​No doubt you are someone who loves to keep a beautiful, clean house, so it can be a little distressing to hear that you could have thousands of dust mites living in your home. Dust mites inhabit most homes and, for many people, do not pose much of a problem.  For some people, however, they can trigger allergic reactions, leading many to search for ways to get rid of them. Before choosing a chemical approach, which is not always successful, you may first want to try some of the following methods:
 
Lower the humidity levels in your home. Dust mites thrive in a humid, warm environment so, if you want to reduce the number of them, lower the humidity. You can do this using an air conditioner or electric blanket, which has been found to be effective.
 
Dust and vacuum regularly. It is best to dust the home with a damp cloth which prevents redistributing the dust from one surface to another. After dusting, vacuum floors, textiles, and soft furnishings. Ideally, you will want to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter which helps to stop dust going back into the air.
 
It is well known that dust mites can be found in large numbers in bedding. Dust mites can survive in the wash so If you want to eliminate them from bed linens they must be washed at a high temperature, minimum of 140 degrees Fahrenheit, which will kill them. Alternatively, you can place bedding in the dryer for 10 minutes on a high temperature and this will also get rid of them.
 
You may wonder if an air purifier would help with dust mites. An air purifier with a HEPA filter is a good idea for allergy sufferers and will lessen the number of dust mites in the air but, because dust mites are not generally airborne, it will not get rid of them completely.

While we normally associate major earthquakes with the west coast, the fact is that even a minor earthquake can cause major damage to your home. Houses tend to be built with less stringent earthquake preparedness building codes in areas of the county that do not see a lot of seismic activity so even a minor temblor could severely damage a home. So, to prevent this damage, what are some of the potential weak spots of a home that may need reinforcing?
 
Gas leaks can be a huge problem after an earthquake. Keep any home appliances that run on natural gas securely fixed to the floor or walls. If there is no automatic gas shutoff valve in your home then its important to have the manual shutoff valve clearly labeled and in a place easily accessible so that it can be switched off quickly.
 
Check that there are no cracks or crumbling in cement foundations. You will also want to check that the home is securely fixed to the foundations.
 
A chimney can become very dangerous if damaged in an earthquake and could fall into the house. To secure this you will want to install angle bracing and sheet metal straps to secure an unreinforced masonry chimney to the house. Any areas where children play should not be located near the chimney.
 
If the home has a freestanding water heater, use metal straps to secure it to a wall.
 
These are just a few of the many ways to secure your home against damage caused by even minor earthquakes. Please feel free to contact us if you would like more advice.