3 monsters in your house
Happy almost Halloween!
As everyone is getting ready for costumes and scary monsters, we developed a blog post inspired by the haunted houses around the city. But before we jump to the subject, If you happen to read this blog post at a later time, don’t be discouraged, as the information is timeless, just with a little bit of Halloween spice.
Haunted houses are a peculiar thing. They transform the place where we usually feel the most comfortable and secure into a dark space where strange and often scary monsters appear. Add some appropriate sounds, screams, and the unknown factor, and it could provide a pretty frightening experience.
Some people love it, others couldn't care less about it, but I think most would agree with the policy of “no monsters inside your house.” Okay, other than the little ones in costumes every Halloween, but those are adorable.
Then, what if I told you that there are some “monsters” that could be potentially present in any house, all year round, that could make your home a little or a lot scary? They are not of a different world, but elements that can make your house less comfortable and safe. The good news is that there is a way to tame or get completely rid of such monsters, usually with the help of professional “ghostbusters.”
Here are 3 types of monsters that could hide inside your house at any given time:
Moldy Ghost
Mold is a type of fungus. It is formed by tiny organisms found almost anywhere. We call them ghosts because they are so small that they are practically invisible. Also, they are typically around us, especially around the damp areas where they thrive. They are usually harmless in small amounts, but they release spores into the air that can be easily inhaled once they start growing. Inhaling the spores can cause health problems, especially for sensitive people, like kids, older adults, and people prone to allergies.
Mold likes wet cellulose materials that provide nutrients and the perfect environment for growing; for example, many construction cellulose materials, like cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood and its derivatives, and wallpaper. Mold also likes some types of paints, insulation, drywall, carpet, and fabrics.
The places where you can usually find mold issues are wet rooms, like the kitchen, bathrooms, and some laundry areas.
Preventing mold is easier and often less expensive than removing it. Therefore, it is important to control the humidity levels inside your house, ventilate kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry areas appropriately, and fix and clean any leaks in your roof, windows, or plumbing pipes.
Once you have identified mold in your home, it is best to get professional help to get to the root cause. If you remove the mold from the surface without addressing the problem, you may have it back again in no time.
Energy Vampires
Energy Vampires are another sneaky “monster” that could be present in your house without you even realizing it. An Energy vampire is a device that uses energy and draws power, even when turned off.
According to the Department of Energy and other independent sources, they can account for 10% to 20% of the energy used in an average home. This energy drain may not have a direct health or life hazard, but it affects your budget by increasing your energy bill.
How do they keep on draining energy? Anything that is plugged into an outlet is getting some electricity. Even in sleep mode, appliances still perform updates, connect to servers, etc.
In a modern home full of computers, cellphones, and smart devices, getting completely rid of energy vampires presents a challenge. However, there are ways to keep them under control:
Unplug unnecessary appliances and electronic devices. Assess your house for the appliances you have plugged in and identify which ones are unnecessary or could be unplugged for most of the day. For example, power strips don’t need to stay connected after charging your cell phone. Also, if you usually drink coffee only once in the morning, you could disconnect your coffee maker after each use. You could also consider getting power strips that toggle the power on and off easily for multiple cables.
Configure sleep modes when available. Setting your computer in sleep mode instead of just leaving it idle for an extended period can help to conserve energy. Your computer will still drain energy, but it will be considerably less than leaving it inactive for long periods.
Go Energy Star: Upgrade your appliances and electronic devices to Energy Star whenever feasible.
Shaky monster
Last but not least is the shaky monster. This ‘monster” does not live inside your house per se but is around, and you don’t know when it will “shake,” especially in California. Shaky monster, as you may have already guessed, alludes to earthquakes and seismic activity.
Living in California, you may already be used to the occasional shake. I don’t think I will ever get used to that, but it comes with all the perks this beautiful state has to offer.
We don’t know when an earthquake will happen, but we can do all we can to take precautions and strengthen our homes. Newer homes are already built to adhere to more modern building codes that require bolting and bracing the foundation to strengthen it against an earthquake. Older homes, however, often lack this critical reinforcement, and they should be retrofitted.
Retrofitting a house does not assure you that there will not be structural damages to your house in case of a seismic event. However, when your home is appropriately secured, bolted, and braced, you and your family will have a better chance of surviving a big earthquake.
In California, several grants are offered to homeowners to offset or help with the cost of retrofitting their house. The FEMA Earthquake Brace + Bolt program is very popular and can significantly help with the retrofitting cost. Registration for this program opens only once a year, on October 27, 2021, and is open for a month.
And if you are not sure whether you need to secure and retrofit your house, don’t hesitate to consult a specialist. We can also help you to determine whether you need help and provide references to some local contractors.
These monsters can be spooky, but the good news is that you can be proactive and take steps not to let them inside your house or significantly affect your and your family’s lives. A renovation project is a perfect time to address these monsters and more issues that your home or your family could be experiencing. We consider them and give you options to move forward when you hire us, so give us a call!
In the meantime, I will leave you with a
Halloween Poem by Ada Clark.
Halloween Fun
We like to go on Halloween.
All up and down our street,
Dressed up like ghosts and witches bad,
And frighten those we meet.
I like the lively jack o’lanterns
That wink and blink at me.
The screeching bats and creeping cats
Are funny as can be.
I live to eat the pumpkin pies
That mother makes - yum, yum!
Oh, I’m so very glad each year,
When Halloween has come!
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Gracias!
Citlalli
Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.
-Dale Carnegie
References:
https://www.webmd.com/lung/mold-mildew
https://www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm
https:/https://www.energy.gov/articles/4-ways-slay-energy-vampires-halloween
/www.energy.gov/articles/4-ways-slay-energy-vampires-halloween
https://www.earthquakebracebolt.com/
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Special thanks to my editor, Ilya Godes!
Citlalli is an architect and a mom who enjoys finding the extraordinary around us and understanding what makes each person thrive.
She believes that art and sound design should be accessible, and her motivation is to help build a better world for the next generations.
She has worked on residential and commercial projects for over 15 years. She decided to open her studio in Los Angeles, California, to make great design available and affordable to more people.
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