HOUSE DETOX Common indoor plants to fight indoor air pollution

Common indoor plants may provide a valuable weapon in the fight against rising levels of indoor air pollution. Those plants in your office or home are not only decorative, but NASA scientists are finding them to be surprisingly useful in absorbing potentially harmful gases and cleaning the air inside modern buildings.


NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) have announced the findings of a 2-year study that suggest a sophisticated pollution-absorbing device: the common indoor plant may provide a natural way of helping combat “SICK BUILDING SYNDROME”.



“Combining nature with technology can increase the effectiveness of plants in removing air pollutants,” he said. “A living air cleaner is created by combining activated carbon and a fan with a potted plant. The roots of the plant grow right in the carbon and slowly degrade the chemicals absorbed there,” Wolverton explains.



For this reason, the Plants For Clean Air Council (PCAC) recommends 1 potted plant per 100 square feet (~10m2). . For homes under 2,000 square feet (~185m2) , the study recommended at least 15 houseplants.


Plants most effective in removing

Formaldehyde, Benzene, and Carbon Monoxide from the air


 Bamboo Palm – Chamaedorea Seifritzii

 Chinese Evergreen - Aglaonema Modestum

 English Ivy Hedera Helix

 Gerbera Daisy Gerbera Jamesonii

 Janet Craig - Dracaena deremensis “Janet Craig”\

 Marginata - Dracaena Marginata

 Mass cane/Corn Plant - Dracaena Massangeana, fragrans

Snake Plant,  Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Sansevieria Laurentii

 Pot Mum – Chrysantheium morifolium

 Peace Lily - Spathiphyllum

 Warneckii - Dracaena “Warneckii”

Epipiremnum aureum, golden photos

Ficus benjamina, weeping fig

 Chemicals Used


Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a commercial product found in a wide variety of industrial uses. Over 90 percent of the TCE produced is used in the metal degreasing and dry cleaning industries. In addition, it is used in printing inks, paints, lacquers, varnishes, and adhesives. In 1975 the National Cancer Institute reported that an unusually high incidence of hepatocellular carcinomas was observed in mice given TCE by gastric intubation and now considers this chemical a potent liver carcinogen.


Benzene is a very commonly used solvent and is also present in many common items including gasoline, inks, oils, paints, plastics, and rubber. In addition it is used in the manufacture of detergents, explosives, pharmaceuticals, and dyes.


Benzene has long been known to irritate the skin and eyes. In addition, it has been shown to be mutagenic to bacterial cell culture and has shown embryotoxic activity and carcinogenicity in some tests. Evidence also exists that benzene may be a contributing factor in chromosomal aberrations and leukemia in humans. Repeated skin contact with benzene will cause drying, inflammation, blistering and dermatitis.


Acute inhalation of high levels of benzene has been reported to cause dizziness, weakness, euphoria, headache, nausea, blurred vision, respiratory diseases, tremors, irregular heartbeat, liver and kidney damage, paralysis and unconsciousness. In animal tests inhalation of benzene led to cataract formation and diseases of the blood and lymphatic systems. Chronic exposure to even relatively low levels causes headaches, loss of appetite, drowsiness, nervousness, psychological disturbances and diseases of the blood system, including anemia and bone marrow diseases.




Formaldehyde is a ubiquitous chemical found in virtually all indoor environments. The major sources which have been reported and publicized include urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) and particle board or pressed wood products used in manufacturing of the office furniture bought today. It is used in consumer paper products which have been treated with UF resins, including grocery bags, waxed papers, facial tissues and paper towels. Many common household cleaning agents contain formaldehyde. UF resins are used as stiffeners, wrinkle resisters, water repellents, fire retardants and adhesive binders in floor coverings, carpet backings and permanent-press clothes. Other sources of formaldehyde include heating and cooking fuels like natural gas, kerosene, and cigarette smoke.


