Personal trainer Stefanie Tsengas helped her client master the basics in the gym so she could gain confidence in her abilities.Forget the treadmill — if you only use gym machines for cardio, you're missing out on some serious gains, according to personal trainers.
An indoor wood-burning fireplace offers ambiance, warmth and relaxation. But even with all those benefits, it's worth keeping in mind that heating equipment is a leading cause of fires in US homes according to the National Fire Protection Association. Approximately two out of every five home fires involve solid-burning fuel.
© Rawf8/Getty Images We spoke with Leroy Hite, CEO and founder of Cutting Edge Firewood in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, to get his top tips for indoor wood-burning fireplace safety.
Regular inspection is part of proper fireplace maintenance. The cost for a chimney sweep inspection will be around $200 to $300. That cost is well worth it to protect against a house fire due to chimney defects or excessive soot buildup, the most common cause of chimney fires.
"When you have a fire, there's always a little bit of soot buildup in the chimney. If you burn wood that has a lot of moisture, you'll have more soot, because the fire does not burn as hot, allowing more soot to move up the chimney and build up," Hite says. "That buildup could catch fire and cause a chimney fire."
Moisture builds up in pockets of wet or rotted wood which can then explode in the fire, sending a little piece of hot wood into your living room. "I went to a customer's house a couple of years ago and was shown where a log exploded and put burn marks in a couch that was 10 feet away," Hite says. "Fortunately, no one was hurt, but that wood was very wet."
Make sure your flue is fully open before you start your fire. "Once you have a hot, blazing fire going, it can be difficult to open the flue," Hite says. "Then you have a roaring fire, with smoke and maybe flames coming into your living room or den."
You'll want to be able to hear alerts from a well-positioned carbon monoxide detector, in case your flue closes by accident when the fire is dying down and begins using up oxygen in the house.
Having a screen in front of the fire is especially important when you're not in the room. When you're in the room, you can remove the screen at your own risk, Hite says.
Grates and andirons prevent the wood from rolling out of the fireplace. Low-quality grates can slowly melt and droop, allowing logs to roll off the front. You could instead opt for andirons, a pair of solid bracket supports to lay logs on in an open fireplace.
Use smaller pieces behind it. When the fire burns and collapses, the hot pieces fall back, rather than forward, into your living room. And don't stack wood so high that hot pieces can fall out of the fireplace as the fire burns.
A good fireplace tool set may include a tool stand, natural fiber broom, poker, shovel and tongs, all of which help you move the burning wood safely and keep your fireplace tidy. "I do a lot of cooking over a fire, and so I use firefighter gloves every day," Hite says. "You can reach right into the fire."
Know where it is and how to use it properly. Inspect it annually, too.
Not much needs to be said about this. Be incredibly careful if you plan on having an open fire around children or pets.
An insert, or prefab fireplace, is made of metal, not brick or stone. "An insert is not a durable as a real fireplace," Hite says, which makes it more dangerous to leave fires burning in them overnight.
A hot ember can last up to a week in a metal trash can or fire bucket, Hite says, so douse ashes in a lot of water or wait at least that long before pouring them out. (They can provide nutrients for flower and vegetable gardens, so consider depositing them there.)
"If you only wait two days and then throw un-doused ashes in the woods, you can start a fire," Hite says.
When purchasing an outdoor heater, make sure it will be powerful enough to heat your space. Outdoor patio heaters that run on propane have a BTU number, used to measure thermal (heat) energy. You'll need to know the number of square feet you want to heat.
According to homeair.org, you can calculate the number of BTUs (British Thermal Units) you need with this formula: The area in square feet times the current temperature in Fahrenheit minus the desired temperature. That gives you the minimum BTUs you should have. Electric heaters measure heating power in watts. One watt of electricity produces 3.4 BTUs, so 10 watts of power equals 34 BTUs. (Yes, there's math involved, but it's easy!)
This powerful kerosene heater projects 23,800 BTUs in all directions, making it a great choice for heating large open-air areas.
With three power levels, this electric heater from WDERNI is great for barbecue areas, patios, gardens and garages. "It is very nice outdoor heater and it perfectly works very well for the parties at my backyard in winter," said one buyer.
Partial assembly is required and the heater uses three halogen fire tubes. Plus, build a stone or brick patio that is perfect for entertaining.
7 Fatal Health Mistakes People Make After Age 50 .
Simply avoiding these actions can improve the odds of a longer, more healthful life.
Personal trainer Stefanie Tsengas helped her client master the basics in the gym so she could gain confidence in her abilities.Forget the treadmill — if you only use gym machines for cardio, you're missing out on some serious gains, according to personal trainers. 
Oven cleaners work wonders to break down the most stubborn food and grease stains. However, there are some unexpected ways to use them around the house.The key to staying safe is ensuring there is proper ventilation. Doing this means opening nearby windows and doors or working outside if possible. You can also wear a face mask for extra protection. Easy-Off also stresses that you must wear long gloves and keep the can pointed away from your face. If you don't handle these cleansers properly, they can burn your eyes or skin and give you a painful cough or sore throat. 
Yes, way—these early Wayfair Black Friday deals can't wait to meet each other in your shopping cart!While there are tips for shopping on Black Friday, this list entails the best deals I found on Wayfair, including everything from appliances to home decor for all the DIY interior decorators out there—all you have to do is fill your cart and watch the savings roll in. 
Eccentric exercise like negative reps is key to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's training, and new research suggests it builds more muscle in less time.Researchers from Edith Cowen University in Australia tested different types of dumbbell exercises on a group of 53 university students over 10 training sessions in five weeks. 
Save big on premium brands while you still can.Even though Black Friday is technically today, many sales have been underway since the start of the week. With all of the last minute prep for Thanksgiving gatherings, you might not have had enough time to dedicate to your hunt for the great deals that will be available this weekend. But don't worry; Shop TODAY did the work for you. 
Pothos plant care couldn't be easier, and these horticulturist-approved tips will ensure yours has a long, healthy life—no green thumb necessary The post How to Care for a Pothos Plant appeared first on Reader's Digest."Whether you're a complete novice or an experienced plant parent, pothos ivy is resilient and tolerant of a wide variety of indoor growing conditions," says Leslie F. Halleck, a certified professional horticulturist, author of Plant Parenting and University of California, Los Angeles, extension horticulture instructor. 
Many people think you have to sacrifice strength training for cardio workouts. But an ex-US Army officer says you can do both simultaneously as long as you eat enough.Weight exercise machines can be great for beginners because they don't require as much technique, mobility, and stability as free weights, according to Desmond Jack, Fount Performance Advisor and NASM Certified Personal Trainer, US Army Retired. 
Simply avoiding these actions can improve the odds of a longer, more healthful life. 
