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Has the digital age eliminated the need for wall clocks? Not so, I say. Your wall clocks may begin from the notion of decorating, adding a fresh design to a drab wall.

After a fashion, I can report from experience, no matter what the clock looked like originally, eventually you’ll just notice where the hands are located on the dial. I’m of an opinion (one of millions) that wall clocks should have hands and numbers around the wheel. That’s because I learned to tell time on those military, stiff clocks on the walls of my elementary school.

Some of the more-unique clocks I’ve seen are designed for kitchen walls. We seem to take more liberties there than in other rooms. If you’re considering kitchen remodeling, remember that clocks provide complementary accents to the decor.

You’ve hit the big time

Photo from Etsy

The 17” inch diameter of this old school clock from Jewell, Kansas harkens back to those days when your life orbited around the classroom timepiece. This clock, for sale at Etsy, no longer works. But twice in every 24-hour period, it tells precisely the correct time.

Nice kitty

Photo from eBAY

Clocks, like other appliances, can sport a unique design and be functional at the same time. I owned a model of this clock for many years until the mechanism would no longer operate the wagging tail and wobbling eyes. And after a while, the novelty wore off and all I saw was a dial and hands. I found this one on eBay, where it was selling for $39.95.

Time flies

Photo from Toxel

Toxel, a most-excellent design blog, hosted this freakishly unsettling wall clock. After a while, would you even notice that the design has a few bugs in it?

Lost in time

Photo from Hometone

Shades of M.C. Escher! The convex mirror on this clock from Hometone puts you in the center of time, at the middle of the moment or, completely in the NOW!

I walked into a home here in Washington State over the weekend and I hadn’t gone more than a few steps before I began sneezing uncontrollably. We get about 20 inches of rain a year and this home had obviously soaked up a ton of it. Allergic people are grimly sensitive to mold. It may surprise you that black mold, even if dead, will continue to emit allergens into your living environment.

Got mold?

Photo by Air Zone

It doesn’t take a flood for mold to establish a beachhead in your home. Leaking AC systems, cracked or leaking pipes, standing water and poor drainage create a cozy environment for noxious molds. It only takes 72 hours for mold to set up quarters following excessive exposure of wood to moisture. And it’s not just wood: cellulose-backed carpeting, paper or cardboard make for potential hosts.

Not a DIY project

Photo by San Diego Flood Experts

Environmental companies are best prepared for handling runaway mold. For one thing, just spraying mold with an anti-microbial aerosol will only slow it down. Everything that is cellulose-based (gypsum, fiberboard, sheet rock) must be removed and sealed in bags for disposal.

Your uninvited guests

Photo by Mold Detect

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that Stachybotrys chartarum (black mold) can truly damage you. Reported maladies include memory or hearing loss, blurred vision, irritability, panic attacks, heart problems, nausea and vomiting, depression, asthma, stomach ulcers, joint pain, anxiety, seizures, chronic fatigue, hair loss, ringing in the ears, headaches and dizziness.

Get some help

Photo by Buzzle

There are home tests that you can buy at the DIY store to check for mold. Even if it’s not black mold, the CDC recommends you have all molds removed if you have allergies and sensitivity. You’ll find plenty of professionals out there with experience knocking down infestations. Investigate potential culprits and, if necessary, consider a window replacement project if your current set lets moisture seep into your living space.

My eyes get red just looking at these photos!