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Tips for Clearing Clutter
Housing Tips

Tips for Clearing Clutter

by Kimberly Johnson
written by Kimberly Johnson

Tips for Clearing ClutterTips for Clearing Clutter
Everyone is guilty of holding on to things they should throw away. From those old T-shirts you’ve saved from college days to your box of cassette tapes, it’s easy to accumulate items from the past you’ll never use again. Tips for Clearing Clutter
Here are some common items you may consider throwing out:

  • Junk Mail – The postal service person delivers it to you every day, and every day you throw it in a pile. Take 15 minutes out of each week to figure out what’s important and what is truly junk. Recycle when you can.
  • Canned Food – Your local homeless shelter would love those cans of baked beans you bought and never ate. Put these non-perishable items in a bag and take to your local food drive.
  • Books & Music – Old textbooks do not need to take up space on your bookshelf. Also, if the music requires a player you no longer own (i.e. cassette or 8-track player), it’s time to toss it out.
  • Duplicates – You probably only use one spatula at a time, so why do you have four of them in your kitchen drawer? Give away duplicates of household items to a college student or to charity.
  • Magazines – If you never got around to reading last May’s edition, chances are you won’t ever. Pull out the recycling bin and throw out those old magazines, or place in your work breakroom for someone else to enjoy.

Apply these simple steps to get rid of unused items and get your home back in order.

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Housing Tips

Fireplace Safety and Maintenance

by Jeff Dailey
written by Jeff Dailey

Fireplace Safety and Maintenance

FireplaceWhen the colder temperatures start to set in, many homeowners will turn to their fireplace, wood or pellet stoves as an additional heat source. While fireplacese can provide warmth and comfort, if you are not careful, they can also be a hazard. Keep in mind the following precautions to help ensure a safe winter season.Fireplace Safety and Maintenance

Keep Your Chimney Fireplaces and Wood Stoves Clean

  • Have your chimney, fireplace, wood or pellet stove inspected and cleaned by a licensed chimney specialist. They should be maintained annually to help ensure they are functioning safely and efficiently.
  • Be sure to keep the area around the hearth clear of debris, decorations and any other combustible materials.
  • If you have a wood burning, insert or pellet stove, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for additional guidance related to operation and venting.

Keep Fires Burning Safely

  • Be sure the flue is open before lighting your fire to help ensure the fireplace will vent properly. Do not close your damper until you are sure the fire is out.
  • When starting a fire, only use a match or commercial firelighter. Never use flammable liquids to start a fire.
  • Glass doors of a fireplace should be kept open while burning a fire. This allows the fire to receive enough air for complete combustion and to help reduce creosote build-up in the chimney.
  • Metal mesh screens should remain closed whenever your fireplace is in use to help keep embers in the fireplace.
  • Only use dry wood in your fireplace. Wet wood can increase creosote buildup, which can lead to chimney fires.
  • Do not burn plastic because it can release toxic chemicals and cause damage to your chimney, fireplace or wood stove.
  • Never burn a Christmas tree in your fireplace as the sparks from the burning needles can increase the risk for a chimney fire. Also, do not burn cardboard boxes, wrapping paper or trash in your fireplace.
  • Never leave a fire in a fireplace unattended. Before leaving the house or going to bed, you should make certain to fully extinguish the fire.
  • Allow ashes to cool completely before disposing of them — ashes can take several days to cool completely. Never empty ashes directly into a trash can. Instead, place ashes in a covered metal container located at least 10 feet1 away from your home and any other building.

Keep the Outside of Your Home and Your Chimney Safe

  • Firewood should be stacked at least 30 feet away from your home.2
  • Your roof and chimney should be kept clean of leaves, pine needles and other debris. Prune trees and branches to keep them away from your chimney.
  • Install a chimney cap with spark arrester to help keep debris, leaves, branches and animals out, and to help prevent burning embers or sparks from escaping and creating a fire hazard.

