Firework Safety Tips for the Rest of the Summer

In my neighborhood, firework safety is at the forefront of everyone’s minds this summer, especially since the skies are currently filled with smoke from western wildfires. But even if you don’t live in a fire-risk area, fireworks still pose serious threats, from house fires to injuries. In fact, in 2025, more than 13,000 people were admitted into emergency rooms during the 4th of July holiday alone.

“Most fireworks injuries are burns to the hands and face,” says attorney Parham Nikfarjam. “The worst I’ve seen were to the eyes and the fingers. You don’t get those back.”

Get the firework bug this Independence Day and want to explore the wider world of fireworks? Ahead, we gathered the top tips from safety experts about how to keep your family and neighborhood safe.

Are fireworks more dangerous in the heat?

Yes. Hot weather dries out landscapes and structures, allowing sparks to easily ignite everything from dry grasses and mulch to decks and roofs. This is especially critical in the western part of the country, where heat, drought and low humidity often combine for ideal wildfire conditions.

Firework injuries also ramp up in the summer, especially around Independence Day. “Everything becomes more dangerous,” says Nikfarjam. “Dry grass, bare feet, heat that makes you drink a few too many beers, then a firework held too long or pointed the wrong way. That’s how fireworks injuries happen.”

Leave it to the Pros

We don’t want to be the fun police, but this one comes first because every expert we talked to strongly recommended skipping home fireworks, and instead just attending an official fireworks display.

“The best night of the summer and the worst night of someone’s life can happen in the same backyard,” says Nikfarjam. “That’s why the safest bet is the public fireworks show.”

Respect Your Neighbors

Another strong argument against home fireworks is how unneighborly they are. Not only can they catch someone else’s house on fire, but loud noises cause serious stress to pets, infants and especially those living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Fireworks also pose serious threats to wildlife, including birds, which often abandon their fledglings in the nest, get disoriented and crash into buildings. The smoke from pyrotechnics is also harmful to wildlife and people, particularly those with lung conditions.

If you do choose to set off fireworks at home, let your neighbors know in advance, so they can prepare for the disruption and safety hazards.

Use Common Sense

Two biggies for firework safety are checking to make sure they’re legal in your area and not drinking alcohol or using other substances and medications that may impair your judgement. Also, never set off fireworks during dry or windy conditions.

“Fireworks are safest when they’re planned, not treated as a last-minute activity,” says construction blogger Thomas Oldham.

Never Let Kids Light Fireworks

This is the No. 1 rule, according to emergency services expert Daniel Shoffner — and it includes sparklers, which injured around 1,300 people in 2025.

“Sparklers may seem harmless, but they burn at temperatures that can reach nearly 2,000 degrees,” says a spokesperson from AmeriPro EMS. “They can cause serious burns, especially to young children. Glow sticks are a much safer alternative for little ones.”

Prep and Wet Your Home

Fireworks cause thousands of structure and vehicle fires each year, and your roof bears the brunt of that risk, especially since falling debris can travel 50 feet from the launch sit (and much farther on a windy day).

Whether it’s you or your neighbors lighting fireworks, beforehand clean dry leaves and other debris from your gutters and roof valleys, and clear all flammable materials within a five-foot perimeter of your home. For extra protection, wet your roof, deck, yard and the area around the launch zone.

Plan a Landing Zone

Use fireworks in a large, open area, away from anything flammable or meltable, including landscaping, dry grasses, structures, vehicles, patio furniture and cushions, plastic storage containers, lawn equipment, firewood and poly tarps.

“People estimate what they think is a safe distance, but they often get it wrong,” says injury prevention expert Steven Menotti. “Consumer fireworks often fly farther and higher than the packaging indicates, and it’s this difference between expectation and reality that causes property damage.”

Keep Water on Hand

Set up a garden hose or buckets of water within easy reach, in case something goes wrong. Fire extinguishers are also a good idea. “Most people don’t prepare a water source before they start, but rather plan to get one if something goes wrong,” says Menotti. “But reaction time after an ignition mishap needs to happen in seconds, not minutes.”

