Lauderdale water Damage Restoration
Your Christmas Tree Can Be A Fire Hazard
Most Christian people have Christmas trees in their home around December, but sometimes think about how pretty the tree is much more than they think about what kind of a hazard it presents to the home when it is improperly cared for. Even though a Christmas tree catching on fire does not happen very often, it still does, and by following a few rules, you can make sure that it does not happen to you.
The tree that you pick should be a fresh one and has next to no needles that are turning brown. They should also be difficult to pull off; if you run your fingers over the needles and they fall off easily, you need to find another tree. Pick up the tree and tap the bottom against the ground to see how many needles fall off. If a lot of the green needles fall off in addition to the brown ones, it has already started to dry out.
When you cut down a Christmas tree, you should never cut it at an angle because this affects the ability of the tree to absorb water. It will dry out much faster than it would if you cut it straight from one side to the other.
One of the first things you need to do is keep the tree watered regularly. A tree that does not receive enough water will dry out and this is the last thing that you want. After the tree starts to shed its needles after Christmas is over, it is time to get rid of it.
They should also not be placed near any source of heat like a fireplace, space heaters, or radiators. Christmas trees only take a moment to catch on fire and once they are, it can be almost impossible to put it out. This is why it is extremely important to make sure that it remains moist by giving it fresh water every day.
If you leave the home and there is not going to be anyone there, it is best to unplug the lights from the wall. You should also do this when you go to bed. It may not seem like the lights would cause that much of a risk, but even small light bulbs can start fires like this.
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The tree that you pick should be a fresh one and has next to no needles that are turning brown. They should also be difficult to pull off; if you run your fingers over the needles and they fall off easily, you need to find another tree. Pick up the tree and tap the bottom against the ground to see how many needles fall off. If a lot of the green needles fall off in addition to the brown ones, it has already started to dry out.
When you cut down a Christmas tree, you should never cut it at an angle because this affects the ability of the tree to absorb water. It will dry out much faster than it would if you cut it straight from one side to the other.
One of the first things you need to do is keep the tree watered regularly. A tree that does not receive enough water will dry out and this is the last thing that you want. After the tree starts to shed its needles after Christmas is over, it is time to get rid of it.
They should also not be placed near any source of heat like a fireplace, space heaters, or radiators. Christmas trees only take a moment to catch on fire and once they are, it can be almost impossible to put it out. This is why it is extremely important to make sure that it remains moist by giving it fresh water every day.
If you leave the home and there is not going to be anyone there, it is best to unplug the lights from the wall. You should also do this when you go to bed. It may not seem like the lights would cause that much of a risk, but even small light bulbs can start fires like this.
Miami Water Damage Restoration and Miami,Boca Raton and Ft.Lauderdale water Damage Restoration
Top Ways To Save Water
Clean water is a privilege that a large number of people throughout the world do not have, so when you use water in your home, remember those that are not as fortunate and try to conserve as much of it as you can. There are a few different ways to do this and we are here to give them to you.
You should realize that most showers use less water than bath tubs full of water do. Try to keep your shower under about 10 to 15 minutes and this will save about half a tub full. How much water you use in the shower will vary depending on how long you stay in there, so if you are in a hurry to get somewhere and need to bathe, avoid running a full tub of water when you will only be in it a few short minutes.
A showerhead that limits the amount of water being put out can also be used. These are not expensive and you can install them yourself.
Try to avoid having complicated shower systems installed in your home. These often end up using a lot more water than you actually need to get clean.
If you have a garden, you can capture some of the water in a bucket and use it to water plants. You can also do this with the water from your washing machine, as long as you do not use water that contains bleach.
Purchase sink plugs for all the sinks and tubs in your home and turn off faucets when you are not using them, even if it is only for a minute or so. Turning a faucet on and off may seem tedious and insignificant, but it adds up over time.
Try not to wash dishes unless there are enough of them dirty to need a full sink of dish water. You should also not to half loads in the dishwasher or the clothes washer, since each load uses the same amount of water to wash a load. Washing machines usually offer the option to wash smaller loads, but close to the same amount of electricity gets used to wash them, so you are better off doing only full loads.
Have any water leaks in your home fixed as soon as possible. This includes toilets that do not stop trying to fill themselves up.
As long as you follow these tips, you can save yourself hundreds of dollars a year.
You should realize that most showers use less water than bath tubs full of water do. Try to keep your shower under about 10 to 15 minutes and this will save about half a tub full. How much water you use in the shower will vary depending on how long you stay in there, so if you are in a hurry to get somewhere and need to bathe, avoid running a full tub of water when you will only be in it a few short minutes.
A showerhead that limits the amount of water being put out can also be used. These are not expensive and you can install them yourself.
Try to avoid having complicated shower systems installed in your home. These often end up using a lot more water than you actually need to get clean.
If you have a garden, you can capture some of the water in a bucket and use it to water plants. You can also do this with the water from your washing machine, as long as you do not use water that contains bleach.
Purchase sink plugs for all the sinks and tubs in your home and turn off faucets when you are not using them, even if it is only for a minute or so. Turning a faucet on and off may seem tedious and insignificant, but it adds up over time.
Try not to wash dishes unless there are enough of them dirty to need a full sink of dish water. You should also not to half loads in the dishwasher or the clothes washer, since each load uses the same amount of water to wash a load. Washing machines usually offer the option to wash smaller loads, but close to the same amount of electricity gets used to wash them, so you are better off doing only full loads.
Have any water leaks in your home fixed as soon as possible. This includes toilets that do not stop trying to fill themselves up.
As long as you follow these tips, you can save yourself hundreds of dollars a year.
Tips On Water Safety
Swimming can be one of the most important and life saving skills that you can ever learn, but learning about safety while you are in or near the water can be just as crucial. There are a lot of things that you should take into consideration before going swimming, whether it is in your own pool, a community pool, or another location such as a river or ocean.
Locations with wildlife can be dangerous to swim in, especially beaches, since there are sharks, jellyfish, and other things that can either attack you or make you extremely sick. This is why you should pay attention to any signs that are posted near beaches, since these will usually give you information about any wildlife you need to pay attention to that are in the area during the summer. Box jellyfish off the coast of northern Australia are particularly dangerous to swimmers and it is best not to swim in this region between the beginning of November and May.
If you can swim in an area with a lifeguard, you should do so, since the lifeguard is supposed to be trained in both first aid and CPR. This ensures that you and the rest of your family have a good time and are relatively safe, although everyone should take an opportunity to learn CPR and other first aid skills.
Never dive into an area of a pool unless you know that it is safe to dive in due to signs posted or by physically judging the depth of the water yourself. Never jump into a body of water unless you know for sure how deep it is and you can never tell this just by looking at it.
Children that you take swimming with you should be wearing floatation devices at all times and be supervised. Even if there is a lifeguard on duty, they can still drown or become injured, since there are probably a lot of other people that the lifeguard has to supervise.
Another good rule to live by is if you drink, there are quite a few activities that you should not be doing. Swimming is included among driving, boating, or diving. Drinking alcohol is known to impair a number of different senses necessary to conduct these activities responsibly and has caused a massive number of deaths in the past and continues to in the present. Please drink responsibly and not while swimming.
