Each region’s primary wildfire hazard period occurs at a different time of year; but year-round attention to preventive measures is required for optimum protection, as climatic conditions can quickly change in a matter of weeks. Here are some tips that will help prevent your home from contributing to a fire or being damaged by one. Homeowners in areas subject to wildfires should also heed the advice of local authorities on preventive and emergency evacuation measures.

Preparing for a wildfire …

1. Clean roof surfaces and gutters regularly to avoid accumulation of flammable material.
2. Remove tree branches within ten feet of the flue opening of a stove or chimney. A spark screen should be kept over the opening.
3. Keep shrubs at least 15 feet apart to prevent fires from spreading. Remove branches from the lower 15 feet of any tree.
4. Establish a “defensible space,” or a perimeter free of combustibles, around the entire home. Firewood, picnic tables, boats and other combustible materials should be kept away from the house.
5. The roof and exterior of the house should be made of fire-resistant materials such as asphalt roofing shingles, tile, slate, brick or stone.
6. Wood roofing, siding or cedar shingles should be treated with fire-retardant chemicals.
7. Store gasoline in an approved container away from the house or occupied outbuildings.
8. Dispose of fireplace ashes and used charcoal briquettes only after soaking them in a metal pail filled with water for 24 hours.
9. Propane tanks should be positioned away from the house with valves accessible for shut off in case of a fire.
10. Fire tools should be kept handy. These include a ladder long enough to reach the roof, shovel, rake and water bucket. At least 100 feet of garden hose should be connected to the water spigot.
11. Keep plants surrounding the house well-watered if water supplies permit.
12. Each home should have at least two escape routes.
13. All roads should be wide enough to allow for fire trucks access.
14. The address and street name should be clearly marked on both sides of your mailbox.

When fire threatens…

If you are warned that a wildfire is threatening your home, stay tuned to a TV or radio for reports and evacuation information. If you’re sure you have time, contact friends or relatives to let them know what your plans are for evacuation and take the following steps to protect your home. If told to leave, do so immediately!

Inside:

1. Close windows, vents, doors and blinds. Remove lightweight curtains.
2. Shut off the gas at the meter.
3. Open fireplace damper. Close fireplace screen.
4. Move lawn furniture that can burn inside and away from windows and sliding-glass doors.
5. Turn on a light in each room to help firefighters find your home in heavy smoke.

Outside:

1. Seal attic and ground vents with a noncombustible cover.
2. Turn off any propane tanks. Move tanks away from the house.
3. Connect garden hoses to outside taps, and leave the power on to the pump if connected to a well.
4. Wet down the roof. Place lawn sprinklers on the roof and near above ground fuel tanks.
5. Wet or remove shrubs within 15 feet of the home.
6. Gather fire tools.

Eliminating all possible causes for a sluggish or blocked drain may not be possible, but there are certain things that can be done to reduce potential problems. The buildup of soap scum, grease and hair in drains occurs with normal life activities and is almost inevitable; but preventing the introduction of other objects that can contribute to blockage will go a long way toward ensuring your drains flow freely.

Aside from the inconvenience or downright horrors of a blocked or overflowing drain, there is a monetary consideration. Many drain and sewer cleaning companies now have flat minimum rates for cleaning drains regardless of the cause; so whether a blockage is due to a clump of toilet paper or an errant tennis ball, it could cost you a surprising sum.

Some tips and suggestions:

