THE HEALTHY HOME REVIEW

SUMMER 2016

AROUND THE HOME

SUMMER - Home Maintenance

In This Issue Around the Home: Things to do during the summer months

Summer Recipe: Festive Bean Salsa

Fun Facts: Just in case you’re on Jeopardy

The Healthy Home: Weepy block walls? — cove joint seepage?

Sudoku: Relaxation for some — frustration for others

Healthy Pet Tips: A purrr-fectly happy and healthy summer

— ahhhh the “Lazy Days of Summer” — A well-tended landscaping and home are as welcoming to guests as the smells of a barbecue.

Check kids’ outdoor play areas - Swing sets tend to get funky over the winter — Tighten bolts and make sure things are still properly put together and safe to use. Check for sharp edges or splinters — clean off any mold growth.

Analyze your deck - Look over your deck for signs of rotting and hammer in any nails that are poking up. Then — determine if your deck needs sealing. Sprinkle water on the deck’s boards. If the water beads up, you’re in good shape; but if it soaks right in, it’s time to reseal.

Make much ado about mulch - Add a layer of mulch to keep weeds down and help the ground retain its moisture in the heat. It’ll give your plants a chance to grow.

Plan your watering schedule - Train your garden to endure dry days by watering deeply a couple times a week, instead of watering lightly daily. This style of watering will promote the growth of deep, strong roots.

Be a leak detective - Check your hoses and exterior faucets for leaks — even a tiny drip can add up to a big waste of water. Pinhole leaks in hoses can be covered up by winding regular electrical tape around the (dry) hose in overlapping layers.

Primp your plants - Deadhead both perennials and annuals to keep them productive. If you have visible dead foliage from spring bulbs, pull it out to maintain a tidy look. If daffodil or tulip leaves are still green, leave them alone — they’re busy nourishing the bulb to bloom again next year.

Inspect driveways, walkways and patios for signs of cracks or holes - This goes a long way in preventing accidental slips, trips, and falls. It also works to avoid larger repairs or resurfacing in the future. — Contact your Concrete Repair Contractor to get the best repair solution.

Credit The Nest and State Farm

One of the new words that made it into the

latest addition of Webster’s Dictionary is

Nomophobia:the fear of being out of mobile phone contact.

P.O. Box 7486 (50 E. Montrose) Romeoville, IL 60446 (800) 844-2713 www.emecole.com

COURTESY OF: IllIana Basement WaterproofIngCall The leaky Professor

www.leakyprofessor.com219-840-2837

FUN FACTSIn space, astronauts are unable to cry, because there is no gravity and the tears won’t flow.A blind chameleon still changes colors to match his environment.Redheads require more anesthesia to ‘go under’ than other hair colors do. Sweden has more telephones per capita than any country on earth.The weight of a carat (200 milligrams), standard unit of measurement for gemstones, is based on the weight of the carob seed.Owls are one of the only birds who can see the color blue!Pistol dueling is legal in Paraguay as long as both parties are registered blood donors.

• 1 sweet red pepper (chopped fine) • 1 green pepper (chopped fine)• 1 onion (chopped fine)• 1 small jar pimentos• 3 to 5 jalapeño peppers (seeds removed) (chopped fine)• 1 can pinto beans (drained) • 1 can garbanzos beans (drained)• 1 can black beans (drained)• 1 can black-eyed peas (drained)• 1 can white corn (drained) (you can substitute 1 can yellow corn)• ¾ cup sugar• ½ cup apple cider vinegar• Frito Scoops® or your favorite corn chips

INGREDIENTS:

1. Combine first 10 ingredients in large bowl.2. Mix sugar and apple cider vinegar together in a sauce pan and place on stove, bring to a boil.3. Pour over the bean mixture.4. Store in covered container in refrigerator until ready to serve.5. Serve with Frito Scoops®

FESTIVE BEAN SALSA

Have copies of the recipe for your guests because everyone will be asking for you to share it.

THE HEALTHY HOME REVIEW

BARBECUEBATHINGSUITBEACHBOATCAR TRIPCHALKFAMILYFIREFLIESFIREWORKS

Summer Word SearchPARTYPICNICPOOLSUNGLASSESSUNSHINE

SWIM TOWELVACATION VOLLEYBALLZOO

FRIENDSFUNGAMESICE CREAMLEMONADE

The Perfect Complement to your Summer Barbecue

Prep Time: 30 min - Cook: 5 min Quantity; aprox 6 cups

Can be made a day ahead

A Purrr-fectly Happy and Safe Summer Season

HeatstrokeDon’t leave your dog alone outside for more than a few minutes. Even in the shade — a dog exposed to extreme heat and humidity is at risk for heatstroke.