Locations with wildlife can be dangerous to swim in, especially beaches, since there are sharks, jellyfish, and other things that can either attack you or make you extremely sick. This is why you should pay attention to any signs that are posted near beaches, since these will usually give you information about any wildlife you need to pay attention to that are in the area during the summer. Box jellyfish off the coast of northern Australia are particularly dangerous to swimmers and it is best not to swim in this region between the beginning of November and May.
If you can swim in an area with a lifeguard, you should do so, since the lifeguard is supposed to be trained in both first aid and CPR. This ensures that you and the rest of your family have a good time and are relatively safe, although everyone should take an opportunity to learn CPR and other first aid skills.
Never dive into an area of a pool unless you know that it is safe to dive in due to signs posted or by physically judging the depth of the water yourself. Never jump into a body of water unless you know for sure how deep it is and you can never tell this just by looking at it.
Children that you take swimming with you should be wearing floatation devices at all times and be supervised. Even if there is a lifeguard on duty, they can still drown or become injured, since there are probably a lot of other people that the lifeguard has to supervise.
Another good rule to live by is if you drink, there are quite a few activities that you should not be doing. Swimming is included among driving, boating, or diving. Drinking alcohol is known to impair a number of different senses necessary to conduct these activities responsibly and has caused a massive number of deaths in the past and continues to in the present. Please drink responsibly and not while swimming.
Staying Safe Around Water
Lots of homeowners who have the space to accommodate one are considering having a pool put in the backyard, but after the pool gets installed and filled with water, do they really know all the safety rules that they need to go over with their family before it gets used? There are quite a few safety rules concerning the pool and the surrounding area and we are here to tell you what they are.
The first thing you need to have is a fence so you can close off the pool to small children and intruders. What many homeowners do not realize when they install a pool is that if a child wanders onto your property and drowns in it, most courts will say that you are liable simply because you did not have it blocked off. A fence may be expensive, but this is really something that you need to have to keep the children in your neighborhood safe and to keep yourself safe from a lawsuit.
One of the benefits of a community pool that you do not have at home is a lifeguard that is trained in CPR and first aid. This means that you should take it upon yourself to learn these skills, even if you think that an accident cannot happen as long as you are there. It can and if you are not prepared for it, it can cost a life.
One thing that you should consider purchasing if you have small children in your home are Safety Turtle wrist bands that have a base station and if the band becomes submerged underwater, the base station emits an alarm that tells you that the child has gotten into the pool. Both the wristband and the base station will cost you around $175, but the peace of mind that it will give you is priceless.
Make sure all the members of your household do not run around the edge of the pool, since there is a high risk of falling into the pool, hitting your head, and passing out under the water or just hitting your head on the side without actually falling in. Either one could be life threatening, so make sure that the big kids in your house show the smaller ones that running around the pool is not okay.
The first thing you need to have is a fence so you can close off the pool to small children and intruders. What many homeowners do not realize when they install a pool is that if a child wanders onto your property and drowns in it, most courts will say that you are liable simply because you did not have it blocked off. A fence may be expensive, but this is really something that you need to have to keep the children in your neighborhood safe and to keep yourself safe from a lawsuit.
One of the benefits of a community pool that you do not have at home is a lifeguard that is trained in CPR and first aid. This means that you should take it upon yourself to learn these skills, even if you think that an accident cannot happen as long as you are there. It can and if you are not prepared for it, it can cost a life.
One thing that you should consider purchasing if you have small children in your home are Safety Turtle wrist bands that have a base station and if the band becomes submerged underwater, the base station emits an alarm that tells you that the child has gotten into the pool. Both the wristband and the base station will cost you around $175, but the peace of mind that it will give you is priceless.
Make sure all the members of your household do not run around the edge of the pool, since there is a high risk of falling into the pool, hitting your head, and passing out under the water or just hitting your head on the side without actually falling in. Either one could be life threatening, so make sure that the big kids in your house show the smaller ones that running around the pool is not okay.
How To Keep Your Family Safe Around Water
Having a pool in the backyard is a privilege that a large number of homeowners do not have, so the rest of us who are fortunate enough to have one need to appreciate it by making sure that everyone in the home and everyone who visits it frequently knows the safety rules outside by the pool.
The most important “accessory” that you can have around the pool is a fence. This will keep intruders and children from your neighborhood out of the pool as long as you keep it locked and the fence is high enough. The reason to keep intruders (pool hoppers) out of it is obvious, but many homeowners do not know that if a child gets into your pool or falls into it and drowns, you are responsible because it happened on your property. The gate to your pool should be kept locked with a padlock at all times. As long as it is locked, the chance that someone will get in your pool without your knowledge is very slim.
If you have children in your home and you do not want them in the pool without your permission, there is an wrist strap that you can purchase called Safety Turtle that you can use to keep them out of it. When it is submerged underwater, the base station that you purchase to go with it sounds an alarm to let you know that the child is in the pool. Even though this kid for a single child (you can purchase more wrist bands if you need to) will cost you around $175 - $200, it will make you feel a lot safer about having a pool in your backyard.
All of the adults in your home need to know CPR if you are going to have a pool. Lifeguards at community pools always know CPR and first aid because they are required to, but you do not have this at your home unless you decide to learn it yourself.
Children should not be allowed in the pool unsupervised, especially if they are inexperienced swimmers. When you do allow them in the pool, they should be wearing the appropriate safety devices like arm floaters or a life jacket, depending on their age. Their low level of experience should restrict them to the shallow end of the pool where the water should not be higher than chest deep.
The most important “accessory” that you can have around the pool is a fence. This will keep intruders and children from your neighborhood out of the pool as long as you keep it locked and the fence is high enough. The reason to keep intruders (pool hoppers) out of it is obvious, but many homeowners do not know that if a child gets into your pool or falls into it and drowns, you are responsible because it happened on your property. The gate to your pool should be kept locked with a padlock at all times. As long as it is locked, the chance that someone will get in your pool without your knowledge is very slim.
If you have children in your home and you do not want them in the pool without your permission, there is an wrist strap that you can purchase called Safety Turtle that you can use to keep them out of it. When it is submerged underwater, the base station that you purchase to go with it sounds an alarm to let you know that the child is in the pool. Even though this kid for a single child (you can purchase more wrist bands if you need to) will cost you around $175 - $200, it will make you feel a lot safer about having a pool in your backyard.
All of the adults in your home need to know CPR if you are going to have a pool. Lifeguards at community pools always know CPR and first aid because they are required to, but you do not have this at your home unless you decide to learn it yourself.
Children should not be allowed in the pool unsupervised, especially if they are inexperienced swimmers. When you do allow them in the pool, they should be wearing the appropriate safety devices like arm floaters or a life jacket, depending on their age. Their low level of experience should restrict them to the shallow end of the pool where the water should not be higher than chest deep.
How To Keep Your Family Safe Around Water
Having a pool in the backyard is a privilege that a large number of homeowners do not have, so the rest of us who are fortunate enough to have one need to appreciate it by making sure that everyone in the home and everyone who visits it frequently knows the safety rules outside by the pool.
The most important “accessory” that you can have around the pool is a fence. This will keep intruders and children from your neighborhood out of the pool as long as you keep it locked and the fence is high enough. The reason to keep intruders (pool hoppers) out of it is obvious, but many homeowners do not know that if a child gets into your pool or falls into it and drowns, you are responsible because it happened on your property. The gate to your pool should be kept locked with a padlock at all times. As long as it is locked, the chance that someone will get in your pool without your knowledge is very slim.
