Georgia Magazine - September 2011 - (Page 60d)

Web exclusive Spring is a good time for a house safety check WKeep hen the last traces of winter fade away, many homeowners can’t wait to begin tinkering around the house. Georgia’s electric cooperatives urge all ambitious home improvers to heed these guidelines: CFLs Fundamentals from burning out too soon • One of the first places to look for trouble is the roof. Watch for loose or missing shingles and leaks around flashings. Don’t begin repair work unless you’re confident of your do-it-yourself abilities. Think about calling a professional. • Be sure to inspect your gutters before April showers begin. If they are clogged, rainwater will overflow onto the siding of your house and could cause moisture problems. Downspouts should carry rainwater safely away from the foundation of the house. If they pour water out on the ground, it could seep into the basement. • If your exterior paint job appears healthy, but it’s just a little dirty, don’t apply a fresh coat. If all your home needs is a cleaning, wash it. • A special reminder to parents: Never leave a container of liquid unattended near a small child. This includes wading pools, scrub buckets, toilets and bathtubs. The curious youngster can lean over to play in the water or drop something in a bucket and fall in head first. • Be sure patios, porches and driveways are free from cracks and holes. • Check for damage as you take down storm windows and put up screen doors and windows. • Trim broken tree limbs and prune shrubs. Remove dry leaves and debris from under porches, wooden stairs and window wells. Pick up all junk, cans and other litter. t’s not cheap to switch your incandescent lightbulbs to long-burning compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs), but you’ll save money in the long run by replacing the bulbs less often and by using less electricity to burn them. So if you’ve noticed that your CFLs are burning out too soon, it could be that you’re buying the wrong kind. Normal CFLs aren’t designed for use with dimmers. And they don’t last as long if you use them in enclosed areas, or where there’s excessive heat, vibration or fluctuations in power. Some tips: • Before you buy a bulb for a dimmer or another Inventory the inside special use, check • Clean off stairways and steps. made its label to learn if it’s for that. Some CFLs Check treads, dimmers, or threework in risers and carpeting and replace worn coverings. way sockets, for example. But not all of them do. • Inspect your air-conditioning system for the fixture. Using a • Buy the right size bulband have repairs made now, before summer begins. Give the larger bulb, or one that burns brighter and fireplace a thorough cleaning than recommended for a close the damper. Consider calling can lamp or ceiling fixture, a chimney sweep. cause the bulb to overheat and burn out prematurely. It systems can fixture. Sprinkler may also damage thesave lives ost fire departments urge homeowners to install sprinkler systems in new homes, or when they remodel their existing homes. Fire spreads so quickly that you could have as little as two minutes to escape before it’s too late. A fire sprinkler system can buy you a few more minutes. When it senses a fire, the sprinkler system automatically sprays water on the flames. Only the sprinkler closest to the fire will spray. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that 90 percent of deaths in residential fires can be prevented by sprinklers. If you’re buying a new home, I • Avoid placing a CFL in enclosed indoor fixtures. The lack of air circulation and increased heat can reduce its life. • Choose a special, more durable CFL for use in an overhead fan light, which can vibrate and disturb the bulb. • If you’re using CFLs outdoors, find bulbs designed for exterior use and check the package to learn if the bulbs can withstand cold temperatures. Place them in protected fixtures. • Turning a CFL off and on frequently can shorten its life. Try to leave the CFL on for at least 15 minutes at a time. With proper use, CFLs typically last for 10,000 hours—13 times longer than an incandescent bulb. M Outdoor lights can keep bad guys away choose one that has a sprinkler system. If you’re remodeling your home, add a system. The sprinkler system is installed behind your walls, similar to plumbing, and is connected to your home’s water supply. A plumber should do the installation. March 2011 dding outdoor lights around your home is one of the best ways to protect it from break-ins. You can add safety and style with a few well-placed lights. Some tips: • Place a light at every entry point to your home: above or beside windows and doors, including the garage door. • Mount lighting fixtures on exterior walls near first-floor and basement windows to discourage burglars. • Illuminate your front, back and side yards with floodlights so nobody can skulk around without being seen. • Light up your driveway with pathway lights and another light above the garage door to reduce the chances that someone will break into your car. • Send a message to prowlers that the neighbors will notice them. Mount lanterns in trees to 60D September 2011 A pour light into your yard and onto your deck. Likewise, place lights at the base of trees and shrubs. • If you have a security camera or a security system warning sign, train a light on it so it’s visible to intruders. • Arrange outdoor lights so they’re high enough to be out of the reach of vandals. Security experts say that’s 9 feet off the ground. • Rig your outdoor lights to a timer so they come on at dusk and off at dawn. That way, you’ll have light around your house all night. • Take care with placement so light doesn’t glare into your home or your neighbors’. • If your lights are rigged to motion detectors, set them so they “see” what’s going on near your house, but aren’t sensitive enough to trip when birds, bats or bugs buzz around them. GEORGIA MAGAZINE More online at www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - September 2011

Georgia Magazine - September 2011
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar of Events
Currents
Georgia’s Energy Outlook
A Bountiful Harvest
The Coupon Mom
A Spirit of Cooperation
The 2011 Washington Youth Tour
Georgia’s Higher Learning
Higher education listings
Around Georgia
Ramble around Dahlonega continues
My Georgia
Georgia Gardens
Vince Dooley’s tips on growing hydrangeas, more on artist Steve Penley
Georgia Cooks
Second helping: More apple recipes and fall apple festivals
Snapshot
More Snapshot submissions
Money-saving websites
Gardens plant of the month; Liberty notes
Energy-efficiency tips

Georgia Magazine - September 2011