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?
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
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.
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.
Guaranteed To Prevent House Fires
Even though house fires claim a great many lives around the world and cause billions of dollars in damage to property, there are a lot of things that you can do to reduce the risk that your home or business will catch on fire. Following a few basic guidelines will do this, as long as you make sure the rest of your home follows them, as well.
Store everything that is labeled as flammable outside the house, preferably in a shed of some kind. This includes items like turpentine, gas, paint thinner, propane, and etcetera. The further away from your home these items are, the better.
You should never clean anything with gas or turpentine in your house. Fumes of a lot of flammable chemicals like this are heavier than air and will settle to the floor. All it takes is one spark from a wall outlet and the whole house will go up in flames.
Any time you do work in the garage or outside and you have rags or paper towels that become soaked with flammable chemicals, you should never throw them in the garbage along with other paper materials. The gas needs to evaporate from these items, not insulate so that it becomes heated.
The space heaters in your home that you use in the winter to keep warm should never be placed near combustible materials. This is one of the worst mistakes you can make, along with leaving the home while the heaters are in operation. You should also never use space heaters to dry wet clothes, even a small pair of socks or mittens.
Appliances like space heaters that emit a lot of heat should never be used with extension cords that are not considered heavy duty. A heavy duty cord that is at least a 14 gauge should be used with these or else the cord will melt.
Extension cords should also never be run underneath a rug or carpet, since this will insulate the heat emitted by the cord.
Your smoke detectors should be tested regularly and the batteries replaced.
Finally, most house fires start within the kitchen, even though a large number of them go unreported simply because they did not do any damage extensive enough to warrant an insurance claim. Never leave anything you are cooking unattended.
Store everything that is labeled as flammable outside the house, preferably in a shed of some kind. This includes items like turpentine, gas, paint thinner, propane, and etcetera. The further away from your home these items are, the better.
You should never clean anything with gas or turpentine in your house. Fumes of a lot of flammable chemicals like this are heavier than air and will settle to the floor. All it takes is one spark from a wall outlet and the whole house will go up in flames.
Any time you do work in the garage or outside and you have rags or paper towels that become soaked with flammable chemicals, you should never throw them in the garbage along with other paper materials. The gas needs to evaporate from these items, not insulate so that it becomes heated.
The space heaters in your home that you use in the winter to keep warm should never be placed near combustible materials. This is one of the worst mistakes you can make, along with leaving the home while the heaters are in operation. You should also never use space heaters to dry wet clothes, even a small pair of socks or mittens.
Appliances like space heaters that emit a lot of heat should never be used with extension cords that are not considered heavy duty. A heavy duty cord that is at least a 14 gauge should be used with these or else the cord will melt.
Extension cords should also never be run underneath a rug or carpet, since this will insulate the heat emitted by the cord.
Your smoke detectors should be tested regularly and the batteries replaced.
Finally, most house fires start within the kitchen, even though a large number of them go unreported simply because they did not do any damage extensive enough to warrant an insurance claim. Never leave anything you are cooking unattended.
Great Ways To Protect Your Home From Wildfires
Wildfires to extensive damage to the natural world and the homes and property of mankind every single year that they occur, but if you own your home, there are some things that you can do to slow down or even completely prevent excessive damage to it. All you have to do is follow a few simple guidelines and wildfire damage to your property will be minimized.
If you live in an old home and not a new construction, you may want to consider having some of the exterior materials of your home replaced with some that are more fireproof. If the outside of your home is wooden or vinyl siding, you may want to have it replaced with brick, stone, or even metal, since these materials resist catching on fire much better than the former two.
The material on the roof of your house also probably needs to be replaced. The shingles that you have on your old home are probably made of asphalt, wood, or even metal. The metal is fine unless it is rusted and leaking, but wooden and asphalt shingles need to be gotten rid of since they will catch on fire fairly easily. The roof is the most important exterior surface of your house, since firebrands carried by the wind can land on it and set it on fire. This is one reason to keep your roof wet when a wildfire is anywhere near your home and to keep dead vegetation away from your house. This means raking up cut grass and dead leaves and getting rid of it as soon as it starts to collect.
You also need to have small windows in your home instead of large ones. Windows that have multiple small panes instead of one large pane in them will radiate a lot less heat and will be less likely to catch drapes on fire or burst and allow wind laced with firebrands into your house.
You should also not have any trees close to your home, especially with branches that hang over the roof. While you can keep the roof and the exterior of your home wet with your garden hose to help protect against firebrands, keeping the tree wet might be a little too difficult.
When evacuating your home because of a wildfire, take only those things that are the most valuable and cannot be replaced. If you are evacuating voluntarily, you may have a little more time to prepare, but if it is mandatory and enforced by local law officials, you might not have much time.
