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BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016
What to look for during roof inspections
Cold weather can be
tough on a home, and per
haps no part of a home is
more vulnerable to harsh
winter weather than its
roof.
Fallen snow can equate to
several pounds of pressure
placed on a residential roof.
Roofs do not often collapse
under heavy snowfall. But
adverse winter weather
conditions can compromise
roofs in other ways. Water
leakage and damage to the
roof’s interior are just two
of the potentially problem
atic issues that can arise
when roofs are battered
by cold, blustery weath
Home
A new kitchen or a
bathroom remodeling job
might be dream projects
for many homeowners, but
the right home improve
ment project at a given
moment is not necessar
ily the most glamorous
project. Sometimes safety
upgrades around the house
must take precedence over
more popular projects.
Accidents or injuries can
occur in any part of the
home, but homeowners
who take certain preven
tative measures can great
ly reduce their injury risk.
The security resource A
Secure Life points out that
more than 18,000 Ameri
cans die every year from
er. That’s why many home
improvement specialists
advise homeowners to con
duct roof inspections prior
to the start of winter.
Many homeowners can
conduct their own cursory
roof inspections, but they
may not know exactly what
to look for. The National
Roofing Contractors
Association says that there
are certain key areas to
inspect that may reveal
some telltale signs of roof
damage.
•Curled, cracked or miss
ing shingles may prove
troublesome. Inclement
weather can test the
injuries that take place in
the home. Unintentional
injuries account for mil
lions of medical visits each
year. Home injuries also
are prevalent elsewhere
in the world. In the Unit
ed Kingdom, the Royal
Society for the Prevention
of Accidents reports that
there are approximately
6,000 deaths every year
that result from accidents
at home.
Periodic inspections for
potential hazards can keep
everyone safe. The follow
ing are a handful of ways
for homeowners to ensure
their homes are as safe as
possible.
• Check for sturdy hand
strength of even the most
durable roofs. Even though
many roofs are designed to
last up to 30 years, some
may need to be replaced
early, particularly when
they have been exposed
to harsh weather over a
period of years. Individual
shingles can be replaced as
spot treatments, but if the
damage is widespread, a
new roof may be necessary.
•Attic leaks or water
elsewhere might signal
issues with the roof. Figure
out if water inside the home
is coming from the roof.
Water stains do not always
indicate problems with the
rails and prevent tripping
hazards. Falls are one
of the leading causes of
home injuries. Falls can
be a particular threat for
youngsters and the elder
ly. To help prevent falls,
make sure that staircases
feature sturdy railings and
that there is ample light
ing in walkways. Remove
obstructions from fre
quently used paths inside
and outside the home. In
addition, insert nonslip
padding beneath runners
or throw rugs.
• Check for frayed wires
or faulty outlets. Address
any electrical problems
around the house, includ
ing frayed wiring and
roofing, but it’s better to be
safe than sorry.
•Look for protective
granules wearing off. If
gutters are filled with the
sandy granular material
that coats roofing shingles,
that may be a sign of an
aging or damaged roof.
•Inspect flashing.
Professional roofers
can recognize properly
installed flashing, the mate
rial that connects the roof
to other parts of the house
that adjoin the roof, like
skylights or a chimneys.
Poorly installed flashing
can cause leaks. Stains that
appear below chimneys or
faulty outlets. Sparks can
lead to fires, and poor wir
ing may cause unforeseen
problems behind walls.
Repair or replace any
loose or frayed wires on
all electrical devices. Be
sure that cords do not run
under doorways or mgs.
Replace outlets that are in
disrepair and install ones
with ground-fault current
interruptors as an added
precaution. If small chil
dren live in the home, use
plastic safety covers over
unused outlets.
• Practice window safe
ty. Young children are
curious and do not always
recognize the inherent
dangers around them.
near attic windows may
indicate new flashing, and
not new shingles, is need
ed.
•Gutters and downspouts
should be in good condi
tion. A roof is the sum of
its parts, and that includes
downspouts and gutters.
If the gutters are clogged
or damaged, they cannot
direct water away from
the house properly. Snow,
leaves and other debris
needs to be cleared from
gutters to help them func
tion at optimal capacity.
•Animals and insects
can cause damage, too. It’s
not just poor weather that
Children excited to see the
great outdoors may climb
up to peer out windows,
and open windows are
falling hazards. Screens
do not offer an adequate
barrier against falls. Con
sider locking windows or
use safety bars to guard
against falls. Test to see
how easily screens can be
pushed out, replacing any
that do not provide ade
quate resistance to curious
youngsters’ hands.
• Check smoke and car
bon monoxide detectors.
Replace the batteries in
smoke alarms and carbon
monoxide detectors at
least twice per year, and
test them to make sure
homeowners need to con
sider with regard to roof
damage. Boring insects and
animals may cause prob
lems with roofs as well.
A roof inspection may
shed light on potential pest
problems. Holes or nesting
materials may indicate that
an animal or animals are
using the attic as a shelter
from the elements.
Get to the root of issues
with your home’s roof
before they become big
ger problems once winter
arrives. A thorough inspec
tion can reveal problems
that may prove costly if
ignored.
they’re in good working
order at least once per
month. The National Fire
Protection Association
recommends replacing
hard-wired smoke alarms
every 10 years. Battery-op
erated alarms may need
to be replaced even soon
er. Many carbon mon
oxide detectors work for
five to seven years. Check
the back of alarms for a
date stamp that indicates
how old the product is and
when it expires.