Formaldehyde irritates the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat. It is also a highly reactive chemical which combines with protein and can cause allergic contact dermatitis. The most widely reported symptoms from exposure to high levels of this chemical include irritation of the eyes and headaches. Until recently, the most serious of the diseases attributed to formaldehyde exposure was asthma. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently conducted research which has caused formaldehyde to be strongly suspected of causing a rare type of throat cancer in long-term occupants of mobile homes.
Best recommended plants: Golden Photo, Peace lily

Green lifestyle Magazine

Which Home Improvements Pay Off?

GENERALLY SPEAKING, there are two ways to go about making home improvements. Either you splurge for something purely for the sybaritic pleasure of having it — the Italian marble bathroom you've dreamed about; that skylight that your spouse has been hinting at for the last six years — or you take a pragmatic approach, buying an energy-efficient furnace or repairing a leaky roof because you want to increase your home's market value.

Don't expect to score on both counts. Just because you pour $20,000 into your home doesn't mean that your house is worth $20,000 more. Many homeowners spend on amenities such as phones in every bathroom or a decorative stone wall that are only peripheral to the value of the house.

Exactly how much you'll recoup in costs depends on several factors, including the direction of the broader housing market, the value of the homes in your neighborhood, when you plan to sell the home and the nature of the project itself. In some housing markets, you could, indeed, earn more than your investment back on a remodeling project. Adding a midrange deck to a home in San Francisco, for example, often recoups well more than 100% of its costs on homes sold within the year of the project’s completion. But you shouldn't count on those types of returns. In Columbus, Ohio, the same project is likely to recoup less than two-thirds of its costs.

And keep in mind that the longer you hold on to your home after a remodeling project is completed, the less likely you are to recoup its value. That's in part because design tastes can shift significantly over time. Remember when avocado green was all the rage? Also, there's little reward for having the fanciest house on the block. A house that's priced higher than its neighboring homes could be perceived as overpriced — even if it does have more value.

This section examines a few improvements that real estate experts say pay off more often than not — and some that rarely make a difference when it comes time to sell your home.


Kitchens

Even a few basic improvements to your kitchen can pay handsome dividends,  For most buyers, the kitchen is the heart of the house. Paint, wallpaper, and even refloor the room if necessary. Consider sanding, staining or painting dingy-looking cabinets. Replace old cabinet hardware — a low-cost improvement that makes a big difference in appearance." Just be sure to go with a classic design and, if possible, use high-quality materials -- after all, good taste endures. Expect to recoup between 70% and 80% of kitchen-remodeling jobs.

Creating New Space

As a rule, improvements that increase the functional space of a home hold their value longer than ones that just make a house look better. It's also significantly cheaper than adding an addition to your home. Converting an attic into a bedroom, for example, can returns upwards of 75% of its cost. Turning your basement into a room for socializing will set you back, but about 75% of the costs are likely to be recouped.

An Extra Bathroom

Adding an extra bathroom with all the trimmings — marble vanity top, molded sink, bathtub with shower and ceramic tile — almost pays for itself. You should make back between 65% and 75% of your costs of remodeling a full bathroom, and around 65% of the costs of adding a full bath.

Decks

Installing a deck may be the most cost-efficient way to add square footage to your house, and of all the outdoor home improvements except painting, it may be the most reliable value. Deck additions generally recoup 85% of their value.

New Windows and Other Green Updates

The savings on your utility bills is reason enough to consider energy-efficient improvements, but they will also add to the resale value of your home. Efficient windows and doors, a new roof (maybe even solar panels), and new insulation may be pricey, but some 65% to 76% may be recovered at resale. When considering new windows, however, keep in mind that customizing windows with fancy shapes, bays and bows doesn’t necessarily add any resale value.

Swimming Pools

It's commonly agreed that a swimming pool has no resale value at all. In fact, some home buyers spend thousands of dollars to fill in a pool after purchasing a property. The main reason pools repel more prospective buyers than they attract is that they need expensive upkeep. Running a close second is the fear of liability: Pool accidents are a quick way to end up the subject of a negligence suit. A lot of people simply don't want the responsibility.

Manicured Gardens

Fancy gardens — which will require time and money to tend — usually won't add to the offering price. Landscaping is for your own enjoyment. It may be a $40,000 investment, but it won’t add $40,000 to the value of your house. The same goes for expensive fences and stone walls. They look nice, but buyers don't pay up for them.