Heatstroke symptoms include panting, lethargy, drooling, fever, vomiting and collapse (in both dogs and cats). If you suspect heatstroke — get to your Vet immediately. Young, elderly and health challenged dogs/cats are especially vulnerable.

Take your walks in the cooler morning or late evening — avoid the midday heat

NEVER leave your dog alone in the car. The inside of the car can heat up to 120 degrees in just a few minutes even with the windows cracked. If you notice a dog or cat has been left in a car on a warm day — CALL THE AUTHORITIES

If the concrete, blacktop or sand is too hot for your bare feet — it’s too hot for your dog’s paws

Safety at Cookouts Place citronella candles and other insect repellents where your dog or cat can’t reach them

Make sure any sunscreen or insect repellent you use on your pets are certified safe for dogs/animals

Keep dogs and cats away from hot grills and fires — the smell of grilling food can be very enticing.

At the cookout/party, if your pet seems overwhelmed, give them a time out in a safe and quiet place.

Summer 2016

Monolithic Foundation - Means the footing and floor are poured together and the foundation wall is then poured on top of the floor. This causes the footing area of the floor to be very thick and expensive to break up (risking possible structural damage to the foundation wall) for the installation of a drainage system. The better option is a contractor installed baseboard system that only requires a simple saw-cut and is less expensive and a lot less messy.

Cove Joint - The juncture where the floor and wall meet. With heavy or prolonged rains, ground water along the foundation walls and underneath the basement floor can rise, allowing water to seep upward through this joint. This is commonly referred to as hydrostatic pressure.

Mortar Joints - All masonry foundations — whether they’re block, brick or stone — are constructed using mortar to hold the individual masonry units in place. Over time, mortar can deteriorate, allowing water to seep through the open joints and into your building. Sometimes, the masonry itself is also porous which can lead to basement seepage problems.

Best Systems for Cove Joints or Masonry Seepage - Hydro-Channel, Versa Drain or similar type interior drainage systems are good options when you do not want to have the expense of an outside excavation. These systems are made to divert water from the cove joint as well as from wall seepage over the footing and into the basement drain system to your sump pit where it can be ejected by your sump pump.

THE HEALTHY HOME REVIEW

answer and rules on page 4

DRAINAGE SYSTEMSTHE SOLUTION TO YOUR

PROBLEM

A baseboard system provides a convenient drainage waterproofing solution for monolithic slabs. It diverts seepage to the sump pump and can be used with block, stone or poured foundation walls.

Made of transparent, heavy duty PVC, it is a favorite of homeowners because it does not detract from the aesthetics. Hydro-Channel and Hydro-Channel Plus are made to sit on the concrete footing and will divert water from the cove joint across the footing and into the basement drainage system.

BREATHE EASY - Controlling seepage and moisture problems in your basement or crawlspace will provide you with a healthier home. Less mold and mildew problems — less allergy and asthma problems. Contact your waterproofing contractor for the best options available.

WEEPING BLOCK WALLS?

COVE JOINT SEEPAGE?

Summer 2016

The Healthy Home Review

INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

Let us know if there is a subject on waterproofing and/or foundation repair you would like featured in an issue of The Healthy Home Review.

Inside this issue

Recipe

Pet Health

Healthy Home Tips

THE HEALTHY HOME REVIEW

The object of Sudoku is to fill the other empty cells with numbers between 1 and 9 (1 number only in each cell). The number should appear only once on each row, column and a region (square).

THE HEALTHY HOME REVIEW

A good head and a good heart are

always a formidable combination.

Nelson Mandela

Licensed Bonded Insured

www.leakyprofessor.com219-840-2837

• Foundation Crack Repair• Foundation Stabilization• Interior/Exterior Drain Tile• Yard Drainage• Sump Pumps• Crawlspace Encapsulation• Foundation Sealing• Moisture Proof Wall Liners• Above Grade Brick Sealing• Garage, Basement Floor and

Driveway Crack Repair

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