Preventing Falls on the Stairs

There are a lot of areas of the home that are dangerous or present a risk. Often this depends on your age group. For instance, a child might be at risk when playing around the stove, while an elderly individual is likely to be more at risk when using the stairs. Identifying and dealing with these issues is paramount to staying healthy and injury free.

Among seniors, a fall can be a very serious thing. It is often harder for an elderly individual to catch themselves before they fall. The recovery time for a senior is also a lot longer and the process can be quite difficult. Many times, due to osteoporosis, even a small low impact fall can result in a broken hip or fractured wrist, so it is far better to prevent them before they happen.

One of the most common places for a fall is the stairs and other areas that change elevation. Sometimes a home will have a step down into the living room or perhaps even into the kitchen, so making sure all of these types of areas are clearly marked is a good idea. Using a piece of brightly colored textured tape is a good idea. On the stairs, you should use the same color tape for all of the steps, with the exception of the first and last step. On the first and last step, you should use a color that sharply contrasts the tape on the inside steps. This way it is easy to quickly pick out the top and bottom step.

Some people also choose to install a stair lift, which is a medical lifting aid. These devices are used to help a person up the stairs and are great for those who find it painful or otherwise difficult to use the stairs. Many accidents are caused by a lack of balance, so those that are at all unsteady should consider using some sort of lifting aid.

One of the great things about a stair lift is that it can be installed to most straight staircases quickly and easily. There is rarely a need to modify the home, with the exception of securing the stair lift track to the staircase. A curved staircase is not quite as easy to outfit with a stair lift though.

It is also a good idea to remove loose carpets, especially around the stairs. A loose throw rug not only can slip, but even if the rug has a non-skid backing, the corner can become turned up, making it possible to trip over it. Instead, carpets should be tacked to the floor and remain firmly in place and otherwise removed.

Having adequate lighting can also be very important to prevent falls. For outdoor use, installing motion sensor lights can be a good idea. These lights come on if they detect motion, but they can also be turned on like regular lights, usually by turning them off and back on again in rapid succession. You can also adjust how sensitive the motion detector is, so make sure you adjust it to turn on as soon as you drive up or come outside. For inside, having good light is important in all areas of the home.

For a senior, it can be difficult to recover from a fall. It is a good idea to take steps to make your home as safe as possible.

Sean Noughtly is a writer that is familiar with many types of mobility aids, such as stair lifts. The stair lift is a very popular device that can make using the stairs possible again. Many who thought they would have to completely avoid the stairs, have found that they are able to independently and safely use the stairs with a stair lift.

AmeriGlide is one company that offers many types of lifting aids, such as stair lifts and also dumbwaiters. A dumbwaiter is like an elevator, but is not used to carry people. Instead it carries items throughout a home or other building. This can make using the stairs much safer, because it is no longer necessary to carry heavy objects up the stairs. Instead, it is possible to simply place them on the dumbwaiter and let it do all the work.

Universal Design

Few of us pay attention to how we get around in our home until for one reason or another it gets harder to navigate that home.I personally had not given much thought to the fact that my master bedroom was on the second floor until I had knee surgery and found that it was difficult climbing those 13 steps. Luckily for me that inconvenience was temporary and I worked around it with the help of my wife.

Baby boomers like myself are beginning to realize that we are not immortal or immune to the effects of time.Sooner or later we will need to either make or living spaces accessible for our friends, family or ourselves. As architects, we work with these issues every day.From designing a new home which is fully accessible to a library addition on the first floor which can be converted to a master suite or guest suite by closing a pocket door at the end of the hall.

Built in accessibility can be so subtle it is almost unnoticeable unless you are looking for it.Wider doors, spacious bathrooms, grade level entries and curb less showers are a few of the easy features to include in a home you plan to spend a lifetime in. We designed a home for an 89 year old client and his partner who were both avid gardeners and loved to cook.Although the 89 year old was in a wheelchair, he still wanted to get into and out of his house on his own as well be able to prepare meals and tend to his beautiful flower garden.He also did not want his home to scream handicapped accessible.We listened and designed the first floor of his home so he could work and move around without help. He could easily come and go while tending his garden or help cook a fine meal.He decided the second floor could be for guests.

Options have improved for making a home accessible from premade adjustable countertops to less expensive residential elevators, baby boomers have once again changed the way we look at living our lives at home.

http://www.crisparchitects.com/ James M. Crisp, AIA is an architect working in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Getting Started Remodeling Your Kitchen

Tired of dealing with a kitchen that is out of style? You may want to consider giving your kitchen a face lift.

If you are planning to remodel your kitchen, there are definitely many things to consider. After all, you want a beautiful and functional kitchen that won't totally break your bank account.

Not sure where to begin? Here are some tips that can help you get started with your kitchen remodel.

