Carbon Monoxide - The Silent Killer

Carbon monoxide is odourless, colourless and deadly. It is the most common cause of fatal poisoning in Britain today. Pregnant women, children and people with heart conditions are particularly at risk, but CO can be lethal to anyone. This silent killer is produced by the incomplete combustion of the fossil fuels most of us use on a daily basis. Amongst these fuels are natural gas, lpg, oil and wood. Any appliance which burns these fuels could be at risk if not properly maintained. There have even been cases of fatalities caused by barbeques.

Often, symptoms associated with carbon monoxide poisoning are mistaken for those of other illnesses, such as influenza. Common indications are headache, nausea, chest pains, erratic behaviour, vomiting, dizziness and general weakness. These vary depending on a number of factors, including the duration of exposure to the gas, age and general health.

The best way to combat carbon monoxide poisoning is prevent it from happening in the first place. Have your appliances regularly checked and if you see any tell-tale signs, such as soot formation, yellow flames in gas fired appliances or increased condensation on windows, call a qualified engineer.

Don't forget, it's not only natural gas which could produce CO. Any fossil fuel could, so be aware. Carbon monoxide detectors are reasonably cheap, readily available and could save the life of you and your family, but please make sure that you have read the instructions that come with the alarm and that you check the batteries; it's no good having a CO alarm in the room if the batteries are dead. Check in the instruction book or ask advice from your engineer as to where to position the device.

Before you buy a CO alarm, ensure that it carries a European or British mark.
Always ensure that the room in which the appliance is situated is sufficiently well ventilated for that appliance; your engineer can help you with this. Never, ever, ever block air bricks, grilles or any other form of ventilation unless you are one hundred per cent sure that it is not serving an appliance. If you are having a new appliance installed, make sure that the engineer is competent. In the case of gas appliances, you can do this by checking the 'Gas Safe' register. Every 'Gas Safe' engineer carries an identification card; check it.

If the alarm sounds on your CO detector, rather than settling down by the fire in the armchair with the instruction book, take it outside to read it. Don't forget to take your family and pets with you. If you suspect there is carbon monoxide in the atmosphere, turn off the appliances, open all doors and windows and call an engineer. If any of your family members are showing symptoms of CO poisoning, seek medical help.

It makes good sense to have your appliances checked on a regular basis. Your engineer will, where possible, carry out an analysis of the flue gases leaving the appliance. He/she will also advise you on ventilation and other safety issues regarding the installation. When you consider the cost of an evening out compared with a boiler service, it just seems incomprehensible that there are still many people who don't have their central heating boiler and other appliances checked at least annually.

When you have your boiler serviced, ask the engineer to take a look at any other gas appliances you may have, especially gas fires.

To sum up, the old maxim 'better safe than sorry' has never seemed more appropriate than in the case of carbon monoxide poisoning. It is preventable.

 

By Alan Liptrot
 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7714131

Thinking of Buying Used Bunk Beds for Kids? - Watch Out For Bed Bugs

Maybe you saw an ad on the newspaper recently, or online, showing pictures of a nice set that looked expensive and well-made. The price appeared to be really low too. What a great deal!
"Used bunk beds for sale - $90.00 only. Mattresses and covers are included."
And you are thinking that all you have to do really is wash the bed clothing and, as best as you can, sanitize the mattresses. And the set-up is probably is going to be very easy as well.
Be careful here. One week later, your kids could be complaining of getting bites while they are sleeping - red, nasty-looking bites that appear to occur in rows along the arms and legs. This is a typical pattern of bed bug feeding. Yes, it is a revolting thought. And, yes, I have been a victim of these bugs.
Speaking from experience, then, - I have had two invasions in my home - you probably are in danger of bringing bed bugs into your home.

Please reconsider this purchase.
Scenario 2: You have already purchased infected used bunk beds for kids.
Your kids are complaining of mysterious nocturnal bites which are, more than likely, due to bed bugs
If you see them, they will look like apple seeds with many tiny legs. However, you will rarely see them as they can hide deep within the corners of the mattresses, the bed posts, electrical outlets and other hard-to-get-at places.
And they hate well-lit areas, hence their night-time activity.
It gets worse. They resist vacuuming as their eggs, hundreds of them, produce a sticky chemical which enables them to adhere to different types of surfaces.
And, by the way, simply washing the clothes and vacuuming will just temporarily curtail their advancement.

