Saturday Shots: Kitchen Appliances!

It's Saturday! Instead of waiting for something to go wrong with your house, be preventive. After a couple shots of morning espresso, let's spend 15 minutes taking a quick look around... and maybe making a couple of quick repairs.

Saturday Shots: Kitchen Appliances!

Last week, we looked at avoiding dryer fires. This week, let's tackle an easy one... kitchen appliances. It is amazing how many people are hurt in the kitchen... especially kids. 

The Microwave

The microwave has transformed our culture by drastically reducing the time it takes to heat, melt, soften, thaw, and even communicate. Microwave-safe containers are now the norm – and my family never thinks twice about using the microwave. According to the NFPA, almost half of microwave oven injuries treated at emergency rooms are scalds. And  children under five suffered one third of those scalds.

Following are a few recommended safety tips:

• Make sure your microwave oven has the label of an independent testing laboratory
• Complete and submit the registration card to receive information on recalls
• Make sure the microwave oven is at a safe height for all users.
• Plug the microwave (and all appliances, for that matter) directly into the outlet to avoid fire. Most extension cords are not capable of handling the full energy load without overheating.
• Open food containers slowly, away from your face to avoid steam burns.

When I worked in a restaurant, I discovered that I could get a cool blue temporary flame in the microwave if I removed the glass bottom and cooked diced green bell peppers. All I had to do to get another was open the door to ventilate, close, and start again... great fun on a slow monday. 

Half of all home fires involving microwave ovens were first ignited by the food catching fire.  Make sure the inside is clean. 

The Oven

The black spots in the oven are congealed oils - and can be flammable in high concentration. Have you cleaned your oven lately?

The Refrigerator 

Your refrigerator's life and efficiency are dependent on the ability to breathe clearly. Take a few minutes to clean the coil, clean under the fridge, and  clean the dust off the wall behind it.

When you're done, I'd recommend making notes in a small notebook or computer file, after cleaning these items a couple times, you'll have a better idea how often they should be cleaned in your house. (I'd recommend at least once a year.)

Until next week's 15-Minute Check-up, enjoy your day off!

~ Jon

"A shot of prevention is better than a venti of cure." 

The Fine Print: Because of the general nature of this advice and the individual application thereof, neither the Merriam Agency nor Jon Barron assume any responsibility for any loss, cost, damage, injury or expense which may be incurred or suffered as a result of the use of this information or your own foolishness.

Saturday Shots: Fire!

It's Saturday! Instead of waiting for something to go wrong with your house, be preventive. After a couple shots of morning espresso, let's spend 15 minutes taking a quick look around... and maybe making a couple of quick repairs.

Saturday Shots: Fire!

Last week, we looked at the heating system. This week, let's tackle an easy one... the clothes dryer. Every year, over 17,000 home fires are a result of poor dryer maintenance. 

Dryers rely on moving heat and air through the clothes to the outdoors to work properly. If your clothes are taking a long time to dry, it is an indicator that there may be a problem. If lint builds up in the exhaust pipe or inside the dryer, it slows the air flow and allows heat to build up – and causes lint to build up on the heat source... this can be worse than awful.

The Dryer: 

Go turn on the dryer. (No heat is necessary.) Head outside, put your hand up to the vent... you should feel alot of air coming out. This video has more ways to check your vent. Many people don't realize how much lint can get past the screen, especially if we clean it while the dryer is running (like I do). You can try cleaning with the hose on your vacuum, but probably won't have much success since the lint builds up at the bends. Some other options: 

1. Watch videos on youtube, 
2. Head to the nearby home improvement store and fetch one of those fancy duct cleaner kits.. or 
3. call a duct cleaning company if it's too far or complicated for you to clean. 
4. Pull the duct system apart yourself & clean it thoroughly. 

