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Wood stepladders are sturdy and inexpensive, but they’re often very heavy. Aluminum stepladders are lightweight, but are slightly more expensive than wood. Fiberglass stepladders are both lightweight and durable, but are the most expensive. Ladder safety tips.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and safety of this information. Neither Westlake nor any contributor can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

Fruitcake isn't the only holiday health hazard lurking in your home. Here's a seasonal survival guide.

As the holidays near, we scramble to buy last-minute gifts, decorate the house, and plan parties and get-togethers. In the rush, however, many of us abandon our sense of safety. Who among us, for instance, hasn't stood on their tip-toes on top of a rickety ladder to hang lights? Or strung strand after strand together until we've overloaded an outlet, which can start a fire?

This season, let's help everyone be a little safer around the home. Let's start with ladders; which pose the greatest risk of all, especially as we hang lights and decorations inside and out. Last year, there were an estimated 171,000 ladder-related accidents in the U.S., according to the American Ladder Institute, which is an astounding number. We're not always careful with them, to say the least, and think nothing of using old relics that have been handed down to us from our parents, broken rungs and all. It's time to put this foolishness to an end:

• Position extension ladders correctly. For stability, an extension ladder has to be planted with its feet one-quarter of its extended length away from the house. This is not tricky to calculate. If you've got a 12-foot ladder, it has to be positioned 3 feet from the house.
• Don't carry a ladder upright as you move it. This is a maneuver best saved for the clowns at the circus. You could easily lose control of it in this position, crashing furniture inside, and smashing windows, gutters and even power lines outside. Instead, lower it and carry it parallel to the ground.
• Make sure the ladder is positioned on a level surface. Don't try to use rocks or bricks to prop up one side of it; those will surely pop out as you're climbing up.

OK, so now you won't end up as a Ladder Institute statistic, but don't celebrate with the eggnog just yet. We've still got the lighting issue to address. The key here is not to overload an electrical outlet, especially if you have only a single outdoor outlet that you use to power a dozen strings of lights and a few spotlights. Attempt this, and the result will be more like the Fourth of July than Christmas, as sparks and smoke fill the night sky. To do things right:

• Follow the instructions on the strands of lights. These will tell you how many can be connected together and plugged into a single outlet. This is typically only two or three, not 10 or 12.
• Make sure outdoor lights are plugged into a GFCI receptacle. That's the one with the reset button in the center for safety. If you don't have one outdoors, have the outlet replaced or purchase a "plug in" adapter. This cord system is about 2 feet long and will protect against electrocution if there's a short circuit.

One other thing: Be careful with lit candles. Don't put them near combustibles, such as that evergreen spray in the center of the dining room table. And remember to blow them out when the party's over. A trick my wife and I use to remember this is to set the timer on the stove to go off just around the time when we think the party will have ended. This reminds us to extinguish the candles before we go to bed.

Credit: Lou Manfredini's Tips From the Tool Box, Ace Hardware

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, fire is the second-leading cause of accidental death in the home. So how can you protect your family from this hazard?

While most of us understand the value of smoke alarms, these should only be one part of your overall home fire prevention plan. There are many other ways to protect your family from fire.

Here is some advice on how to help your family stay safe:

• Have at least one smoke alarm on each floor. It's an inexpensive - and imperative - first line of defense against fire. Place smoke alarms outside bedrooms and keep them in working order by testing them monthly and replacing batteries once a year.
• Install carbon monoxide detectors. These inexpensive devices could help alert your family to toxic fumes. Place them near bedrooms alongside smoke detectors, and in the same rooms as gas-burning appliances like furnaces and water heaters.
• Guard against electrical fires. Inspect electrical cords regularly and discard if they are frayed. Never plug too many cords into a single socket, and keep the cords away from sources of heat and water.
• Use appliances with care. Appliances can overheat, resulting in flames and smoke. Keep cords and wires out from under rugs, hanging over nails or in the middle of a high traffic area. An unusual smell emitting from an appliance is a warning sign, so replace old or broken parts immediately.
• Use portable heaters wisely. Every year you read news stories during the winter about fires caused by portable heaters. You must be extremely careful when using these devices. Keep heaters at least three feet away from furniture, curtains, bed linens, clothing and any other combustible items.
• Safety-proof your fireplace. Use a heavy, well-built screen to prevent rolling logs and make sure that the screen is large enough to cover the entire opening of the fireplace to keep flying sparks and hot embers inside. Make sure the fire is completely out before going to bed or leaving the house.
• Retrofit security bars on windows. While security bars are a smart way to keep intruders out, they can also impede escape in the event of a fire. Retrofit the bars with quick release devices.
• Have a fire escape plan. Your final step should be an evacuation plan. The plan should include at least two ways out of every room in your home. Make sure to share it with every household member and practice it occasionally.

Remember, your home should be the place where your family feels most safe, so take the steps necessary to give them the added reassurance.

Credit:  Lou Manfredini's Tips From the Tool Box, Ace Hardware

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), who sponsors Fire Prevention Week (the week of Oct. 9), reports that while 95 percent of U.S. homes have smoke alarms, 70 percent of home fire deaths occur where there is no working alarm. What's more, about half of the 2,670 people killed in home fires in 2002 died between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., the prime sleep hours, even though only one-fourth of home fires occurred during those times. Those most affected by the lack of warning are young children and the elderly.

