The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

WWIRE PPRSSIWEDNESDAY, APaRIL 1992,P AGE 1M AHOME, DESIGN AND'IMPROVEMENT'FEATURE Makinýg your home more 'user-friendly' This article ia provided by local realtora cand t nr Real Estcste Association (OREA) forthe benefit-of consumera in thes real estate mar-het. k low samfe je your home? -if you!re convinced that- household accdenta ,Ionly happen to the' ther guy* thik an. You'd b. marriedta know how -many inisape- many of thei ,tragc in prpotionecýould have-been aviied ith just a littiefoeih Eey year; many pme- partlcularly' chIldren àc..tha è1d.r1y - are seiously injured, ee âed, in Uther own homes elter fails, hume, scado, "dental, loing o ectrocutim. But by -taking-a little time and prec=tion now You cSn eaaly prevent many tse teelsfroin -happening ta MU 5not convinced, take, a look around your home and auk yourelf some of the following questions. Do yog have a planned escap routein Caeof fire -- andl eeyeein your fani*Ly familla with it? Do yeu have a -fre readily available, and ailfai members'know how to use it? Do you have hand rals and no-sid stripe 'or mata instailed in your bxAttuband shower stall ta prevent falis?,Are yorstair<tafes Weil lit? If you haechildren andpes are household items like beach and oven cleanar, kept well out' of han'. way? If you anewered no ta moet of these questions, don't panic. TIhere are many simple things ryou can do. First of ail make sure y ou havïe a planned escape route in case of fine. Make sure al members of your faniily are familiar with ItL You cai practise fire drills ta make Sure eve.ryone -remembers what they1re- supposed ta do. If you have ai eldenfy person living with you, take extra care >ta make sure you. have coetinge ncy plais so they can ho eaeilyraacheed deauated. 111re- etnuishers should ho : eaild .accessile a id everyone OML know how ta operate theni. Smoke detectars should aie instailed on -each floor of your home s0e you are' warnÏed immediately o any impending Yo hould aise tny ta keep your hm -eseilyyour dodge* piles of shobosor shos and.boots. Vfthis 'a Problem In your houee,ti installing a catehail boet j the alayta keep youn major thorough.fare dean d safe. The Ikitchen is' one of tha moet-used roonis In your home. -It je aiseomea of the moet dangenous, so l' important ta mak sure you do eventh you can ta avod potential hazards --like fale, slips, scado or hume. Ideally, your stmevshouldn't be locaW. directly unden .a wlndow becauos billowing curtains froen an open windowk cai become "aiY ignlted. Ites aloo a good idea, where 1,sibleta i7svework space fS'M oneither sida of youýr stove. Thamt way you, cai qtuckly set down hot pots, aid pans withoutbalpt walk very far with te. Tnsae kýoeepoYoung children away fhum l. tesides 0f the stave. If you have a cuphoard lcated overjour staves try te avomd using tt possible. Many accident. oeur when a=' eone0 ans over a hotdstotareach soeethlng itaa cupboard above. If storage space !arexm, conider instafln - rofaeaedpaty unit for spices and other item» e might nomally store abawe th steve. Yen cai purchautstae at moet bilding supply centres fer reonable amo-units AIse, if you ,have smua children, mîake sr ynhave safety latches intild on cuposdswhere' yen keep medcatons or household cleaners Bathroom safety procauticas The. bathroom je another potentially dangerous room whe s"ado and electrical shocks can occur. Make sue that aiy switches aid electrcal outlets and any electrical appliaices - like a radio or portable heater - -are weil out of reach 0f someone, in the bathtub. As weil, ground fault circit t«rrpters ,(GFPICs) are*0a muet. Sturdy grab bars are aIeai excellent idea, speciany ifyou have -ai eldanly person 'in -your home. ÀAnti-slip safety, stripeor mats are alSo impo tan t prevent folle inbt7tusand ahowar stall. And, dme cadng is often a prob-leni you may wait ta tur» Po=nthe thermostaton. yourhot water tank. Talk to.,your local utility coenpany fur more infetatio.Yoùucan aIse avoid scaldesb bang cold water in theIrt? fretand adding b ot water ta it. (TUs in a veny good patce te get itl if you hv ialchIldren.) As weiltape should hberly identified ta distingish the hot fron the cold, espeiaPyif you have ai elderly p rlvingwith If yen have a window located abeve your bathtub, take great carswe cleaning it. Care should aise, oexercised when removing shower, curtaisfor laundering. Use a ohtrrliable «Wtetool, don't perh precariously en the edge ofthe tub -.it'too Èoûy. w mkoallaundy room Unfinishd basemente in many homes bave only one receptacle or two at the moat (usuaily one ie for the wahing machine). 