February 2021 – Healthy Flat

Garage Security: 5 tips to make your garage safer

In the garage, we deposit our whole world. We protect gardening and DIY equipment, cars and two-wheeled vehicles. However, according to statistics, it is not among the safest in the house. A professional thief can break into the overhead door or the shutter in a few steps. Plus, it has darkness in its favor. It can act undisturbed without attracting the attention of prying eyes. The most common break-ins focus on locks in particular. A cut and a small forcing give free access to the box. So here are the tips on how to make your garage safer.

Winter STORM Hits Texas, Tips For Preparing For A Winter Weather Emergency

Four million peoples already lost electricity across the south during the winter weather emergency. According to CNN WEATHER, about 78 million Americans are still under a winter storm threat. Many people are still fighting to survive in their own homes. Meanwhile, freezing temperatures continue to burst pipe across the state flooding people’s homes.

The crisis is worse than the previous storms. The heating system doesn’t work without electricity. People who don’t have installed backup power generators are dying to stay warm. Hence, 38 people died nationwide from frigid conditions in the last few days.

Tips To Preparing For A Winter Weather Emergency

So you got to get ready, therefore you need to do a lot of things for preparing for a winter weather emergency.

Weather-Proof Your Home

Firstly, You have to find out all the gaps in your home and you must apply weather striping on those gaps. If your home is new however often has cracks around the windows and doors. Therefore you have to apply weather stripping around your windows and doors. Cover the windows with plastic from the inside. How to detect leaks?

Turn off the ac unit.
Close windows and doors.
Turn on bath fans and stove vents.
Check for leaks using incense.
Caulk the leaks.

Cut Away The Tree Branches

If you have big branches trees around your home, it could fall on your home during the winter storm. It can damage your roof consequently and this can be a big risk for the life of your family. So you should cut away the closest branches.

Food And Water Backup

If your power goes out however the water pump won’t work. Make sure you have some fresh water stored up in clean containers if the electricity goes out. Store at least five days’ worth of water in your underground basement. If possible make sure you store enough food at least for one week. You will never regret having it in your store. This is like insurance, if you store enough food you can help your poor neighbor.

Best Power Generator For Home Electricity Backup

What are your heat sources? But what happens if the electricity went out like the Texas situation. You need a backup to run your heating system or to pump water. Consequently, this is really a life-saving decision to install a standby generator. Read more about the best power generator for your home.

Create An Kit In Your Car For Preparing For A Winter Weather Emergency

It is important to have some type of kit in your car for an emergency situation when you are traveling or stuck in the middle of a storm. According to the centers for disease control and prevention (CDC), there is a suggested list of kits you must keep in your car. Consequently, if you’re stuck in your car, you will need this specific list…

You must have a few extra batteries and a power bank for your mobile phones.
Most importantly, the essential one is winter apparel to stay warm such as towels, extra coats, and blankets.
You must keep a battery-operated flashlight for an emergency situation. So that you don’t have to use your cell phone battery for light.
Keep some dry foods, water, and protein bars for preparing for a winter weather emergency.
Emergency flares for the rescue situation.
Keep a can and a waterproof lighter to survive. Firstly a Can can be used for melting ice. Secondly, you need a lighter to heat the can and to light up the flare.
Always keep some cash for this kind of pandemic because ATM will be disabled if the power goes out.
A first aid kit is basic and the most important essential for preparing for a winter weather emergency.

Best Power Generator For Your Home 2021

Buying the best power generator is the cheapest insurance you can get to protect against power failure in your home.

A quiet running home generator system is a big advantage for enjoying life. What is the point? A loud generator disturbs your neighbor. Need help choosing the best home generator system? In this article, I am going to write about some best power generators.

Best Whole Home Generator

GENERAC 10KW GUARDIAN SERIES HOME STANDBY GENERATOR- MODEL 712– This generator combines all the benefits of automatic operation with beneath of a feature people love about Generac guardian series and the price is really worthy.

It includes automatic backup for a central circuit up to 10kw. This model is lightweight and installation is very easy. You can install it eighteen inches away from your home wall. This is a perfect generator for powering sensitive appliances and electronics.

It can be controlled from any mobile device with an internet connection. In conclusion, apps are available free for IOS and ANDROID from the app store.

Best Budget Standby House Generator

GENERAC 7.5KW POWERPACT SERIES AIR HOME STANDBY GENERATOR, MODEL 6998 – If you are looking for the best power generator on a good budget, investing in this best power generator will bring you peace of mind.

