Did your home’s heating system just suddenly stop working? If so, it’s going to be very important for you to get it back up and running again in a hurry.

Fortunately, it shouldn’t be too difficult for you to track down the heating repair help that you need. With more than 110,000 heating and air conditioning companies throughout the country, there is sure to be an HVAC contractor in Wilmington, DE you can trust.

But before you bring a furnace repair specialist on board to help you with your home’s heating system, you should make sure you have the right one. Take a look at some tips for finding a reputable furnace repair service below.

Start by Doing a Google Search to See What Your Options Are

If you haven’t ever had to do heating repair in your home before, you might not be familiar with which HVAC contractors operate in your general area. You should get things started by conducting a search to see what your options are.

Google “HVAC Delaware” and check out some of the different HVAC contractors that pop up. You might initially be surprised to see just how many options that you have.

Some homeowners are tempted to pick the first HVAC contractor they can find in Wilmington, DE to help them out. But you should avoid doing this if you can help it since that contractor won’t always be your best option.

Instead, you should use your Google search as a good starting point. It’ll provide you with a long list of names that you can research a little bit further.

Research the Individual Heating Repair Specialists in Your Area

After you have a list of heating repair companies in your hands, the next thing you’ll want to do is research each and every one of them. You can do this pretty easily in this day and age by visiting their websites and/or social media pages.

When you’re researching individual heating repair specialists, you should pay close attention to:

• How long they’ve been in business
• Which heating and air conditioning repair services they offer
• Where they’re located and which areas they serve
• What kind of warranties or guarantees they provide their customers

By doing your homework on all of the different HVAC contractors in your area, you’ll be able to see which ones are worth your time and which aren’t. It’ll help you begin to narrow down the list of names that you have in front of you.

Find Out Which Local HVAC Contractors Have the Best Reviews

Outside of doing research on each HVAC contractor that you’re considering calling on for help, another thing that you should make sure that you do is read online reviews for your different options.

You can learn so much about what an HVAC contractor brings to the table by sifting through online reviews for them. These reviews will let you know what others in your community have had to say about different HVAC contractors over the years.

If an HVAC contractor has nothing but positive reviews, it’s usually safe to say that they’ll provide you with a positive experience. But if they have negative reviews or almost no reviews at all, it should serve as a huge red flag for you.

See How Soon Different HVAC Contractors Can Make It Out to Your Home

When you’re in need of heating repair, there’s a good chance that you’re not going to be able to wait around for very long for an HVAC contractor to come help. This is going to be especially true in the wintertime.

If your home’s heating system isn’t working the way it should, it won’t be long at all before it begins to get unbearably cold inside your house. You’re going to need an HVAC contractor who can come out to your home to fix the problem right away.

Don’t be afraid to call around to a few different HVAC contractors to see what their availability is. If they tell you that they’re not going to be able to provide you with heating repair services for at least a few days, you can almost always cross them right off your list of options.

Check Out the Costs Associated With Each HVAC Contractor You’re Considering

You obviously want to have heating repair done in your home as soon as possible when your heating system stops working. But you don’t want to have to pay an arm and a leg for it!

It’s why you should try to shop around for the HVAC contractor that’s going to provide you with the best prices in your area. You should try to obtain quotes from several different contractors to see which one will fit into your budget.

You might also want to scour each HVAC contractor’s website to see if they have any heating repair deals running at the moment. Many contractors will provide their customers with coupons on their sites to entice them to give them a call.

You should be especially mindful of shopping around for the best prices if you suspect that you might need to replace your home’s furnace altogether. This will often cost you thousands of dollars, so being a smart shopper could save you a whole bunch of money in the end.

Have Heating Repair Done in Your Home Today

People tend to panic when they need to have heating repair done in their homes. This will sometimes lead to them calling on the first HVAC contractor they can find for help.

Instead of taking this approach, you should use the tips found here to find the best HVAC contractor in Wilmington, DE. You’ll be so glad that you did once you have the right heating repair company working in your home.

