Play areas can be a great addition to your yard but they need to be safe. To reduce injuries:

• Examine the ground to make sure it is smooth and even to prevent tripping.
• Add a foot of mulch or sand under play equipment.
• Check the hardware on play equipment. Cut off any protruding bolts and use pliers to close open “S” hooks.
• Be sure there are enclosed railings around any play equipment that is raised off the ground. Limit the open space between balusters to either under 3½” or over 9” to keep children from being trapped between them.
• Do not allow young children to play unattended.

Read on to find out how to take action against some of the common household dangers in your home.

Fire Prevention

Smoke Detectors

There are two main types of smoke detectors:

• Optical: Best for low heat, smoldering fires.
• Ionization: Best for detecting hot, flaming fires.

Detectors are also available that combine optical and ionization sensors in the same unit to give greater warning for either type of fire.

How to Install a Smoke Detector:

• Install smoke detectors on the ceiling or near the top of the wall and away from corners of the room.
• Make sure to install one or more smoke detectors on each level of your home.
• Be sure to install a smoke detector in or near the bedrooms in your home.
• Replace the batteries in your smoke detector every six to 12 months.
• Gently vacuum or use canned air to blow out the unit once a year.
• Discard and replace smoke detectors after 10 years of use.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

This silent killer is an odorless, colorless, poisonous gas that strikes without warning. It is formed as a byproduct of the burning of fuels such as natural gas, propane, gasoline, kerosene, or diesel fuel as well as from the combustion of materials like wood, paper, and cloth.

Improperly vented or defective heaters, furnaces, fireplaces, and generators are the main cause of carbon monoxide poisoning. Since carbon monoxide doesn’t rise to the ceiling like smoke, detectors can be mounted anywhere in the room.

Carbon monoxide detectors are available that plug into wall outlets or are powered by batteries. Detectors should be cleaned and the batteries replaced at least once a year.

Fire Extinguishers

Every home should be equipped with at least one multipurpose ABC fire extinguisher that can be used on combustible materials, flammable liquids, and electrical fires. Make sure your fire extinguisher is easily accessible, and that all family members know how to use it.

To use a fire extinguisher:

• Pull out the pin
• Aim at the base of the flames
• Squeeze the trigger
• Sweep from side to side

Escape Ladder

Two-story houses should have an escape ladder stored on the upper floor. Make sure the ladder is easy to get to, and every family member knows where it’s located and how to use it.

Hazardous Chemicals

Radon

Radon is a naturally occurring odorless, colorless, radioactive gas that can seep up into your home from underground. Exposure to radon gas over time can result in health problems. According to the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), exposure to radon gas in homes accounts for an estimated 20,000 lung cancer deaths in the U.S. every year.

Due to geologic conditions, the presence of radon gas is more prevalent in some areas than others. To find out if you’re at risk, check out the Radon Zone Maps on the EPA website. If your part of the country is at risk, use a radon test kit to check the air, and take steps to reduce your levels if needed.

Water

If you live in an older home that used lead solder to join copper pipes, the tap water passing through the pipes may contain elevated levels of lead. Water testing kits can detect if lead or other contaminants are present in the water in your home. If they are, consider installing a water filter designed to remove them. Change the filter regularly as recommended by the manufacturer.

Lead

Houses built before 1978 may have been painted with lead based paint which can result in lead poisoning if paint chips are ingested or the dust inhaled. If the original paint isn’t peeling and has been painted over with a layer of lead free paint, the lead probably doesn’t represent a health concern. However, if the paint is peeling or demolition is taking place in your house due to renovation, you should test to see if the paint being disturbed contains lead using a home lead testing kit.

Mold

To prevent mold in your home, keep the humidity level under 50% and repair any plumbing, wall, or roof leaks as soon as they occur. It’s also important to cover the crawlspace under your home with a layer of 6 mil plastic to keep moisture from filtering up from the ground.

Child Safety

Kitchen

Anti-tip bracket for stove.

• Attach childproof latches to cabinet doors, drawers, and the refrigerator.
• Install an anti-tip bracket on your stove to keep it from turning over.

Bathroom

• Lower the temperature of your hot water heater to 120° F to prevent scalding.

Electrical

• Cover electrical outlets with childproof inserts or install special Swivel Outlet Covers.

Pool

• Fence your pool and install a childproof lock on the gate.
• Install a pool alarm to detect if a child falls in the pool.

Other Tips from This Episode

Related posts:

• (686) Safe at Home
• How to Install Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Your Home
• Fire Safety for Your Home

In the past home sprinkler systems employed unattractive sprinkler heads mounted on your ceiling. New models have a low profile cover on the sprinkler that blends in with your ceiling. Each sprinkler only activates if the temperature at the sprinkler head reaches 150° F. Watch this video to find out more.

