Home hazards and how to get rid of them

Although there are many things around the house that many homeowners concentrate on, which are highly visible, there are things that they can’t see that pose a higher risk. Here are six problems that pose a danger to you, your family and your home that you'll want to avoid and swiftly remedy if they show up at your home.

Asbestos

Asbestos was used in electrical insulation and in building insulation and is typically uncovered in the basements and attics of homes built before the 1970’s. It has been linked to serious health problems, including lung cancer and mesothelioma. If you uncover asbestos that you can’t avoid or if you are unsure if your house contains asbestos, find a certified asbestos consultant in your area and request a home evaluation.

Carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. In high concentrations, it is toxic to humans and animals. Detectors are available at home improvement and hardware stores. Carbon monoxide detectors should be placed on each level of your home, including the basement.

Lead

One of the most dangerous substances to children in homes built before 1980 is lead paint. You can buy lead test kits at home improvement and hardware stores. If you find that your home has lead paint, hire a certified professional to remove and dispose of it.

Mold

One of the hazards most often faced by homeowners is mold, which is caused by excessive moisture build-up due to flooding, leaky roofs and indoor plumbing issues. Mold is often undetectable and can cause allergic reactions and long-term health problems. Minor mold can be eradicated with soap and water or bleach-to-water solution composed of 9 parts water to 1 part bleach. If you experience a major water issue, have a water mitigation specialist come out to dry affected areas.

Radon

Linked to lung cancer, radon is a radioactive gas that is produced from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. It seeps into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. There are many radon testing kits available and if your home tests positive, hire a consultant immediately.

Termites

Termites are attracted to wood, moisture accumulation near the foundation and dead plant material left on the ground. The sign to look for is the damage they cause to wood, especially door and window frames. Maintenance and prevention is crucial, but when faced with infestation, you need to call in a seasoned professional who specializes in eradicating termites.

Talking dirty: Places in our homes that we need to clean more often

It’s easy to think of toilets, sinks, countertops and floors when you’re thinking about cleaning the house. But the surfaces of some areas in your home are breeding grounds for all kinds of germs, bacteria and mold.

Here are some areas of your home that you may not clean regularly, but need to start.

Bedding

Dust mites collect over time in mattresses; so many, in fact, that the weight of your mattress can double in 10 years. Exposure to dust mites can cause allergic reactions, sinus pain and even asthma attacks. Experts recommend using dust mite-proof casings on pillows and mattresses.

Blinds

Window blinds are great places for dust to collect, which can lead to allergy attacks. Make sure to dust every two weeks with a lamb’s wool or microfiber duster.

Comforter

Most people forget to wash the comforter on their bed. It should be laundered once a month to remove germs and allergens.

Computer area

It’s said that a messy desktop is a sign of genius. Not really. It can be a sign of bacteria, germs and maybe mold, especially if you eat at your desk. Keep disinfecting wipes around so you can clean your desk and electronic wipes to keep equipment clean.

Lights

Bugs inevitably find their way to lamps and end up dying in the fixtures of floor lamps and overhead lights. Make sure to de-bug when you dust.

Remote control

Think about who handles the remote control, how often and when. Remotes should be wiped down with electronics wipes several times a week.

Refrigerator coil

The coils are located in the back or behind the base grille and if they get covered in dust, they won’t release heat, which makes the compressor work harder. Eventually, the refrigerator will not be able to maintain proper temperature. Brush-off the dust and vacuum the coils every six months.

Shower

Even though the shower is most generally associated with cleanliness, it’s a prime environment for mold and mildew. Make sure your bathroom is properly ventilated.

Trash cans

Indoor trash cans should be washed at least monthly to combat germs and bacteria. Fill the cans with hot water and dish soap. Let them sit for an hour, then wipe dry. Spray the inside with disinfectant before putting a new bag in.

Walls

Walls can be a place where dust gathers, especially around crown molding and baseboards.

Washing machines

Mold can be a problem in the new, front-load washing machines, especially around the door. Wipe down the door regularly and leave the door open between loads so it can dry out properly. Consider running a sanitize cycle with bleach to disinfect the machine once a month.

Sounds like you should get that checked out

Hearing a strange sound in your home is always disconcerting, especially at night or if you’re in the basement. Some sounds are natural. Homes are built of many different materials that make noises as they expand and contract.

If your home is making noises louder than a knuckle popping, it could be a sign that there’s a problem that needs immediate attention. Here are the sounds you don’t want to hear.

Hissing

A possible gas leak could be indicated by a hissing sound. This is something you definitely don’t want to mess around with. Don’t even mess around with trying to shut it off. Get out of the house and call a professional to come out ASAP.

