At this time’s House owner Radio Present Podcast | August 20, 2022

Hour 1

In Hour 1, hearken to find out about hearth considerations with open flooring plans, fixing a sticky vinyl flooring and extra. 

Hearth Security and Open Ground Plans

These days, everybody needs an open flooring plan, however maintain this in thoughts: The National Fire Protection Association warns about hearth considerations that associate with them. 

Since 1980, the variety of house fires has been minimize in half, on account of smoke alarms, however since 2010, home hearth deaths have been on the rise.

A part of the explanation for that is open flooring plans. With fewer partitions, fires can unfold extra rapidly. Additionally, fashionable houses are constructed largely with artificial supplies that burn a lot sooner than pure supplies. 

30 years in the past, you had about 15-17 minutes to flee a home hearth. At this time, the Nationwide Hearth Safety Affiliation says you solely have about three to 5 minutes.

To extend your possibilities of surviving a home hearth, ensure your smoke alarms are in working order. It is best to examine them a minimum of twice a 12 months. time to do that is when time adjustments within the spring and fall. 

The Nationwide Hearth Safety Affiliation additionally recommends new owners go a step additional and hunt down houses with hearth sprinklers or ask for this know-how when constructing a brand new house. 

Having a mixture of smoke alarms and hearth sprinklers in a house can considerably minimize your danger of harm or worse from hearth; the house hearth dying fee is an astounding 90 percent lower when hardwired smoke alarms and hearth sprinklers are current. 

And naturally, ensure your loved ones has an escape plan. 

Sticky Vinyl Ground

Jeffery Winig has 20-year-old vinyl flooring in his Saratoga Springs, N.Y., house.  

“I’m having issues attempting to maintain the flooring clear and non-sticky. Any recommendations on merchandise that can clear and/or seal the flooring could be significantly appreciated,” he asks. 

It sounds just like the protecting coating on the vinyl flooring has most likely worn off. 

All vinyl flooring have a transparent put on layer on the highest to guard the ground. Over time, it could put on off and expose the flooring’s resilient core. This will make the ground really feel sticky, which then attracts filth and makes them tougher to wash. 

The simple technique to inform if the damage layer is lacking is to check a spot that hasn’t had a variety of foot site visitors. If that spot is simpler to wash, then the coating has most likely worn off. 

We propose resealing the ground with a industrial sealer, like CoverTec VinylGuard WB Polyurethane Vinyl Floor Sealer or Mohawk E-Z Vinyl Sealer. The one draw back is these merchandise are comparatively costly. 

Attempt putting in luxurious vinyl tiling over the prevailing vinyl flooring. It’s pretty straightforward to put in and holds up nice to foot site visitors. 

Hour 2

In Hour 2, hear easy methods to stop laminate flooring from buckling, take away floor-to-ceiling mirrors, do away with moles and extra. 

Stopping Laminate Ground Buckling

A listener has a trip house that’s solely occupied a couple of months out of the 12 months, and he needs to know the easiest way to forestall buckling and shrinking on the laminate flooring.

“What ought to I maintain the A/C unit set to so far as the excessive and the low settings?” he asks. 

Stopping buckling has extra to do with humidity than temperature. Moisture within the air causes enlargement and contraction, so get a dehumidifier to take away as a lot of it as doable.  

Since that is your trip house and also you’re not there on a regular basis, get a small one that may be set in your countertop and have the drain directed towards the sink. That method there’s no probability of any overflow inflicting water damage to the ground. 

Additionally, maintain this in thoughts: buckling normally occurs if there isn’t sufficient enlargement house left across the perimeter of the room. Examine to see if there’s sufficient house between the flooring and the wall for the boards to naturally broaden. 

As for the temperature setting, I maintain the air conditioner in my trip house set at 76 levels Fahrenheit. At one time, I set it at 78 levels Fahrenheit, however mould and mildew began to type. I’ve discovered that at 76 levels Fahrenheit, there’s sufficient air change to forestall that.