Related posts:

• Fire Safety for Your Home
• How to Setup a Generator to Provide Power for Your Home

Whether you have power outage at your home, need electricity for a jobsite, or require temporary power for a campsite, Generac has you covered. Watch this video to find out about the lightweight iX Series portables, heavy duty XG Series portables, and CorePower automatic standby generators.

Related posts:

• Generac Generators vs. the Competition
• Residential and Commercial Portable Generators
• How an Automatic Standby Generator Works

When transporting ladders or building materials such as lumber in the trunk of your car, protect the edges of your truck by slipping a piece of 3/4″ foam pipe insulation on both the lid and bottom of your trunk. Secure the trunk with a bungee cord, and attach a red flag to the end of the material for safety.

Related posts:

• How to Make a Punching Bag from Recycled Materials
• How to Secure Items in the Trunk of Your Car
• How to Protect a Garage Door from Storm Damage

When using an extension ladder, it’s important to establish the correct angle of the ladder against the house. The general rule of thumb is to position the ladder 1’ from the house for every 4’ of height, so the base of a 16’ tall ladder should be 4’ from the house.

In easy way to get the right angle is:

• Put your toes against the base of the ladder.
• Grab a rung of the ladder at shoulder height.
• Extend your arms straight out so that the top of ladder is against the house.

When you’re working on a ladder, it’s important to have your hands free. One easy way to hold tools and other items on a ladder is by inserting a wooden dowel through a ladder rung so it extends out past the ladder. Cut a notch near the end of the dowel, and use it to hold a paint can when painting or a bucket to act as a tool caddy.

Related posts:

• Homemade Protective Pads for Extension Ladder

Proper lighting can improve the safety and security of your yard. Pay particular attention to the outside lighting for your:

• Garage and driveway.
• All entrances to your home.
• Steps and walkways.
• Windows that are hidden by trees or shrubs.

To increase security, install motion detectors on flood lights. Lighting for steps and walks includes carriage lights and low voltage landscape lighting.

Related posts:

• How to Make Your Home Secure from Burglary and Break-In
• How to Save Energy with Dimmer Switches and Motion Sensors
• Landscaping Tips for a Bird-Friendly Yard

Before digging in your yard, call 811 to have utility companies come out and mark any underground utility lines, and do not dig within 2’ of marked lines. Lines are marked with the following color coded paint:

• Red: Electric lines
• Yellow: Gas lines
• Orange: Cable TV lines
• Blue: Water lines
• Green: Sewage lines

If you’re fortunate enough to live in the Sunbelt or some other balmy region, chances are you’ve never heard of—or at least experienced—ice dams. I, on the other hand, live in New England, so every winter ice dams are as common—and as welcoming—as frostbite and sub-zero temperatures. That’s because ice dams can be destructive, problematic, and virtually impossible to remove once fully formed.

Ironically ice dams are often responsible for one of the most beautiful and iconoclastic of all winter images: glistening, crystal-clear icicles hanging from gutters and eaves. Heck, even I marvel at the delicate beauty of icicles, but only when they’re hanging off someone else’s house.

Here’s a brief explanation of how ice dams typically form: It all starts with a roof blanketed in snow. The snow layer that is sitting directly on the roof begins to melt, and water runs down the roof underneath the snow. When the water hits the overhanging eave of the house, it begins to freeze. Some water often drains into the gutter, where it freezes as well.

As the snow continues to melt and water freezes at the eave, ice eventually builds up along the roof forming a thick ridge or dam. Then, as water runs down the roof, it’s blocked by the ice dam, and forced up under the shingles. I know this seems to defy all laws of physics (and commonsense), but water will actually flow up the roof, working its way under the shingles. And that’s where the trouble really begins, since roofs are designed to shed water running down the shingles, not up.

Over time the water will work its way beneath the shingles and the underlayment, and into the seams between the plywood roof sheathing. From there, water drips directly into the attic, where it soaks through the insulation and ceiling, before dripping into the room below. If not detected immediately, the damage can be very difficult and expensive to repair, especially if it ends up ruining the floor, walls, or furnishings.

Now, the above explanation is a rather simplified version of how ice dams form, the science behind this phenomenon is much more complicated, but if you go back to the very beginning, you’ll find a clue to solving this problem. The entire process starts when snow sitting on the roof begins to melt. That’s key because ideally you want the interior attic temperature to be as close as possible to the outside air temperature. That’s why there’s only insulation on the attic floor, not between the roof rafters.

However, if the attic floor isn’t properly insulated or if heated air is leaking through the ceiling, via cracks, crevices, ductwork and light fixtures, then the attic will become warm. And it doesn’t take very much heat to raise the attic temperature enough to melt the snow on the roof. Since the overhanging eave extends past the house, it remains cold, which is why the water freezes when it hits the eave.