Would you like to read more informative articles on maintaining, repairing, and replacing the parts located in your home’s HVAC system? Find them by browsing through the rest of our blog.

According to one survey, about 45 million Americans watch birds as a pastime.

If you’re someone who loves watching birds but don’t want to leave your home, there are many ways of attracting birds!

But how do you attract birds to your home? Keep reading to find out!

Leave Out Water

First, you’ll need to make sure that the birds have plenty of water to drink when they come and visit you. One of the best ways to do this is by installing a birdbath.

Birds love moving water, and they’ll be more attracted to that than if you just have water that isn’t moving. You can find all kinds of bird baths that create motion, whether it’s misting, dripping, or bubbling up. The birds will be able to hear the water from far away and be curious about it.

They’ll start to visit and then even communicate their findings to their other friends.

If you have the space for it, try and find a bigger birdbath. Some people even install waterfalls or ponds in their backyard to bring all kinds of birds.

You should also try and make sure that you have different kinds of water sources. If you just have one birdbath, a lot of birds could end up coming and feeling crowded while they’re there. instead, try to add different features in different parts of your backyard. This may even help you attract different species as well!

If you live somewhere where it’s really cold and snow, birds can get their water from the ice and snow. However, if there’s a fresh source of water, they will all come to enjoy that.

If you want to upgrade your birdbath, you can even add a heater attached to it to give the birds a little bit of warmth before they fly away.

Make Sure They Have Enough Food

In addition to water, birds are always searching for food. You can attract birds to your home by making sure they can find plenty of food there!

You should do a little bit of research and find out what types of birds live in your area first. Each species has its own separate diet. If you want to find a specific species in your yard, make sure you leave out everything that they would possibly eat.

For example, if you want to attract more chickadees to your home, you should try planting sunflowers. You can also try leaving out sunflower seeds. But if you want to attract hummingbirds, you should plant some flowers that produce a lot of nectar.

However, if you’re not looking for a specific type of species, a safe bet would be leaving out foods like:

• Berries
• Fruit
• Nuts
• Buds
• Seeds
• Nectar
• Insects
• Eggs
• Fish
• Small mammals
• Worms
• Larvae
• Vines
• Trees
• Shrubs
• Grass

The best way to leave out food for them is by getting a bird feeder, like the ones from Nature Niche.

Use Bright Colors

When the birds are up in the air, they won’t be able to see a lot of details on the ground, but they will be able to see bright and flashy colors. They may be curious about what it is and decide to go investigate.

Birds also rely on colors to figure out who is a mate, who is a predator, and if that item is even safe.

For example, hummingbirds are normally attracted to the color red, so you may want to try and plant some red flowers that offer a lot of nectar. But on the other hand, goldfinches and orioles are attracted more to orange and yellow.

If you start planting blue flowers, you’ll likely attract more bluejays.

However, you don’t have to plant flowers that color in order to bring the birds down. Any item that is that color will work. For example, if you really want to see bluejays, you can also try hanging up a bright blue bird feeder.

Give Them Shelter

If you want to bring birds to your home, you can also them somewhere to rest if the weather gets too extreme. You can do this by planting trees that will offer a lot of shade and a place of rest for them.

Evergreens are a great option because they don’t lose their leaves even in the winter. But in the summer, birds tend to gravitate toward the shade that maples, oaks, and aspens can provide.

Give Them Somewhere to Nest

Lastly, you should make sure that they have somewhere to build their nest as well. Birds want somewhere safe to lay their eggs and raise their children. If you can provide that for them, you’ll even be able to watch some baby birds fly around your backyard!

Birds feel safest when they have some sort of cover. They may decide to build their nest in a thick hedge, hollow trees, or even tall grass. However, they will also feel safe in an old mailbox, your wreath, or even a bird home you build in your backyard.

Learn More About Attracting Birds to Your Backyard

These are only a few ways of attracting birds to your backyard, but there are many more things you can try as well!

