Winter Tips With Everyday Household Items

Keep your headlights clear with car wax! Just wipe ordinary car wax on your headlights. It contains special water repellents that will prevent that messy mixture from accumulating on your lights - lasts 6 weeks.

Squeak-proof your wipers with rubbing alcohol! Wipe the wipers with a cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol or ammonia. This one trick can make badly streaking & squeaking wipers change to near perfect silence & clarity

Ice-proof your windows with vinegar! Frost on it's way? Just fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to one part water & spritz it on all your windows at night. In the morning, they'll be clear of icy mess. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which raises the melting point of water-preventing water from freezing!

Prevent car doors from freezing shut with cooking spray! Spritz cooking oil spray - PAM- on the rubber seals around car doors & rub it in with a Paper towel . The cooking spray prevents water from melting into the rubber.

Fog-proof your windshield with shaving cream! Spray some shaving cream on the inside of your windshield & wipe if off with paper towels. Shaving cream has many of the same ingredients found in commercial defoggers.

De-ice your lock in seconds with hand sanitizer! Just put some hand sanitizer gel on the key & the lock & the problems solved! 

Make a Vehicle Ready Kit

Many people will be traveling this Thanksgiving Holiday. Bad weather and snow has already been predicted in many areas of the country. How can you keep your family safe as you travel this year? One way is to make a vehicle ready kit to keep in your trunk.

Here are a few items that it should contain:

• First aid kit
• Blankets
• Flashlight
• Jumper Cables
• Non-perishable food
• Water
• Cat litter
• Basic Tools

READ MORE CAR SAFETY TIPS AT READY.GOV

Introducing the New Look of Champion!

In order to better serve our customers' needs, we have stream lined our operations. Our services now include:  

• Water Damage Restoration
• Mold Remediation
• Fire & Smoke Cleanup
• Carpet & Area Rug Cleaning
• Upholstery & Drapery Cleaning
• Tile & Grout Cleaning

What does it mean for you?

• Improved response time when you have a water damage emergency
• Expanded mold services
• More options to manage your reconstruction

"Champion has a long history of serving our neighbor's cleaning and restoration needs from carpet cleaning to water damage restoration. I'm excited about the opportunity to combine our years of experience with our updated service offerings and advanced technology. I'm proud of what we've done for the last 44 years and look forward to the future."

- Zach Reets, General Manager

"I'm excited about the changes and enhancements to our company and I can't wait to share those benefits with our customers and partners!"

- Kim Beasinger, Marketing Rep

Atlanta Area Events for November 2014

November 7th - 9th: HemlockFest in Dahlonega

November 8th: Whiskies of the World at the Fox Theatre

November 8th: Atlanta Veg Fest at Atlanta Metropolitan State College

November 8th: Atlanta Pet Expo at Gwinnett Center in Duluth

November 8th - 16th: The Atlanta Opera Presents Madame Butterfly at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center

November 14th: Sips Under the Sea at Georgia Acquarium

November 22nd: Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life at Phillips Arena

November 25th - 30th: Dirty Dancing at the Fox Theatre

Through November 30th: Cirque Du Soleil: Amaluna at Atlantic Station

Cold, Wet Winter Predicted This Year

Georgia is predicted to have a cold, wet winter this year...even colder than last year. Preparing ahead of time will help ease some of the stress. Here are some tips from Ready.gov...

• Before winter approaches, add the following supplies to your emergency kit:
  • Rock salt or more environmentally safe products to melt ice on walkways. Visit the Environmental Protection Agency for a complete list of recommended products.
  • Sand to improve traction.
  • Snow shovels and other snow removal equipment.
  • Sufficient heating fuel. You may become isolated in your home and regular fuel sources may be cut off. Store a good supply of dry, seasoned wood for your fireplace or wood-burning stove.
  • Adequate clothing and blankets to keep you warm.
• Make a Family Communications Plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in case of an emergency.
• A NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts alerts and warnings directly from the NWS for all hazards. You may also sign up in advance to receive notifications from your local emergency services.
  Download FEMA’s Be Smart. Know Your Alerts and Warnings for a summary of notifications at: www.ready.gov/prepare. Free smart phone apps, such as those available from FEMA and the American Red Cross, provide information about finding shelters, providing first aid, and seeking assistance for recovery.
• Minimize travel. If travel is necessary, keep a disaster supplies kit in your vehicle.
• Bring pets/companion animals inside during winter weather. Move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas with non-frozen drinking water.

READ MORE TIPS FROM READY.GOV

Connecticut fire marshal highlights performance of home fire sprinklers

Keith Flood, fire marshal of the West Haven Fire Department and chair of the Connecticut Fire Sprinkler Coalition, narrates a demonstration underscoring just how quickly home fire sprinklers douse fires.

Fire Safety Video From FEMA

Plan and practice home fire drills at least twice a year. Make sure you know two ways out of each room. More fire safety information at http://www.usfa.fema.gov.

Fall Preparedness Tips

Here are some great fall preparedness tips from ReadyGA...

As the leaves begin to fall, take a fresh look at your emergency preparations. This season is loved for its crisp breezes and colorful leaves, but it is also notorious for strong winds, heavy rain and even tornadoes. Since severe weather can occur quickly with little to no warning, it is important to take time now to prepare.

• Trim away dead or weak tree branches from around your home
• Be weather-aware; be alert to changing conditions so you can take proper action
• Know where you will take cover in an emergency

READ MORE PREPAREDNESS TIPS

What Should You Do If There Is an Earthquake?

Tips for Reducing Hidden Home Allergens

Tips for Reducing Hidden Home Allergens from Healthy House Institute

•   Use bedding items that are proven to be an effective allergen barrier including pillows, mattress/pillow encasings, comforters and mattress pads. Routinely wash the items in water hotter than 130 degrees Fahrenheit according to the custom care instructions included with each of the products. (It is critical that water be hotter than 130 degrees Fahrenheit to kill and remove dust mites and their eggs, and this temperature is often higher than the setting of a standard water heater). Some washing machines have been scientifically proven to remove over 95% of household allergens from common household items.
•   The use of some vacuums may actually make symptoms for some people worse because they leak dust back into the room and increase the levels of airborne allergens. Some vacuums have the proven capability to effectively remove various allergens and trap them within the vacuum cleaner system without leakage through the filter, seals, bag or canister/frame during use and waste removal from the machine.
•   Non-allergenic toys are an ideal choice for those concerned with asthma and allergies. These toys do not contain any fabric or fillings known to aggravate asthma or related allergies. Additionally, their quality and workmanship allow for the effective allergen reduction process of freezing, washing and drying, while maintaining all government safety requirements. Testing of durability and quality has shown that the right toys will withstand the custom care code included with each one.
•   Every type of flooring is a potential breeding ground for allergens, whether it’s carpet, tile, or hardwood. Choose floor coverings that have a low capacity for allergen retention; the manufacturer’s recommended cleaning procedures must be effective at removing accumulated allergen from the floor covering, and not contribute to a significant increase in airborne allergen levels that may result in redistribution of rather than overall reduction of allergens.

READ MORE TIPS AT HEALTHY HOUSE INSTITUTE