Home Electrical Safety Tips You Should Know!

Your home is your castle and keeping it safe also keeps you and your family safe. Many people take electricity for granted and many don't stop to think just how dangerous it can be or how to avoid such dangerous situations in the home. There are some things you can do to help keep your home safe from these dangers. Following a few simple guidelines can greatly reduce your chances of experiencing any such hazards.

• Avoid the use of extension cords

There never seems to be enough power outlets in the home to accommodate all of the appliances and gadgets that needs power to operate. This is where many people grab the extension cords as a solution to this problem. A better way to attack this problem would be to purchase a good plug strip with a 2 to 3 foot cord that you can plug in to the wall outlet and gain several more power openings a little further down the wall. You get what you pay for with these items so please do not buy the cheapest one because that is exactly what you will get. Adding a wall outlet is the best way to approach this problem but that is not always the cheapest or the easiest fix.

• Install the proper wattage bulbs in your light fixtures

Most ceiling mounted light fixtures are rated for no more than 60 watt bulbs due to the heat that they produce. Fixtures that hang down and do not touch the ceiling are usually rated to carry higher wattage bulbs due to the bulbs being away from the ceiling. Many times people will blow a 60 watt bulb and then replace it with a 100 watt bulb. This is not a safe practice because the fixture can not dissipate the extra heat that the higher wattage bulbs produce and it can heat bake the sheetrock above the fixture and the house wires inside the electrical box. There should be a tag on the fixture stating the maximum wattage rating for that fixture.

• GFCI protected outlets

Ground fault circuit interrupters are receptacles that are designed for use around water or outdoors power requirements. Kitchens, bathrooms and any outside outlets should have GFCI protected outlets installed. These receptacles measure the amount of incoming and outgoing current and will trip out if there is a difference in the amount. This amount should be the same on what comes in on the hot side and leaves on the neutral. If not there is a ground fault and the receptacle will trip and shut down the power for safety purposes. If you do not have GFCI protected outlets installed in your home then you really should have this work done for the safety of everyone in the home.

• Proper sized fuses or circuit breakers

Most homes are wired with #12 awg wire that is rated for 20 amps and some have #14 awg wire which is rated for 15 amps on the lighting and branch circuits. Older homes have fuses instead of breakers. Fuses can be easily changed when one blows but many times are not replaced with the proper sized fuse for the size of wire that it feeds. This is a dangerous situation when they blow a 20 amp fuse then replace it with a 30 amp to keep it from blowing again. This puts a strain on the house wiring because the larger fuse allows the wire to carry more amps than it is legally rated to carry. If you have fuses in your home it is a good idea to this checked by a certified electrician to insure that the proper sized fuses or even circuit breakers are installed according to the size of the wire that it feeds.This would also be a good time to have the connections in the electrical panel checked and tightened to avoid any future problems.

• Check those drop cords for safety that you have hanging in the shop

Are your drop cords safe to use? Many times the ground prong on the extension cords will be missing or broken off and this can be an accident that is waiting to happen. That third round prong on your cord is the single most important part of your drop cord to keep you safe while using power tools and any type of equipment or appliances. You can purchase a replacement cord cap for the end of your cords and you really should do this if the ground prong is missing. Without the equipment ground intact the metal casing on a faulty power tool can become energized risking electrocution to the user. Check those cords for any other type of damage and replace them if needed.

• A few bonus tips of the day for you

Be sure and clean the lint screen on your clothes dryer after each use. Lint can build up inside the dryer and cause problems or even a fire if not properly cleaned and maintained.

Do you have fire extinguishers strategically mounted in your home? The kitchen and garage or shop area would be a perfect place to have one or more mounted for quick access.. Just remember that an accidental fire can happen quickly and a readily accessible fire extinguisher can help avoid a disaster.

Electrically powered 120 volt smoke detectors with battery back up are an essential part of a reliable early warning system for the safety of the entire family. If you do not have these installed in your home this is a small price to pay for the added security that they can provide.

A Big Fix-Up in the Five Boroughs

It’s been awhile since we here at Click and Improve been able to post about a big job. Part of this is simply the size of the job: renovating, remodeling and performing tasks in multiple parts of one house takes more time than a simple bathtub replacement or even putting up a brand new kitchen. The other part has largely to do with when and if the customer is comfortable sharing the work that has gone into their home. Thankfully, a Click and Improve client was so impressed with our work that she even helped out by taking some photos of the house on her own. For this space, we did bathroom remodeling in two areas of the house, put in a new staircase, a total kitchen remodel and various carpentry, electrical and plumbing work. Enjoy!