Prepare Your Pets

Studies show that half of all dogs are frightened by fireworks, and that stress causes some to run away. To prevent that, leave pets indoors, with windows closed. If you must go out, double-check that their leash is secure and that their ID tag and microchip contact info are up-to-date.

“Once the fireworks start, now is the time get the pet in their safe space, to bring out any feeding enrichment you’ve prepared, to put on a calming vest or other tools if you have them and to help muffle the booms by playing something like brown noise,” says animal behavior expert Dr. Annie Valuska.

Valuska also recommends synthetic pheromone sprays like Adaptil and Feliway, which can have a calming effect on some dogs and cats.

Light Fireworks With Caution

Once it’s time to actually light fireworks, wear eye protection, keep spectators (and yourself) at a safe distance and remember that fuses often burn at unpredictable rates.

“The most frequent injuries I hear about in safety circles are burns and hand injuries, and they have one thing in common,” says Menotti, “the firework handler was too close to the firework or held onto it for too long after it was lit.”

Also, never:

• Keep fireworks in your pocket,
• point or throw them at another person.
• hold them in your hands,
• light more than one at once, or
• try to relight a firework that doesn’t go off. Instead, wait at least 20 minutes before approaching it, then soak it in water for several hours before discarding.

Promptly Clean Up the Scene

Once you’re done with the fun, thoroughly inspect the surrounding area with a flashlight to make sure nothing is smoldering, including roofs, landscaping and outdoor structures. Also, clean up all debris, as it can be hazardous to kids, wildlife and the environment.

“Small precautions make a huge difference in protecting people, property and the community,” says Oldham.

About the Experts

• Steven Menotti is a hazard, injury prevention and fire risk expert, and CEO of Menotti Enterprise, a certified construction safety firm serving the NYC metro area. Website:
• Parham Nikfarjam is a senior trial attorney at J&Y Law, where he works with fireworks injuries. He was also named to the LA Times Consumer Attorney Visionaries list.
• Daniel Shoffner has more than 30 years of experience in Emergency Medical Services. He currently serves as Battalion Chief of EMS for the Burlington Fire Department in North Carolina, and as a faculty member at Purdue Global, an online university for working adults.
• Dr. Annie Valuska has more than 20 years of experience studying animal behavior and animal-human relationships, and is a principal scientist and certified applied animal behaviorist at Purina.
• Thomas Oldham is company director at UK Construction Blog, where he works alongside builders, fire safety professionals and property experts.
• AmeriPro EMS crews respond to emergencies every day, and around the Fourth of July often see injuries that could have been prevented with a few simple safety precautions.

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The Loose End on Your Tape Measure Isn’t Broken — Here’s What It’s Actually For

Whether you’re a seasoned handyman or a DIY beginner, odds are you’ve noticed the hook at the end of your tape measure isn’t firmly attached. You might assume it’s because of a factory defect or that it has been worn down over time, but there’s actually a fascinating reason why most tape measures have a loose hook at the end.

Manufacturers build them this way because it’s one of the most important parts of a tape measure’s design. Learn how it improves accuracy and signs that there actually might be something wrong with your tape measure.

Why Tape Measures Have a Loose Hook

The metal hook at the end of a tape measure is loose to account for its own thickness. It’s designed to slide a small distance to allow for accurate measurements, whether the hook catches the edge of an object, like a sheet of plywood, or when pressed firmly against a surface, like an inside measurement.

The hook is pulled outward when it’s on the outside edge. That compensation accounts for the thickness so the measurement starts at the correct point. The hook only moves slightly and excessive shifting could result in an inaccurate measurement.

Small rivets, which are small metal fasteners that attach the hook to the tape blade, are intentionally left slightly loose to allow the hook to move a controlled distance while staying securely attached.

When a Loose Hook Actually Is a Problem

Your tape measure’s hook should shift slightly. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t something wrong with it. Several warning signs should make it obvious.

Excessive movement of the tape measure hook is not normal. This can be caused by several issues. Over time, rivets, which are small metal fasteners that attach the hook to the end of the tape blade, wear down, and the hook can bend or be knocked out of alignment from drops, impacts against hard surfaces, or heavy use.