So what can you do to get rid of them? Based on my own successful experience, here are some tips.
Bunk Beds Infected With Bed Bugs - 5 Tips for getting rid of them

1. Take the entire bed apart - screws, nuts, bolts, brackets - and vacuum each bed component and the surrounding area of the bedroom. When finished, go outdoors to remove the vacuum bag, directly into a plastic bag.

2. Wash and swab each hardware component and all the wood with 70% alcohol.

3. Wash all the bed clothing and place it in the dryer, on high, for at least 30 minutes. Alternatively, you could always place them in plastic bags outdoors, under a really hot sun, for a few days

4. Either throw out the mattresses (and bed-clothes?) or else get new mattress covers that are especially designed to prevent bed bugs from creeping in or out. These are breathable and very effective. Caution: Don't purchase the cheap ones as they might tear.
(Note: Slash the mattresses of the used bunk beds with a knife to make them unusable for anyone else who might be tempted to pick them up from the curb)

5. Use Diatomaceous Earth. This is a cheap flour-like natural substance that bed bugs hate as it breaks open their skin when they come in contact with it. Sprinkle this into the joints and corners of the bed and over the bed boards before replacing the mattress again.
Sprinkle a layer of the powder around the base of each leg of the bed (they can climb, but not jump or fly).

Conclusion:
Don't expect the bites to stop immediately. You may get the odd bite even after all this work. Their numbers, though, will have greatly decreased with the initial treatment, and when they come after your kids at night, they will have to cross the toxic barrier created by the Diatomaceous earth.
This is the plan and it worked for me.
My own preference would be to buy new beds instead of used bunk beds as this would totally eliminate the risk of infestation.

Richard Barrett is a freelance writer living in Toronto.
Richard has an interest in consumers' product reviews. You can visit his bunk beds reviews website (below) for more information to help you choose the right bunk bed.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7698796

Spice Up Your Marriage

Marriage is an institution you will never graduate from, because you learn new things everyday. Sometimes in our wish to have a 'dream marriage', we go into marriage with high hopes, set unrealistic goals and expectations for our partners, when they do not meet our demands, there bound to be problems. Mostly, we think that a partner is at fault, we don't see our own fault.
For a happy union, the following tips are necessary:

1. Don't Set Unrealistic Goals for Your Spouse.
 Have it in mind that human beings are imperfect and do not think your partner will meet up with all your expectations in the marriage. In fact, when it comes to marriage, love is the foundation and it covers everything. Although it's not enough for marriage, friendship and trust must be part of it so that the union will stand the test of time. When you have this at the back of your mind, by the time you notice some flaws from your partner, you will not be so much disappointed because you already know that such things must surely come up. This keeps the marriage going.

2. Always Think of What Your Contribution will be in that Marriage.
 If you really love your spouse you will only think of contributing to his or her progress in life; how he is going to be a better person and how to make your marriage a mini heaven instead of what you will gain from the marriage. Personal sacrifice is what keeps a marriage strong.

3. See Disagreements as Strengthening Strategies:
Let me tell you something, couples fight almost everyday. At least in a week, they must have one or two things to disagree on. It is natural. Conflicts between couples are not negative by nature. It is just the fundamental experience of differences between husband and wife. Because couples experience conflict doesn't mean they don't love each other.
Dealing with differences in opinions, interests, and desires and so on is normal in every relationship. The bottom-line is that couples must handle these differences maturely. So, couples must work hand in hand to deal with their differences instead of working away from each other. If conflicts are handled maturely, it will strengthen a marriage. So, ask yourself this question: "Am I ready to strengthen my marriage?

4. Establish Good Communication Network.
 There is no way marriage can be successful without good communication. It is the life wire of every union. Communication is 95 per cent in every successful marriage. For this reason, couples must really work hard at good communication in their relationship.
For healthy communication, never discuss anything of importance when you are angry, upset or feeling tensed. Only discuss with your spouse when you are in a relaxed mood. There must be room to talk together, don't be too busy not to talk to your spouse. Husband, if you don't hear your wife, she will go outside to purge her mind, so you must let her talk to you. Carry your wife along in anything you do and do not discharge her suggestions without regard. Make her feel important.

5. Don't Kill Your Partner With Too Many Demands.
Don't make him or her carry one hundred percent of expenses at home. Share your money with your spouse because you are now one. Spouses must discuss financial situations together. Don't let your partner feel he or she doesn't have a grip. Talk together of your income, how much can you help me with? Once a man feels he is the only one shouldering financial responsibilities, it will lead to resentment.