Basic Improvements

It may not be all that enjoyable, but it's the basic improvements that may have the greatest return on your home's value. You could have a beautiful new kitchen, but if your roof is leaking, you have a real problem. So if you're thinking of putting your house on the market in the next year or so, be sure to tackle any problems with the home's structure or mechanical systems before you, say, install that hot tub you've always dreamed of.



Read more: Which Home Improvements Pay Off? - Personal Finance - Real Estate - SmartMoney.com http://www.smartmoney.com/personal-finance/real-estate/which-home-improvements-pay-off

When the Economy Cools Down, Financial Scams Heat up

The economy may be slow, but for thieves prowling for victims, business is always brisk.

"Crooks are taking advantage of the difficult economy, including tighter credit and higher unemployment, to trick people into accepting fraudulent and deceptive offers that seem beneficial on the surface but actually could cost a lot of money or result in identity theft," said Michael Benardo, manager of the FDIC's Financial Crimes Section.

Here are some common schemes being reported, followed by tips for protecting yourself:

Mortgage rescue schemes:

Con artists are preying on hard-pressed homeowners in the current depressed housing market. David M. Nelson, a fraud examiner in the Financial Crimes Section, said that companies posing as foreclosure specialists "promise miracles," such as falsely claiming they can save a home from foreclosure by lowering the loan balance, interest rate and monthly payments, and "all for a large upfront fee."

Instead, distressed homeowners should contact their mortgage loan servicer to request a modification of their loan at no cost (see When Payments Are a Problem). "It's very important for qualified borrowers to understand that the industry best practice is loan modifications free-of-charge," said FDIC Chairman Sheila C. Bair. "They do not need to spend thousand of dollars to get help."

Before contacting your lender or loan servicer, though, think about getting help from a trained, reputable housing counselor who can help you for no charge or a small fee. Find one through groups such as NeighborWorks America (www.nw.org) or by calling 1-888-995-HOPE (4673). Or, for a referral to a counseling agency certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), visit www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm or call 1-800-569-4287.

To see a Federal Trade Commission warning about foreclosure rescue scams, go to www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre42.shtm.


Other credit-related scams involving upfront fees:

Several of these have been circulating since problems emerged in mortgage and other credit markets. In some cases, con artists claim they can "guarantee" loan approvals to people with credit problems — in exchange for a big upfront fee. Of course, after collecting the nonrefundable fee, the loan falls through.

"No legitimate lender can promise a loan without looking at a borrower's financial condition," explained Michael L. Jackson, an Associate Director of the FDIC's Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection. "And in most cases, loan fees are typically collected at the end of the lending process, not at the beginning."

For guidance about avoiding scams involving credit counseling for people behind on their bills, see When a Debt Collector Calls.


Work-at-home scams:

Thieves prey on people who have lost their jobs or need extra cash by sending unsolicited e-mails and running advertisements on the Internet and in newspapers. The ads offer flexible, easy part-time jobs working at home and involve a lot of pay for doing very little, such as processing payments or shipping items. These offers may seem especially attractive if you've just lost your job. What can go wrong? Here are two common scenarios.

Your "employer" may steal your identity and commit fraud by obtaining your bank account and Social Security numbers, perhaps as part of a fake job application. Or, you could face major losses if your new boss requests that you deposit a check or electronic transfer into your bank account and wire funds out of your account (after deducting your "commission"), and later your bank tells you that the original deposit was bogus and you're responsible for the money.

According to Nelson, "If the check or electronic deposit is fraudulent, you will likely lose the money wired out of your account, plus you may have difficulty opening a new bank account until your name is cleared from any suspicion that you were a willing partner in any fraud."

For more information about work-at-home scams and a complaint form, go to www.IC3.gov, a Web site established by the U.S. Department of Justice and the National White Collar Crime Center.


