8 minute read
Clean up your act
Nathan and Carissa Kessel of Oglesby take pride in their Oglesby home. In addition to spring cleaning, they also procure unique and attractive furniture to make their home their own. Spring cleaning is about going beyond regular chores and deep diving into both cleaning and making your home feel warm and inviting.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
Clean
FROM PAGE 18
up the room and your mood.”
The outside of your home deserves consideration for spring cleaning too. The warm temperatures make handling landscaping improvements put off by the cold winter chill easier. Planting a flower garden, bushes, and other natural elements can change the entire look and feel of a lawn.
Sweep the front porch and wipe down outdoor furniture and decorations. Winter often adds dirt and debris. If a home has a deck, then power wash it and reseal it to protect it until next year.
Most people don’t think about garage doors for spring cleaning, but they are often neglected for years and have layers of dirt and grime. Power wash the doors as well as siding to take years off the home and make it bright and pristine.
People mow their lawn countless times during the spring, but don’t forget to pull weeds and fill in gaps with sod or grass seed.
Unless there is something obvious like a leak in the ceiling, homeowners don’t think much about their roof. Get a free roof inspection from a licensed and insured roofing contractor to catch roofing problems early.
“A roof is a tough thing to see what’s wrong with it,” Josh Lund, manager at AGG Construction in LaSalle, said.
Unless the damage is obvious such as missing or damaged shingles, homeowners have a difficult time seeing issues. Lund said the best time to call for an inspection is after a large storm. The roofer provides homeowners with a complete inspection of their roof, siding, gutters, and more.
“I’m always going to find more than the homeowner,” Lund said.
Instead of looking up at the shingles from the ground, a roofer looks at them from the roof for a close view. Roofing issues get worse over time, so finding a problem early can save the homeowner considerable money on repairs.
Once a leak appears, the damage could be extensive and require a completely new roof. Clogged gutters can also accelerate and cause roof damage. The gutters route the water away from the roof and onto the ground.
Leaves, branches, and other materials fill the gutters, creating a clog. Without a place to go, the water overflows onto the ground and creates foundation problems and basement flooding. It can also create puddling on the roof.
“The water is eventually pushed back behind your shingles,” Lund said.
According to Lund, gutters need cleaning every year unless the homeowner purchases gutter guards that keep debris from entering.
Spring cleaning is far more than a simple dusting of the inside of a home. The goal is to not only clean the interior and exterior but also make improvements and oversee repairs. Homeowners only get a few weeks of temperate weather before the blistering heat of summer, so it’s time to get to work.
Teresa Anderson Illinois Valley Clean Team in Peru
SM-LA1867676
Let’sGetStarted!
Thebesttimetostartyourpaintprojectisnow. Comeintodayto findyournewfavorite roomcolor.
DeboAce Hardware
17134thSt.,Peru (815)223-0461 acehardware.com
Shopyourfavorite BenjaminMoore®colors.
TryourMcCafe andIcyDrinks!
NewOptionsonour Website
PreorderforInstoreorCurbsidePickup RequestAnIn groundPoolQuote Gotoournewwebsitetoorderonline! anderson-pools.com
Pools,Hot Tubs,Chemicals, Suppliesandmore!
301 WestEtnaRoad Ottawa815-434-7362
Breathe a sigh of relief by getting your home’s radon gas levels tested
By Shannon Serpette
There could be a killer lurking in your home right now, and you may not even realize it. Radon gas has earned a reputation as a silent killer because, without proper testing, you’ll never know it’s there.
But over time, it can cause lung cancer, and the higher your exposure, the more the risk goes up.
Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally when elements such as radium, uranium, and thorium decay. The gas seeps through the ground and into the air of people’s homes, often through cracks or gaps in basements, foundations, and crawl spaces.
“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, long-term exposure to radon can cause the radioactive particles to become trapped in your lungs when you breathe,” Tami Thomas-Leonatti, who owns Illinois Valley Radon Mitigation in Ottawa, said. “A build-up of radioactive particles may lead to lung tissue damage and, eventually, to lung cancer itself. Smoking combined with radon exposure poses especially serious health risks.”
Having radon in your home doesn’t automatically mean that you or your family will be diagnosed with lung cancer someday – it simply elevates your risk.
