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The Home IDEA
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 Products to improve your home in 2 hours or less (BPT) - The words home improvement usually conjure up images of major undertakings like tiling your bathroom or kitchen or tearing down a wall, taking hours and hours to complete the project. The fact is there are some meaningful home improvements you can do that can be accomplished in under two hours. First, have you ever wished your home had more daylight? Maybe you want to bring in daylight to a small place like a closet or laundry room. Or maybe you have a room with a window but still not enough light. One solution is a daylighting system from Solatube. This product can be installed in under two hours and floods the interior with natural light. For more information, visit www.solatube.com/residential. Concerned about security? Installing a Ring doorbell takes just a few minutes and you can monitor visitors at your front door on your smartphone through an app. This is a way to add some security to your home. You can be anywhere with your phone but answer your front door and see who’s there. They have no idea where you are, home or otherwise. For information, visit https://ring.com/. Indoor air quality can be poor. The upstairs can often be hotter than the downstairs. Air can be humid and wet. House odors from cooking, pets, etc., can hang around. A Whole House Fan is quiet (with a light white noise) and can be installed without reframing. When you open the windows with the whole house fan on, it strips out the heat from the home as well as the unwelcome smells. In summer months it keeps the house cooler and eliminates stale air in the winter. For information, visit http://www.solatube.com/whole-house-fans. Another product that installs quickly is an upgraded bathroom fan. It comes with a variety of options such as heaters and lights. An upgraded bathroom fan can dramatically reduce bathroom humidity and odors and run more quietly. For information, visit https://na.panasonic.com/us/home-living-solutions/ventilation-indoor-air-quality. An easy home improvement project is to swap out light bulbs for LEDs. Even CFL bulbs can’t hold a candle to LED bulbs, which, while more expensive, last up to 20 years or more. One source for LED bulbs is 1000 Bulbs, www.1000bulbs.com. This gives you an idea of some ways to spruce up your home in under two hours. But the changes will be long-lasting! KEYWORDS
Limited fresh air and light during the day can negatively impact mood, sleep and performance. To help alleviate some of these concerns when inside your own home, consider these tips.Healthy at Home
How to improve indoor airflow and quality(Family Features) More efficient, tightly built homes than those constructed in previous generations are generally well-regarded, for the most part with good reason. However, when you consider people spend 90 percent of their time indoors on average, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), such airtight environments raise some concerns. 
All that efficiency cuts down on airflow, effectively trapping allergens and toxins inside. According to estimates from the EPA, the air inside the average home may be as much as five times more polluted than the air outdoors, even in a bustling city. “We know instinctively that spending so many hours in stuffy places isn’t good for us,” said Peter Foldbjerg, head of daylight energy and indoor climate at Velux. “According to research, living in damp and moldy homes increases our risk of asthma by 40 percent and leaves us vulnerable to developing other ailments.” Limited fresh air and light during the day can negatively impact mood, sleep and performance. Air pollution can also pose a health risk through irritation to the eyes, nose and throat; headaches, dizziness and fatigue; and respiratory conditions, heart disease and cancer. To help alleviate some of these concerns, consider these tips. Bring the outside in. Rely on natural air flow. Eliminate potential obstacles. 
