How to Purify Water for Outdoor Survival in an Emergency

We are used to the luxury of walking over to the sink and having safe water at our fingertips fresh from the tap, but in the wild, water is not generally safe for drinking. Because water is seldom pure, it is essential to know how to purify water for outdoor survival in an emergency.

If you are not absolutely certain that the water is safe, you must purify it. Clean water is crucial to good health and survival. Water that is polluted can contain microorganisms that can cause serious illness. Viruses and bacteria can really take there toll on someone out in the wilderness. Stomach issues are not pleasant in the comfort of home, let alone out in the wild. Do what you can to protect yourself.

Chemical pollutants are also a concern in some areas. Such chemicals are often herbicides or pesticides from farming industries. This form of polution is another problem that we cannot see in the water.

There are three main ways to purify water. Filtration is one method for cleaning water that removes the visible particles in the water. Your sock or T-shirt can become a filter or strainer to remove dirt and debris from the water. A filtering water bottle can be a useful tool for an outdoor survival kit. Do remember that filtering water is not the same as purifying water.

Boiling is a safe way to remove harmful microorganisms. Boiling water does not remove chemical pollutants from the water. Water must boil rapidly for just a few minutes to be safe, but in some cases, this method is not practical. If you are able to create a fire, you may be able to boil the water sufficiently for safety.

Many outdoor survival kits include iodine or purification tablets to purify water and make it safe for consumption. Check the contents of your outdoor survival kit to see if such items are included. If not, purchase this item to supplement your current outdoor survival kit. Learn how to use the specific products that you have available. Follow the directions carefully for any chemicals to purify your water. The water is safe to drink using such methods, but know that the taste does not improve.

To improve the taste of your drinking water, it is a good idea to combine filterring and purification methods for the best taste.

A combination of these methods can make the water safe and improve the taste. It is crucial to locate water and make it healthy for consumption in an outdoor survival situation. Use what items you have with you, as well as, the items found in nature.

Begin with the water that appears the clearest. Moving surface water is always the first choice whenever available. Stagnant water is the least favorable for survival. Water that is not moving and shows no sign of life is a warning to you. Stay away from such water whenever it is possible.

Safe, pure water is key to survival. Dehydration is a real concern in an outdoor survival situation. Use purification methods to ensure your good health during outdoor survival situations. Staying hydrated with clean drinking water can allow you to survive for a significant period of time in the wilderness.

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Minimize Disruption Of Personal Finances After Natural Disasters

With the recent increase of incapacitating natural disasters, it's vital to prepare now for what might happen down the road. The best way to avoid a major disruption in your financial life after a disaster is to automate critical transactions that are currently done on paper. With tornado season from April through June, hurricane and typhoon season from June through November and the potential for earthquakes at any time during the year, there is no time like the present to ensure that you will have access to your money and personal documents in case of emergency. The following are five things you can do now to prepare for the next natural disaster:

1. Sign up for Direct Deposit of your paycheck or Social Security benefit. One of the major problems in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was that people paid by checks had no access to their money. On the other hand, people paid through Direct Deposit were paid on time automatically. If your employer doesn't offer Direct Deposit, send them to the business section of www.electronicpay ments.org to see the benefits of offering the service, not only to their employees, but also to the bottom line of the company.

2. Consider online banking so that you have access to your account records if your paper records are destroyed and/or if your bank branch is not accessible. In the aftermath of a disaster, phone lines, cell towers and businesses could be shut down for months while online access to your bank accounts will be virtually uninterrupted by the natural disaster.

3. Ensure that your insurance premiums, car payments, mortgage and other important bills are paid automatically even if you don't have access to the mail or to your checkbook. Sign up with your billers for Direct Payment. Your bills are paid automatically each month, so you are assured that you will have insurance when you need it and that your car and house payments will remain in good standing.

4. Make a photocopy of everything in your wallet, scan the copies into your computer and save them on a disk. Keep the disk with your preparedness supplies. This takes 15 minutes to do and will save you if your wallet and financial records are destroyed or stolen. In case of power outage, also keep a paper copy of these records in a safe place like a bank vault. It's vitally important to have this information if you need to cancel credit cards, have proof of identification and insurance coverage.

5. Get an ATM card or Checkcard even if you only plan to use it in an emergency. In a disaster, cash is king with some retailers, at least for the short term. If you need immediate supplies, you will want to have access to cash through an ATM. In the days after a disaster, it can be virtually impossible to cash a check or to find retailers whose credit card systems are working.

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Follow This Advice For The Best Home Improvement Projects

Home improvement projects take a lot of effort to begin, for the novice and professional alike. Do not allow the television home improvement shows fool you. There is more to a home improvement than really big jobs. Read along with the tips so you can have fun while improving your individual needs.

If you are purchasing a home, get it inspected by a professional. A third party professional who offers a great way to keep things civil.

Use fans when you are renovating in the summer months in order to be more energy efficient. Ceiling fans are great for increased circulation and therefore help keep the room cooler.

It's crucial that you change the air filters.Many service calls to repairmen are due to build up that has gotten into the machine from dirty filters.

Stained wood is more aesthetically pleasing than painted ones. The classic look of stained wood will add value to your home. There is a wide selection of colors to choose from so you can match most looks.

If you have a water leak, call the plumber.Just put a large container under the leak that will hold the runoff and call a professional plumber.

Make sure you have turned off the right power circuit whenever you work on anything electrical. Touching live wires when the power supply can lead to electrocution and even death.

