(FROM ANGIE'S LIST) - Gutter cleaning isn't glamorous, but it's one of the most important jobs on any fall to-do list.

Angie Hicks from Angie's List says, "Your gutters should not be ignored because leaves will gather there which will lead to mold as well as bugs, even ice damming in the winter. And if you're like some people, you might actually get a garden growing in your gutters which can be pretty embarrassing. So, taking care of them can lead to better health of your home, especially your roof."

Whether you do it yourself or hire a pro, don't neglect the downspouts when cleaning.

"You also want to make sure that all of your gutters are actually nailed in properly and look at your gutter boards and make sure that they are sealed," says Handyman Elden Foltz.

Once your gutters are clear, turn your attention to sealing drafts around windows and doors. Walk through your home with a lit candle or stick of incense to see where cold air is seeping in.

"If you don't seal the windows what's going to happen is a lot of energy is going to be dispensed out and you're going to lose money."

When sealing a window, make sure the area is free from dust and old paint or caulk.

"You can't take caulking and put caulking over top of it because all it's going to do is peel and break off. And it's not going to provide a good seal for that house," says Foltz.

Finally, Angie's List says you should focus on your lawn.

Hicks says, "Many people think this time of the year, 'Oh, I'm done with the lawn. I don't even want to mow anymore.' But the treatments you give your lawn, the fertilizing, this time of the year is the most important fertilizing you'll have. So, you if you're looking to have a great lawn next spring, don't skip out on the fall lawn care."

View post:
Three Fall chores you should never ignore

On Saturday at noon, Williamsburg bowling alley The Gutter re-opened after an Ebola scare forced its closure last Thursday morning. Gutter owner Todd Powers and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams shook hands and held an informal press conference at the alley, before Adams himself bowled two frames.

"Brooklynites should feel self-assured and relaxed to know that, number one, this disease is not something you catch like a common cold," Adams said.

The eight-lane alley underwent an extensive disinfectant cleaning on Friday after Ebola patient Dr. Craig Spencer visited and bowled at on Wednesday, Oct. 22nd. It still smelled lightly of bleach as Adams reassured reporters that there was nothing to fearnot only at The Gutter, but across Brooklyn and all of New York City.

"People have a right to be cautious and concerned," Adams said, "but that fear should not stymie them to go on with their lives." The Borough President praised Mayor Bill de Blasio's organizing efforts since Spencer's Ebola case was identified Thursday, and stressed that the risk of the virus spreading to others was extremely low, if not non-existent.

Spencer, a member of Doctors Without Borders who had been working to treat Ebola victims in Guinea, visited The Gutter for roughly three hours last Wednesday night (you can see the full timeline of his movements here). The next morning, with symptoms of a fever and fatigue, Spencer was rushed to Bellevue Hospital where he tested positive for the deadly virus and was placed in isolated intensive care.

Adams wasn't The Gutter's only patron for long. Rafiq Ali Ladhani, of South Williamsburg, stopped at the bowling alley's bar at 12:30 p.m., ordering a beer and challenging Adams to a game of pool. A grinning Adams accepted, and the two swapped stories of their lives in Brooklyn between friendly barbs. "It's one of the things I've learned in the 13 years I've lived here: New Yorkers are really resilient," Ladhani said.

"You're just not going to get Ebola from this," Ladhani added, gesturing at the bar and booths before taking a long sip of his beer.

The Gutter's management received an all-clear from city Health Department inspectors Thursday, but hired Bio Recovery Corp to thoroughly sanitize the entire premises as an extra precaution. "We chose to do more because we wanted to make sure that everybody knew that we worked hard to ensure that they were safe," Powers said. We lost two nights of business, but all that doesnt mean anything. To make sure everybody's safe is what really is important to me and everybody here."

Those two nights of closure axed multiple music performances that had been scheduled at The Gutter as a part of CMJ, and the entire ordeal has made some uncertain about the bar and bowling alley's future prospects. Powers, though, was defiantly positive yesterday as he reopened and dismissed any suggestions that his business would have to fight any lengthy Ebola stigma.

Weve been getting so much support over Facebook and through different ways," he said yesterday. "Our regular customers are waiting for us to open so that they can come back and show their support. I think itll be a normal Saturday night, if not more.

Read more from the original source:
The Gutter Re-Opens In Williamsburg After A Two-Day Ebola Scare

TRI-STATE NEWS HEADLINES

From our newsroom to your inbox weekday mornings at 9AM.

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) Just days after the first Ebola patient was diagnosed in New York City, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams bowled the first frames at the Williamsburg bowling alley where the patient was said to have visited a day before he became ill.

The Gutterbowling alley reopened to the public Saturday afternoon following a thorough cleaning.

I was extremely comfortable and enjoyed myself, Adams told WCBS 880. I did not have the best bowling game, but at the same time I wanted Brooklynites to see that if the borough president was comfortable in going to The Gutter bowling lanes then theres no reason to be afraid.

