Do these simple things to help keep your most precious investment, your home, safe and secure

Regardless of where we live or who we are, keeping our home and family safe is likely the highest priority we all share in common. There are some little things we need to pay attention to that can make a big difference in safety and security, but only when we recognize them and take the right actions we need to with them. Look at the list below. Then take time to go through your home and check off that these are NOT potential issues you need to worry about!

Free your home of electrical hazards
In some homes, there are more of these than the occupants probably realize are there. Things to check for include: 

• Damaged, frayed, cracking or worn wiring, chewed wires, including extension cords if you are using these. These can continue to deteriorate and put you at risk for fires, arc faults or power surges.
  
• Also inspect for any loose connections in outlets or switches.
  
• Take an inventory of any cords you may have coming from appliances or electrical devices that may have overheated at one time or another.
  
• Dispose of any old electrical appliances that could be faulty. Crock pots, coffee makers. If you saw the episode in "This Is Us" when the faulty crock pot sparked, caught fire and ultimately burned their house down, you will be able to visualize how serious and fast fire can start and spread.
  
• Make sure none of your light bulbs are too close to flammable material – curtains, furniture, pillows, anything plastic, etc.
  
• Be cautious not to overload power boards with too many electrical appliances at one time. Have you ever had two hair dryers going at once and the power to them shuts off?
  
• Never try to work on any electrical device or appliance without first turning off the power to it. And never try to repair these electrical appliances using metal tools like a screwdriver or a knife with the power on. Doing this can result in a shock, sometimes severe shocks.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
These have the job of detecting smoke and carbon monoxide for us but can only do their jobs if they are in good working order. It’s very important to make sure you have both of these detectors in your home and that they are clean and functional, or they have no value to your safety. Simple checks twice a year can help you assure yourself that these are in tip top shape so you can literally rest easy at night and when you leave your home for any length of time.  Some older homes were built before codes required their installation, so may not even have a carbon monoxide detector.  If your home fits this bill, a great gift idea for your family could be the right number of these detectors for your home. They could turn out to be some of the best investments in your family's safety that you make.

Washers and Dryers are usually friendly appliances, but there are times when they can pose fire danger or flood issues in your home.  Our best advice is to never leave your home when your washer or dryer are running. Especially for the risk of dryer fires which affect approximately 15,000 homes per year in our country according to the National Fire Protection Agency.  Lint being the main culprit of dryer fires, making a diligent habit of emptying your lint trap in your dryer can certainly be a helpful contributor towards preventing dryer fires from starting.  Having your dryer vents cleaned once a year is also recommended to help prevent this kind of fire.  A simple and innocent thing like having a rag or something in your utility sink blocking the sink drain can be enough to back up the waste water coming from your washer into your sink.  It doesn’t take very long for the water to back up and over your sink and onto your floor.  You can get the picture.  At least if you are home, you can potentially stop the washer and the flood gates from flowing before too much damage is done.  If you are gone, coming home to a flooded laundry room and the damage that comes along with it to rooms around and below it is not anybody’s idea of fun.

Old furnace?  Not a bad idea to enlist a professional to come and test for gas leakage or carbon monoxide.  Sometimes these are present at low levels, low enough not to realize up front.  Paying attention to this danger can prevent big, big problems to your families health and safety to your home. A simple and quick test can reassure your furnace is safe or let you know it isn't.

Suspect mold?  If you have reason to suspect you might have mold anywhere in your home, erring on the side of caution is likely to be a helpful and healthful action to take. There are businesses that specialize in mold detection and mold remediation that can tell you whether you have moisture or mold issues and can help by offering solutions that can remove and resolve your mold troubles.

Radon is another invisible and well-kept secret danger that is important to monitor.  Besides being invisible, radon is also odorless, so difficult at best to easily detect.  If it is present, it can pose serious health dangers of its own to anyone who breathes it in.  Radon is an invisible carcinogen and is known to be a culprit in causing lung cancer. According to reports, exposure to radon is attributable to approximately 21,000 deaths from lung cancer per year. (U.S. News- Health).  The Environmental Protection Agency website provides information  on areas where higher levels of radon are predicted.  However, don’t misguide yourself by thinking that if your area is not listed that you are not at risk. That is not true. Radon can exist anywhere, in any home, in any community.  If you suspect or are just curious about radon levels in your home, there are businesses that specialize in radon detection and remediation.  The great news is that radon can be mitigated to relieve your radon worries.

