Preventing Fire in Your Home

Although many people tend to look at fire prevention as though it’s a chore, the importance of it shouldn’t be undervalued. Fire takes not just homes and property but also lives, and in many cases fires are easily preventable.

Learning to make fire prevention just a part of your daily schedule is very simple. A lot of house fires start in the kitchen, and some are caused by heating not uninstalled properly and electrical faults.

There are more house fires than you might realize, and fire can often devastate homes completely. To give you more of an idea of how common and how serious house fires are, here’s an extract from a page on ACCs website:

Fire safety in the home

Every three hours a home burns in New Zealand. The estimated annual cost of residential fire damage is around $142,000,000. The emotional cost is much, much greater. Fire kills on average 12 people each year and injures hundreds more. Children, the elderly and the disabled are especially vulnerable.

Being fire safe starts with having smoke alarms installed and maintained, but it also means taking care when cooking and when using heaters, matches, candles and electrical appliances.

It’s easy to be fire safe, and it could save your family.

Read the full page here.

So often fires are easily preventable with some care and common sense. Using electrical cords that are frayed or damaged is a fire hazard, and it’s very important if you’re a smoker to only smoke outside and to check that your cigarette butts are completely out before you leave them.

If you have children in the home this can be even more important. Keep any lighters and matches out of reach of children and make sure they’re not using the oven alone or sitting too close to heaters.

It’s easy to identify fire risks in your home. Starting with the kitchen, here’s some of an article by Alexandra Whittaker on Reader’s Digest. The statistics are based on Americans but it’s still relevant to New Zealanders:

10 Little Things That Could Be Making Your Home a Fire Hazard

One in five Americans admits to leaving food cooking unattended on the stove, found an American Red Cross survey. Walking away from food cooking in the kitchen is a serious fire risk. “The leading cause of home fires is cooking and the leading cause of those fires is unattended cooking,” says Carli. If you need to use the stove or oven, be sure to keep an eye on it.

Cranking up the heat too high can be lethal, even if you’re in the kitchen while you cook. Kevin Kelley, senior director of community preparedness programs for the American Red Cross, recommends paying close attention and turning off the burner if you see smoke or grease starting to boil while frying food.

Read the full article here.

But there is also only so much prevention can do. The fact is, accidents happen, and should all else fail it’s vital that your home is ready and that you are ready if there is a fire. Having an escape plan that the whole family knows could save a life.

Prepare for yourself and your family a plan in case of fire. It only takes a few minutes, going over the possible places to escape from (windows and doors) and allocating a place somewhere nearby to gather and make sure everyone is alright.

Working smoke alarms are the last line of defense between you and a house fire. Should a fire break out, being alerted of it before it gets to you can save your life and give you time to call 111. Here are some smoke alarm tips from the New Zealand Fire Service’s website:

Fire Safety Advice

For optimum smoke detection, long life photoelectric smoke alarms should installed in every bedroom, living area and hallway in the house – on every level. However, this is not always practical.

That’s why we suggest, at an absolute minimum, that a long-life photoelectric smoke alarm should be installed in the hallway closest to the bedrooms. This should be supplemented with other alarms as soon as circumstances permit.

Test the batteries regularly

• A significant percentage of homes fitted with smoke alarms remain unprotected due to flat or missing batteries.
• Once a month check the battery by pressing the test button. If you cannot reach the button easily, use a broom handle.
• There is nothing worse than searching for a ‘cheeping’ smoke alarm at 4am in the morning. Avoid this by replacing the battery at least once a year. Pick a time like the beginning or end of daylight savings to do this.
• Consider purchasing long-life photoelectric smoke alarms. This will give 10 years of smoke detection without battery replacements.
• You should install smoke alarms that feature a HUSH button to stop nuisance alarms.
• Keep smoke alarms clean
• Dust and debris can interfere with the alarm’s operation, so vacuum over and around your smoke alarm regularly.

See the full page here.

Other than general care though, it also helps to check your home has no unknown dangers like mold (some types of mold are highly flammable) or electrical faults. Having your home in tip-top shape and having common sense with appliances and home-wares like stoves, heaters and electric blankets are the best ways to prevent fire.