If you live in an old home and not a new construction, you may want to consider having some of the exterior materials of your home replaced with some that are more fireproof. If the outside of your home is wooden or vinyl siding, you may want to have it replaced with brick, stone, or even metal, since these materials resist catching on fire much better than the former two.
The material on the roof of your house also probably needs to be replaced. The shingles that you have on your old home are probably made of asphalt, wood, or even metal. The metal is fine unless it is rusted and leaking, but wooden and asphalt shingles need to be gotten rid of since they will catch on fire fairly easily. The roof is the most important exterior surface of your house, since firebrands carried by the wind can land on it and set it on fire. This is one reason to keep your roof wet when a wildfire is anywhere near your home and to keep dead vegetation away from your house. This means raking up cut grass and dead leaves and getting rid of it as soon as it starts to collect.
You also need to have small windows in your home instead of large ones. Windows that have multiple small panes instead of one large pane in them will radiate a lot less heat and will be less likely to catch drapes on fire or burst and allow wind laced with firebrands into your house.
You should also not have any trees close to your home, especially with branches that hang over the roof. While you can keep the roof and the exterior of your home wet with your garden hose to help protect against firebrands, keeping the tree wet might be a little too difficult.
When evacuating your home because of a wildfire, take only those things that are the most valuable and cannot be replaced. If you are evacuating voluntarily, you may have a little more time to prepare, but if it is mandatory and enforced by local law officials, you might not have much time.
Are You Ready To Prevent A House Fire?
Preventing your house from catching on fire is probably not as difficult as you think it is, even though there are a large number of house fires all around the world every year. These cause an extensive loss of life and loss of property, but knowing a few simple rules and guidelines can save you from most of the risk of this happening to you. After you read this, make sure the rest of your family knows your house fire safety rules and that you are serious about enforcing them.
The first thing that you need is a fire extinguisher on each level of your home and the knowledge of how to use it correctly. It should be at least 5 pounds and there should be one in the kitchen, since this is the main area of the home where fires start. Know that a fire does not always have to be put out with a fire extinguisher, so if you can put out a small fire on the stove that started under the burner with a handful or two of baking soda, go for it. But, do not hesitate to use your fire extinguisher if you think for a minute it is getting out of hand.
All combustible materials need to be kept away from heat sources like furnaces, water heaters, and space heaters.
Space heaters are a problem all to themselves, since their specific purpose is to put out heat and since you have the option of placing them wherever you want them, their level of risk is increased. Never place these items on carpet if you can help it, especially those space heaters that sit low to the floor with short legs. Do not use these to dry any fabric and never use them with extension cords unless the cord is heavy duty. Small extension cords coupled with appliances that use a lot of electricity, especially to produce heat, will melt.
Flammable chemicals need to be kept outside of the house and away from it in a shed, if possible. If you do not have a shed or storage area to put these in, have a neighbor or a friend who does store them for you.
Cleaning items with turpentine or gas should be done outside. The fumes from these chemicals should not be allowed to build up inside the house, since they are heavier than air and will settle on the floor.
The first thing that you need is a fire extinguisher on each level of your home and the knowledge of how to use it correctly. It should be at least 5 pounds and there should be one in the kitchen, since this is the main area of the home where fires start. Know that a fire does not always have to be put out with a fire extinguisher, so if you can put out a small fire on the stove that started under the burner with a handful or two of baking soda, go for it. But, do not hesitate to use your fire extinguisher if you think for a minute it is getting out of hand.
All combustible materials need to be kept away from heat sources like furnaces, water heaters, and space heaters.
Space heaters are a problem all to themselves, since their specific purpose is to put out heat and since you have the option of placing them wherever you want them, their level of risk is increased. Never place these items on carpet if you can help it, especially those space heaters that sit low to the floor with short legs. Do not use these to dry any fabric and never use them with extension cords unless the cord is heavy duty. Small extension cords coupled with appliances that use a lot of electricity, especially to produce heat, will melt.
Flammable chemicals need to be kept outside of the house and away from it in a shed, if possible. If you do not have a shed or storage area to put these in, have a neighbor or a friend who does store them for you.
Cleaning items with turpentine or gas should be done outside. The fumes from these chemicals should not be allowed to build up inside the house, since they are heavier than air and will settle on the floor.
Are You Protecting Your Home From Wildfires?
The damage caused to homes and other property by wildfires every year is extensive, but if you are planning on building a home in a rural area where these fires are a risk, there are a few different things that you can do to help minimize the damage to your home.
Fireproof materials are what should be used in the construction of your new home and the surface of your home that presents the most amount of risk is the roof, because it has the largest amount of surface area of any part of the exterior. Your roof needs to be made of metal, tile, or fiberglass, never oil-based materials like asphalt shingles. Wooden shingles are also a very bad idea. These catch on fire pretty easily and when a wildfire is nearby, small sparks are carried on the wind and will land on your roof, causing it to catch on fire.
