Newspaper Page Text
10B
Tribune & Georgian
Friday, July 12,2013
Quick Fix
Checklist
Short on time but look
ing to make a few quick
and easy healthy home
fixes? Complete each of
these tasks in
20 minutes or less.
Hot water heaters
Set hot water heaters at
120 degrees Fahrenheit
or below to avoid poten
tial scalding.
Stove
Remove and wash stove
grates, burners and coils
with warm water and
soap. Over time, grease
can build up around the
stove, increasing the
chances of a fire.
Fire extinguishers
Check the expiration
dates on your fire extin
guishers. You should
keep one on each floor
of your home.
Cracks
Inspect the floor, walls
and foundation of the
home for cracks. Jot
them down on your
home to-do list, and
fix them before they lead
to deterioration
and wood rot.
Regular cleaning isn’t enough to help keep your home safe and healthy.
TAKE TIME TO TACKLE
Home Maintenance
Follow the “SAFETY” Checklist from Trusted HGTV Contractor Mike Holmes
FAMILY FEATURES
K eeping a healthy home for your family means more than daily chores
and the occasional deep cleaning. It’s important to add routine inspec
tions of often overlooked areas and regular maintenance to your list of
tasks.
“Every home can have unhealthy, harmful, or even hazardous areas,” said
Mike Holmes, renowned contractor on HGTV and healthy home expert. “It’s
important to check them out, especially during regular maintenance. Addressing
these ‘hidden hazards’ helps create a healthy home and keeps your family safe.”
Holmes recommends following his “SAFETY” checklist to ensure your home
is safer and healthier for your family.
Seek out lead in the home.
Address indoor air quality and change your
air filter.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air pollution levels
can be 2 to 5 times higher than outdoor levels — sometimes even 100 times higher. Your
lungs shouldn’t be cleaning the air inside your home. Use an electrostatically charged Fil-
trete Brand air filter to help capture odors and airborne particles, such as mold spores,
dust mite debris, bacteria and viruses. Plus, changing your filter at the start of every season
helps protect and maintain your system.
F Fix leaks to prevent mold and mildew.
Mold spores need moisture to grow and thrive in warm, humid conditions. When mold is
disturbed, its spores can get into the air you breathe. Inspect your home for excess water
and moisture build-up from leaky roofs, faucets, basement drains, dishwashers and wash
ing machines, and fix them immediately. Also, reduce your indoor humidity to 30 to 60
percent, and use vents and exhaust fans whenever possible.
E Exercise caution around appliances.
Before using appliances such as space heaters and toaster ovens, make sure they are
working properly. Never drape an electrical cord over a sink, as electricity should never
come into contact with water or any other liquids. Also avoid overloading wiring or plug
ging too many appliances into a single wall socket because it can cause electrical sparks,
leading to an electrical fire. Be sure to unplug appliances when they’re not being used,
and cover sockets with outlet protectors.
1 Test for dangerous gases.
One out of every 15 homes in the U.S. has dangerous levels of radon, according to the
EPA. You can purchase a short-term home radon test for less than $20. Test the lowest
lived-in level of your home, and if you have elevated levels of radon, call a qualified con
tractor immediately. Make sure they have plenty of experience dealing with radon. Also,
test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors every month by pushing the test button on the
unit. Remember to change the batteries every season, and replace the entire unit every 7
to 10 years.
Y Yield healthier results with regular upkeep.
Keep up with regular home maintenance to help keep your home healthy and your family
safe. Fix small problems now to avoid big repairs later. Remember, big repairs come with
big price tags and can lead to unhealthy and unsafe living conditions.
If your home was built before 1978, it could contain lead. Your family
could be exposed to it through the air, drinking water, contaminated soil,
deteriorating paint and dust in and around the house. If you disturb any
material that contains lead, tiny lead particles could become airborne at
home. Talk to a professional to test the entire house, and take the neces
sary steps to ensure your family’s safety.
Trusted con
tractor Mike
Holmes advo
cates safe and
healthy homes.
For more tips on creating a healthier home, visit www.Filtrete.com.
Change your Filtrete Filter at the start of every season to breathe cleaner air at home.