To test your tape measure’s accuracy, try hooking the tape and pressing it against the same object to check if the measurements match. If you’re noticing inaccuracies, or if the tape measure is visibly damaged, it’s time to buy a replacement. Even small discrepancies can have a ripple effect with errors in a project.

Attempting to tighten the hook might work, but it could also further damage the tape measure and continue to lead to inaccurate measurements.

Other Useful Tape Measure Functions

Tape measures are fascinating tools designed with many cool built-in features most people overlook, or don’t use nearly enough.

One design that has probably gone unnoticed are small diamonds found every 19.2 inches. They’re called truss marks and are used by builders to space floor trusses across a standard eight-foot span.

Some tape measures also have black and red numbers, stud-spacing markings at 16-inch intervals, measurements printed on both sides of the blade for easier reading, and a serrated hook edge to scratch a mark into wood or drywall.

While seemingly minor designs, they can be quite beneficial if you can learn what these interesting tape measure uses are for. And remember them.

Sources

• Stanley Tools Support, “Why does the hook on the end of the Stanley tape rule move?“
• REEKON Tools Support, “Why the Hook Moves Back and Forth“
• Pro Tool Reviews, “Why Does a Tape Measure Hook Move?“

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The Simple Trick That’ll Keep Spam Callers Away From Your Real Phone Number

If you’ve heard or felt a notification buzz on your phone, only to look and see an annoying incoming spam call or sketchy text message, just know you’re not alone. An increase in these bothersome and potentially dangerous calls has led many people to ignore requests from unfamiliar numbers.

However, there are ways to combat these spam attacks without changing your primary phone number, disrupting your daily communications, sacrificing your privacy, or missing important calls. Learn about why a virtual phone number might be a good option for you, how they reduce spam calls and texts, and how to get one.

What Is a Virtual Phone Number?

A virtual phone number works through an app or other online service to create a secondary phone number not associated with a traditional cell line. Depending on which provider you use, a virtual phone number can allow users to make calls, text, receive verification codes, receive voicemails, and more.

They can be used for many purposes, but some of the most popular reasons to get a virtual phone number include:

• Business
• Online marketplaces
• Travel
• Secondary line to share instead of a primary number

Popular virtual phone number providers include Google Voice, Burner, Hushed, TextNow, and Sideline. Unlike a traditional mobile phone number, a virtual phone number isn’t tied to a physical SIM card or dedicated phone line.

How to Use a Virtual Phone Number

After creating an account and purchasing a virtual phone number through a credible provider, you can start enjoying the benefit of additional digital security. And while a virtual phone number can reduce spam, it works best as part of a complete digital security strategy.

Instead of providing your personal number for signups, purchases, or inquiries, give a virtual number to retailers, loyalty programs, contests, online marketplaces, and other nonessential services as an extra layer of digital protection. This protects your primary number for marketing or nefarious purposes.

However, any phone number, including a virtual one, can end up on marketing lists if it’s shared widely enough. Telemarketers, robo callers, marketers, and scammers won’t distinguish between virtual and traditional numbers. Also, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) notes that scammers often use spoofed numbers to reach consumers.

If a virtual number starts getting bombarded with spam, it’s easier to mute, filter, block, or even replace than a primary phone number that close contacts or businesses use regularly.

Additional Ways to Protect Yourself From Spam Calls and Texts

A virtual phone number works best alongside a primary phone number, not as a replacement. Banks, healthcare providers, schools, government agencies, insurance companies, employers or employees, close family members, and anyone likely to need immediate contact, should have access to your main number.

Virtual phone numbers, especially during urgent situations, are not as reliable as an immediate source of contact as your primary phone number. That’s even more true if you plan on changing your virtual phone number regularly if it becomes inundated with spam.

Some virtual phone services also allow users to create multiple numbers on the same account, which can be used for different types of uses like shopping, memberships, travel, or something else. Keeping those activities separate can make it easier to identify where unwanted calls and texts are originating, and can make it easier to fix the issue.

The Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission also recommend blocking suspicious callers and reporting spam texts or scam attempts instead of responding to them.

