FYI Ashland

Commuting is a part of daily life for many working professionals. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2011 American Community Survey, the average American spends 25 minutes commuting to work each day. However, Citi's 2015 ThankYou Premier Commuter Index says the average commute time in the United States is 45 minutes. The reasons for that disparity are unknown, though if one accepts the latter statistic as more accurate than the years-old Census Bureau data, it's fair to say Americans spend far more time getting to work than their neighbors to the north. But commutes in Canada also can be lengthy, as Canada's National Household Survey found that, in 2011, commuters in Canada spent an average of roughly 25 minutes traveling to work each day.

Did you know that, according to the National Fire Protection Association, most people have a false sense of security regarding house fires, believing that they would have approximately six minutes to evacuate their home in the event of a fire?

 

In reality, smoke and fire spread rapidly and can overcome occupants in less than three minutes.

While new homes are being built to be more energy efficient than ever before, thanks to a growing green building movement and increasingly strict building codes, the age of existing dwellings continues to present challenges. More than 40 percent of the housing stock in the United States was built before 1969 and simply wouldn't stand up to today's standards. Yet, much can be done to help homeowners improve their building envelope to reduce energy use and increase efficiency.

For those who live in older homes, the transition to colder weather can be extra disheartening, as the vision of expensive heating bills, chilly rooms and drafty windows dance in their heads. However, it's easy to change the outlook from cold to cozy with a few simple DIY solutions.