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PRESS & DAKOTAN
PAGE 9
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2017
Fall
Home
Improvement
5 Ways to Make Homes Safer
Injuries that occur around the
home contribute to millions of medical visits and tens of thousands of fatalities each year. Falls account for the
largest percentage of home accidents,
with the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention reporting that
around 30,000 fall-related fatalities
occur each year in the United States.
Many home accidents are entirely
preventable when proper caution is
exercised.
As homeowners prepare for homeimprovement projects, improving
safety inside and outside the home
should be a priority.
1. Improve lighting
One of the easiest ways to reduce
the risk of falls is to improve lighting
around the home. The National Institutes of Health state that adequate
lighting is important at entrances to
the home, stairways, hallways, and
other frequently traversed areas.
Make sure lighting fixtures are using
the highest wattage light bulb allowed.
Artificial lighting sources become
even more vital in fall and autumn,
when natural light is less abundant
in a home. In addition, install lighting
outdoors by the front door, over the
garage and where garbage pails are
stored to facilitate safe passage.
2. Eliminate slick surfaces
Improving traction around the
house also can minimize falls. Throw
rugs and runners can be made more
secure with nonslip rubber backings.
Bath rugs can reduce slipping on
wet surfaces in the bathroom. Also,
nonslip mats can be used inside of
showers and bathtubs.
Use shoe trays to reduce puddling
from melting snow or rain runoff in
entryways. Mop up spills quickly, and
consider the use of matte- or texturedfinished flooring to improve stability
underfoot.
Promptly remove snow and ice
from driveways and walkways. For
those who live in cold climates,
heated concrete can help melt precipitation before it accumulates.
3. Make needed repairs
Repair loose floorboards and pull
carpet taut if it has started to stretch
out. Address cracks outdoors and
ensure that patio stones, bricks and
pavers are secure and level to reduce
tripping hazards. Fix areas of the
landscape where water may pool and
freeze, creating potential hazards.
4. Declutter all spaces
Remove unnecessary items and
furniture from rooms to free up more
space to get around. Be sure there are
no obstructions in walkways, entryways and near doors. Keep staircases
clear at all times.
5. Invest in assistive devices
Handrails, grab bars, nonslip stair
treads, and many other devices can
make homes safer for people of all
ages and abilities. Outfit cabinets and
closets with organizers that put frequently used items within easy reach.
A sturdy step stool can reduce the
risk of injury while reaching for items
stored on high shelves.
Taking measures to reduce the risk
of falling around the home is a worthwhile home improvement project.
Stairs should be free of clutter and have sturdy railings.
Endless Laundry? Try Going Commercial
Does the idea of doing laundry make you signed to be serviced rather than replaced.
Even though the initial cost of commercial
want to throw in the towel? Unfortunately
that would only contribute to more laundry! machines may be higher than residential
units, homeowners may break even or even
According to the information and
save money if they don t need to replace
statistics website Quora, in a typical year,
the machine as early as they might with a
an average family can do upwards of 250
residential unit.
loads of laundry. Even with advancements
Although there are many benefits to upin laundry technology, it can take more than
grading to commercial laundry equipment,
two hours to wash, dry and fold a single
load of clothing. For active men and women B&C Technologies, an industry leader in
commercial and industrial laundry equipand those with large families, laundry piles
ment, advises homeowners to consider varimay seem ever-present.
ous factors before making their decision.
Rather than gathering up all of the clothHomes may need to be outfitted to accoming and linens and heading to the nearest
modate commercial units. This includes
laundromat, homeowners can bring the
larger water lines for adequate water supply,
laundromat to their homes. Investing in
larger drains, upgraded electrical power,
commercial laundry equipment might be
and a natural gas supply for the dryer. A
the best way for homeowners to solve their
new exhaust vent may need to be installed
laundry woes.
to accommodate the greater amount of
A few distinct differences set residential
expelled air. Naturally, the space needed to
and commercial washers and dryers apart.
house commercial units also merits considResidential equipment tends to be small
eration.
and can easily fit into homes and handle
Commercial laundry equipment can
the demands of family laundry. Commercial
make doing laundry easier for some homemachines, however, are designed for large
owners.
loads. This includes bulky comforters or
throw rugs. Individuals who
are doing many loads per
day may find that commercial washers are more practical, as they are designed to
stand up to the demands
of daily use. Furthermore,
When you re dealing with
commercial machines tend
to wash and dry heavy items construction, debris such as
more thoroughly and more
sheetrock, wrappers, screws,
quickly than residential
nails, and sawdust can drop
machines.
into your ductwork.
Because commercial
That s why it s so important
equipment can handle
to clean your dusty ductwork
larger loads than residential
after any new home
machines, the potential for
construction or remodel.
energy savings can make
commercial machines worth
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the extra investment. For
example a typical home
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load in a commercial dryer.
Another factor to consider is that commercial
washers and dryers are deCall Intek for a FREE video inspection of your ducts.
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