Home & Garden

The Oregon Department of Human Services is urging folks to test their homes for radon, one of the leading causes of lung cancer in the U.S.

Radon is odorless, tasteless and invisible – and it could be in your home in dangerous levels.

"Because you can't see or smell radon, people tend to downplay the health effects and ignore the possibility that there might be a silent killer in their homes,"  Radon Coordinator Brett Sherry, Oregon Public Health Division, said in a press release.

Radon is a naturally occurring gas seeping out of the ground. It is dispersed in the outdoor air, but it can build up to dangerous levels when trapped in buildings.

• In your neighborhood: Radon levels by zip code

HOW TO TEST YOUR HOME

Radon test kits can be purchased at local hardware and home improvement stores or directly from radon testing companies. Many kits are priced at about $20.

HOW TO FIX A RADON PROBLEM

Now that Christmas is over, you might be thinking about taking down the tree. Here are some options for disposing of it:

• You can cut up your tree and put it in your green yard debris roll cart for no extra charge.
• You can put the whole tree out with the yard debris for an extra fee.
• You can donate it to a non-profit for a small fee.
• *Note that trees will be not be accepted with your garbage, only with your yard debris.

Before you set it out, be sure to remove all ornaments, lights, tinsel, wire, nails, stands and other materials that are not part of the tree.

If you have questions, call the city's Curbside Hotline at (503) 823-7202 or send an e-mail to wasteinfo@ci.portland.or.us.

Local organizations, like the Boy Scouts, often do tree recycling as well. If your group is doing it this year, leave a comment below so folks know about it.

Nancy Bennett, M.S., R.D., C.D.E, Foster Farms' nutritionist has some tips for savoring the holiday season with nutritious turkey meals.

Featured Recipe

• Citrus Turkey

Turkey Tips

• Watch out for some poultry brands that plump their turkey! A serving of fresh, natural turkey should contain no more than 100mg of sodium.
• Foster Farms provides consumers hundreds of delicious turkey recipes, nutrition advice and cooking tips on its website,
• Don’t let your guests go hungry – This is the cardinal rule for Thanksgiving. Estimate 1 to 1.5 lbs. of turkey per person.
• Buy extra so you can have yummy leftovers for the next day.

Avoid a Turkey-cicle

The following tips are from the NW Insurance Council:

Freezing temperatures, ice, snow and wind can devastate homes and businesses if they are not properly winterized.  Winter storms are the third-largest cause of property loss in America, resulting in about $1.2 billion in insured losses annually, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Winter weather-related losses such as burst pipes, wind damage, ice dams, frozen gutters and damage caused by the weight of ice or snow are covered under standard Homeowners Insurance policies.  Damage caused by flooding is specifically excluded under standard home and business insurance policies.
By winterizing your home or business you also can eliminate many inconveniences caused by weather-related losses.