The most popular kind of deadbolt, the single-keyed deadbolt, only needs a key to be turned in order to gain access from the outside. A knob that locks and unlocks the door is found on the interior side of the door. Both sides of a double-cylinder deadbolt have key-entry locks. In a home with [...]
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 [...]
If you are considering buying an older home you may discover that many of your electrical devices have three-prong cords that will not fit into pre-1960’s two-slot outlets or receptacles. One solution is to use a "adapter" which allows you to plug in your three-prong cord but does not give the necessary safety of [...]
CSST (Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing) is a flexible pipe that delivers natural gas or propane to a variety of residences and businesses in the United States. CSST is frequently covered on the outside with a yellow or, in some instances, a black plastic coating. CSST is not to be confused with flexible gas appliance [...]
Moss spores are air-borne and find their way onto roofs via wind. Once the spores get on the roof, they adhere to the shingles and start growing into thick moss. Since moss does well in a wet climate, areas of the roof that get the least amount of direct sunlight are most likely to [...]
When homeowners with older dryers that have 3-prong connections move into a property with a newer 4-slot outlet, they may be confused about why their dryer cord doesn’t work. Their dryer cord doesn’t plug into the wall outlet and they’re not sure what the problem is. This situation is common and the fix for [...]
If your home has aluminum branch wiring, you are at an increased risk of electrical fire. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has determined that “homes built before 1972, and wired with aluminum, are 55 times more likely to have one or more wire connections at outlets reach ‘Fire Hazard Conditions’ than homes [...]