1. Keep the strainer or drain stopper in place at all sink, bathtub and shower drains.
2. Keep all small objects away from the toilet; toothbrushes, and jewelry can quickly disappear forever - or get stuck in a drain.
3. Keep your eye out for small children – a toilet bowl full of water is just one more play object to them. Anything and everything touched can end up in a toilet. And the excitement of seeing it flush away only adds to the danger. The bathroom should be off limits to young children. If the door can’t be locked, at least install a toilet seat lock to prevent toilet access.
4. Only flush toilet paper; even if paper towels or baby wipes make their way down the drain, they can potentially get hung up on tree roots or other protrusions further along the drain or sewer. Beware, commercially available wipes may be advertised as flushable, but that doesn’t mean they won’t get stuck somewhere else in the system. It is often best to dispose of these wipes in another manner.
5. Personal feminine hygiene products should not be flushed. Once again, while they may be advertised as flushable, they often get hung up downstream and are a major contributing factor in drain blockage.
6. If you live in an older neighborhood, chances are many of the buried sewer lines have settled or shifted over the years or have been infiltrated by tree roots. Check with the local authorities on any problems known to exist in your neighborhood.
7. Fine roots can infiltrate through even small cracks or gaps in a sewer line, creating an almost impenetrable obstruction. During dry or drought periods, root infiltration only increases as they seek out any source of water.
8. If root infiltration or other sewer line problems are known to exist or are suspected, consider pro-active sewer cleaning every few years. It may be costly, but will be a lot less than having to clean up after a sewer backup.
9. Video equipment is now available to inspect drain and sewer lines that otherwise are inaccessible without excavation or other invasive work. When problems occur and the cause is unknown and/or a recommendation is made to replace a line or section of a line, consider video imaging before attempting more expensive work.
10. Clean out strainers and drains periodically. Remove mechanical drain stoppers to clean out down below. If using commercially available cleaners, carefully read all package instructions and warnings. Many of these products can be harmful to your fixtures or plumbing system, or you. Consider environmentally safer alternatives. Even a plunger can produce good results when there is a minor drain blockage.

Many of us are becoming better educated about indoor pollutants and what we need to know to protect our health, but there are some surprising things that you may not have thought about that could affect the indoor air quality of your home.  A majority of this information has been excerpted from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s website.  Please visit their website for more specific information on each of these topics.

Attached Garages - Houses with attached garages had measurable concentrations of benzene (a gasoline related pollutant) in their indoor air. Houses with no garages or detached garages had little or no benzene. This is true of a host of other airborne chemicals. The study revealed that pollutants in attached garages can find their way into the house.
There are also secondary sources of pollutants in garages, apart from car-based emissions. There are many gas-powered appliances, such as lawn mowers, chain saws and edging tools whose emission systems are not as good as those found in cars. Chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides are also sources of pollutants. 

Burning Candles - By-products of combustion include carbon monoxide, VOCs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and soot. Do not burn candles, liquid fuel or incense in the home.

Too Energy Efficient - If your house is stuffy, odors linger, or humidity is high in fall and winter, it is likely that your house does not have adequate fresh air. If you or your children have respiratory conditions, such as asthma, bronchitis or chronic colds, getting the proper amount of fresh air is even more important. Opening windows can be part of the solution, but open windows can be a security risk (in some neighborhoods), can cause comfort problems and can increase heating and cooling costs. Furthermore, opening windows may not improve indoor conditions under all circumstances. Using a mechanical ventilation system, such as an exhaust fan or a heat recovery ventilator (HRV), can be more effective.
Your newly remodeled kitchen- In new or other well-sealed houses, significant indoor formaldehyde levels may still occur when new carpets or wood composite materials, such as plywood, particleboard and waferboard, are used in home construction, cabinetry and furnishings. These are the most likely sources of high formaldehyde levels in the home today.

Radon - Radon is a radioactive gas that is released from the normal decay of uranium in rocks and soils.  Uranium is found in nearly all soils everywhere in the U.S.  Radon is invisible, colorless, odorless and tasteless and seeps up through the ground and diffuses into the air. Radon gas can accumulate in buildings, especially in confined areas such as attics, and basements. It can also be found in some spring waters and hot springs. It is often the single largest contributor to an individual's background radiation dose, and is the most variable from location to location. Please see additional postings on this blog about radon. Important note about filtration - Most people assume that contaminants can be removed by filtration. Typical residential furnace filters are designed to filter particles, not gases. Gases can be filtered only by special filter media, such as activated charcoal or activated alumina. These filter media require special installation and, like furnace filters, must be replaced frequently. Filtration as a means of removing airborne contaminants throughout the house is inefficient. The most effective way to remove chemical contaminants, whether particles or gases, is to stop or capture them at the source before they are dispersed over a large area. This means getting rid of the sources, and when this is not possible, isolating or encapsulating them.

