Thoughts From Kaufman Homes

As a follow up to our article at the beginning of December 2011 on, preventing and minimizing fires in your home I thought it would be good to include a very important article on wood burning in your home.  With the increasing natural gas and fuel oil heating costs, many homeowners are turning to wood burning stoves to keep their home warm. Beware, that while you are saving money, you may increase your risk of a home fire.

I personally had an experience at my home a few years ago with a small fire that could have been disastrous. A candle up on a pedestal was not extinguished before going to bed and the candle in the glass container burned to just liquid and broke the glass spilling the hot candle fluid on top of the table cloth starting a big fire.  Luckily our fire alarm worked very quickly and let us know where the fire was.  I grabbed the fire extinguisher in the bedroom and ran out with the flames shooting to the ceiling.  I snuffed the fire out quickly by covering it with a nice tablecloth (cheaper than a new home) my backup was the extinguisher. The only damage we had was a little suet on the ceiling.  My dry natural Christmas tree was only a few feet away from the fire.  This was a very good lesson to put out all candles, make sure the natural Christmas tree is kept moist and last but not least we have for the most part changed to battery operated candles.

Below is a list of items that I feel are really important and hope you find this useful.

It is always wonderful when we can learn from the knowledge of others gathered from experiences. One thing I have learned, from being in business for many years, is that somewhere someone has already figured out something we want to know and are usually willing to share. Add to this list and pass on to others!

1. Wax paper is endlessly useful. Use it: To catch grated cheese, to place under seasoned flour for breading or spices for blackening, to tear into strips to slip under a cake you are icing, to cover a dish you are microwaving.
2. If you store your best silver in self-sealing plastic bags, it will tarnish much more slowly.
3. Never use disinfectants to clean the fridge, foods will pick up taste and odor.
4. Freezers run more efficiently when they're three-quarters or more full. When provisions drop, fill milk cartons or jugs with water and put them in the freezer to take up empty space.
5. For a fresh smelling fridge, keep a box of baking soda, a can filled with charcoal or dried coffee grounds or a cotton ball soaked in vanilla extract inside of it.
6. Drain de-clogger: 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup vinegar. Pour baking soda down drain first then follow with the vinegar. Close drain and let sit until bubbling has stopped then follow with a bucket of hot boiling water.
7. Refrigerate candles for several hours before lighting; it will cause fewer drips.
8. Have you ever peeled garlic or handled it and your hands smell to high heaven? The next time that happens, take any stainless steel bowl, pan or other stainless steel kitchen gadget and rub your hands on it. It will take away the smell of garlic.
9. Mice hate the scent of peppermint extract. Simply sprinkle *pure* peppermint extract on the items in your garage you don't want the mice in or on.
10. Spread some ground cinnamon where you think the ants are coming in to the house.
11. Minimize bacon shrinkage by running bacon under water before frying. This reduces shrinkage by about 50%
12. Always season your food while you are cooking. The seasonings work while the food is cooking and will not be the same if you add it at the table. And, always salt your meat before cooking will not become tough-It will bring out the juice and flavors.
13. Have Wooden Floors?
    Tired of your rocking chair making marks on those shiny floors? Glue some felt weather stripping underneath the rockers! Should stop some of the creaking, too!
14. Don’t forget to remove the emergency starting batteries in your gas fireplace to prevent corrosion of the battery case.  Batteries should only be re-installed when in an emergency you need to light the fireplace.
15. Always have a multi-purpose fire extinguisher accessible on each floor and especially in the bedrooms.Make sure the light bulbs in all your fixtures are the correct wattage.  Excess wattage over the recommendation may cause overheating of fixture.  When buying light bulbs buy 130 volt bulbs instead of the standard 120 volt because they will last much longer.
16. Have readily available the phone #’s of a plumber, electrician, heating contractor, and a roofer.
17. Review your fire escape plan with your family.
18. Test to See if You Have a Leaky Toilet 
    1. Add food coloring to the toilet tank (not the toilet bowl) Do not flush for 30 minutes. If the water in the toilet bowl changes color, you have a leaking toilet.
19. Unstuck sticky windows by opening them and rubbing wax or spraying silicone into the tracks on both sides. Move the window up and down several times to work the wax or silicone lubricant into the frame.
20. Protect all your electrical appliances from power surges and lightning by installing a whole house surge protector to be done by a licensed electrical contractor.
21. Replace all extension cords that have become brittle, worn or damaged.
22. Inspect and clean dust from the covers of your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.  Excess dust or insects on the inside may cause a false alarm.
23. The average life span for household appliances:
    • Central Air Conditioner 15 Years
    • Room Air Conditioner 12 year
    • Clothes Dryer 18 years
    • Washing Machine 13 years
    • Dishwasher 12 years
    • Refrigerator 20 years
    • Upright Freezer 20 years
    • Kitchen Stove 18 Years
    • Water Heater 13 years

If you have additional household living tips we would appreciate if you could This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it them to Kaufman Homes!

As baby boomer aging has become more real, Kaufman Homes has become more aware of what should be done to make a custom home a place to age comfortably. Whether your goal is to build a custom home or remodel an existing home, we can enable you to live out the rest of your years without having to seek suitable accommodations.  We also know that even if you are young now you will get older, you develop physical problems which may limit mobility or friends and family may come to your home and have mobility issues.

Single story homes have always been easier to age in place, but at least if you have a two story make sure there is a master bedroom on the main floor.  Consider a home without steps, no sunken living areas; tri-levels are an issue, keep driveways to a minimum of grade for ease of driving up and ease of walking not to mention ice.

Don’t be moved by age. According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), older homeowners overwhelmingly prefer to age-in-place, meaning to live at home safely, independently and comfortably.

We get various questions from homeowners regarding the maintenance of their granite countertops. Granite is perceived to be durable and maintenance free, and in most cases that applies to most stone counters, but not all granite is the same. Although granite is extremely hard, some of the minerals in it may be very soft, depending on the type of granite.  The type of finish may affect how often the countertop should be cleaned and sealed. A polished finish is more desirable in the kitchen because it is easier to keep clean. Other finishes, such as, honed, flamed, sand blasted and brushed are available but will require more attention to the maintenance of the countertop. Knowing how and when to clean and seal your granite countertops will ensure they will maintain their beauty well beyond the life of your home.

The easiest way to keep your stone looking great is to avoid bad habits that may damage it. Granite, marble, travertine, limestone, soapstone, quartz and solid surface are similar in many ways, but their differences require varying degrees of maintenance.