Carbon Monoxide Detectors

About 200 people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning associated with home fuel-burning heating equipment. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is produced when any fuel is incompletely burned. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are similar to flu-like illnesses and include dizziness, fatigue, headaches, nausea, and irregular breathing. Carbon monoxide can leak from faulty furnaces or fuel-fired heaters or can be trapped inside by a blocked chimney or flue. Burning charcoal inside the house or running an automobile engine in an attached garage also will produce carbon monoxide in the home.




The first line of defense against carbon monoxide is to make sure that all fuel-burning appliances operate properly. Consumers should have their home heating systems (including chimneys and flues) inspected each year for proper operations and leakage. Inspectors should check all heating appliances and their electrical and mechanical components, thermostat controls and automatic safety devices.

Properly working carbon monoxide detectors can provide an early warning to consumers before the deadly gas builds up to a dangerous level. Exposure to a low concentration over several hours can be as dangerous as exposure to high carbon monoxide levels for a few minutes - the new detectors will detect both conditions. Most of the devices cost under $100. Each home should have at least one carbon monoxide detector in the area outside individual bedrooms.

Gas sensors in CO alarms have a limited life span, typically two to five years. The test button on a CO alarm only tests the battery and circuitry not the sensor. Alarms over five years old should be replaced but they should be checked on installation as well as annually, along with your smoke detectors.

Smoke Detectors - If it's not hardwired in - Change the batteries!

I'm currently working on some home safety articles and so I figured I would share on here also!
Here goes!

One of the most important fire safety devices for the home is the smoke alarm. The primary job of the smoke alarm is to protect you from fires while you and your family is asleep. Your alarms should be located on each floor level of the home, and in each bedroom. There are two types of home smoke alarms available; the ion type and the photoelectric type. The ion type reacts faster to open flaming fires. The photoelectric type reacts faster to smoldering fires and is less likely to react to cooking. Both types provide good protection and can be used without worry.

Fire safety organizations promote "change your clocks, change your batteries" when the change is made back from daylight savings time each fall. Smoke alarms installed in a house may be operated from the household electrical power and not need battery replacement. This type of alarm has a "power on" light to tell you that the alarm has power. Smoke alarms are available which run on house power but also have a battery in case the main power fails. Both types of alarms need to be tested monthly and batteries should be replaced yearly just as with the battery-only operated type. If the testing mechanism does not work properly, the alarm should be replaced immediately. Don't forget! Make and practice your families emergency escape plan!

De-Cluttering Our Lives

It's already mid August! What a challenging year this has been! How are your new year resolutions coming? Mine? Actually quite well. I know, shut up! But, see; I'm truly excited! We have gotten some projects completed that have been on the list a long time!
So far, this year we have been totally involved in home improvement! It started with the setting aside of funds to get new windows. We had the old single pane kind.. ugh! Ya know, the kind you prop open with a stick. Yeah..that kind.
Before we could do that, the water heater decided its contract was up, so it leaked all over the garage. So, we replaced that. Um.. the windows took three months to put in. I know.. long story. We had the windows wrapped so we don't have to get out the super tall ladders to paint them anymore! Yay! We replaced the square columns on the front porch as they were rotten. Now we have round ones! We painted the front door and side panels, and the gutters, and the garage door. We added two flower beds, one up front and two in the back yard! Stained the playset. Umm.. then we added a whole row of burning bushes along the ditch to the side of our home.
Then there was the day we realized our airconditioner wasn't working. Yep, had to replace that! Thankfully in the weeks we put that off, the little seperate unit that cools the upstairs still plugged along. Otherwise,eww..I don't want to think about it!
Sweetie's dad put in some shelves for us in the garage! Now we are garage organized! Whoo hoo! He even has a workbench now! It is so fabulous to go out there and actually find something! Yay! (I know, but it is so exciting!)
By end of September I will have (Lord willing) finished cleaning out the attic. It's amazing the stuff we have kept. Why? Who knows? I guess it's just part of that, 'maybe I will use it again' frame of mind.
The kids rooms will be next, as a neighbor and I have committed to throwing out the clutter this year! So far so good! We might even pull off a yard sale when it is cooler out.
High hopes! Great goals! Really fun, when for the first time in a long time, I am actually taking things off my list, instead of adding to it! How long will this last? If I keep watching the Do It Yourself network, I will always have a project or three ongoing! But that's okay, right? As long as it is within reason..time and money wise that is!
Personally, I've been able to declutter myself too. I am learning to successfully say NO~! For some, it isn't hard to do that. For me;it is. I am keeping track of my time. This keeps me from the frustration and stress I gave myself over trying to be everything to and for everyone! Admittedly there has been some flack from others as I have said no to something they wanted when they were banking on a yes. But, it truly is okay. Wow. I think I am maturing. Eeeks! Don't tell.

So, on to the de-cluttering.. one goal is to spend less time on the computer!

Weekend Work

Weekend? What weekend? Wow! This weekend was warm and mostly sunny! Translation?
Outside projects.
To start this off right.. Saturday I promised a family friend that the boys and I would be by to help her get some yardwork done. Man! We got all kinds of stuff done! I got a bunch of plants dug up so that they can be placed somewhere else in her general plan of making it look like a Japanese garden area. Bushes were trimmed, and the boys moved rocks and have started a very nice rock wall! Looking good! Oh, I raked too. I mean I raked, and raked, and then we all raked again. This house has a lot of trees around it, and I am sure that several leaves from surrounding neighborhoods blew in also! WOW! I actually have more raking to do! Anyway, after a portion was finished it sure was satisfying to see the raked flower beds,and the raked driveway! We can see fresh green grass in areas where decaying leaves once lay. Awesome! We unearthed some flowers that were poking their heads up! Yes, we were sore! Ohh! With our tired, achy, sunburned bodies we waved goodbye to our friend and went home and melted! Showers, and a 45 minute nap for me and all was better again. (we had a dinner to attend, so I had to be perky!)
As a family we decided it was time to buy new windows for the house. We have an older home with single pane windows, so the heating bills and air bills are not a pretty sight! Cha-ching! Yes, but we were smart and scouted around and found a great deal! Friday I had the vinyl guys at the house replacing rotting wood and putting up vinyl covering so we don't have to paint! Whoo hoo! Well, and it just all around looks better. I ended up painting anyway as our gutters were all pulled down. Why not? Snatch that opportunity, right?
We found out our columns on the front porch are also rotting. Ick. Anyway, to look at our porch now we have one column to keep it from coming down and some two by fours proping up the other end of the porch. New columns are on the way. Windows & shutters have been measured (we have rotting wood shutters too!), vinyl has been installed. Now we wait for the columns to come in so that the porch is no longer jacked up. You wouldn't believe the attention our house got by neighbors this weekend. Just do a little work.. and here they come! Maybe this will start something and we can improve our streets curb appeal!
Sunday after church, the boys and I painted gutters, mowed the grass and pulled weeds. So, all in all a very productive weekend!
My hope is that this project of ours is finished before 20-23rd of this month. Reason? Our church is putting on a weekend for middleschoolers/highschool kids where they "get away" and experience God. As a host home we are part of that "get away". I'm expecting a house full of sixth grade boys, two teenagers and another set of parents to help us/me out. (I say me as Sweeetheart has to work a 12 hour weekend shift Saturday and Sunday). This means late, late nights and a full house, but most of all, being able to hang out with some awesome kids! I am looking forward to it! There will be devotionals and trips around town,snacks,cookouts,whew! To top it off the kids are involved in a Sunday skit our church puts on monthly called, CrossStreet Live. That will be a FULL weekend!