FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF JAN. 4, 1999:
We have a fireplace in our new home and would of course like to use it safely. Any tips?
Always make sure that the flue vent is open when the fireplace is in use and that flammables like furniture, clothing and paper are at least three feet away, says Tom Karsky, University of Idaho extension safety specialist.
If you’re burning wood, it should be aged–not green. Green wood contributes to creosote buildup in the chimney. Don’t burn pressure-treated wood or colored papers, which can release potentially toxic chemicals into your home. (Colored papers can also generate dangerously hot fires.) Never use flammable liquids to start a fire: rely on kindling or buy special fire-starting solids. Do use a fire screen to keep flying embers in the fireplace.
If you’ve got a gas stove, make sure the burner is properly adjusted and that the flame tip is blue. A yellow-tipped flame indicates improper adjustment and increased pollutant emissions.
Whether it’s wood-burning or gas, have your fireplace inspected annually and install a carbon monoxide monitor, advises Karsky. Carbon monoxide–which causes fatigue, headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, disorientation and confusion–can build up with any fuel-burning appliance, especially if there’s no dedicated outdoor air supply or if the chimney is grimy or obstructed. Nitrogen dioxide can build up as well: it irritates eyes and throats and causes shortness of breath.
We have recurrent power outages during the winter. How long will the food in my freezer stay cold? Does it help to toss in dry ice after the power’s been out for awhile?
A full freezer will stay frozen for about two days without power, a half-full freezer for about one day, says Sandy McCurdy, University of Idaho extension food safety coordinator.
The kind of food in the freezer affects how long it will stay frozen: high water content foods, such as meats or fruits, will stay frozen longer than low water content foods, like breads and cakes. Be sure to keep the freezer door closed to retain the cold air.
If dry ice is available, toss it into the freezer soon after the power goes off, McCurdy advises. (Wear gloves while you do this.) Two to three pounds of dry ice per cubic foot of freezer space will keep a fully loaded freezer below freezing for two more days. Use more dry ice for a partially full freezer.
Food in the refrigerator is generally safe as long as the power is out no more than a few hours, says McCurdy. If you keep the door closed, the food inside will remain chilled for four to six hours.
Our credit card company has invited us to skip our January payment. Should we do it?
Depending on the balance and the amount of additional purchases you make in the meantime, skipping a credit card payment can become expensive, says Sandra Cann, University of Idaho assistant coordinator of extension family economics.
"Keep in mind that you still pay interest on your outstanding debt and that your total interest costs continue to rise," she says. Accepting the offer to skip the January payment not only increases the interest charges you pay but in most cases also extends the length of time you pay on the balance that is due.
The holiday season is the most profitable time for creditors, says Cann. Do you really want to make it even more profitable for them by extending your Christmas bill repayment into summer and beyond?
I’ve seen the Sugar Busters! and The Zone diets make the best-seller lists and stay on them for a long time. If these diets work, shouldn’t I try them?
You might lose weight rapidly at first, but you’ll be losing water, not fat, says Martha Raidl, University of Idaho extension nutrition specialist. Both of these diets emphasize lowering your carbohydrate intake, which causes your body to break down carbohydrate stores called glycogen. For every gram of glycogen that your body releases, it excretes about three grams of water, she says.
According to Raidl, both books make flawed assumptions. The authors maintain that people are obese because their carbohydrate consumption leads to overproduction of insulin, which in turn causes their bodies to store fat. The remedy, they claim, is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet.
Raidl disagrees. "Excess insulin by itself will not make a person fat," she says. "Insulin promotes fat storage only if you consume excess calories–and those excess calories can come from carbohydrates, protein or fat."