Many virtual number providers include built-in tools such as call screening, spam filters, voicemail controls, and caller blocking. You can also find similar protection features already on your mobile devices, too.

Sources

• Federal Trade Commission: Phone Scams
• Federal Communications Commission: Stop Unwanted Robocalls and Texts
• Federal Trade Commission: How to Stop Unwanted Calls

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Shop Amazon Without the ‘Knockoffs’ Thanks to New Browser Extension

As any savvy shopper knows, online marketplaces can be rife with knockoff products. If you don’t pay close attention to the listing you may end up paying for a less trustworthy version of the item you wanted. Sure, you can return it for a refund, but wouldn’t it be better if there were an easy way to avoid the knockoffs to begin with?

Enter Josh Pigford (@Shpigford on X, formerly known as Twitter). In a recent post, Pigford shared his new creation: Knockoff, a browser extension that pushes back against the slew of knockoff brands on Amazon and makes your online shopping experience run significantly smoother.

What Is Knockoff?

Put simply, Knockoff is a browser extension for Google Chrome that lets you filter out knockoff brands. When it’s enabled, you’ll have the option to remove all of those mysterious, all-caps brands from your search results. Based on the Chrome store description, “Knockoff detects those listings and hides, dims, or labels them, right in the search results,” depending on the filter settings. As of now, the extension “works on amazon.com, amazon.ca, amazon.co.uk, and amazon.com.au. English marketplaces only for now.”

How Can I Use This?

Pigford designed this extension to be a breathe of fresh air for online shoppers. Once you’ve installed it in Chrome, you can take a look at the different filter levels: Relaxed, Standard, and Strict. Per the web store, relaxed will hide “known pseudo-brands and your blocklist.” Standard, which is the default, goes a step further and also hides “suspect-looking names and unbranded listings.” And if you want to be incredible, well, strict, the Strict option is “allowlist-only; anything not a known brand gets filtered.”

You’re also able to decide how you want the extension to tag knockoff brands. You can opt for the filtered items to be “hidden (with a floating pill showing the count and a one-click reveal), dimmed (restore on hover), or just labeled.” So pick whatever makes the most sense for you visually; you’re not locked into just one setting.

Are There Privacy Concerns?

Pigford also has a section allaying privacy concerns. According to the store listing, “everything runs locally. No accounts, no tracking, no analytics. The only network traffic is a daily brand-list download and optional one-click misclassification reports (brand name, verdict, ASIN, marketplace; nothing about you).” So if data tracking is a concern for you, you can rest easy knowing that this extension isn’t harvesting sensitive information from you.

RELATED:

• See a Green Dot on Your Android Phone? Here’s What It Means
• If You Get a USPS Scam Text, You Need To Do This Immediately
• This Is How Often You Should Restart Your Phone

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Batman’s Real-Life Mansion Is for Sale — and Yes, It’s as Expensive as You’d Expect

Any time a storied Hollywood estate goes up for sale, movie fans pay attention. Even if the price tag is way out of any normal budget, ‘window shopping’ for a home you’ve seen in one of your favorite films is a fun fantasy world to live in for a while.

And if you’re a Batman fan, one of the more recent Los Angeles-area listings will certainly capture your interest. That’s because the property in question is 380 S San Rafael Ave, an estate that served as the filming site for exterior shots of Wayne Manor in the iconic “Batman” television series from the 1960s.

That’s right… the house that served as home base for the original on-screen Batman is up for sale. The cost of purchasing the former estate of Adam West’s Bruce Wayne is staggering— you’d have to scrape together $32,000,000 just to be in the running. If only you could just do it like Bruce and simply inherit the property after a theater-based family tragedy…

If you’re not a fan of comics, don’t worry. Batman isn’t the only famous figure that filmed on this property. 380 S San Rafael Ave also served as the site of the infamous bridal-shower meltdown in the 2011 comedy Bridesmaids. The estate was also a filming location for various other film and television productions, ranging from Rush Hour to Murder, She Wrote.

And if you’re not a movie fan, well… the more you learn about this house, the more you’ll understand its price tag. This is a house that’s been ludicrously expensive ever since it was built.