Clanking

When you turn on the heat in the fall, it’s very likely that it will make a little noise. If you hear knocking or clanking, it could be a sign that the circulator pump is about to fail. Call an HVAC service technician and get them out there ASAP.

Scratching

If you hear a strange scratching sound coming from behind the walls, it’s a good indication that you’ve got critters such as mice, squirrels or raccoons taking up residence. Set traps or call a specialist ASAP. They can spread disease and cause damage to the home if not removed.

Bubbling

Any time the water heater makes a weird sound is an indication that it needs attention. A bubbling or cracking sound usually means that you’ve got sediment built up in the tank. You should flush the tank at least once a year. This gets rid of the sediment and extends the life of your water heater.

Whistling

No, your heater doesn’t think you look great. That whistling sound means your heater is working too hard to pull air in. Replace your filters every three months.

Running water when no one’s running water

This could indicate a busted pipe. Shut off the main; if the sound goes away, you’ve got a leak. Call a plumber. A leak can cause damage and promote the growth of mold.

The secret to good gardening is . . . lasagna?

If you’re considering putting in a new garden and want to keep it as environmentally-friendly as possible, you might want to consider prepping the ground this year and plant next year.

Creating a great garden space can’t just happen overnight. Getting the soil ready for planting a garden takes some time, work, and organic matter to make some garden lasagna.

What is lasagna gardening?

Building your garden soil through a process similar to composting lies at the heart of lasagna gardening. Made popular two decades ago by a book written by Patricia Lanza called – what else? – “Lasagna Gardening.”

Rather than bringing in yards of soil, Lanza reasoned, you build the soil from the ground up by adding alternating layers of nitrogen-rich (green) and carbon-rich (brown) organic matter. The green layer can include grass clippings, kitchen compost, coffee grounds and herbivorous manure. The brown layer includes fallen leaves, straw, newspaper and even shredded cardboard. Each layer should be at least an inch thick.

Making garden lasagna

This is the perfect time of year to start your soil for a new garden. It will take about a year for your soil to be completely ready. The process is simple.

1. Mark off your garden plot.


2. Using a shovel, turn over the soil about a foot deep and break up the sod.


3. Rake all your leftover leaves from the winter into the spot. Better yet, mulch them to create your first brown layer. Save a week’s worth of newspapers and add a bale of straw and you’ve got a pretty good first layer.


4. Ask your neighbors to catch their first mow grass clippings to add to your first green layer. You may have to buy a couple of bags of manure to get enough to make a good layer.


5. Don’t compress the layers. You want to make sure your lasagna is getting enough air and water to aid in the breakdown.


6. PRO TIP: Don’t add more green than brown; your soil will turn acidic.


7. You can make as few or as many layers as you want.


8. When you get to the last layer, cover it in brown matter or soil.


9. Water it down to start the process.


10. Walk away - for a year - and let nature take its course.

It’s perfectly fine to plant in the decomposing mulch in the first year. By next year, the soil will be perfect.

The art of cleaning quickly

Have you ever been relaxing on the weekend or after work and thought, “I really need to clean this place up?” At that very moment, the phone rings and it’s your friend/Mom/sister who wants to pop by for a moment to return that thing they borrowed/have coffee/talk about what’s happening. And they just won’t take no for an answer.

The panic clean doesn’t have to be a frenzied battle. There are some steps you have to take to make your home look presentable quickly and efficiently.

Prioritize

You don’t need to give your entire home a deep cleaning in 10 minutes but you don't need to. Focus on the rooms where you and your guest are likely to spend the most time: bathroom, kitchen and living room.

Prepare

If you are a professional procrastinator or cleaning avoidance master, you should gather what you’ll need into one caddy: cloths, magic erasers, spray glass cleaner, and all-purpose cleaner. Keep it at the ready for just such an occasion and stash it under the kitchen sink.

Plan

Use a systematic approach to guarantee that all areas of each room are cleaned without having to retrace your steps. Clean clockwise starting at the left of the door and go from top to bottom.

Proceed

Spray down toilet bowls, countertops, stovetop and sinks first to give it time to loosen surface stains.

Pick up

After you’ve sprayed everything down, take a couple of minutes to fill an empty laundry basket with all the random stuff lying in the living room and entryway. Keep a box handy for collecting mail and magazines separate. Dust the surfaces as you go.

Polish the bathroom

Focus on the toilet, sink and mirror. You’ve already sprayed the toilet and sink; wipe them down and then work on the mirror. Store bathroom products in a small basket under the sink, just while your guest is there.