'Avoid using extension corde be;"s you *can "siy trip Face-Iifts. for yOur furitr (SOP) There./may ho a beautifu piece of funnture hiding honeath that ugly booke or table,,ti youn basement. If it's structunally sound,.. ail it may, need je -a Q facelift, according ta funnitune experts. Here are some.- tips fromt them ta make refinishing easier aid Mme succeseful. *Identify thefinish. Varnish, lacquar aid shellac should, ho removed by a different proces than is. used. for paint ,-and polyunrethane. All~U poesr- pers oftenaarer=h aidcanestip the' beautiful patunal coloun 0f wood. To identif a finish, tauch a spot of the fnih with-a cottan bail damponed with nail polish remiover. If the cotton sticksÏ or softens the finish, it'. varnish, lacquer or sheilac. If there's no efi'ect, it's polyurethane. a Pick the' night produet. Avoid producte that have a water base or requin. a water rinse. Water cari damage wood. 0 Read aIl instructions thoroughly beforé starting. Follow the recommendations. *ProtecIt decorative tim. Covar mirros, glass, leather imuets, itencils and other embellishments with heavy-duty plastic, cut ta fit and secured with masking tape. a To remove vannish, lacquer or sbeilac, use a furniture nefinisher. e Work on on. area at a tume. Apply nefinisher with fine steel wool or a finish-nemoval pad. Work in a smail ares, about the size cf a dinner, plate, and stay with it until the. finish je completely disslved.ý *Work fron tihe top down to pret oId fnh trom I runLng otaCleaný easas it dissolves. *For paint or polyurethane, choos a paint remnoven; the. beavier the can, 'the more effective the. product. é Paint removers, wonk best when th. temperature is 65 ta 86 degrees PF(18-ta30 C). *Stroke in on. direction. Don't use a painting motion tà apply paint nemover. Do not tauch th. surface until ail the bubbling action stops. 0 If heavy paint spots reniai», don't ecrape, on try ta, dig them. out. You'll damage the wood. Apply more remover. eTo get paint out of wood grain or carvings, use a Igenuine brase brueh aid work in one direction. -@ Aften nemoving paint, immedi- ately wash, the wood. with paint nemover wash on steel wool. on them. AIse remember that you can easily overload a circuit by plugging in too naany things inta one outlet.< If alakk0 f outilets poses a probleni ori: eecrica to ZI a'additloexaloutiae,- ,ÀwMi,there'shoiidhoat leaet, one approved receptacle on euh, wail..: 1 ý ýGood. lighting is aise imortantin theworkshop ams and arouind the, baement stars to avoed'accdeonte TRADITIONAL P1UBLIC ýNOTICE Due ýto l'agging, dealer sales, we are openi ng our factory doors for' direct to public sales ... you can now buy quality pine & oak tables, chairs, hutches, buffets, bedroom suites, entertainnient units and rnuich, much môre direct from.the factory floor. 42"X 62" SOLID OAK 42"X 84" SOLID OAK DBL EXTENSION TABLE & 4 PEDESTAL EXTENSION WINDSOR CHAIRS TABLE & 6 CHAIRS $5.PLUS PST& GST ^$139q5. .....d..dcrfsm n hp4Z urtn u~. ............ DURHAM RD. #8 115 NORTH PORT RD. É16 l' PORT PERRY o (416) 985-8774 HWY. 401 'U Thurs.8:3Oam-8:OOpm 1i wrBY OSpeAA Sat. lOam-3pm* ARNTS TOPSOIL Atten OurFREETHIRDCt. STO E oeIN R IWY 401o -w B *Triple Mix- Peatloam %7 Cll fr deai* Top Sou *- Firewood * ad * Limestone Unioc InSrockng Curbs * Pine Match PavngStoesRockery *Patio - * Stonfe Slabs DelverdorusomePicUp Gravel *Treated For quick reliable service calNggts imer RETAINING WALLS Installation& LANDSCAPING 1> 0 Landscaping also Available