“Your chances of getting lung cancer from radon depend on how much radon is in your home, the amount of time you spend in your home, and whether you are a smoker or have ever smoked,” Thomas-Leonatti said. “Radon is naturally in the atmosphere in trace amounts. Outdoors, radon disperses rapidly and, generally, is not a health issue. Most radon exposure occurs inside homes, schools, and workplaces.”
Without testing, you won’t know if your
home has excessive levels of radon. “Radon gas is inert, colorless, and odorless,” she said. “The only way to know is to test. You can test with at-home kits or by calling a radon testing professional. Everyone should test their homes for radon.” Certain states have higher radon levels than others. Alaska leads the country in terms of highest radon levels, and residents there are encouraged to have levels tested every two years. “Radon gas becomes trapped indoors after it enters buildings through cracks and other holes in the foundation,” Thomas-Leonatti said. A home that has never had radon issues before can develop them over time, which is why periodic testing a good idea. While some states, like Hawaii, don’t have significant radon gas issues, most states do to some extent. If you live in central or upper Illinois, it’s a good idea to have your home levels taken because this location tends to have elevated levels. Illinois ranks number 17th in the country for having the highest radon gas levels, according to Thomas-Leonatti. If your neighbor comes up with acceptable radon levels, that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. It would be best if you still had your home tested. “You cannot really predict the levels in your home based on your neighbor’s levels. Even if two homes on a street have low radon levels, the home between them may to a home inspection if it is requested. exhibit high concentra- “The buyer must request this unless the tions,” Thomas-Leon- seller has provided a report or has a working atti said. system,” she said. So, if you have your If you test your home and find that your CONTRIBUTED PHOTO house tested, what do radon gas levels exceed the recommended Checking your radon level is easy to do. the numbers mean? number, you’re not out of luck. There are steps You can hire a professional or purchase a What’s an acceptable you can take to reduce your levels. test kit that is simple to use. Levels above level of radon gas? “Indoor radon can be controlled and 4.0 pCi/L are considered excessive, and Ideally, your number managed with proven, cost-effective techsteps should be taken to lower the levels. will be as close to zero niques,” Thomas-Leonatti said. “If a radon as possible because test reveals high levels — anything above that gives you the low- 4 pCi/L — ask for a walk-through with an est risk. But, more likely, your number will be EPA-licensed radon reduction specialist. higher than that – and that’s okay. You can find one through the IEMA office. “The IEMA Radon Program and the Illinois Most will provide a free remediation estiDepartment of Public Health recommend that mate and, if the work is done, guarantee levels in homes be less than 4.0 pCi/L. If levels that radon levels will be acceptable.” exceed this number, radon mitigation should It’s likely that your home won’t have to be used to reduce the levels and decrease the undergo any renovations or complicated conrisk of lung cancer,” Thomas-Leonatti said. struction to cut back on radon. “The USEPA recommends you test your home “The most common type of mitigation in our for radon every two years.” area of the country is called Sub Slab DepresIf you’ve recently moved into a home, don’t surization (SSD) and will not require major rely upon your home inspection to catch a construction or renovation. The work is usuradon problem. A radon gas test is only added ally completed in one day,” she said.
CONTRIBUTED GRAPHIC Tami Thomas-Leonatti, who owns Illinois Valley Radon Mitigation in Ottawa, provided this map of Illinois, which shows the radon gas risk per county in Illinois. The Illinois Valley area sits in the part of the state that has the highest potential for elevated radon gas levels.
WhileSt.Margaret’sHospitalandIllinoisValleyCommunityHospital (IVCH)havenewnames,St.Margaret’sHealth–SpringValleyand St.Margaret’sHealth–Peru,restassuredyoucanexpectthesame compassionatecarefromthephysiciansandmedicalstaffyou’ve alwaystrustedwithyourhealth.
InadditiontothePeruhospitalcampus,youwillfindthenames ofalllocationschangingsoontoreflecttheaffiliation.Beatease knowingyouwillseeyourphysicianattheofficewhereyouhave alwaysseenthem.Shouldanychangesariseconcerningyour medicalprovider,St.Margaret’sHealthwillmakeitapriorityto letyouknow.
