Proper Flushing

Sometimes clogs occur even when you only flush toilet paper and waste down your drain. This is often caused by flushing too much of this material or by curious kids sneaking into the bathroom and dropping toys or other materials in. To prevent clogs, you should flush only as much toilet paper as is necessary. Do not flush large wads with one flush. These large amounts ball up so that only the outer portion dissolves, and waste and toilet paper that go down after this will build up and a clog will form. Kids must also be taught to leave the toilet alone. Not only does this prevent toys from getting flushed, but it keeps little hands from being contaminated by germs lurking on the toilet bowl.

Power Outage Tips

No one likes it when the power goes out, but the below tips can help you make the best of an unpleasant situation.

• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. An unopened freezer should keep food frozen up to 48 hours. Food should remain cold in an unopened refrigerator for 24 hours. If power is out for a long period of time, use snowdrifts as a makeshift freezer for food.
• Unplug all equipment that will automatically turn on when power is restored or that may become damaged due to voltage irregularities.
• Use flashlights for emergency lighting. Do not use candles.
• Do not run a portable generator inside a home or garage. The carbon monoxide in enclosed spaces can be deadly.

Spring Ahead!

It's almost time to spring forward! Daylight Saving Time begins every year on the second Sunday in March. (So this year it is March 9th) Clocks are set forward by one hour in most of the United States, except Hawaii and most of Arizona. With Daylight Saving, we have more daylight in the evening and less in the mornings.

When you change your clocks, check the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Batteries in smoke detectors should be replaced yearly, and there should be smoke detectors on every floor of your home (including the basement) and outside bedrooms or sleeping areas.