Keep the Inside of Your Home Safe with Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

To help make your winter even safer, we recommend that you take the time to test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. A smoke detector is the most effective way to detect smoke from a fire and signal an alarm so that you can get you and your family out safely. A carbon monoxide detector can alert you to the buildup of this dangerous odorless and colorless gas. Make sure you test the detectors monthly, and after you change the batteries to ensure they work properly.
By Travelers Insurance

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Housing Tips

El Nino Means Check your Rainwater Drainage

by Jeff Dailey
written by Jeff Dailey

The arrival of El Nino means it is time to check your rainwater drainage.
Umbrella RainIf you own your own property or business you will know how important it is to maintain your property as well as you possibly can. Property is always a great investment and generally it is quite a large one, if not your largest. Due to this fact you must take care of it to ensure that it does not become damaged or badly kept. If you allow this to happen the value of your investment can be seriously affected and this cannot be allowed to happen. One of your worst enemies as a property owner is the weather. Adverse weather conditions can cause a great deal of damage to your property if you do not have the proper equipment in place to protect it. Heavy rain is one of the most dangerous types of weather as moisture within your building can cause as huge amount of damage. Because of this having a high quality drainage system in place is absolutely paramount. These drainage systems are designed and manufactured to provide your building with the maximum amount of protection possible from heavy or constant rain fall. El Nino Means Check your Rainwater Drainage
Choosing the best drainage systems
As there are so many different types of drainage systems available on the current market place it can be a very difficult decision trying to pick the best one, especially if you are relatively new to the property game. There are a number of different factors that you will need to take into consideration when you are choosing your rainwater drainage system. Firstly, you will need to look at the style of building that you have. It is absolutely paramount that the drainage system that you choose matches the style of your building. If it does not it can detract from the aesthetics of your building and thus affect the appeal and even the price of your home. This cannot be allowed to occur, so you must really take your time while browsing through the various drainage systems that are available to you. There are plenty to choose from including modern and contemporary styled drainage systems and more traditional and classically styled drainage systems. This means that you should have no problem locating a system to suit both the style of you home and your own personal taste.
Where to purchase your rainwater drainage systems
There are many different retailers that you can obtain high quality rainwater drainage systems from. You can purchase them from a number of Do It Yourself and home improvement stores on the high street and the selection within these stores is quite good. However, the very best location to find not only the best selection but the best prices is the internet. Here you can gain access to the entire market place and you can also find sites and blogs that will offer you help and assistance that will indicate what the very best quality drainage systems are.
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Housing Tips

Hurricane Windows Can Protect Your Home And Family

by Jeff Dailey
written by Jeff Dailey

Hurricane Windows Can Protect Your Home And Family
Hurricane WindowIt has been discovered that most of the harm executed to houses by hurricanes is a result of broken windows. The particles blown all around by the high winds breaks the windows, causing the air strain from the wind to enter the house. Hurricane Windows Can Protect Your Home And Family
This air pressure can blow out the other windows, even the ones that are not on the windward aspect of the home, and it can even blow off the roof. Persons have used shutters in the past to secure their windows, or board up their home every single yr when a major hurrican threatens. These options are equally high-priced and get a lot of labor. Once you have set the hurricane windows in your residence, they are generally there, carrying out what they are supposed to do, secure your dwelling from powerful winds. No window can protect your house if the set up is faulty. In addition, the installation wil be distinctive for every window, based on the resources of the window frame, etc.
It is ideal to have a expert set up these windows to make positive it is accomplished correct. You could even danger not becoming coated underneath warranty if you do not have a skilled do it.
If you live near to the expense then you have just about certainly knowledgeable some form of hurricane at least once throughout your lifestyle. Some hurricanes aren’t that robust, nonetheless other people can lead to a whole lot of damage. In buy for you and your household to survive a hurricane you must be ready. There are some ideas you can use to prepare by yourself for a storm.
Train your Spouse and children
You can’t previously have too significantly preparation when it arrives to coping with hurricanes. Make sure you sit down with your loved ones and arrive up with a great plan. Advise that each and every man or woman does a specified undertaking to get your household prepared. For instance, one particular person can gather supplies, one more can get started the course of action of guarding each and each window from the hurricane. In case there is previously a storm you really should arrive up with a risk-free area for you and your household to meet.
Emergency Kit
A hurricane will shut down the village and make It extremely hard to do many factors. On the other hand soon after the hurricane has passed you could require an emergency kit. Produce a box total of every little thing you could want, like fresh h2o, snacks, medicine, matches, candles and 1st support tools. It’s wise to think that following a bad storm your power, water and hones may possibly be harmed and unavailable.
Know Your Region
Make sure you familiarize your self with the emergency routes of your city. Some storms are also strong for you to stay in the household, if this happens then you require to know how you can get out of the town. If your town previously tells you to evacuate then make sure you really do evacuate. Learn about the evacuation routes so that you know where you really should go.
Materials
Quite a few folks dwell in regions that have regular hurricanes and other bad weather disorders, if you are one particular of them then you need to have to stock up on factors on a normal foundation. Make guaranteed that you usually have plenty of foods in order to survive for a considerable duration of time. It’s always a quite very good idea to make certain you have a provide of any medications which you want to take on a standard foundation. If you believe that there is heading to be a storm then make sure you fill up bathtubs, sinks and buckets with drinking water.
Prepare Your Construction
You need to also make sure that your house can stand up to a hurricane.
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Housing Tips

