This informative article touches on just some of the potential issues and makes suggestions as to how a home can be be made more safe for our aging loved ones.

(ARA) – Most of us start life depending on our parents to take care of us. But as they age, chances are the roles will reverse. And, whether you provide additional help in their own homes – or move aging parents into your home – how do you prepare to meet the new needs of aging adults?

Luckily many simple, quick, affordable – and even stylish and savvy – updates can make homes safer and more enjoyable for you, your family and your parents.

De-clutter
Both kids and older adults have reduced reflexes and balance. Spruce up the look of your home – and avoid tripping hazards – by removing clutter and items you no longer use (especially obstacles in walkways).

Safe, spaaahh shower
Showers can be an enjoyable and luxurious part of anyone’s day – if they are safe. While you probably don’t want to renovate the shower, simple additions of bath safety products can make it safer and more enjoyable. Start by adding rubber grips to the bottom of the shower to avoid slick surfaces. Next, take a seat with a comfortable shower chair and enjoy a shower massage with a multi-function hand held showerhead. Products like the Home Care by Moen shower chair and Hand Held Shower with Innovative Palm Feature are ideal choices at affordable prices to add safety, style and spa enjoyment to the shower.

Save resources, save money
Eco-friendly adjustments not only can make you feel good about preserving natural resources for your family, they can also help lower energy costs (ideal for tight budgets). Simple steps can include replacing standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, insulating doors and windows and swapping faucets and showerheads with new water-saving WaterSense-labeled models.

Handy handles
In the course of a day, you grip many objects – from cups and pens, to door knobs and faucet handles. Swapping out door knobs or faucets with knobs for lever-handle models can make these everyday tasks a bit easier – especially for smaller or arthritic hands.

Get a grip
For any age, stairs are a falling hazard in homes – whether it’s one step or 20. To increase safety, add hand rails or decorative hand grips in high-traffic doorways where there may be a step, such as the garage or front entry. Home Care by Moen offers attractive-looking 9-inch grips that install easily and blend in with your decor.

Let there be light
Did you also know that by age 60 the average person requires 15 times more lighting than when they were 10 years old? Brighten up the home with additional reading lamps in bedrooms and family rooms, under-cabinet task lighting in the kitchen, motion-sensor lights near entrances and nightlights in hallways.

Safe and secure
Your home is your safe haven … so make sure it is protected. In the bathroom where slick surfaces can be falling hazards, add functional – yet fashionable – grab bars from Home Care by Moen. And, in case of unforeseen falls or other home accidents, home security systems can give you peace of mind to know that fire-, medical- or emergency-response is available for you and your loved ones at the touch of a button.

Flat flooring
According to the Home Safety Council, falls are the leading cause (66 percent) of all nonfatal home injuries. To help you – or your loved ones – avoid becoming a statistic, remove throw rugs or ensure that they have a non-slip backing to provide more firm footing.

Low-maintenance lawns
With busy lifestyles, it’s tough to keep up landscaping. Making a few modifications to the yard can help ease the burden. Replace large grassy areas that require frequent mowing with rock gardens or mulch beds. Additionally, choose drought-resistant perennial plants and shrubs to save time and money on watering – and ensure you don’t have to plant new each spring.

Be prepared
Are the washer and dryer in the basement? Are the bedroom and bathroom upstairs? Since stairs can be difficult to navigate for children or aging parents, having all the necessities on one floor is ideal. While it may not be in the budget to move everything to the main floor now, gradually start getting ready by wiring a closet or small room for the laundry – or planning to expand a half bath to a full bath.

With a few minor updates, you can breathe easier knowing your home is safer for your loved ones – both young and old. For more information on safety products from Home Care by Moen, visit www.moen.com/homecare.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

The Raleigh Home Inspector wants everyone to be as safe as possible……the health and well-being of our loved ones depends on it!

Savings heat up with solar-powered water heaters

(ARA) – More homeowners are deciding solar power is the right thing to do – for the sake of the environment and their wallets. New technologies make it easier than ever to use the sun to heat water in our homes. And Congress is helping make going green a cash-smart move too, by extending the federal solar tax credit another eight years.

Thanks to the tax credit program, you can recoup 30 percent of the total installed cost of a solar water heating system. “It’s a great time to switch to solar power for your water heating needs,” says Jim Cika, a solar water heating expert with VELUX America. But before you buy a solar water heater, do your homework, he urges, learn about the technologies available and review just how solar-friendly your home can be.

“Homeowners need to factor in geographic location, orientation of the roof for solar collectors, costs and tax incentives and rebates that may be available to arrive at an economically sensible and environmentally-sensitive decision,” Cika says.

While a solar water heating system usually costs more to purchase and install than a conventional water heating system, it can reduce energy costs in the long run and is much kinder to the planet.

Cika says that the cost of an installed ENERGY STAR qualified system from his company will vary depending upon the volume of heated water required in a home. A packaged system consisting of one, two or three rooftop solar collector panels will usually be installed along with a 60, 80 or 120-gallon solar storage tank. An average installation is projected to cost $6,500 to $11,000, with some complex installations running as much as $12,000. Systems are available for gas, electric and boiler markets throughout the U.S., Cika says.

“On average,” he says, “if you install a solar water heater, your water heating bills should drop 50 to 80 percent — not an insignificant sum when you consider that the Department of Energy says that water heating can account for 14 to 25 percent of the energy consumed in our homes.”

According to Cika, in the construction of a new home, where the cost of the system is rolled into the mortgage, homeowners can save more on their monthly energy bills than the increase in their house payment. “Solar water heating provides a positive cash flow from the day of move in,” he says, “effectively giving an immediate payback.”

“In the case of an installation in an existing home in an area that has both federal and state rebates and incentives,” he says, “the payback can vary from three to seven years.”

Two primary solar technologies are available in the market right now: solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal. The photovoltaic process uses the sun to generate electricity and solar thermal uses the sun to heat water. Solar thermal often is the technology of choice for homeowners for a number of reasons. Kevin Hughes, a writer for GreenBuildingElements.com, who installed a solar thermal system in his San Francisco home, explains why.

“I prefer solar thermal, specifically solar hot water, a much older technology. It is much cheaper to install, much more efficient and has a much faster payback,” he says.

For homeowners considering an installation, the Internet offers a number of websites that can be helpful with an analysis and then with locating products and installers. Findsolar.com and nabcep.org list certified installers by state. Solar-rating.org lists certified solar equipment manufacturers and certified installers for VELUX units are listed at veluxusa.com.

Eere.energy.gov/consumer includes a link to a calculator for initial cost, annual operating costs and determining payback, as well as a consumer’s guide to solar thermal, while nrel.gov offers a consumer’s guide to photovoltaic. Federal and state tax credit information, by geographic area, is available at dsireusa.org.

Cika says that solar water heating represents a logical first step for homeowners who want to harness the power of the sun because it is relatively simple technology compared to generating electricity from the sun. “The technologies accomplish different objectives,” he says, “but they both will pay increasing dividends to homeowners who utilize them now and in the future.”

For more information on the benefits of solar water heating or natural light and ventilation through skylights, call (800) 283-2831 or visit veluxusa.com.

Courtesy ARAcontent

Call the Raleigh Home Inspector today at 919.848.4833 to schedule your Raleigh Home Inspection. And please do not hesitate to contact us with questions or……. leave us a comment below.

“Thank You for taking the time to do the home inspection. We were pleased with your service. The report was well organized with clear photos demonstrating your points. Most of all thank you for all the tips that were above and beyond the home inspection. There is really nothing we wold have liked to see happen differently.”

Amanda and James Layne