Creating Cleaner Indoor AirCreating more airflow is an important step to improving your indoor environment, but considerations like air quality should not be overlooked. More air is a good thing, but more clean air is better yet. Everyday home life activities such as cooking, showering, lighting candles, sleeping and doing laundry can all contribute to polluted indoor air, which over time can lead to the development of illnesses. These tips from the indoor climate experts at Velux can help make the air inside your home healthier: 1. Keep bathroom doors closed and turn on the extractor fan or open a window or skylight when showering. 2. Turn the hood fan on when cooking and open your windows, if weather permits. 3. Avoid burning candles excessively; look for alternatives such as sprigs of lavender to add a natural fresh scent. 4. Dry clothes outside when possible, which reduces carbon emissions from the dryer and minimizes potential pollutants traveling through the dryer vent. 5. Clean regularly with non-chemical based cleaning products, and pay attention to ingredients in cleaning products that may create hazardous fumes. Increasing Natural Light Paint Flooring Skylights Mirrors Lighting Find more tips for creating a healthier home at veluxusa.com/indoorgeneration. SOURCE:Velux KEYWORDS
Emergency Preparedness 101: Know how to protect your family against carbon monoxide poisoning9/19/2017
 Protect your loved ones from carbon dioxide poisoning! Beyond inconvenience, widespread and long-term power outages resulting from storms raise a much more serious concern: carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. While the poisonous gas can come from any fossil fuel-burning appliance or vehicle, the risk posed by generators is of particular concern because of this year’s devastating storm season.(BPT) - Few areas of the country are immune to natural disasters or severe weather. Whether you live in a hurricane zone or face icy winters, it is important to prepare your home and family to weather the storm and know the potential health and safety risks that may arise in emergency situations. Beyond inconvenience, widespread and long-term power outages resulting from storms raise a much more serious concern: carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. While the poisonous gas can come from any fossil fuel-burning appliance or vehicle, the risk posed by generators is of particular concern because of this year’s devastating storm season. “Simple preparation, along with an understanding of the risks of CO, are key factors for protecting your home and loved ones both during storm season and throughout the year,” said Tarsila Wey, director of marketing for First Alert. “The risk of CO can occur anytime — not just during emergencies — which is why installing and regularly testing CO alarms are an integral part of any home safety plan.” What is CO? Often dubbed “the silent killer,” the gas is colorless and odorless, making it impossible to detect without a CO alarm. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, CO poisoning is the No. 1 cause of accidental poisoning in the United States and is responsible for an average of 450 deaths each year. CO poisoning is notoriously difficult to diagnose — often until it’s too late. Symptoms mimic those of many other illnesses, and include nausea, headaches, dizziness, weakness, chest pain and vomiting. In more severe poisoning cases, people may experience disorientation or unconsciousness, or suffer long-term neurological disabilities, cardio-respiratory failure or death. Sources of CO may include, but are not limited to, generators, heaters, fireplaces, furnaces, appliances or cooking sources using coal, wood, petroleum products or other fuels emitting CO as a by-product of combustion. Attached garages with doors, ductwork or ventilation shafts connected to a living space also are sources of CO. What should you do? The National Fire Protection Association recommends installing CO alarms on every level of the home, including the basement, and within 15 feet of all sleeping rooms. These alarms are the first line of defense against CO poisoning. Checking alarms regularly and following manufacturer instructions for alarms and all home equipment play an equally vital role. In case of power outage, never use a generator indoors. Portable electricity generators must be used outside only and should never be used in a garage or in any confined area that can allow CO to collect. When running a generator, be sure to remain 15 to 20 feet away from the outside perimeter of the home and be careful to follow operating instructions closely. Additional areas to consider include the kitchen stove, a frequent source of CO poisoning in the home. Ensure the kitchen vent or exhaust fan is running to limit exposure. For any fuel-burning appliances in the home, make sure to have a professional inspect them regularly to detect any CO leaks. This includes items such as the furnace, oven, fireplace, dryer and water heater. If you have an attached garage, it is extremely important to never leave your car running inside. Even if the garage door is open, CO emissions can leak inside the home. CO alarms should be battery-powered or hardwired with battery backup. To help ensure your family is protected, First Alert offers a variety of alarms to meet all needs, including a table-top alarm with a 10-year sealed battery and digital display to see detected CO levels in parts per million. Additional alarm options include plug-in and wall-mount alarms, hardwired alarms with battery backup, and a combination smoke and CO alarm for 2-in-1 protection. In addition to carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers, along with smoke alarms, should be an integral part of a comprehensive home safety plan. Most importantly, if your CO alarm sounds, go outside for fresh air immediately and call 911. To learn more about CO safety or other home safety tips from First Alert, visit www.firstalert.com. KEYWORDS