Focus on your entryway or porch if you are thinking about home improvements. Your porch makes the first thing many visitors will lay their eyes on when coming to your home. This can increase the value of your home's curb appeal.

A beautiful doorway can raise the value of your property. If you want to add a bit of pizzazz to your front door, you can choose from a lot of options.

Chandeliers are a place in even modest homes today. You can get a very nice chandelier for less than $500 to compliment any room. If you want your lighting fixture to sparkle and let off a lot of light, try getting one that puts out 200-400 watts.

Be certain to seal your grout once tile has been laid. If you forget to seal it, you may find that moisture seeps inside the grout, increasing the potential for mildew or mold. By sealing the grout, you will save time when cleaning tiles and prevent unnecessary costs for mildew issues.

Don't clutter up your room with excessive furnishings. Too much furniture shrinks a space appear smaller and cluttered. While lots of furnishings may suit the way you intend to use a room, a buyer will want to see how much space there actually is. Less furniture will give the room appear larger.

A home improvement task can lead to a massive, time consuming renovation. It is best to start prepared and finish strong. It takes a little knowledge to learn the basics so that you can start improving correctly, but you don't have to become a pro if you don't want to. Simply keep the information you learned here in mind, and start renovating!

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Clear Those Pipes With These Plumbing Tips

When it's time to fix your plumbing, you may not know which tools, equipment, what equipment to buy and what rules to follow. The tips in this article can help you with what information you need to know to become a skilled plumber.

If you have a pipe that freezes, find the tap closest to the pipe so when the thaw happens, the water has an exit point. This will relive some of the pressure, which may prevent bigger damage for your home.

Don't use harsh chemicals such as toilet tablets that claim to be cleaners in your toilet. These may deodorize, but they have the side effect of damaging the rubber in your toilet, causing poor functionality or even complete breakdown of the fixture.

Check the floors in your bathroom for soft areas around the floors. You can wind up saving your money simply by noticing the problem as early on.

Pour baking soda followed by vinegar down your bathtub drain every month. Plug up the opening or cover it with a cloth while the chemical reaction takes place. Wait until the chemical reaction runs its course, and then pour boiling water down the drain. This process should open up clogs caused by everything from hair to soap scum.

You can drastically reduce your utility bills with efficient shower heads. Most of the hot water we use is in the home is used while showering. By installing shower heads that are energy-efficient, you can save up to $100 or more a year per shower head in your house.

Frozen pipes are on of the most expensive plumbing repair jobs. The first thing to do is make sure that all of the outside pipes and ensure they are well insulated. When it gets colder, drain and disconnect the hoses and shut off your outside faucet. You can save a bunch on plumbing bills by doing this.

While you may not be able to choose which plumber is assigned to your job, you can use the Internet to research and review plumbers in your area. If the insurance company you have scheduled a plumber for you, see if they have a website, so you are more comfortable and ready when they arrive.

If you are looking into hiring a plumber, be sure to check them out prior to hiring them. A plumber with bad credentials might not skilled in a particular task could actually aggravate the problem. Always look at plumber reviews, or ask your family or friends if they know of one.

You can check for valid and negative reviews. If a contractor's license has expired or isn't in good standing, you probably don't want them working on your home.

Many people will let plumbers shake them down for high fees, so they will pay whatever price the plumber demands. If you own a home, it's important you know enough to understand what a plumber is doing in your house. This also helps you to not ripped off.

Plumbing should not seem as complicated now. You will just need to take care of your basics prior to starting. You just need to do some research, use common sense, and work to find the most effective method to complete your job.

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First Aid Training for Kids

Think about how many times in the news that you have seen children saving a life. It is pretty astounding that these small children know enough to dial 911 or to run and get a neighbor. Sometimes kids are a bit smarter than adults often give them credit for. There is also a saying that children live what they learn so the concept of teaching children at an early age the importance of first aid training really only makes sense.

Depending on the age of your child, you know that if you make them a big part of something interesting they are going to love it, take pride in it and learn more. Start by explaining to your child the importance of knowing what to do in an emergency and all about the 911 thing if you have not already. Set aside a day where you and your child will put together a first aid kit.

It should include band aids, gauze, adhesive, ice packs, peroxide, and alcohol, syrup of ipecac, scissors, soap, tweezers, cotton, calamine lotion, disposable gloves, paper cups, and matches. As you get these items together, explain what each one could be used for and have your child give you an example. There are first aid training classes for children of just about any age. They are not very lengthy classes and if there is a charge it is usually nominal.

Make a list of emergency phone numbers in case of an emergency and post them somewhere where your child knows where they are and let him know that these are available to him if he needs them but that he can not abuse this privilege. Quiz your child on how he would handle various situations involving medical emergencies. Have your child help you make a first aid chart and go through it together.

You may have to start off with basic first aid training but there is no reason that your child can not know what to do if someone is choking, how to give CPR, how to stop bleeding by applying pressure, and various other things by grade school or in some cases even sooner.

Of course warn your child that this does not give him a license to be a doctor, not just yet anyways, and these procedures are only to be utilized in real life emergencies. For example, tell him that he may not call 911 because his sibling scraped her knee. Explain that if he makes calls to 911 when there is not a true emergency then he might tie up the lines for someone else who does have a real emergency.

Children are amazing in what they can learn and maintain in those little heads of theirs and when their instincts kick in also what they are able to do can be astonishing. As they grow, they will learn more about how to handle medical emergencies. First aid training for kids is a gift that you can give them that they will carry with them forever and who knows, maybe one day they will save your life.

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