Thursday, February 15, 2018

8 Mistakes That Are Making Your Home Unhealthy

Defeat allergens: here's how to control the dust, mold, pollen and other contaminants that are making you sneeze.


1: Not Keeping a Barrier Between You and Your Bedding

Use zippered dust-proof casings for pillows and mattresses. The pore space of such casings is so small that dust mites and their waste products can't get through.

2: Forgetting to Change the Filters

Changing the filter is an essential part of keeping dust out of the air and preserving the life of the machine. Change the filter once it's showing wear and tear or every six months if you're using a HEPA filter.  Never run your heating or air conditioning system without filters, and be sure to change them at least every three months.

 

3: Not Ventilating Your Bathroom

Running the exhaust fan (and making sure it's vented to the outdoors) helps remove moisture from this naturally humid room.

 

4: Too Many Textiles

Carpeting, rugs, pillows, upholstered headboards and chairs are all dust catchers. Consider minimizing furnishings and upholstery to a minimum to reduce the amount of dust mites.and for an easier-to-dust environment.

5: Not Following Your Nose

If you detect a musty smell in your home, inspect closely until you find the source of the smell. The sooner you find the mold, the easier it will be to remove.

6: Wearing Shoes Inside the House

Not only is wearing shoes indoors a health risk, but it can also increase allergens. Wet leaves bring in mildew and pollutants from grass get trapped on the bottom of shoes. Take your shoes off outside, or put them in a washable tray as soon as you walk in the door.

7: Letting Your Pet Sleep in Your Bed

Your favorite part of the day may be snuggling up to your fur baby, but pet dander traps allergens — which means you're inviting those allergens to your bed. If you can't resist the cuddles, then you should completely shave your dog. Just kidding — just be sure to bathe them once a week.

8: Letting the Trash Pile Up

You could attract some unwanted guests (like mice and roaches) inside your home if you let your trash pile up. Their droppings can worsen your allergies, so make sure you stick to a routine of taking out the trash.

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Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Virginia: Top 5 on the Best State to Retire

The Best and Worst States to Retire

  • With more retirees responsible for their own financial security, choosing the right retirement destination can make all the difference.
  • WalletHub compared the retirement-friendliness of all 50 states. Here are the spots that ranked the highest.

In retirement, just like in real estate, it's "location, location, location."
With more and more retirees responsible for their own financial security, choosing the right retirement destination can make or break any lazy-day fantasies.


To that end, WalletHub compared the retirement-friendliness of all 50 states using criteria such as cost of living, crime rate, tax-friendliness on pensions and Social Security income, number of health-care facilities, access to public transportation as well as the weather and proximity to golf courses and museums. This is retirement after all.

Some of the states that ranked the highest were no surprise — Florida snagged the top spot. Others, like South Dakota and Iowa, were less expected. Among the least desirable were high-tax states like New Jersey and Rhode Island.

Here are the 10 best and worst places to retire, according to WalletHub. (And if you are thinking more outside the box, here are the world's top 5 retirement destinations.)

Overall Rank (1=Best)
State
Total Score
Affordability' Rank
Quality of Life' Rank
Health Care' Rank
1 Florida 66.79 1 5 20
2 Colorado 66.17 23 8 2
3 South Dakota 65.89 2 32 6
4 Iowa 62.46 26 11 9
5 Virginia 62.02 18 9 21
6 Wyoming 61.66 4 30 29
7 New Hampshire 61.51 29 14 4
8 Idaho 61.39 11 20 25
9 Utah 61.14 22 24 12
10 Arizona 60.67 21 21 17


Worst States to Retire

Overall Rank (50=Worst)
State
Total Score
Affordability' Rank
Quality of Life' Rank
Health Care' Rank
41 Alabama 50.55 3 48 48
42 Hawaii 50.31 49 36 3
43 New Mexico 49.76 39 42 35
44 Louisiana 49.15 17 41 46
45 West Virginia 48.29 16 43 49
46 Arkansas 46.89 20 50 45
47 Mississippi 46.28 10 49 50
48 Rhode Island 45.14 48 46 22
49 New Jersey 44.94 50 28 33
50 Kentucky 43.06 38 47 47

 Source: WalletHub