 (BPT) - More than 6 million American children — nearly 9 percent of all kids in the U.S. — have asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each year, asthma attacks send more than a million people to emergency rooms, including approximately 24,000 children younger than 15, the CDC reports. Yet health experts agree many of those asthma attacks could be avoided through a range of tactics, including by improving air quality inside homes. “Most people can control their asthma and live symptom-free,” the CDC reports. Knowing how to reduce or eliminate exposure to allergens and irritants inside the home could help people avoid at least some asthma attacks. Asthma and kids More than 47 percent of all asthma attacks occur in children, according to CDC data. KidsHealth.org says asthma is the leading cause of chronic absence from school, and the chronic illness that sends kids to the emergency room most often. Many factors can trigger allergy attacks, including exposure to allergens inside the home. As the weather warms and parents open windows to bring fresh air into their homes, the breeze that enters can be full of pollen, mold spores and other airborne irritants. What’s more, irritants already inside the home such as pet dander, dust mites, smoke, bacteria and viruses can contribute to asthma symptoms. Improving indoor air quality Your home’s heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems play a critical role in the air quality inside your home. HVAC manufacturer Coleman, which makes ventilator systems, air cleaners and ultraviolet irradiation systems to support indoor air quality, offers some tips for ensuring your HVAC system works to clean the air inside your home: * Have your HVAC system serviced regularly to ensure all components are working efficiently. A well-maintained system can dramatically improve air quality. * Change air filters regularly, and choose a filter with a higher MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) rating. The higher the rating, the better the filter will be at capturing airborne particles. Clogged or low-MERV filters may not effectively remove particles from the air, leaving them for your HVAC system to recirculate. In fact, HVAC systems can recirculate contaminants an average of five to seven times per day, according to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association. * Vent bathrooms and laundry rooms directly outside the home, and ensure vent fans are always working well. * Any equipment that creates combustion and exhaust, such as fireplaces, heaters, stoves, range tops and furnaces should also vent outside to keep harmful fumes from re-entering your home's HVAC system. * When you vacuum, turn on your home’s HVAC system. Vacuuming stirs particles into the air, and your running HVAC system can catch those particles and filter them from the air. * Monitor and control the humidity in your home. Bacteria and viruses, which can contribute to asthma symptoms, thrive in very dry environments. Consider adding a whole-home humidifier, like Luxaire’s Acclimate Whole-Home Humidifiers, to your HVAC system. Through the use of natural evaporation, the humidifiers help maintain optimum humidity throughout the entire house, without the limitations of portable humidifiers that can only affect a single room. * Air cleaners can support your HVAC system in removing irritants from the air. Like single-room humidifiers, however, portable air cleaners have limited effect. Consider incorporating a whole-home air cleaner that operates as part of your existing HVAC system. Visit www.colemanac.com/IAQ to learn more about products available to improve the indoor air quality in your home, and to find a local contractor. You can also follow the company on Twitter at @ColemanHVAC. Studies show the number of people with asthma is growing worldwide. Health experts from the CDC to the National Institutes of Health agree that controlling indoor air quality in homes could benefit children with asthma, as well as asthma sufferers of all ages.  (BPT) - Spring is in the air, and that means tackling home improvement projects you've been putting off all winter long. As you plan for these projects over the warmer months, include steps to improve your family's home environment, both inside and outside. Your house will be a better, more comfortable place to live. Conserve water. Help preserve this precious resource by replacing any leaky indoor faucets in your kitchen, laundry and bathroom. Also, think about replacing your showerhead with a low-flow model. Outdoors, check the watering hose faucet for leaks and replace it if needed. And when mowing the lawn, epa.gov recommends setting the blades 2 to 3 inches high because the longer grass shades the soil, improving moisture retention and helping the grass survive drought and tolerate insect damage. Reduce indoor pollutants. Improve your home's indoor air quality. EPA studies indicate indoor air may be 25 times, and occasionally more than 100 times, more polluted than outdoor air. A whole-house air cleaner, such as Trane CleanEffects, can remove up to 99.98 percent of airborne particles and allergens from the filtered air, such as dust, pollen, bacteria, pet dander, mold spores and smoke. Seal air leaks. Keep cool air in and hot air out by sealing leaks and adding insulation. Areas to check for repairs include the attic, garage and unfinished basement. Throughout the house, ensure that all cooling and heating vents and registers meet the floors, walls and ceilings and are well sealed. Keep cool more efficiently. Upgrading your cooling system to a more efficient one can save home energy consumption, helping to save you money. For example, a TruComfort Variable Speed Air Conditioner is one of the industry's most efficient systems, delivering precise cooling by running at the exact speed needed to keep a home constantly comfortable. This allows the compressor, outdoor fan and indoor fan to vary operating speed as the temperature outside changes, slowing down or speeding up in small increments rather than turning completely off and on. Shield windows from the hot sun. Seasonal heat comes indoors from windows, too, so close draperies and shades, or install them in rooms that don't already have them. Outside, create some natural shade near the windows by planting a tree, tall bushes or adding awnings on the sunniest side of the house. Control indoor temperatures. Ensure a more comfortable home environment by adding a programmable HVAC control. Trane's programmable smart controls are easy to use and, when paired with the Nexia smart home system, let you remotely monitor and control indoor temperatures, so you can adjust your system to be more efficient based on your family's schedule. |
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