Indeed, these are frightening statistics. But there is something you can do to help prevent fires and detect them before they get out of control. After all, safety should never take a vacation, and planning for an emergency just makes good sense. Here are some tips to ensure that you and your family are safe and secure:

Smoke Alarms

Install them if you have none, and check the ones you do have. Press the test button once a month and change batteries every year. Also, smoke alarms older than 10 years are more likely to fail. Consider installing one of the newest alarm innovations that features both a voice and alarm warning.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarms

Equally as important as smoke alarms is having a unit that will alert you of high levels of carbon monoxide in the home. Check the unit's packaging and also with your local fire department to learn more about what constitutes a hazardous CO reading. Some manufacturers now offer units that combine smoke and CO protection.

Heating Equipment

Heating equipment is a leading factor in home fires during winter months. Be sure to have furnaces serviced by a reputable inspector, cleaned and maintained each fall before cold weather sets in. When operating portable or fixed space heaters, be conscious to keep them away from items that could ignite, including drapes and articles of clothing.

Personal Habits

Be conscious of where you are when you do the things you do. Smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths, sending bedding, trash and furniture up in flames. More fires start in the kitchen than any other place in the home, so keep a watchful eye on what you're cooking. Candle fires have tripled over the last 10 years, with some 40 percent of those fires beginning in a bedroom.

Flammables

Ensure that flammables, such as gasoline, kerosene and paints, are kept in proper containers, tightly sealed and stored away from heat and flame. Never store any of those items near a furnace or hot water heater, and be sure to follow manufacturer instructions on storing these types of products.

Extinguishers

Many small home fires can be taken care of using a fire extinguisher before they get out of hand. The National Safety Council's Web site, www.nsc.org, suggests keeping an extinguisher rated for grease and electrical fires in the kitchen. Also place properly-rated units near the furnace and in the garage. One thing to remember, though, is that extinguishers do not last forever. Even if the needle is "in the green," plan on replacing the unit about every three years.

Escape Plan and Practice

Whether you already have a plan mapped out or you need to develop a new one, use Fire Safety Week as a good excuse to do something worthwhile. You can find detailed information on the NFPA Web site: www.firepreventionweek.org.

Credit: Lou Manfredini's Tips From the Tool Box, Ace Hardware

Everything you need for hanging holiday lights is at your local Westlake Ace Hardware, including lights, replacement bulbs, fuses, extension cords, ground fault circuit interrupter (CFCI) outlets (which are outlets that shut off power when they detect a short circuit), light timer, ladder, light clips and electrical tape. Click here for a printable version of this list.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and safety of this information. Neither Westlake nor any contributor can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

My garage is very narrow. How can I store all of my stuff and still fit my cars in?

Look for solutions that allow items to lay flat against your walls or that use the area above your head, keeping the ground free. Consider some of these solutions that will allow you easy access to your things while keeping them out of your way on a daily basis:

• Racor Ceiling Storage Lift that can handle up to 250 lbs
• Racor Bike Lift that can hold a bike up to 50 lbs, and with the pulleys it feels like you are lifting 10 lbs.
• Racor Ladder Lift can hold a ladder of any length and up to 150 lbs in weight
• Hyloft Ceiling Mounted Storage, check out it in action here and learn more about installation here.
• Craftsman VersaTrack TrackWall Systems can be configured to address your challenges. Use one 4 ft. long track and combine it with a pegboard, or, use an entire wall with VersaTrack to solve your biggest issues, whether it’s tools, garden, or sporting equipment.
• Fold-down work bench.

Here are a few ladder do's and don'ts:

• DO position extension ladders correctly. For stability, a ladder has to be planted with its feet one-quarter of its extended length away from the house. This is not as tricky to calculate as it sounds: If it's a 12-foot ladder, that means it has to be positioned 3 feet from the house. For a 16-foot ladder, make it 4 feet. There is also a sticker on the side of ladders that illustrates the angle that the ladder should be placed. It looks like a capital "L," with the bottom of the "L" parallel to the ground.
• DON'T carry an extension ladder upright as you move it. This is a maneuver best saved for the clowns at the circus. You could easily lose control of it in this position, smashing windows and gutters along the way, and knocking into power lines. Instead, lower it and carry it parallel to the ground.
• DO make sure the ladder is positioned on a level surface. DON'T try to use rocks or bricks to prop up one side of it, figure these will fail just as soon as you reach the top.
• DON'T ever work on ladders alone. A helper can keep you from making stupid mistakes, such as having the ladder fall down while you're stuck up alone on the roof (I speak from experience).

If there's one guiding principle with respect to ladders, it's this: If you feel squeamish, don't go up. Period. Perhaps this tip should have been closer to the top, as it's perhaps one of the most important safety pieces I can think of. Confidence working on a ladder comes from knowledge of the proper safety procedures and experience exercising that knowledge properly. Well, that and not falling off of one.

Credit: Lou Manfredini's Tips From the Tool Box, Ace Hardware

HOME SAFETY

Home is wherever you hang your fire extinguisher.

The perfect home environment should include safety stuff, too: smoke alarms, CO detectors, fire extinguishers and more. They can make the difference when you need it most.

Find (add GFIC outlets?)
Rooms with water need working ground fault interrupting outlets (GFIC). So test ‘em. Then take a tour. Look for overloaded outlets, daisy chain extension cords and appliances that could be knocked into a sink or tub. Finally, if curious little fingers are around, install spring-loaded outlet covers.

Fright (near detectors)
The natural habitat for smoke and CO detectors is at the top of stairs, near bedrooms and between the garage/furnace and living spaces. Replace batteries at least once a year, and detectors every five.

Fight (near extinguisher)
Have a working fire extinguisher on every floor – in the kitchen and near sleeping areas, for sure. And remember, aim low.

Flight (add escape ladder?)
Make an escape plan and make sure everyone in the family knows it – and where to meet. Get an escape ladder if you have a multi-story home, practice, and put it in a smart place.