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Before & After: Bringing Out the Best in a Brooklyn Kitchen

We began a job out in Brooklyn earlier last month and it was a doozy. The kitchen in the house we went to was, to be kind, in poor shape; in reality, it was corroded and moldy. Kitchen supplies were caked with rust and food remnants; the wood from the cabinets was old and splintered, some of it rotting; most appliances were barely working, if they were working at all. A month or so later, and the place looks beautiful, and we won’t take any false modesty in this case. I would detail all the big and small things we did -- cabinets, appliances, countertops, backsplash etc. -- but it was an entire overhaul and I figured I might as well allow the results to speak for themselves.

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Creating A Backyard Landscape With Gardens

Not only do landscaping and gardening add to the beauty of your home, they can become a very fulfilling hobby as well. What could be more satisfying than filling your home with vases full of fresh flowers from your own garden landscape, or feeding your family fruits and vegetables that you have grown yourself? There is something tremendously peaceful about spending a morning in your beautifully landscaped garden, tilling the soil and reaping your harvest. Of course, gardens don't appear on their own - they require much work to plant and maintain. But with a few tips and hints for creating a beautiful garden landscape, you will be on your way to growing your own amazing plants.

How Do Gardens Fit Into Landscape Design?

Landscape designs should include zones for various outdoor activities. These can include areas for play, entertaining, and (yes, indeed) gardening. Gardening adds to the beauty of landscaping by providing a variety of plants and flowers that will bring colour and texture to your yard. But before you haul out the hoe and shovel, you will need to prepare your garden area for seeds. Soil is the most important starting point for a healthy garden landscape. Your garden soil should contain three key ingredients: nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Most bagged soil at your garden centres will provide you with the proper balance of these nutrients, but if you are in doubt there are test kits available so you can check your soil content for yourself.

Once your garden has been planted, you will be faced with the dreaded "need to weed" issue. There is actually a simple solution to your weed problem. Pre-emergent herbicides can be safely used in gardens once your seedlings have reached a height of at least three inches. These herbicides can be applied to the garden once current weeds have been removed, and should keep new weeds from cropping up.

Pests are another problem that can appear in your garden landscape, so keep an eye out for any signs of distress on your plants. If you do finds a potential problem, taking a leaf from your infected plant to a local nursery will help you to diagnose and treat any diseases or pest infestations. Taking action at the first sign of a problem will increase your chances of saving the infected plants as well as the rest of your garden.

Gardens can be a beautiful addition to a landscape design. They can also provide many hours of pleasure for a gardening enthusiast. By preparing your landscape properly for garden beds, you can enjoy the additional colour and plants that your garden will provide.

Home Improvement Products

Home Improvement Products cover a wide variety of needs and uses. The basic idea behind shopping for these items is to create a better home that is personalized, comfortable and attractive. Home improvement items can be DIY items that allow homeowners to upgrade their homes or simple items that just make a home look better.

Home Convenience

Many home improvement products are created to make daily life more convenient. Storage items such as storage ottomans, closet organizers, shoe racks and shelving are made to give members of the household a better way of storing items. With things put away in their own space, it is possible to find things quickly and to keep the home less cluttered.

Convenience items include under-counter shelving that makes it easier to store cleaning products. It also includes over-door organizers, Lazy Susans for the cabinets and extra shelving that can create more storage space in closets and pantries. With the right convenience products, the entire family can help keep the home organized with less effort.

Home Décor Items

Home décor is more than just a necessity for keeping a home’s value steady. It is one of the fun parts of having a home and, for many, buying these items is an engaging hobby. Décor items include window coverings, lighting fixtures, art for the walls, rugs and other items that make each room more enjoyable.

Shopping for décor products often begins by looking for items that are missing from each room. Are there areas that are bland and unused? Are there spaces that could be better utilized if they were prettier and more comfortable? For some rooms, an accent furniture piece may transform it into a space that is usable for more than one activity. A craft organizer in the dining room can create a space to do crafts as well as to eat. A bench in the bedroom can give you a conversation area without taking away from the sleeping space.

Outdoor Living Products

For many people, their outdoors spaces aren’t as well taken care of as their indoor spaces. To improve your outdoor living areas, look for home improvement products that will enhance both the home and your style of living. A hot tub is a large investment, but it will be both fun to use and will add some value to your home. Other popular outdoor improvements include outdoor lighting, patio furniture, awnings and flowerpots.

Outdoor landscaping significantly improves a home’s value, and that can be accomplished with a few simple gardening tools and seeds. Items such as flowerbed edging and garden statues can be purchased online for the final touches to your landscaping.