Show Notes: So Much To Be Thankful For! – On the House
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Show Notes: So Much To Be Thankful For!

By on November 17, 2018
thankful

Show Notes for On The House with the Carey Brothers aired November 17, 2018.

We have so much to be thankful for this coming holiday season. California may be in crisis mode, but there is one thing we do well as humans, and that’s come together to help those in need. Thank you to all the firefighters, police, relief aid, volunteers, and everyone else – those who have donated their time, effort, belongings, and money – who have pitched in to help California’s fire victims.

To learn more about how you can support the fire victims read more about what the KPAY Newstalk Program Manager discussed with James about the Camp Fire below.

What are you thankful for this holiday season?

Also this show, we discussed holiday child safety for the National Child Safety Month, how to switch your ceiling fan over to winter-mode, planting trees and shrubs this fall, and how to fix your concrete steps for non-slip!

Not to mention we had two other interviews! Christopher Simpson of BrandX Huaraches talks about his father’s humble beginnings and how Huaraches make a great gift this holiday season. James also talked to Bruce Nagy, the author of The Clean Energy Age. Check out the notes below for more!

Missed the live show? Check out the podcast of the show here!

November Is A National Child Safety Month!

Holiday Child Safety

Family gatherings, special traditions, delicious treats — the holiday season may be the most wonderful time of the year, especially for kids. Unfortunately, for emergency room doctors it’s also one of the busiest.

Learn how to protect your little ones from some common holiday dangers, so you and your family can enjoy a season that’s happy and healthy.

holiday child safety

Poisoning

  • Mistletoe
  • Holly
  • Poinsettias
  • Jerusalem cherry plants
  • and other plants are commonly used as decorations during the holidays

Like many plants, these are considered potentially poisonous and should be kept out of the reach of kids. Symptoms of plant poisoning can include rashes, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If you suspect that your child has eaten any part of a plant, immediately call your doctor or the National Poison Center: (800) 222-1222.

“Bubble lights” containing methylene chloride can be poisonous if a child drinks the fluid from more than one light (even if labeled nontoxic). Snow sprays may be harmful if the aerosol propellants are used improperly.

Alcohol poisoning is a common risk for children during the holiday season. Many parents host holiday parties where alcohol is served. Take care to remove all empty and partially empty cups as soon as possible. Because kids imitate adults, many may drink the beverages they see adults drinking. Children become “drunk” much more quickly than adults, so even small amounts of alcohol can be dangerous.

Choking and Swallowing

Tree ornaments, light bulbs, icicles, tinsel, and small toys are potential choking hazards for small children because they may block the airway. The general rule of thumb is that if it’s small enough to fit in the mouths of babies and toddlers, it’s too small to play with.
Common holiday foods such as peanuts or popcorn are potential choking hazards and should not be given to children under age 4.

The needles of holiday trees can cause painful cuts in the mouth and throat of a child who swallows them.

Angel hair (made from finely spun glass) and ornament hangers may cause cuts, skin irritation, or eye damage if touched or swallowed by children.

Fire

Keep your tree secured in a sturdy stand so that it doesn’t tip over (or isn’t knocked over by kids or pets) and keep it away from all heat sources, such as electrical outlets, radiators, and portable space heaters. If you buy an artificial tree, be sure it’s labeled “fire-retardant.” Unplug all lights, both indoor and outdoor, and extinguish all candles every night before you go to bed.

Avoid using real candles on a tree because if the needles are dry, they can easily catch fire. Never leave the room with taper candles or menorah candles burning — it only takes a minute for a spark from a candle to burst into flames. Keep lit candles away from windowsills and mantles and use only flame-retardant decorations when decking your halls.

Circuits that are overloaded with lights, decorations, and accessories can start a fire. Don’t overload indoor or outdoor electrical outlets.

Source: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/holiday-dangers.html

Update On The Camp Fire in Paradise, California

Scott Michaels, Program Manager of longtime On The House Affiliate Newstalk 1290 KPAY in Chico will provides an update on the Camp Fire in Paradise, CA.

