During a home inspection, home inspectors often encounter varying electrical defects. Some of these conditions can be major, oftentimes they are minor deficiencies, but carry potentially dangerous consequences. In older homes, ungrounded 3 prong receptacles are common. In 1969, UL mandated grounded electrical only on major appliances for safety purposes. At that time, only [...]
Louisiana-Pacific was hit with a barrage of lawsuits in the 1990s over the alleged subpar performance of LP's faux-cedar Inner-Seal siding. LP Inner-Seal siding was produced from 1985-1995. Inner-Seal siding from LP came with a 25-year warranty. However, the siding frequently started to decay, fall apart, and change color. Homeowners complained that their siding [...]
Maintaining proper clearances between the flues of combustion appliances like wood stoves, fireplaces, furnaces, pellet stoves, etc. is critical to help prevent damage to the home and potential fires. Any substance or surface that can burn is considered combustible, including wood or wood products, drywall, compressed paper, plant fibers, plastics, or any other substance [...]
Cleaning your dryer vent and lint screen on a regular basis helps minimize lint buildup, lowers the risk of a fire, and ensures that your dryer runs effectively. Dryer lint fires are extremely common and dryer fires account for $238 million in property damage every year. Thankfully, the risk of dryer fires can be [...]
A bootleg ground exists when the ground of the receptacle or fixture is connected to the neutral wire of the circuit. This is an improper condition and potentially a very hazardous condition. Incorrectly wired receptacles can cause significant injury or even death. Because the neutral wires carry electricity, creating a bootleg ground makes it possible [...]
Swimming pool lights are important safety features that increase a swimmer’s visibility at night and help observers to locate swimmers. Locating swimmers during an emergency, such as drowning, is imperative and pool lights can potentially be lifesaving. While pool lights are beneficial from a safety standpoint, they also improve the aesthetics of a pool, [...]
Many homes, particularly in rural areas, rely heavily on wood burning fireplaces for home heating. Fireplaces can also serve as an aesthetically pleasing and comforting addition to a home. Chimneys and their respective safety features for wood burning fireplaces are essential. Safety features such as rain caps and spark arrestors are important additions to [...]
Imagine you are strolling down a sidewalk in your neighborhood. Suddenly, you trip on an uneven section of concrete, causing you to fall and break an arm. Now you are stuck with significant medical bills all because the sidewalk was in a potentially hazardous condition. So, who is liable for these expenses? The answer [...]
Here in the Pacific Northwest, where winter temperatures can drop below freezing, swimming pool winterization is particularly important. Winterizing your outdoor swimming pool can help to prevent a variety of issues, including damaged pool equipment, cracked or broken plumbing lines, algae growth, and more. Heating your pool throughout the winter may not economically feasible [...]
Swimming pool filters are an essential component of a pools water circulatory system and help to maintain clean water for swimmers. Filters are plumbed into the plumbing network after the pool pump and before the pool heater. A pool filters main purpose is to trap dirt and debris and prevent it from entering the [...]