Smell gas?  Never, ever second guess this.  If you come home and smell gas, don’t turn on or off any lights.  Just leave your home and call your gas company right away.  They will come out and test for gas leakage for you. Gas leaks don’t always come from the furnace.  Stranger things can happen, things you might not ever expect.  For example, one of our members told us that their cat jumped onto the counter in the apartment he lives in during the day while his owner was at work.  He accidentally knocked over something that in turn, bumped a stove knob and turned on the gas.  No one really knew how long the gas had remained on, but long enough so that gas could be smelled by tenants when they came in the door from way down the hall. Thankfully, it was caught before any damage was done or anyone was hurt or affected.  There are actually stove knob covers you can purchase at places like Bed, Bath, and Beyond that prevent that sort of thing from happening again. Who would have known?

Doing some interior or exterior painting?  If you use turpentine on a rag, be very careful about how you dispose of the rag. Fires have broken out from these rags being left unattended in buckets or pails. The alcohol in the turpentine dries and ignites when it gets warm and can catch on fire very quickly.  Garages have gone up in smoke, basements and laundry rooms, as well.  Instead, Consumer Reports recommends these safe ways below to dispose of these oily rags:

• Do not pile or ball rags soaked with oil paint or turpentine into a tight mass or toss them into the regular trash while they are still wet
• Allow the rags to dry thoroughly before disposal. Spread the rags outdoors, on the ground or on a metal rack, until completely dry and somewhat hard.  Two full days is usually enough time, but it might take longer.
• Once the rags are completely dry, they should be safe for disposal.  Put them in the trash on collection day.  This method allows the oils to fully cure without overheating. 
• If the rags should catch fire outside, be prepared to douse the fire with water, sand or dirt.  Do not disturb them until you are sure the fire is out.
• Should the rags catch fire indoors, call the fire department, get everyone outside.  Then and only then, try to put the fire out with an extinguisher, but only if you know how to operate one.
• If you are unable to put the fire out, stay out of the house and wait for the fire department to come.

Readers, I am guessing these tips are likely more like reminders than information you may be hearing for the first time.  But, I am also guessing that for some, there is something here you may not have heard of or thought of.  Let's hope something here helps keep you, your family and home safe and secure, worry-free and comfortable being in your home.

If you have had any near misses or even total misses you would be willing to share, they could also end up being the one take away that helps someone else avoid the same problem(s) you ran into.  I would encourage you to use the comment section below to share these experiences with our readers.

Use these tips and tricks to help stay in control of your Type 2 Diabetes

Being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes is not the best news you can receive, but it doesn’t have to be the worst. Of all diseases to be diagnosed with, Type 2 Diabetes, at least, is one that you can take the reins with and take control. There are many things a Type 2 Diabetes patient can do to help maintain control over the disease, many of which are not difficult.

The question comes down to your own commitment to yourself, as well as to the others who surround you in your world. For much of your control, adopting small lifestyle changes will prove to help towards your success. 

The following fifteen commandments are broken down into four mini commandments! Diet, Exercise, Medication, Stress Management.

1.  Be true to yourself!  If you have Type 2 Diabetes, you can take control of your disease! You can do things that will affect your management of your Type 2 Diabetes and you have control over how well you do them.  Stay educated.  Learn as much as you can about how best to take care of yourself.  (American Diabetes Association  is a great resource!)

2.  Diet is the biggie. There are many resources available online  and off that outline healthy and delicious meals and snacks for the success seeking Diabetic.  Ultimately your diet will play a large role in determining how well you control your Diabetes or don’t.  Once you get used to this, it’s not so hard!  And, it feels a whole lot better to eat well!

3. Understanding how carbs affect insulin production and how proteins and sugars act in our bodies can help you understand how to shape your meals, snacks and general overall diet.  Just learn to say “Nope” to certain foods you discover will simply not work well for you!  It’s just a word that can turn out to mean so much to you when you use it at the right times!