We know that it can be frustrating not being able to get birds to come to your backyard, but we’re here to help you out.

If you enjoyed this article, make sure that you explore our website to find more articles just like this one.

Your home is supposed to be a safe place to come back to at the end of the day. Unfortunately, though, this isn’t always the case.

Property crimes account for around $16 billion in losses per year in the United States. Plus, homes are filled with potential fire hazards and other safety threats.

These facts and crime statistics are enough to make any homeowner feel uneasy, but you don’t have to leave yourself vulnerable. With the proper due diligence and a strong home safety checklist, you can help ensure the safety of you, your family, and your belongings.

You shouldn’t have to feel unsafe in your own home- luckily, you don’t have to. Keep reading for our quick safety checklist for home security.

Eliminate Fire Hazards

One of the main home safety concerns is potential fire hazards.

Here’s your basic fire safety checklist:

1. Ensure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in proper working condition
2. Clean out your dryer vent on a minimum of a monthly basis
3. Don’t overload outlets or extension cords
4. Never leave candles, space heaters, or other flammable objects unattended
5. Keep a working fire extinguisher on every floor of your home

The combination of gas, appliances, and electricity used in a home can create some serious dangers, so it’s imperative to do everything you can to avoid unnecessary risks.

Check Electrical Cords and Outlets

Again, ensure that no outlets or extension cords are overloaded. In addition to that, check to ensure that no cords are compromised, damaged, or in danger of coming in contact with water or wet areas.

Create a Safety Checklist for Babyproofing

If you have small children in your home, this calls for extra diligence on your home safety checklist.

Here are a few home safety tips to protect your small children:

1. Block off stairs and other potentially dangerous areas of your home
2. Keep poisonous chemicals and hazardous materials out of reach
3. Cover any unused electrical outlets

This isn’t meant to be an exhaustive child safety checklist. Be sure to do your own research to ensure you’re doing everything necessary to keep children safe in your home.

Invest in Solid Home Security

No home safety checklist is complete without the proper investment in home security. While it’s not practical or (in many cases) affordable to take on full-time security staff, there are alternatives that can significantly improve your home safety.

A remote home security system is an easy and cost-effective solution to keep your home secure. Many of these systems also offer automated emergency dialing and remote monitoring for extra protection.

If your home will be vacant for long periods of time, use roller shutters and additional locks to ensure that potential burglars won’t have an easy way in.

Protecting Your Home and Family

While no home is completely safe from the ever-present hazards of crime, fire, and other potential risks, you can still do a lot to protect yourself. Now that you have a basic home safety checklist, you can take all the precautions necessary to protect your home as well as your family.

For more topics like this one, check out our other articles.

The world’s longest fence is over 3,400 miles long and keeps dingoes out of Australia’s backyard.

You may not need something quite that long to protect your yard, but you might be considering purchasing a fence to provide you with more privacy.

If you think about a fence, why not read our guide to the pros and cons of wood fences. Here we look at why wooden fences may be the best fencing option, as well as what you need to do to keep it in the best condition.

The Pros of Wooden Fencing

A large wooden fence gives you the privacy that you need to enjoy your backyard and property.

Sometimes it is nice to keep your yard to yourself, and a wood privacy fence permits you to use your space how you please without having to worry about prying eyes.

A wooden privacy fence installation will cost much less than you think. It is much cheaper than vinyl alternatives. Only chainlink fencing is cheaper than wood fencing, but it is not anywhere near as attractive and does not offer any privacy options.

Wooden fencing can be painted in any color that you desire to match with your house and garden buildings. This adds to the attractiveness and value of the fence.

One great advantage of wood fencing is also that it can come in a variety of different designs. You can build fences, arbors, and gates out of wood in almost any design you can think of.

Your imagination and great woodworker is the only limit.

The Cons of Wooden Fencing

Wood can be prone to damage especially if not treated correctly. Wood can be somewhat temperamental in different weathers.  It tends to get damaged when very wet or dry, so it is important to make sure you treat the wood correctly at installation.