Inundated with donate items, the rescue and support teams are looking for new items, gift cards to places like Wal-Mart, Rite-Aid, grocery stores, gas cards, or donate to a foundation like Red Cross or the North Valley Community Foundation.

You can help people affected by disasters like wildfires and countless other crisis by making a gift to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Visit redcross.org or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Contributions may also be sent to your local Red Cross chapter, or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37864, Boone, IA 50037-0864.

You can also help people affected by the California wildfires. Donors can designate their donation to the California wildfires relief efforts and the Red Cross will honor donor intent. The best way to ensure your donation will go to a specific disaster is to write the specific disaster name in the memo line of a check. We also recommend completing and mailing the donation form on redcross.org with your check. The Red Cross honors donor intent, and all donations earmarked for California wildfires will be used for our work to support these disasters.

After a disaster, letting your family and friends know that you are safe and well can bring your loved ones great peace of mind. This website is designed to help make that communication easier. Register yourself as safe and well, or search for lost loved ones here:

https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php

Pets are often separated from their owners during fires. Donate to North Valley Animal Disaster Group or call the number below to report a lost pet.

Contact North Valley Animal Disaster Group at 530-895-0000 to report lost pets or donate if you can here https://www.nvadg.org/donate

Donate to the North Valley Community Foundation to support the victims of the Camp Fire.

Camp Fire Evacuation Relief Fund

For even more information about the Camp Fire and Relief Efforts, check out our affiliate KPAY’s fire relief page

http://kpay.com/pages/paradise-camp-fire-relief

Or check out more ways you can help California fire victims here: https://www.imore.com/how-donate-help-california-fire-victims-and-fighters 

 

Ceiling Fans Aren’t Just For Summer

You don’t want to endure another hot summer and freezing winter. Try a ceiling fan. All your troubles can be solved with a well-placed ceiling fan.

A Good Ceiling Fan is Hard to Find, or is it?

ceiling fan

Interior design magazines and how-to blogs have been telling us for years that ceiling fans are eyesores. They’re wonky, loud and take up too much head room. These descriptors just don’t fit the aesthetic design of the ceiling fan anymore. Home remodeling and design website, Houzz, tells us that the right ceiling fan can style a room and serve as the cherry on top to bring the interior to a classy finish.
The real question is: what should I consider when I want to get a new ceiling fan? What characteristics make up a good ceiling fan? Is it the sound of its motor, the color of its body, or the number of its blades? Maybe the only thing we should really worry about in a ceiling fan is how well it regulates room temperature. Before getting your new ceiling fan, use this checklist to make sure you’re getting the fan that’ll work best for you in your home.

The Checklist

Blade Type

Also referred to as blade pitch, the blade pitch of the ceiling fan is the degree at which the blade is angled from the fan’s base. The higher the blade pitch, the more efficiently the fan moves the air.

Blade Count

Ceiling fans with more than three blades are said to be much quieter. Though the fan is quieter with more blades, a blade count of two to or three allows the fan to move faster and has less drag, helping the fan to run more powerfully and economically.

Fan Size

According to Consumer Reports, ceiling fan size should correspond with the size of the room in which the fan will be installed. For example, a 52-inch fan would work best in a space between 225 and 400 square feet.

Wet/Damp Rating

Ceiling fan placement has become more and more popular in our bathrooms and outdoors. However, a ceiling fan that works in your living room will not perform nearly as well in an exterior or damp space. If installing a ceiling fan on your veranda or in your master bath, check its UL damp and wet ratings. The rating will let you know if the fan is adapted for those conditions.

Motor Type

There are two ceiling fan motor types: direct drive motors and stack motors. The most popular and efficient of the two is the direct drive motor. The direct drive motor is more quiet and energy e

Energy Star Rating

We all want to do our part in conserving energy. Getting a ceiling fan with an energy star rating will make you feel good about helping the environment all while keeping you comfortable on the couch.

Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-elements-that-make-up_b_11493520

Betty called in asking about how to flame retard her Christmas wreaths and trees. Per James Carey, check out this product available at Amazon.com.

https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Retardant-Shield-Christmas-Trees/dp/B000UV7MD2

BrandX Huaraches

James interviewed Christopher Simpson. He has a wonderful story, and as all the best stories start, his, too, has a humble beginning.

Back in 1972, after graduating from Cal with a degree in Spanish, Ronn Simpson decided to start working as a street vender. “I had the help of two friends,” Simpson says. “Cold and hunger.”

Inspired by the summers he spent in Mexico, he decided he would sell huaraches, that country’s traditional footwear, which were popularized by the hippies in the 1960s and ’70s. It wasn’t long before his humble setup on the corner of Telegraph and Durant grew into a successful business. So in 1976, Simpson and his wife, Marcela, bought a building on the corner of Telegraph and 43rd, turning Oakland into the permanent home of Brand X Huaraches.

While the Telegraph location now serves only as a warehouse and shipment location, Brand X Huaraches continue to be made with the care and quality that Simpson learned from the huaracheros, the original huarache craftsmen in Mexico. Each pair is handwoven in Mexico with a single strand of leather that is tanned using natural resources rather than chemicals. It is the vegetable tanning that gives these shoes their vibrant colors and the ability to wick away moisture. Most importantly, it allows the leather to mold to the shape of the foot for an incredibly comfortable fit.

While Brand X can be found in many upscale boutiques and catalogs, the best way to get your hands—or in this case, your feet—on a pair is to visit the website at www.BrandXHuaraches.com, which displays the full array of bright colors and styles.

Your Dream Bath

Brought to you by American Standard Walk-In Tubs

Jackson from Great Falls Montana is converting an older home to a Bed and Breakfast and wants to use materials in the new bathrooms that will hold up with heavy use and have design appeal. Can James make suggestions to get this Bed and Breakfast the best bathrooms?

your dream bath

Engineered Stone Countertop

Dying for a white marble countertop? Join the club. But get ready to seal, reseal, and reseal. Then repeat. Year after year.
Or, go for engineered stone, which can mimic marble (and other stone materials) for about the same cost, but minus the hassle. It’s non-porous so it resists bacteria, mold, stains, and water damage better than the real thing. Better! And it never needs sealing!
Glazed Porcelain Tile Floor

Moisture is Enemy No. 1 for bathroom floors, and glazed porcelain tile is its most-worthy adversary.

It won’t hold onto water like laminate and porous materials, and porcelain tiles glazed with glass are nearly stain-proof — as are today’s high-quality epoxy and urethane grouts, which don’t require sealing.

Vinyl Floor

Time to rethink vinyl. Hear us out. Luxury vinyl tiles, which mimic stone and wood, are awesome at resisting moisture.
Other affordable options like laminate just can’t keep up. Plus, vinyl sheets are so large, you can cover a small bath without a single seam or grout line, making it easy on the eye and easier to keep clean.

Plywood Cabinets

Yup. We said plywood. But today’s “grade A” offering isn’t your mother’s plywood. (Or your Swedish cousin’s, which is actually particleboard.)

Composed of pressed layers of alder, birch, or cedar, “grade A” plywood (also known as furniture-grade) remains more stable in the face of moisture than solid wood, which will shrink and swell in response to bathroom humidity (causing cracks in painted surfaces and even warped panels).

As for the finish, you don’t need to spring for anything fancy: The factory finish applied to cabinetry nowadays will hold up to the moisture. Isn’t living in the future great?

Glossy or Semi-Glossy Paint

A full-on glossy paint has a shiny, sealed surface that blocks out moisture and wipes clear of residue, say from hairspray, without leaving a mark like a matte finish will. But the sheen can be a bit overbearing on anything more than trim, and calls attention to wall flaws.
A semi-glossy finish will hold up nearly as well to cleaning and moisture, without calling quite as much attention to bumps, dents, and other imperfections.

