Every homeowner should set up an emergency plan for their household. This plan should include a list of emergency shutoffs and other important items in the house to familiarize your household with in the case of an unexpected situation.

You may need to find an expert to help locate, repair or maintain some of these shutoff valves and switches. It will help to locate these items in an emergency if you take the time now to tag them. Take a tour with family members explaining what these items do and how to operate the controls.
Here is a list of some items to tag:

• Main electrical disconnect
• Water main valve
• Water heater shutoff
• Natural gas main
• Local gas valves
• Air conditioning disconnect
• Furnace and air conditioning main switch
• Emergency release for garage door
• Fire extinguishers
• Emergency toolbox

The above is a basic list. For more detailed information, contact your local utilities, police and fire departments.

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Home Air Purifier

Air impurity is caused by two general pollutants: particulates and gases. Smoke, dust mites, insect parts and pollen fall into the particulate category. Gaseous pollutants include gases released as a result of combustion, such as nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.

There are several ways to clean your home’s air of its potential pollutants:

Air filter solutions trap particles as air passes through the filters.

Activated carbon air filters are used to eliminate gases and odors from the air.

Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) systems use UV light to kill gaseous pollutants.

Air ionizers remove particles from the air by releasing negative ions, which change the polarity of airborne particulates.

It’s not possible to control the air quality outdoors; controlling it indoors is another matter. An air purifier is available for nearly every indoor pollutant, and is a common sense decision for homeowners to help ensure a healthy air environment.

For more information on air purifiers, go to Bob Vila.

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