Your Homes Hidden Dangers

A safety-conscious homeowner installs smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and door alarms throughout the house. While such devices are certainly important when it comes to ensuring the safety and security of everyone in the home, such efforts are not enough to protect your family from these “silent dangers” lurking in nearly every home. These problems can cause health issues for your family members. Some of which slowly build up over time, others are more sudden, but all should concern every homeowner. Here are the top 5 silent dangers present in your home:
Unintentional Poisoning
Poisoning is a leading cause of children's deaths in the home. Kids can get into everything, and that means the fertilizer in the garage, the bleach in the laundry room, and the window cleaner you keep under the sink. Lock these products on a high shelf, and use cabinet locks on any cabinets containing harmful or potentially toxic substances.
Mold
Though many types of mold are harmless, some grow in the walls and ceilings of a home, producing toxins that have been linked to upper respiratory problems. If your family has been coughing or wheezing a lot, the culprit may be a fungus known as 'black mold.' If you think your home may have mold issues, contact a mold specialist before trying to get rid of the problem on your own. You may have to evacuate in order to have experts clear your residence of toxic mold.
Lead Paint
Another issue that has been in the news lately is that of lead paint. While lead paint is found on everything from glassware to toys, it was also once a popular additive in the paint used on walls. Though no longer used, older homes may still have layers of this paint, which incorporated iron for increased durability and brighter colors. Today, lead exposure is known to cause health problems, particularly in children. Lead chips or dust from old paint can cause organ damage and permanent developmental problems. A specialist can help you seal the lead so that it does not chip off, or remove it from the home completely.
Carbon Monoxide
Household chemicals, mold, and paint aren't the only harmful substances in your home. Unlike the others, carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless. It can be deadly, and is termed the 'silent killer' because those whose homes have a carbon monoxide leak may not know it until it's too late. Therefore, it's important for you to learn about the dangers of this gas, and install carbon monoxide detectors in your home. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include nausea, confusion, and dizziness. The most common sources of carbon monoxide poisoning in the home come from power sources such as car engines, gas ranges, wood stoves, gas and oil furnaces, fireplaces, and hot water heaters.
Indoor Air Pollution
Most people assume that air pollution only happens outdoors, in big cities. In fact, most homes have shockingly high levels of chemicals in the air. These include carbon monoxide as well as formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide, and Radon. Their sources are varied, and include building materials, glue, cleaning products, and the burning of kerosene or natural gas. Prolonged exposure to such pollutants has been linked to cancer, neurological issues, respiratory illnesses, and even death. To avoid these dangers, use an air purifier, and contact the authorities if you have reason to believe that your family's home contains dangerously high levels of any pollutant.

How To Spring Clean Your Home

Every year when the snow begins to melt, the birds begin singing, and the sun seems to be shining just a little bit brighter, spring fever starts to set in. This is the time when you get an itch to do some spring cleaning in your house. While you should do your best to keep your home clean throughout the year, there is not always time to do in-depth cleanings and really scrub out the dirt that builds up. Usually it is when the weather warms up that thoughts begin turning to spring cleaning. The first thing you should think about is eliminating any bug problems you may have. The winter months may put the issues on freeze, but once the weather warms, the bugs will return. Before you are left dealing with a major issues that is expensive and time-consuming. Contact a pest control professional. Termite treatments will help you keep your house sturdy and in tip-top condition.

Spring is also a great time to root through your old items and get rid of stuff you no longer use. Purging old belongings is a great way to start organizing and cleaning. The less you have to deal with, the shorter a period of time it will take for you to complete spring cleaning, and regular weekly and daily cleanings as well. Donating old things that are still in usable condition will also help you feel better about your efforts since you are helping someone in need.

Once you feel lighter from your lack of stuff, get to washing things you normally ignore during regular cleaning sessions. Chances are, no matter how often you clean, walls and windows are put off as long as possible. During a spring cleaning session, be sure to get to these neglected areas. Wash windows indoors and out, even if you have to do a little climbing or maneuvering. If you are uncomfortable with reaching your windows, hire a professional cleaner during this once a year session.

After you have pushed the dirt downward from the walls and windows, you can mop the floors. Get out the vacuum to suck up the worst of the dust bunnies and debris. Next, mop linoleum or hardwood with the appropriate materials, or use a carpet cleaner to dig deep into the fibers and pull up everything that has built up. Once you have done a deep cleaning, go over it one more time with the vacuum, just to get up any remaining crumbs and fuzz.

Lastly, do a general cleaning of your house. Nothing is worse than spending an entire day, weekend or even a week cleaning and feeling like your house is still a mess. Go through each room, make sure everything is in its place, and get things organized. Throw away old mail, washing a few loads of laundry including linens, and enjoy the time while your home is at its cleanest. For the next few days, your house will be clean enough to improve your mood and help you catch a case of spring fever.

Tips For Keeping Your House Clean And Organized

Anyone who lives in a home with more than one room knows how tough it can be to keep up with housework. If you share your space with other adults and children, it is an even bigger challenge. You may have to come up with a system that makes keeping your home clean easier, and it will require a great deal of self-discipline. If you work outside of the home and you come home in the evening, you may be too tired to deal with chores and cleaning. On the weekends when you have more energy, you may prefer to spend your time doing something enjoyable instead of cleaning. There are some simple ways to work around your work and fun schedule, allowing you to keep your house comfortable and pleasant. The first thing is to take care of big picture problems like insect infestations. If you are dealing with household pests, all the cleaning in the world will not make your home a pleasant place. You should contact Northern Kentucky termite or termite service in your city to eliminate problems before they destroy your home.

The less in your home, the easier it is to organize and keep clean. This is why anyone who wants to get control and keep things clean should get rid of things they no longer need or use. It can be tough to purge items from your life, but many of the things you will be getting rid of are useless. There is no reason to go overboard and pare your life down to the bare minimum. However, if you start small and get rid of duplicate, broken, or malfunctioning items, it will not be long until you have made a significant difference in the time it takes to get things clean.

Letting the cleaning build up is a mistake a lot of people make. If you do a little each day, you will not feel overwhelmed by the end of the week. As a matter of fact, if you set aside just an hour or so each evening to tidy up, you will find your weekends are now free to really enjoy your free time. There will be the occasional large project you need to tackle, but if you do a little each day, you will not be stuck with piles of laundry and dishes, stacks of junk mail, and inches of dust on every surface.

Remember if you are not living alone, you should not be cleaning alone. Recruiting helpers will save you a great deal of time and teach others in your home responsibility. If you have a tough time directing them, create a chores chart so everyone knows that they can do to help.

Finally, do not leave bigger cleaning projects ignored until they become a problem. A few times each year plan a day of cleaning where you tackle big jobs like the garage, seasonal tasks, or carpet cleanings. Try to do this when the seasons change so you can stick to a schedule and so you are motivated to get things prepared for the change in the weather.