UGA Cooperative Extension
Rabun County Extension Office:
Family & Consumer Sciences
News Articles
by Sheryl (Giddens) Nelken
Family & Consumer Sciences Agent
Rabun and Habersham Counties
- High Radon Levels - Free Test Kit Available
- Now is a Good Time To Update Your Homeowners Insurance
- So Easy To Preserve Books
- Home Check: Where is it?
High Radon Levels - Free Test Kit Available
Think radon isn’t a problem in NorthEast Georgia? Think again. The highest radon test result, tracked through the Georgia Radon Education Program, was reported in south Habersham County last year. In fact, one in six northeast Georgia homes tested through the University of Georgia College of Family & Consumer Science’s have radon levels above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) action level of 4 pCi/l. An additional one in four had levels between 2 and 3.9 pCi/l. This invisible, odorless and tasteless radioactive gas comes from the natural decay of uranium in rock and soil and is unsafe at any level. Radon causes irreversible damage to lungs that can lead to lung cancer.
In fact, U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona warned the American public about the risks of breathing indoor radon by issuing a national health advisory in January 2005. The advisory urges Americans to prevent this dangerous radioactive gas from seeping into their homes. In his press release, Dr. Carmona stated that exposure to indoor radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and breathing it over prolonged periods poses a significant health risk to families all over the country.
Often called a silent killer, breathing radon contaminated air causes no immediate health symptoms. Breathing radon permanently damages lungs and can lead to lung cancer. More than 22,000 Americans die of radon-related lung cancer every year. 600 of them will die in Georgia. If you smoke and breathe radon on a daily basis, your risk of lung cancer is much. much higher.
The only way to know how much radon is seeping into your home is to test. Simple test kits can reveal the amount of radon in any building. Those with high levels can be fixed with well-established, affordable venting techniques. You should test your home for radon every two years, and retest any time you move, make structural changes to your home, or occupy a previously unused level of a house. If test results reveal a radon level of 4 pCi/L or more, take steps to remedy the problem as soon as possible.
Protect your family, test your home today. Free home radon test kits are being distributed through the Rabun County Extension Office. We are located in Clayton between the library and Health Department. Call or stop by to pick up your kit today. For more information, please contact me at 706-782-3113.
Now is a Good Time to Update Your Homeowners Insurance
When was the last time you reviewed your homeowners insurance policy? If it has been over a year, then it is time to take a good look at your policy.
In recent years home values have risen, leaving nearly two-thirds of the homes in the United States underinsured by about 27 percent. There are several reasons why homeowners are not carrying enough insurance. In the past, an insurance company would usually pay to rebuild your home. These days they are more likely to pay only 120 percent of the stated coverage. With construction costs rising an average of 3 percent a year for the past ten years, the cost of rebuilding may far exceed your insurance coverage. Also, if you are one of the many homeowners who remodeled your home, you need to update your coverage to reflect the improvements. About 75 percent of homeowners who remodel their houses fail to update their insurance coverage.
The first step to reviewing your home insurance coverage is to read your existing policy. Make sure you are carrying enough insurance to cover the cost of rebuilding your house. You don\'t need to insure the land, just the house.
Make time for an annual checkup with your insurance agent. It is the best precaution you can take to avoid the risks associated with being underinsured.
The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is pleased to offer a new 5th edition of its popular book, So Easy To Preserve. This beautiful book contains the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture recommendations for safe food preservation. So Easy To Preserve is now a 375-page book with over 185 tested recipes, along with step by step instructions and in-depth information for both the new and experienced food preserver. Chapters include Preserving Food, Canning, Pickled Products, Jellied Fruit Products, Freezing and Drying. This 5th edition has 35 new tested recipes and processes, in addition to a new section with recommended procedures for home-canned salsas.
Topics covered within the book include:
Preserving Foods: Different methods of food preservation, how they work, the costs to consider and the amounts of foods needed are included to help you select the best method for your lifestyle and product.
Canning: The basics of canning...which method is safe, what equipment will be needed, how to actually perform the steps to ensure a safe product...are provided. Directions are listed for canning many different products.
Pickled Products: Ingredients and equipment needed for successful pickling are discussed. Recipes for cucumber and other vegetable pickles, fruit pickles and a wide assortment of relishes provide the opportunity to add spice to your meals.
Jellied Fruit Products: Jellies, jams, preserves, marmalades, conserves, butters, syrups, uncooked jams and jellies, products without added sugar...this chapter has it all. The variety of recipes help you choose the product that is right for you.
Freezing: Freezing is always a safe alternative, but what will the quality of the finished product be like? Details are included about how freezing affects food, which foods do not freeze well, what to do when your freezer breaks down and how to freeze more than 150 different foods.
Drying: Drying is the oldest form of food preservation, and now with electric food dehydrators, it is easier than ever. From tips to help you prepare safer jerky to tips that keep your fruits from darkening, this chapter is where you will find it.
In addition to the topics listed, each chapter includes a list of most frequently asked questions and a table of problems, causes and ways to prevent the problem from happening again. Each chapter is followed by a pocket page that allows you to keep notes and favorite recipes at your fingertips.
The cost for the book is $18. To order, contact the Rabun County Extension office at 706-782-3113 or visit the website, www.soeasytopreserve.com
Someone who moved recently shared a story that highlights the importance of being an informed homeowner. The individual unplugged the refrigerator and disconnected the ice maker before turning off the water-supply valve. You guessed it, water sprayed all over, flooding the kitchen and saturating the moving boxes sitting on the floor. This mishap could have been prevented if the homeowner had taken time to become familiarized with his home.
Take time to locate the sources of water, gas and electricity coming into your home. Begin with an evaluation of your water supply. There are two general types of shutoff valves; main and individual. First look for the individual shutoffs. If you have an ice maker locate the water supply valve. Look behind the refrigerator then under the kitchen sink and finally in the basement. Next, find the water shutoffs for the kitchen sink, bathroom sinks and toilets. Finally, locate the main water line leading into your home. The main water shutoff is generally located outside the house. If you can’t find it, contact your local water department.
If your home has gas appliances or heating, locate the main gas valve and the gas valves connected to your appliances. If you detect a slight gas smell, turn the gas off at the appliance and contact the gas company. If you are not sure of the source of the gas leak, shut off the main gas valve and leave the house. Call the gas company or fire department from a neighbor’s house.
Once you have located the water and gas cut-offs, focus on the electrical system. Locate the fuse box or circuit breaker box, which controls the flow of electricity into your home. Start your search in the garage. If it isn’t located there check the basement and then the kitchen. If the fuses or breakers are not labeled, take time to label them so you know which major electrical systems in your home are controlled by each circuit or fuse.
Taking time now to familiarize yourself with your home will save you time in an emergency situation.