This information is presented by Workshop For Women,  www.workshopforwomen.com.

Many of us are becoming better educated about indoor pollutants and what we need to know to protect our health, but there are some surprising things that you may not have thought about that could affect the indoor air quality of your home.  A majority of this information has been excerpted from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s website.  Please visit their website for more specific information on each of these topics.

Attached Garages - Houses with attached garages had measurable concentrations of benzene (a gasoline related pollutant) in their indoor air. Houses with no garages or detached garages had little or no benzene. This is true of a host of other airborne chemicals. The study revealed that pollutants in attached garages can find their way into the house.
There are also secondary sources of pollutants in garages, apart from car-based emissions. There are many gas-powered appliances, such as lawn mowers, chain saws and edging tools whose emission systems are not as good as those found in cars. Chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides are also sources of pollutants. 

Burning Candles - By-products of combustion include carbon monoxide, VOCs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and soot. Do not burn candles, liquid fuel or incense in the home.

Too Energy Efficient - If your house is stuffy, odors linger, or humidity is high in fall and winter, it is likely that your house does not have adequate fresh air. If you or your children have respiratory conditions, such as asthma, bronchitis or chronic colds, getting the proper amount of fresh air is even more important. Opening windows can be part of the solution, but open windows can be a security risk (in some neighborhoods), can cause comfort problems and can increase heating and cooling costs. Furthermore, opening windows may not improve indoor conditions under all circumstances. Using a mechanical ventilation system, such as an exhaust fan or a heat recovery ventilator (HRV), can be more effective.
Your newly remodeled kitchen- In new or other well-sealed houses, significant indoor formaldehyde levels may still occur when new carpets or wood composite materials, such as plywood, particleboard and waferboard, are used in home construction, cabinetry and furnishings. These are the most likely sources of high formaldehyde levels in the home today.

Radon - Radon is a radioactive gas that is released from the normal decay of uranium in rocks and soils.  Uranium is found in nearly all soils everywhere in the U.S.  Radon is invisible, colorless, odorless and tasteless and seeps up through the ground and diffuses into the air. Radon gas can accumulate in buildings, especially in confined areas such as attics, and basements. It can also be found in some spring waters and hot springs. It is often the single largest contributor to an individual's background radiation dose, and is the most variable from location to location. Please see additional postings on this blog about radon. Important note about filtration - Most people assume that contaminants can be removed by filtration. Typical residential furnace filters are designed to filter particles, not gases. Gases can be filtered only by special filter media, such as activated charcoal or activated alumina. These filter media require special installation and, like furnace filters, must be replaced frequently. Filtration as a means of removing airborne contaminants throughout the house is inefficient. The most effective way to remove chemical contaminants, whether particles or gases, is to stop or capture them at the source before they are dispersed over a large area. This means getting rid of the sources, and when this is not possible, isolating or encapsulating them.

This information is presented by Workshop For Women,  www.workshopforwomen.com.

Many of us are becoming better educated about indoor pollutants and what we need to know to protect our health, but there are some surprising things that you may not have thought about that could affect the indoor air quality of your home.  A majority of this information has been excerpted from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s website.  Please visit their website for more specific information on each of these topics.

Attached Garages - Houses with attached garages had measurable concentrations of benzene (a gasoline related pollutant) in their indoor air. Houses with no garages or detached garages had little or no benzene. This is true of a host of other airborne chemicals. The study revealed that pollutants in attached garages can find their way into the house.
There are also secondary sources of pollutants in garages, apart from car-based emissions. There are many gas-powered appliances, such as lawn mowers, chain saws and edging tools whose emission systems are not as good as those found in cars. Chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides are also sources of pollutants. 

