Gas Stoves are great but do have some drawbacks As an avid cook, I have come to gain an appreciation for gas stoves and cooking with gas. I grew up in a house with a gas stove. Unfortunately, I don’t have that luxury in my current home. Here, I am stuck using an induction electric […]
Homeowner Maintenance: Changing the HVAC Filter Part of responsible homeownership includes, of course, regular home maintenance. And there are some tasks that, if deferred, can lead to a home system that’s inefficient and overworked, which can result in problems and expenses. One such task is changing the filter of the home’s HVAC system. It’s simple […]
Get your home ready for winter Winterization is the process of preparing a home for the harsh conditions of winter. Here in the south, it’s less of a concern than up north, but that doesn’t make it any less important. Winterization is usually performed in the fall before excessive cold temperatures arrive. Winterization protects against […]
Schneider Electric™ Recall: 1.4 Million Electrical Panels affected Due to Thermal Burn and Fire Hazards Name of Product: Square™ D QO™ Plug-on-Neutral Load Centers, also known as, Load Centers, Breaker Boxes, Electrical Panels Hazard: The load center can overheat, posing thermal burn and fire hazards. Remedy: Replace Repair Date: June 16, 2022 Units: About 1.4 […]
“Aging in place” is the phenomenon describing senior citizens’ ability to live independently in their homes for as long as possible. Those who age in place will not have to move from their present residence in order to secure necessary support services in response to their changing needs. The Baby Boomers As the baby boomers […]
“Dead valleys”, sound ominous, don’t they? Well, when it comes to your roof, dead valleys are kind of subjective. I will try to explain my perspective. One thing to keep in mind is that I don’t call out dead valleys as a deficiency in a home inspection report. Why? Simply stated, a dead valley is […]
All about bootleg grounds The outlets in our homes are a necessary component of modern living. Our culture is dependent on readily available access to power. Ever since we harnessed electricity, we have witnessed the ongoing evolution for safety. Safety, it would seem, does come without a price. And bootleg grounds, unfortunately, are one way […]
If you didn’t already know, the two most commonly recognized smoke detector types are ionization smoke detection and photoelectric smoke detection. Oh, and just an FYI, do not confuse “photoelectric” with “photochemical” as I did. They are not the same. The latter is the technology used in Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors… which I’ll save for another post. […]
by Nick Gromicko, CMI®, Kenton Shepard, and Joe Boos, CPI Arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCI) are particular types of electrical receptacles or overcurrent protection devices designed to detect and respond to potentially dangerous electrical arcs in home branch wiring. AFCI, how do they work? AFCI function by monitoring the electrical waveform and promptly opening (interrupting) […]
Crawlspace encapsulation, or sealing, is the treatment that building scientists recommend to turn a damp, dirty, moldy crawlspace into a clean, dry space where mold can’t grow The following article was written by the authority on building science, Joseph Lstiburek Crawlspaces continue to be a mess ever since we decided to insulate them and put […]