If you have children in your home and you do not want them in the pool without your permission, there is an wrist strap that you can purchase called Safety Turtle that you can use to keep them out of it. When it is submerged underwater, the base station that you purchase to go with it sounds an alarm to let you know that the child is in the pool. Even though this kid for a single child (you can purchase more wrist bands if you need to) will cost you around $175 - $200, it will make you feel a lot safer about having a pool in your backyard.
All of the adults in your home need to know CPR if you are going to have a pool. Lifeguards at community pools always know CPR and first aid because they are required to, but you do not have this at your home unless you decide to learn it yourself.
Children should not be allowed in the pool unsupervised, especially if they are inexperienced swimmers. When you do allow them in the pool, they should be wearing the appropriate safety devices like arm floaters or a life jacket, depending on their age. Their low level of experience should restrict them to the shallow end of the pool where the water should not be higher than chest deep.
The most important “accessory” that you can have around the pool is a fence. This will keep intruders and children from your neighborhood out of the pool as long as you keep it locked and the fence is high enough. The reason to keep intruders (pool hoppers) out of it is obvious, but many homeowners do not know that if a child gets into your pool or falls into it and drowns, you are responsible because it happened on your property. The gate to your pool should be kept locked with a padlock at all times. As long as it is locked, the chance that someone will get in your pool without your knowledge is very slim.
If you have children in your home and you do not want them in the pool without your permission, there is an wrist strap that you can purchase called Safety Turtle that you can use to keep them out of it. When it is submerged underwater, the base station that you purchase to go with it sounds an alarm to let you know that the child is in the pool. Even though this kid for a single child (you can purchase more wrist bands if you need to) will cost you around $175 - $200, it will make you feel a lot safer about having a pool in your backyard.
All of the adults in your home need to know CPR if you are going to have a pool. Lifeguards at community pools always know CPR and first aid because they are required to, but you do not have this at your home unless you decide to learn it yourself.
Children should not be allowed in the pool unsupervised, especially if they are inexperienced swimmers. When you do allow them in the pool, they should be wearing the appropriate safety devices like arm floaters or a life jacket, depending on their age. Their low level of experience should restrict them to the shallow end of the pool where the water should not be higher than chest deep.
How To Be Safe In The Water
There are a few different reasons that you should learn how to swim and one of them is that it can end up being a skill that can save either your life or the life of someone else. Even if you do not think that this will end up being a skill that you can really use in this manner, it can still be used as an aerobic exercise and used to lose weight. If you do decide to learn how to swim or to teach your children, you should realize that the act of swimming is not all that you need to teach them. Teaching them about safety around bodies of water such as the ocean, river, creek, and pool is just as important, perhaps even more so. All of the members of your household should know the rules about water safety, especially if you have a pool.
If you have a pool in your backyard or if you go to a community pool, you should never run around it. Whether the surface is concrete, natural stone, or anything else, slipping and falling into the pool and hitting your head on the side or the bottom is always a possibility. This can cause a great amount of injury and children young enough to walk should be taught to walk around the pool and not run for this exact reason. Make sure the adults in your house lead by example, though, since sometimes adults can act like kids, too.
If you go to a community pool or an area where there is a lifeguard, do not let yourself succumb to a false sense of security just because there is a lifeguard on duty. They are trained in CPR and first aid, but there are so many other people that they have to pay attention to, they may not see a problem happen immediately. Keep a watch on your children and make sure they have on the proper safety devices for their age and level of swimming experience. Small children should be confined to the shallow end of the pool and infants should be in a kiddie pool, if there is one.
Do not continue to swim in the pool if there are signs that a storm will start soon. As soon as the sky starts to turn dark, get out. Do not wait until you see lightning.
If you have a pool in your backyard or if you go to a community pool, you should never run around it. Whether the surface is concrete, natural stone, or anything else, slipping and falling into the pool and hitting your head on the side or the bottom is always a possibility. This can cause a great amount of injury and children young enough to walk should be taught to walk around the pool and not run for this exact reason. Make sure the adults in your house lead by example, though, since sometimes adults can act like kids, too.
If you go to a community pool or an area where there is a lifeguard, do not let yourself succumb to a false sense of security just because there is a lifeguard on duty. They are trained in CPR and first aid, but there are so many other people that they have to pay attention to, they may not see a problem happen immediately. Keep a watch on your children and make sure they have on the proper safety devices for their age and level of swimming experience. Small children should be confined to the shallow end of the pool and infants should be in a kiddie pool, if there is one.
Do not continue to swim in the pool if there are signs that a storm will start soon. As soon as the sky starts to turn dark, get out. Do not wait until you see lightning.
Household Fire Safety
A lot of people think that a house fire is something that cannot happen to them, but the fact of it is that there are a huge number of these that occur all around the world every day and destroy a large amount of property. There are a lot of things that you can do to protect your family and your property from this and it starts with having the right attitude about heat and electricity.
There are a few appliances in the house that you need to take extra care with when you use them and these are characterized by a large amount of electricity and heat. Space heaters that you use in the winter time to keep your house warm when you cannot afford a natural gas bill fit this description perfectly and the correct placement of these is critical. Never place these near curtains, upholstered furniture, and if you can help it, on carpet. Some space heaters can be used on carpet if the fan that blows the heat is at least 12 inches or so off the floor so the carpet is not heated by it. Space heaters with short legs are the most dangerous on carpet.
Be careful when using appliances with extension cords. Using something like a deep fryer, electric skillet, space heater, or electric blanket with a common household extension cord is a bad idea. You can use these with heavy duty extension cords, but make sure they are at least a 14 gauge. If it is not a heavy duty cord, it will melt.
If you use electric blankets during the winter, you should never leave them on while you are sleeping. There have been quite a few people that have woken up to their bed on fire because they decided to leave the blanket on all night instead of just using it to warm up the bed like the instructions intend. When you store these, do so in the top of the closet or somewhere else up high where it cannot be stepped on, since the heating coils inside these are easily damaged.
Grease fires in the kitchen are the most common type of fire and you should never leave anything that you are cooking on the stove or any other cooking appliance unattended. Try not to leave the room for any reason unless you can have someone come into the kitchen and watch the food for you while you take care of business in another area of the house. Never, ever leave the house while something is cooking, even if you are just boiling water.
There are a few appliances in the house that you need to take extra care with when you use them and these are characterized by a large amount of electricity and heat. Space heaters that you use in the winter time to keep your house warm when you cannot afford a natural gas bill fit this description perfectly and the correct placement of these is critical. Never place these near curtains, upholstered furniture, and if you can help it, on carpet. Some space heaters can be used on carpet if the fan that blows the heat is at least 12 inches or so off the floor so the carpet is not heated by it. Space heaters with short legs are the most dangerous on carpet.
Be careful when using appliances with extension cords. Using something like a deep fryer, electric skillet, space heater, or electric blanket with a common household extension cord is a bad idea. You can use these with heavy duty extension cords, but make sure they are at least a 14 gauge. If it is not a heavy duty cord, it will melt.
