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According to the National Fire Protection Association, Christmas trees are involved in a very small percentage (one tenth of one percent) of home fires. Christmas trees will not spontaneously combust, and are not likely to be the first item ignited in a residential fire. Yet there are Christmas tree safety tips to keep in mind as you are decorating this holiday season.

Inspect all wiring before using new and used holiday decorations. Christmas tree lights can become frayed and worn over time. Check out all connections, and make sure they are in working order before placing them around your home or tree.

Do not overload an electrical outlet. Instead, move decorations so you can use them in different locations, or use extension cords to control the amount of energy being used in each outlet.

Keep trees a safe distance from space heaters, fireplaces and wood stoves. The greenery from both live and artificial trees can become flammable if they get too hot.

Keep live trees well watered. Healthy trees are rarely a problem – dry and neglected trees can be.

Never allow candles, lighters or matches near trees and other decorations. Boxes, bows and wrapping paper are all high flammable, and can easily catch fire if it gets too near an open flame.

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So you’re thinking of remodeling? Is it possible to get a remodeling estimate as you start planning to know how much to budget for?

Remodeling estimates are difficult because every job is personal in nature, and can change based on a variety of things.

Your personal style
Your requirements
Your current home’s layout
Your flexibility on design details
Problems incurred along the way

While it’s hard to provide exact estimates upfront without getting into the project itself, it is possible to get a ballpark figure. By speaking with a reputable remodeling contractor, you should be able to gain a pretty good idea of what your remodel should cost, and he should be able to give you an idea of where cost estimates will most likely change.

No matter how big or small your project requirements are, start by getting bids from several reputable companies. This will allow you to compare different ways of estimating, and compare costs and services. From there, narrow down your decision to 2 or 3 contractors that you feel would work well. Ask for referrals, and do a little research on them. Find out how long they’ve been in the business, and what others have to say about their work. Finding someone who has proven themselves in the past is the best indication of providing you with the results you are looking for.

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While no one is ever prepared for an emergency, it’s nice to know there are emergency restoration services available for you, and that are prepared for any type of disaster. 

Here in Colorado, we’ve been helping clients for over 40 years recover from a variety of emergencies, big and small. We know it’s not the size of the problem that matters. It’s the ability to recover quickly and restore your life to normal as quickly as possible.

Fire
From a small grease fire on the stove that gets out of hand, to a complete loss of a mountain home, we’re here to help restore your home to its original condition. Not only can you sustain damage from the fire itself, but also from the smoke and water used to control the fire. Smoke and fire can seep through walls and floorboards, and penetrate other areas of your home, so it’s important to do a complete search of all possible problems before you begin restoration.

Flood
It doesn’t take a lot of water to sustain water damage. A broken pipe left over night can do quite a bit of damage in your basement. It’s important to find the cause, and follow the damage throughout your home, cleaning up and repairing along the way. It’s also important to watch for other signs of flood damage, such as mold.

Mold
Mold can start out as a tiny problem, and quickly multiply into a major health concern. If you’ve sustained any type of water damage, it’s important to check all affected areas for mold growth as well. Not only is it important to clean the area of all mold residues, but also find and eliminate the source. Mold feeds on water, and can quickly reappear if you don’t eliminate it.

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Here are 7 home repair improvement projects that will add to the comfort of your home.

1. Little things can have a big impact. Consider restructuring your entryway, or making it easier to move in the kitchen by moving an island.

2. Turn little problems into something new. If your bathroom is old and full of mildew, it might be time to find the source of the water problem, and redesign your bathroom into a functional, beautiful space.

3. Incorporate universal design into the most used areas of your home. Simple things like walk in bathtubs and flexible counter space will allow you to stay comfortably in your home after surgery, or for aging in place.

4. Give your basement an uplift, and give yourself more usable space. Create flex rooms that you can change out for the different needs of your growing, and changing family.

5. Redo problem areas. If your basement floods at least once a year, incorporate corrections to the flooding problem into your redesign. There are fixes for virtually every problem; you just have to work with the right contractor to find the source of the problem.

6. Be flexible with design and the details. We all have likes and dislikes. But instead of going into a redesign with specific ideas, be more flexible. Ask your contractor for tips on saving costs in certain areas to get exactly what you want in others.

7. Some improvements are necessary because of innate problems with your homes structure. A good contractor will also be able to advise you of problems that may be covered under warranties, or through homeowners insurance.

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1.Be conscious of the tree you select for the home. Artificial trees should be labeled fire resistant, and live trees should be fresh and green with needles hard to pull off.

2. Unplug Christmas lights around the house and on the tree before leaving the home or going to bed. Never leave Christmas lights unattended for long periods of time as they can short out and factor in to home fires.

3. Check the safety of all lights, even if they are new. Lights should have no frayed wires or broken sockets. When hanging lights, make sure you follow manufacturers guidelines and use indoor and outdoor lights appropriately.

4. Use only non-combustible or flame resistant decorations.

5. Never leave lighted candles unattended. Don’t place candles on or near the tree, and make sure wrapping paper, bags, ribbon and bows all stay a good distance away from an open flame.

