Here’s some savvy advice from Consumer Action and AT&T.

Your mobile phone may be the first thing you reach for in an emergency. Approximately 70 percent of 911 calls are placed from a mobile phone and 74 percent of consumers have used a mobile phone in an emergency. According to one recent study, 19 percent  of consumers had used their mobile phone to get help in an emergency in the last 30 days.

Consumer Action and AT&T are working together to educate the public about new choices for using wireless technologies during an emergency. They just released a list of wireless technology tips for emergency situations that offers suggestions on how to prepare for emergencies, Read more

Many things can affect the functionality of your house’s gutters, but the most common issue is a buildup of fallen leaves. When gutters are full of debris, they can no longer effectively divert rainwater and instead start to overflow, which can cause them to corrode and bow under the weight of the water. Keeping your gutters free of debris typically involves getting on a ladder and removing leaves and twigs, either by hand-scooping them or flushing them out with a hose. You can hire a roof maintenance professional to do this for you, but there’s another option that will prevent debris buildup from happening in the first place. Read more

We hear about so many consumer product recalls on the news, it’s easy to tune them out—another car recalled, another strangulation death by a window cord, another fire caused by a defective space heater. But defective products injure and kill thousands of people every year, which is why the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) was created in 1972. Essentially, the CPSC’s job is to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death caused by thousands of consumer products under its jurisdiction. The agency is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that can injure children or pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. It also works with manufacturers to recall defective products and redesign them to make them safer. Read more

If you’re lucky enough to be able to get out of town on vacation for a few weeks this summer, you should consider taking a few steps to protect your plumbing system while you’re away. Jonathan Millington, owner of Ace Plumbing and Rooter, a Diamond Certified company, has three suggestions. First, you should shut off your main water supply. If you don’t know where the valve is, this is a good time to find out. Second, check your storm drains and gutters to make sure they’re flowing well. If we have a big storm, you don’t want them to back up. Read more

Do you know what to do when you spill food or drink on your carpet? Watch this video for some helpful tips. Read more

Watch this video to learn how to become your own dry rot detective. Read more

Are you storing your firewood properly? Watch this video to find out. Read more