Health and Safety

Unhappy Hipsters — What about the child?

Unhappy Hipsters — What about the child?

It occurred to her that in choosing the repurposed airplane ramp as a staircase, she hadn’t considered the child.   (Photo: Bryce Duffy; Dwell, April 2007) See more, much more, at Unhappy Hipsters. Bravo mystery blogger, whoever you are!

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The disaster-proof house panels: lightweight, waterproof, nonflammable, mold-resistant and termite-proof

The disaster-proof house panels: lightweight, waterproof, nonflammable, mold-resistant and termite-proof

From Builder Magazine: Who will rebuild Haiti and provide permanent shelter for the ravaged country’s now estimated one million homeless people? InnoVida, a Miami-based building materials manufacturer, says it can–just not with the standard residential combination of steel, concrete, and wood. Instead, the company is donating houses made with a product it debuted at last month’s…

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Tired of heating and air conditioning your attic space?

The video below shows the hands-on basics of sealing your ducts. I like the part where this HVAC expert uses toilet paper to find leaks in the system. Then, he shows you how to seal them up. This is not just theory or book learning, folks. This is the real thing. So will you spend…

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Coach Sean Payton wants to know: Does your house contain tainted drywall?

Coach Sean Payton wants to know: Does your house contain tainted drywall?

By Kathy Price-Robinson for DIY Life: Lately, when Louisiana residents like myself see New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton on TV, it’s usually not in reference to the Saints’ first-ever trip to the Super Bowl February 7. Rather, in numerous ad spots, Payton can be seen discussing tainted drywall from China that was used in…

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Yoga for builders

Yoga for builders

Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?  See the whole story at Fine Homebuilding.  

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Remodeling with allergies in mind

Remodeling with allergies in mind

 Photo: Remodeled house in Southern California. For allergy sufferers, hardwood floor are the way to go. From the Indianapolis Star: Question: How can I make sure the materials I use in my remodeling project are safe for a family member with allergies? Answer: The best place to start is by talking with an allergist. Details…

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Haiti earthquake revealed the terrible cost of poor building design

Haiti earthquake revealed the terrible cost of poor building design

From architect Roger K. Lewis in the Washington Post: The sight of thousands of collapsed structures in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, may lead you to wonder whether a strong earthquake could cause equally widespread, catastrophic building collapse in an American city. Fortunately, diligent engineering, up-to-date building codes and sound construction techniques ensure that many structures in America…

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Nearly 1 million home improvement books recalled due to faulty wiring instructions; shock or fire hazard to consumers

Nearly 1 million home improvement books recalled due to faulty wiring instructions; shock or fire hazard to consumers

How did it take the the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission up to 35 years to figure out nearly 1 million books had faulty wiring instructions? I'd love to know the story behind this: Name of Product: Home Improvement Books Units: About 951,000 Publisher: Oxmoor House, Inc., of Birmingham, Ala. Hazard: The books contain errors…

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Window Covering Safety Council recalls to repair all Roman and roll-up blinds due to risk of strangulation

Window Covering Safety Council recalls to repair all Roman and roll-up blinds due to risk of strangulation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) are announcing today a voluntary recall to repair all Roman shades and roll-up blinds to prevent the risk of strangulation to young children. This recall involves millions of Roman and roll-up blinds. About five million Roman shades and…

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New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton is lead plaintiff in Chinese drywall suit

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton is lead plaintiff in Chinese drywall suit

Saints coach Sean Payton is the lead plaintiff in a 591-page class action lawsuit against Knauf Plasterboard Tainjin Co. Ltd., a Chinese company that manufactured drywall that is believed to be corroding homes and making people sick. The suit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in New Orleans on behalf of people with this particular…

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