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1. Check your smoke alarms
Smoke alarms provide an early warning in case of a fire inside your home. Traditional alarms beep when they detect smoke or fire, while smart detectors also send an alert to your phone. There should be a smoke detector in every room in your house except bathrooms, for … View more1. Check your smoke alarms
Smoke alarms provide an early warning in case of a fire inside your home. Traditional alarms beep when they detect smoke or fire, while smart detectors also send an alert to your phone. There should be a smoke detector in every room in your house except bathrooms, for maximum protection. You also need one in the hallway between the living area and bedrooms.
Crucially, you are highly advised to test your smoke alarms at least once a year to ensure they still work. You are four times more likely to die in a house fire without a functioning smoke alarm!
2. Get a fire extinguisher
Having a fire extinguisher handy can make the difference between a small kitchen mishap that was successfully contained, and the house literally burning down. There are different types of fire extinguisher, classified according to the kind of fire they’re designed to tackle. Make sure you are aware of what the differences are and how to use each one in an emergency situation. A typical home extinguisher should have an ABC rating:
• Class A – combustibles such as wood, paper, cloth, rubber, household rubbish, most plastics
• Class B – flammable liquids, solvents, oil, petrol, paints and lacquers
• Class C – gases including methane, propane, hydrogen, acetylene and natural gas
• Class D – combustible metals including magnesium and aluminium swarf
• Class E – Electrical fires
• Class F – chip pan fires, as an alternative to a fire blanket
3. Create a fire stopping landscape
A fire originating from outside, such as a wildfire, is best thwarted by preventing it from reaching your house in the first place. You can use landscape gardening design to slow down or stop the spread of fire towards your home, by adhering to these tips:
• Use hard landscaping such as concrete, stone or gravel around the house
• Clear any dry vegetation from around the home, particularly in the summer
• Use fire resistant plants such as lavender and honeysuckle for soft landscaping, and spread them out, to slow down fire and stop it from spreading
• Keep outdoor plants well watered during the summer months. Lush green planting is less likely to burn.
4. Use fire retardant materials
Let’s start with building materials; some are more vulnerable to fire than others. Using fire retardant alternatives and fireproofing your interiors are good first lines of defence against a potentially serious tragedy. Make the changes when you are refurbishing or redecorating your home. The Building.govt.nz website has a comprehensive list of everything you can do to help prevention of fire occurring. Designing for fire can also be designing for sustainability which is without a doubt a win-win!
When it comes to materials, concrete panels, stucco or brick for exterior walls, steel framing for windows and concrete or metal for roofing are all good choices. Fire retardant paint is also a good idea. For decking, concrete, tiles, stone or brick are better than wood.
Inside your home, choose fire resistant curtains and upholstery fabrics. Additional flameproofing can also be administered to your existing home fabrics and upholstered furniture in situ. Curtain Clean can service your existing upholstery anywhere in the country. Call us on 0800 579 0501 for prices and to find out more see www.curtainclean.co.nz...
Hi everyone,
We'd be keen to hear from those of you who had to cancel an overseas trip due to Covid-19 and holidayed in New Zealand instead. How did you find your NZ trip? Was it better or worse than you expected? Did you enjoy it as much as you think you would have enjoyed your overseas … View moreHi everyone,
We'd be keen to hear from those of you who had to cancel an overseas trip due to Covid-19 and holidayed in New Zealand instead. How did you find your NZ trip? Was it better or worse than you expected? Did you enjoy it as much as you think you would have enjoyed your overseas holiday? And did it change your views about holidaying domestically?
Feel free to comment below or message me directly. Please remember your comments may be included in the article, unless you say you don't want them to be. Thank you.
See any posts that don't meet the Neighbourly Guidelines? Help Neighbourly stay neighbourly by reporting concerning content. Simply click the '...' button at the bottom of a post, click 'Report this message' and select your reason for reporting. This sends a silent alert to… View moreSee any posts that don't meet the Neighbourly Guidelines? Help Neighbourly stay neighbourly by reporting concerning content. Simply click the '...' button at the bottom of a post, click 'Report this message' and select your reason for reporting. This sends a silent alert to the Neighbourly Team so the post can be reviewed against the Neighbourly Guidelines. Thanks for helping keep Neighbourly community friendly and an enjoyable place to stay connected.
Have you heard of a Hyperbole? Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. Here are some examples. They are a lot of fun. Please share any Hyperboles you may have heard.
Here's a wee bit of a throwback to life under lockdown. Check out how this couple in Motueka helped out their neighbours who were new to the area. Have you got an unsung hero in your neighbourhood? You can make your nominations here!
"We have a lovely young couple across the road from… View moreHere's a wee bit of a throwback to life under lockdown. Check out how this couple in Motueka helped out their neighbours who were new to the area. Have you got an unsung hero in your neighbourhood? You can make your nominations here!
"We have a lovely young couple across the road from us at number 13, Glenaven Drive, called Kirsty and Jeremy. We have recently moved to Motueka and they have been very helpful and friendly right from the start. During Lockdown they did shopping for us and let us have soil from their excavations for our garden improvements. Later on, they have given us lemons, gave spare concrete when they had some delivered for themselves and watered our plants when we were able to go away and visit our new grandchild. They are gems and have made us really happy that we've chosen Motueka as our home."