Taking Care of Your Laundry Area

• Clean the lint trap every time you use the dryer
• Avoid drying foam-backed rugs or athletic shoes... stuff falls off and will quickly reduce air flow.
• Turn the dryer off when leaving home.
• Read the owner's manual to understand manufacturer recommendations. (some suggest removing a panel to check for lint build-up.
• Inspect the seal on the lint screen... be sure it is there & not torn.
• Avoid piling clothes on top of the dryer.  That helps ensure clothing does not fall down behind the dryer.
• Clean out behind and underneath your clothes dryer periodically (today is a good day).
• Use metal pipe for your dryer vent.  Plastic pipe will melt.  Metal rigid or flexible vent pipe will stand up to a lint fire much better.
• Use extreme caution when laundering items that might have flammable liquids on them.  Wash clothes contaminated by gasoline, cooking oil or finishing stains at least twice and then line dry them.  Often, one wash won’t remove all of the flammable liquid.  The clothes dryer will elevate the temperature of the contaminated clothing and it may start an auto-ignition reaction that will end in a fire in your clothes dryer.
• Tip from one of my clients... Double-check the pockets. We all know that crayons, pens, and lipstick can be messy... but a lighter can be catastrophic.  

When you're done, I'd recommend making notes in a small notebook or computer file, in case you find something similar in a couple months or years. 

Until next week's 15-Minute Check-up, enjoy your day off!

~ Jon

"A shot of prevention is better than a venti of cure." 

The Fine Print: Because of the general nature of this advice and the individual application thereof, neither the Merriam Agency nor Jon Barron assume any responsibility for any loss, cost, damage, injury or expense which may be incurred or suffered as a result of the use of this information or your own foolishness.

Saturday Shots: Breathe!

It's Saturday! Instead of waiting for something to go wrong with your house, be preventive. After a couple shots of morning espresso, let's spend 15 minutes taking a quick look around... and maybe making a couple of quick repairs.

Saturday Shots: Breathe!

Last week, we looked at the Roof for water leaks... water leaks should always get priority attention. Water leaks cause way more problems than we want to deal with, they're costly, and your insurance contract probably does not cover damage from leaks over a period of time. 

This week, let's make sure we can breathe easier. 

• Forced Air: If you have a forced air system, take a quick look at the air returns (the bigger air vents where air goes in instead of coming out... most houses have 'em.) If they're dusty, chances are that you haven't cleaned your filters (or changed them) lately. Most manufacturers recommend monthly cleaning or changing, but I usually skip a few months when I'm not running 'em – and then I'm out of the habit. 
• Baseboard Did you know that the main front face of your baseboard heater will come off? Usually, if you remove the corner plate and seam plates, you can grab a hold of the bottom and gently pull outward. It is amazing how much dust (and toys) accumulate in a year. And the air circulates over these all winter to keep you warm. Take a quick look to determine if it's a project you want to tackle today. Then go ahead, vacuum and re-install... it's really not that bad of a project. (Avoid the temptation to bend the little aluminum pieces... that's the part that efficiently warms the room.  

When you're done, I'd recommend making notes in a small notebook or computer file, in case you find something similar in a couple months or years. 

Until next week's 15-Minute Check-up, enjoy your day off!

~ Jon

ps. I forgot to mention... the house I lived in for most of 2012 had electric radiant heat in the ceiling... with vaulted ceilings. (I'm not sure I understand the engineering logic.) Fortunately, the house was designed well and had a wood stove, which we used constantly through the winter. I've heard of people having $800 electric bills in that house.

"A shot of prevention is better than a venti of cure." 

The Fine Print: Because of the general nature of this advice and the individual application thereof, neither the Merriam Agency nor Jon Barron assume any responsibility for any loss, cost, damage, injury or expense which may be incurred or suffered as a result of the use of this information or your own foolishness.

Saturday Shots: Roof Work!

It's Saturday! Instead of waiting for something to go wrong with your house, be preventive. After a couple shots of morning espresso, let's spend 15 minutes taking a quick look around... and maybe making a couple of quick repairs.

Saturday Shots: Roof Work!

Last week, we looked for rodents. This week, let's prevent water leaks where they are most common... where your roof has holes in it. Grab the ladder and someone to cheer you on.

