Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
Checklist For Home Exteriors
Checkpoints

--The lot for the barrier-free house should be located near public transportation, churches, shopping, and medical facilities.

--The lot should have little elevation (slope) or be terraced with ramps.

--Drives and walks should be wide enough to accommodate the needs of those in wheelchairs. Surfaces should be smooth, without joints or heavy textures that might trip up the infirm.

--Steps should be avoided, and ramps used wherever possible. Steps should be slip-proof and as wide as the walks or porches they connect.

--All approaches to the house and connected patios or decks should be well-lit, with focus lighting at steps and walking hazards. Motion detector lights and yard lights with automatic timers can aid home security.

--Automatic sprinklers for the lawn can eliminate the chore of moving hoses and sprinklers. Buried water supply lines also eliminate the tripping hazard of having garden hoses strewn about the walks and yard.

--Raised garden beds and hydroponic gardens let the less abled pursue garden hobbies while eliminating stooping and bending. Small-plot gardening helps retain the satisfaction one gets from gardening but can eliminate the need for extensive cultivation, weeding, and watering.

--Use fiberglass ground cloth in gardens or planting beds to let water through while discouraging weed growth.

--Ground covers such as cedar or redwood chips or bark add visual interest to the yard while reducing the need to water and weed. Mulch used on garden areas will also reduce yard work.

--Ask experts to test the lawn and bring it into proper pH balance to reduce the need for expensive chemical additives. Monitor the use of watering and fertilizers to keep the lawn in good health while reducing yard chores.

--Choose building materials for long life and low maintenance. Brick, stucco, and aluminum and vinyl sidings require little maintenance. Warp-free steel or fiberglass doors provide superior insulation, do not require an extra storm door, and are virtually maintenance-free.

--Build any decks or other additions to the house to match existing floor levels, with no steps to impede movement for the less abled.

Written by Gary Branson
Reprinted with permission. Copyright HouseNet, Inc.

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