With the arrival of the winter cold and stormy weather, warmth and safety becomes a natural priority for any home for both adults and children alike. If one overlooks simple precautions during a time when injuries and deaths are most likely, things can turn critical in a hurry and as statistics shows that hypothermia and damage caused due to heating equipment are the reasons for almost one-third of the deaths during the winter season.

So, here are a few tips that can help keep you and your family safe and warm during these months:

1) Ensure that heating equipment is installed safely, while hiring a specialist to check the equipment just before the start of the winter season.
2) Check and clean your fireplace chimney and flue every year, while only using untreated wood. DON’T use pine wood or paper as options.
3) Install a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm near bedrooms and on each floor of the house. Check the batteries used for the smoke alarm regularly. If either of these alarms goes off, leave the house immediately for fresh air and call emergency services and your doctor (for the latter) for help.
4) Keep space heaters at least three feet away from any item that is inflammable such as clothing, furniture and bedding.
5) NEVER leave a pet or a child unsupervised in a room with a space heater. It can cause severe burns if tipped over by the child or the pet.
6) NEVER use your oven or range to heat your home.
7) Finally, keep supplies that are needed such as food, water and blanket in case of natural disasters and power outages.

It’s not necessary that only floods and rainfall can damage your home but there are also less obvious ways such as water leaks, ice dams on the roof, accumulation of water in the basement and leaky appliances which use water such as dishwashers etc. Even small amounts of water can damage your home in a variety of ways, so it bodes well for home owners to recognize early signs of water damage before it gets out of hand.

The three most common signs of water damage are water stains, mold formation and foul odor, and most experts require you to constantly check your house for such signs, long before it begins to destroy your property that has been purchased by hard-earned money. Apart from looking for signs, a smart way to go about this is to turn off all your water sources, and check your water meter readings.

Here are some areas of the house that one must look in for signs mentioned earlier to locate water damage:

1) Basement and crawl space for these signs
2) Wooden floors, doors, windows and inside walls
3) Carpets
4) Appliances that use water such as dishwashers and washing machines
5) Cabinets
6) Drywall
7) Ceiling
Gutters which could indicate a water leak

Please remember that if you cannot locate a water leak then contact a professional at the earliest because if ignored, this can have far-reaching effects in the future. If the leak is minor then you can attempt to fix it yourself but otherwise expert help is advised.

Steel shelves are a popular choice of use these days as you have several types that have been designed to fit the needs of its customers. Known for its durability under duress, the chances of it breaking down under pressure is very unlikely, and can be used for a variety of purposes spanning industrial as well as domestic use.

There are two types of steel shelves that you can buy. The first option are stainless steel shelves which are normally the popular choice for industrial use as they can hold objects that are heavier as well as resistant to rust.

The second option is normal steel shelves which can be used in offices and homes, as they comes different colors, designs and styles but do not have as much of a weight carrying capacity as stainless steel shelves. Some of these units have a back panel which means that items stored on these shelves will not fall out.

Another interesting way to determine the right shelf for your needs is to first decide what kind of items it will carry and where it is going to be placed as well. Based on these, one can purchase units that have several shelves to store several items or a few to be used in places where not so many shelves can be accommodated. Safety measures that will ensure people that don’t get hurt in an industrial environment are also very important.

So these are some points to consider (and ask your local dealer) while buying a steel shelf for your use.

Here is the situation. You need a bigger house but cannot afford it right now. Nor do you want to move away from your neighborhood. However, your kids need rooms of their own and you need an office for you too. If you have a basement, a change-over could make it into bedrooms, a bathroom and even a family room. Move the kids into the rooms and convert their old room into your office. The concern now is that they are not going to get enough light or even a view especially considering those tiny flat windows that basements always have. Those are fair concerns; the good news is you can do something about that.
Faux Windows. They are easy to make and will provide each bedroom with light and even a view. Here is how you do it.

- Draw your window size on the wall in pencil
- Buy a prepasted mural that you think that they would like, but ensure that it is the same size as the one you have drawn. Preferably, it should overlap the lines you drew. In case the mural is slightly smaller, do not panic. This is why you drew in pencil. Simply erase the lines and redraw them to fit the mural you have.
- Install the mural.
- Mount your window over your mural. Make sure the glass is not touching the mural. It is easy to do this if the Window is at least 2 inches deep.
- Install a fluorescent single tube fixture inside this whole contraption; place it at the top of the window. - The idea here is the light fixture should not be visible to anyone in the room.
- Install a switch for this light somewhere near the window.
- Select a miniblind and mount it outside the window frame. Keep it slightly tilted, switch on the light and presto! It will give the illusion of natural outside lighting.
- Adding a windowsill will add to the illusion and will be of practical use.
The result might even see you installing Faux windows all over your house!

Pools are a great addition to a house especially if you have children. However, they can be dangerous, especially for younger children who have not learned to swim. Therefore, it is important you take a good look at the safety of your pool. There are a few steps you can tale to assess the safety of your pool. In addition, once identified, it is important that you immediately make the necessary changes or improvements.

The first step is to set up rules on the use of the pool. For starters, children under the age of five will not use the pool without adult supervision. Make sure you are within arm’s reach of them and do not lose sight of them. If you have a pool at home, make sure you have life preservers as well, especially for children who are not good swimmers.

One of the biggest threats in a pool is the drain. You must ensure the drains have covers and remain closed to prevent any unfortunate accidents. Discourage children from running around the pool, as they are most likely to slip which usually could mean a serious injury you would want to avoid. Another common cause of accidents in the pool is when a group of children get together and joke around, and try to dunk one another in the pool. Therefore, adult supervision is critical.

Other precautions include:

- Labeling to show how deep the pool is
- Do not leave toys in the pool
- Have the safety features of your pool evaluated by an expert
- Have safety devices installed in the area surrounding the swimming pool
- Install an alarm that alerts you when someone has entered the pool

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