"Mystery shopper" scams:

 It's common for businesses and consulting firms to pay consumers to visit and shop at their retail locations or dine at their restaurant and then submit confidential reports about the experience. These part-time workers are known as "mystery shoppers" and "secret shoppers." But fraud artists are cashing in by setting up fake mystery-shopping programs that look very real, including job applications (requesting Social Security numbers) and professional-looking Web sites, and then convincing new recruits to wire money using funds from their own checking account.

Here's a typical scenario. Your first assignment as mystery shopper is to deposit a $2,000 cashier's check into your bank account — supposedly to cover a $1,900 purchase you're about to make for your new part-time "job," plus a $100 advance payment for your services. You're then instructed to withdraw $1,900 in cash from your bank account, take it to a particular store to have the funds wired to a person (a "colleague" of your new employer) in Canada. Later, you'll go home and fill out an evaluation of the store's money-transfer service. But eventually, perhaps a couple of weeks later, the cashier's check you deposited will be returned as counterfeit, and you will be responsible for the money you withdrew from your account.

"Part of what makes this swindle successful is that the criminals stress that the entire assignment must be 'confidential,' from ordering the money transfer at the store to filling out the evaluation form," explained Millie Spencer, a financial crime specialist with the FDIC.

Fraudulent e-mails, calls and faxes related to bank failures, mergers or other current events: Crooks are pretending to be from a financial institution in the news (perhaps one that has acquired a failed institution) or a government agency (such as the FDIC) asking for consumers to supply personal information, such as account and Social Security numbers or passwords. Don't fall for this trick.

"For example, your bank, credit card issuer and any other reputable business you deal with won't call or e-mail you to confirm account numbers or passwords because it will already have that information," said Nelson.


False or misleading sales of certificates of deposit (CDs):

 Bank CDs issued by FDIC-insured institutions have long been considered to be among the safest financial investments available because of the deposit insurance protection. However, with the slow economy resulting in relatively low interest rates on insured CDs, savers looking for high yields may be tempted by Internet or newspaper advertisements offering unusually high returns. While most advertising for CDs is accurate and legitimate, beware that some may be misleading or even untrue.

"Look very closely at the fine print in those eye-catching ads," said Richard M. Schwartz, an FDIC attorney who specializes in consumer issues. "Some high-yielding accounts have strings attached, like a requirement that you buy insurance or annuities you may not want. Other accounts may be deceptively advertised as FDIC-insured accounts but they're not, and that's a violation of federal law."


In general, how can you protect yourself from financial scams and rip-offs?

•Be wary of requests to "update" or "confirm" personal information — such as your Social Security numbers and bank account and credit card numbers (including security codes) — in response to an advertisement or an unsolicited call, text message or e-mail. Be extremely skeptical of any unsolicited offer that requires you to send a payment or provide bank account or other personal information before receiving anything in return.

•Take the time to thoroughly research the people or organizations offering a job, loan, deposit, investment or other "opportunity" involving your money or personal information.

•Walk away from any offer from a stranger that would involve a large deposit into your account and instructions to wire any of that money back, perhaps to someone in another country.

•In general, assume that any offer that sounds unrealistic or otherwise "too good to be true" — especially one from a stranger or an unfamiliar company — is probably a fraud.

To learn more about common financial frauds and how to protect yourself, see back issues of FDIC Consumer News (online at www.fdic.gov/consumernews) and our multimedia presentation "Don't Be an Online Victim" (at www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/guard).

Also visit www.mymoney.gov/, the scams and frauds section of the U.S. government's Web site dedicated to financial education.

Tenga cuidado con los agentes de ejecuciones hipotecarias y de modificaciones de préstamos

Consejos sobre cómo evitar estafas de ejecución hipotecaria y de modificación de préstamos



