If you find yourself having frequent sneezing fits, especially if they’re accompanied by watery eyes, a runny nose, or a cough, then it could be a sign of excessive allergens or pollutants in your home.
The inside of your nose is lined with a sensitive mucus membrane fed by lots of blood vessels. When this membrane is damaged and one of those blood vessels ruptures, this results in a nosebleed. Obvious causes are injury or trauma to the nose, but many people are unaware that home air quality and humidity levels can also play a major role in nosebleeds.
It’s normal for a home to have its own unique smell. However, if you’ve been noticing an unpleasant, musty smell around your home recently, it could be a sign of mold or mildew.
An allergy occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks a harmless foreign substance, known as an allergen. Inhaling airborne allergens can cause a runny nose, congestion, watery eyes, or irritated skin — mild allergic reactions that can be managed fairly easily. However, severe reactions can trigger allergic asthma, a dangerous condition in which the airways narrow and breathing becomes difficult.
Dust allergies are caused by a reaction to insects called dust mites, specifically their droppings or decomposing bodies. Invisible to the naked eye, these tiny bugs feed on the organic matter found in household dust, such as dead skin cells and hair from humans and pets (pet dander).
If you start noticing a strange taste from the tap water at your home, or if you get more than you expected from the taste of the water somewhere else, there are a number of possibilities. The first and most obvious answer is that there is something in the water that shouldn't be. But what is it? That depends on the taste.
My water tastes like dirt
How do I fix a clogged toilet? Sooner or later, we all have to seek the answer to that question. Fortunately, there are a few ways to accomplish what many consider to be a dirty job.
The first question you have to answer is "What is down there?" If you know it's a child's toy or other hard object, it may be time to call a plumber. If you end up pushing it further down the pipe and making it harder to get to, it could end up being more expensive to fix the problem.
The first question you have to answer is "What is down there?" If you know it's a child's toy or other hard object, it may be time to call a plumber. If you end up pushing it further down the pipe and making it harder to get to, it could end up being more expensive to fix the problem.
If the clog is, shall we say "organic", there are some options to getting the water flowing again. The first step is to get some rubber gloves on in case you need to "go deep" and place some paper towels or newspapers around the toilet to pick up the inevitable water that will splash out of the bowl.
5 Easy ways To Fix A Clogged Toilet
A good seal under water is required for a plunger to work properly. It's the force of water, not air, that will cause the clog to clear. If the bowl has drained, fill it with water from the sink until the plunger is under water. You can also run the plunger under hot water to soften the rubber to ensure a good seal.
Be careful with that first push, because there will be air in the seal. This is especially important if there is water in the toilet that you definitely don't want splashed around. Once you get a good seal, push and pull up firmly without breaking the seal. It can take ten to twenty pushes to dislodge a stubborn clog, so don't give up. Check your progress by breaking the seal and seeing if the water drains out. If it does, flush the toilet to see if it drains properly. If it does, congratulations. If not, make the seal and plunge again. Sometimes this cycle needs to be repeated three or four times before a clog is fully dislodged by being broken up or pushed down the drain.
Chemical drain cleaners have very caustic chemicals that should not be inhaled. Follow instructions and use only the specified amount. Also make sure that the product is specifically made for toilets. Make sure that the room is properly ventilated, and do not use a plunger after you pour the chemical in. You risk splashing it on your skin.
Frozen pipes are one of the biggest cold weather frustrations. When you go to turn on the water and you get silence instead of the familiar sound of flowing water, your pipes are frozen and you have a major problem on your hands.
Here are six ways you can keep your pipes from freezing before the next cold snap hits.
Open interior doors- Don't shut off the heat to individual rooms in your house, because plumbing goes everywhere. You never know when you are opening up a section of pipes to freezing by shutting interior doors. Also, open cabinet doors in bathrooms, kitchens and anywhere else you have plumbing. A little bit of heat in the right place could make a big difference.
There are also some
longer term solutions that you can put into place to keep your pipes from freezing.
Apply heating tape- Heating tape can be wrapped around exposed pipes to bring warmth directly to the source. You can buy it with an internal thermostat that will sense when heat is needed so it goes on and off automatically. If you prefer a cheaper option, you can simply plug it in and it will stay on all the time. Using tape with constant current requires you to unplug it during warmer months. Either option requires you to check on the heat tape periodically to make sure that there are no electrical issues that could cause a fire.
Add extra insulation-
Pipes located in basements, attics or other areas with lighter insulation are more vulnerable to freezing. You can insulate the pipes themselves with foam rubber or fiberglass sleeves, or insulate the entire space.
It's that first cold day of the year. You turn on the heat and suddenly you are hit with an odor.
The answer depends on the problem. Let's talk about the most serious one first.
