Using Home Generators? Here's How To Stay Safe.

I want you to be safe. We don't need any death's that could be easily prevented.  Watch the video.


Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, poisonous gas. It kills, more than 400 people die in their homes each year.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is especially common during periods of power outage. This is because homeowners throughout New York fire up their personal home power generators.

Home generators are a leading cause of poisoning by carbon monoxide and, in this 4-minute from NBC's The Today Show, you'll learn about home generators, how they operate, and the safety measures everyone homeowner should undertake.

A few basic home generator safety rules, as described in the interview, include :

• Never modify a generator or its engine
• Keep a 10-foot distance between the generator and your home
• Always point the generator's exhaust away from your home

Furthermore, make sure your home has an ample supply of carbon monoxide detectors, and that they're operational.

One of the video's highlights is a clever illustration employing a vase of water and a dash of red dye. The demonstration shows just how few carbon monoxide particles are required to cause injury and/or death to a person in your household.

Therefore, if you own a home generator, take 4 minutes and watch this video. Safety first is paramount to your health.

Stay safe during these cold winter months.

Till next time

The New York Real Estate Nurse

Using Space Heaters? Use This Safety Advice.

Safety advice you want? Safety advice you will get. Don't use them, their dangerous.  Space Heaters can kill.

The NYC Borough's are dense with people, basement apartments and attic apartments, you name it, they are packed.

Space heaters are popular among homeowners in the  populated area of the NYC Boroughs because, as portable appliances, they can heat a small space quickly and inexpensively. It requires less energy to run a space heater than to raise the temperature of an entire home by a few degrees.

However, space heaters can be dangerous, too.

In its November 2011 report, the National Fire Protection Association reveals that heating equipment was involved in an estimated 58,900 home structure fires, 480 civilian deaths, 1,520 civilian injuries and more than $1.1 billion in damage.

Space heaters caused a disproportionate percentage of the accidents :

• 79% of all home heating-related civilian deaths 
• 66% of all home heating-related civilian injuries 
• 52% of all home heating-related property damage

If you use space heaters, therefore, please remember to read (and follow) the manufacturer's instructions for proper usage, and to obey basic safety standards.

First, never place anything flammable within three feet of a space heater. Space heaters get very hot, very quickly and can ignite rugs, paper and curtains.

Next, make sure your space heater is placed on the floor, on level ground. Do not rest it on books, or on furniture.

Also, make sure to turn space heaters off when leaving a room, or when going to bed. Space heaters are not meant to replace whole-home heating and should not be left unattended under any circumstance.

The Underwriters Laboratory makes a list of general safety tips available on its website. Considering how much damage space heaters can cause, the list is worth committing to memory.

This is good nursing advice.

Till next time

The New York Real Estate Nurse

How To Change Your Doorbell

DING DONG, DING DONG.  COME ON, ANSWER THE DOOR. NOBODY HOME?
It is frustrating when the door bell isn't working. So replace it, its time.

When we move into a home, we make changes. Appliances get replaced, rooms get painted, and floors get refinished or recarpeted. Its part of how we make a home "ours".

One item we tend to skip, though, is the changing of the doorbell. In most  homes in Queens NY, the existing doorbell is "good enough".

Well, if you've ever had a mind to change your home's hard-wired doorbell system, the good news is that changing your doorbell is a simple, do-it-yourself project. Whether you want chimes, songs, or the traditional ding-dong, all you need is a screwdriver, some tape, and the new doorbell system.

This 2-minute video from Lowe's maps it out :

1. Cut the power to your doorbell from your circuit breaker
2. Unscrew the doorbell face plate
3. Replace the face plate with your new doorbell
4. Locate your in-home receiver and remove the chime system
5. Replace the chime system with your new system

The video also includes helpful tips such as how to use tape to prevent "losing" wires in your walls, and how to label your wires for faster re-wiring.

Changing a doorbell is a quick, 1-hour project. Use the video's guidance to make you don't miss a step.

Life is easy, don't call someone to repair something you can do yourself. Enough said. Go fix that doorbell.

Till next time

The New York Real Estate Nurse

How To Clean Your Home Gutters

With the change of season, it's a good time to make sure your home's gutter system is clean and well-functioning.

Home gutters serve a specific purpose. By capturing and funneling rainwater away from a home "footprint" water damage to walls, windows and roofing can be minimized. A well-functioning gutter system can keep a home's basement from flooding, and a foundation safe from long-term structural damage.
Damaged or dirty gutters can lead to major home damage that may not be covered by insurance.

For homeowners in th New York City area, keeping clean gutters is essential. Luckily, with the right tools, gutter maintenance can be a do-it-yourself job.

First, gather the necessary tools. You'll need a ladder for climbing; a bucket for holding debris; a hose for flushing your gutters; and a small, scooping tool such as a trowel.
Next, carefully climb to your gutter. Using your hands, scoop large debris and place it in the bucket. Use the trowel to get to hard-to-reach places and for removing sticks and leaves. For safety, do not stretch to reach the next section of gutter.

After clearing the first gutter portion, step down from the ladder, move it to the next section of gutter, and repeat. Do this until all gutter sections are free from debris.

Next, find a garden hose with a spray attachment. Carry the hose up the ladder with you to the highest point of your gutter system -- usually opposite the downspout. With the water supply on, spray water into the gutter to flush the remaining debris.

If the water fails to drain, there's likely a clog in the downspout. Using a screwdriver, separate the downspout, find the clog, and remove it. Or, if you find standing water, adjust the slope of your gutter by removing the gutter hangers, fixing the slope, and re-attaching the hangers.

A gutter system should slope roughly one-quarter inch for every 10 feet of gutter.

Gutter maintenance is a twice a year task that you can do yourself. However, if you're uncomfortable on a ladder, or prefer to hire professionals, that's okay, too. As with everything in home maintenance, it's safety first.

Maintain your home and save money.

Till next time

The New York Real Estate Nurse