EXTRA: More On Ebola From The CDC

Owner Todd Powers brought in a special cleaning firm even though the health department said that wasnt necessary, 1010 WINS Roger Stern reported.

The symbolism of bowling at The Gutter is sending a message to all Brooklynites that The Gutter is open and a safe place to continue to use recreationally, Adams said.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams bowls first frame at bowling alley after being decontaminated for Ebola (Credit: Roger Stern/1010 WINS)

Many people who spoke with Stern said they would still go to The Gutter despite the recent events.

Here is the original post:
De Blasio, Brooklyn Borough President Work To Quell Publics Fears About Contracting Ebola

The Gutter will soon be the cleanest place in New York.

A biohazard company descended Friday night on the Brooklyn bowling alley where Ebola-afflicted doctor Craig Spencer played a few frames to rid the place of any trace of the deadly disease.

The hipster hot spots decontamination is being done by Bio-Recover Corp., which also handled the cleanup job at Spencers Harlem apartment.

The company promised a top-to-bottom cleanup, from the holes in the bowling balls to the light switches.

The first step is to use a fogging machine to circulate disinfectant throughout the facility.

Workers must focus particularly on the bowling balls. Traces of the virus could remain in a finger hole, and be transferred to another players face.

Of course, you go inside the ball, said Keith Capolino, who is president of Bio-One, another biohazard cleanup company.

Its the biggest risk of infection. We would spend the most time in those areas.

Cleaning the bathrooms and any areas where food and drinks are served would also be labor-intensive, said Capolino.

Porous objects, like bowling shoes, could be discarded to save time, or could be manually cleaned.

See the rest here:
Biohazard scrubbing begins at places visited by Ebola doctor

TRI-STATE NEWS HEADLINES

From our newsroom to your inbox weekday mornings at 9AM.

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) Just days after the first Ebola patient was diagnosed in New York City, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams bowled the first frames at the Williamsburg bowling alley where the patient was said to have visited a day before he became ill.

The Gutterbowling alley reopened to the public Saturday afternoon following a thorough cleaning.

I was extremely comfortable and enjoyed myself, Adams told WCBS 880. I did not have the best bowling game, but at the same time I wanted Brooklynites to see that if the borough president was comfortable in going to The Gutter bowling lanes then theres no reason to be afraid.

EXTRA: More On Ebola From The CDC

Owner Todd Powers brought in a special cleaning firm even though the health department said that wasnt necessary, 1010 WINS Roger Stern reported.

The symbolism of bowling at The Gutter is sending a message to all Brooklynites that The Gutter is open and a safe place to continue to use recreationally, Adams said.

Many people who spoke with Stern said they would still go to The Gutter despite the recent events.

Sure theres a little bit of heightened sense of hesitation, but I still think Id do it, said Paul.

Read the original:
Brooklyn Borough President Bowls At Bowling Alley That Ebola Patient Visited

Gutter Cleaning with Sullivan Window Cleaning
Lee Sullivan demonstrates how Sullivan Window Cleaning clean gutters using carbon fibre poles from the safety of the ground.

By: Sullivan Window Cleaning

Continue reading here:
Gutter Cleaning with Sullivan Window Cleaning - Video

A Brooklyn bowling alley closed up shop Thursday night for cleaning when it was discovered that New York Citys first Ebola patient had visited the popular spot the night before he was rushed to the hospital. Health officials are working to retrace Dr. Craig Spencers steps, and three contacts have already been quarantined. New Yorkers are now asking: Can you get Ebola from a bowling ball?

The Gutter, a bar in Williamsburg with eight vintage bowling lanes, apologized to its customers via Facebook late Thursday, saying the decision to close was simply a precautionary measure. Spencer went bowling Wednesday night before he had any symptoms, according to health officials. The Gutter has been in constant contact with New York City Department of Health officials, who determined staff and customers are not at risk. Still, the business closed its doors Thursday night to have the bar area cleaned and sanitized under the health departments supervision. They expect to reopen sometime on Friday, according to the Facebook post.

Many people posted on the Gutters Facebook page to show their support and appreciation. One fan wrote: Thank you for caring enough to close and sanitize! Some were annoyed at Spencer: I am so sorry you are going to be affected by the act of one stupid person. And others speculated whether sanitizing the bar would be enough: What if his feet were sweaty in a pair of rental shoes?... Are you going to replace all of the shoes since you dont know which pair he wore?

A New York Times article delved deeper, asking: Can you get Ebola from a bowling ball? The short answer: No. According to Donald G. McNeil Jr., a science and health reporter for the newspaper, it is unlikely because the virus is fragile and normally doesnt survive for more than a few hours on a hard, dry surface such as a bowling ball. Also, experts say the disease cannot be transmitted before the appearance of symptoms and Spencer was symptom-free the night he bowled.

Spencer, a New York City-based physician, contracted Ebola while working with Doctors Without Borders in Guinea to help contain the deadly outbreak. Spencer returned to the city on Oct. 16 and showed no signs of the disease until Thursday, when he was rushed to Bellevue Hospital Center with a fever and diarrhea. Spencer, 33, tested positive for Ebola and was isolated immediately, said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio at a press conference Thursday night. Officials are still working to piece together Spencers movements and contact since he left West Africa. Spencers fianc and two friends have already been quarantined.

