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Is Your Home Healthy and Safe For Children?

Taking preventive measures to protect  your children againstunintentional injuries at home is essential.  Each year more children diefrom preventable injuries than from all childhood diseases combined. Withforesight and action, you can help prevent burns, cuts, falls, poisonings, drownings,choking, and other serious  injuries.

Use these four checklists to ensure that your home is healthy and safe forthe children living in it:

In the Bedroom

• Install smoke alarms outside bedrooms and on every level of the home.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month and change batteries at least once a year.
• Practice fire escape routes and identify an outside meeting place.
• Place a baby to sleep on his or her back in a crib with no pillows or soft bedding underneath.
• Use a crib that meets national safety standards and has a snug-fitting mattress.
• Never use an electric blanket in the bed or crib of a small child or infant.
• Keep small toys, balloons, and small balls away from young children.
• Check age labels for appropriate toys. Make sure toy storage chests have safety lid supports.
• To prevent strangulation, use safety tassels for mini blinds and avoid strings on childrens toys and pacifiers.
• Install carbon monoxide (CO) alarms outside bedrooms to prevent CO poisoning.

In the Bathroom

• To prevent poisonings, lock away all medicines and vitamins, even those with child-resistant packaging.
• Have syrup of ipecac on hand, but use only at the recommendation of a poison control center or physician.
• Never leave a young child alone in the bathroom, especially in a bath.
• Before bathing a child, always test bath water with your wrist or elbow to make sure it's not too hot.
• To prevent scalds, set the water heater thermostat to 120 F and install anti-scald devices.
• Make sure bathtubs and showers have non-slip surfaces and grab bars.
• Keep electrical appliances, like hair dryers and curling irons, out of the reach of children and away from water.

In the Kitchen

• Keep knives, plastic bags, lighters, and matches locked away from children.
• Avoid fires and burns by never leaving cooking food unattended, turning pot handles to the back of the stove, and keeping hot liquids and foods away from the edges of tables and counters.
• Make sure you and your children know the STOP, DROP, and ROLL procedure in case their clothes catch on fire.
• Keep appliance cords unplugged and tied up. Replace any frayed cords and wires.
• Securely strap young children in high chairs, swings, and other juvenile products.
• Do not give young children hard, round foods that can get stuck in their throats like hard candies, nuts, grapes, popcorn, carrots, and raisins.
• Avoid scald burns by keeping children away from the hot water taps on drinking water coolers.

In all Living Areas

• To prevent asthma attacks, eliminate sources of mold, dust, and insects, such as cockroaches. If you have a pet, keep it and its bedding clean and keep the pet off the furniture.
• If you must smoke, avoid smoking in the house, and especially around children.
• Make sure furnaces, fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, space heaters, and gas appliances are vented properly and inspected annually.
• Use safety gates to block stairways (and other danger areas), safety plugs to cover electrical outlets, and safety latches for drawers and cabinets.
• Keep children and the furniture they can climb on away from windows.
• Install window guards (on windows that are not fire emergency exits).
• To prevent falls, keep hallways and stairways well-lit and use non-slip backing for area rugs.
• Keep cleaning solutions, pesticides, and other potentially dangerous substances in their original, labeled containers, and out of the reach of children.
• If you have guns or rifles in your home, store the firearms and ammunition in separate containers and lock them out of the reach of children.
• Learn First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
• Keep an updated list of emergency telephone numbers, including your local poison control center, physician and hospital emergency room, next to every phone in your home.
• Make sure your family knows what to do during a natural disaster. In an earthquake, drop to the floor and get under something sturdy for cover; during a tornado, take shelter in a basement or an interior room without windows; and during a hurricane stay away from windows. Have handy supplies of food, flashlights, and water.

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11 Things You Need to Know to Pass Your Home Inspection

According to industry experts, there are at least 33physical problems that will come under scrutiny during a home inspection whenyour home is for sale. Here are 11 you should know about if youre planning toput your home up for sale.

Homebuyers Want to Know Your Home Inside and Out

While homebuyers are as individual as the homes they plan on purchasing,one thing they share is a desire to ensure that the home they will call theirown is as good beneath the surface as it appears to be. Will the roof end upleaking? Is the wiring safe? What about the plumbing?  These, andothers, are the questions that the buyers looking at your home will seekprofessional help to answer.

According to industry experts, there are at least 33 physical problemsthat will come under scrutiny during a home inspection. Weve identified the11 most common of these and, if not identified and dealt with, any of these 11items could cost you dearly in terms of repair.

