Show Notes: Stair Safety and Dark Sky – On the House
Home   >   Radio Show   >   Show Notes   >   Show Notes: Stair Safety and Dark Sky

Show Notes: Stair Safety and Dark Sky

By on January 29, 2017

If you have stairs in your home, safety is always a concern. Anyone, no matter what age, can fall on a stairway. Here are a few simple tips to keep you and yours safer while going up or down your stairway. If you like to to see stars, you will like the Dark Sky movement and light fixtures.

That you to our guests: 

Boyce Thompson, Author of  “The New New Home” 

boycethompsonmedia.com

David Barza, Woodenbridge, Inc 

woodenbridgeinc.com 

 

Dark Sky Compliance 101

 So what is the dark-sky movement? It’s a campaign to help reduce the amount of light pollution. Light pollution is mostly caused by the over use of poorly designed lighting fixtures.

If you’ve ever looked up at the sky at night hoping to see a mass of twinkling stars, but see a halo of bleary light instead, that’s light pollution. Not only does the dark-sky movement want to make the night sky more visible, but also to help cut down on the amount of energy being used and reduce the impact unnatural light has on the environment. Here are some tips for making your outdoor lighting Dark Sky Compliant:

When picking modern outdoor lighting fixtures, make sure that they’re fully shielded so the light is pointing downward. This cuts down on the light pollution, minimizes on glare, and facilitates better vision at night.

LEDs are a great option for when white light is needed because they’re energy efficient, cutting down on energy waste. Dimmable LEDs are an especially great option for outdoors since they can be turned down completely.

Blue light is known to be harmful to not only nature and the wildlife in it, but also to humans. While LEDs are great energy efficient lights, they tend to contain larger amounts of blue light. Therefore, lights should have a color temperature of no more than 3000 Kelvins. Look for “warm” lighting, or bulbs with an amber color, that’s lower in color temperature like low-spectrum LEDs.

Reduce light waste by only lighting areas that need it. This also means turning your lights on only when needed, or setting them onto a timer or sensor to help reduce the amount of light waste.

 http://www.ylighting.com/blog/what-does-dark-sky-compliant-mean/

 

Stair Safety 101

 Safe Stairs Are Not Just For Adults, But Children As Well

Stairs, like slippery bathroom floors, can lead to falls and broken bones. Try these tips to protect yourself.

Make the last step stand out. Consider painting the last step a different color or applying brightly colored tape to make it stand out. Be aware that wearing bifocal or trifocal glasses can also aggravate perception problems on steps because they don’t correct vision at all depths.

Install hand rails. If you don’t have a strong handrail on your stairway, install one. Better yet, install one on each side.

Reduce clutter. Papers, books, clothes, shoes, newspapers, boxes, plants, and other items can be fall hazards. Clear them out of the way so you have plenty of room to move around on stairs

 Take care around uneven floor surfaces. “Be careful when you move from carpet to linoleum or hardwood “That little half-inch rise can cause a fall.” A change in color between the carpet and floor may be enough to remind you of the change in floor surfaces, or put colored tape there as a reminder.

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/wound-care-10/avoiding-falls?page=3

 

About onthehouse

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Pin It on Pinterest