Hi neighbours,
From turning the roof of an old church into a lush backyard gazebo to making 50-year-old furniture look brand new with some white paint to turning actual rubbish into a toddler’s toy set, lots of Kiwis are upcycling.
If you have an project that you'd like to show off – … View moreHi neighbours,
From turning the roof of an old church into a lush backyard gazebo to making 50-year-old furniture look brand new with some white paint to turning actual rubbish into a toddler’s toy set, lots of Kiwis are upcycling.
If you have an project that you'd like to show off – whether you’ve given something a fresh coat of paint or entirely changed its use – enter it into Resene's Upcycling Awards on Neighbourly here. Entries close at midnight on August 2, 2020. Four great prizes worth $500 are up for grabs: a $200 Resene voucher and a $300 Prezzy card.
Ever thought about combining blinds and curtains to make your windows even more stunning and energy smart? If done correctly, combining blinds with curtains can bring magic to your windows providing flexibility for styling and design aesthetics. Combining roller shades or other types of blinds with… View moreEver thought about combining blinds and curtains to make your windows even more stunning and energy smart? If done correctly, combining blinds with curtains can bring magic to your windows providing flexibility for styling and design aesthetics. Combining roller shades or other types of blinds with curtains allows more blocking of light and privacy control while also improving heat loss through your windows.
If you want your windows to perform at their best, we’ve put together a few tips on what you should consider.
1. Begin with the blinds
Consider whether you want Rollershades, Venetian Blinds, Roman Blinds, Timber Shutters, or another type of blind. Shades that move up and down at the window are especially convenient, especially if you’re looking for blinds that move out of the way easily. Curtains and draperies are much more flexible to work with, so getting the blinds right is an important first step.
2. Don’t feel limited by your window size
A simple way to make your windows feel larger is to fit your blinds for your window and then extend the size of your curtains beyond your window frame. We can fit your curtains to the ceiling and have them extend past the frame and down to the floor. This creates the illusion of a larger window, especially when the curtains are closed, but also helps you to maximise on heat retention at the window.
3. Mix not match
Contrasting colors can look great. For example, a dark-coloured Rollershade can look excellent with a lighter colour drape. If you have curtains with prints, a blind in a solid shade that matches one of the colors on the curtains can look dramatic or elegant.
Our reporter Brook Sabin reckons this is one trip every Kiwi should try to do in their lifetime. Read more on the link below. Would you do it?
Selling it as moving home. The price is only for the frame and one mattress.
It was bought from Harvey Norman in Aug 2018. The warranty expires on Aug 2020. 8 years of warranty on the compressor. I am selling it because if moving home as no longer need. It is in mint condition. for size pls refer to Model no, NR-BW415X. For inquiry, pls txt to 0212642120
Hi neighbours,
Today, Stuff is launching a campaign to make Matariki a public holiday from 2021.
Plucked from obscurity and given the breath of life, since the turn of the century, Matariki has blossomed into an inclusive, popular event.
Tied to the rising of Matariki, the Pleiades star cluster,… View moreHi neighbours,
Today, Stuff is launching a campaign to make Matariki a public holiday from 2021.
Plucked from obscurity and given the breath of life, since the turn of the century, Matariki has blossomed into an inclusive, popular event.
Tied to the rising of Matariki, the Pleiades star cluster, in the night sky, the festival marks the start of te Mātahi o te tau, the new year.
Once a casualty of colonisation, Matariki’s comeback has fostered greater use of te reo Māori, and recognition for Māori customary practices.
We believe it is past time to officially acknowledge all Matariki stands for in our national calendar. To learn more about Stuff's campaign, click here
The Government has thrown $124 million at reducing the country’s growing waste pile, but not everyone agrees that’s enough.
Local Government NZ says the funding should be matched with a “strategic waste plan”, with the goal for New Zealand to be able to process its own waste onshore.
In … View moreThe Government has thrown $124 million at reducing the country’s growing waste pile, but not everyone agrees that’s enough.
Local Government NZ says the funding should be matched with a “strategic waste plan”, with the goal for New Zealand to be able to process its own waste onshore.
In the last decade, the amount of waste at council landfills has increased by 48 per cent.
To read more, click here.
It was bought from Harvey Norman in Aug 2018. The warranty expires on Aug 2020. 8 years of warranty on the compressor. I am selling it because if moving home as no longer need. It is in mint condition. for size pls refer to Model no, NR-BW415X. For inquiry, pls txt to 0212642120450
Moving out as we no longer need it. The bed has been used for over 3 years. It still in perfect condition. It's very comfortable and reliable. The bed has got 2 layers, pure wool and natural latex. $450 For inquiry, pls text 0212642120，
Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival will present the World Premiere screenings of five New Zealand films this winter for NZIFF At Home - Online available nationwide 24 July - 2 August.
Resene is proud to support this year’s homegrown selection which includes four … View moreWhānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival will present the World Premiere screenings of five New Zealand films this winter for NZIFF At Home - Online available nationwide 24 July - 2 August.
Resene is proud to support this year’s homegrown selection which includes four documentaries and one episodic drama. Plus there are plenty of other films to keep you entertained. Visit online for more information.
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