Wood will also shrink and swell with the temperature. After installation, you may find that your fence could shrink a tiny amount and leave undesired gaps between the planks.

Gates may also become ‘sticky’ if wood swells in heat. You may find it becomes more difficult to open and close them if they are tightly set against the post.

A good designer and builder should account for these problems and attempt to design around them.

Wood as material tends to have a lifespan of around 40-50 years. This will depend very much on the type of wood with which you choose to build.

Better quality woods will last much longer. Speak with an expert to get advice on which woods work best in your climate.

Wood fence installation can be very labor-intensive and require a longer installation period than something simple like a chain-link fence.

Privacy Wood Fences are Attractive Solutions

If you want to bring some privacy into your backyard, then the most attractive solution will always be wood fences.

They are long-lasting and can look beautiful, especially over time once they have become a key feature of your backyard.

If you enjoyed this article, please take a look at some other interesting blogs on the site.

How germ-free is your household?

The ongoing coronavirus crisis means that it’s never been more important to be aware of surfaces you need to disinfect. If you want your house to be free of germs, it’s vital that you do a house deep cleaning.

Unfortunately, when doing these cleanings people tend to miss important areas of the house. Here are some surfaces you can’t afford to miss.

1. Don’t Skip the Doorknobs

Generally, the more something is touched the more it needs to be cleaned. Doorknobs are touched frequently throughout the day by various people, so they deserve special attention when cleaning. When cleaning a doorknob, you should first wash it with soap and water before going on to use a disinfectant wipe or spray.

When disinfecting doorknobs, make sure you use a product with an alcohol content of at least 60%. This will make sure the doorknob gets the required deep cleaning to fully disinfect it.

2. A House Deep Cleaning Should Include Light Switches

Just like doorknobs, light switches can be one of the germiest surfaces in your household. This means that they need to be cleaned and disinfected as a regular part of your house deep cleaning routine.

As with the doorknobs, wash light switches with a small amount of soap and water. Afterward, you should use a high-quality disinfectant product to finish the job.

When cleaning the light switch using soap and water, take extra care to make sure you don’t get any water inside the light switch.

3. Consider Computer Keyboards

You might not believe it, but your computer keyboard is actually one of the dirtiest surfaces in your home. The area beneath the keys is likely full of grime dust and food particles, and the keys themselves are likely home to a variety of different germs.

To properly clean a keyboard you should use compressed air, followed by shaking the keyboard upside down to shake loose all of the dirt. After this, you should wipe down the keyboard with a disinfectant wipe.

If you want to do a truly deep clean of your keyboard you can take all of the keys off. Every keyboard is different so make sure you check the user manual for your particular model.

4. Your Phone

Like your computer keyboard, your phone is one of the germiest surfaces in your household. To properly clean your phone, you should first wipe it down with a dry and soft cloth. This will remove any fingerprints, dust, or dirt. Next, use an alcohol-based spray.

Don’t forget to unplug your phone before you apply any kind of liquids to it.

5. Clean the floors

If you’re working and cooking at home more often than usual, you’ll need to clean the floor more often. You should mop your floors with a mixture of water and bleach. Ideally, this should consist of one part bleach and 5 parts water.

You can also take measures to make sure your floors don’t get as dirty in the first place. For example, check out this disinfection system for your shoes.

Stay Clean and Germ-Free

House deep cleaning is the best way to keep germs away from your house. As you can see, you need to pay extra focus on surfaces that are touched often, including the doorknobs, light switches, and floors. Heck, throw in your gadgets, especially laptops and mobile phones.

Need more home and lifestyle tips? Explore our blog.

With people continuously looking for a place to live, investing in a property and turning it into a rental is always a smart business move.

But there is more to simply purchasing an apartment that you can afford, obtaining the necessary permits and licences, advertising, and waiting for tenants to view the property and sign the tenancy agreements.