10 Tips To Help You Save Home Energy

by Kimberly Johnson
written by Kimberly Johnson

moneyBefore you spend money on the latest energy-efficient gizmo that’s supposed to save you money let’s look at some energy saving ideas that will really help you save home energy. The strategies that we will look at maximize the effort you put in and the reduction in your home energy consumption.
First sit down and think about all the different ways your family uses energy around the house. Now put an approximate type and cost of energy used. You may have trouble breaking down the cost but try to do it. Now all you have to do is find ways to save on your resources at the same time cut your costs. You may have to think creatively but it can be done.
So here are some tips to get you started:
– Turn the lights off when you’re not using them. This is really simple and easy to do. Do you really need your bedroom light on when you’re in the living room? Do you leave lights on when you leave the house? Do you even need more than one light on in a room for what you are doing? Believe it or not it makes a big difference.
– Turn all electronics and other appliances off when you’re not using them. No one can do everything at the same time. Can you really listen to a radio watch television and use your computer all at the same time?
– Set your thermostat down a couple of degrees in winter or up in summer, to conserve energy. And dress appropriately indoors for the time of year it is. For instance in winter, put on a sweater or some extra clothing, or may snuggle under a blanket to stay warm. In the summer, wear less and stay cooler naturally.
– Only turn an appliance on when you have a full load. This is true especially for the washing machine, dryer and even the dishwasher. It is amazing how much extra energy is used doing multiple small loads in comparison to one full load.
– Do regular maintenance on your appliances. Keeping them clean means they don’t have to work as hard. Changing filters again reduces the energy needed to accomplish a task. Regular care will also mean any maintenance bills that you might come up against may well be cheaper.
– Be careful how you use your water. Like when brushing your teeth or washing your hands, use only the water you need. Don’t let the water run the entire time. Also, try and use less water if you take a bath, or control your shower times.
– Simply let your hair air dry, instead of using a blow drier every day.
– Lower the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees F.
Don’t forget the bigger projects as well.
– Seal the cracks around your doors and windows. You are paying for your hot air that escapes through cracks all around your house. You need to make sure you are doing all you can to keep the warm air you’re paying for inside your house.
– You also need to check your house’s insulation. Though this has been done by many homeowners nevertheless you still need to do it before you pass it over. It is probably the biggest thing in reducing heating costs.
Now some of these things may seem trivial to you but let me assure you that even the small things add up over time. And really most of them you won’t even notice the difference to your life except your bills.
These tips and suggestions will make your home more affordable, and take some strain off of our world’s resources. Just think if all of us would just made a few of these changes to how we do things on a daily basis it would make a huge difference.
 
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