(NC) Whether it’s in your backyard or a nearby park, lawns provide more than just aesthetic benefits, they contribute to happier and healthier communities. Here’s how:

1. Providing oxygen that we breathe
   Green space are a valuable part of creating clean air anywhere. For example 15 square metres of grass produces enough oxygen for a family of four every day. That can help make a difference to how we feel and breathe.
2. Reducing the warming effect of hard surfaces 
   When the summer heat hits, grass helps keep you cool. Street or sidewalk temperatures may reach 38 degrees Celsius or higher, but grass remains at 24 degrees. Your feet and your home can thank your lawn for lower temperatures.
   
   
3.  Acting as water filtration systems 
   A healthy lawn will slow runoff and allow time for the water to seep back into the groundwater system, rather than overworking municipal storm sewer systems and creating a flood. A 900 square metre lawn can absorb more than 22,000 litres of water.
   
   To provide these benefits, lawns require care. Pesticides are one tool that help protect lawns by keeping weeds and other pests under control. Health Canada regulates every pesticide sold in the country to ensure they do not pose risks to humans, pets or the environment, when used as directed. 

Find more information at croplife.ca

(NC) There’s nothing like a warm fire on a cold day to nurture your soul. But despite its cozy scent, wood smoke contains pollutants that can be harmful, including chemicals and fine particles. Fine particles can penetrate deep into your lungs and bloodstream, sometimes leading to serious health effects or even death.
If you use a wood stove or fireplace in your home, here are some steps you can take to reduce your health risks:

Maintain your stove

• Make sure that your wood stove is well-maintained, vented correctly and working properly.
• Have it inspected by a qualified professional at least once a year.

Clean your chimney

• Clean your chimney and flues regularly, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Use your dampers

• Allow more airflow (ventilation) when starting a fire and close the dampers when the wood is well charred. This technique produces more heat, so you use less wood.

Burn wisely

• Avoid burning wood on days when outdoor air pollution levels are high.
• Only burn dry, seasoned wood. Cut, split and stack wood in a dry area for at least six months before burning it.
• Never burn wood that has been painted or chemically treated; household garbage or cardboard; ocean driftwood, plywood, particle board or any wood with glue on or in it; or wet, rotted, diseased or mouldy wood.

If you are looking to upgrade or install a woodstove or fireplace:

• Choose a low-emission stove
  Install an "advanced combustion" wood stove or fireplace insert to reduce toxic emissions.
• Look for appliances that have a sticker from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This sticker certifies that the appliance emits up to 95 per cent fewer particulates and is up to 20 per cent more fuel-efficient than regular models.

Find more information on keeping a healthy home at canada.ca/healthy-home.

(NC) It seems like everyone is making over their home these days, from small additions to complete teardowns. Although it sounds pricey, there are ways to transform your home while sticking to a budget. Here are some renovation tips to help you get started:

Never underestimate the power of good lighting. 
Nothing says luxurious quite like the perfect mood lighting of beautiful fixtures. From gallery-style recessed lighting to illuminate your artwork, to pot lights built into a rustic piece of reclaimed wood for hanging over your dining table, light fixtures are a fun and functional way to create ambiance and show off your personality.

Accessorize with high-quality investment pieces. 
Achieve an expensive look by carefully curating accessories and decorative items. For example, some plump throw pillows and a plush area rug can elevate your living room. You can also try hanging curtains from ceiling to floor, even if your windows are small — this will elongate your walls and draw the eye upward. Splurge on custom framing to showcase your favourite photographs on a gallery wall or floating shelf.

Learn how to achieve the handmade look for less. 
Anything custom-made says luxury because it’s uniquely tailored, fitting your style and space perfectly. But customizing anything from scratch can be prohibitively expensive. Fortunately, there are many ways to get the same results on a budget.

For premium and tailored cabinetry in your kitchen and bathrooms, try working with Kitch. The company specializes in making high-quality doors, drawer fronts and accessories for popular IKEA systems. The result is fabulous and unique cabinetry that’s personalized for your home, style and organization needs.

Find more design inspiration at mykitch.ca

(NC) If there’s ever a perfect moment to refresh your home, it’s at the start of a new year. Now is the time to reimagine your space with a fresh look that brings you joy. Whatever you’re envisioning, look to these expert décor tips and trends from celebrity designer Amanda Aerin.

Be bold
Looking for ways to upgrade your space and make a statement? Aerin recommends incorporating more colour and patterns into your home decor. This year’s popular shades will be saturated, bold and uplifting, so don’t be afraid to switch things up and step out of your comfort zone.

Curate your look
Aerin says curated home décor is hot on the trend list for 2022. Dress your space with a mix of old and new, incorporating vintage finds, travel treasures or family mementos.

“My approach to design is to create concepts that are visually stimulating, tactile and invoke feelings of happiness and relaxation,” says Aerin.

