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Childproofing Tips

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Childproofing Tips

Here are some more great tips from BobVila.com. Most new parents know they need to take steps to protect their child from household dangers, but it seems like there s a new childproofing gadget invented every minute. How do you know what you need? Every home is different, and every child, even from week to week, will have different abilities and interests. To begin, get down on your hands and knees and tour your house from your child s point of view. Open everything you can and look for hard corners that can bump heads as well as anything that can burn, shock or that contains water. Look for any openings wider than two inches where a child could get stuck or fall in, like stairways, railings and operable windows. Take notes as you go and keep in mind that even if your child can t quite reach it now, it s only a matter of time until he can. Once you have your hazards list, do some online research to find the best solutions. You can child-lock or shield anything, from toilets to refrigerators to electronics, but you want to find solutions the rest of the family can live with. There are several ways to keep cabinets and doors closed, including magnetic locks you can t see. Rather than the plug-in socket shields, which some children are able to remove, try more permanent sliding outlet covers. Furniture anchor straps are great for keeping TVs, dressers and shelves from being pulled over. Safety gates are essential at stair openings, but you might also want one around the wood stove or fireplace. Some child safety measures don t cost anything. Turn your water heater s thermostat down to 125 degrees to prevent scalding. Lock your windows. And move all toiletries and medicines out of reach. While you re at it, remove any toxic cleaners and chemicals from the living areas of your home altogether. Replace them with non-toxic biodegradable products. These are better for your family and the environment, and you won t have to worry nearly as much about poisoning. No matter what you choose to install, do a safety check every six months to be sure you re still covered as your child grows. And remember that no gadget protects your child better than your teaching and supervision. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com

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Saving Electricity and Protecting Electronics in the Home

Damon Markowski from Leviton shows Bob the dimmers that have been installed to control light levels and save power. Leviton has also provided a built-in surge pression module that protects all of the electronic components of the home, including the cable television and phone, from damaging power surges.

Spring Cleaning Tools and Tips

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. Even if you re diligent about cleaning year-round, when winter s over there s always another reason to roll up your sleeves. But you can make spring cleaning less of an onerous chore if you use the right tools. Here are some suggestions. Get a year s worth of grime and mildew off your deck and your home s exterior in a few hours by using a pressure washer and an oxygen-based bleach solution or natural cleanser. For windows, a solution of white vinegar and water is as good a cleaner as any, and old newspapers make great lint-free window wipes. Finish the outside with some rain protectant made for car windshields and lengthen the time between cleanings. There s nothing better than a long-handled ostrich feather duster for getting rid of cobwebs and dusting those trim details up high that you never think about. A damp cloth with a little vegetable oil will work on wood surfaces. Microfiber dustcloths work on any surface, especially electronics. For cleaning lampshades and popcorn ceilings, use a lint roller. Rubber gloves will rub pet hair off the upholstery. And white cotton gloves, one wet and one dry, can help you clean the chandelier. Mop hard floors with a good self-wringing string head mop; save the sponge mop or disposable cleaning pad type for lighter everyday jobs or laminate floors. If you have wall-to-wall carpet, a steam cleaner s a great tool to have. While it might not seem like a cleaning tool, using a timer will keep you from burning out or getting sidetracked as you work. And a rolling cart to store and haul your tools will lighten your load during spring cleaning and beyond. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

Installing the Whole House Electrical Surge Protector and Arc Detector

Barry Driscoll is in the basement installing a state-of-the-art surge protector from Square D. Barry hooks up a main surge protector for the whole house that will take care of all the appliances, electronics, and anything else that could be damaged. It also protects the telephones and cable TV that run throughout the house. This eliminates the need for individual surge protectors on separate appliances. This can be installed in a retrofit as well as in new construction. Barry is also installing an arc fault detector. These units that are now required by the new national electrical code for branch circuits in bedrooms protect against fires from arcing caused by damaged wires (if you hit a wire while hanging a picture), deteriorating electrical insulation, stressed electrical cords, or misapplied or damaged appliance use. The arc detector was designed to detect overloads, short circuits and arc faults and open the circuit and stop the arc fault and its high intensity heat before a fire is likely to ignite.