So, what can you do to prevent ice dams on your home? Try these ideas:

1. Seal Air Leaks: Use caulk, insulation and weatherstripping to seal all upstairs ceilings to stop heat from flowing into the attic.
2. Add Insulation: Measure the depth of the insulation on the attic floor, and add more, if necessary. Call the local building inspector or licensed contractor to find out how much insulation is required in your area.
3. Attic Ventilation: Check to be sure that the attic ventilation system is operating properly. Most homes have soffit vents and ridge or gable-end vents, which allow air to flow into the attic along the eaves and out the attic at the ridgeline or gable walls. Be certain the attic-floor insulation isn’t blocking the soffit vents. And never staple plastic or anything else over attic vents. Remember, you want attic temperature to be as close as possible to the outside air temperature.

If your home already has ice dams, there’s not too much you can do about them. Avoid installing electric cables or any other device to melt the ice, as they won’t solve the problem. You can try using a snow rake to remove as much snow as possible from the roof. That’ll at least remove the source of water. Just be sure to work safely from the ground, since it’s never a good idea to climb onto a snow-covered roof.

Related posts:

• How to Size Attic Exhaust Vent Fans for Your Home
• How to Properly Install an Attic Gable Vent Fan
• The Search for Hidden Roof Leaks

My downstairs neighbors have been remodeling their condo, and my place has been overrun with silverfish. I’m desperate to get rid of them, but I don’t want to use toxic chemicals. Help! -Tina

Silverfish (Lespisma sacchrina) are nocturnal members of the insect order Thysanura that thrive in high humidity and warm temperatures. They can move very fast, making them hard to see, and live on a diet that includes starchy foods, paper, and fabric.

While they don’t bite, silverfish are a creepy nuisance that can be destructive to your belongings. The best way to get rid of silverfish is to attack them at the source; however, in your case it sounds like the source is going to be impossible to find! The good news is, you don’t have to reach for the highly toxic sprays; in fact, some of the less-toxic options are the most effective! Here are some things to try:

• Boric Acid: This is the most popular product for silverfish control, and compared to other products, boric acid is quite low on the toxicity scale. In fact, it has historically been used as a cleaning product. You can purchase boric acid powder to sprinkle in areas where silverfish are active. You can also find boric acid in ready-to-use products such as baits, wafers, and traps. Roach Ridd and Dekko Silverfish Paks are examples of products made with boric acid.
• Diatomaceous Earth: The tiny silicate shells of microscopic sea diatoms are lethal to many insects, penetrating their exoskeletons and dehydrating them. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in crevices, but make sure pets and children cannot get close enough to breathe it.
• Pyrethrin: This is a chemical pesticide, but because it’s made from the seeds of the pyrethrum plant, it’s biodegradable and considered less toxic than others. It’s the active ingredient in many flea and tick pet collars. While no pesticide is completely safe, this might be a more attractive option than a harsher chemical. You can find pyrethrin sprays and powders at most garden centers, and you would apply it only in crevices and areas where the silverfish are active.
• Jar Traps: Make your own silverfish trap by covering the outside of a glass jar with masking tape (to help the critters crawl in), then put crackers or something starchy in the bottom of the jar as bait. The silverfish crawl in, but they can’t get out.

DIY silverfish control:

• Sticky traps: Make a paste of flour, water, and boric acid. Coat index cards with the paste, allow it to dry, and use as sticky traps.
• Baits: Sprinkle boric acid on and around a cracker, and place it as poison bait. Be sure to put it out of reach of children or pets! You can also do this with diatomaceous earth.
• Crevice sprays: Make a 5% solution of boric acid in water. Use a spray bottle or turkey baster to inject the spray into cracks and crevices. You can also spray the powder directly. This puts the treatment where you need it and reduces your exposure to the chemical.

Be sure to target:

• Boxes and file cabinets
• Insulation
• Baseboards
• Behind appliances
• Cabinet tops
• Light fixtures and behind electrical outlets
• Behind siding and within walls
• Holes where water pipes enter walls

To make your home less inviting to silverfish:

• Fix Damp Spots: Leaky pipes, water condensation, damp basements, and humidity provide an attractive environment for silverfish.
• Eliminate Food Sources : Silverfish eat starches and sugars found in paper, glue, book bindings, insulation, and cardboard boxes, and they usually hang out pretty close to their food source. Use airtight plastic storage bins for paper, and get rid of anything that you find full of silverfish.
• Vacuum Crevices: Silverfish hide and lay their eggs in cracks and crevices. Dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag in the trash outside so they can’t crawl out again.

Further Information

• Silverfish (AgriLIFE Extension, Texas A&M)
• How to Get Rid of Silverfish (howtogetridofstuff.com)
• Boric Acid (Al’s Home Improvement Center)
• Boric Acid, Borates, Borax (beyondpesticides.org)