With the weather warming up, rattlesnakes are showing up a lot earlier this season! California Poison Control has recorded 84 rattlesnake bites in California this year, higher than usual. Of the 800 bites each year in California there’s usually one or two deaths. Most bites occur between the months of April and October.
Spring is prime time for itchy, watery eyes and never-ending sniffles. Do you or someone in your house have allergies? Get relief — in every room — with tips from the Mayo Clinic on how to allergy-proof your house.
Bedroom: Choose bedding that is made of synthetic materials, and wash sheets, pillowcases and blankets in warm water at least once a week. Comforters should be cleaned, too. While your laundry is in the wash, vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Keep the windows closed during pollen season, and turn on the air conditioning. Clean mold and condensation from the frames and sills. Washable curtains made of cotton or synthetic fabric are best.
The well-documented aging of the baby boomer generation may be mirrored by the aging of American’s housing stock. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s American Housing Survey finds that the median age of an owner-occupied home in the US was 35 years old in 2011, up from a median home age of 23 in 1985.
If you own and occupy your home as your principal place of residence, you are eligible for a Homeowners’ Exemption, which reduces your property tax by about $70 annually. You will be sent an application about three to four months after your deed is recorded.
From time to time homeowners may receive solicitations from private businesses and individuals offering property tax assistance or services for a fee. While property owners are certainly at liberty to use these private companies, you can apply for most of these services themselves at absolutely no cost simply by writing a letter or otherwise contacting the Assessor’s Office.