Last flu season, we all became familiar with those dictums about the spread of viruses. Indeed, the advice bears repeating.
“The best advice – and most important advice – is to cover your cough and to wash your hands. Respiratory transmission and shaking hands with someone who is ill and hasn’t washed their hands are predominate ways respiratory viruses are spread,” says Jeff Taylor of the Emerging and Acute Infectious Disease Branch of the Texas Department of State Health Services.
But as fall approaches with colder weather – and people spend more time inside and sharing confined spaces – there are other steps you can take to make your home healthier as you get ready to close it up for winter.
Leaves and snow that build up on your roof and in your gutters can cause lots of problems if they’re not cleared away.
Too much snow can lead to cave-ins, and ice dams can damage the roof and interior of your home. Leaves that build up in the gutters put you at risk for water damage, as rain has nowhere to run off to and can leak into the roof and walls.
Unfortunately, leaf and snow removal is no easy task and can be dangerous if it’s not done correctly. If you’re looking to clear your roof and gutters yourself, here are five things to keep in mind:
Jupiter, called the "king of planets," is making its grand entrance in the east. The planet rises around 8 p.m. in mid-August and 8:30 by month’s end. Jupiter is nearing opposition - when it is on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun, rising at just about the very moment the sun sets below our horizon. Jupiter then reigns all night, setting in the west at sunrise.
Obviously, Holly and Jeff Henline's home was designed for people who like to live and entertain outdoors as much as they do indoors. With wall-to-wall windows, practically, across the rear, the home's layout design brings the outdoors in. But the tri-level wrap-around deck, screened-in porch, plus outdoor fireplace, take the indoors out, which makes Holly Henline's garden akin to another room of the house.
Jeff Henline suspects his wife would say his decorating tastes are boring. Actually, she’s far more diplomatic. “He’s very, very traditional,” Holly Henline says. “I can do traditional or modern.” Their East Peoria, Ill., home is both. Call it modern traditional or traditional modern, either way, it’s a contemporary homage to family, entertaining and Holly Henline’s decorating ingenuity.
The welcome sound of gentle rain greeted me on this Monday morn, and while it may temporarily hamper my efforts to wage my daily war on weeds, even a little moisture is cause for celebration. During the past week, it became increasingly evident that this summer’s heat and minimal rainfall has taken a major toll even on our native plants, as many trees and shrubs are shedding leaves and much of my wetlands meadow has become brown and crispy.
Weekly home and garden column, with tips on how to update your patio, how to choose the right broker and more.
There is no “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to vacuum cleaners, according to Randall Davis, owner of Braintree Vacuum Co. in Quincy, Mass. Upright vacuums are best for carpeting and canister-style vacuums are great for hardwood floors and getting under furniture.
Realtors give you the inside scoop on how you can make your home more appealing to buyers.
It seems to me that poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) has become a much bigger problem in my garden over the last several years. Scientists confirm that higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere tend to enhance the growth of many weedy plants, including poison ivy.
The August landscape can vary dramatically in appearance from year to year depending on the whim of Mother Nature. As the summer season progresses, many landscapes and perennial borders tend to be less colorful, weedy and overgrown no matter what Mother Nature offers in terms of moisture, temperature and sunlight, but a little clipping, snipping and pulling of weeds can dramatically improve the overall appearance of the garden in short order.
Sagitta the Arrow is one of the easier of the tiny, dim constellations to find in the summer evening sky. Another good one is right nearby, Delphinus the Dolphin. Some others are harder to see. Made up of faint stars, they include Scutum the Shield and Vulpecula the Fox- both our summer sky. At least they still exist on our star maps. Many others don’t.
However you go about it, removing the grime from your car’s exterior requires large amounts of water. So what’s the most eco-friendly way to get it clean?
One of the year’s most fascinating meteor showers will be visible over the entire United States on Thursday night through Friday morning, but don’t expect to see it where there’s light.
A guide to caring for hardwood floors, tips for choosing drapery hardware, a home-selling tip about appraisals, and more.
Trees seem to fall in storms randomly, an “act of God.” Not true. If you know the causes, you might prevent thousands of dollars in damage.
Recent storms frightened my 6-year-old grandson and got him asking questions about tornadoes and safety. My response told me it was time for a refresher course in disaster preparedness for all of us.
In the waning hours of a nearly perfect summer weekend, I settled into a comfortable chair on my deck to soak in the sights and sounds of the early evening, as the veil of darkness slowly descended over my gardens.
Easy entertaining tips, how to save water in the bathroom, advice on transforming your carport into an outdoor entertainment area, and more.
The bright yellow and red marigolds surrounding the happy gold Buddha at the steps of Hien Mach's home hold special meaning.
