ROOF LEAKS?

Make Floors Shine Like New

Restoring shine to flooring involves making sure the floor is clean. Dirt and grime can diminish the color and look of flooring. Homeowners are urged to use products designed for their particular flooring material, such as wood, laminate, stone, or vinyl. Products oftentimes are not interchangeable. Begin by thoroughly sweeping or vacuuming the floor. Clean along all surfaces of the floor, including under furniture where dust and dirt tends to accumulate. Use the hard-floor setting on a vacuum to avoid having the brush rolls scratch or damage the flooring. Laminate can scratch easily and hardwood flooring is not impervious to dings and scratches. Quite often a dry mop or a static-charged mopping cloth effectively picks up debris left behind on many flooring surfaces.

Although many commercial cleaners can clean flooring, homemade mopping solutions are sometimes just as effective. Keep in mind that wood, laminate and vinyl should not be soaked in water. A little liquid can go a long way on these surfaces. Water and other liquids can seep between laminate and wood boards, potentially contributing to swelling and damage over time. Also, resist the urge to use too much soap. Soap can leave behind a residue that dulls the finish of the floor.

Vinegar-based solutions can work well on a wide variety of flooring types and help cut through any sticky residue left behind from cooking, cleaning and the activities of daily life. Many wood-flooring cleaners and polishes are oil-based to condition the wood in the process. Whenever making one’s own solution, test a small amount in an inconspicuous spot to make sure it will not damage the flooring.

DID YOU KNOW?

If you think that the only way to exercise and burn calories involves gym equipment, think again. Yard work can be just as challenging as a thorough aerobics workout at a nearby fitness club. To reap the greatest benefits, gardeners should use as little motorized machinery as possible. Manual tools will get you moving and can burn a substantial amount of calories. Try to vary positions and alternate which hands you use to reduce strain and get an even workout. Fitness experts say that gardening can improve strength, increase endurance and assist with flexibility. According to a report in the UK publication The Telegraph, clearing a pond or weeding can burn some 300 calories in an hour. Forty-five minutes worth of gardening can burn as many calories as 30 minutes of aerobics.

Lawns Benefit From Aeration

Compacted soil can have a dramatic effect on grass. Compacted soil blocks oxygen, water and nutrients from reaching the root systems of the turf. That creates a lawn with weak roots, which make grass more vulnerable to disease and compromising its ability to withstand harsh weather, such as summer heat.

The buildup of thatch, which is a matted layer of grass clippings and other organic debris that collects on the top of the soil, is one indicator that a lawn could benefit from aeration, a process in which the surface of the lawn is perforated to break up compacted soil and allow oxygen, water and nutrients to reach root systems. Other signs that aeration may be necessary include patches of thin grass, brown spots and a high concentration of clay in the soil.

Aerators can be operated manually, though professionals tend to use motorized aerators. The machines are often heavy, so homeowners should consider their health and physical ability before deciding to aerate on their own. Hiring a professional landscaper who has experience aerating may the quickest and most effective way to restore a lawn to full health.

Does Your Family Have a Fire Escape Plan? (Family Features) When a home fire occurs, you have very little time to get out. A working smoke alarm doubles your chances of survival, yet more than twenty percent of American homes are without them. Energizer and the International Association of Fire Chiefs teamed up to address this problem by providing vital fire safety information to families. Make a Plan Installing smoke alarms on every level of the home and developing a plan of escape can give your family precious minutes to get out and get to safety. Draw a floor plan of your home and sketch exit routes out of every room. Make sure you have a fire escape ladder long enough to reach the ground from upstairs rooms. Assign an outside meeting place, so you can quickly locate each other

Curled, cracked or missing shingles may prove troublesome. Inclement weather can test the strength of even the most durable roofs. Even though many roofs are designed to last up to 30 years, some may need to be replaced early, particularly when they have been exposed to harsh weather over a period of years. Individual shingles can be replaced as spot treatments, but if the damage is widespread, a new roof may be necessary.