Mix patterns like a pro
Mixing and matching geometrics with florals is another hot 2022 trend in home décor. Start by choosing your patterned fabric first, then pull accent colours from there for a professional look.

“Mixing and matching colourful patterns and fabrics is the perfect way to add texture to a space. To add more depth to a room and to keep my fabrics fresh, I love Febreze Unstopables Touch fabric spray. The scent is touch activated, so every time I fluff my mix and match pillows, sit on my upholstered furniture or pull open my curtains, I get a burst of freshness for the perfect finishing touch.”

Find more information at febreze.com. 

(NC) Your home is a major investment that comes with plenty of added costs, like maintenance and renovations. The biggest cost is your mortgage, a major expense that might be difficult to pay in tough times.

If you have a mortgage and you’re worried about leaving your loved ones with a mortgage payment in the case that you were to pass away or experience a covered critical illness, optional TD Mortgage Protection might be the solution.

Evaluating whether mortgage protection insurance is right for you is important. Having a mortgage is a long-term financial obligation. You’ve worked hard for your home, and there are ways to help protect it.

If you aren’t sure if you need mortgage protection insurance, ask yourself these three questions:

What would the impact be to my finances if my income was lost or reduced due to a covered critical illness?

A recent TD Insurance survey reveals that one in three Canadians without asset protection coverage think it’s too expensive, and 28 per cent say they do not believe they get the right value for the amount spent. While we all value our homes, we may undervalue mortgage protection insurance, which could pay or reduce the outstanding balance of the insured mortgage in the event of a covered critical illness.

Would my partner or co-borrower be able to afford the mortgage on their own if I were to pass away or suffer a covered critical illness?

As household partners, you’re in this together. If a mortgage was set with two incomes in place, it could be difficult to get by on just one. Consider having a plan in place, like mortgage critical illness and life insurance, before an unexpected covered critical event occurs. There are options available to help you find the right coverage that best suits your budget and needs.

Do I have loved ones who rely on me financially?

Owning a home and having a family comes with the responsibility of ensuring your dependents are safe and protected. Mortgage protection insurance can help you protect your mortgage and home, which could also benefit loved ones who may financially depend on you.

Learn more at td.com.

(NC) Ready to repaint but not sure how to pick the perfect neutral? Benjamin Moore colour and design expert Sharon Grech shares her top four tips to help you choose the perfect white paint for your space.

Know your exposure.

Overall lighting and the orientation of your room are the most important considerations when choosing paint colours, especially when it comes to selecting the right tint of white. Whether your room faces north, east, south or west, there is a white paint designed to bring out the very best in your space’s natural light.

“If you have a north or east exposure, opt for warmer whites. Look for options with cooler tones to counterbalance south and west exposures, such as Decorator’s White OC-149.”

If you’re in a space with limited natural light such as a basement or small den, consider Chantilly Lace OC-65, a bright designer favourite to bring an added sense of space and light to any room.

Pay attention to the undertone.

When selecting neutral paints, one of the key differences to keep in mind is the undertone. From pink to green and everything in between, you can find a white paint with an undertone to suit your space. When selecting a white paint, consider the colour of the furniture and flooring in your space — if you tend towards warmer hues, opt for a white paint with a warm undertone to create a cohesive feel.

Express your sense of style.

From modern to traditional, white paint can bring out the best in a range of design styles. Express your personal taste and give your neutral space a warm and inviting feeling by adding texture with throw blankets, cushions and rugs in natural fibres. To accentuate architectural details and add extra dimension to neutral walls, Grech suggests painting details such as trim, mouldings and even furniture in a high-gloss sheen to add a striking contrast to matte or eggshell walls.

Test before you paint.

Sharon’s top piece of advice? “Always test a few variations of white paint on your walls before painting the whole room.” A white paint that looks perfect in the store could look totally different once it’s in your space. 
Once you’ve found your perfect tint, make sure to prime your walls if you’re painting over a bold colour. Choose a paint like Regal Select interior paint to achieve professional results and flawless coverage.

(NC) Fire can spread rapidly through your home, and the National Fire Protection Association predicts you may only have as little as one or two minutes to escape safely once smoke alarms sound.

“We encourage everyone to evaluate their level of preparedness against potential dangers,” says Ashley Gocken of First Alert, a leading fire safety brand. “It’s imperative that people develop and practice a fire escape plan and install, maintain and regularly test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. These are life-saving practices that can make a real difference.”

To ensure you and your family are prepared and protected, follow these steps:

Check your alarms.

Early detection is critical to preventing tragedies. Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in every bedroom and on every level of your house, including the basement. Test them regularly and change the batteries every six months. To eliminate battery replacements for a decade, upgrade to 10-year battery alarms.

Map your home.

Involve everyone in your household when developing escape routes. Walk through your home and inspect all possible exits. Identify two ways out of each room, including windows and doors. Make sure everyone in the home understands the plan.

Practice your plan.