In most cases, you can make a reasonable pre-inspection yourself if youknow what youre looking for. And knowing what youre looking for can helpyou prevent little problems from growing into costly and unmanageable ones.

11 Things You Need to Know to Pass Your Home Inspection

1. Defective Plumbing

Defective plumbing can manifest itself in two different ways: leaking, andclogging. A visual inspection can detect leaking, and an inspector will gaugewater pressure by turning on all faucets in the highest bath-room and thenflushing the toilet. If you hear the sound of running water, it indicates thatthe pipes are undersized. If the water appears dirty when first turned on at thefaucet, this is a good indication that the pipes are rusting, which can resultin severe water quality problems.

2. Damp or Wet Basement

An inspector will check your walls for a powdery white mineral deposit a fewinches off the floor, and will look to see if you feel secure enough to storethings right on your basement floor. A mildew odor is almost impossible toeliminate, and an inspector will certainly be conscious of it.

It could cost you $200-$1,000 to seal a crack in or around your basementfoundation depending on severity and location. Adding a sump pump and pit couldrun you around $750 - $1,000, and complete waterproofing (of an average 3bedroom home) could amount to $5,000-$15,000. You will have to weigh thesefigures into the calculation of what price you want to net on your home.

3. Inadequate Wiring & Electrical

Your home should have a minimum of 100 amps service, and this should beclearly marked. Wire should be copper or aluminum. Home inspectors will look atoctopus plugs as indicative of inadequate circuits and a potential fire hazard.

4. Poor Heating & Cooling Systems

Insufficient insulation, and an inadequate or a poorly functioning heatingsystem, are the most common causes of poor heating. While an adequately cleanfurnace, without rust on the heat exchanger, usually has life left in it, aninspector will be asking and checking to see if your furnace is over its typicallife span of 15-25 yrs. For a forced air gas system, a heat exchanger will comeunder particular scrutiny since one that is cracked can emit deadly carbonmonoxide into the home. These heat exchangers must be replaced if damaged -theycannot be repaired.

5. Roofing Problems

Water leakage through the roof can occur for a variety of reasons such asphysical deterioration of the asphalt shingles (e.g. curling or splitting), ormechanical damage from a wind storm. When gutters leak and downspouts allowwater to run down and through the exterior walls, this external problem becomesa major internal one.

6. Damp Attic Spaces

Aside from basement dampness, problems with ventilation, insulation and vaporbarriers can cause water, moisture, mould and mildew to form in the attic. Thiscan lead to premature wear of the roof, structure and building materials. Thecost to fix this damage could easily run over $2,500.

7. Rotting Wood

This can occur in many places (door or window frames, trim, siding, decks andfences). The building inspector will sometimes probe the wood to see if this ispresent - especially when wood has been freshly painted.

8. Masonry Work

Re-bricking can be costly, but, left unattended, these repairs can causeproblems with water and moisture penetration into the home which in turn couldlead to a chimney being clogged by fallen bricks or even a chimney which fallsonto the roof. It can be costly to rebuild a chimney or to have it repainted.

9. Unsafe or Over-fused Electrical Circuit

A fire hazard is created when more amperage is drawn on the circuit than wasintended. 15 amp circuits are the most common in a typical home, with largerservice for large appliances such as stoves and dryers. It can cost severalhundred dollars to replace your fuse panel with a circuit panel.

10. Adequate Security Features

More than a purchased security system, an inspector will look for the basicsafety features that will protect your home such as proper locks on windows andpatio doors, dead bolts on the doors, smoke and even car-bon monoxide detectorsin every bedroom and on every level. Even though pricing will vary, thesecomponents will add to your costs. Before purchasing or installing, you shouldcheck with your local experts.

11. Structural/Foundation Problems

An inspector will certainly investigate the underlying footing and foundationof your home as structural integrity is fundamental to your home.

When you put your home on the market, you dont want any unpleasantsurprises that could cost you the sale of your home. By having an understandingof these 11 problem areas as you walk through your home, youll be armingyourself against future disappointment.