Eradicating a Mirror From a Wall

Shirley in Anchorage, Alaska says: “One wall in our eating space has floor-to-ceiling mirrors, and I hate them. Is there a straightforward, protected technique to take away them?”

Eradicating floor-to-ceiling mirrors could be harmful, as a result of damaged glass could cause critical accidents.

Take all precautions to guard your self. Put on lengthy sleeves, leather-based gloves, and a full face protect so that you received’t get injured if any glass breaks away.

Use a big putty knife to pry off the sting of the mirror to see how they’re fixed. More often than not, there’s multiple method it’s fixed to the wall. They might be glued or held in place by clips. 

In the event that they’re clipped to the wall, merely unscrew the clips to take away the mirror.

If the mirrors are glued to the wall, take a putty knife and slip it behind the mirror. Ultimately, the drywall or glue will ultimately give, nevertheless it may shatter.

You can also strive working a nylon string or a piano wire behind it. There’s additionally a device you may get from the auto elements retailer known as a windshield cutout wire. It’s a protracted wire with enamel on it and handles on the tip. Run it behind the mirror and noticed it backwards and forwards to take away it. 

When you’re not snug with eradicating it your self, name knowledgeable. 

Moles Vs. Voles

William lately bought a house with a small pond, and he says he has a big vole downside. He’s tried sonic noise gadgets, however they haven’t had any impact. 

“Is there a non-toxic technique to do away with the voles and grubs they eat? I don’t need to hurt the fish within the pond,” William asks. 

One a part of eliminating any rodent downside is to do away with their meals supply. 

One clue right here is when William mentions “the grubs they eat.” Voles are vegetarians, so the issue could be moles, not voles.

Right here’s a straightforward technique to keep in mind the distinction between the 2: Voles are vegetarians, and their identify begins with a “v.” Moles are meat-eaters, and their identify begins with an “m.” 

Voles seem like area mice with quick tails, compact heavy our bodies, small eyes, and partially hidden ears, in response to Clemson Cooperative Extension. They’re 5-8 inches lengthy and have outstanding orange enamel for gnawing plant roots and stems.

Moles, alternatively, are 4-7 inches lengthy with paddle-shaped ft and outstanding digging claws. They’ve an elongated head and snout, small eyes, and no exterior ears.

You may strive treating your garden with an herbicide to kill the grubs. Nevertheless, this can solely assist barely, as a result of moles eat different bugs as properly. 

When you actually need to do away with the moles in your yard, the one surefire method is to trap them. Comply with entice instructions precisely, as a result of improper placement of the entice will doom your efforts! 

Whilst you can’t management whether or not or not new moles will transfer in, trapping lets you understand for certain that you just’ve eradicated those you’ve. Earlier than you start, ensure mole trapping is authorized in your state.

Learn our information on How to Deal With Moles In Your Yard for extra strategies.

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Easy Options

Unclogging Showerheads — Excessive mineral content material in water can create a crusty buildup on showerheads, making a weak, erratic spray. Repair this by soaking the showerhead in white distilled vinegar.

You may take away the showerhead and submerge it in a bucket of vinegar, or fill a plastic food-storage bag with vinegar, slip it over the showerhead and safe it with twine or twist-ties.

Permit the showerhead to soak in vinegar for 24-48 hours. 

Watch: How to Clean a Clogged Showerhead

Cordless Drill Holster — Make a handy storage holster on your cordless drill from a 12-inch size of 3-inch-diameter PVC pipe.

Use a jigsaw to chop a slot within the pipe barely wider than the device’s deal with, and about 6 inches lengthy. Then screw the pipe to the underside of a shelf.

Now, slide the drill into the slot, leaving the deal with hanging beneath. This can be a nice technique to save shelf house and maintain the device on the prepared.

Watch: A Storage Solution for Cordless Tools

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