There are two aspects to discuss this generator. Firstly this standby home generator protects your home appliance’s central circuit automatically. Secondly, If you are staying away from home, you can generate it through the app.

Best Quite Home Generator System

CUMMINS 13KW QUICKCONNECT SERIES STANDBY GENERATOR, MODEL RS13A – This standby system is a great and reliable solution for power supply after a big storm or climate crisis power disconnection. Most importantly it is a real automatic system. Above all, you can control this generator through monitors, smart devices, and from the monitor of the generator.

Moreover, this generator is quiet and peaceful when it runs. Above all, it doesn’t disturb your neighbor.

Best Power Generator For Small Homes

BRIGGS AND STRATTON 10KW AUTOMATIC HOME STANDBY GENERATOR, MODEL 040375. Firstly this power generator is suitable for tiny houses or for those who are living in small houses. Secondly, this system is portable and affordable. Above all, This home generator can be an impressive investment in protecting your family and home during a power crisis.

Best Power Generator For Large Homes

BRIGGS AND STRATTON 17KW HOUSE GENERATORS, MODEL 00630- If you own a large home importantly, you will need a generator with a large capacity. This is a large and reliable generator of 17kw above all, it can produce power of whole home requires. Importantly, you can run the fridge and freezer with the lights on as well.

Generator Safety

Using a generator indoors can kill you in a minute. Because the generator exhaust contains carbon monoxide. Moreover, this is the ghost poison you cannot see or smell. Therefore never use a generator inside your home or garage. Most importantly, never starts or stop your generator with the electrical devices still plugged in. after starting your generator let the engine stabilize and warm up for a few minutes before plugging in any electrical devices.

Most importantly, make sure you read the operating manual and safety precautions from the manufacturer manual. READ MORE ABOUT HOW PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS WORK IN SOLAR PANELS

How To Build DIY Chicken Coop Plan

After this pandemic, building your own DIY chicken coop is like reinvesting in your health insurance again. To avoid food crisis during the pandemic, this is really important to have your own firm for food production. Having chicken in your coop is entertainment. You can just sit, and watching them. They are very cool and kids love them too.

How To Build DIY Chicken Coop Plan.

I think the first question is, where are you going Yu to get your chickens from?

You can order them from online hatcheries or you can go yourself to pick them from hatcheries. Also, you can find a local breeder and collect your chicken from them.

The Mini Backyard Chicken Coop Design

You can build a small chicken coop in your garden or backyard. It can be for feet wide, six and a half feet deep, and five feet tall. You can walk in on this chicken coop design. It is not heavy so that it can be moved easily from one place to another place. Six to seven chickens can live in this chicken coop design. It has to be bigger if anyone wants to keep more chickens in their chicken coop.

How To Build DIY Chicken Coop Run?

If you want to make sure your chicken safety you must have to build a safe roaming area. You must have an upgrade fence around your chicken coop. So that predators like a hawk, wild cats, or wild dogs can’t eat your chicken.

Build Chicken Coop Automatic Door

You have to cope and uncope your chicken every morning and every evening. If you stuck somewhere far from your chicken coop or forget a chicken cope automatic door device can make sure chickens routine.

Build Chicken Cope Automatic Watering System

There are a few different chicken coop automatic systems. The most important one is an automatic watering system. It built from PVC and poultry nipples. The system can also collect rainwater during the rainy season and you don’t have to fill water. The chicken loves eating from the food tubes. There are some big automatic tubes you can use to feed your chicken.

Mistake In Plan For Chicken Coop

The major mistake coops owner do when they have to choose the right breed according to the regional climate. Some owners just select a certain breed for their beauty. You have to consider climate and do your research before building your chicken coop plan.

Best Chicken Breed Ideas For DIY Chicken Coop Plan

Golden Comet- Generally starts laying at a younger age. This particular breed lays 250 brown eggs per year.
Australop- It has numerous advantages. This breed has a good laying capacity of about 20 brown-colored eggs every year. They begin laying eggs when they are 22 weeks old.
Rhode Island Red- If you build a small chicken house, this breed can adapt to any climate and produce over 250 brown eggs per year.
Lohman Brown Classic- Most popular breed in the world. They can lay 300 large brown eggs every year.
Ameraucana- They are famous for laying multicolored eggs. At the age of 25 weeks, you can expect about 250 eggs from them per year.
White Leghorn- You have to keep them well-fed, hydrated, and warm. They can produce 280 white eggs per year. This is a productive chicken for a productive chicken coop plan.