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Summer Health Dangers

When the temperature soars and humidity rises, it's time to take precautions to avoid health consequences such as heat exhaustion, heat stroke and overexposure to the sun. With heat exhaustion and stroke, the most susceptible are seniors, children, and people with chronic illnesses. However, everyone is at risk. The early symptoms of heat exhaustion can sneak up on us. Some people feel a bitlight headed and weak and might have a touch of nausea. The serious problems develop when symptoms are ignored and additional fluids are not taken right away. The primary cause of heat exhaustion is dehydration and a loss of electrolytes such as sodium. Generally, try to stay well hydrated and take in extra salt (for those of you who can use salt). Drink even though you don't feel like it - you can't count on your thirst mechanism to prompt you. Here are the major symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke and some safety tips to help you cope with health emergencies during the dog days of summer.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include:

• Body temperature usually normal or only slightly elevated.
• Dry mouth.
• Fatigue, weakness.
• Dizziness.
• Headache.
• Nausea, sometimes vomiting.
• cheap hotels in CoimbraWeak and rapid pulse.
• Sweating.
• Cool, clammy, pale skin.

NOTE: Symptoms take time to develop - sometimes several hours after dehydration occurs.

Treatments for heat exhaustion:

• Get out of the sun and into a cool place.
• Drink more fluids (electrolyte sports drinks may help), but don't drink too fast or you could become nauseous.
• Eat salty snacks.
• Rest.
• Loosen clothing.

Be aware that heat stroke can come after heat exhaustion, but it can also develop quickly and independently if one's core body temperature rises too high.

Symptoms of heat stroke include:

• Very high body temperature (103 degrees or higher).
• Hot, dry, red skin.
• No sweating.
• Disorientation, hallucinations, delirium
• Marbella hotelsRapid breathing and fast pulse, then slow breathing and weak pulse.
• Convulsions.
• Loss of consciousness.

NOTE: Symptoms can come on quickly. Heat stroke can occur within 10 - 15 minutes of the first symptoms. If treatment is not given immediately, permanent damage can occur to internal organs.

HEAT STROKE IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. CALL 9-1-1 OR TRANSPORT VICTIM TO A HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY.

Immediate care for a heat stroke victim includes:

• Move person to cool place indoors or in the shade outdoors.
• Lower body temperature as soon as possible.
• Remove clothing and wrap person in a wet sheet, or wet their cotton clothing.
• Fan person with electric fan or manually (do not place wet items too close to electric fan).
• Place ice packs or cold compresses on the neck, under armpits, and in the groin area.
• If child is unconscious, carefully place them in cool water up to their neck.
• If child is conscious, try to get them to drink cool water, slowly.
• Person may not be able to drink if delirious (do not force them).

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5 Deadly Mistakes Most Investment Property Buyers Make

"...be sure not to enter the Investment Property arena blindfolded..."

Mortgage regulations have changed significantly over the last few years, making your options wider than ever.  Subtle changes in the way you approach mortgage shopping, and even small differences in the way you structure your mortgage, can cost or save you literally thousands of dollars and years of expense.

Get the Right Information - Whether you are about to make your first investor or seasoned veteran, it is critical that you be informed about the factors involved.

Everyday people are considering purchasing an Investment Property and making some quick money.  Don't be fooled.  Surely you would agree that investment decisions shouldn't be taken lightly, and an Investment Property purchase is no different.  By taking these few minutes to acquaint yourself with the "5 Deadly Mistakes Most Investment Property Buyers Make" you can greatly increase your chances of making your investment successful and save thousands on your mortgage.

1. Not Making a Profit From Day One

   Make sure your interest rate will allow for a positive cash flow when you rent the property. While you will hopefully make equity over time, cash flow is often a make or break consideration.

2. Choose the Right Amount For Your Down Payment

   Twenty percent down used to be the necessary amount to get into an investment property, but today ten percent can be enough.  Be aware that the down payment amount will usually influence your interest rate, and interest rate will determine your properties cash flow.

3. Not All Mortgage Brokers Are Created Equally

   Be sure to ask your mortgage broker about available loan products, terms and rates, and when comparing brokers, be sure you compare 'apples to apples'.  A subtle difference could save or cost you thousands.

4. Top-Hotel Reservierungen ToulouseYour Real Estate Agent is Unlikely to Understand the Process and Unique Needs of an Investor

   Your mortgage broker and real estate agent need to work in concert for the best possible outcome.  Only hire a real estate agent with investment property experience.

5. Not Understanding the Purpose of Your Investment

   Do you plan to fix and flip, rent, or sell the property to another investor?  This is a big question in selecting the best mortgage product to meet your needs.  Make sure you have considered this carefully and discussed all your options fully with your mortgage lender.  Subtle differences in your loan could cost or save you thousands.

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