If you use electric blankets during the winter, you should never leave them on while you are sleeping. There have been quite a few people that have woken up to their bed on fire because they decided to leave the blanket on all night instead of just using it to warm up the bed like the instructions intend. When you store these, do so in the top of the closet or somewhere else up high where it cannot be stepped on, since the heating coils inside these are easily damaged.
Grease fires in the kitchen are the most common type of fire and you should never leave anything that you are cooking on the stove or any other cooking appliance unattended. Try not to leave the room for any reason unless you can have someone come into the kitchen and watch the food for you while you take care of business in another area of the house. Never, ever leave the house while something is cooking, even if you are just boiling water.
Great Ways To Conserve Water
During seasons that are very dry across the country, some cities are asking residents to do everything that they can to conserve water and to reduce consumption as much as possible. There are a number of things that you can do to help in this endeavor and save yourself a little bit of money in the mean time.
One of the first things that you can do, if you live in one of these areas, is to not water your lawn as often as you probably do. Many people do this with a garden hose, but if you have sprinklers to do it for you, you should make sure your sprinklers do not waste water by shooting it over the driveway or the sidewalk. Changing the head of the sprinkler may help with this, as well.
Set the timer for your sprinklers for shorter times. This means that you should allow your sprinklers to water their areas for 5 minutes, wait around 15 minutes, and then set it to water for another five minutes. This gives the water that was sprayed the first time a chance to seep down into the soil.
Turn the timer on your sprinklers off when you know it is going to rain. You should not turn it back on for at least 2 or 3 days after it rains and if your sprinkler has a “rain delay” feature on it, you can set this.
Try to water your lawn during the early morning, since the water will not evaporate as quickly and this is a naturally good time for plants to be both fed and watered. Watering should be avoided in the middle of the day, since this is the hottest portion. A large quantity of the water will evaporate and be wasted.
Inside the house, you can reduce your water consumption by taking short showers instead of baths. A ten minute shower with a standard showerhead will amount to about half of a full tub of water or less, so try to take showers, especially if you are trying to get somewhere in a hurry. There is no sense in running a full tub of water if you are going to jump in and then right back out.
Try not to do half loads of dishes or clothes. Even though you can change the amount of water that you use in the clothes washer, you still use about the same amount of electricity to run the cycle, so you are still better off just doing a full load.
One of the first things that you can do, if you live in one of these areas, is to not water your lawn as often as you probably do. Many people do this with a garden hose, but if you have sprinklers to do it for you, you should make sure your sprinklers do not waste water by shooting it over the driveway or the sidewalk. Changing the head of the sprinkler may help with this, as well.
Set the timer for your sprinklers for shorter times. This means that you should allow your sprinklers to water their areas for 5 minutes, wait around 15 minutes, and then set it to water for another five minutes. This gives the water that was sprayed the first time a chance to seep down into the soil.
Turn the timer on your sprinklers off when you know it is going to rain. You should not turn it back on for at least 2 or 3 days after it rains and if your sprinkler has a “rain delay” feature on it, you can set this.
Try to water your lawn during the early morning, since the water will not evaporate as quickly and this is a naturally good time for plants to be both fed and watered. Watering should be avoided in the middle of the day, since this is the hottest portion. A large quantity of the water will evaporate and be wasted.
Inside the house, you can reduce your water consumption by taking short showers instead of baths. A ten minute shower with a standard showerhead will amount to about half of a full tub of water or less, so try to take showers, especially if you are trying to get somewhere in a hurry. There is no sense in running a full tub of water if you are going to jump in and then right back out.
Try not to do half loads of dishes or clothes. Even though you can change the amount of water that you use in the clothes washer, you still use about the same amount of electricity to run the cycle, so you are still better off just doing a full load.
Great Tips For Water Safety
Summertime is the perfect time of year to go swimming, but no matter whether you swim in the ocean, creek, river, or in a city or backyard pool, you should never neglect to consider water safety. A large number of children and inexperienced swimmers die every year because they do not follow a few guidelines that could keep them safe from it.
The most important thing for you to do is learn how to swim. This can be one of the most useful skills you can ever learn and once you learn, you are not likely to ever regret it.
An area supervised by a lifeguard is the best place for you to swim, since the lifeguard is trained in CPR and first aid.
If you have children, they should always wear a floatation device and be supervised by you. There are likely a lot of other people and children where you are and you cannot rely on the lifeguard to be able to pay attention to everyone at the same time.
When you go to a swimming area of a beach or to a city pool, you need to read all the signs and make sure you understand what they mean. This is especially true of beaches, since certain areas of the world may be subject to different kinds of seasonal wildlife that can pose a great amount of danger. A good example is the box jellyfish that swims off the coast of Australia and can kill you. They inhabit the waters off the coast of northern Australia between November to April or May, so swimming in this area during this time is not recommended at all. You should be careful at other beaches around the world, though, even if there are no signs posted concerning dangerous wildlife.
Safety rules should be set for your entire family based on the level of swimming experience that each person has. Children and other inexperienced swimmers should not enter water that is higher than chest level.
If you have alcohol to drink, you should not go swimming, diving, boating, or driving. Alcohol impairs a lot of basic human necessities like coordination, judgment, and balance and your body will not stay as warm.
The only time you should dive into a pool of water is when the area is posted as being safe to dive into.
The local weather report can also be important to you and you should get out of the water at the first sign of a storm.
The most important thing for you to do is learn how to swim. This can be one of the most useful skills you can ever learn and once you learn, you are not likely to ever regret it.
An area supervised by a lifeguard is the best place for you to swim, since the lifeguard is trained in CPR and first aid.
If you have children, they should always wear a floatation device and be supervised by you. There are likely a lot of other people and children where you are and you cannot rely on the lifeguard to be able to pay attention to everyone at the same time.
When you go to a swimming area of a beach or to a city pool, you need to read all the signs and make sure you understand what they mean. This is especially true of beaches, since certain areas of the world may be subject to different kinds of seasonal wildlife that can pose a great amount of danger. A good example is the box jellyfish that swims off the coast of Australia and can kill you. They inhabit the waters off the coast of northern Australia between November to April or May, so swimming in this area during this time is not recommended at all. You should be careful at other beaches around the world, though, even if there are no signs posted concerning dangerous wildlife.
Safety rules should be set for your entire family based on the level of swimming experience that each person has. Children and other inexperienced swimmers should not enter water that is higher than chest level.
If you have alcohol to drink, you should not go swimming, diving, boating, or driving. Alcohol impairs a lot of basic human necessities like coordination, judgment, and balance and your body will not stay as warm.
The only time you should dive into a pool of water is when the area is posted as being safe to dive into.
The local weather report can also be important to you and you should get out of the water at the first sign of a storm.
Easy Ways To Prevent House Fires
House fires claim lives and destroy property all across the globe, but you and your home do not have to be a victim. As long as you follow a set of guidelines that have been developed to protect you and your family, the chance that your home will catch on fire will be greatly reduced. Make sure the rest of your household knows these new rules and that you plan on having them follow them to the letter, though, or the effort will be wasted.
One of the most important things is to realize that most house fires start in the kitchen. These usually start due to human error or negligence, but mostly it is because items are left unattended on the stove. This is something that you should never do. Do not allow yourself to become occupied with other events in your home such as fighting children, the telephone, or family members wanting you in another room. If you want to watch something on TV while you are cooking, have a small television installed in the kitchen, perhaps under one of the upper cabinets. Give yourself every reason to stay in the kitchen.