4. Walk on by those foods that aren’t good for you when you have to grocery shop. Leave them there if you can and avoid their temptations if you bring them home.

5. Indulge in your favorite breakfast cereal but use a smaller bowl than you may have used before. Changing the size of your bowl makes it easier to fill it up without the guilt or the extra carbs you would otherwise take in.

6. Eat slower. That’s right. Take your time. This is an all-around healthier step, Diabetic or not.

7. Serve yourself smaller portions. This is especially helpful and ties into number 2 where you are eating more slowly.
 

8. Ditch seconds. You won’t need more servings if you commit yourself to eating slower. You will naturally fill up and won’t have the need to go back and get more.  After all, in many circumstances, it could have been those seconds or thirds that helped you put on the weight that got you into trouble in the first place.

9.  Get moving!  This is probably the most important step of all.  It’s a lot easier to watch and manage what’s on the fork as you lift it to your mouth, than it is, sometimes to get moving!  Being active is key in successful management of your Type 2 Diabetes.  If you’re not used to being very active, take on smaller changes at first and graduate yourself to bigger ones as you “move along.”  Take, for example, these thoughts:

• When you park your car at the store or in any parking lot, don’t make a point to search for the closest parking space. Instead, make a point to find one a good walking distance away. Force yourself to walk further and more often.

• Try and take a walk outside every day, even if it is just for ten minutes in the beginning.  The fresh air will also feel wonderful.

• Take up an exercise plan.  If you’re not used to this, which many people may not be, start out slow, but commit to beefing it up as you go. This is a step that is one of the hardest to start, but that pays the highest dividends to you when you do.

• Ride a bike or even an exercise bike.

• Take stairs when you can instead of elevators or escalators.  Even if you have to take them slowly, do so, and get your heart beating.

• Get off your couch!Get off and go clean something, fix something, or take care of something that has been on your list for a while.  Being productive is not only gratifying, it is motivating to be even more productive.  Being productive usually means you are active doing something, which is always better than being on the couch!

10. Drop some weight if you are over weight. Taking a hold of the above steps along with watching more closely what you are putting in your mouth, will help you drop some weight.  As a Diabetic, you will find yourself feeling physically better if you are not carrying around the extra weight.  Keeping your weight down will become a natural stabilizer of your Type 2 Diabetes, given the other elements are also under control.

11. Recognize that you are part of a care team!  You don’t necessarily have to feel like you are taking on challenges that go with Type 2 Diabetes management all by yourself.  You have a built-in care team that consists of your doctor, your pharmacist, you and the people in your life that love you. Your doctor can also refer you to a dietician, as well as a Diabetes educator.  Your pharmacist is also a very important team member who can answer questions for you and help keep you on track.

12.  Manage your medication well. If your doctor has prescribed medication for you, you are the only one that can make sure you take them as prescribed. These do wonders for you, but only when you take them as you should be.

13. Be diligent at testing your blood sugar so you always know where you stand. Often, you could be surprised at your status, either higher or lower than you might realize.  Knowing where you stand is the only real way you will be able to know how best to manage things to remain successful in your Type 2 Diabetes control. There are some awesome apps for your phone that can help you keep track and records of your blood sugar history, weight, etc.  Having all this information in one handy place is a great tool for both you and your doctor.

14.  Stress management comes into play, as well.  As this is a trickier element, doing your best to reduce stresses in your life will ultimately help you manage certain parts of your Type 2 Diabetes.  Read books or articles on stress management to help, if need be.  Meditation, exercise also both can assist in stress reduction.

15. Take stock in yourself and remember to pat yourself on the back.  Reward yourself and your efforts in carrying through your commitments.  If you are taking these steps and taking your care of yourself seriously, then you do deserve a just reward!

If you are reading this and you have some other tips or tricks that have helped you or someone you know better manage Type 2 Diabetes, we'd love to hear your suggestions below in the comment area!

Customers - I bet you have experienced this before!

You make a call to a company for service or information, leave a message, and no one calls you back.  Or, a company salesperson has been to your home and now you are waiting to receive their follow up estimate.  Nothing happens.   Or maybe the company is already doing work for you, problems arise, and you cannot get a call returned.  It makes you wonder!  Don’t they want your business?  Are they so busy they can afford not to return your call?  Is your job too small?  Do you live too far away?  Is the company bailing on you?  Is it you?   What?  Don’t you wonder how some of these businesses actually stay in business with that kind of conduct?  I have no doubt that has crossed your mind!

