Homeowner’s Academy
This is your guide to interesting facts, tips and general homeowner information. We hope you find the information useful – and feel free to share with friends!

Buying a Generator to Power Your Florida Home? Here’s What to Consider Before the Storm Hits.

Spring cleaning often comes with a fresh coat of paint. Painting can be a great way to change the feel of a room or give your home some great curb appeal. Painting also plays a role in home repair by protecting the wood of your home against the elements, essential here in Florida.

If you decide to try your hand at painting this spring, People’s Trust has some tips that can keep the experience enjoyable and safe for everyone in your family.

Try Some Eco-friendly Paint

Spring conjures up the sniffles for many people in the great outdoors, but paint may do the same thing inside of your home. Household paints have previously contained up to 300 toxic chemicals, including the hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that release particles into the air for years after you paint.

Try a low-VOC paint, which tends to be water-based, for any home interior painting. These have taken off in recent years and come in every shade and finish imaginable. Some brands also create no-VOC paints by replacing chemicals with more natural ingredients. These no-VOC paints are often pet-safe, but always check the label and never leave your pet unattended in a room where paint cans are open.

Home Repair Supervision

If you have children, never let them be in a room with open paint cans by themselves. If children are under the age of 10, they should never be in a room with any open painting materials. Even eco-friendly paints are extremely dangerous if ingested. If you believe your child has ingested any paint, immediately call poison control at 1-800-222-1222.

Try Cloth Catchers for Indoor and Outdoor Painting

You can pick up plastic sheets to protect your floors and lawn, but these often move and tear as you walk around painting. Turn to cloth or canvas drop cloths that will stay in place easier and can be weighed down with objects without the risk of tearing.

For painting the outside of your home, try a tarp with tie-holes. These can be staked into the ground to provide a steadier surface for a ladder.

Ventilate: Make Room to Breathe

If you’re painting inside, open the doors and windows. If your room has a fan, turn it on. You want proper ventilation for any space you’re painting to help air out the room and not breathe in paint fumes. If you can’t ventilate where you’re working, get a respirator and only paint in short stints.

Ventilation is essential to most common home repair improvements.

Stick to the Shade

If painting outside, you know that you need to take a break in the shade, but what about your materials? Paint, paint thinner and lacquer all need to stay in the shade as much as possible when painting outdoors.

Not only can heat and sun alter some of these items when they’re sitting in the can, but heat can also be a big problem for these flammable items. The city of Las Vegas actually warns its citizens to be careful when painting their homes or canvases outside because paint thinner has been ignited by the sun and started home fires.

Clean Up after Home Repairs

When you finish painting for the day, clean up the entire space. This will prevent spills and any accidental exposure.

Latex paints can typically be cleaned from surfaces and your skin with soap and water. Oil-based paints will have specific cleaning instructions located on the paint can itself. Take a look at your can before you start painting and write down what it says, because paint often spills on the outside of the can during the painting process.

Gasoline was once used to clean paint off of brushes, but this should never be used. Gasoline is extremely dangerous and should never be used as a cleaner for any object.

It’s always a smart practice to clean up and watch your space clearly when doing any home repair project.

Buying a Generator to Power Your Florida Home? Here’s What to Consider Before the Storm Hits.

The only thing worse than riding out the storm at home? Riding out the storm without power… especially if it feels like 100 degrees outside. Yuck! Fortunately, there’s an easy solution – generators.

Too often, Florida homeowners wait until a storm is looming to purchase a generator and grab the first one that looks up to the task. But there’s more to consider when selecting a generator to power up your home during a storm. Let’s take a look…

How to Choose a Generator

Determine How Much Power You Need

To determine the amount of power you need from a generator, add up the wattage of all appliances, equipment, and lighting you’d expect to use during a power outage.

Some common household appliances that you’ll likely want to power up include the refrigerator (725 watts), sump pump (750 to 1,500 watts), central air conditioner (5,000 watts), lights (60 to 600 watts), and computers (60 to 300 watts).

Note: Failure to accurately calculate your power needs may result in damage to the items you plug into the generator and to the device itself.

Standby vs. Portable: Which Is Better?

Depending on your needs and budget, you have two options when it comes to selecting a generator – standby or portable. If you’re unsure about which type of generator will best meet your power needs, consider enlisting the help of an electrician.

Standby Generator

  • Permanently installed outside your home
  • Provides 24/7 blackout protection and turns on automatically when the power goes out
  • Runs on natural gas or propane and connects to existing gas lines
  • Can power critical and sophisticated appliances and systems in your home
  • Power: ~ 5,000 to 20,000 watts
  • Cost: $5,000 – $10,000

Portable Generator

  • Can be used anywhere on or off your property, but must be placed outside
  • Must be filled with gasoline every few hours – many gas stations will not be able to pump gas during a power outage, so you’ll need to store enough to last through the outage
  • Appliances need to be plugged in directly to the generator, or through heavy-duty outdoor-rated extension cords
  • Cannot power items that are hard-wired to the home, such as heating/cooling systems, security systems, etc.
  • Power: ~ 3,000 to 8,500 watts
  • Cost: $400 to $1,000

Why You Need A Power Transfer Switch

When the power goes out, a power transfer switch automatically turns on the generator, transferring electricity from the utility grid to the generator, and then turns it off when regular power is restored. It’s important to install a power transfer switch to prevent the risk of appliances frying, endangering utility workers, or damaging the generator. To make sure the installation is done safely, we recommend hiring an electrician to connect the power transfer switch.

Safety Considerations

Generators are lifesavers when it comes to maintaining a level of comfort at home during a power outage, but they come with a host of dangers if not handled with proper care. The most common dangers associated with generators are carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, electrical shock or electrocution, and fire.

Read the Instructions

While no one likes to read instruction manuals, the best way to avoid mishaps when operating your generator is to read the instructions in their entirety. The manufacturer’s guidelines will show you how to correctly operate and maintain the generator, as well as what not to do.

Using a Portable Generator?

Keep It Outside. Place the generator away from your house, at a spot where it gets sufficient air circulation. If the generator is placed in your garage or carport or near your house, it may release carbon monoxide into your home.

Keep It Dry. Keep the generator under a canopy or tarp, where it will stay dry. Never place electrical cords near a mud puddle or water source. If you’re running an electrical cord from the generator to your house, make sure it has a clear path where it’s not going to get rained on.

Be Alert for Carbon Monoxide

Know the warning signs. Symptoms of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning can be easily confused with those of the common cold or flu. If you’re running a generator and experience dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath, headache, fatigue, or faintness, go outside right away. Consult with a doctor following the incident.

Install a CO detector. To prevent the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, install a battery-operated or plug-in CO detector, with a battery backup so it will continue working after the power goes out. Regularly test your CO detector to make sure it’s working properly.

Storing Fuel

Use the appropriate type of fuel for your generator and store it in a safety-approved can in a building separate from your house, such as a shed or detached garage. Fuel should be stored at room temperature and away from heat sources. If the container spills or is not completely sealed, vapors can escape and ignite.

Secure Your Generator

When a disaster hits, portable generators become an extremely popular item for thieves. Secure a chain from your generator to a nearby structure or tree to prevent it from being stolen from your yard.