Around The House Tip Of The Month:

Broken CFLs Can Release Mercury Vapor: They Need To Be Disposed Of Properly

Compact fluorescent lights are more than twice as energy efficient as traditional light bulbs. They are gaining market share as the congressionally mandated phase-out of incandescents begins in January 2012. California began the phase-out this January.

The curly-shaped CFLs are known to pose some risks when they break.
Now the Environmental Protection Agency has issued new guidelines
for their safe disposal.

They contain a small amount of mercury, which can be released as vapor. It poses potential health risks if the bulb is broken, warns the EPA.

Mercury exposure peaks in the first five minutes of breakage.

Here's what to do when a CFL breaks:

Before cleanup

• Have people and pets leave the room.
• Air out the room for five to 10 minutes by opening a window or door to the outside environment.
• Shut off the central forced air heating or air conditioning system.
• Collect materials needed to clean up broken bulbs.

During the cleanup

• Be thorough in collecting broken glass and visible powder.
• Place cleanup materials in a sealable container.

After the cleanup

• Promptly place all bulb debris and cleanup materials outdoors in a trash container or in a protected area until they can be disposed of properly.
• For several hours, continue to air out the room where the bulb was broken and leave the heating or air conditioning system shut off. 

Adults are unlikely to be harmed by the 4 milligrams of mercury in a CFL, but it's best to be on the safe side.

About 72 percent of U.S. households use at least one CFL. Some 27 percent use at least one light-emitting diode. LEDs do not contain mercury, are dimmable and last much longer than CFLs, but they cost much more.

For hard-to-reach light fixtures, an LED is a good choice, though more expensive. You won't have to climb a ladder as often to remove the light globe, and you can dim the light.

The Mom Cave: Check It Out!

It's new, it's fun, and it's strictly personal!

Now that the "man cave" has become an established custom in homes, women have taken the cue to establish a spot of their own. Forget men's huge TVs, theater chairs and eating spots, where they do manly, messy, sporting things. A woman's personal place is entirely different.

Whether it was formerly a guest room, a place next to the family room in the basement, or any unused space, the "mom cave" is generally filled with personal mementos and comfort items. It's a room they can call their own.

Many women, not just moms, are taking over a space in their homes and turning it into a haven where they can relax and pursue personal interests. Decorators are applauding the trend.

Here's what's needed to create the cave: A place to sit, storage space, an area to do what they want to do, such as scrapbooking, and space for occasional visitors. The walls can be decorated with old or new photographs in fun frames, and bright wall colors or fancy wallpaper served as a background.

New York designer Elaine Griffin embraces the concept and recently partnered with Homegoods in Manhattan to show the new decor and space suggestions. She says the mom cave is where a woman, who nurtures everyone else, goes to nurture herself.

Griffin loves color. She says mom caves should be fun, feminine and highly personalized. They should include a reading place, probably with a nice throw on the arm of a chair, or a chaise lounge, a bookcase painted in a bright color, a fancy area rug, and maybe boxes of brightly-colored file folders and lamp shades that reflect a woman's tastes.

If they don't have a whole room, Griffin suggests taking over a spot, such as under a stair landing, for a sanctuary using narrow console tables, a rug and armchairs. Or part of the family room or dining room could be captured for their own.