Bad Weather: Insurance Pain
Written by Chris Spann / Moneysupermarket
As you might have noticed if you’ve looked out of your window at any point over the last couple of days, you’ll probably have noticed that the weather has been less than clement as of late. We’ve had floods, we’ve had snow, we’ve had winds and we’ve had hail; and none of these things or any good for that pile of bricks and tiles that you call home. So, question is, what can you do to protect your home from the cold?
Outdoor Taps
Anything that stays outside (for example garden hoses) should be completely disconnected to avoid freezing and splitting, and if at all possible all outdoor taps should be shut off at an indoor valve if at all feasible (and possible!) This can stop outside taps from freezing solid and breaking, leaving you with a tap that won’t stop pouring once the weather improves.
In the Attic
Get up into your attic and get some insulation on those pipes up there: - You don’t want to have to deal with the results of a burst pipe in the attic, believe me. Whether you choose something as simple as insulation sleeve or as hi-tech as thermostat controlled heat cables, just get something down before you turn your storage space into a giant aquarium.
Find and Fix Drafts
You know that external door with the slightly wonky seal? Well it could be time to get that sorted. Not only will drafts and the like simply lead to you pouring money down the drain in terms of heating bills, but you also run the risk of the cold freezing and damaging pipes in places like behind the units in your kitchen, and other colder, unheated places.
Know Where Your Stopcock Is
Simple one, this: Make sure you know exactly where to go to shut off the main supply to your home. Knowing where to go in the event of a leak can save you a huge home insurance claim for items like ruined carpets. The quicker you can stem a flow to your property, the safer you are.
Colors, libido and other body functions
How do you choose your wall colors? Or what color do you want your sofa to be? How do you make that decision?
I had a friend back in high school who painted his room orange. He had read from some magazine that scientific experiments showed that orange increased the libido of geese by seven percent, and he thought that for some reason it would be a smart move to follow the example. I don't know what the effect was on him - he was a young man, not a goose. And normally teenage boys really don't need any boost for their libido.
Color can also be used as a healing method, suggested some ancient Chinese therapists. This practice was known as chromotherapy and here's something about this treatment:
-Red was used to stimulate the body and mind and to increase circulation.
-Yellow was thought to stimulate the nerves and purify the body.
-Orange was used to heal the lungs and to increase energy levels.
-Blue was believed to soothe illnesses and treat pain.
-Indigo shades were thought to alleviate skin problems.
More from here: http://psychology.about.com/od/sensationandperception/a/colorpsych.htm
An orange bedroom in Singapore. The Normal Room member who posted it wrote that it's his old bachelor's pad (wink wink nudge nudge).