Lindy Blogs of the Week Mar. 3: Home Tips, Sequestration, Heart Health

What are your neighbors thinking about? Is a national-news story piquing the interest of the neighborhood or is someone simply sharing their insight on every day life?

No worries if you missed the past week, since we've collected the top blog posts across our local Patch sites in one convienent place.

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Learn the Seven Principles of a Healthy Home
Lindenhurst blogger and business owner Robert Deacon offered tips from  the National Center of Healthy Housing (NCHH) about how to keep your home healthy - especially those that were affected by Hurricane Sandy in October.

Tips include keeping the home dry, clean and free from being a bug's best friend.

"Prevent water from entering your home through leaks in roofing systems, rain water from entering the home due to poor drainage and check your interior plumbing for any leaking," said Deacon, who owns Vango Cleaning.

"Control the source of dust and contaminants, creating smooth and cleanable surfaces, reducing clutter and using effective wet-cleaning methods."

Tip of the Week: What to Look for When Choosing a Contractor
The Long Island Builders Institute (LIBI) outlined what to look for as you select a contractor.

"Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Trust your friends and neighbor’s opinions as well as other satisfied customers. Ask various questions like, 'Was the job started and completed on time?' 'Was the quoted price the same as the final cost?' 'How was the quality of the work?" Etc.," said the LIBI.

The LIBI also noted its Superstorm Resource Expo is set for .

There, "you can meet hundreds of local industry professionals who are licensed and LIBI-approved. The expo will be hosted by Donna Donna of WBAB, and held at the Hyatt Regency Long Island in Hauppauge, and is now open to the public, as well as the trade," the LIBI wrote.

Sequestration: What the President and Congress Could Learn from School Districts
Patch blogger Meryl Ain, Ed.D., suggests the president and the United States Congress could learn a thing or two from school districts during budget season - especially about coming together to agree about a budget, which the Congress hasn't done in nearly four years.

"Sure, school districts engage in politics, too, when presenting their budgets. They may threaten to cut full-day kindergarten, sports programs or other popular offerings, and sometimes they're cut," she wrote.

"But often when there's an outcry from parents, these reductions are shelved in favor of those that have less impact on students and the educational programs."

IRS Outlines Eight Tax Benefits for Parents
Blogger Dianne Besunder lists eight benefits parents shouldn’t miss when filing taxes this year.

Among the tips Besunder shared included, "If you paid higher education costs for yourself or another student who's an immediate family member, then you might qualify for either the American Opportunity Credit or the Lifetime Learning Credit. Both credits might reduce the amount of tax you owe. If the American Opportunity Credit is more than the tax you owe, then you could be eligible for a refund of up to $1,000. See IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education."

Live-brary Lovers New Quarterly Online Book Discussion
The Suffolk County Public Libraries' Live-brary.com has launched a new quarterly online book discussion.

"Live-brary.com, the Suffolk County Public Libraries’ digital branch, is launching a new quarterly online book discussion that you can participate in via Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and Bookshout. The inaugural book discussion, to be held on Wednesday, March 6, will center on the New York Times bestseller Gone Girl, a mystery/thriller by Gillian Flynn, one of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time," Suffolk County Public Libraries wrote.

Supplements for Heart Health
While there’s no substitute for consistent, healthy habits, your physician might suggest a nutritional supplement to enhance your heart-healthy lifestyle, according to the North Shore-LIJ Health System in its latest blog post.

"A cautionary note for anyone with heart disease, high blood pressure or high cholesterol: The FDA doesn't regulate dietary supplements or their ingredients as strictly as it does conventional food or medicine, so it’s crucial to discuss them with a doctor before you start taking them to ensure proper monitoring of their effects," wrote Robert Graham, MD, on behalf of the North Shore-LIJ Health System in this post.

Tips for Showing Your Home
Selling your home soon? Local real estate agent Kristin Schuster has some great tips for what should and shouldn't be done when you decide to show your home to potential buyers and their brokers.

"Never allow a buyer into your home without an agent present. You'll from time to time have someone see the home, and decide he/she's going to 'pop in,'" said Schuster. "You can speak with him/her, but don't let them into your home. This isn't about your agent trying to 'control' a possible sale, but about your safety!"

Related Coverage:

• After Sandy - Long Island Recovers
• Hurricane Sandy Long Island
• The Latest Sandy Updates 
• How to Blog on Patch: It's Easy
• Lindenhurst Patch Seeking New Bloggers
• Blogging on Lindenhurst Patch

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