Cast Iron Tub or Shower Pans

A tub forged from molded liquid iron is likely going to be the toughest thing in your house — maybe even your neighborhood, depending on where you live.

You may need extra support for your floor (and your pocketbook) to bring it home, but cast iron won’t chip, scratch, or dent like fiberglass, acrylic, and even porcelain can.

Stainless Steel Sink

Stainless: not just for kitchens anymore. Corrosion- and stain-resistant, it won’t melt under a hot curling iron like acrylic can, and won’t dent or chip like porcelain if nail clippers plummet down from the medicine cabinet.

And it’s the perfect match for the industrial-chic look that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.

Acrylic Panel Shower Walls

Despite their lightweight, acrylic wall panels, often called shower surrounds, are not lightweights. They resist chipping, cracking, and peeling, and are much easier to maintain than stone tiles or slabs. Unlike tile, they nail directly to wall studs or glue to the wallboards, so they don’t require grout. Acrylic is tougher than fiberglass and colored all the way through — so it’s less likely to scratch, and even a deep cut won’t be as obvious. They’re also more affordable than tile and available in textured patterns, if you want to look like you splurged on a fancy design.

Source: https://www.houselogic.com/by-room/bathroom-laundry/cultured-marble-vanity-top/

Interested in the parts James mentioned he used to fix his neighbor’s faucet!

https://www.amazon.com/Rheem-SP20866-Anode-Warranty-Upgrade/dp/B0722X4GFK 

https://www.faucetshark.com/Faucet-Stems-and-Cartridges-s/1818.htm

 

Fixing Slippery Concrete Steps

Luckily, there’s no need to remove and replace your old steps if they have a problem with being too slick. There are various ways to create traction on old steps as well.

Concrete Slips

1. Painting

Painting concrete steps can help make them less slippery. This tends to be a temporary fix since paint does peel over time. Especially if your steps tend to freeze, painting will help only minimally, so this may not be an option for you.

2. Slip-Resistant Tape

Tape is an inexpensive, quick solution for slippery steps. The tape comes in an array of colors and is easily applied to clean concrete. The ideal temperature when applying primer and tape is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Artificial Grass Carpet

Grass carpeting is a common solution for slippery stairs. Most outdoor carpeting is resistant to color fading from the sun, and some even have small holes within that carpet that allow water to drain, making them even more effective at being slip-resistant.

4. Silica Sand

Silica sand can be used in the same way on existing concrete steps too. Again, put a second coat of sealer on after application and you will have a slip resistant finish. The downside is that it will often make your sealant turn milky or cloudy in this case.

5. Clear Grit

Clear grit resembles silica sand, except it won’t make your sealant cloudy. You can buy it in most home improvement stores and apply it just as you would the sand.

Source: https://www.doityourself.com/stry/10-options-to-fix-slippery-concrete-steps

 

We interviewed Bruce Nagy, the author of The Clean Energy Age: A Guide to Beating Climate Change!

THE CLEAN ENERGY AGE: A Guide to Beating Climate Change

James and Bruce discuss Bruce’s new book and how it organizes practical clean energy solutions into a top 10 action list!

Got Turkey??

turkey

Did You Know

A thawed turkey may be kept in the refrigerator (40 degrees F or below) up to 4 days before cooking.

How To Thaw A Turkey

Safely thawing your frozen turkey is one of the most important steps in your meal prep. Watch Christopher demonstrate our two recommended methods:
• Refrigerator thawing is preferred and the least labor-intensive but requires more time.
• Cold water thawing takes less time but requires more attention.

Regardless of which method you choose, never thaw a turkey at room temperature. If you’re running low on time, try a Fresh Whole Turkey—they’re just as delicious and require little prep.

Call
Want to talk to a human? Call us at 800-288-8372

Call 1-800-BUTTERBALL

Source: https://www.butterball.com/how-to/thaw-a-turkey

Thanks for joining us today! Come back next week for more tips to fix your leaks and your squeaks!

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