Burning Candles - By-products of combustion include carbon monoxide, VOCs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and soot. Do not burn candles, liquid fuel or incense in the home.

Too Energy Efficient - If your house is stuffy, odors linger, or humidity is high in fall and winter, it is likely that your house does not have adequate fresh air. If you or your children have respiratory conditions, such as asthma, bronchitis or chronic colds, getting the proper amount of fresh air is even more important. Opening windows can be part of the solution, but open windows can be a security risk (in some neighborhoods), can cause comfort problems and can increase heating and cooling costs. Furthermore, opening windows may not improve indoor conditions under all circumstances. Using a mechanical ventilation system, such as an exhaust fan or a heat recovery ventilator (HRV), can be more effective.

Your newly remodeled kitchen- In new or other well-sealed houses, significant indoor formaldehyde levels may still occur when new carpets or wood composite materials, such as plywood, particleboard and waferboard, are used in home construction, cabinetry and furnishings. These are the most likely sources of high formaldehyde levels in the home today.

Radon - Radon is a radioactive gas that is released from the normal decay of uranium in rocks and soils.  Uranium is found in nearly all soils everywhere in the U.S.  Radon is invisible, colorless, odorless and tasteless and seeps up through the ground and diffuses into the air. Radon gas can accumulate in buildings, especially in confined areas such as attics, and basements. It can also be found in some spring waters and hot springs. It is often the single largest contributor to an individual's background radiation dose, and is the most variable from location to location. Please see additional postings on this blog about radon.
Important note about filtration - Most people assume that contaminants can be removed by filtration. Typical residential furnace filters are designed to filter particles, not gases. Gases can be filtered only by special filter media, such as activated charcoal or activated alumina. These filter media require special installation and, like furnace filters, must be replaced frequently. Filtration as a means of removing airborne contaminants throughout the house is inefficient. The most effective way to remove chemical contaminants, whether particles or gases, is to stop or capture them at the source before they are dispersed over a large area. This means getting rid of the sources, and when this is not possible, isolating or encapsulating them.

Being at a Healthy Weight is not about losing, It’s About Gaining

Changing your eating habits and getting down to a healthy weight is not about giving up, unless you’re talking about giving up your opportunity to be constantly at risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack and cancer. Changing your eating habits and achieving a healthy weight is about gaining the right to wear the clothes in the back of your closet and not going through the dreaded size increase. It’s about going shopping and liking the way you look, and being able to think of things you can do and not what you can’t do because of your weight.

You gain the ability to look forward to a longer, healthier life doing the things you enjoy and not being  tied to medications and medical appointments, or to a long list of “can’t do’s” because you simply cannot manage it physically. You can take trips that require physical stamina or simply walk around your block; play with your children and grandchildren and enjoy the activities you’ve given up. You can take back the life that you gave up to fast food and poor eating habits.

You can look good, you can feel good and you can look forward to healthy years that you will truly enjoy because you don’t have the limitation of excess weight. You can like who you are and how you feel. Working toward a healthy lifestyle isn’t about giving up the foods that are destroying your body and your health, it’s about getting a whole new life that you can really enjoy.

Diet Center is the standard for healthy weight loss with four program plans to fit your individual needs and lifestyle and help you change the eating habits that have led to excess weight. We feature personalized, one-on-one counseling with owners Tom and Lynne Manzer who understand the weight and eating challenges you experience. We emphasize healthy weight loss that will enable you to lose  your excess weight, meet your nutritional requirements and, more importantly, teach you how to keep your weight off. The Diet Center at Monument helps combat the growing epidemic of obesity in Colorado and America through support, education and behavior modification and proven weight loss programs so our clients lose their excess weight and share their newfound, healthy lifestyle with others.

Located at 255 North Jefferson, Suite 106, in Monument; Diet Center®, a well known, well respected weight loss brand in Colorado in the past, is re-emerging as Colorado’s leading way to take weight off and keep it off in a healthy way. Diet Center Worldwide, Inc.® (DCWI), celebrated its 37^th anniversary in March 2010, making it a leader in healthy weight loss much longer than most nationally-known companies have existed. Tom and Lynne, the owners/counselors of the Diet Centers at Monument and Castle Rock want to be your partner in this wonderful journey called life.

Call us at 719-488-3564 in Monument for a free consultation. We look forward to hearing from you.                                

Being at a Healthy Weight is not about losing, It’s About Gaining

Changing your eating habits and getting down to a healthy weight is not about giving up, unless you’re talking about giving up your opportunity to be constantly at risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack and cancer. Changing your eating habits and achieving a healthy weight is about gaining the right to wear the clothes in the back of your closet and not going through the dreaded size increase. It’s about going shopping and liking the way you look, and being able to think of things you can do and not what you can’t do because of your weight.

You gain the ability to look forward to a longer, healthier life doing the things you enjoy and not being  tied to medications and medical appointments, or to a long list of “can’t do’s” because you simply cannot manage it physically. You can take trips that require physical stamina or simply walk around your block; play with your children and grandchildren and enjoy the activities you’ve given up. You can take back the life that you gave up to fast food and poor eating habits.

You can look good, you can feel good and you can look forward to healthy years that you will truly enjoy because you don’t have the limitation of excess weight. You can like who you are and how you feel. Working toward a healthy lifestyle isn’t about giving up the foods that are destroying your body and your health, it’s about getting a whole new life that you can really enjoy.

Diet Center is the standard for healthy weight loss with four program plans to fit your individual needs and lifestyle and help you change the eating habits that have led to excess weight. We feature personalized, one-on-one counseling with owners Tom and Lynne Manzer who understand the weight and eating challenges you experience. We emphasize healthy weight loss that will enable you to lose  your excess weight, meet your nutritional requirements and, more importantly, teach you how to keep your weight off. The Diet Center at Monument helps combat the growing epidemic of obesity in Colorado and America through support, education and behavior modification and proven weight loss programs so our clients lose their excess weight and share their newfound, healthy lifestyle with others.

Located at 255 North Jefferson, Suite 106, in Monument; Diet Center®, a well known, well respected weight loss brand in Colorado in the past, is re-emerging as Colorado’s leading way to take weight off and keep it off in a healthy way. Diet Center Worldwide, Inc.® (DCWI), celebrated its 37^th anniversary in March 2010, making it a leader in healthy weight loss much longer than most nationally-known companies have existed. Tom and Lynne, the owners/counselors of the Diet Centers at Monument and Castle Rock want to be your partner in this wonderful journey called life.

Call us at 719-488-3564 in Monument for a free consultation. We look forward to hearing from you.

Choosing Vinyl

When it comes to windows and doors, vinyl is an all-around excellent choice. Unlike wood, vinyl windows and doors will never rot or require endless repainting. And unlike aluminum, vinyl windows and doors will never pit or flake. Simonton vinyl windows and doors are made from the highest quality vinyl and require almost no maintenance. In fact, an occasional washing will keep them looking like new for years. Plus, they offer increased comfort and lower utility bills, provide headache-free operation and add value to your home. You can’t get much better than that.

• Increased Comfort  Simonton’s vinyl windows and doors offer excellent thermal performance for year-round comfort and to help lower utility bills.
• Easy Operation  Our windows and doors open and close easily for maximum performance with minimum effort.
• Weatherability  The premium vinyl used in Simonton windows and doors can stand up to extreme weather conditions year after year.
• Energy Efficiency  Vinyl is an effective insulator. Our vinyl profiles are specially designed to work with advanced glass packages for optimum energy efficiency.
• Low Maintenance  The color of the vinyl is integrated throughout, so frames and sash will never require painting, and they resist pollution, salt spray and dirt.
• Value  Not only do Simonton windows and doors help to lower home utility bills, they also add value to your home.

Testing shows that vinyl window and doors are comparable to wood products in thermal efficiency.