You also need to use materials for the exterior of the house like brick, stone, and metal, since these will offer the greatest amount of protection. Vinyl and wood siding will give you very little protection against the elements.
The windows that you have in your home are also going to be very important, since when the windows burst, it will allow the wind and firebrands into the house and everything inside will catch on fire. You should either have small windows or multi-pane windows, because large single pane windows will radiate a lot more heat.
Any trees that are close to your home should be cut down, since having this kind of vegetation near your home in a wildfire prone area is a serious risk. You should also not allow dead organic material like cut grass or dead leaves to pile up anywhere near your house. Keep these things cleared well away from the home as much as possible, but if you have neglected to do this and you have to evacuate your home because a fire is nearby, the best thing you can do is take your garden hose and soak them and the rest of the yard with water. Wetting the roof and the rest of the exterior of your home is also a good idea when a wildfire is nearby and will neutralize the threat of firebrands.
If you do choose to evacuate your home or are made to by local law enforcement, you should only take the most important things with you. Depending on how much time you are given or feel like you have, you can load up whatever valuables you need to in your vehicle, but if you are pressed for time, take money, jewelry, valuables, and etcetera.
Fireproof materials are what should be used in the construction of your new home and the surface of your home that presents the most amount of risk is the roof, because it has the largest amount of surface area of any part of the exterior. Your roof needs to be made of metal, tile, or fiberglass, never oil-based materials like asphalt shingles. Wooden shingles are also a very bad idea. These catch on fire pretty easily and when a wildfire is nearby, small sparks are carried on the wind and will land on your roof, causing it to catch on fire.
You also need to use materials for the exterior of the house like brick, stone, and metal, since these will offer the greatest amount of protection. Vinyl and wood siding will give you very little protection against the elements.
The windows that you have in your home are also going to be very important, since when the windows burst, it will allow the wind and firebrands into the house and everything inside will catch on fire. You should either have small windows or multi-pane windows, because large single pane windows will radiate a lot more heat.
Any trees that are close to your home should be cut down, since having this kind of vegetation near your home in a wildfire prone area is a serious risk. You should also not allow dead organic material like cut grass or dead leaves to pile up anywhere near your house. Keep these things cleared well away from the home as much as possible, but if you have neglected to do this and you have to evacuate your home because a fire is nearby, the best thing you can do is take your garden hose and soak them and the rest of the yard with water. Wetting the roof and the rest of the exterior of your home is also a good idea when a wildfire is nearby and will neutralize the threat of firebrands.
If you do choose to evacuate your home or are made to by local law enforcement, you should only take the most important things with you. Depending on how much time you are given or feel like you have, you can load up whatever valuables you need to in your vehicle, but if you are pressed for time, take money, jewelry, valuables, and etcetera.
Are You Protecting Your Home From Wildfires?
The damage caused to homes and other property by wildfires every year is extensive, but if you are planning on building a home in a rural area where these fires are a risk, there are a few different things that you can do to help minimize the damage to your home.
Fireproof materials are what should be used in the construction of your new home and the surface of your home that presents the most amount of risk is the roof, because it has the largest amount of surface area of any part of the exterior. Your roof needs to be made of metal, tile, or fiberglass, never oil-based materials like asphalt shingles. Wooden shingles are also a very bad idea. These catch on fire pretty easily and when a wildfire is nearby, small sparks are carried on the wind and will land on your roof, causing it to catch on fire.
You also need to use materials for the exterior of the house like brick, stone, and metal, since these will offer the greatest amount of protection. Vinyl and wood siding will give you very little protection against the elements.
The windows that you have in your home are also going to be very important, since when the windows burst, it will allow the wind and firebrands into the house and everything inside will catch on fire. You should either have small windows or multi-pane windows, because large single pane windows will radiate a lot more heat.
Any trees that are close to your home should be cut down, since having this kind of vegetation near your home in a wildfire prone area is a serious risk. You should also not allow dead organic material like cut grass or dead leaves to pile up anywhere near your house. Keep these things cleared well away from the home as much as possible, but if you have neglected to do this and you have to evacuate your home because a fire is nearby, the best thing you can do is take your garden hose and soak them and the rest of the yard with water. Wetting the roof and the rest of the exterior of your home is also a good idea when a wildfire is nearby and will neutralize the threat of firebrands.
If you do choose to evacuate your home or are made to by local law enforcement, you should only take the most important things with you. Depending on how much time you are given or feel like you have, you can load up whatever valuables you need to in your vehicle, but if you are pressed for time, take money, jewelry, valuables, and etcetera.