Estafas de subarriendos o reventas

En este tipo de situación, alguien le promete pagar su hipoteca en mora, mejorar su crédito e incluso pagar sus tarjetas de crédito u otras deudas. No obstante, le dicen que para poder hacerlo, debe traspasar "temporalmente" la escritura de su casa a una "tercera parte". Le permiten seguir viviendo en su casa como inquilino con la opción de volver a comprar la casa después de que pase un cierto periodo de tiempo o de que su situación económica mejore. El problema es que una vez que traspasa sus derechos a la vivienda tal vez no pueda volver a comprar la vivienda más tarde, incluso si quiere y puede permitirse hacerlo. Una vez que el nuevo propietario se hace cargo de la vivienda, puede desahuciarlo a usted. Asimismo, el estafador no tiene ninguna obligación de revenderle la casa a usted. Por lo general, después de traspasar la escritura, la propiedad cambia de manos repetidas veces. El estafador puede haber hipotecado la vivienda por cientos de miles de dólares más que su hipoteca, lo que hace imposible que pueda volver a comprar su casa.



Estafas de bancarrota de interés parcial

Es posible que un agente estafador le pida que le dé un interés parcial de su casa a una o más personas. Después usted realiza los pagos de su hipoteca al estafador en vez de pagar la hipoteca en mora. Sin embargo, el agente estafador no realiza los pagos de la hipoteca ni pide una refinanciación. Luego, cada una de estas personas con interés parcial se declarara en bancarrota, una detrás de la otra, sin decírselo a usted. El tribunal de bancarrotas emite una orden de suspensión cada vez para detener temporalmente la ejecución hipotecaria. Sin embargo, la suspensión no le exime de realizar sus pagos ni de pagar el monto total de su préstamo. El proceso complica y retrasa la ejecución hipotecaria al mismo tiempo que el estafador recauda y se beneficia de los pagos que usted, la víctima, sigue realizando. Las leyes de bancarrota ofrecen protecciones importantes a los consumidores. Las estafas solo pueden posponer la ejecución hipotecaria temporalmente y pueden impedir que use las leyes de bancarrota de manera legítima para resolver sus problemas financieros.



Estafas de refinanciación

Aunque existen programas legítimos de refinanciación, incluyendo los que proporciona el gobierno federal, tenga cuidado con las personas que se hacen pasar por agentes o prestamistas hipotecarios y le ofrecen refinanciar su préstamo para poder reducir sus pagos. El estafador le entrega una serie de documentos de "rescate hipotecario" y le pide que los firme. Le explica que los documentos son para un préstamo de refinanciación que usará para poner al día los pagos de su hipoteca. Lo que no sabe es que está renunciando por completo a su casa. Los documentos para el "préstamo" en realidad son documentos para transferir la escritura de su casa y el estafador cuenta con que usted no va a leerlos. Una vez que se realiza el traspaso de la escritura, usted cree que su casa se ha salvado de la ejecución hipotecaria durante meses o años, hasta que recibe una orden de desahucio y descubre que ya no es propietario de su casa. Para entonces suele ser demasiado tarde y no puede hacer nada para dar marcha atrás al traspaso de la escritura.



Estafas por Internet y por teléfono

Algunos prestamistas estafadores le convencen por teléfono o por Internet que solicite un préstamo de bajo interés. Luego obtienen información personal importante, como su número de seguro social y los números de sus cuentas bancarias. En esta estafa, usted acepta el préstamo inmediatamente y empieza a mandar documentos por fax y a realizar transferencias de dinero a la compañía falsa sin siquiera conocer al prestamista. Desafortunadamente esta estafa hará que su situación empeore; se ha robado o vendido su información personal, lo cual trae el riesgo de robo de identidad, y sigue estando en peligro de enfrentarse a una ejecución hipotecaria.



Estafas de asistencia fantasma

En esta situación el estafador se presenta como un agente que puede asesorar o ayudar a un propietario de vivienda a salir de una ejecución hipotecaria o que califica para un préstamo de modificación o un programa de refinanciamiento. A cambio de sus "servicios", le cobran tasas exageradas y le hacen todo tipo de promesas de poder representar su caso agresivamente, pero nada de esto ocurre. Los "servicios" que realizan pueden incluir el intercambio de documentos y alguna llamada telefónica que usted podría realizar por sí mismo. Al final, usted termina peor de lo que estaba porque se ha quedado con poco o nada de tiempo para salvar su casa o pedir ayuda a otra persona.


FDIC
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation