Smoke Alarm Rules In Oregon: Why We Need Alarms: Smoke alarms are a key part of a fire escape plan and are vital for the protection of home occupants in case of a fire. Smoke alarms serve as an early warning system that gives occupants a chance to escape the home. In 2016 there [...]
Carbon Monoxide Alarms: What is Carbon Monoxide & why should I care about it? Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas that is deadly. We can only detect carbon monoxide when we start to feel the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning. The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are dizziness, headaches, upset [...]
Smoke Alarms: The statistics of smoke alarms: Smoke alarms are a key part of a fire escape plan and are vital for the protection of home occupants in case of a fire. Smoke alarms serve as an early warning system that gives occupants a chance to escape the home. In 2016 there were 1,800 [...]
Recessed lighting is a popular feature in both new construction and in remodeled homes, but an important safety factor is not obvious. Some recessed light fixtures are designed to be safe for insulation contact and are designated IC-rated. Non-IC-rated fixtures require clearance from all combustibles, typically three inches. These non-rated fixtures can cause fires [...]
Gutter systems are important for protecting the home from roof drainage. Gutters and downspouts work with flashings to direct the water away from walls and foundations, and toward rainwater management systems, such as storm drains and swales. Since gutters are not prominent visually and are difficult to access, they often are found with defects [...]
Wood is a major component of most homes, yet wood should be removed from the crawlspace and from close proximity to the ground. Why is this important? What’s the worst that could happen? To explore these questions, consider the structure of wood. Some plants, trees and shrubs, produce resistant tissue over seasons and years [...]
Water should drain away from a home. While simply said, not so easily done. Many lots are sloped up away from the home, what is called a negative grade, on at least one side. Negative grades will cause surface water from rainfall to run towards the foundation. Groundwater also moves downhill by gravity, and [...]
Decks are attractive and useful features of homes, but even great-looking structures can have safety problems, and all of them need maintenance. As they extend the home footprint into the outdoors, they are vulnerable to increased weathering, and deterioration. They are commonly attached to exterior entrances, and may experience heavy traffic. Safe steps and [...]
Polybutylene Pipes The History of Polybutylene: Polybutylene (PB) was manufactured from 1978 to 1995 to be used for water pipes in plumbing systems. Polybutylene is a plastic that resembles the PEX, PVC, and Polyethylene pipes that are still in use today. PB pipes were less expensive than the copper pipes in use at that [...]
High Water Pressure in the Home: The majority of homes in the Greater Portland and Vancouver area that are connected to the municipal water supply receive water at a pressure of 40 to 80 pounds per square inch which is considered safe and acceptable for the plumbing system of the home. However, there are [...]