Safety checklists are an
important part of home
maintenance. A proactive
approach can prevent both
injuries and damage to the
home.
safety checks to complete today
Robotic surgery can be advantageous
Certain illnesses or
injuries require surgery
to correct the problem or
prevent further damage.
Surgery is not something
many people would vol
unteer for, but it can be
a necessity in certain
instances.
Patients may have
many questions when
they learn that surgery is
on the horizon. Robotic
surgery in particular may
raise patients’ eyebrows.
Robotic surgery is a rela
tively recent development.
According to UC Health
and Mount Carmel Med
ical Center, robotic sur
gery is an advanced form
of minimally invasive or
laparoscopic (small inci
sion) surgery. Compared
to open surgeries, robotic
surgery offers many ben
efits to patients, some of
which include:
•minimal scarring
•reduced blood loss
•faster recovery time
•reduced risk of infec
tion
•reduced pain and dis
comfort
•possibly shorter hospi
talization
•faster recovery time
Robotic surgery works
similarly to tradition
al surgery, but instead
of the surgeon working
manually, robotic arms
take over. During robot
ic surgery, typically three
robotic arms are inserted
into the patient through
small incisions. One arm
is a camera and the other
two serve as the surgeon’s
“hands.” In some instanc
es, a fourth arm is used to
clear away any obstruc
tions. Surgeons will per
form the procedure using
a computer-controlled
console.
Robotic surgery does
not mean that a robot
is taking the place of a
surgeon. Rather, robot
ic surgery combines the
skills and knowledge of
surgeons with advance
ments in technology in
an effort to improve sur
gical procedures. Many
surgeons prefer robotic
surgery because of its
precision and the supe
rior visualization of the
surgical field that the pro
cedure provides. It’s also
easier to account for trem
ors in the hands, and the
How music may improve health
Plato said, “Music gives a
soul to the universe, wings to
the mind, flight to the imag
ination, and life to every
thing.” Music often com
municates messages that are
not easily expressed, which
is one reason why music is
such an integral part of so
many people’s lives.
While many people love
music for its entertainment
value, there is growing evi
dence that music can be
good for overall health as
well. A study from research
ers at the Cleveland Clinic
focused on the use of music
for brain surgery patients
who must be awake during
their procedures. Research
ers found that music enabled
the patients to manage anx
iety, reduce pain and relax
more fully during their pro
cedures.
In a study titled, “The
effect of music intervention
in stress response to car
diac surgery in a random
ized clinical trial,” a team
of Swedish researchers
measured serum cortisol,
heart rate, respiratory rate,
mean arterial pressure, arte
rial oxygen tension, arteri
al oxygen saturation, and
subjective pain and anxiety
levels for patients who had
undergone cardio thoracic
surgery. Those who were
allowed to listen to music
during recuperation and bed
rest had lower cortisol levels
than those who rested with
out music.
Many doctors now play
music while operating or
enable patients to listen to
music to calm their nerves
during in-office procedures.
According to Caring
Voice Coalition, an organi
zation dedicated to improv
ing the lives of patients with
chronic illnesses, music has
also been shown to enhance
memory and stimulate both
sides of the brain, which
may help individuals recov
er from stroke or those
suffering from cognitive
impairments.
Music also can have a
positive impact on mood.
Neuroscientists have discov
ered that listening to music
heightens positive emotions
through the reward centers
of the brain. Music stim
ulates the production of
dopamine, creating positive
feelings as a result.
Some researchers think
that music may help improve
immune response, promot
ing faster recovery from
illness. Undergraduate stu
dents at Wilkes University
measured the levels of IgA
— an important antibody for
the immune system’s first
line of defense against dis
ease — from saliva. Levels
were measured before and
after 30 minutes of exposure
to various sounds, including
music. Soothing music pro
duced significantly greater
increases in IgA than any of
the other conditions.
Another way music has
been linked to improved
health is its ability to make
physical activity seem less
mundane. Listening to songs
can distract one from the
task at hand, pushing focus
onto the music rather than
the hard work being done.
When exercising, upbeat
music can help a person go
a little further as they work
to achieve their fitness goals
than working out without
music.
The benefits of music
extend beyond enjoying a
favorite song, as music can
do much to contribute to
one’s overall health.
machinery enables greater
maneuverability.
LIC Health explains how
robotic surgery works:
The surgeon will work
from a computer console
in the operating room,
controlling the miniatur
ized instruments mounted
on the robotic arms. He or
she looks through a 3-D
camera attached to anoth
er robotic arm, which
magnifies the surgical
site. The surgeon’s hand,
wrist and finger move
ments will be transmit
ted through the computer
console to the instruments
attached to the robot’s
arms. The mimicked
movements have the
same range of motion as
the surgeon, allowing for
maximum control. While
the surgeon is working,
the surgical team will
supervise the robot at the
patient’s bedside.
Men, women and chil
dren can benefit from
robotic surgery, which
has become especially
helpful for gynecolog
ic conditions. Robotic
surgery has been used
in the treatment of can
cers of the abdomen, as
well as pelvic masses,
fibroids, tumors, and
tubal ligations. Robotic
surgery also can be used
for pelvic reconstruction
surgeries and to treat
incontinence and organ
prolapse.
Although the success
rates of traditional sur
gery versus robotic sur
gery have been relative
ly similar, many people
are now leaning toward
robotic surgery because
of its advantages — and
seeking doctors and hos
pitals trained in robotic
surgery.
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