You should also not ever try to open your stove’s oven door while it is cleaning itself. Most ovens lock shut while they are cleaning themselves and you should not try to force this door open due to the amount of heat inside. This is a hotter temperature than it will allow you to cook things at.
If you ever have to clean anything with gas or turpentine, do it outside away from your house due to the fumes. The fumes are heavier than air and settle around the floor, making any spark from a wall outlet a serious threat. These and other materials marked as highly flammable should be stored outside the home and away from it, in a shed of some kind if possible.
Your electrical outlets should never be overloaded with accessories that create extra outlets or extension cords. Extension cords, when you do have to use them, should not be used with devices that are created to emit a large amount of heat, such as space heaters or items that you cook with, such as electric skillets. These will melt most household extension cords, so a more heavy duty variety should be used. Never run extension cords under rugs or carpet.
The batteries in your smoke detectors need to be changed at least once a year. Test your smoke detector every few months to make sure that it is working correctly and having one that also detects carbon monoxide is an added bonus, since this is a silent, invisible killer that is more common than you may realize.
One of the most important things is to realize that most house fires start in the kitchen. These usually start due to human error or negligence, but mostly it is because items are left unattended on the stove. This is something that you should never do. Do not allow yourself to become occupied with other events in your home such as fighting children, the telephone, or family members wanting you in another room. If you want to watch something on TV while you are cooking, have a small television installed in the kitchen, perhaps under one of the upper cabinets. Give yourself every reason to stay in the kitchen.
You should also not ever try to open your stove’s oven door while it is cleaning itself. Most ovens lock shut while they are cleaning themselves and you should not try to force this door open due to the amount of heat inside. This is a hotter temperature than it will allow you to cook things at.
If you ever have to clean anything with gas or turpentine, do it outside away from your house due to the fumes. The fumes are heavier than air and settle around the floor, making any spark from a wall outlet a serious threat. These and other materials marked as highly flammable should be stored outside the home and away from it, in a shed of some kind if possible.
Your electrical outlets should never be overloaded with accessories that create extra outlets or extension cords. Extension cords, when you do have to use them, should not be used with devices that are created to emit a large amount of heat, such as space heaters or items that you cook with, such as electric skillets. These will melt most household extension cords, so a more heavy duty variety should be used. Never run extension cords under rugs or carpet.
The batteries in your smoke detectors need to be changed at least once a year. Test your smoke detector every few months to make sure that it is working correctly and having one that also detects carbon monoxide is an added bonus, since this is a silent, invisible killer that is more common than you may realize.
Why Should You Switch To A Tankless Water Heater?
Helping the environment, saving on your utility bill, and never running out of hot water no matter how many appliances are using it sounds like a dream, but the reality is that tankless water heaters can give you exactly that.
These have been extremely popular and even mandatory in some areas of Europe and Japan for the past quarter of a century, but the trend is just now hitting the United States and Canada, because we have been shown the benefits of having them.
One thing that makes these little gems so great is that you never have to worry about running out of hot water for your appliances. You can take a shower, run the dishwasher, and the washing machine all at the same time and the hot water just keeps on coming.
Since the water is being heated only when you are using it, you save on your electricity bill at the end of the month. Normal tank water heaters will keep a tank full of water heated whether we are using it or not (even when we are asleep). Homes that have a substantial demand for hot water may save around 15 to 25 percent, but homes that have smaller needs can see savings of possibly up to around 50 percent.
Take advantage of the Energy Tax Incentives Act and you can get a $300 rebate from the Federal government by replacing your old hot water heater with a tankless model.
Using a tankless water heater will also reduce the amount of fossil fuels that you use every day (actually, the electric company uses it) to heat your home’s water supply. Tankless water heaters also last about 2 or 3 times longer than their traditional counterparts and are generally much smaller and less conspicuous. You can have a tankless water heater installed in a large number of places in your home.
So, think about it. You pay less for an endless supply of hot water than you would for a limited supply and you help the environment in a number of different ways. What do you have to lose? Switch to a tankless hot water heater today and take advantage of the government’s rebate before it is gone and they mandate these all across the country. A free $300 from the government is pretty hard to come by and they have been popular in Europe and Japan for the last 25 years, so why not keep up with the times?
These have been extremely popular and even mandatory in some areas of Europe and Japan for the past quarter of a century, but the trend is just now hitting the United States and Canada, because we have been shown the benefits of having them.
One thing that makes these little gems so great is that you never have to worry about running out of hot water for your appliances. You can take a shower, run the dishwasher, and the washing machine all at the same time and the hot water just keeps on coming.
Since the water is being heated only when you are using it, you save on your electricity bill at the end of the month. Normal tank water heaters will keep a tank full of water heated whether we are using it or not (even when we are asleep). Homes that have a substantial demand for hot water may save around 15 to 25 percent, but homes that have smaller needs can see savings of possibly up to around 50 percent.
Take advantage of the Energy Tax Incentives Act and you can get a $300 rebate from the Federal government by replacing your old hot water heater with a tankless model.
Using a tankless water heater will also reduce the amount of fossil fuels that you use every day (actually, the electric company uses it) to heat your home’s water supply. Tankless water heaters also last about 2 or 3 times longer than their traditional counterparts and are generally much smaller and less conspicuous. You can have a tankless water heater installed in a large number of places in your home.
So, think about it. You pay less for an endless supply of hot water than you would for a limited supply and you help the environment in a number of different ways. What do you have to lose? Switch to a tankless hot water heater today and take advantage of the government’s rebate before it is gone and they mandate these all across the country. A free $300 from the government is pretty hard to come by and they have been popular in Europe and Japan for the last 25 years, so why not keep up with the times?
Two Great Ways To Reduce Mold
There are a number of things that you can do to prevent mold growth in your home, but stopping the mold spores from spreading even though they are already in the air is also important. It is important to realize that mold spores are always going to exist in the air that you breathe unless you are in a hospital or laboratory clean room, but reducing the amount of these spores in the air is not as difficult as you may think.
The first thing that you need to do is get rid of any mold infections that already exist in the home. You can do this a few different ways, depending on how far the contamination has advanced. If you try to scrub it off the wall and it comes back a few days or a week later, then it is embedded into the drywall and you need to replace it as soon as possible. No one wants to have to replace a section of drywall in their home, but if mold is embedded into it, this is the only way to get it out of the house. Any building materials that are contaminated with mold will need to be replaced.
After you either do that yourself or have a professional do it for you, you will want to purchase a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter on it. HEPA filters will remove about 99.7% of all particles from the air that is expelled by your vacuum, which means that mold spores, dust mites, and etcetera will not be tossed back up into the air you are breathing when you vacuum.
Another appliance you will want to purchase, especially if you have allergies, is an air purifier that is equipped with a HEPA filter. This is one of the best investments that you can make for your home, since it will keep the air free of the same kind of particles that the filter on your vacuum cleaner will. It removes the mold spores from the air and thus stops them from landing and forming colonies in your house.
Even though these are two great appliances to help prevent mold growth in your house, you still need to do your best to make sure that water leaks and other moisture problems in the home do not develop. HEPA filters only remove 99.7% of particles in the air, which means that there are still another 0.03% floating around and it only takes one.
