Prevent House Fires

On ounce of prevention is not only worth a pound of cure – it can save a life of a loved one. RISMedia spoke with MXenergy, an independent energy provider, to get some tips to increase safety and decrease worry when it comes to protecting your home from a fire…

MXenergy Electrical Safety Tips

• Pay Attention: Flickering lights, buzzing noises, and faceplates that are warm to the touch are all signs that a circuit may be overloaded or wiring may be wearing thin. Each one of those signs is cause for immediate attention from a licensed professional electrician.

• Listen to Your Breaker: If you are continually tripping a switch and having to reset your breaker box, your house is trying to tell you something. There may be a fixture with faulty wiring or too high an electrical load on the breaker. Again, seek professional help.

• Review and Replace: Frayed electrical cords, wobbly ceiling fans, and loose faceplates are more than mere annoyances. You should routinely inspect your home and replace or repair items in need of attention.

• Safety First: Even the best preparation and newest equipment is not a guaranteed protection against fire. Working smoke detectors on all levels of your home is an absolute must. Make sure you have a working fire extinguisher and you know the proper way to use it.

Submitted by Minnesota exclusive home buyer agent, Mary Rugani.

Green Grocery Tips

Most of us are always thinking about how we can go green – but sometimes that can mean an added expense of effort. RISMedia has come up with 5 tips that will help you go green and save money at the grocery store:

No. 1: Stock Up On Green CleanersNo. 2: Do The Prep Work Yourself
No. 3: Buy in Bulk
No. 4: Shop in Season
No. 5: Do What Grandma Did

Submitted by Minnesota exclusive home buyer agent, Mary Rugani.

Gardening Tips

Whether you have a green thumb or not, it’s always fun to get a little gardening advice from an expert. RISMedia published a short Q&A with Sandra Goeddeke-Richards, the Master Gardener Program coordinator for the Michigan State University Extension-Macomb in Clinton Township, Michigan. We’ll post the questions below – see what you think before you check the RISMedia site for the answers…

1. What tips do you have for prepping a yard for spring planting?
2. Should gardeners get their soil tested?
3. When is it safe to plant annuals and perennials?
4. When is the best time to fertilize?
5. Vegetable gardening is popular. What are some common mistakes?

Submitted by Minnesota exclusive home buyer agent, Mary Rugani.

Emergency Preparedness

It’s never fun to plan for the what if’s of life – but it’s even less fun to wish you have planned. RISMedia recently published a succinct article on what it means to be prepared and what it takes…

So what should you have on hand in an emergency?

Perhaps the most important thing is water. Humans use a lot of it: for drinking, cooking, cleaning and even for flushing the toilet. At a bare minimum, a person needs about a gallon per day. You would like to have at least enough water available to handle three days, and a week or two would be even better. If you have four people in your family and you are planning for a week of coverage, you need a minimum of 28 gallons stored somewhere in the house. And it needs to be in the right kind of package. Milk jugs of water start leaking after a year or so—clear plastic bottles won’t. If there is a natural source of water nearby (river, lake, etc.) you can use it if you have a way to carry and sterilize the water.

You need any prescription medicines that are essential to your life, as well as an adequate first aid kit. Because there will be no electricity, you will want a good flashlight and fresh batteries, as well as a battery operated radio to get information. Glow sticks are also nice to have available.

Of course, you will need some food. Many people have enough food in the pantry to handle a couple of days. In a big disaster you may want a week or two of food on hand. Canned foods (soup and other prepared foods) and dried foods (rice, pasta, etc.) are best. Keep in mind that you need a way to open the cans and cook the food. And old-fashioned can opener and a camp stove are handy.

It is nice to have some emergency cash. With the power out and the telephone system down, ATMs and credit card machines are not going to work. For the same reason, gas stations are not going to be pumping gas either. If you have some advanced warning of something like an approaching hurricane, filling up your car’s gas tank is a good move.

Don’t forget the little things. If you run out of toilet paper, that is a disaster all on its own. Keep several packages of toilet paper in the back of the bathroom cabinet just in case.

Submitted by Minnesota exclusive home buyer agent, Mary Rugani.

Tornado Preparedness

It’s been a terrible year for tornadoes. You have to remind yourself and family what to do when bad weather comes. But unlike a few places that have been hit – we are prepared here in Minnesota with a warning system in place and basements. RISMedia has recently posted some great advice…

Tornado Safety
Here are ways you can protect yourself and your family if a tornado threatens:
• Before the storm:
- Develop a plan of action
- Have frequent drills
- Have a NOAA weather radio with a warning alarm tone
- Listen to weather information
- If planning a trip outdoors, listen to forecasts
• In homes or small buildings:
- Go to the basement or an interior room on the lowest floor (i.e., closet or bathroom). Upper floors are unsafe
- Wrap yourself in overcoats or blankets to protect yourself from flying debris
• In schools, hospitals, factories or shopping centers:
- Go to interior rooms and halls on the lowest floor. Stay away from glass-enclosed places or areas with wide-span roofs such as auditoriums and warehouses
- Crouch down and cover your head. Don’t take shelter in halls that open to the south or the west. Centrally located stairwells are another good shelter
• In mobile homes:- Abandon them immediately and go to a designated shelter or ditch. Most fatalities occur in mobile homes or vehicles.
• In automobiles:
- If possible, get out and go to a sturdy structure or ditch
- If there isn’t time, buckle your seat belt and get below window level of your vehicle

Submitted by Minnesota exclusive home buyer agent, Mary Rugani.

Weekend Patio Project

Build a patio in a weekend? Sounds pretty ambitious but RISMedia has a plan that has worked in the past. They have worked with Landscape architect Joann Schwarberg of Mission Hills, Kan., to create a plan that leads you through a weekend action plan for” transforming our dead-leaf-riddled outdoor spaces into true retreats—including a celebratory drink at the finish line.”

We won’t pretend like it isn’t a full weekend of work – but image the results. Check out the RISMedia site for specifics.

Submitted by Minnesota exclusive home buyer agent, Mary Rugani.