Tips For Finding The Best Products

• What's The Best Fire Extinguisher For Your Home? Find Out!
• A Consumer's Guide To Choosing The Perfect Tub For Your Home.
• How To Choose The Safest Bedroom Furniture For Your Children.
• Do You Have The Most Efficient Furnace Filter In Your Home?

What's The Best Fire Extinguisher For Your Home? Find Out!

All fire extinguishers are not created equal! It's very important that you know which class of extinguisher to have on hand in case of a fire emergency. Using the wrong type of extinguisher can actually make a fire worse.

Let's take a look at the three different classes of fire extinguishersOe

Class A - these extinguishers are intended for ordinary fires, such as wood, paper, and cloth. It's best to keep a Class A near your fireplace.

Class B - should be used on flammable liquids, like gasoline, grease, and oil. This class belongs in your kitchen.

Class C - these extinguishers are for use on electrical fires, such as in wiring or fuse boxes. Keep a Class C in your utility room.

A Consumer's Guide To Choosing The Perfect Tub For Your Home.

Trying to pick the perfect tub for your home can be downright frustrating. With hundreds of the shapes, styles, sizes, and colors to choose from, buying a tub can be a little overwhelming.

Even with the standard tub, (32 x 60 inch) you have several materials to choose from that will determine the price, durability, and cleanability.

Now let's take a detailed look at the different tub choices you haveOe

Plastic: plastic tubs are made from either acrylic or fiberglass. Plastic tubs offer you the most design flexibility because they can be molded into many shapes. These tubs insulate very well keeping bathwater water warmer, longer. Plastic tubs are also the lightest tubs, weighing approximately 60-70 pounds. Plastic tubs do not chip easily, but abrasive cleaners will damage the surface.

Of the two different kinds of plastic tubs, acrylic is the better buy. Acrylic is more expensive than fiberglass, but it is more durable, more resistant to fading & staining, and easier to clean and repair.

Enameled steel: these tubs are made from formed steel with an enamel coating. Enameled steel tubs are often priced lower than other types of tubs. Although these tubs can be cheaper, there are a few drawbacks you may want to considerOe The steel will conduct heat, making the water cool more quickly. If you're not careful, the surface can be prone to chipping. These tubs weigh in at around 130 pounds.

Cast iron: though coated with enamel, iron tubs don't chip quite as easily as steel. These tubs have a slightly thicker enamel coating and cast iron making them more durable and resistant to impact.

Cast iron tubs will also keep water warmer for a longer period of time. The biggest draw back, however, is the weight of the tub, which runs anywhere from 350 to 500 pounds.

Cast polymer: typically, these tubs replicate the look of marble, granite, or onyx and are available in a wide array of colors. They are nicely priced too.

The biggest problem with cast polymer tubs is that the surface can become brittle and start to crack. When choosing this type of tub, buy a brand that has been certified by the Cultured Marble Institute or approved by the Institute of Associated Plumbing and Mechanical Officials.

Proprietary composites: these tubs are relatively new on the marketplace. They are made from heavy-gauge steel and a porcelain enamel. They have the benefits of a cast iron tub, but weigh nearly 50% less. Two good brands you may want to consider are American Standard Americast and Briggs' UltraTuff.

How To Choose The Safest Bedroom Furniture For Your Children.

Below are 8 pointers you can follow on choosing bedroom furniture that is safe for children. If you don't have children, but have friends or families that do, you may want to pass along this important safety information.

1. Opt for wooden furniture because it is durable enough to withstand an active child. Be sure that the wood will not splinter and the paint is free from toxins.
   
   
2. Choose furniture on which the nails and screws are tight and unexposed. Also, be sure that the bolts are made of steel.
   
   
3. Look for tight construction, especially in the joints. Even small gaps where two pieces of wood meet could pinch small fingers and toes.
   
   
4. Select furniture with rounded edges to lesson any injury from bumps.
   
   
5. Chests and dressers should be equipped with automatic drawer stops that will prevent them from coming out and falling on children.
   
   
6. Choose beds with removable guardrails to deter falls by small children.
   
   
7. Bunk beds should be made of solid wood and have sturdy ladders.
   
   
8. Fasten bookcases to the wall to keep them from tipping over.
   
   Source: Young America, children's furniture division of the Stanley Furniture Company.

Do You Have The Most Efficient Furnace Filter In Your Home?

In the past, we've talked about the importance of changing you furnace filter. A trip to your local home improvement store will literally provide you with a dozen different furnace filters to choose from - ranging in price from 49 cents to 15 dollars! How do you know which one is right for your home?

Before we get into the "nitty-gritty," I want to dispel a common mythOe a furnace filter is not just designed to clean the air in your home, it's also designed to protect the furnace equipment and reduce wear and tear.

The other reason to keep your furnace filter clean is your health. A study done by the Mayo Clinic in 1999 found that mold is the culprit in most chronic sinus infections. Dust, pet dander, and other pollutants can aggravate health problems.

A special filter rating system, called MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) has been devised to help consumers choose the most efficient filter. The MERV shown on packaging of most filters is based on the filter's ability to capture particles larger than one micron. The values range from one to twelve. A one rating captures the least amount of particles and a twelve rating captures the most.

Filters are rated when they are new. As they accumulate particles, the spaces between the fibers in the filter become smaller, allowing them to trap progressively smaller particles. Generally, a furnace filter should be changed every three months. Factors that may shorten the life of a filter are dirty ducts, construction, the presence of pets and smokers.

Choosing a filter:

The least expensive and least efficient filters use a fiberglass or cellulose pad, held in a cardboard frame. These filters will not remove fine particles that can cause allergic reactions. The next level of efficiency is a washable/reusable filter. These filters have a metal frame and can be washed with a hose and reinstalled. These filters should be washed monthly and can last between three and five years.

The pleated polyester filter provides more filtering capacity. Many are made with fibers that have a permanent electrostatic charge to attract small particles. In most situations, these filters will last three months.

When it comes time to change your furnace filter, consider the options, check the MERV rating, and choose the best filter for your home.