The first thing that you need to do is get rid of any mold infections that already exist in the home. You can do this a few different ways, depending on how far the contamination has advanced. If you try to scrub it off the wall and it comes back a few days or a week later, then it is embedded into the drywall and you need to replace it as soon as possible. No one wants to have to replace a section of drywall in their home, but if mold is embedded into it, this is the only way to get it out of the house. Any building materials that are contaminated with mold will need to be replaced.
After you either do that yourself or have a professional do it for you, you will want to purchase a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter on it. HEPA filters will remove about 99.7% of all particles from the air that is expelled by your vacuum, which means that mold spores, dust mites, and etcetera will not be tossed back up into the air you are breathing when you vacuum.
Another appliance you will want to purchase, especially if you have allergies, is an air purifier that is equipped with a HEPA filter. This is one of the best investments that you can make for your home, since it will keep the air free of the same kind of particles that the filter on your vacuum cleaner will. It removes the mold spores from the air and thus stops them from landing and forming colonies in your house.
Even though these are two great appliances to help prevent mold growth in your house, you still need to do your best to make sure that water leaks and other moisture problems in the home do not develop. HEPA filters only remove 99.7% of particles in the air, which means that there are still another 0.03% floating around and it only takes one.
Two Great Ways To Reduce Mold
There are a number of things that you can do to prevent mold growth in your home, but stopping the mold spores from spreading even though they are already in the air is also important. It is important to realize that mold spores are always going to exist in the air that you breathe unless you are in a hospital or laboratory clean room, but reducing the amount of these spores in the air is not as difficult as you may think.
The first thing that you need to do is get rid of any mold infections that already exist in the home. You can do this a few different ways, depending on how far the contamination has advanced. If you try to scrub it off the wall and it comes back a few days or a week later, then it is embedded into the drywall and you need to replace it as soon as possible. No one wants to have to replace a section of drywall in their home, but if mold is embedded into it, this is the only way to get it out of the house. Any building materials that are contaminated with mold will need to be replaced.
After you either do that yourself or have a professional do it for you, you will want to purchase a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter on it. HEPA filters will remove about 99.7% of all particles from the air that is expelled by your vacuum, which means that mold spores, dust mites, and etcetera will not be tossed back up into the air you are breathing when you vacuum.
Another appliance you will want to purchase, especially if you have allergies, is an air purifier that is equipped with a HEPA filter. This is one of the best investments that you can make for your home, since it will keep the air free of the same kind of particles that the filter on your vacuum cleaner will. It removes the mold spores from the air and thus stops them from landing and forming colonies in your house.
Even though these are two great appliances to help prevent mold growth in your house, you still need to do your best to make sure that water leaks and other moisture problems in the home do not develop. HEPA filters only remove 99.7% of particles in the air, which means that there are still another 0.03% floating around and it only takes one.
The first thing that you need to do is get rid of any mold infections that already exist in the home. You can do this a few different ways, depending on how far the contamination has advanced. If you try to scrub it off the wall and it comes back a few days or a week later, then it is embedded into the drywall and you need to replace it as soon as possible. No one wants to have to replace a section of drywall in their home, but if mold is embedded into it, this is the only way to get it out of the house. Any building materials that are contaminated with mold will need to be replaced.
After you either do that yourself or have a professional do it for you, you will want to purchase a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter on it. HEPA filters will remove about 99.7% of all particles from the air that is expelled by your vacuum, which means that mold spores, dust mites, and etcetera will not be tossed back up into the air you are breathing when you vacuum.
Another appliance you will want to purchase, especially if you have allergies, is an air purifier that is equipped with a HEPA filter. This is one of the best investments that you can make for your home, since it will keep the air free of the same kind of particles that the filter on your vacuum cleaner will. It removes the mold spores from the air and thus stops them from landing and forming colonies in your house.
Even though these are two great appliances to help prevent mold growth in your house, you still need to do your best to make sure that water leaks and other moisture problems in the home do not develop. HEPA filters only remove 99.7% of particles in the air, which means that there are still another 0.03% floating around and it only takes one.
Top Ways To Prevent House Fires
Fires do extensive damage all across the globe and cause the loss of many lives, but there are a few different guidelines that will help you prevent a fire from happening to your home. Keep in mind that freak accidents will always happen, but following these simple rules and making sure the rest of your family does, as well, will greatly reduce the chance that you will ever have a fire in your home.
Most fires start in the kitchen, so this is the area that you need to take the most caution with. The golden safety rule when you are cooking is to never leave anything unattended, whether it is on the stove or in a deep fryer, or other cooking appliance. Some people leave crock pots on all day while they are gone to work and even though many people do this without trouble, it is still not recommended. Any appliance that emits heat is a risk, but crock pots are less of a risk because they do not put out as much heat as others.
If your home has a chimney, you need to make sure that it gets cleaned thoroughly every year, even if you have to hire someone to do it for you. Creosote builds up on the inside of the chimney and this is very flammable, so getting rid of it is important to prevent a chimney fire. Chimney fires are difficult to put out, so preventing one in the first place is your best bet.
Any ashes that you throw outside from the fireplace should not be put in a combustible container outside the house, such as a cardboard box.
All flammable chemicals should be kept outside and away from the home. If you have an outdoor shed that is not attached to the house that you can put these in, that is wonderful, but not everyone has this opportunity. If you do not have anywhere to store these items outside away from the house, try to reduce the amount of these chemicals that you own or have someone else with a storage shed store them for you.
Be careful with the use of extension cords. Do not use appliances that emit heat like space heaters or electric skillets with extension cords unless you are using a heavy duty cord. Smaller cords will melt pretty quickly and leave the electrical circuitry exposed. Extension cords should also never be run underneath carpet or rugs because this will create insulation for the heat that is emitted.
Most fires start in the kitchen, so this is the area that you need to take the most caution with. The golden safety rule when you are cooking is to never leave anything unattended, whether it is on the stove or in a deep fryer, or other cooking appliance. Some people leave crock pots on all day while they are gone to work and even though many people do this without trouble, it is still not recommended. Any appliance that emits heat is a risk, but crock pots are less of a risk because they do not put out as much heat as others.
If your home has a chimney, you need to make sure that it gets cleaned thoroughly every year, even if you have to hire someone to do it for you. Creosote builds up on the inside of the chimney and this is very flammable, so getting rid of it is important to prevent a chimney fire. Chimney fires are difficult to put out, so preventing one in the first place is your best bet.
Any ashes that you throw outside from the fireplace should not be put in a combustible container outside the house, such as a cardboard box.
All flammable chemicals should be kept outside and away from the home. If you have an outdoor shed that is not attached to the house that you can put these in, that is wonderful, but not everyone has this opportunity. If you do not have anywhere to store these items outside away from the house, try to reduce the amount of these chemicals that you own or have someone else with a storage shed store them for you.
Be careful with the use of extension cords. Do not use appliances that emit heat like space heaters or electric skillets with extension cords unless you are using a heavy duty cord. Smaller cords will melt pretty quickly and leave the electrical circuitry exposed. Extension cords should also never be run underneath carpet or rugs because this will create insulation for the heat that is emitted.
The Best Ways To Shop For Windows
New windows can help not only with your utility bill at the end of the month, but they also look better and will add a significant amount of value to your home if they are installed correctly. Shopping for windows does not have to be a difficult process as long as you know what you need to do when you go.
