Category: Home and Living

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Grilling Safety

Peppers, Green Chilies, Corn, Onion, Hamburgers, Brats, and Kabobs arranged on a charcoal grill

Close to 20,000 patients per year visit the emergency room due to injuries involving grills.

More people grill in July, June & August than any other months and correspondingly, there are more injuries, as well as fires, due to grilling accidents in those months. Even though Labor Day is in September, we still need to be aware of safety.

Close to 20,000 patients per year visit the emergency room due to injuries involving grills. Approximately half of the injuries involving grills are thermal burns. If you are around fire, there’s a chance of getting burned.

About 2/3 of American households own at least one outdoor barbecue, grill or smoker. Interestingly, gas grills contribute to more fires than charcoal grills. In addition, there are over 10,600 home fires started by grills each year.

While grilling is associated with celebrations, good food, fun and friends, it is important to make sure that accidents don’t interrupt your activities.

BBQ GRILL

  • Only use BBQ grills outdoors and in ventilated areas
  • Place the grill away from home or anything that could be flammable
  • Keep grill stable
  • Keep fire under control
  • Keep children away from grill
  • Never leave the grill unattended
  • The grill lid should always be open before lighting it.
  • Grease should not be allowed to build up in the grill
  • Use long-handled utensils

GAS/PROPANE

  • Check the tank hose for leaks before using it for the first time each year by using a light soapy water solution to see if bubbles appear.
  • You should not smell gas when the grill is lit. Move away from the grill and call the fire department.
  • If the flame goes out, turn off the gas for 15 minutes and open the lid before re-lighting it.
  • Charcoal
  • Never add any starter fluid or other flammable liquid to a fire
  • Only use charcoal starter fluid and not gasoline, kerosene or other flammable liquid.
  • Keep starter fluid away from heat sources and out of reach of children.
  • Electric starters have a coil that ignites the charcoal.
  • When finished cooking, close off the grill vents to suffocate the fire and save some of the remaining charcoal.

Practice safe grilling and enjoy any occasion to cook outdoors and share time with your family and friends.

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Check Your Attic Insulation

If you are handy, this could be a DYI project. Some stores will loan you the blower if you purchase the insulation from them.

HOMEOWNER TIP!
CHECK YOUR HOME’S INSULATION

Look at the insulation in your attic to check that it is adequate to keep your home cool in the Summer and warm in the Winter. Over time, the original insulation will become compacted and less effective. You can have sheets of new, unbacked insulation added, or new insulation can also be installed with a blower.

Either way, taking care of your attic insulation can save you money while making your home more comfortable year-round!

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Building a Pool Is Just the Beginning

Happy kids having underwater party in the swimming pool. The boy is grinning at the camera. Shot with Nikon D850.

During the first major stay-at-home event that most of us have experienced in this country, a pool can give you and your family enjoyable recreation without leaving the home. For those without a pool, the NPD group reports that the Covid-19 pandemic has increased pool building by 161% this year.

When your children are small, pools become a magnet for not only your children but their friends as well. It can also be a great place for the summer holidays, Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day. Any day during the summer, especially on the weekends, can be an opportunity to enjoy the pool, cook outside and bask in the sun.

Some of you may have even made the transition from your children enjoying the pool to your grandchildren. Usually, there is an interim where you may have wished that your home didn’t have a pool so you would not have the maintenance and required upkeep. Then, the new generation of family starts using it regularly and again, you are glad you have a pool, so you’ll see the grandchildren more.

For those people who don’t have a pool but are considering one, there are some things that you need to think about.

If you’ve watched some of the TV shows like Pool Kings, most of those builds look like resorts or water parks and the price tag that comes with them can be staggering. Even a modest gunite, in-ground pool with a limited amount of decking can be as expensive as a luxury car, especially after including the cost of landscaping and pool furniture.

If you finance the pool as a home improvement, the term will probably be between seven to fifteen years. If you refinance your current mortgage and wrap the cost of the pool together, you could get a 30-year term.

Pool cleaning and chemicals depend on the size of the pool but will generally start at about $175 a month through a service. Your utilities will see an increase because you’re going to use more electricity and water than you did before you had a pool.

Then, of course, there is food and refreshments to consider for not only your family but your guests. There are also pool toys, floats, sunscreen, towels and other minor things that do add up.

People going through the pros and cons of building a pool usually tell themselves that the house will go up in value. It is true but not nearly as much as the cost of the pool. Long time pool owners will tell you that they have had lots of great memories and it has been a good investment in their family. It just may not be a good financial investment.

Once you’ve made the decision to build a pool, find a reputable pool builder, ask for references and check them out. Ask friends who have pools, who built them and would they use the company again. Most pool companies hire and coordinate with subcontractors to do the work. It is important to know that the builder will be around if something goes wrong and how they’ll solve the issue.

The Better Business Bureau has some suggestions about hiring a pool contractor and they warn about scammers who are eager to take advantage of the increased demand for pools.

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