Thousands of elderly people are injured each year from accidents that happen within their own homes. Most of these accidents occur while they are performing everyday tasks. Some of the more common types of accident that someone elderly is at risk from is slipping and falling. So, what can you do to reduce the risk of these types of accidents in your loved one’s home?

Looking around a home you can easily see where someone with limited mobility might trip and fall. Appliances that have long electrical cords could become lethal if they are in a walkway area or stretching underneath rugs and carpets. To help reduce the risk of electrical cords becoming an accident risk, you may need to rearrange the furniture so that they are not stretching across an area that would be a tripping hazard. Another thing to check for is the condition of wires and power cords etc. If they are old, fraying or wires are exposed, they are a fire hazard and need to be replaced or checked out.

Many elderly people prefer the comfort of carpet in their homes. However, carpet can become a serious tripping hazard if it is coming up in places or the adhesive is wearing out causing the carpet to loosen. Rugs are another, potentially lethal, hazard as they are very easy to slip on. If there are rugs in the home, ensure they have a very good rubber backing which will make it stay firmly in place.

We have only mentioned a few of the numerous hazards that an elderly person can face in their homes, but it does highlight the need to go through the home analyzing whether there are areas that need to be improved for safety.

​When it comes to our homes, we don’t always give them the attention they need. In fact, our cars get more attention than our homes typically. In fact, we even inspect our cars more – but most only do it because it is required by the government.

But what about our homes? Shouldn’t they be inspected annually too? The answer is a definite YES. Annual maintenance inspections can help you avoid thousands of dollars in home repairs.

Many people worry that an annual inspection will cost too much, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. An annual inspection is affordable, as well as easy to schedule.

Many if not all counties and towns within the US require people with homes and Lawns to take care of them. However some people may not take care of their lawn and it can be eyesore to their neighbors around them. So here are a few tips to remember the regulations in your neighborhood.

The regulations between different cities and towns defer, however there are some recommended standards that homeowners live by. For instance, a maximum growth of your grass that may be allowed is up to 7 or 8 in. Anything higher than that could cause your neighbors to complain and then you would be receiving either a call or a visit from your local District. So be sure to keep that grass mowed and looking fresh.

If you are a neighbor who sees that a house may not be taking care of the proper way and no one may be living in the house, or claiming it, it’s state law that if you take care of lawn maintenance for up to 2 years, the property can technically be signed over to you because of you’re taking care of it. However, this may not be the case for all Town districts, so be sure to check your local code enforcement’s.

With just these few things in mind, it’s good to have regular lawn maintenance so that not only your house looks beautiful, but also your neighborhood as well.

​Clay roofing has been around for a very long time. It’s still a very common roofing material, and this is much in part, due to the longevity of a clay roof. Clay has high thermal capacity. What this means is that it can store and absorb heat energy well. This will serve to save you money on heating and cooling.

Clay does not take damage from heavy rain, hail or other severe weather conditions as easily as other types of roofing materials will. It is also a protection from fire.

If you have decided to switch from a different, lighter roofing material to clay, you do need to make sure that you are prepared to pay extra for the installation. This is because your framing might not be built to handle the extra weight that would be involved. It is important that you have the roofing company you hire ascertain if you need to strengthen the existing structure before installing a heavy, clay roof.

​What might be signs of an electrical system that needs repairs or upgrades? There are a few things that you might notice that will let you know that it is time to consult an electrician to take a look at it.

One obvious problem is if you notice lights dimming when turning on an appliance. This is a sign that a circuit is overloaded. You might be able to remedy this by moving large appliances to a different circuit, but it could be that you need to upgrade the circuit and wiring. If you have circuit breakers that constantly pop, this could be caused by the same issue, but it could also be from an appliance that is malfunctioning and short circuiting. You could experiment and see if it doesn’t occur when an appliance is unplugged. If this is the case, replace the appliance or have it repaired by a professional as soon as possible.

If you often experience power outages and brownouts, you should check with your neighbors if they are experiencing the same. If that is the case, the problem is most likely the power grid where you live, but if not, you should consult an electrician, since you likely have a serious problem.

​Pools are great to have family and friends over with while having a party. Swimming, splashing, just generally playing can cool off anyone on the hottest day. But if you don’t regularly clean your pool, what can result from it? Not many people think about it, but pools are like test tubes that can carry and breed water based pathogens. Here’s a couple cleaning tips to remind you how to properly clean your pool.

Because you have so many different people in and out of your pool, the chances of disease are increased. For example, mucus, blood, and skin of infected people are left in the pool, which begins to create the virus. If fecal matter is released into the pool, millions of gallons of water could be infected, leading to more pain and heartache. So the thing you need to do on a regular basis is to clean the pool with chlorine. Chlorine kills a great number of the bacteria and pathogens in the water, however, it does not kill everything.

Also, remember the basic things while in the pool. Don’t swallow the water, make sure young children go regularly to bathroom breaks, shower before and after swimming in the pool, and cleaning your hands after every time you use the bathroom. Using these tips will help to keep your pool environment clean, and everyone safe and happy while enjoying their pool time.