Figure Out Your Budget

The very first thing you need to do once you have decided that you want to remodel your kitchen is to sit down and figure out your budget.

There is no reason to start on the rest of the plans until you know how much money you have to spend. Figure out how much you can realistically spend on this project.

Once you know how much money you have available, then you can go about figuring out what things you'll be able to do with that amount of money.

Whether you have a lot of money or a limited budget, you'll still find that there are many great options for remodeling that will make your kitchen look great.

Look Online for Inspiration

Another important thing to do that will help you get your remodeling project going is to look online for inspiration.

Take a look at pictures and kitchen design ideas that are available on the web. There are many different websites that specialize in kitchen design and remodeling.

By taking the time to browse through, you may find some ideas that you want to use in your kitchen. If you need some inspiration and ideas for your own kitchen, the internet is one of the best tools to use.

Considering the Floor Plans

If you're doing a drastic kitchen remodel, you'll need to consider the floor plans. Perhaps you need to make better use of the space in the kitchen or you need to find more area for storage. Changing up the floor plans can help.

Take a look at various floor plans for kitchens. You may even want to have a professional architect or other remodeling professional come in and help you out.

If you already have an idea of what you want then you need to focus on drawing up plans that will make the most out of your space and that will provide you with the options and space for appliances that you want.

DIY or Professional Contractor

One important consideration you need to think about is whether or not this remodel is going to be a do it yourself project or whether you want to hire a professional contractor.

There are pros and cons to both options, but you'll need to figure this out before you get too far into the project. If you are experienced with other do it yourself projects and you have a limited budget, it can be a great idea to do the remodel yourself, as long as you know what you're doing, just be careful with the gas and electrics, you should seek professional help at this stage to ensure safety.

However, if you aren't familiar with remodeling techniques and you have the available money, choosing a professional contractor to do the work may be a great idea.

Yvonne Sutton runs a free information site on the many aspects of kitchen design.

Visit the site to gain valuable help on how to choose a new kitchen design.

Remodeling Off a Cliff

Recently people have been spending big money for remodeling and using "resale" as an excuse to spend outrageous amounts of money. But if you have to sell your house in today's market it could be a loser's game.

Many people are actually refinancing their homes to do the remodels and going into serious debt to pay for the work. They are essentially financing the remodel for significantly longer than most trendy improvements, i.e. granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

This leads us to our first rule.

1. If you have to refinance to pay for the work, you can't afford it.
2. Clean up. It's a lot of work, but worth the time. Clean, orderly homes always resale better.
3. Get rid of junk. When I have my houses for sale there is nothing sitting on the floor or impeding traffic flow even in the closets.
4. Remove wallpaper and put up soft neutral paint inside and out. Modern buyers do not like wallpaper.
5. Pay more attention to street appeal than interior decorating. Cute houses resell better and faster than other houses.

This last point...the one about street appeal...is the biggest one you need to have on your side if you need to resale fast. How your house looks from the street matters more than your interior. If buyers don't like the outside they won't even come in to see what you have done inside.

If you own a house that has no street appeal in a good neighborhood you might have a great chance to make money even in a slowing real estate market.

But how do you get street appeal?

It is tough. Just ask all the builders who are stuck with inventories of unsold homes. Street appeal is a moving target. Here are some strategies and recommendations.

1. Try to improve the landscaping pushing it out enough to frame the house rather than hiding it.
2. Make a nice wide path to the door.
3. Paint and use more than one color.
4. Make sure all colors work together including the roof.
5. Add some rock.
6. Frame out windows.
7. Stay true to the architecture of the house both inside and out.

You can no longer just throw a house up for sale and expect it to be easy. You have to work at it. Those first days the property is on the market can never be done over. Do your homework and don't put your house on the market until it is ready.

Clean it up, price it competitively and make it the cutest house on the block. Don't follow all the remodeling gurus along with the crowd right off a cliff.

Paula G Stone and George R (Ron) Stone have a note buying business. Their company buys mortgage notes as well as helps home sellers offer owner financing to sell their home fast and for top dollar while selling the private mortgage note at a simultaneous closing. Learn more about note buying and selling at Selling Mortgage

Contractor Selection

Consumer complaints about home improvement contractors now top the lists of all consumer complaints.

Some states regulate home improvement contractors, but many don't. Some states have strong consumer protection services. But, many state budgets these days can't offer much in the way of protecting consumers - especially after the damage has been done.

That's why it is so important to approach hiring a home improvement contractor in a way that will help prevent potential problems, rather than hiring haphazardly and hoping for the best.

Here are the top 5 steps you can take to help protect your interests when hiring:

1. Know your state's laws regarding contractor licensing and insurance.
2. Never hire a home improvement contractor without screening their reputations, years in business, licenses, and references, no matter where you heard about the company.
3. Never agree to pay more than a token deposit in advance for work.
4. Know exactly what should appear in a good contract, or have your contract reviewed prior to signing.
5. Never make final payment 'on substantial completion'. Hold at least 15% back for payment when the last punch list item has been completed.