If you want to get a rental property that attracts the best tenants and gives you good returns, you have to choose the right apartment or flat to buy first.

Investing in the Best Property to Turn Into a Rental

If you have plans of buying one of the top-notch luxury apartments for sale in Dubai to turn into a rental, ensure you invest in the right one by looking for these features that tenants value:

Ideal Location

Location is one of the top factors people prioritise when they are looking for a place to rent. The main reason behind this is that tenants want to save as much money as they can when they need to go to the grocery store, restaurant, park, and even to their place of work.

When tenants are near these areas, they won’t have to drive or commute, which means they can do away with buying petrol or paying for taxi or bus rides.

Moreover, tenants will experience a higher level of convenience when they are within walking distance to such areas.

Due to these reasons, you will do well to buy an apartment that is located in an area that allows tenants quick access to these key places.

When tenants are close to the place of their employment, supermarkets, malls, restaurants, and other spots they frequent, they will be more willing to pay the rent you set for your apartment. They will likely stay for a long time on your property, too.

Move-In Ready

Most tenants want to move into a new apartment as quickly as possible. Because of this, flats that allow them to do so are always on top of their list of options.

With this in mind, a newly built apartment is the ideal property to turn into a rental. Since it is new, you can let people view it and accept tenants as soon as you have all the papers in order.

You won’t have to wait for the painters to paint the ceiling or the plumbers to do the necessary repairs on the plumbing system.

Even if you waited a bit to allow viewers to see your newly built apartment, if it is neat and tidy, you assure would-be tenants that you have high standards of cleanliness and maintenance. And they will try their best to meet and follow your terms.

Plenty of Storage Space

Storage space always scores high with tenants. When they have plenty of places where they can keep their belongings, you will help them minimise the items they have to throw away, sell, or donate.

Additionally, you save your would-be tenants money and the trouble of hiring a storage unit where they can keep their belongings temporarily or permanently.

If you are still looking for an apartment to buy, try to find one with several closets or cabinets. Make sure you or your real estate agent highlight these features when advertising the flat.

Ready to Use Appliances

People looking for a place to rent also want to save some money whenever and wherever they can. This is because they have to pay a huge amount upfront for the advance rent and security deposits.

For tenants who do not own any appliances yet, they will be drawn to apartments that have them, even if the appliances are only the basic ones.

When you place a working refrigerator, cooking range, washing machine, and microwave oven in the flat, you will make it even more attractive for anyone who views it. You can even draw in potential tenants who already have them since you give them the option to sell their current appliances and use the ones you provided.

If the apartment you want to buy does not have any appliances yet, consider doing it yourself. You don’t have to spend a lot on outfitting it. If you have ones that you are not using and still look good and work well, you can put them in the rental.

However, if you want to buy new ones, don’t hesitate to do so. Most high-quality tenants do not mind paying a little more rent for a property that includes all the essential appliances.

Available Parking Space

For potential tenants who own vehicles, living in an apartment that has a designated parking space is a huge perk they will surely appreciate.

Looking for a place to park is a problem vehicle owners do not want to face daily. If you can provide a permanent parking space, you will help them avoid dealing with this issue and getting a headache every time they come home.

You will make it easier and faster for your tenants to get to their flat as well.

As such, when looking for an apartment for sale in Business Bay to buy, find out if it comes with a designated parking space within the building. If it does not come with one automatically, ask about the process of getting one.

Access to High-End Amenities

A parking space is not the only amenity potential tenants are interested in. There are several others that can attract the best ones to your rental property.

Amenities such as swimming pools, fitness and wellness centres, and spa or sauna areas never fail to impress anyone looking for a new place to live in. With more and more people wanting to get close to nature, you won’t go wrong with buying a flat in an apartment complex that has landscaped gardens and outdoor spaces.

Interested tenants will also find a 24-hour reception and concierge desk and open-air cinema valuable perks of living in your rental.

A play area and a children’s swimming pool are also excellent amenities that impress and draw in families.

