possibly others have your same concern. Click the tab below and fill out the submission form. Posts to website in 24 hours.  Be sure to sign up for the FREE Neighborhood Newsletter to get updates like these emailed directly to you each month. |
-
KEEP YOUR BATHROOMS MILDEW-FREE
Mildew is a common problem in bathrooms. Not only is the smell unappealing, it looks unsightly and could turn potential home buyers off of a house. To make sure your bathroom stays fresh and clean, follow these simple tips to keep your bathroom mildew-free.
1. Always hang up wet towels and remember to close the shower curtain to allow it to dry.
2. If you have low-energy light bulbs, leave them on for 10 to 15 minutes after showering along with the exhaust fan to help water evaporate.
3. Don't leave dirty clothing in your laundry hamper for a long time and never put wet clothing in the hamper - allow it to dry first.
4. Open the windows in your house often to ensure your rooms remain well-ventilated, as fresh air and light circulation can reduce the amount of moisture in your home. Even if you don't want to open your window all the way, leave it open a crack as often as possible.
5. Spray tiles with vinegar regularly and make sure to mop up pools of water as quickly as you can.
6. If there is already a mildew problem, address it quickly. You can sometimes clean out mold in grout with bathroom cleaner, but mold on the walls or ceiling is more difficult. After you have cleaned the grout, tile and shower stalls, apply a small amount of liquid car wax to the bathroom and polish. You can also repaint the bathroom using mildew-proof paint.
APPRAISALS AND INSPECTIONS
Before purchasing a home, you must complete both a property appraisal and a property inspection. You will also need to do this when refinancing. Not only should buyers complete an appraisal for their own benefit to make sure they are getting the best deal possible on their new home, it is the only valuation report most banks will consider when deciding whether or not to lend the money.
Appraisers are certified, state-licensed professionals who have no personal stake in the worth of a property. Real estate agents who put a house on the market will often complete a Comparative Market Analysis, or CMA, before pricing the home, but this is not the same as a full appraisal, although experienced professionals' value estimates may come close to the appraisal. The lender may use their own appraiser, or if they let you select the appraiser, the appraisal may be subject to review.
Appraisals typically include details about the subject property and side-by-side comparisons of a few similar properties; an evaluation of market in your area, notes on issues the appraiser believes may negatively affect the property value or are serious flaws, and an estimate of the average sales time for the property.
There are two types of appraisals; the sales comparison approach, in which the appraiser determines a property's value by comparing it to similar properties, and the cost approach, in which the appraiser estimates how much it would cost to replace the structure. The second is more common for newer homes, while the former is more frequently used for older homes.
It is important to note that an appraisal is not a home inspection. An inspection is designed to find any problems that may prove costly for the owner of the property and involves testing appliances, heating and air conditioning, making sure the plumbing and wiring are up to code and other tasks. The appraisal will not check for these and thus cannot tell you whether many parts of the home are in good condition. -
As the days get colder the use of heating devices increases along with the effort to try to decrease household energy costs. It is important to know that most residential fires occur in the winter months, according to the Center for Disease Control. Here are some tips on how to prevent a fire within your home.
PREVENT FIRES CAUSED BY COOKING
1. Always stay in the kitchen while cooking.
2. Keep flammable objects at least three feet away from the range top.
3. While grilling always stay near it while cooking and keep the grill at least 10 feet from other objects.
PREVENT FIRES CAUSED BY CANDLES
1. Only light candles when there's an adult in the room at all times.
2. Use candle holders that are stable and made out of non-flammable materials.
3. Blow out candles when you leave the room.
PREVENT FIRES CAUSED BY GASOLINE
1. Keep fuel equipment in a well ventilated area. Gasoline vapors can build up without a good ventilation.
2. Store gasoline in an approved container only.
3. Only use gasoline for fuel, not a cleaner or a fire starter.
PREVENT FIRES CAUSED BY HEATING
1. Follow space heaters' instructions carefully and keep them at least three feet from things that can burn like cloth paper.
2. Turn space heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
3. Have a professional routinely inspect your furnace.
PREVENT FIRES CAUSED BY FIREPLACES
1. Keep things that can burn away from your fireplace.
2. Have your fireplace properly cleaned and maintained by a professional before the first use of the season.
3. Keep a glass or metal screen in front on your fireplace.
4. Place logs in rear of fireplace on a adequate supporting grate.
5. Never leave a fire unattended and extinguish a fire before leaving the house or going to bed.
** Make sure to always check your smoke detectors twice a year. For more information on fire safety tips and statistics visit www.cdc.gov. -
It seems that talk of 'going green' is everywhere these days, but not everyone is ready for major expenses like buying a hybrid vehicle or installing solar panels. Try out these inexpensive ways to make your lifestyle a little greener.
The production of paper from trees uses a great deal of energy and is one of the leading causes of water pollution. Finding ways to decrease the use of paper products in your home is an excellent way to help the environment. Try using micro fiber cloths instead of paper towels for clean up around the house. The thousands of fibers on these cloths do a great job of capturing dirt, and they are machine-washable so you can use them over and over. Another environmentally friendly option is using cloth napkins or bandanas instead of paper napkins. If you can't do without paper napkins, look for those made with recycled paper.
Another way to go green is by skipping the plastic or paper bags at your grocery store and bringing your own reusable bags. Billions of plastic bags end up in landfills or as litter. These plastic bags put toxins into our soil and water as they breakdown. Many grocery stores have inexpensive reusable bags for sale, or you can get something a little more stylish from a variety of online sources. Reusable bags aren't just for the grocery stores either, consider taking a cloth tote on your next shopping trip to the mall. - Prison BreadI am sending this as a concerned parent in hopes that you take the opportunity to investigate why this is happening.
The Airway Heights correctional facility is providing bread for all of the meals at the cafeterias in all of District 81 here in Spokane and for Central Valley School District.
Airway Heights Correctional Facility provides bread at a fee to Food Services of America (FSA). FSA then provides the products to the schools in our area. I am very concerned that we are supporting a correctional facility with our tax dollars then have to pay again at the schools for our students lunches at someone else's benefit.
I am very much in support of helping those in a facility to reform their lives. But I am not about to support a criminal who is making bread for our children. Who knows what might happen. I know other bread companies have bid on the opportunity to provide bread for the schools but are not able to compete with a facility that has no overhead and is subsidized by the people. This is unfair to the law abiding companies in our community.
For info on the bids look at Central Valley School District at this link http://www.cvsd.org/376-09-03-b_bakery_bid_2009-10_cooperative.asp
Please bring this to the forefront in our community.