Conduct fire drills at least twice a year during the day and night, making it as realistic as possible. Allow children to master the fire escape routes beforehand. The objective is to practice, not to frighten, so telling children there will be a drill before they go to bed can be as effective as a surprise drill.

Have a meeting location outside.

Choose a designated outside meeting place a safe distance from your home. Once you’re out, stay out. Under no circumstances should you ever go back into a burning building. If someone is missing, inform the fire department dispatcher when you call. Firefighters have the skills and equipment to perform rescues.

Find more home fire safety tips at firstalert.ca.

(NC) This year’s home must-have is an office space that offers flexibility to go seamlessly from video calls to virtual classroom to everything in between. To help you create a workspace that works for you, Sharon Grech, Benjamin Moore colour and design expert, shares three affordable tips to create a stylish office no matter your style or budget.

Choose colours that promote productivity.

Struggling to find focus when working from home? Your wall colour can help promote a sense of calm and concentration to help you through your busiest days. “Tints and shades of green such as Spa AF-435 or Flora AF-470 can help foster a sense of calm and support your productivity,” recommends Grech.

Giving your home office a coat of green paint is a project you can do yourself, and the increased focus and reduction in eye strain will help you work smarter all year long.

Make room for your workspace.

If you don’t have a dedicated home office, you can easily create a place where you can focus by making a work area in your home. A floating shelf or a side table can double as a compact desk in small spaces. Once you select where you want to set up your workspace, clean up any clutter that could be distracting. Grech suggests shopping your home for baskets, mason jars and catch-alls to store office supplies such as notebooks, pens and loose papers.

Create a chic background.

On video calls all day? You can create an envy-inducing backdrop in just one weekend by painting out a bookcase, including the backs of shelves, in one solid hue like Amazon Soil 2115-30. Grech recommends choosing a durable paint designed to adhere to wooden surfaces such as Advance interior paint for results as professional as your new office. Once dry, position your bookcase, with styled shelves of books and decorative objects, behind you for a put-together background.

(NC) With Canada’s housing market hotter than ever, saving up a down payment can feel impossible. But wise spending and saving decisions can add up over time. Here, Vanessa Bowen, money expert and accountant, offers simple yet effective ways to save for the home you’ve had your eye on.

Ensure you have a good credit score
A better credit score means that you can qualify for lower interest rates and loans that you may require when investing in a future property. Working to improve your overall credit score, such as by avoiding late bill payments, will help make your savings go further as you look towards purchasing the house or condo of your dreams.

Contribute lump-sum payments to your savings
Large annual payments such as a work bonus or your tax return can be added as lump-sum contributions to your savings. Contributing larger sums helps you reach your end-goal more quickly, so remember to save these payments. It’s money you don’t count on in your day to day anyway, so it’ll be easier to set aside and watch your savings steadily grow.

Switch to a no-fee bank account
A small step that you can take that will add up to big savings in the long run is switching to a no-fee bank account. The PC Money Account is the bank account reimagined with no monthly fees and opportunities to earn PC Optimum Points on every dollar spent everywhere you shop. Now, instead of having to pay monthly banking fees, you can put your hard-earned money towards saving up for a house or condo.

Cut down on unnecessary spending
Try cutting back on expenses such as takeout food and shopping for things you may not actually need, like subscription services. Instead, put this money, which could potentially add up to thousands each year, towards a significant investment opportunity, such as a future home.

(NC) There’s nothing like a cold, refreshing glass of water. But if it comes from a well, you will want to make sure it’s safe.

Your well water should be free of microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses or parasites that may cause disease, and from chemicals at levels that may be a risk to your health.

If you have a private well, you should have the water tested to see if there are any problems. Your most important tests look for certain bacteria that tell you there may be disease-causing microorganisms in your water. You should test for these bacteria (E. coli and total coliforms) every six months.

There are also other tests for chemicals and general water quality. Your provincial or territorial drinking water authority or local public health unit can help direct you on what you should test for, how often to test and suggest an accredited laboratory that can do the tests. It’s also a good idea to test your water if you notice changes in taste, smell, colour or in land uses or activities, such as construction, near your well.

Follow all instructions from the accredited laboratory on completing and submitting the test forms; collecting, labeling and storing the sample; and handling and transporting the sample to the laboratory.

The best time to sample your well water is when there is the greatest chance of contamination:

• early spring just after the thaw,
• in the fall rainy season,
• after a long dry spell or drought,
• after heavy rains or floods, and
• after the well has not been used for a long period of time.

Check your well record to find out how deep your well is and learn about the geology in your area. Shallow wells or wells that have only a thin layer of soil over rock can become contaminated more easily. Water in these wells needs to be tested more often.

If you or a family member has had a gastrointestinal illness and suspect that it might be related to drinking your well water, speak to your doctor and local health unit and have your water tested.

Find more information at canada.ca by searching the keywords “well aware.”