6. Keep greenery, boughs, paper and holiday stockings away before lighting any fire in the fireplace. Don’t burn wrapping paper or other combustible materials that can easily fall out and cause damage to the surrounding area.

7. Monitor drains for backups and overflow. With more people and more food being prepared and eaten, it’s also a time for more backups to the kitchen drain. Backups can cause water problems, which can lead to unexpected flooding and mold problems.

8. Monitor all cooking and baking. Grease fires can start and spread quickly. Always stay near food while its being cooked.

9. Leave your home semi-warm if you’re going away for the holidays. Sudden cold spells can quickly develop in Colorado, causing pipes to freeze. The last thing you want to do is return from your vacation and find your basement flooded.

10. Monitor space heaters. Space heaters are great for taking the chill out of a room. But monitor them and turn them off when you leave. Also keep them a safe distance from anything combustible, including drapes, papers and furniture.

Living with a disability means many things to many people. For some, it’s getting around the home in a wheelchair. For others, it may be living with arthritis, and having increasingly difficult times doing common everyday chores like open up doors.

Here are 5 things you can do to make your home more accessible to your family member with a disability.

1. Start by looking realistically at what is possible. Is your family member facing a temporary setback, or is it a permanent condition that may even worsen over time? If it falls into the latter category, plan for the future too before making any changes to your home.

2. Work with a design and contracting company that has experience with disabilities. They will be able to provide you more options, and give you more advice on things that would be beneficial for your loved one.

3. Learn all of your options, and scale down based on budget. If you know all your options ahead of time, some things can be purchased in stages, and built to work together with other things already in place.

4. Spend more time working on rooms where your loved one will spend more time. If he or she loves cooking, and has always spent an hour or more every day cooking and baking, spend more time and money making this room accessible. Counters can be raised or lowered depending on needs. Space can be built throughout the kitchen for movement and turning in a wheelchair.

5. Make the entire home accessible in some manner. A home theater in the basement is great; but if your loved one can’t get to it and share in the fun, it will become more of a threat than entertainment. Have a way for every common room to be accessible by all.

While more people are focusing on using universal design when making changes to their homes, it doesn’t mean sacrificing looks in order for convenience. Your home doesn’t have to have a hospital appearance in order to be more efficient as you age.

Instead, it means finding tasteful items that are dual purpose: they work well and look nice in your home toady before you need it, and will work well into the future as your needs change .

1. Instead of a standard bathroom sink and vanity, consider a wall mount sink. By attaching to the wall, it eliminates the space under the sink, making it more accessible by wheelchair, or for bringing in a bench or chair for sitting by.

2. Walk in tubs are growing in popularity, but there are other choices. Place a tub on a platform with stairs to put it at a higher, easier height for entering. Or consider putting in a recessed tub that places the tub at floor level.

3. Open up your home to window light. Larger windows let in more light, and help eliminate extra steps looking for light switches. You can also use skylights, glass blocks and stained glass to transform even more wall space into a light source.

4. Create a complete living area on one floor. Especially in the Colorado area, we’re more apt to find multi story homes, which make aging in place more difficult. Even with a multi level home, its important to make one level of your home with full accessibility to everything, including bedroom, kitchen and bathroom.

5. Think of technology now and for the future. From floodlights outside, to control panels for easy access to all mechanics in the home, make it easy to control home access in one location, and with a flip of a switch.

When you buy a home, it’s hard to find one that meets all of your needs now, and will continue to meet them well into the future. However if you decide to buy a home as you near retirement, and are looking for things that can help you remain in your home, or age in place, for as long as possible, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Mobility
No one likes to think of a time when they can’t move around freely without help. But as a general rule, the older you get, the greater your probability of needing assistance.

Look at the way a home is designed through the eyes of a person in need of a cane, walker or wheelchair. Are the doors wide enough for a wheelchair? Are the hallways wide enough for you and the possibility of some help?

Also give some thought to the type of flooring. Tiling can be slippery and be easier to fall on. Thick carpet can also be a deterrent to moving freely in a wheelchair or using a walker.

Balance and Standing
The two areas prone to problems are the bathroom and the kitchen. As people age, they begin dealing with more physical issues that take away equilibrium, and muscle strength. A home built for aging in place allows changes to accommodate both of these issues.

Counters and shelves should be high enough for a wheelchair to roll under, or be movable and flexible for adjusting. Grab bars should be available, with sufficient space for movement and possibly a caregiver.

Also place benches or chairs in each room to ensure a person can sit while working at regular tasks.

Vision
Reduced eyesight can also play into a large part of a person’s limited balance as they age. Make sure your home has adequate lighting throughout, highlighting walkways and in traditionally dark spaces like under kitchen cabinets.

Also make sure there are clear transitions from one room to the next, especially when changing the flooring.

[Before you remodel or buy a new home, talk with a remodel professional trained in aging in place techniques. They can give you ideas on design, and help you make your home more accessible now and into the future.]

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