Investing in a property to turn into a rental requires a bit more research and study. Fortunately, you can seek the help of property experts and take advantage of tools such as a mortgage loan calculator to help you make wiser choices. You can be sure you are buying a profitable one by checking off these features as you narrow down your options.

 

Is this the first time you’ve heard of solar generators? They’re all the rage nowadays. Even NASA uses solar-powered generators that are as effective on earth as on other planets or space itself.

They’re effective, and they tap into a free source of renewable energy: sunlight. When you’re ready to learn how solar generators do what they do, so you can determine whether solar is right for you, read on.

What Are Solar Generators?

If you’re asking yourself what is a solar generator, anyway? Chances are you’re new to solar energy. Sure, you’ve heard the term thrown around in chatgroups and on news channels, but you can’t define the term.

A solar generator is a device that stores electricity derived from other solar electric technologies, such as photovoltaic panels. In essence, it’s a battery in a box. They don’t generate energy on their own, like gas generators.

Wires pass a current from your other solar devices to your generator. That current is stored in a chemical form inside your battery and ready for use should you need it.

Which Solar Panels Should I Use?

Portable generators rely on small solar panels. They’re small and easy to pack when compared to their larger cousins which you see on the roofs of houses around the nation. Comparatively, solar systems for houses produce a vast amount of energy and require a commensurate amount of hardware.

The portable generators produce enough power to run a tiny refrigerator, heat water, or charge a few portable devices. They store between 0.1 to 2 kWh of electricity. They’re used most often by campers, RV owners, and folks working in areas devoid of power.

The panels attach to the generator with a few easy-to-use wires. People who need more power choose the Best Solar Generator Power Stations which store about 2kWh worth of energy. Those folks usually need electricity for long stretches of time or a big burst all at once.

Can I Use My Generator at Home?

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is creating new thermoelectric materials that directly convert heat to electricity. It’s three times more effective than our modern kinds of solar generators. But even with this kind of technology, you couldn’t rely on a single solar generator to run your home.

The average generator can store up to 2 kWh worth of electricity. The average home consumes approximately 30 kWh each day. You’d need at least 15 of the best types of solar generators on the market to run a house.

What’s Next?

Now that you know a little more about solar generators, you can determine which one is right for you. It’s easiest to start by determining which jobs you’ll need to be done. Then figure out approximately how much energy those jobs will require and work backward.

If you’d like more tips and tricks, zip over and browse our enormous library full of all things home and garden. So long and good luck!

 

Mankind has been using silled windows since the time of the Egyptians.

Most of the time we take our window sills for granted. It’s only when something goes wrong that we fully appreciate them.

If you have interior window sill damage then you have two options: repair or replace.

If you’re planning on going down the repair route, then read on as we look at some practical tips to help you do it right.

1. Protect Your Walls

First things first; you need to make sure that your walls are protected.

The last thing you want to do is repair your window sill, only to find that you’ve damaged your walls in the process. Use tape around any portions of your walls and windows that are next to the sill but not actually part of it. That way they’ll be protected during the repair process.

2. Protect Your Floor

By the same token, you want to make sure that you don’t damage your flooring either.

Put down some newspaper, plastic sheeting, or anything else you have to hand that can keep your floor from harm when you’re making your repairs. If you don’t do so and end up spilling wood filler over your carpets or expensive hardwood floor, you could really regret it.

3. Remove All Paint

If only a small portion of your window sill needs repair, it can be tempting to just work on that one section and leave the rest of the paintwork intact.

This is going to leave you without a smooth finish for your window sill, however. Remove paint from the whole sill, using a paint stripper and sandpaper, so that once your repair work is done, you can repaint to perfect finish.

4. Remove Soft Spots

Test the whole area of the window sill for soft spots, which are signs of rot.

Any that you find should be dug out with a chisel until no soft spots remain at all. You can then fill these with your wood filler of choice.

5. Use Filler in a Timely Fashion

Wood filler will harden quickly. If you leave it too long to apply it to your window sill, then you will find it much harder to use and you may not get the finish you require.