Fireproof materials are what should be used in the construction of your new home and the surface of your home that presents the most amount of risk is the roof, because it has the largest amount of surface area of any part of the exterior. Your roof needs to be made of metal, tile, or fiberglass, never oil-based materials like asphalt shingles. Wooden shingles are also a very bad idea. These catch on fire pretty easily and when a wildfire is nearby, small sparks are carried on the wind and will land on your roof, causing it to catch on fire.
You also need to use materials for the exterior of the house like brick, stone, and metal, since these will offer the greatest amount of protection. Vinyl and wood siding will give you very little protection against the elements.
The windows that you have in your home are also going to be very important, since when the windows burst, it will allow the wind and firebrands into the house and everything inside will catch on fire. You should either have small windows or multi-pane windows, because large single pane windows will radiate a lot more heat.
Any trees that are close to your home should be cut down, since having this kind of vegetation near your home in a wildfire prone area is a serious risk. You should also not allow dead organic material like cut grass or dead leaves to pile up anywhere near your house. Keep these things cleared well away from the home as much as possible, but if you have neglected to do this and you have to evacuate your home because a fire is nearby, the best thing you can do is take your garden hose and soak them and the rest of the yard with water. Wetting the roof and the rest of the exterior of your home is also a good idea when a wildfire is nearby and will neutralize the threat of firebrands.
If you do choose to evacuate your home or are made to by local law enforcement, you should only take the most important things with you. Depending on how much time you are given or feel like you have, you can load up whatever valuables you need to in your vehicle, but if you are pressed for time, take money, jewelry, valuables, and etcetera.
A Couple of Great Ways To Reduce Mold
While you can certainly prevent mold by preventing moisture problems in your home from developing, there is an extra level of protection or two available that you can take and they will serve not only to remove mold spores from the air in the home, but also to remove other particles that can cause problems for those who have respiratory illnesses, asthma, and allergies. The answer is in the HEPA filter.
HEPA filters are a kind of filter that is put into vacuum cleaners and air purifiers that will get rid of around 97.3% of all particles in the air, including dust mites, mold spores, pet dander, and etcetera that are down to 0.3 microns in size. This is really the cleanest air that you will probably ever breathe and you can have it inside your house in both of these appliances. Smoke from cigarettes and other types of particles need to be removed from the indoor air supply because of the amount of time that people are spending in their homes and offices these days instead of outside, where air circulates much more easily. Since this is where people are spending most of their time now, the air supply needs to remain as clean as possible not only to help with breathing difficulties, but also to stop odors and mold growth from developing.
A HEPA filter in a vacuum cleaner is great because it pulls all of the particles out of your carpet that cause odors and allergic reactions and captures them in the filter, while expelling clean air back into your home.
An air purifying system that has a HEPA filter can also be purchased for a few hundred dollars or more, depending on the size of the residence you need to service. Each purifier has a certain amount of square footage of indoor space that it can filter effectively.
These are a couple of appliances that you can purchase to help stop the mold growth in your home, but the practice of preventing water leaks and humidity problems in the home should not go away just because you have purchased these. Your new HEPA filters cannot do the job alone. Another thing that you can do that involves moving air is installing exhaust vents in the humid rooms of your home like the bathroom and the kitchen. These do not expel clean air back into your house, but they do take humid and hot air out, reducing the amount of water absorbed by ceilings and upper walls.
HEPA filters are a kind of filter that is put into vacuum cleaners and air purifiers that will get rid of around 97.3% of all particles in the air, including dust mites, mold spores, pet dander, and etcetera that are down to 0.3 microns in size. This is really the cleanest air that you will probably ever breathe and you can have it inside your house in both of these appliances. Smoke from cigarettes and other types of particles need to be removed from the indoor air supply because of the amount of time that people are spending in their homes and offices these days instead of outside, where air circulates much more easily. Since this is where people are spending most of their time now, the air supply needs to remain as clean as possible not only to help with breathing difficulties, but also to stop odors and mold growth from developing.
A HEPA filter in a vacuum cleaner is great because it pulls all of the particles out of your carpet that cause odors and allergic reactions and captures them in the filter, while expelling clean air back into your home.
An air purifying system that has a HEPA filter can also be purchased for a few hundred dollars or more, depending on the size of the residence you need to service. Each purifier has a certain amount of square footage of indoor space that it can filter effectively.
These are a couple of appliances that you can purchase to help stop the mold growth in your home, but the practice of preventing water leaks and humidity problems in the home should not go away just because you have purchased these. Your new HEPA filters cannot do the job alone. Another thing that you can do that involves moving air is installing exhaust vents in the humid rooms of your home like the bathroom and the kitchen. These do not expel clean air back into your house, but they do take humid and hot air out, reducing the amount of water absorbed by ceilings and upper walls.
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.
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.
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 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.
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