The mayor assured the city there was no need to panic. There is no reason for New Yorkers to be alarmed. Ebola is an extremely hard disease to contract, de Blasio said. Bellevue Hospital is specially designed for isolation, identification and treatment of Ebola patients. Every hospital in the city is prepared in the event that other patients come forward.

Panic has quickly turned into a torrent of jokes for some on social media.

Follow this link:
The Gutter, Brooklyn Bowling Alley Where NYC's First Patient Visited, Closed For Cleaning; Panic Turns Into Puns

[Update: The Department of Health has given the all-clear for The Gutter to reopen!] Williamsburg's beloved bowling alley and music venue, The Gutter, closed yesterday after it was revealed the NYC doctor who tested positive for Ebola had been there on Wednesday night. The Gutter issued a statement this morning:

City officials have emphasized that the Ebola patient, Dr. Craig Spencer, was not ill when he went out on Wednesday (besides going to The Gutter, he went to the High Line; ate at The Meatball Shop; took the 1, A and L trains; took an Uber) and that Ebola is not airborne. NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett said, "People with Ebola are contagious when they are sick, and what's contagious about them are body fluids." The NY Times also explained it's extremely unlikely one would get Ebola from a bowling ball.

One Williamsburg resident wants Mayor de Blasio to show his confidence:

Update: Dr. Don Weiss of the Health Department said during a press conference outside The Gutter, "We came to see that there was no exposure meaning there was no bodily fluids that were here. We confirmed that. The place can reopen and we hope that people will come back." He said of The Gutter, "Theyve been cooperating fully."

From the NY Times:

Visit link:
Update: The Gutter Declared Safe For Bowling And Fun

Up-to-date information on the Ebola situation in New York and worldwide after an emergency room doctor who, after treating Ebola patients in West Africa, tested positive for the virus. Dr. Craig Spencer is being treated at Bellevue hospital.

5:18 p.m. -- Cuomo, Christie release details of new state standards

Governor Andrew Cuomo and Governor Chris Christie announced additional screening protocols for Ebola at both JFK and Newark Liberty International Airports:

--There will be real-time access to on-the-ground screening at JFK and Newark Liberty International Airports by New York and New Jersey Departments of Health staff

--Each State Department of Health at JFK and Newark Liberty International Airports will, as permitted under applicable law, make its own determination as to hospitalization, quarantine, and other public health interventions for up to 21 days. There will also be a mandatory quarantine for any individual who had direct contact with an individual infected with the Ebola virus while in one of the three West African nations (Liberia, Sierra Leone, or Guinea), including any medical personnel having performed medical services to individuals infected with the Ebola virus. Additionally, all individuals with travel history to the affected regions of West Africa, with no direct contact with an infected person, will be actively monitored by public health officials and, if necessary, quarantined, depending on the facts and circumstances of their particular situation.

--New York and New Jersey are establishing enhanced communication protocols between their respective state health departments to coordinate on matters pertaining to New York and New Jersey resident travelers who fly into Newark and JFK

--The Centers of Disease Control (CDC) and Customs Border Patrol (CBP) will provide information to New York and New Jersey's respective State Departments of Health on all screening on a real-time basis and provide a daily recap as to the status of that day's screening and CDC determinations

4:40 p.m. -- Cuomo, Christie announce mandatory quarantine for high-risk passengers coming through area airports

In a major new state policy for New York and New Jersey, governors Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie announced a mandatory quarantine for people returning to US through area airports who are deemed "high risk." In the first application of the new set of standards, the states are quarantining a female healthcare worker returning from Africa who took care of Ebola patients. She is not sick, but the governors made the decision to quarantine anyway. It is a unilateral decision by the states.

4:36 p.m. -- Cuomo, Christie announce increase in screening

Read this article:
EBOLA BLOG: Gutter bowling alley that Ebola patient visited closes

Facebook/The GutterThe Gutter

The Brooklyn bowling alley that New York City's first Ebola patient visited has shut down for cleaning, according to a statement on the alley's Facebook page.

Dr. Craig Spencer, who returned to the US from Guinea 10 days ago, tested positive for Ebola on Thursday. Spencer was working with Doctors Without Borders in Guinea, which is one of the West African countries that has seen a major outbreak of Ebola. He's now in isolation at Bellevue Hospital.

After he returned to New York, Spencer spent most of his time in his apartment, but he rode the subway and visited The Gutter, a bowling alley in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He reportedly wasn't symptomatic at the time, but The Gutter has shuttered temporarily as an extra precaution.

Here's the statement from the bowling alley:

New Yorkers' risk of contracting Ebola is very low. Spencer self-quarantined at his apartment soon after he became symptomatic, and the virus is only spread through contact with bodily fluids of a symptomatic person.

Originally posted here:
Brooklyn Bowling Alley Shuts Down Because Ebola Patient Went There