The first thing that you need to decide is just where you will get the new windows that you want. You can either go shopping online for the windows that you need and trust your own instincts as to what style will go perfectly with your home or you can shop around in the physical world and talk to a designer to see what they think. No matter which option you choose, you will want to do a little shopping around first and see who will offer you the best price. Make sure you know what size windows you need and how many before ordering online, so you will save on shipping.
The next thing to consider is who you are going to have install the windows for you. If you shop in the physical world at a store, they will likely have an installation service that they will try to sell you, but if you order online and they are shipped to you, you will have to either find someone to install them for you or you will have to do it yourself. If you shop at a store in the real world, find out if the price of the installation is included in the final price of the windows, since in most cases, it is not and will cost you extra.
There should be a warranty on the windows that you purchase and when you hire someone to install them for you, you should ask about a warranty on the labor. Be extremely skeptical of hiring anyone who will not give you a warranty in writing on the labor he or she performs while installing the windows. Try to deal with only reputable companies.
Depending on whether you life in an area prone to wildfires or not, you may want to purchase multi-pane windows instead of large single pane windows, since they will radiate a lot less heat into the house and will be less likely to cause drapery to set on fire.
The first thing that you need to decide is just where you will get the new windows that you want. You can either go shopping online for the windows that you need and trust your own instincts as to what style will go perfectly with your home or you can shop around in the physical world and talk to a designer to see what they think. No matter which option you choose, you will want to do a little shopping around first and see who will offer you the best price. Make sure you know what size windows you need and how many before ordering online, so you will save on shipping.
The next thing to consider is who you are going to have install the windows for you. If you shop in the physical world at a store, they will likely have an installation service that they will try to sell you, but if you order online and they are shipped to you, you will have to either find someone to install them for you or you will have to do it yourself. If you shop at a store in the real world, find out if the price of the installation is included in the final price of the windows, since in most cases, it is not and will cost you extra.
There should be a warranty on the windows that you purchase and when you hire someone to install them for you, you should ask about a warranty on the labor. Be extremely skeptical of hiring anyone who will not give you a warranty in writing on the labor he or she performs while installing the windows. Try to deal with only reputable companies.
Depending on whether you life in an area prone to wildfires or not, you may want to purchase multi-pane windows instead of large single pane windows, since they will radiate a lot less heat into the house and will be less likely to cause drapery to set on fire.
Shopping For Windows
Adding new windows to your home can give a number of benefits, like improving the insulation of your home and reducing your utility bill at the end of the month. When you go shopping for them, you might find yourself a little overwhelmed at the number of different styles and types available to you, but getting the advice of the manager or the in-house designer may be a good idea to help you get the exact windows that are right for your situation. A good example of when to get new windows is if your current ones are made of wood and are starting to show their age. Wood rots over time and should probably be replaced with vinyl or perhaps even aluminum windows, as long as you do not live in a coastal environment. The salt in the air on the coast will deteriorate aluminum.
You can also shop online for windows, even though shopping in person at the store is the most popular method. Whether you decide to shop online or offline, you want to look around at a few different places first to make sure you get the best price that you can. When shopping offline, you need to ask if the installation is included in the price of the windows, because most of the time it is not and you will have to purchase it separately. Whenever you purchase a service like this for your home, always ask about hidden costs and warranties. There should be a 10 year warranty on the windows that you buy and another 10 year warranty on the labor that it took to have them installed. You should not hire anyone who will not give you a warranty on their labor. Proper installation is necessary to prevent water from leaking in the house and causing water and mold damage. These are huge problems that can cost quite a bit of money to repair, not to mention the health effects that mold can cause by itself.
The window hardware that you choose also needs to match the rest of the hardware in your home and the style of window that you choose. Whether you choose a brass finish, nickel, gold, or any other type, you should keep it consistent throughout your home to create a sense of unity.
You can purchase many different kinds of locks for your new windows to help make your home safer than it already is. To further increase the level of safety around your home, put bushes underneath the windows, preferably something like rose bushes that will discourage intruders from taking that route inside. Unfortunately, this is a trade off, since if your house catches on fire, a window may be your only way out. The decision is yours to make.
You can also shop online for windows, even though shopping in person at the store is the most popular method. Whether you decide to shop online or offline, you want to look around at a few different places first to make sure you get the best price that you can. When shopping offline, you need to ask if the installation is included in the price of the windows, because most of the time it is not and you will have to purchase it separately. Whenever you purchase a service like this for your home, always ask about hidden costs and warranties. There should be a 10 year warranty on the windows that you buy and another 10 year warranty on the labor that it took to have them installed. You should not hire anyone who will not give you a warranty on their labor. Proper installation is necessary to prevent water from leaking in the house and causing water and mold damage. These are huge problems that can cost quite a bit of money to repair, not to mention the health effects that mold can cause by itself.
The window hardware that you choose also needs to match the rest of the hardware in your home and the style of window that you choose. Whether you choose a brass finish, nickel, gold, or any other type, you should keep it consistent throughout your home to create a sense of unity.
You can purchase many different kinds of locks for your new windows to help make your home safer than it already is. To further increase the level of safety around your home, put bushes underneath the windows, preferably something like rose bushes that will discourage intruders from taking that route inside. Unfortunately, this is a trade off, since if your house catches on fire, a window may be your only way out. The decision is yours to make.
Is Your Home Safe From Fire?
Everyone should know how to prevent fires from happening in their home and there are a number of ways that you can increase fire safety. Make sure all members of your home know these guidelines and follow them.
A common item that you can use in the kitchen to put out small fires on the stove is baking soda. Salt can also be used, but baking soda does a little bit better of a job. It might take two or three handfuls of both to put out a small fire, but this is significantly less messy than using a fire extinguisher to do this. Try to use a fire extinguishing method that is proportional to the size of the fire to avoid having a large mess.
Keep at least one 5 pound fire extinguisher in your home at all times, especially in the kitchen. If your home has more than one floor, you will want to have one on each floor, just in case.
If your oven cleans itself and locks the door, do NOT try to force the door open. It is extremely hot inside your oven, hotter than it allows you to cook things in it, and this level of heat is very dangerous. When the oven is cleaning itself, leave it alone.
All items that are labeled as being extremely flammable need to be stored outside in a separate building, if possible. If you do not have a separate building in your yard, you need to at least create an area to put them in that is not near your house.
Do not clean anything in your home with gas or turpentine. The fumes from these chemicals will settle to the floor and a spark from any electronic device could set them off. Clean items in this way outside and away from your house.
Keep combustible materials away from your furnace and other appliances that get hot. This includes space heaters that you use in the winter to keep your house warm. If you can help it, do not place these on carpeted surfaces and never use them to dry socks or gloves wet from snow or water.
Your smoke detector’s batteries need to be checked and changed regularly to make sure they will work when you need them to.
If you have a chimney, it needs to be cleaned and inspected at least once a year.
A common item that you can use in the kitchen to put out small fires on the stove is baking soda. Salt can also be used, but baking soda does a little bit better of a job. It might take two or three handfuls of both to put out a small fire, but this is significantly less messy than using a fire extinguisher to do this. Try to use a fire extinguishing method that is proportional to the size of the fire to avoid having a large mess.
Keep at least one 5 pound fire extinguisher in your home at all times, especially in the kitchen. If your home has more than one floor, you will want to have one on each floor, just in case.