• before you step on the roof... be sure you're not going to do additional damage. Clay tiles can be extremely fragile. Severely curled shingles will be broken if you step on them, risking additional damage. Any hesitation about safety or doing damage should be heeded regardless of my frivolous urging you to get on the roof.
• Shingles should not be loose, damaged, blistered, or missing.
• check the flashing around your chimneys, skylights, and any other pipes (usually vents) that stick up through the roof. The water should not be able to get through cracks... if you can't visualize the water flow, pour a little water on and watch what it does. 
• check the chimney cap and mortar. The cap (keeps sparks in and animals out) should be in place and clear of soot. The mortar should be solid and in place. A chimney sweep has the skills and tools to assess and repair any chimney concerns you have. 
• check the gutters and down-spouts to be sure that they're attached and clear of debris. (I just found a small pine tree growing in my gutters.) Be sure down-spouts direct water away from the foundation.
• vents, louvers, and chimneys should be clear of nests with no sign of insects.

When you're done, I'd recommend making notes in a small notebook or computer file, in case you find something similar in a couple months or years. 

Years ago, I thought I knew how to use a ladder. I probably thought I knew everything. I'd been up and down hundreds of times and the ladder had only moved a couple of times. Then, a fireman from Cape Cod, Larry, taught me how to safely use an extension ladder. Before you grab the ladder, do a quick review... pay extra attention to Tips 1 & 5. 

Until next week's 15-Minute Check-up, enjoy your day off!

~ Jon

"A shot of prevention is better than a venti of cure." 

The Fine Print: Because of the general nature of this advice and the individual application thereof, neither the Merriam Agency nor Jon Barron assume any responsibility for any loss, cost, damage, injury or expense which may be incurred or suffered as a result of the use of this information or your own foolishness.

Saturday Shots: Rodents!

It's Saturday! Instead of waiting for something to go wrong with your house, be preventive. After a couple shots of morning espresso, let's spend 15 minutes taking a quick look around... and maybe making a couple of quick repairs.

Saturday Shots: Rodents!

Last week, we took a stroll around the house, looking at the surfaces that stuff can fall on. If you found droppings, go back outside and see if there are more. (Here's a hint... really old ones are gray or white. Older droppings are usually dry and brittle. (Feel free to use plyers to test them – or wash your hands well) I expect you can figure out how to tell if you see new "sign". 

Rodents are not good housekeepers. Anywhere they go, they'll leave a bit of a trail... on window sills, in corners of cabinets and closets, even where they go in and out of a wall. They're not clean - and they like to chew on stuff. Let's avoid illness, energy inefficiency, and fires from rodent damage.

Look in corners of the garage, behind things. In the basement, look on the high surfaces 1 inch or wider (window sills, floor joists, the sill plate where the house is bolted to the foundation) Look inside and outside for:

• rodent droppings (this should be obvious) look like black rice. Generally, small is mice, large is rat, chipmunk, or squirrel. Rats are not consistent in shape or size from one moment to the next. (Round is from rabbit, goat, sheep, deer.) This time, before you clean 'em up, think about how you're going to address the problem. If you're going to hire a professional, leave 'em so they can see what's really going on. 
• a dirty patch (usually gray or brown) on the wall outside in the upper corners near the roof, around doors or windows. All animals have oils in their hair. The oils rub off when climbing or squeezing through an area... and dirt will stick to the oils. The larger patches are usually from larger rodents like squirrels or rats. Mice usually leave a small ring around the hole. 
• chewed corners of wood or plastic. Rodents are gnawing pests. Their teeth never stop growing, so they need to keep them to a manageable length. And it is amazing how sharp rodent teeth are... but usually they only use them for plastics (coating on wires must contain a sweetener) and wood. These items, along with fiberglass are often used for nests, but my experience is that we can rarely get to the nest without destroying the house. (Remind me to tell you about the rat in our house in NY when we talk... bbbrrr, I still get the chills when I think about it.)

When you're done, I'd recommend making notes in a small notebook or computer file, in case you find something similar in a couple months or years. 

Remember that exclusion is the best method of pest control... keep 'em out! Before you put out chemicals, make sure you've properly identified the pest... Most pesticides are targeted to specific pests, even particular types. Do your homework (or contact me) before attacking the rats. There are lots of sources online... npic.orst.edu (the National Pesticide Information Center) is a very thorough resource. 

Until next week's 15-Minute Check-up, enjoy your day off!

~ Jon

"A shot of prevention is better than a venti of cure." 

The Fine Print: Because of the general nature of this advice and the individual application thereof, neither the Merriam Agency nor Jon Barron assume any responsibility for any loss, cost, damage, injury or expense which may be incurred or suffered as a result of the use of this information or your own foolishness

Saturday Shots: Bugs!