The home improvement bug hits many homeowners hardest in the Fall of the year. It's a prime time to make improvements that will reduce energy bills during the winter months, for instance. You may have been waiting for summer to end to put on an addition. Or maybe you're preparing to spiff-up the exterior prior to selling. Whatever the motivation for making improvements, you will be probably dealing with one or more home improvement contractors. This is a good time to brush up on your homeowner-contractor skills. The ancient adage, 'Caveat emptor' (Let the buyer beware) is never more true than when making home improvements.

Richard J. Roll, Founder and President of the American Homeowners Association (AHA) has helped over 1 million homeowners in all 50 states save money on buying and maintaining their homes. For more tools, information and resources to help you maintain your home and instantaneously save money go to http://www.ahahome.com for a special offer from AHA.

Facts About Dampwood Termites

Termites that feed on wood are part of a group with three different types of termite species. The dampwood termites feed on damp wood, rotting wood or timber and any other wood that has moisture. Protecting yourself and your home or building requires a few simple steps, on of which is clearing your property of any wood with moisture, which will attract the dampwood termites.

The Pacific Coast area sees more dampwood termites then anywhere else. The states affected by this group of termites are Washington, California, Nevada, Oregon and Montana. Some less destructive dampwood termites also live in Florida and the southwestern part of the country.

Characteristics Of A Dampwood Termite

This group of termites has soldiers to protect the colony, workers to find food sources and the reproducers, a king and queen. The life stages of a termite are an egg, nymph and then the adult. The life cycle doe not include the pupal stage.

You notice more of a distinguishing difference between termite species with the adults rather than the younger termites. Dampwood termites are generally much larger than the other termites by about a half of an inch. With brownish-reddish heads with big mandibles, the worker dampwood termites are smaller than the soldiers are while the reproducers are an inch in length and they have wings.

Feeding Of The Dampwood Termites

These termites need no shelter as they travel from food source to the next. During the early infestation of the termite, you may not notice much activity, but as soon as the nest is set, they go to work and feed on the wood and moisture. These little pests hide while feeding on the wood in order to remain undetected.

Dampwood termites normally eat the wood from the inside out as they tunnel their way through the wood. These tunnel areas are smooth as if sandpaper was used to sand the surface.

Can You Avoid Dampwood Termites

If you no you have wood that contains a high moisture content you need to keep a watch on your wood areas to prevent heavy infestations of termites. If you have faucets that leak or any other areas of damp wood in the area, this will attract the dampwood termites. Clear up any areas that attract the termites to your area and then keep a close eye on you basement and other areas that may have wood with high moisture levels.

You can also find more information at Types Of Termites and American Termites. Termiteshelp.com is a comprehensive resource to know more about termites.

Barn Home Conversions

Although not a new method of building a home, barn conversions are becoming more and more popular these days. The problem facing most families wanting to convert a barn into a home is the lack of know how involved in it.

It's needless to say that there are many barns in various shapes and sizes all around. Many are in bad shape. Please don't make the mistake of buying one that is labeled a unique fixer upper opportunity. Don't fool yourself. If a barn has gotten into the shape where the boards are falling off the sides, unless you're buying it for parts, my suggestion is to leave it alone. By the time the boards start falling off, there's major flaws. The main trouble would probably be that the girts are rotting and the fasteners (nails) are turning loose.

When I built my home from an old centennial barn, there wasn't even a handful of books and reference websites available on the subject. And when I talked with contractors on the subject, the most common response I got was a blank stare. Fortunately I was able to talk to some barn builders that had been in the trade for decades and were willing to share ideas on how it could be done.

One of the most daunting tasks was to repair the weather damage and remove the layers of dirt that had accumulated over the years. My particular barn was used to shelter horses and a few milk cows.

There are two methods of converting a barn.

The first method is to use standard residential construction practices, essentially making the barn into a standard construction home. Nine times out of ten after this type of renovation takes place, the barn no longer looks like a barn but looks more like a stylized residence. And the cost with this method sometimes exceeds standard residential construction.

The second method and the one my wife and I chose to use, employed the same materials the barn was built with. I went to the local saw mill and bought rough sawed boards to make up the interior walls and floors. Even the doors and windows were hand built with this type of method. We just made sure the house was well insulated and all the cracks were closed. This method saved us thousands of dollars and kept the charm of the old barn intact.

Tim Davis is a veteran Architectural Designer who also teaches architecture and drafting over the internet http://houseplandrafting101.net He is currently in the process of writing an Ebook entitled "How to Turn a Barn into a Home". The info page for updates on this ebook can be found at http://draftingservice.us/barnhomes