Keeping Kids Safe in the Water

Swimming pools provide so much fun and joy for families over the summer, but without the proper safety precautions, a relaxing day can turn deadly all too quickly. Before swimming season kicks off for the summer, be sure to brush up on your pool safety protocols, especially when there are young children or non-swimmers around. Here are my tips:

1. Supervise: Never leave young children alone near a pool. Even if you are there, don’t be tempted by distractions such as scrolling through your phone. Drownings happen in seconds. 

2. Learn First Aid: All parents and pool owners should know CPR and basic first aid techniques. In case of emergency, these skills can be the difference between life and death

3. Install Fencing: Every pool must be enclosed by a secure barrier that’s at least four feet high. If a child can squeeze through a gap or jump over a fence, it’s not safe. 

4. Consider an Alarm: If you have kids or grandchildren, a pool alarm is a worthwhile investment. It will alert you when someone has entered the water, enabling you to act quickly.

5. Start Swimming Early: All children should learn how to swim at an early age. Red Cross-certified lessons are available through most town Park and Rec departments.

6. Teach Water Safety: All kids should know about pool safety rules such as no diving in shallow water, no running, and no entering the pool without permission and an adult present.

7. Use Life Jackets: Not all flotation devices are the same. If you have an inexperienced swimmer, a well-fitting U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket is a safe bet. Many floaties can actually hold a child underwater if not used properly. 

8. Remove Toys: When not in use, toys and floats can be very tempting for a child. Keep all toys put away to ensure there is nothing to unintentionally entice them.

9. Secure Filters: Pool filters are interesting places for little hands to explore. Make sure yours are safe and secure.

10. Be Prepared: A shepherd’s hook, ring buoy, and a rope to delineate the shallow and deep ends should all be within easy reach and inspected for damage regularly. 

More than anything, be sure to stay vigilant and remember that supervising children by the pool is a full-time job. Even if you’re at a community swimming pool that is looked after by lifeguards, a young person can go under in the blink of an eye. Follow these tips, create a plan for your family, and enjoy a safe and fun swim season this summer.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Put Roof Cleaning on Your Spring To Do List

A roof covered in black, streaky stains or moss growth could be much more than just cosmetically displeasing. It can also be a sign that your house can’t breathe properly. 

Algae spores get carried by the elements and once they get enough light, heat, and moisture, they begin to grow and spread. Homes that aren’t properly insulated and ventilated are most susceptible to the problem because they hold onto moisture a lot more easily than houses with proper airflow.  Once algae begin to grow on a home, it will spread very fast, resulting in black streaky staining or thick moss. 

If you have one of these problems, the first thing you want to do is find out if your issue is cosmetic or something more serious. Ideally, a homeowner should get a roof inspection at least once a year and late spring is one of the best times to do it. During an inspection, a roofing professional will check the entire surface area for shingle deterioration or damage, and cracking around the flashing. They will also ensure that water is draining properly through the gutters and downspouts. Something as simple as debris build-up can void the roof warranty, so it’s well worth having an expert come and take a look. They will be able to tell you if your stains are something that can be taken care of with simple cleaning or if there is a more significant issue.

If your staining is cosmetic, a roof cleaning takes a few hours depending on the size of the area and one application does the job without the need for pressure washing which can damage the shingles. A roofing expert will use a professional cleaner that adheres to the growth but doesn’t harm the roof or any vegetation below it. Working on a roof is a very dangerous job and I never recommend for a homeowner to do a task like this themselves unless they are very comfortable on a ladder and with heights. No home maintenance task is worth a trip to the emergency room. 

If your roof staining is showing up in the attic, your home is one of many in this area that doesn’t have the right airflow and you may want to discuss insulation and ventilation with a qualified roofing professional. Mold and algae in the attic can easily start to affect the air quality in your home, which is especially worrisome for elderly adults, young children, and anyone with respiratory issues. If you think your home might be affected, don’t put this problem on the back burner. Talk to an expert right away.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Upgrade Your Gutters For Less Maintenance Year Round

While most people think about gutter cleaning in the autumn, the falling of spring blossoms can cause serious clogging that creates overflows and inadequate rainwater drainage. 

Gutters have come a long way in the past few years. Back when many of the homes in this area were built, open gutters were used to collect rain off the roof and deposit it onto the ground through a system of downspouts. Open gutters, however, allow not only water but leaves, whirlybirds, blossoms, and sticks to also fall into the gutter, blocking them and eventually causing overflow without regular removal.

Gutter cleaning keeps me busy, mainly because it’s a dirty job that can also be dangerous if you’re not used to working on a ladder. Luckily, over the past few years, gutter manufacturers have smartened up, creating shields to install over your current gutters, as well as closed gutter systems that can replace your current setup.

Gutter guards come in a variety of materials and sizes, but they are all designed to maximize water flow while keeping tree debris out of the channel. The least expensive option is steel mesh screens which slide in and sit above the gutter lip itself. The arch design helps to ensure that debris can’t get stuck in the back of the gutter and they generally come with a five-year warranty against rusting or corrosion.

A step up from mesh screens is a heavy-duty aluminum option that can be fitted from the front and back, avoiding the need to remove roof shingles for installation. These products come with a ripple design to prevent leaves from drying on the surface and they are generally backed by a 20-year warranty so you don’t have to worry about replacing them often. I like these because the design strengthens the gutter which comes in very handy during major snowstorms when many homes in the area suffer from heavy and dangerous ice dams.

Finally, there is Leaf Relief, a heavy aluminum gutter shield that can drain nearly 30 inches of rainfall in one hour, which is 15 inches more than the highest rainfall ever recorded (for inquiring minds, that’s 12 inches in one hour in Holt, Missouri). For homeowners who want no maintenance, this is the gutter product for you. The 25-year no-clog, no-overflow warranty gives it the same lifespan as a new roof and the inset design makes it invisible from the road. Best of all, dry debris blows away with only a six-mile-per-hour breeze.

No matter what type of gutter guard you choose, you want to make sure that it’s the best product for your home. While any gutter guard will reduce debris getting into your gutter, the right guard will depend on the trees in the area, how much rainfall you get, the position of your house, and the size and age of your current gutters. Once those factors are taken into consideration and the appropriate product is chosen, you can say goodbye to messy cleaning and enjoy less maintenance at your home.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.