Take a moment to be safety conscious and it will potentially save lives.

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Improving Your Mental Health with Your Home

Your mental state affects how you see the world around you. In a busy world where life can fast-paced and stressful, it’s more important than ever to make sure your mental health is as well-cared-for as possible.

While this is not an easy task for everyone, there are a few basic tips that start in the home to help you keep on top. After all, your home is where you relax and rest. It should be a place where your mind can be at ease and you can recuperate.

Having a warm, dry and comfortable home is the best place to start. Your physical health can have a huge impact on your mental health, and vice versa, meaning your home should be healthy and comfortable.

For many people, having an untidy home can be bad for your mental health, even if you may think it doesn’t affect you. As clutter gathers your mind gets exhausted at the very sight of it, and if your home is unclean it can also spread germs and bacteria that will make you sick.

From TranquilGeek.com comes the following explanation to show you why tidying your home can make a massive improvement to your health:

The Clutter Clod-Hop: Can Your Cluttered Home Affect Your Mental Health?

If your home is in a constant state of chaos, with piles of “treasures” you have to walk around every day, there’s a higher than zero chance that you’re risking your health — both physical and mental. Or, the clutter could just be a symptom of a much larger problem, such as depression.

Chronic clutter can make you feel isolated, since you won’t want to invite people over when there’s no place for them to sit. And looking at all that mess can make you feel exhausted, leading to chronic fatigue that turns into a vicious circle.

Read the full piece here.

A healthy and clean home improves your mood. So does fresh, clean air, which is why having good ventilation is very important. All sorts of things can taint the air in your home, and having a ventilation system to filter out this air and replace it with clean air is incredibly good for you.

Not only does it smell nicer, but it’s better for your skin and the less harmful chemicals and gases you’re breathing in the better. In an article on HealthGuidance.org, Jonathan Pitts explains the benefits of good ventilation:

Improve Your House Ventilation

Poor ventilation results in severe health problems mostly allergies. House that is ventilated appropriately will have an atmosphere balanced with required amounts of moisture and heat. A poorly ventilated house results in build-up of moisture in the house resulting in the formation of small wet patches on the roof.

The situation is still worse in winter season, during which the ice settles down on the roof. It is therefore essential to take necessary steps during the initial construction stage to provide free ventilation to the house. It is wise to think about ventilation in the initial planning and construction stage.

Generally, hot air travels upwards, and reaches the attic and remains there until cleared. Thus, if any ventilation facilities are provided at the top of the attic, the hot air will escape out and the room will start to cool.

Now that you have made options for the escape of hot air, you should provide an inlet for fresh air to maintain the balance. Have another set of ventilators at the bottom of the room for the entry of fresh air.

Read the full article here.

Another thing that affects your mood is the amount of sunlight you get every day. Having clean windows that remain unblocked during the sunlight hours is hugely beneficial to your health; in fact, if we don’t get enough sunlight it can cause light deprivation.

To further go into details about what that is, this is an extract from an article on Mercola.com:

How Sunlight Can Improve Your Mental Health

You are probably already familiar with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is depression that occurs during the fall and winter months when sunlight is scarce. An estimated 10 million to 12 million people in the United States alone suffer from SAD, while about 25 million Americans suffer from the “winter blues,” a condition not as serious as SAD but still requiring attention.

Both SAD and the winter blues are directly related to a lack of sunlight.

Serotonin (a chemical that helps regulate your mood) levels are low in people with depression and, at least one study has found, also in healthy people during the winter.

Since serotonin levels rise in your brain on days with a lot of sunlight, bright light may boost your mood by activating neurons in your brain that contain serotonin, leading to increased levels of the chemical in your brain, researchers say.

Serotonin neuron activity also tends to be higher on brighter days than darker days, even within the same season. This suggests that levels of serotonin in your brain are directly related to how much sunlight is available on any particular day.

In this most recent study, the researchers also pointed out similar findings.

“There is a high frequency of seasonal affective disorder in high latitudes where light exposure is limited, and bright light therapy is a successful antidepressant treatment,” the researchers said.

The take-home message here?

Getting minimal sunlight for prolonged periods of time can negatively impact your mood.

Read the full article here.

