October Newsletter Real Estate Columbia Valley

Dear Reader,

I hope the fall season is off to a great start for you. As the weather cools down in many areas, we often find ourselves spending more time indoors. When we use our heaters, ovens, and light candles more often, the risk of a house fire increases. 

October is Fire Safety Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to review fire prevention strategies. In this month’s e-newsletter, we are featuring helpful reminders and tips to protect your home and real estate investment. Since over 90 percent of house fires are preventable, it is worth reviewing how protected your home is from a fire to ensure that you are doing everything you can to keep you, your loved ones, and your home safe.

Speaking of which, if you celebrate Halloween, don’t forget to blow out that candle in your jack-o’-lantern before calling it a night. And as always, if you are talking with friends or neighbours, perhaps during Halloween festivities, and come across anyone thinking of buying and selling a home, I’d be grateful if you passed along my name. Your referrals mean a lot and are greatly appreciated. 

Keeping Your Home Safe From a Fire

Fire Safety Awareness Month is a reminder to us all of everything we need to do around our homes to help prevent a tragedy from happening. Here are some reminders:

• Test your smoke detectors monthly, replace if they are expired, swap out batteries every spring and fall, ensure you have one on every floor and in every bedroom.
• Don’t leave cooking or burning candles unattended.
• Keep flammables away from heat, such as cooking oil.
• Keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen and ensure that members of your household know how to use it.
• Empty your dryer lint trap after every use and clean your dryer vent annually.
• Avoid plugging more than one appliance into each outlet (and make sure it's grounded).
• Don’t plug extension cords or power bars together; instead, plug them directly into a grounded outlet.
• Have heating systems, including chimneys, serviced and cleaned annually.
• Keep lighters and matches away from children.
• Keep potting soil moist, which can be highly flammable, especially when dry. Store it in a cool, dry place away from heat sources.
• Replace damaged electrical cords.

Even with all the preventative measures in place, tragedies can still happen, so it’s also important to have a fire escape plan in place and review it with members of your household twice a year. Keeping an escape ladder handy can also be a lifesaver if other exits are blocked by smoke or fire.

Spa-Inspired Bathrooms

The stresses of modern life can creep up quickly, and people are increasingly looking to spa-like bathrooms to seek refuge, as a recent Bath Trends report by the National Kitchen and Bath Association noted. In fact, 90 percent of the designers they surveyed believe that the primary bath will increasingly be viewed as a “personal sanctuary.”

Incorporating nature-inspired and therapeutic elements is the essence of spa-like bathrooms, such as a rain shower-head, which can recreate that calming, natural rainfall experience. To take it up another level, hang eucalyptus from your shower-head for an infusion of aromatherapy. As for tubs, Soaking tubs are becoming increasingly popular as they allow for longer, more comfortable relaxation, especially if you add aromatherapy oils.

Other spa-like bathroom features might include houseplants, natural wood, such as a wood ladder to hang plush towels on, or pebble flooring to enhance the connection to nature. Also, maximizing natural light, such as with a skylight, and using reflective surfaces, such as glass doors, mirrors, and glossy or polished tiles, can make your bathroom feel bigger. Layer lights with vanity task lighting for functionality, and a heat lamp to keep you warm after a shower.

To promote feelings of calm, a neutral or soft colour palette is best, as well as sufficient storage, such as medicine cabinets, and decorative bathroom decanters for soap to minimize clutter.

Simplified maintenance with products like self-cleaning toilets and large tiles with a pencil-thin grout means you can spend less time cleaning and more time relaxing!

Microwave Safety 101

Most kitchens today are equipped with a microwave, and for many kids, it’s the first appliance they learn to use to prepare food for themselves. As a kitchen staple, the trusty, convenient microwave may be something you don’t give much thought to, so it’s worth reviewing how to use it safely.

• Liquids can superheat without boiling visibly and suddenly erupt, causing scald burns — the most common microwave injury. Heat liquids in 30 to 60-second intervals and check the temperature. Use oven mitts when removing hot items.
• If the door doesn’t shut tightly, don’t use it.
• Remove food from non-microwave-safe packaging, like Styrofoam trays or some plastic containers, before heating to avoid chemical leaching.
• Never put metal, like foil or utensils, in the microwave, which can cause a fire or damage the microwave. 
• Sealed containers may explode. Instead, use microwave-safe plastic wrap (with holes for steam to escape) to prevent splattering, cook more evenly, and retain moisture.
• Plug directly into outlets.
• Make sure kids know that they should not turn on an empty microwave, which could start a fire or damage it.
• Open food slowly after heating, as the steam can cause burns.
• Clean the microwave regularly.
• If a fire starts inside the microwave, leave the door closed, turn it off, and unplug it.

It’s a good idea to review the manufacturer's instructions periodically and register the microwave to be notified of any recalls or safety notices.

Notable, Quotable, Quotes!

 “Care and diligence bring luck.”

Thomas Fuller

 “Be where you are; otherwise, you will miss your life.”

Buddha

 “Prepare and prevent, don’t repair and repent.”

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