Holiday Home Safety Tips

It’s a jolly time of year for most, filled with upbeat spirits, laughter, and celebrations. While we endure the hustle and bustle of shopping, wrapping gifts, cooking, baking, and preparing for the upcoming festivities, it’s important not to overlook safety. Read on to learn some common safety hazards that are often overlooked.    

 

·         Never leave cooking unattended. The most common cause of cooking fires is from the stovetop or fryer. Be sure to observe small children in the kitchen and remove any clutter near the cooktop that may ignite other flames. Clean built-up grease from the cooking area, including the hood vents.

 

·         Don’t leave lit candles unattended. December is the peak month for candle fires, and holiday decorations like festive greenery and wrapped presents increase the combustible hazards. Be sure to use sturdy candle holders on clear and steady surfaces. Do not allow candles to burn all the way down, especially if they are within a glass jar, as they can explode when the glass gets too hot.

 

• Prepare for bad weather. Keep salt and snow shovels nearby to clear walkways as needed. Ensure that gutters are free of debris and ice dams to prevent water damage. If you own a generator, ensure it is in good working order and NEVER use it indoors or near an open window, as carbon monoxide fumes are incredibly toxic. Running generators should be at least 20 feet from the home, windows, or garage, and the exhaust must be pointed away from the home. 

 

·         Keep your chimney clean. If you have a fireplace or a wood-burning stove, it’s imperative to clean the chimney at least once a year. Creosote is the buildup of residue in chimneys and contributes to 25% of heating-related fires. Be sure to soak hot ashes and store them in a metal container until there are no embers. Also, keep objects at least three feet away from heat sources, including space heaters, which cause 43% of home heating fires. 

 

·         Don’t overload your electrical wires. Be sure to follow instructions on lighting equipment and your surge protector. Use clips, not nails, to secure lights and prevent damage to cords that can spark fires. Christmas tree fires often occur due to inaccurate electrical distribution. Keep them watered, away from heat sources, and get rid of them shortly after the season, as dry trees become extremely flammable.

 

·         Check your smoke detectors at least once per month, and replace the batteries every six months, even if they still hold a charge. The detector itself should be replaced every ten years. An easy reminder is during the fallback and spring-forward time changes, or at the end of the year and mid-year.

 

Happy Holidays from JFC Remodeling! Stay safe and call us if you’re in the market for some home remodeling.

 

JFC Remodeling is committed to providing top-quality home reconstruction services to clients throughout Livingston County. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, our licensed contractors create unique, individualized, and polished renovations. Whether the site requires improvement, repair, or is a new construction, you can trust our experts to deliver remarkable results. Call or email us to learn more.

 

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Price of Lumber Plummets

Since the onset of the global Covid-19 pandemic, lumber prices have been tumultuous. As the world came to a screeching halt, wood prices collapsed. However, home sales and remodels skyrocketed by summer, as did lumber prices. From supply chain issues to labor shortages, lumber has been bundled with a hefty price tag these past few years.

The Wall Street Journal reported lumber prices are at their lowest level in over two years, down over 70 percent from the peak price only six months ago. The demand for lumber has lowered due to a decrease in home sales and housing starts, which are down 13 percent from their decade-high peak in April.

Back to where the price was before the pandemic, the collapse of lumber prices is viewed by some as an indicator of a sharp slowdown in construction and a decrease in inflation. 

Michael Goodman, director of Melville, NY-based lumber wholesaler Sherwood Lumber Corporation, said, “All of the urgency over the past two years - ‘give me everything you can’ - that’s basically over. Lumberyards are not scared of the price going up.”

As the housing and remodeling market boomed in 2021, supply-chain disruptions caused lumber prices to soar to a record of roughly $1,700 per 1K board feet. 

The government recently delivered a crimp on inflation, a 75-bps rate increase, which has also affected the price of lumber. 

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said, “We’ve had a time of a red-hot housing market all over the country. The deceleration in housing prices that we’re seeing should help bring prices more in line with rents and other housing-market fundamentals, and that’s a good thing. For the longer term, what we need is supply and demand to get better aligned, so that housing prices go up at a reasonable level, at a reasonable pace, and people can afford houses again. So, we probably in the housing market have to go through a correction to get back to that place.”

JFC Remodeling is committed to providing top-quality home reconstruction services to clients throughout Livingston County. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, our licensed contractors create unique, individualized, and polished renovations. Whether the site requires an improvement, repair, or is a new construction, you can trust our experts to deliver remarkable results. Call or email us to learn more.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/