Make sure that you’re ready to use the filler as soon as it is prepared.

6. Know When to Give Up

No window sill will last forever. If your window sill is soft throughout, or there are other issues that make repair unfeasible, then you’ll need to bite the bullet and get a replacement.

The good news is that replacement window cost isn’t sky high and can help your home to be more energy-efficient, saving you money in the long run.

Do You Have Interior Window Sill Damage?

If you have interior window sill damage we hope that these tips will be of some use to you.

Remember that there is only so much repair you can do to a window sill. Eventually, you’re going to need to get a replacement. If the problems are just minor, however, then a repair can keep your window sill in great condition.

For more useful content, be sure to check out the rest of the site.

Nursing homes can be held liable for the deaths of residents who were deprived of necessary treatments. When families place loved ones in nursing homes, the facilities accept legal responsibility for the patients’ wellbeing. Death can result from injuries and illnesses that occur when residents do not receive proper care as promised.

Inadequate Medical Care

There may be grounds for a medical malpractice case against a nursing home if a resident is harmed by substandard medical care. In June 2019, a pharmacy and nursing home paid close to $13 million to the family of a retired judge. The former judge died when staff members of a nursing home failed to administer antibiotics to him.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that in cases involving Medicare patients affected by the treatments received in skilled nursing facilities, at least 59% of the adverse effects could have been avoided with proper medical supervision and care.

Patient deaths more commonly occur at hospitals or in hospital emergency departments after the patients have been transferred from the nursing homes. At this point, the patient’s illnesses or injuries tend to have reached acute levels.

Negligent Supervision

A nursing home can be liable if a resident gets hurt and dies as a result of inadequate supervision. Some of the consequences of negligent supervision include:

Falls

Falls are a common sign of negligence. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls account for 20% of deaths in nursing homes. Many of these falls are caused by negligence and are preventable.

Nursing homes are required to perform fall-risk assessments on all admitted residents and provide individualized plans to prevent falls. A negligence lawsuit can be filed if a nursing home’s failure to provide a safe environment results in a personal injury or death.

Choking

Choking is a common cause of patient deaths in nursing homes. When people are admitted to care facilities, assessments are carried out to determine basic needs and daily requirements. Information such as whether a person can feed himself or herself or requires assistance is established.

Serving a resident with the wrong meal or food consistency can cause choking injuries that could lead to sudden death. For example, the family of a Long Island resident was awarded $1 million for his choking death. The nurse fed him a sandwich without checking his chart, which specified pureed food.

Bedsores

Bedsores are also an indicator of nursing home neglect. Studies show stage 4 bedsores to have a considerably high mortality rate. Failure to treat stages 1-3 bedsores quickly could lead to stage 4 bedsores.

Bedsores can exacerbate existing illnesses and cause new ones. Nursing homes can be held liable if sores cause the premature death of a patient.

Nursing homes commonly pass off suspicious deaths as a result of medical conditions, age, or other natural causes. Unfortunately, abuse or neglect may be to blame. Therefore, it is crucial for families to establish who is responsible for the death of loved ones and help effect real change.

How would you like to learn how to clean your carpet like the pros? Yeah, okay, you’re right. It’s not the most exciting topic in the world.

But then, maintenance is never fun, is it? It’s just that monotonous burden we must go through to keep our things from deteriorating.

Still, proper maintenance keeps your carpet looking nice and makes it last much longer. And, better yet, it’s not that difficult. Best of all, we’re going to show you how to do it in this guide.

Here are 7 easy steps on how to keep your carpet clean and well-maintained. For your carpet, your guests, and your own peace of mind, read and follow these 7 steps.

1. Vacuum Your Carpet Frequently

Vacuuming is one of those frustrating activities that seems self-defeating. You vacuum your floors only to see them get dirty all over again. For many reasons, though, it’s better to keep your carpet vacuumed regularly.