It's Saturday! Instead of waiting for something to go wrong with your house, be preventive. After a couple shots of morning espresso, let's spend 15 minutes taking a quick look around... and maybe making a couple of quick repairs.

Saturday Shots: Bugs!

It's summer. I was traveling for a month. Honestly, I haven't paid much attention to the house to see if there are any new residents. Bugs and rodents usually move in quickly during spring or fall – or slowly over the summer. 

Today, take a stroll around the house, looking at the surfaces that stuff can fall on. Grab an old broom and a dustpan. Don't bother with the ladder unless something catches your eye that you'd like to investigate. Start at the main door and head around the house... I always go left for some reason.

Many bugs are good housekeepers - and any stuff they sweep out of the house will show up on window sills, sometimes on the siding, ledges, patios, decks, and often on the ground next to the foundation. Look for:

• fine saw dust, usually made by termites / carpenter ants / carpenter bees. If you do observe some, see if you can figure out where it is coming from. If you think it's old, and you see no bugs, clean it up and check on it next week. If you do see bugs or believe it is fresh, address the situation... quickly.
• piles of black dirt or mud that look abnormal. These can be any number of bugs, but just assume that they're not helpful to your house.  Clean it up / wash it off. Be careful if you're dealing with mud-dauber bees. Make a note and check on it next week. If it comes back, address the situation... especially quickly if the mud tubes extend to the ground.
• rodent droppings look like black rice. Generally, small is mice, large is rat, chipmunk, or squirrel. (Round is from rabbit, goat, sheep, deer.) Clean 'em up and make note of where they were. We'll check the same place again next week.
• cob-webs & nests should be brushed off. An old broom works well. Bird's nests should be taken down, too. If the bee/wasp nest is live, wait until evening to spray it... so the bees are all home. The canisters of bee/wasp spray usually have a 25-30 foot range... just be sure it's not windy when you're spraying. Some people like to use hairspray (or gas) and a lighter... let's just say that's not the best way to kill bees!
• bugs on the building, watch to see if there's a pattern of where they come from - or where they go... patterns are important. Random bugs are usually inconsequential. Moths and flies like to congregate behind things. Bees... some bore holes, some build on the surface and some just utilize holes already there. Ants with pinchers should be watched carefully, while the others are just looking for crumbs of food. Roaches are hard to find in daylight... they're usually hiding in dark places.

When you're done, I'd recommend making notes in a small notebook or computer file, in case you find something similar in a couple months or years. 

Before you spray chemicals, make sure you've properly identified the pest... Most pesticides are targeted to specific bugs, even particular types. For instance, not all ants will be affected by the "stuff" you get at the local hardware store. There are lots of sources online... npic.orst.edu (the National Pesticide Information Center) is a very thorough resource. 

Until next week's 15-Minute Check-up, enjoy your day off!

~ Jon

"A shot of prevention is better than a venti of cure." 

The Fine Print: Because of the general nature of this advice and the individual application thereof, neither the Merriam Agency nor Jon Barron assume any responsibility for any loss, cost, damage, injury or expense which may be incurred or suffered as a result of the use of this information or your own foolishness

Baked!

One of my hobbies is baking... I particularly enjoy baking bread. I got started making French bread 17 years ago, shortly after Lydia and I were married.

Since then, I have followed, altered, created, and tested hundreds of recipes. I've cooked for hundreds of people and taught quite a few how to bake.

My favorite recipe is still French bread... The one I learned from my Kitchen Aid cookbook. I have come to understand that it's the foundation for all other yeast breads - and understanding how the dough should feel is key to all other breads. All others are simply variations on French bread.

The my sister married a guy from France. Needless to say, I was intimidated to cook for him. He was gracious and taught me the key tests of a good loaf of French Bread were the squeeze and tap tests, which should result in (imagine French accent) "crack, crack. Boom, boom" respectively.

Tonight, that's exactly what we enjoyed for dinner, to which my daughter declared a third component to the tests... "yum, yum"

It's no secret recipe. But it has become a great Sunday evening tradition.

What, you wonder, does this have to do with insurance? Absolutely nothing. This is my day of rest - and I haven't thought about insurance a bit.