Tag Archives: home safety

Protecting Your Appliances and Electronics from Electrical Surges

Electrical surges can damage so many appliances and electronic devices in your home. You could lose your television, your DVD player, your camera, your microwave, your telephone, garage door opener, well pump and even your refrigerator. Basically, anything that is plugged in and contains some sort of electronic component or computer chip is vulnerable to an electrical surge. What is an electrical surge? This is when the voltage in your home’s electrical system increases and then returns to normal quickly. An electrical surge can be caused by lightening or buy a malfunction in the electrical system. How can you prevent … Continue reading →

Fire Prevention Tips

Fires in the home can be devastating! Learn some quick tips on how to prevent fires in your home. How many of these tips are you practicing right now in your home? Never use flammable liquids inside your home. This would include kerosene, gasoline, etc. Keep these liquids outside of your home or garage. They should be stored in approved containers far away from any potential source of ignition, from your furnace to your water heater to your car. Clean the clutter from your home. In the event of a fire, clutter can fuel the fire making flames spread quickly … Continue reading →

Home Safety: Entertaining Holiday Guests

Safety. It may not be the first thing we think about when entertaining holiday guests. We’re busy getting things ready for the holidays, and preparing the guest room and other spaces to ensure that our guests are happy and comfortable throughout their stay. Whether guests are visiting for the day, or coming for an extended visit, there are a few important things to keep in mind. Dangers Lurking in Luggage Our guests may not have small children or pets in their homes and may not realize that their luggage could be an invitation for kids or pets to explore something … Continue reading →

Home Week in Review: October 8 – 14

How is the weather where you live? Does it feel like fall or do all these autumn articles feel a little out of place, considering it still feels like summer in many areas? I find myself having a little trouble really getting into autumn, especially on days when it’s in the 80’s and 90’s. It seems as if it’s going to start cooling down now, and then it may begin to feel a bit more like fall. Not that I’m complaining about the beautiful weather, not at all, it just makes it a little harder to realize that we really … Continue reading →

Home Safety: Halloween and Harvest

This time of year is exciting, especially for little ones. Halloween is well on the way, soon to be followed by the major holidays of the year. Yay! This is a great time for family fun but don’t forget safety (check out Trick or Treat Home Safety Tips). It’s never too early to start instructing kids on safety for various celebrations. There are many things to keep in mind when it comes to safe celebrating. For Halloween, first, make sure your decorating is not dangerous. Halloween decorating has become almost as big as decorating for major holidays, such as Christmas. … Continue reading →

Do it Yourself with Safer Building Materials and Home Products

Yesterday, the discussion was about formaldehyde and other pollutants in certain products but there are many items that can pose risks. For example, did you know that some older themostats contain mercury? If you think about it, it makes sense, just like there’s mercury in regular thermometers. I guess I just never thought about it. If you’re replacing your themostat, be sure to choose a digital one instead of one that contains mercury. Many types of vinyl also contain chemical pollutants, so it’s probably best to avoid not only vinyl flooring but vinyl shower curtains and other products made from … Continue reading →

Summer Home Safety Tips

Many of us enjoying entertaining or even just having a picnic or barbecue as a family. It’s fun to eat outside and enjoy the great weather instead of having to stop and come in to eat. Sure, it takes a little more effort, but it is worth it. Yet, there are some precautions we should take to ensure safety. One thing many people tend to forget about is food handling safety. In hot temperatures, food can go rancid and spoil quickly. You don’t want your day of fun to end with food poisoning. Do your best to keep hot food … Continue reading →

Facing The Real World In A High Rise—Part Two

In my previous blog I told you about my cousin’s new high-rise apartment. He just graduated from college a few weeks ago and this is his first “real” apartment. He used to live with five other classmates in a house just off campus, but now for the first time ever he is on his own trying to make the most of his new home in the big city. I don’t blame my aunt for being worried about him—-I’m sure I will feel the same way when my first-born gets her first apartment. But, the fact is, if my cousin follows … Continue reading →

Facing The Real World In A High Rise

My cousin graduated from college a couple of weeks ago and will begin his first “real” job next month. That means he has about two weeks to get his new home in order. Last week we drove down to Chicago to help him move into his new… high-rise apartment. Yes, he is living in a high-rise building in the middle of the Windy City. Better him than me. I don’t think I could survive in a high-rise. When I graduated from college I moved into a two-story apartment building and I lived on the ground floor. I hated the idea … Continue reading →

Extension Cord Safety Tips

There are nearly 5,000 home fires each year related to extension cord usage, according to estimates by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. While extension cords are a convenient tool, it just isn’t worth the risk of fire or injury to use one. To help avoid such risks, follow these tips as well as those offered in, “Home Safety: Extension Cords.” First, it’s wise to only purchase extension cords that have been tested by a reputable testing laboratory. The most well recognized is Underwriter’s Laboratory, so check for the UI on the label or look for other indications of appropriate … Continue reading →