Sharing is a team work. If there is resentment, remember the reason you are married to the person, Ephesians 5:2: "Live a life filled with love for others, after the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away our sins. And God was pleased because that sacrifice was like a sweet perfume to him".

6. Humble Yourselves Before Each Other.
 Work with your partner in wisdom so that your prayer will be answered. If you take care of your partner, you have taken care of yourself. Give your woman audience and hear her out. When you stay in isolation, you will do odd things.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7714136

Safety On The Road - Taking Special Care Of The Little Ones

Road safety is a topic that people have discussed since the invention of motor vehicles, however it seems like people hear what is being said, but they never implement the lessons when they eventually get inside their cars.

It is shocking to realize that millions of people die each year owing to preventable vehicle accidents, and the numbers do not show any significant drop in recent years, where the safety campaigns have really intensified. The real change begins with you, and every individual needs to realize this, since most of the accidents recorded around the world end up in casualties.
When it comes to taking care of children while on the road, a few basic practices are sure to prove very useful, however, they will only be effective when implemented.

1. Being a good example
Children always like to imitate what their parents or guardians do, and this can be a good thing or a bad thing. When an adult makes it a priority to always wear his or her seat belt, then the children will grow up following this example, but if the opposite is the case, then they will only consider seat belts to be a vehicle accessory, which is useful only once in a blue moon. Children who have grown to the height or age of wearing the seatbelt must always ride with it.

2. Car seats for the younger ones
It is not practical for a toddler or an infant to wear a seat belt, and for these special members of the family, sitting on the baby car seat is the best way to secure them in the vehicle. These seats are just the right size for small children, and these are fastened on to the vehicle seat and in the case of an accident, these seats will hold the child and prevent him or her from getting hurt.

3. The qualities of a good car seat
When you are in the market for a baby car seat or even prams, it is important to buy an affordable product, meaning that it ought not to be too expensive to leave you in debt, or too cheap because cheap is expensive. Get a good quality product that will fit your budget.
In addition to fitting your budget, it is important that the seat fits in the vehicle perfectly, in a way that it does not move about when in the vehicle and it ought not to be too big to fit in the vehicle as well.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7709074

Top Job From Home

The option to work from home has never been more needed than it is today and due to the recent recession, many families are feeling the need to find extra work to supplement their already stretched incomes. Also due to the recession, many people are finding the need to work beyond the age of 65, the usual age for retirement. Here is a list of five actual work-at-home jobs that ensure good hourly wages and exciting job growth prospects:

A virtual assistant (VA) provides professional administrative, technical, creative and social assistance to clients from a home office. The benefit to an employer for having a VA is that they are not responsible for any employee-related taxes, insurance and benefits. They are only responsible for paying a salary or hourly rate. The profession of VA's is one that is growing, especially in centralized economies. Virtual Assistants usually have background in business and are home based, but working under the management of the company. Often time's the company will offer training and internet connection. A VA can also be called an online administrative assistant or online personal assistant.

A medical transcriptionist will type up the spoken word of a patient's care or information into a written and easy to read format. This transcription is most often from the patient's doctor and requires correct spelling of all medial terms and words and also correcting any misused medical terminology or errors. Medical transcriptionists must print these documents and return them in a timely manner.
Training to become a medical transcriptionist requires a certificate of training and passing a certification examination. However, once working as a medical transcriptionist, the hours are flexible and the job offers a competitive salary.
In order to be a translator and work from home, it is necessary to be proficient in at least one other language. Working as a translator will entail language translation from audio files or documents.

Many of these companies are not looking for a word for word translation, but for the translator to have the ability to translate the document with the cultural differences in mind. Many of the companies that hire translators allow the individual the ability to work from home. Working from home as a translator is one of the top paid professions out of all the stay at home job.

A web designer and developer will build and plan the entire website for individuals, businesses or organizations and it's a job that can be done from the comfort of one's own home! Web designers will also provide design, creative direction for all the web pages while also making sure to satisfy the needs and functions of the employer. In order to work from home as a web developer or designer, a background in computer programming and coding will be necessary. Working as a web developer from home is a career that is in high demand.

In order to work as an independent call center representative, a working phone and internet connection will be needed. This job will entail communicating with potential clients and current customers about assignments, information and at times conducting telephone interviews. Working as a call center representative will require attention to detail and record keeping in keeping track of billable hours.

Work from home jobs

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7794301