Tag: Home Tips
Home Safety Reminders for the Summer
Summer is just around the corner, and unfortunately, this is the time of year when accidents around the home increase. Here are a few friendly safety reminders so you can have fun all summer long.
Water Safety – It only takes an inch of water for a child to drown. While the common areas to focus on water safety are pools and spas, other places in your yard need to also be considered: water features, wading pools and utility buckets can accumulate many inches of rainwater after storms. Keep a close eye on young children playing around these areas.
Home Tips for Spring
How Secure Is Your Garage Door?
When you close your overhead garage door, do you assume that your home is secure? For the most part it probably is, but there are a few ways crooks can still get through. Consider these measures to make sure your home is locked tight:
Look at the service door. The service door, or side door on your garage, is often one of the easiest points of entry for a burglar. Make sure the door has a deadbolt and a heavy-duty strike plate, as should all exterior doors in your home.
Install a garage door sensor. Sometimes your garage door security is compromised simply because someone forgot to close the door. This is where a sensor and monitor come in. Attach the sensor to the garage door and then place the monitor somewhere inside your house. If the garage door is open, the monitor will let you know.
Remove clickers from your vehicle. If you park a vehicle in the driveway, make sure you do not leave your garage door remotes in your vehicles (e.g., on the visor or center console). A thief can break into your car for entry into your house. Opt for a key-ring remote, which you can find online by typing in your garage door brand followed by “remote.”
Use an old-fashioned lock. If you are going to be away from your home for an extended period of time, you may want to lock your garage door track. Simply drill a hole in your garage door track just above one of the rollers and fasten a padlock through the hole. Even if a robber can fish the garage door lock open from the outside, he will not be able to actually roll up the door.
Install a smart home door opener. These high-tech garage door openers come with built-in security features such as monitors and lighting controls – all connected to your smartphone. This means that from anywhere, you can make sure your garage door is closed and your home is secure.
Source: The Family Handyman, Garage Security Tips
Wine Storage Solutions
Comedian W.C. Fields once said, “I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.” Whether wine is part of your latest culinary creation, part of your overall cooking experience or a staple in everyday life, finding the perfect wine storage solution for your kitchen deserves more consideration than you may expect.
There are dozens of design elements to consider when installing a new kitchen. Hardware, colors, countertops, appliances and countless selections can be overwhelming. For the homeowner that pops a cork once every few weeks, wine storage may be an afterthought. For the connoisseur, however, making the wrong wine storage decisions could lead to a design flop.
5 Sensible Adjustments to Save on Utilities
- Adjust the heat and AC. Adjusting the thermostat is one of the most significant ways you can see savings on your utility bills all year
round. For colder months, try setting the thermostat a bit lower. For example, if you normally set it at 72, try 68 during the day and even lower (perhaps 65) overnight. Also remember to turn down your thermostat when you are at work for the day. In the summer, set your thermostat higher, perhaps in the high 70s. This will still be quite comfortable compared to outside. While at first these adjustments may feel a bit extreme, your body will adjust and you will notice savings. - Stop pre-rinsing. Pre-rinsing dishes before placing them in the dishwasher is no longer necessary. Most newer model dishwashers are designed to handle the stuck-on food to leave your dishes clean and sparkling.
- Air dry . To save some money, experiment with air drying – from your dishes to your clothes to your hair.
- Check for water leaks. The cause of wasted water and increased water bills is often found in hidden leaks. A good way detect hidden leaks is to check your water meter before you go to bed and again first thing in the morning. If the number has changed, you may have a leak somewhere in your house.
- Check for air leaks. Drafty windows and doors can be a huge source of energy loss, in both the winter and summer months. If you notice a small draft, purchase a winterization kit at your local hardware store, and/or buy heavy insulated curtains. For a short-term solution, place blankets or towels at the base of a door to minimize the draftiness until you are able to install new weather stripping. If the draftiness is too severe, consider calling a professional to diagnose the problem and provide solutions.
Be “Green” around your Home – Conserve Water
With all the
talk out there of “Going Green” or “Being Green” we’d like to offer you some practical tips on how to be more sustainable or “green” in your home.
Conserve water at your home – Here are a few helpful water conservation tips from the American Water Works Association.
- Use the Shower. A Five minute shower = 10-25 gallons of water; A full bathtub = 70 gallons
- Check for drips at faucets
- Only run your dishwasher when it is full
- Replace your old clothes washer with a high efficiency machine that can save up to 12-15 gallons per load
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