The reality is that there are any numbers of reasons why they may not be returning your calls.  I have learned long ago that things are not always the way they seem.  Is it simply neglect or maybe put another way,  an “exercise of poor judgment?”  The bigger reality is that there really is no excuse good enough to skip out on this piece of customer servicing.   Few reasons will make sense to a customer!  However, things do happen that prevent someone from calling back within a reasonable amount of time.   But, when they do, the right thing for a company to do is to call the customer as soon as they are able,  apologize,  explain the delay,  and address the reason the customer had originally called.   Wouldn’t you be forgiving as a customer, if you were treated that way?  The answer, for the most part, is probably YES. 

So, companies take heed to this reminder.  A simple return phone call can provide your customer with precisely the right kind of service experience they deserve and can also provide you with miles and miles of return, yourself.   After all, one of the primary things customers are looking for is an overall positive experience.  That’s great news for anyone in business because it translates to infinite opportunities to try to please.   Companies that miss the boat on treating every caller as a potential customer is missing much more than a boat.   Even for those customers whose jobs or projects may not be a fit, as a contractor, you stand so much to still win by treating them well.  It is no secret that you are much more likely to launch your possibilities with others they know than by squelching any hopes by missing this ever so important “customer touch point.”

Contractors…. How often does this happen with you?

Contractors scratch their heads, as well, over the fact that customers won’t return their phone calls, either!  As I stated in the beginning, I have had countless conversations with contractors and consumers who both feel frustrated about this same slight.  Contractors wonder, too, why customers won’t return their calls or emails.

Try putting yourself in a contractor’s shoes for a moment.  Their company receives a call from a customer inquiring about their services.  They ask for a quote on a home project.  The company sends out a knowledgeable salesperson who completes the quote, on time, professionally, and as requested.  The visit seems to have gone positively and felt very friendly.   When the salesperson left, he understands that the couple would need to process and discuss the information they had just learned.

The salesperson also completely understands a customers’ need to get other bids and ponder over the information collected.  When he calls back to follow up, the homeowner won’t return the call.  When he turns to email as a second alternative, they won’t respond that way, either.  Perplexed himself, the contractor often doesn’t know if he should try again or if the homeowner decided not to hire him.  

Although there are clear exceptions, most contractors encounter this scenario often and do not want to become a pest to customers.  They only want to put closure to the process that was started, and certainly do hope to win your business.  Most contractors acknowledge they will win some and lose some, but it’s fair to let them know either way, so they can feel good about moving forward or moving on.  Perhaps the homeowner has not decided which company they will choose?  Or, maybe they have decided not to go with that company?  Even so, why not call him back?  It is very surprising how many consumers play the same game with the contractors that they complain about themselves.  

It is important to keep in mind that contractors and companies are simply doing their jobs.  They are also people, like you and me.   Another reminder worth mentioning is that it costs the company money and time to come to your home and provide you with the information you have asked for.   When they call you to follow up, what they want to know is whether or not they will be able to do business with you, or if there is any other information you may still need.  That’s all.   A simple return call could save much time and agony on both ends.  It’s equally frustrating for the contractor who hopes to win your business, works hard to provide you with information that will help you make a comfortable decision, and then does not receive the respect of a return phone call.  On the flip side, it might help the contractor to understand a little perspective as to why this may be happening to them.

 A fair number of homeowners have told me they feel bad having to tell someone they chose another company; they don’t want to hurt their feelings, so ignoring them seemed easier.   Easier for who?  As a consumer, if you ever find yourself in that scenario in the future, I hope you will remember that the contractor who came to your home would much rather be told you chose another company than to be told nothing at all.  They can take it, trust me!  So homeowners, heed this message, too.  Whether you choose to hire, not to hire, postpone your project, or change your mind, all together, try and think of the contractor in terms of a professional and a person.  Treat them the same way you would want them to treat you. 