If your oven cleans itself and locks the door, do NOT try to force the door open. It is extremely hot inside your oven, hotter than it allows you to cook things in it, and this level of heat is very dangerous. When the oven is cleaning itself, leave it alone.
All items that are labeled as being extremely flammable need to be stored outside in a separate building, if possible. If you do not have a separate building in your yard, you need to at least create an area to put them in that is not near your house.
Do not clean anything in your home with gas or turpentine. The fumes from these chemicals will settle to the floor and a spark from any electronic device could set them off. Clean items in this way outside and away from your house.
Keep combustible materials away from your furnace and other appliances that get hot. This includes space heaters that you use in the winter to keep your house warm. If you can help it, do not place these on carpeted surfaces and never use them to dry socks or gloves wet from snow or water.
Your smoke detector’s batteries need to be checked and changed regularly to make sure they will work when you need them to.
If you have a chimney, it needs to be cleaned and inspected at least once a year.
Here’s How To Prevent House Fires
There are a large number of house fires every year in this country and around the world, but the damage that they do to homes and families can largely be avoided if you follow a few simple guidelines. These will greatly reduce the amount of risk that your home will catch on fire as long as you are consistent with enforcing them.
The first thing that you need to do is know that most fires start in the kitchen. The largest reason for this is that many people leave things cooking on the stove so they can go to another room of the house and take care of another chore, watch tv, or even leave the house to run an errand. You should never, ever leave your home while something is on the stove unless someone is still there to watch it for you while you are gone. Even clothes dryers need to be turned off if you are planning on leaving the house.
Rags and paper towels soaked with gasoline should never be tossed in the garbage with other combustible items. These items should be laid out flat outside somewhere so the gas will evaporate. Do this somewhere away from heat.
If you clean anything with turpentine or gas, please do it outside. The fumes from both of these items are heavier than air and will sink to the floor. Sparks from electronic items or wall outlets will ignite the fumes, possibly resulting in an explosion.
Space heaters should never be used near combustible items and if you have to use a heater on a carpeted surface, the heat should be emitted from a portion of the heater that is up and away from the floor. Space heaters with short legs that sit low to the floor should not be used on carpet at all. You should also not use these appliances to dry wet items of clothing, even if you are sitting there watching them.
Your chimney needs to be cleaned out every year and the creosote build-up removed. Creosote is a result of burning wood in your fireplace, coats the inside of the chimney, and is extremely flammable.
You should have at least one 5 pound fire extinguisher. If your house only has one floor, the best place for it is in the kitchen and if your home has more than one floor, there should be one on the other floors, as well. This makes sure that the fire does not get out of control while you run to the other end of the house to get the fire extinguisher.
The first thing that you need to do is know that most fires start in the kitchen. The largest reason for this is that many people leave things cooking on the stove so they can go to another room of the house and take care of another chore, watch tv, or even leave the house to run an errand. You should never, ever leave your home while something is on the stove unless someone is still there to watch it for you while you are gone. Even clothes dryers need to be turned off if you are planning on leaving the house.
Rags and paper towels soaked with gasoline should never be tossed in the garbage with other combustible items. These items should be laid out flat outside somewhere so the gas will evaporate. Do this somewhere away from heat.
If you clean anything with turpentine or gas, please do it outside. The fumes from both of these items are heavier than air and will sink to the floor. Sparks from electronic items or wall outlets will ignite the fumes, possibly resulting in an explosion.
Space heaters should never be used near combustible items and if you have to use a heater on a carpeted surface, the heat should be emitted from a portion of the heater that is up and away from the floor. Space heaters with short legs that sit low to the floor should not be used on carpet at all. You should also not use these appliances to dry wet items of clothing, even if you are sitting there watching them.
Your chimney needs to be cleaned out every year and the creosote build-up removed. Creosote is a result of burning wood in your fireplace, coats the inside of the chimney, and is extremely flammable.
You should have at least one 5 pound fire extinguisher. If your house only has one floor, the best place for it is in the kitchen and if your home has more than one floor, there should be one on the other floors, as well. This makes sure that the fire does not get out of control while you run to the other end of the house to get the fire extinguisher.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Cell Phone Water Stickers
Cell phones have become a part of our everyday lives and there are not too many people these days who do not have one at their disposal almost 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whether you have one or not, though, you probably understand that letting these crucial items come into contact with water is not a good idea, but what some people do not understand is that their phone’s warranty does not cover this kind of damage.
In recent years, there have been a number of cell phone manufacturers putting water damage stickers inside the phones to determine whether a phone has been in contact with water. This solves the problem of people making false claims to the manufacturer and getting a free phone supposedly due to a defect in the phone itself, but for the honest consumer, this can be a problem for those who live in areas that are subject to high amounts of humidity. It has been discovered that humidity alone can set these stickers off. A powdered dye is placed underneath the sticker and when it gets wet, it changes the sticker’s color from white to red. This makes it easy for a technician to reject a warranty claim on the grounds of water damage, even if no other signs of water damage are available.
If you are confident in your ability to take apart electronics and put them back together, you should be able to locate these stickers inside your phone and cover them with a piece of satin-backed scotch tape. You would want to do this if you have very humid summers where you live and you do not want to have to purchase a new phone if it stops working for some un-water related reason. The first sticker should be located near the battery pack, but the second one is deeper inside the phone and probably located on the circuit board itself.
If you do drop your cell phone in water, get it out immediately and remove the battery. If it is attached to the AC adapter and plugged into the wall, unplug the adapter FIRST and do not put your hand in the water. Remove the battery, SIM card (if your phone has one), and dry the exterior off as quickly as you can. To get the inside of the phone dried as quickly as possible, put it in a bowl of uncooked rice at least overnight. Do not try to power on the phone until you are absolutely certain the inside is dry. Electricity running through the item while it is wet will be what does the damage, not the water itself.
In recent years, there have been a number of cell phone manufacturers putting water damage stickers inside the phones to determine whether a phone has been in contact with water. This solves the problem of people making false claims to the manufacturer and getting a free phone supposedly due to a defect in the phone itself, but for the honest consumer, this can be a problem for those who live in areas that are subject to high amounts of humidity. It has been discovered that humidity alone can set these stickers off. A powdered dye is placed underneath the sticker and when it gets wet, it changes the sticker’s color from white to red. This makes it easy for a technician to reject a warranty claim on the grounds of water damage, even if no other signs of water damage are available.
If you are confident in your ability to take apart electronics and put them back together, you should be able to locate these stickers inside your phone and cover them with a piece of satin-backed scotch tape. You would want to do this if you have very humid summers where you live and you do not want to have to purchase a new phone if it stops working for some un-water related reason. The first sticker should be located near the battery pack, but the second one is deeper inside the phone and probably located on the circuit board itself.
If you do drop your cell phone in water, get it out immediately and remove the battery. If it is attached to the AC adapter and plugged into the wall, unplug the adapter FIRST and do not put your hand in the water. Remove the battery, SIM card (if your phone has one), and dry the exterior off as quickly as you can. To get the inside of the phone dried as quickly as possible, put it in a bowl of uncooked rice at least overnight. Do not try to power on the phone until you are absolutely certain the inside is dry. Electricity running through the item while it is wet will be what does the damage, not the water itself.
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