Home safety : article
PERRYVILLE, Mo.—Homeowners who made repairs after last year’s floods and windstorms may now be finding ghostly shadows—dirty patches of mold and mildew—in parts of the home that got wet. This is a health hazard for people living in the home.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – National Pet Poison Prevention Month in March is a good time to review how household items can endanger pets, says University of Missouri Extension veterinary toxicologist Tim Evans.
Evans lists a few things to check in your home:
JOPLIN, Mo. – Harold Noirfalise used to curse the big steel box in the garage of his Joplin home. It was there when he and his wife, Brenda, bought the house a couple years ago. The box shared space with a pickup, a car and a workshop where he built radio-controlled model airplanes, making for a…
MARSHFIELD, Mo.-The recent death of a 5-year-old child while riding an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) with her teenage sister near Hillsboro, Mo., points to the need for greater attention to ATV safety, said a University of Missouri Extension safety expert.
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.–With the large snowfalls of the past winter, flooding is a potential threat in many parts of Missouri. And even if your house is not in a flood plain, you may drive through one on your way home, warns a University of Missouri Extension community development specialist.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Your furry friends likely share your fondness for Valentine’s Day chocolate and other seasonal confections.
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Missourians planning to heat their homes with wood to offset soaring heating oil and natural gas prices should check their chimneys now, said a University of Missouri safety specialist.
MOBERLY, Mo. – Spending few hours now on spring home maintenance can save you many hours and dollars later, says a University of Missouri Extension housing specialist.
Tom Fuhrman says it’s time to take care of any problems caused by winter weather and spring storms to protect your investment.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – To some, “Don’t let the bedbugs bite” isn’t just a quaint good-night wish. Bedbugs are a nightmare for people in the hospitality and housing industries, says Sam Polly, coordinator of University of Missouri Extension’s Pesticide Safety Education Program.
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - The damage from recent flooding reinforces the importance of having an up-to-date household inventory. Imagine trying to compile a detailed list of property for an insurance claim just after a natural disaster.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – For many, the holiday season would not be complete without evergreens, holly, mistletoe and other traditional plants. But it’s important to exercise care with some of these plants for happy and safe holidays, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
COLUMBIA, Mo. - In Missouri, all-terrain vehicles accounted for at least 111 accidents with 19 fatalities in 2007, according to a University of Missouri study.
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Sometimes on Halloween night the scariest face you'll see isn't wearing a mask, it's behind the wheel of a car.Children 12 and under are more than twice as likely to be hit and killed by a car on Halloween as on any other day of the year, according to Safe Kids USA.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A favorite spring flower, the Easter lily, should be kept away from cats. If ingested, it could kill them.
The perennial plant’s white, trumpet-like flowers might not sound the warning that all parts of it are highly toxic to felines.
COLUMBIA, Mo. –Frigid weather across the Midwest puts the elderly at special risk, said a University of Missouri Extension safety specialist.
“Elderly in poorly heated homes or those of low income may unknowingly keep temperatures in a dangerous range in attempts to lower their heating bills.”…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – If your basement sprung a leak during recent intense rainfalls, you’re not alone.
MARSHFIELD, Mo. – Unwanted icicles hanging from the roof overhang are a warning sign of ice dams, which can inflict considerable interior and exterior damage to your home.
According to Bob Schultheis, retired University of Missouri Extension natural resource engineering specialist, nonuniform roof…
Learn how to prevent and manage bedbug infestations with practical tips for detection, treatment, and long-term control strategies.
MARSHFIELD, Mo. –If you have made your home more energy efficient, or plan to do so, you might want to test for radon, says a University of Missouri Extension natural resource engineering specialist.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The best part of the holidays for many families is choosing and decorating the Christmas tree.
COLUMBIA, Mo. - With spring and warmer weather soon drawing children outdoors, it is a good time for farmers and rural landowners to check abandoned wells.
HOUSTON, Mo. – Laundry packets offer loads of temptation for curious children.
Related video: How to use a moisture meter, youtube.com/watch?v=na4_yVBLIjY
PERRYVILLE, Mo.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri saw abundant rainfall in 2015. That’s often good news for crops but can be bad news for homes.
Even if your home escaped serious flood damage, moisture seeping into your basement or condensing from humid air can create ideal sites for mold growth.
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - With summer rain come mosquitoes, and with mosquitoes come not just itchy bites but the risk of diseases such as West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis, malaria, Zika virus and yellow fever, among others, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist and entomologist…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Temperatures hovering near zero could mean problems with frozen water lines. Homeowners should take precautions to prevent pipes from freezing and know to how to thaw frozen pipes safely, according to University of Missouri Extension experts.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Even if you regularly check the batteries and test your home smoke detectors, you may not be alerted if a fire breaks out.
Editors: University of Missouri Extension has compiled a list of websites, extension publications, news releases and other online resources for coping before, during and after winter storms.
MU Extension news releases
COLUMBIA, Mo. – There’s nothing better on a spring day than opening the windows and letting out the stale winter air.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – May is a good time for Missouri landowners to take proactive steps in protecting homes, barns and other structures from the threat of wildfire, says Joni Harper, field specialist in natural resources for University of Missouri Extension.
TRENTON, Mo.– University of Missouri Extension has prepared a checklist of measures people can take to reduce the impact of floodwater on their homes.
COVID-19 mitigation strategies for multifamily and public housing developments through webinars and handouts, including cleaning and disinfecting guidance.
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - Using compact fluorescent light bulbs is an easy and effective way to save on utility costs. "Using these bulbs can be very helpful to the family budget, but their use is not without risks," said Marsha Alexander, University of Missouri Extension housing and environmental design…
September is Falls Prevention Awareness Month, a time to draw attention to risk of falls among older adults.
COLUMBIA, Mo.-Consumers may take some solace in forecasts for a winter of above-normal temperatures across the Midwest, but also should take steps to offset soaring heating costs, said a University of Missouri Extension housing specialist.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The piercing 85-decibel alarm from smoke detectors will wake most adults with a start, but small children might sleep right through them.That’s why parents might want to consider an alarm that talks to their children in case of a fire, said Karen Funkenbusch, a University of…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Everyone loves seeing social media posts of smiling farm kids with their animals at local fairs.
But no one enjoys seeing these photos more than criminals who could put your family’s safety and property at risk, says Brenda Schreck, University of Missouri Extension field specialist…
MARSHFIELD, Mo. – Before you grab that snow shovel to clear your sidewalk or driveway, stop to go over some safety tips, said a University of Missouri Extension natural resource engineering specialist.
MARSHFIELD, Mo. – Holiday decorating season is here, and that means hauling out ladders to place holiday cheer throughout the home and yard.
A ladder seems like such a simple tool, but ladder accidents are far too common and can happen in the blink of an eye.
MARSHFIELD, Mo.– While you wait for the spring thaw, consider testing your home for harmful radon gas, says Bob Schultheis, a University of Missouri Extension natural resource engineering specialist.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Severe winter weather can bring widespread power outages, which means many Missouri families might be firing up their generators. University of Missouri Extension emergency management specialist Eric Evans urges people to use common sense when using a generator.