In this covid19 situation, poultry farming and gardening will be the best way to use your time. If you like this article, check out how to grow plants in your small garden…

How To Clean And Disinfect Your Home From Coronavirus

Disinfecting every surface of our home has never been on our minds. It becomes the frontline defense to keep us safe from the covid19. What scientists are exactly shown yet that coronavirus can survive on the surfaces for several days. So keeping high touch surfaces clean and disinfect daily is very important.

Note– Use disposable gloves that are dedicated to cleaning and disinfecting the virus.

Cleaning doesn’t disinfect, disinfecting doesn’t clean.

There is a difference between clean and disinfect that a lot of times people don’t understand. Cleaning is just the aspect of cleaning up the major dist and dirt. Cleaners are used to improve appearances. They are not effective at killing bacteria or viruses.

Disinfecting is the removal of infector diseases such as agents, bacterias, and viruses down to the acceptable level.

How To Use And Make Disinfact Spray?

Fortunately, covid19 is an easy virus to deactivate. Many of the household cleaner and disinfectant from the store will be affected against covid 19. Importantly use the EPA list of approved cleaners and disinfectants from the store.

While using bleach you should be cautious about safety. Read the warning and the instructions from the body of the bottle. Then follow the steps…

Make sure windows and doors are open.
Wear protective gloves and a safe shirt.
Wear safety goggles to keep your eyes safe.
Get a spray bottle.
Use two tablespoons of bleach for four cups of water. And fill the spray bottle.
To clean the dishes use one tablespoon of bleach in one-gallon water.

IMPORTANT– Never mix bleach with other cleaners. It can be dangerous for the kid and pregnant woman.

How To Clean And Disinfect Furniture And Floor?

Before you can disinfect you must clean the area to be disinfected. To clean the furniture you can use a microfiber towel. Spray the cleaning disinfectant and clean every possible surface of furniture. It’s very important that the surface you are disinfecting is absolutely clean. To apply the disinfectants you can use the cleaning towel and must apply the disinfectant over the clean area very wet. Let it dry for ten minutes to kill the viruses and bacteria.

Follow the orders…

Clean the area before disinfecting.
Apply the disinfectant wet.
Dwell for ten minutes.
Wipe off disinfectant residue.

Note– This method can be used for cleaning and disinfecting the floor also.

Focus On Cleaning and Disinfecting The Most Frequently Touched Surface Of Your Home…

For examples-

Tables.
Door Knobs.
Light Switches.
Handles.
Desk.
Toilets.
Closet Sink.
Electronics- When it comes to electronics, research suggests that viruses can last a long time on this type of surface most used surfaces like a keyboard or phone. Research from Princeton University says that viruses can be longer on electronics than two or three days. To disinfect electronics items safely you have to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
For soft surfaces such as carpeted floors, rugs, and regs. First, wipe off any specks of dirt or contaminants. Wash them in the laundry. If possible use warm water.

The most important topic, Wash your hands frequently…

It is so important not only to reduce your chances of getting infected but it’s important to reduce your infection spread to others. A lot of people escape washing their hands because they think it’s not that important. Most people don’t wash their hands correctly, let’s see how it works properly…

Turn the water sink on.
Rinse your hands.
Apply liquids or soap.
Rub your hands for 20 seconds
Clean all the parts of the hands, back of the hands, fingers, fingertips, thumb, and wrists.
Rinse your hands again and dry with a paper towel.
Use the paper towel to turn off the sink.

You may also like to read: How to deal with a smelly sink

Garden Design Ideas For Small Gardens

Everyone should know that all trees are nature’s best. They do more good than bad to the environment. Gardening has become an addiction to me since I saw my grandma’s garden. My garden saved me during the Covid19 situation. Not directly but possibly! More importantly, it has saved me from being going insane during the Coronavirus lockdown. My savings was finished during the pandemic but I was staying safe, growing my foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap pea, and more. It helps me to know more about garden design ideas.

After the negative atmosphere, people are now understanding the importance of growing their food. There was a problem at the beginning that is my place wasn’t big, It was tiny. Maybe you also have the same space problem.

Garden Design Ideas For Small Gardens

You can create your garden paradise even in a tiny space. Gardening can happen on the rooftop, backyard even on your tiny balcony. There are some smart ways to grow plants such as growing in raised beds, clay pots, plastic containers.

Enjoy The Skyline From Your Balcony Garden On A Rainy Day Or Falling Afternoon.