Plates and bowls

Time to make the kitchen presentable. Wipe down the surfaces you've already sprayed, then put all the dirty dishes in the dishwasher if you haven’t had time to run a load. Don’t worry, you’re only using it for temporary storage.

Perfect

The details will make it look like you didn’t just spend 15 minutes frantically cleaning. Arrange magazines and fluff pillows and put them neatly on the couch and chairs to give your room a finished look.

Power vacuum

Running the vacuum will not only catch any dust that fell on the floor, it is the best way to give the most noticeable thing in your home – the carpet – a quick refresh.

All you need is some planning and preparation and 10-15 minutes to give the major rooms in your home a quick cleaning to make it look more presentable for your guest.

How to prevent frozen pipes and what to do if a pipe bursts

When the temperature reaches freezing, this can cause the water inside pipes to freeze. As the water freezes, it expands causing the pressure inside the pipes to increase. Frozen pipes is a minor inconvenience; a pipe that bursts is a homeowner’s nightmare.

Water lines are particularly susceptible to freezing when the temperature outside gets cold very quickly because the warmth from your heating system is unable to keep up with the demand the suddenly cold temperatures bring. Homes in more temperate climates are also susceptible when the temperature dips below freezing. Because they are typically warmer, water pipes may not be insulated as well as they should be.

Preventing frozen pipes

• Insulate pipes, especially those close to outside walls, attics or crawl spaces where the chance of freezing is greatest.


• Seal any air leaks near the pipes.


• If there are water supply lines in your garage, keep the garage doors closed.


• Always remember to drain, disconnect and store garden hoses.


• Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs.


• Open the cabinet doors in kitchen and bathroom – this lets warmer air circulate around the plumbing.


• Maintain thermostat at 55 degrees or higher when you are out of town.


• If you get a cold snap, turn on both hot and cold faucets near outside walls allowing a small trickle of water to run during the night.


• Identify the locations of shutoff valves so that you are prepared to stop the flow of water as soon as possible when a pipe bursts.

If pipes freeze:

• Thaw a frozen pipe using a good hair dryer. However, avoid using a hair dryer around standing water.


• Heat water on the stove, soak towels in the hot water and wrap them around the pipe.


• When thawing a pipe, start nearer to the faucet and work your way back.


• Turn on the faucet so water can drip out as the ice melts.


• If you have one frozen pipe, chances are that you may have more. Check all other faucets in your home.

If pipes burst:

• Shut off the water at the main valve.


• Take precautions to avoid electrical shock from being in or near standing water.


• If the break is in a hot water pipe, the valve on top of the water heater should be closed.


• Call a plumber.


• Take inventory of any damaged property.


• Contact your insurance agent to help you locate an emergency water mitigation specialist who can dry out the damaged area quickly.

Unusual things that your homeowner’s insurance may cover

Insurance is one of those things you have to buy and hope you never use. Homeowner’s insurance is no different.

If you’re like most homeowners, you never take the time to read the fine print of the policy. This could be costly. There’s a good chance that your loss may be covered. Even something that you think “There’s no way it will be covered.” It just may.

Here are some of those things…

Accidental damage or injury

Most people know that their homeowner’s policy will cover injury or damage that occurs in the home, but many don’t know that your policy can cover things that occur, even outside the realm of your home.

Student property

When your kids go away to college and live in dorms, they’re going to take most of their stuff with them, naturally. Your homeowner’s policy may protect their expensive gadgets such as phones, tablets and computers when they go.

Collections

If you have a really extensive (and expensive) collection, you may have to get additional coverage. But if you have a collection of pigs that people gave you because you’re from Arkansas and lose those mementos in a fire, they should be covered.

Expensive cooking ingredients

If you’re a foodie, you may have ingredients in your kitchen that are both unusual and pricy. The internet makes it possible to buy things like truffles, saffron, cheese, and imported olive oil. If you’re a foodie, make sure to save your receipts, just in case.

Dog bites

You’re hosting a dinner party and the family dog gets excited with all the people around and jumps on a guest and bites her. So if medical treatment is needed, check your policy to see if you’re covered.

Interior designer fees

It’s happened before. A homeowner does a major renovation to their home and just as soon as the project is complete, disaster strikes. Your policy may cover fees you paid to the decorator, not just for the furniture and décor.

Of course, these are just a few examples of what may be covered. Make sure to read your homeowner’s insurance policy, especially the fine print. It’s a good idea to know what’s covered and what isn’t. If you do happen to incur some damage, it never hurts to contact your agent to ask.