Let the sunshine into your home as much as you can. You can also replace your light bulbs with special bulbs called full-spectrum light-bulbs that have the same effect on you as sunshine. For those who spend a lot of time indoors this can be a worthy investment.

There is nothing more important than your own health and the health of your friends and family. Make sure you look after yourself properly and that your home is looking after you too.

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Humidity and the Home

It’s a safe assumption that most people know what a muggy day feels like – it’s not only sweltering hot, but the air feels thick and moist as well. That’s due to humidity.

For those who don’t know what humidity is, it’s a measurement of moisture in the air. Humidity can negatively affect people when there is too much or too little of it, especially people with breathing conditions such as asthma.

You’ve probably heard the term used mostly on weather reports. From eHow on YouTube, here is a brief video giving a more in-depth explanation of what humidity is:

 

You can find this video on eHow’s channel here.

With a clearer idea of what humidity is, it’s a much smaller step to understanding the importance of it. Humidity can have negative effects on your health if its levels are too high or low, especially for those suffering from the likes of asthma.

In an article from Diffen.com these health effects are clarified and the consequences of high or low humidity are explained:

Humidifier vs. Dehumidifier

Relative humidity of 30 to 50% is recommended for good health. This is challenging in extreme conditions such as dry heat or too much moisture.

A humidifier is used to increase the level of humidity in the air and a dehumidifier reduces the humidity level of the air. A hygrometer can be used to measure the humidity of a particular area to decide whether a humidifier or dehumidifier is required. […]

Dry, itchy skin and chapped lips are common in areas with low humidity. Humidity levels over 50% result in the growth of mold spores, bacteria, and dust mites. 40% humidity is required for musical instruments to prevent finishes from crazing or cracking. […]

A place with higher temperature and high relative humidity needs moisture to be pulled out of air. Moist air helps the growth of mold, dust mites and spores which aggravate allergies and asthma. A dehumidifier removes moisture from air and is suited for this climate.

Read the full article here.

Humidity doesn’t just affect your health though, it can also cause damage to your house. A high humidity level is especially harmful, causing wood to rot and mold and bacteria to thrive.

From CriticalCactus.com these effects are explained in more detail:

10 Reasons Why Ideal Home Humidity Levels Prevent Sickness and High Costs

When indoor humidity levels are too high, condensation on windows and walls starts to cause structural damage. Damage to the house manifests in wood rot, molds, damp spots, and corroding furniture.
Costly damage caused by moisture that builds up can occur between the walls and ceilings, paint may start to peel as well as permanent wood warping/damage.

Water can also seep in between window molding and weather stripping, which can either freeze or expand depending on external temperatures, and cause damage that way.

Older homes and apartment complexes may not be as well equipped with proper insulation and ventilation and are less energy efficient. Such homes may be more susceptible to holding a surplus of moisture. Poorly insulated walls, ceilings and windows can retain an excess of moisture within the home.

Buildings that are more structurally sound are generally able to retain proper heat and moisture levels. On the other hand, modern homes are insulated to trap heat, doors and windows are weatherstripped and caulked to lock out cold outside air.

Read the full article here.

Your health and quality of life should not be compromised by water vapor. If you think your humidity levels might not be within the best range, or if you’re simply curious, there are humidity testers for measuring the level in your home.

With the results, you can decide if you need a humidifier or dehumidifier to make your home a more comfortable and healthy place for yourself and your family.

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The Basics of pH Part 2: Why You Should Test pH Levels

Having explained what pH is and why it matters, I am now going to tell you why you should be testing pH levels, whether in soil or water or even in food.

pH measures acidity and alkalinity; these levels determine the healthiness of what it is you’re testing, and can help you maximize the benefits you get.

Soil and water are very commonly pH tested because of their direct connection to us – we eat food that grows in soil and we drink water. For those in the agriculture industry, testing soil pH will definitely give you more control over the quality of crop you grow.

Bridgette Lawson from permaculturenews.org describes how soil pH affects the quality of your produce:

What Are Soil pH Testing Kits and Why They Are an Invaluable Tool

Soil pH is an important factor because it greatly affects the availability of various nutrients to the plants. The reason, is different pH levels change the chemical forms of the nutrient. Not all chemical forms of a particular nutrient can be absorbed by the plants.