When it comes to setting up a balcony garden design ideas, there are some aspects to dig in. The important thing is decoration and the gardening materials such as seeds, soil, and pot. To decorate your garden pots must be unique. You can buy ceramic pots, bamboo hanger, or low budgeted plastic bottles. Money plants will give you a nice roof on the bamboo hangers. For the wall metal stands are beautiful. It is slightly expensive and it’s available on amazon. You can grow cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and any delicate plants. It can turn your balcony green heaven. Just place a chair, sitting with a guitar or book, or being productive.

Garden Designing In A Functional Way In The Backyard or Rooftop.…

You can build a nice elevated raised bed garden in your small backyard or on the rooftop. Growing in a raised bed there are lots of benefits, such as you can control the soil, fertilizer, and weeds. An elevated raised bed for a plant can be made by using concrete or wood or steel. A concrete block garden is easy to build and inexpensive. It fits in your space. The raised bed makes your garden productive but also attractive.

It can be built higher from the ground so that sometimes you can sit on the side, meanwhile feeling the green view and the winds. This is the cheapest design to build a lifetime garden.

Confusion Between Clay Pots and Plastic Containers…

You can use containers in your small garden. There are three things you need to focus on when it comes to container gardening. The first thing is that containers must be food-grade plastic. So plant will be safe to grow foods. The most important one is that you must have drain holes on the bottom of your bucket because the root of the plants need oxygen. The third thing is the color of your container. Neutral colors are perfect for containers.

I Know What’s going on in your mind… “What Is Wrong With Clay Pots?”

There are no major issues in growing your plant on a clay pot. Even in some regions growing in clay pots would be nice. But they absorb some water and the root of the plant sucks it back out of the clay pot. And clay pots are very heavy to move. They crack easily while moving them.

Create A Perfect And Calm Hideaway Right In Your Own Garden…

After a very stressful time or work, if you have your hideaway in your own garden. How cool and relaxing will that be? Sometimes we all need a place to sit alone for avoiding the chaos. It doesn’t take much except to place a wooden chair and enjoy sitting under a beautiful weeping tree. From the surroundings of your small garden, you can hear the birds and feel the winds also all those things that really make sitting outside fun.

Look Around Your Small Garden, Find A Place.

If you plant a Japanese maple tree in your garden. This tree will make your small paradise more attractive and astonishing. I can promise that feeling because now I am writing underneath a pretty Japanese maple. If you are satisfied with these garden design ideas, You should prepare your garden for winter.

Jobs at Home to Get us Through Lockdown

Although we are all in lockdown right now and the weather is cold and a bit depressing there are plenty of things that we can get on with to keep busy. As we look forward to brighter and better days in the near future, here are a few things that you can get on with to look after your home and keep you busy whilst we wait for better times…

Get the Garden Ready for Spring – Although it may not seem like it, spring is just around the corner – the snowdrops are out and heralding the oncoming warmer season, so it is a good time to get the garden ready. Have a look at things that may need repairing after the wild winter weather such as fences and plant some seeds and bulbs ready for the springtime.

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Have a Wardrobe De-Clutter – Organising your wardrobe will make your morning routine quicker and easier as you won’t be rummaging through piles of clothes that you don’t wear. You can sell or recycle old clothes that you no longer have any use for, and you can always reward yourself with some new clothes that you have had your eye on like this Superdry menswear https://www.ejmenswear.com/men/superdry once you have finished your clear out.

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Sort out the Garage – This is a job that nobody likes but you can free up so much space if you spend a couple of days having a good garage clear out. You may even be able to make some money having a garage sale of things that you no longer use!

How to remove gum from clothes

Caring for clothes by washing them properly and treating them in the best possible way is essential to remain in good condition for as long as possible. Sometimes, it is very difficult to be safe from stains that affect the fabric of the garments, as is the case with chewing gum. The adhesion of gum remains to the clothing fabric is a great setback since many people try to remove it without success or damage the affected area of the garment. Therefore, it is important to know the best methods and products to eliminate them.

If you want to discover how to remove gum from pants or another garment, or if you wonder how to remove gum from clothes, keep reading.

How to remove gum from clothes?

Acetone

Acetone is a good product to remove gum from black clothes, without fear of fading and white or light garments. To know how to properly remove gum from clothes with acetone, follow these steps:

Remove as much chewing gum as possible with your hands and with the help of a scraper or plastic so that only very sticky remains or stains remain.
Spray or soak the area of the garment affected by the gum with acetone. Use a sponge or cloth to apply the liquid well.
Wait a few minutes for the gum and clothes to be well impregnated with acetone, and then rub the stained area with the sponge.
Scrape off the gum stain with a knife, scraper, or plastic, such as a card you no longer use. Do it gently so as not to damage the fabric of the garment.
Repeat the process if you see that there is still a lot of gum left.
Finally, put the washing machine’s clothes and program the usual wash cycle to remove any remaining gum.
Other alternatives to this product are nail polish removers that contain acetone and pharmacy alcohol.

