Child Safety Window Tips

As per the National Safety Council’s statistic, 3300 children under the age of five are seriously injured from falling out of a window. Windows provide a nice breeze, sunlight, and an emergency escape route but without proper education or care they can be a huge risk to the safety of your children.

Here are some basic window safety tips to make sure children are safe in your home:

1.       Avoid purchasing window coverings with dangling cords if possible. Many window covering manufacturers product shades standard with cordless lift. If you have hanging cords, be sure to wrap them up as high in the window frame as possible. Nearly one child per month dies from entanglement in a window covering cord (according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) See example below:

1.       If a window is open for air flow, be sure it is not within a child’s reach.

2.       Keep open windows no more than 4” and use a stop guard to prevent kids from opening the window further.

3.       When windows are closed, be sure they are in locked position.

4.       Screens are meant for insect protection and cannot hold a child’s weight in the event of a fall.

5.       Keep furniture away from windows to prevent children from climbing on the furniture and falling into or through the window.

6.       Educate your child on the dangers of windows. The National Safety Council is an excellent resource for more information on child window safety, click here.

Hardwood Care and Maintenance Guide

So you’ve just invested in new Hardwood flooring for your home. Maintaining your floor the properly will keep it looking new, for longer! Follow this simple care and cleaning guide for hardwood floors.

Cleaning:

• Sweep or use a soft microfiber dust mop 1-2 times per week.

• Avoid dust mops that have been pretreated such as Swiffer brand which can leave a film on your floor.

• If a food, soft drink, sticky or greasy spill occurs, use a hardwood floor cleaning spray as recommended by Koebers and your manufacturer. Always try a damp but well-wrung cloth before using a cleaner.

• If a deep surface scratch occurs use a hardwood touch up pen (Lowes or Home Depot will have several stain options to match your floor).

Floor Protection:

• Attach felt pads under furniture legs.

• Protect high traffic areas (ex: hallways, flooring in front of sinks, and rooms with high usage like a family room) with an area rug from Koebers. If we installed your hardwood, you will receive a 30% OFF discount on area rugs!

• Protect the floor when moving heavy furniture by using a mat turned upside down.

• Watch for high heels or certain types of footwear that may dent your hardwood.

• Place door mats at exterior doorways. 

Temperature & Humidity:

• Keep room temperature a consistent 67°F  -72°F.

• Maintain a relative humidity between 30-50%. Use a humidifier or dehumidifier to if needed to prevent wood from splits, cracks, cupping, gapping, etc. due to moisture absorption.

• Do not allow the floor to exceed 80°F.

Water or Liquid on Hardwood:

• Never allow water or other liquids to stand on hardwood.

• Do not mop or steam hardwood floor.

• Quickly wipe up any spilled liquid from your floor.

Intense Light:

• Natural changes in color due to normal aging of wood and normal UV exposure is expected.

• Move your rugs occasionally to keep color changes uniform.

• Avoid letting hardwood sit in direct sunlight for long periods of time with blinds from Koebers.

This guide is not for oil finished hardwood floors.

If you have specific questions or concerns, call the office at 503-641-1901 or refer to your hardwood manufacturer’s specified maintenance program.

Get To Know: Jason

Get to know a Koeber’s employee on our blog! When you choose Koebers, you’re choosing the best installers in the Northwest. You will get to know your crew very well. Here on our blog, we’ll help you get a head start.

Meet Jason! He specializes in hard surface installation, everything from LVT to Hardwood. Jason has been a Koeber’s employee for 25 years! When he started in high school, he rode his bike to work and managed our warehouse operations. He gained the nickname “Chief” as the chief of our warehouse, and it’s stuck all these years! See what he had to say in an insider interview with him…

Q1: What is your favorite part about working for Koeber’s?

They treat you like family

Q2: What is a random fact about you?

I like the outdoors!

Q3: If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Steak

Q4: Do you have a favorite sports team?

San Francisco 49ers!!

Q5: What is the best trip you have ever taken?

My 20th anniversary gift, a trip to San Francisco and watching a NINERS GAME

Q6: On your days off, what do you look forward to doing?

Working on my farm

You can say Hi to Jason at the Customer Appreciation sales or request him for your next hardwood or LVT installation!

What's Trending in the Flooring Industry?

Earlier this week, our craftsman crew attended the 2018 International Surfaces Event in Las Vegas. The event is a showcase of products from numerous manufacturers and suppliers in the flooring industry. Here our crew is able to see the newest technology in installation tools and supplies, inspiring trends in the industry, and newest product lines available. Here are 5 key flooring trends to look for in 2018.

1. LVT with a High-Density Composite Core- An LVT product that features a very stable core providing superior resistance to impacts and dents. It is water proof and can be installed in high moisture and high-traffic areas. This flooring is excellent for residential and commercial use and is available in many wood and tile looks. Check out our current collection, which will grow this year!

2. Lighter & Brighter Colors- Trends in the flooring industry are looking light and bright in carpet, LVT, woods, and tile looks.

3. Less Tile, More LVT! Tile is cold, can crack, requires re-grouting, can be expensive to install, and more! The industry is shifting away from real ceramic tile to composite luxury vinyl products.

4. Family & Pet Friendly Carpet- Carpet continues to be a popular flooring option. In active homes with pets and kids, it is more important than ever to have a cleanable and durable carpet option. Stainmaster Pet Protect carpet is growing rapidly. The options are endless from patterns to simple plush and textured styles.

5. Hand Scraping and Earthy Toned Hardwoods- Earthy tones create an inviting feel. Perfect for the Northwest where we see more earth tones in our interior color pallets.

Meanwhile Jill is at furniture market selecting our new showroom furniture models! Check out pictures from both of their adventures below.