For example, in ph 6-8 the highest concentrations of dissolved nitrogen will be present in the soil. Outside this range, the concentration of dissolved nitrogen will be less than ideal. Another example is about the phosphorus availability. Phosphorus is only available for plants in the soil pH range 6.0 to 7.5.

To avoid plant nutrient deficiencies, it’s important to monitor and control the soil pH levels. This way, we can maintain the health of our crops. If we can continuously monitor the soil pH, we can also make quick and necessary adjustments.

Read the full article here…

Water, too, is vital for health. Water that is leaning too far to either side of the pH scale can be very bad for you and for any plants or animals nurtured by that water.

If you have an aquarium, a vegetable garden, an aquatic garden, or collect rainwater, testing pH will be beneficial to you. Also if you just want to test the pH of the water coming from your tap.

From NutrientsReview.com, this article explains acidity and alkalinity in drinking water:

Water pH and Hardness

Acidic water (pH <6) may leach toxic metals, such as lead and copper, from pipes and cause metallic or bitter taste in mouth.

Carbonated water pH is 3-4. Carbonated water may cause transient bloating in some people but other than that it has no known side effects […]

Alkaline water at pH >8 may have a soda-like taste.

Most tap water has pH between 6.5 and 8.5, but some municipal water suppliers may raise the pH of water to 9 to prevent plumbing corrosion. Hard water, which is high in calcium and/or magnesium, is usually more alkaline than soft water.

There seems to be no convincing evidence about health benefits or dangers of drinking alkaline water.

Drinking water can be made:

• more alkaline by adding baking soda, soda ash, potassium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, calcite or lime or calcium carbonate, or magnesium oxide
• more acidic by adding white vinegar or acetic, citric, nitric, hydrochloric, sulfuric or phosphoric acid.

Read the full article here…

Just as in water, pH in food directly relates to our health and wellbeing. It also, of course, affects the taste of food, so testing pH can be beneficial to butchers, chefs, bakers, and anyone else involved in bringing food to the table.

Kyle Hildebrant from Our Daily Brine gives some examples of where pH levels in food could be measured:

The Guide to pH Measurement in Food and Drink

Quality of Meats

pH levels can be used to determine the quality of meats. For example, pork with a pH of 5.6 to 6.0 is indicative of a pig raised well and stress free, while pork with a pH of 4.9 to 5.5 indicates a pig raised poorly and/or stressed at slaughter.

Salami

Meat used to make fermented products should be below pH 5.8. Salami should be fermented to pH 5.3 or below to protect against the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. pH can also be utilized to achieve and measure the desired sourness and resulting flavor in a finished product.

Cheese

pH offers an indication of contamination from bacteria or chemicals. Milk is typically in the range of pH 6.5 to 6.7. Values above this range may suggest illness in the cow, while values below this range may indicate that lactic acid fermentation has begun. Low pH will render a cheese devoid of shape, while high pH will produce a brittle, crumbly cheese.

Yogurt

Cultured milk must be brought to a pH value of 4.6 or lower before being cooled. Fruits added must be of the same pH, or the yogurt needs to be further acidified to compensate for more basic fruits.

Fermented Vegetables

In fermented vegetables, the growth of Lactic-acid bacteria can be gauged by pH measurements. Fermented vegetables need to reach a pH of 4.6 or lower to inhibit undesirable bacterial growth.

Wine

A pH between 3.0 and 4.0 is optimal for most wines. Understanding pH prevents spoilage by inhibiting microbial growth. pH levels are used to influence the appearance, aroma, and taste of wine.

Breads and Pastas

The acidity of the water used in baking affects the finished product. A slightly acidic (<7.0 pH) water is desirable. Batter should be acidified to pH 4.6 or lower, or kept under refrigeration, to ensure pathogens are not multiplied. Yeast prefer the slightly acidic conditions of a pH range of 4.5 to 6.0.

Read the full article here…

pH affects a lot more than you may have realized, and almost everyone has a reason to be testing pH. It’s good for your health and if you’re in any industry where pH can make a difference, it’s good for your business too.

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