First, your carpet clings to dirt and dust that would otherwise keep floating around in your air. But the dirtier the carpet gets, the less effectively it traps these airborne pollutants. When this happens, the extra dust floating around decreases your indoor air quality, fills up your HVAC filter faster, and wears out your HVAC.

Also, when the carpet’s extra dirty, it’s harder for the vacuum to clean it. You’ll have to vacuum for longer and empty the dust trap several times per room to really get it clean.

To prevent these problems, vacuum all carpeted areas once a week. And vacuum high-traffic areas like entryways twice per week.

2. Treat Stains Right

All stains are different. So, each type of stain requires a unique cleaning method to properly remove it.

For example, a wine stain can’t be scrubbed out. But it can be drawn out by pouring dry salt on it and then vacuuming it away. The smell of pet urine will never go away except by using specific cleaners.

Now, there are more types of stains/stain removal methods than we have room for in this article. In fact, each one can be an article by itself.

But here’s a general stain removal tip: never scrub stains. Don’t even push towels down hard on top of them to soak them up. This could push the stain deep into the carpet and make it permanent.

Instead, lightly blot the stain with napkins or towels. And do this as quickly as possible. Then, look up and follow the removal method for that particular stain.

3. Treat Stains Fast

In the same way that scrubbing or pressing hard works the stain in deeper, so does leaving it alone. As it sits there, it has only one place to go: deeper into your carpet. And it will absorb as far as it can into the carpet until you give it something else to absorb into, like a towel.

Also, stains dry out as they sit. Many stains become set when they dry and are then much more difficult or even impossible to remove.

4. Use Mats and Rugs

One ingenious way to keep your carpet clean is to prevent it from getting dirty in the first place. Entryway mats will help you do exactly that. As you enter the house, the mat traps a significant amount of dirt that would otherwise end up in your carpet.

Likewise, get area rugs for use in other carpeted areas that get a lot of traffic. For example, hallways, the entrance to the bathroom, and the space in front of the couch always get a lot of foot traffic. Cover these with area rugs to keep them from getting dirty and worn.

5. Use Furniture Sliders

It’s easy to get lazy about vacuuming under the couch and other furniture. It’s not like anyone’s going to see it, right?

Actually, they will eventually. Some day, you’ll buy a new couch or otherwise rearrange your furniture.

Years of under-couch neglect will then be exposed for all to see. And, by that time, the damage might be permanent.

Besides, the collected dust under your couch will spread out from there. And it will attract more filth. Thus, these neglected areas dirty your carpet much faster after each time you vacuum the rest of your floor.

The ridiculously easy solution is using furniture sliders. Slip these under the feet of your couch and then give the couch a gentle push. Then, with very little effort, your couch slides out of the way for easy vacuuming.

6. Keep Your Pets Well-Groomed

Nothing dirties up your floor faster than pet hair. Take your pet in for regular grooming to prevent excess shedding.

Alternatively, brush them yourself. Or, check out vacuum brushes and other easy, DIY tools for deshedding your pets.

7. Have a Professional Clean Your Carpet Annually

None of these steps negate the need to have your carpets professionally cleaned. Pro carpet cleaning should be done every 12-18 months to remove deep dirt buildup that your vacuum leaves behind.

Fortunately, this step is an easy one. First, mark your calendar right now. Then, when that day arrives, look for carpet cleaners in your area, and then schedule a cleaning appointment online.

Keep Your Carpet Clean and Well-Preserved With These Tips

Now that you’re in the know, here are your options. You can clean your carpet according to the tips above for long-lasting carpet that looks clean all year long. Or, you can ignore these tips and have nasty-looking carpet that needs replacing often.

The choice is simple, and so are these tips. Keep this guide and follow these easy steps to clean and preserve your carpet. Also, share these tips with your friends so that they can benefit, too.

What would you like to learn next? We can tell you how a furnace works, the benefits of roller blinds, how to make your home more energy-efficient, and more. Discover all these topics on our Home and Garden Blog.