“Apparently, in 1928 the home was built for $140,000 at a time when the average home in America cost $4,000,” listing agent Peter Owens told Mansion Global.

Despite its historic appeal, 380 S San Rafael Ave still boasts amenities including a theater, a pickleball court and a natural pool. Interior systems like the plumbing and HVAC have also been updated by the previous owner, meaning anyone who buys this estate can expect a modern, luxury home with a past firmly rooted in film history.

Just be careful if you find any secret passageways.

Related

• Taylor Swift’s Former Cape Cod Mansion Is for Sale — Wait Until You See the Price Tag
• Billy Joel’s Long Island Mansion Is For Sale. Wait Until You See the Property Taxes
• Sean Connery’s Lavish Villa Is Up for Sale, But the Price Will Leave You Shaken AND Stirred

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How I Made These Designer-Worthy Coat Hooks on a Lathe

Mark the axis points

Starting with a 1-1/2-in. x 1-1/2-in. x 4-in. wood blank, find the center on each end with a center finder and create a divot in the center point with a nail set. The more accurate the location of the center point, the less vibration you will have when you start up the lathe to get the blank balanced.

On the end that will be mounted toward the headstock side of the lathe, mark a second axis point — 1/2-in. from center. The second axis will be used to offset the blank and create the hook end.

Drill mounting holes

At the end of the blank with just the single center mark, drill a 5/16-in. hole at this mark 1-1/2-in. deep. Drill these at the drill press to make sure the hole stays as plumb on the blank as possible.

Balance the blank

Mount the wood blank onto the lathe between centers. Place the drilled hole in the tail drive end and the other in the spur drive attached to the headstock. Be sure to seat the spur well.

Start the lathe at a lower speed to ensure everything is tightly secured and that the lathe doesn’t bounce excessively with an unbalanced wood blank. Slowly bring the lathe speed up to speed (1200-1300 rpms). Check and adjust tailstock pressure as needed to keep the blank secure without excessive force. The most important part of safe woodturning is to ensure your wood blank is always tightly secured, well-balanced and centered.

Use a roughing gouge to work from one end of the blank to the other, slowly removing the corners of the blank until there are no longer any flat surfaces and the wood blank has been shaped into a round cylinder. The wood blank will run smoothly once it is balanced.

Turn a cylinder

Set an outside caliper to 1-1/2-in. and turn the entire cylinder to this thickness using a spindle gouge. Once you have the desired thickness of your cylinder, start sanding it with 150-grit sandpaper. Work through grits until you reach 400-grit. Sand the whole piece to remove any tool marks. Never skip a grit.

Once the piece has been turned and sanded well, mark three lines with a pencil, 1/2-in. apart, measured from the headstock side of the blank:

• The first line (3-1/2-in. from the tail drive end) and the remaining half inch of the 4-in. blank is to be left untouched because of the spurs and center point of the spur drive that are embedded in this part of the blank.
• The second line (3-in. from the tail drive) is where you will part off the piece when done.
• The third line (2-1/2-in. from the tail drive) will define the width of the “hook” at the end. The goal is to maintain the cylinder’s diameter at this portion of the hook (between the second and third line) and never reshape or change the dimension within this 1/2-in. section.

Change axis’s and keep turning

Change the axis of the mounted piece on the headstock to the second axis point marked 1/2-in. from center in step one.

With the blank set and secured into the second axis, use a spindle gouge to shape the end of the cylindrical piece to create a hook to the desired profile up to the third line. Use an outside caliper set to one inch and turn the neck of the hook to this thickness. The layout of these measurements is important, so all your hooks look the same. Dedicating one caliper to each measurement will make this process easy to repeat and ensure all measurements remain the same through all your hooks.

Sand the newly turned body of the hook while it is off-center in the second axis point to the same 400-grit as the rest. Always sand from the underside of the workpiece. That way, your arm isn’t hanging out over the top of the lathe as it spins. Keep your fingers out of the way so the hook shape cannot catch them. Never wrap the sandpaper around your fingers. You want to be able to quickly release the sandpaper if it gets hung up on your piece.