Want to share your good, bad, or indifferent story about this topic?   We want to hear from you.   Select stories may be posted anonymously on our website.   We value your stories and thank you, in advance, for taking time to share them with us. 

How can you eliminate unwanted bees and hornets’ nests? · Remove bees and hornets’ nests · Get rid of bees nests · Safely remove bees nests
Contributed by Diana Herzan

The most efficient way to eliminate bees and hornet nests is to wait until after dark when most if not all the hornets have returned to the nest; then spray a good dose of registered wasp/ hornet spray into the opening.  Also, before daylight in early morning works well and there is less chance of becoming stung.  Ground nesting bees can be controlled the same way, just aim the spray nozzle toward the ground.  Ground nests can be more tricky due to nests being a foot or more in diameter.  Cygon 2-E, Orthene diazinon, or Sevin could be applied more effectively in this situation.  Purchasing store bought sprays like Raid for bees and hornets can be effective if used according to the can´s directions.

A non-chemical control would be to wait until fall or winter and physically destroy the nest. Wasps will continue to use the same nest enlarging it more every year.

It is important to note that wasps, hornets, and bees are extremely beneficial creatures and control should be targeted only to problem areas.  They are merely doing what most species do in warding off possible danger to their family and nest.

Always, while attempting to remove nests that could be dangerous to your family and guests, you should exercise caution.  Some nests may require calling in a professional "bee man," or pest control expert.  Especially, if you are allergic or someone close by has allergic tendencies, you should be careful and call upon a professional when needed. 
 

Source:  Minnesota DNR, Department of Natural Resources

What can you do yourself to humidify your home? · Air in the house too dry? · Dry air at night · Solutions for dry air in rooms
 Contributed by Diana Herzan
 
Are you waking up in the morning with a dry throat? 
Here are some easy home remedies you can use to help humidify a room!

Pots or pans of water would be the first thing I would recommend.  This is the easiest step you can take. Fill up a pan or spare pot of water and place it as close to a heat or radiator register as you can.  The heat will cause the water to evaporate into your room. With most things, this is no exception.  There is asmall downfall to this method.  Watch for potential chemical deposits on pots and pans as the water does its job of evaporating into the air.  They can be difficult to clean off.  Best  to use an old pot or pan you may not care as much about. 

Plants are our friends in more ways than you might realize.  They need water to live and as you water them to grow, they  will give back to you in the form of humidity back into their rooms.

Crank the heat down is another sure fire way you can decrease the humidity in the house.  The hotter the room gets, the drier it gets also.  Especially at night when you are under blankets, turning the heat down can make a little bit of difference in the least.

Wet Clothes can be hung up to dry as another helpful home remedy for increased humidity.  If you have the space, one load of wet laundry can often provide ample moisture for a room.  To help with a good night’s sleep, hang up your laundry or sling over a drying rack in the late afternoon or early evening.  You’ll breathe easier at night.

Spraying or misting water into a room can also help. Using a spray bottle with a setting for misting is probably better than a free-for-all water spraying event in your living room or bedroom.  A gentle misting over curtains, furniture, carpet, and in the air can only help.

Bathroom fans.  We know our parents always tell us to turn the bathroom fan on when you take a shower. They are right.  For a once in a while humidity boost, leave the fan off and take a steamy shower, or just let it run.  Don’t overdo this.  Everything in moderation! Keep the bathroom door open and let the steam do its magic for you.  Adding a floor fan to help distribute the steam can help the cause even more.

Cooking pasta or soups can let off steam.  The meal will add warmth to your body and the preparation will add steam and humidity to your home.  Leave doors open so steam will have the ability to travel through the air. 

Your pets are feeling it, too.  Chances are if you feel the air is too dry, your pets are too.  Leave extra bowls of water out for your cats and dogs and try and encourage them to drink.  Making it easy for them to get to water will help them stay hydrated, which is important to their health, as it is yours. 

Even if it is cold outside, exposing yourself to some fresh air could do you wonders.  Bundle up and make sure you breathe in some real air from outside.  Inside air in the winter, especially, can get stale and stagnant.  People often say they feel better after they have been outside.  This is because the fresh air was good for them to breathe in.

Source: ehow.com-http://www.ehow.com/about_5095372_home-remedies-humidify-room.html