Keeping your kid safe at home
What to think about when your kids are home alone.
Kids Walking Home from School
Know your child’s route to and from school or the bus stop. Remind them to never take shortcuts, as that can get them lost or make it hard for you to find them during an emergency.
Walk with your child along his or her route for the first couple of trips. Point out safe areas to cross the road – if you haven’t already, now is the perfect time to instill the value of crosswalks – and potential hazards, like uneven surfaces in the sidewalk.
Provide your child with a key to the house, but don’t label it with any identifiable information, such as your address or a label that reads "House Key." If they lose it, you don’t want a stranger to show up.
Keep all doors and windows locked, and warn your children to never open the door for anyone.
Post emergency contact information in prominent places. Make sure your children know how to get in touch with you, your spouse and a trusted third party, such as a neighbor or grandparent.
Advise your children to either not answer the telephone, or to simply tell the caller that their parent is busy or can’t come to the phone. Children should never tell callers that their parents aren’t home.
Teach your child who they can run to for help if they’re ever approached by a stranger that makes them feel uncomfortable.
Ways to help know when your kids arrive home safe: Best GPS tracker for kids
App that will help keep track of locations that can be put on phone and paid monthly: Life360
Kids Home Safety
Will they be cooking and if so, have you made sure they know how to properly operate the cooking devices?
Microwaves may be the safest option but we do see a lot of microwave fires so make sure they know not to put metals in the microwave and making sure their time is set properly is always a good practice
Do you have emergency contacts posted in your home or neighbors’ information in the event of an emergency?
We will have a form you can print out under our tips and tricks section of our website arrowserviceteam.com
Do they know what to do in the event of a small fire or has this been discussed?
Our best advice would be to make sure your child knows how to operate a fire extinguisher and have one readily available – of course if it is something out of there hands it is best to get out safely and call 911
How to deal with an overflowing toilet or any uncontrollable water source
Showing your child where the water shutoffs are for sinks, toilets is a good practice
Have you checked your smoke alarms to make sure they are operating properly?
Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old
Checking your Smoke Detectors
How to Test Smoke Alarms : Home Safety
Free Downloadable Emergency Contact List Below
What to do if you think you have mold in your home.
Have you ever had that moment of wow what is that smell? A musty odor seems to be in one particular room or portion of your house but where is it coming from? You mark it up to well maybe the window was left open or we’ve had a lot of rain lately that’s probably what I smell. Well that smell may be the start of something bigger. It is always a good practice to dig a little deeper if you smell or see mold. There are many homeowners that call us and say well I never go down there or I haven’t opened that closet in years. Those areas are great breeding grounds for the mold, dark cool spaces. The unfortunate thing with mold is insurance companies have very strict guidelines to not cover most mold claims. As homeowners we know the potential for an unseen leak is there with multiple water sources throughout our homes. One small pinhole or faulty drain can be the start of mold. We are in our homes 70% of our lives so its good to make sure that the air you are breathing is of good quality.
What is Mold?
Mold is a fungi that can grow on plants, wood, fabric, soil, food, drywall, floors and ceilings. Mold needs an organic material in order to grow accompanied by the right environmental conditions. There are many different types of mold that can occur inside and outside. Mold produces spores which are spread by floating in the air. Mold can affect the quality of air and structure in your home if not removed of properly.
Things to look for when determining if you have mold in your home.
Visually identifying mold
- Stains or speckled areas on walls, ceilings, floors, or furniture
- Water condensation or frost on inside walls
- Musty or earthy smell in the building
- Water leaks that cause water to pool on floors, drip from pipes, or stain surfaces like drywall or cement
- Mold that looks like it is spreading or comes back after cleaning
Symptoms of a mold allergy
If you are smelling or seeing possible mold accompanied by the below you may want to get someone into your home to take a look sooner than later.
- Sneezing and/or coughing
- Sore itchy throught
- Iritated itchy skin
- Red water eyes
- Difficulty breathing
What Causes Mold to Grow?
There are many areas that mold can grow with the right light and tempuratures. The mold needs a source to begin to form so any recent water damage or moisture could be the soucrce. If a wet area is not properly dried out it can cause mold to start growing within 24 hours.
Conditions that increase mold growth
- Water or excessive moisture speeds up mold growth
- Mold does not need sunlight to grow, only needs a spore and the right temperature.
- Damp dark spaces
Top 10 areas mold is found
- HVAC
- Duct Work
- Terminal Units
- Carpet
- Ceiling Tiles
- Cavity Walls
- Drywall
- Masonry Surfaces
- Attics
- Paper
How to remove mold
- Put on personal protective equipment (gloves, mask)
- Remove any wet or potetially wet items within 24 to 48 hours these items need to be taken out of the house.
- Air it out by opening doors and setting up fans
- Clean area with water and detergent - make sure to dry it right away
- Make sure all mold is gone and area is dry before painting or caulking
What to do if you are still not sure if you have mold in your home or if you want to tackle it yourself?
If you are still not sure if it is mold or if you don’t want to tackle it yourself you can reach out to a local mold remediation company. Sometimes it is possible to send photos to a mold specialist and they may be able to determine if it is mold or not. Most companies that offer this service will come to your residence as well to assess the area affected for a minimal fee. It is always a good idea to make sure any company you look for to do mold removal is certified with the IICRC.
If you would like more help with a current mold issue you are experience you can contact our office by phone #701-223-9249 or email us at admin@arrowserviceteam.com