Part the hook off

Once the hook has been sanded, use the spindle gouge to remove material between the first and second lines. Use a parting tool to cut off the last 1/4-in. on the second line, leaving a flat end.

Clean up the parting nub

After parting off the hook, you will find a small nub where you have separated the hook from the rest of the blank. This area will need to be sanded and oiled to blend in with the rest of the hook. Take your time, run through all the grits with sandpaper and apply a coat of a wipe-on finish. Allow the finish to fully cure before handling or hanging the hook.

Hanging the hooks

Screw a 1/4-in. threaded insert into the hole you drilled in step two. Then hang the hooks in your desired location. If there is a wall stud at this location, use a 1/4-in. hanger bolt screwed directly into the stud. If no stud is present at your location, use a 1/4-in. snap toggle drywall anchor with some short lengths of threaded rod to screw the hook into place.

FAQ

How high off the ground should a lathe be?

When standing next to the lathe, the centers of the tail and head drives should align with the height of the woodturner’s elbow. This will make reaching easier and allow for better tool control.

Does a lathe need to be level?

A lathe should be solidly level to the ground it stands on. If one leg or side of the lathe is off-kilter to the other, the lathe can rock violently with the off-center of a piece of wood. This is critical for safe and efficient turning.

How much weight can these coat hooks support when installed?

If installed in drywall using a snap-toggle style drywall anchor, the hook’s three-inch length acts as a lever arm. This puts more stress on the anchor than a flush-mounted item would. We recommend keeping loads under 20 lbs per hook in this case. If screwed directly into a wall stud, the hook can typically support more — up to about 25–30 lbs — but actual capacity depends on factors like embedment depth and stud condition.

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New Car Payments Just Hit a Record High of $777 a Month — Here’s Why

It’s no secret that everything is getting more and more expensive. Americans now have over $1.6 trillion — yes, trillion, with a T — in car debt. Pricier cars mean larger down payments, larger loans, and larger monthly payments. According to Edmunds, for the third quarter in a row, the average new vehicle monthly payment just hit a new high of $777. Additionally, more and more buyers are opting for longer loan repayment plans. Nearly a quarter of new vehicle buyers are on an 84-month or longer repayment plan.

Why Is the Average New Vehicle Monthly Payment So Expensive?

Edmunds found several factors are contributing to high monthly payments. First, while the prices for new vehicles continue to rise, “the average down payment on a new-vehicle purchase continues to sink.” The average amount financed for a new-vehicle purchase has reached $44,156 (a new all-time high), while the average down payment dropped to $5,815.

This mismatch in down payment versus amount financed plays a large role in the rise in average payments, but interest rates have an effect as well. Edmunds found only “1.2% of new-vehicle buyers secured a 0% APR loan in Q2, down from 2.6% in Q1.” To give that number additional context, “the share [of buyers who secured a 0% APR loan] peaked at 24.2% in Q2 2020 amid pandemic-era incentives and has not reached 4% share since Q4 2021.” Overall, the average interest buyers pay over the life of the loan “climbed to a record $9,811,” while APRs “ticked back up to 7.0% in Q2.”

Why Are Buyers Opting for Longer Loans?

With those numbers for context, the trend of longer loans starts to make sense. Sure, higher APRs mean a more expensive loan if you pay it off in 84 months instead of 60, but when there’s an average difference of nearly $40,000 between the down payment and the size of the loan, many buyers seem to be willing to make the trade to lower their monthly payments wherever possible.

Edmunds found that “36.5% of all financed new-vehicle purchasers in Q2 took on a loan of 73 months or longer…[and] 23.9% of Q2 financers signed on for loans of 84 months or longer.” Both of these numbers represent new records.

What Does This Mean for Me?

If you’re in the market, you might want to consider a used vehicle. Edmunds found that they’re also more expensive that in previous years, but they may still be cheaper than a new one. If you are committed to a new vehicle; take extra time to run the numbers. A longer loan isn’t the end of the world, but it is more expensive in the long run so before you sign up for that make sure it makes sense for your budget.

Source

Nearly 1 in 4 New-Vehicle Buyers in Q2 Stretched Loans to 84 Months or Longer, a Record According to Edmunds, Edmunds, 2026.

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