Ice

One of the solutions you can resort to if you want to remove gum from white or colored clothing is ice, as this does not affect the dye or the garments’ fibers. If you want to find out how to remove gum from clothes with ice, follow these instructions:

Put the gum-stained garment in a plastic bag. Place the garment with the gum facing up not to continue to stick to the garment itself.
Put the bag in the freezer. In this way, the garment is isolated and does not affect the food.
Within 2 to 3 hours, the gum will freeze. When it’s frozen, remove the bag from the freezer. You can also do it using ice, but it will take longer.
Take the garment out of the bag, separate the gum from the fabric with a spatula or knife, and be careful not to damage the fabric.
Add stain remover to the affected area once you have removed the gum and wash the garment as usual in the washing machine.

Hot

Do you want to discover how to remove gum from clothes with the iron? The heat from this appliance will help you achieve this in the following way:

Lay the garment out on the ironing board.
Place a cardboard or parchment paper over the spot stained by the bubble gum, making sure the gum sticks together.
Flip the garment so that the cardboard or paper is in contact with the ironing board and you can iron the garment directly and at medium heat.
The heat will loosen the glob of gum from the fabric, sticking it to the cardboard. You will have to lift the fabric to see if it peels off little by little.
Use a knife or scraper to remove more gum that is still hot from the fabric and when you cannot remove any more, wash the garment in the washing machine to finish removing the remains.

Boiling water

Another solution is to wonder how to remove gum from clothing with heat to use boiling water. Accomplish it by following this step by step to remove gum from clothes with boiling water :

Heat water in a pot until it starts to boil.
Put the garment in a bucket or bathtub with a stopper and pour the hot water on the gum stuck to the fabric.
Leave the garment submerged for a minute to allow the heat to penetrate the fibers of the fabric.
Remove the gum by scraping it off with a knife or scraper. Be careful not to burn yourself from the water and scrape gently not to destroy the garment’s fabric.
Spray the gum-stained area with stain remover and wash your clothes as you usually do in the washing machine.

Vinegar

Another useful tip is to learn how to remove gum from clothes quickly because you use vinegar for it. With these simple steps to use vinegar to remove gum from clothes, you will:

Heat vinegar (the amount of glass) in a pot or the microwave until it begins to boil.
Place the garment in a basin or bathtub.
When the vinegar boils, pour it over the gum.
Gently scrub the stained area with a brush to loosen the gum, and carefully use a knife or scraper if necessary.
Wash the garment in the washing machine regularly to remove any remains that may have stuck. If the garment dries, you still see the chewing gum stain, do not hesitate to repeat the process or use another of the mentioned methods to finish removing it.

Soap

Removing gum stains from clothes with soap is also possible.

Wet the fabric with water and cover the stained area with mild soap.
You will have to rub over the gum remnants with a toothbrush until they are completely detached from the garment.

The possible drawback of using soap is that you will need to scrub with great intensity and even brush. For this reason, it is not recommended for clothes made of delicate fabrics. So if your affected garment is delicate, use another method in which you do not have to rub or brush hard and make sure if your garment can be applied heat or not to know if some of the previous methods are suitable no.

Building your own Home -Why it Has Become More Popular

When it comes to finding a home, this is one of the most expensive and important purchases that you will probably ever make. The old saying location, location, location is still as important as ever and people looking for a new home often struggle to find the perfect home in the perfect area, often having to make compromises in order to live in place where they want to be.

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Living in a home that is great but in an area that is unsuitable for your needs can be a costly mistake and as people struggle to find the home they want in the area that is also right for them, more and more people are getting more creative with ways that will enable them to have a suitable home in their chosen area.

Building a home from scratch is becoming a lot more popular as since 2016 it has been a lot easier due to a change in government rules regarding the housing and planning act. Local councils must now make sure that available plots are in the area to meet demand for housing.

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Building a house is also a great way to have a say in the way that you want your home to be. You can prioritise exactly what you want in a home. Make sure that you do plenty of research – get quotes and consult planning maps like these https://www.themapshop.co.uk/planning_maps_online.htm before you dive into the decision, but it is certainly a great way for many people to meet their needs.