How energy efficient is your home? Now you have a place to find out. Type in in your home address at:
http://www.microsoft-hohm.com/ and find out your homes energy score.
It is a good idea to fine tune your sytems and do any repairs and weather-proofing before summer begins.
NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2010
Release #10-255 Firm’s Recall Hotline: (800) 544-5513
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7601
Maytag Recalls Dishwashers Due to Fire Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Dishwashers
Units: About 1.7 million in the United States
Manufacturer: Maytag Corp. of Newton, Iowa or Maytag Corp. of Benton Harbor, Mich.
Hazard: An electrical failure in the dishwasher’s heating element can pose a serious fire hazard.
Incidents/Injuries: Maytag has received 12 reports of dishwasher heating element failures that resulted in fires and dishwasher damage, including one report of extensive kitchen damage from a fire. No injuries have been reported.
Description: The recall includes Maytag®, Amana®, Jenn-Air®, Admiral®, Magic Chef®, Performa by Maytag® and Crosley® brand dishwashers with plastic tubs and certain serial numbers. The affected dishwashers were manufactured with black, bisque, white, silver and stainless steel front panels. The brand name is printed on the front of the dishwasher. The model and serial numbers are printed on a label located inside the plastic tub on a tag near the left side of the door opening. Serial numbers will start or end with one of the following sequences.
SERIAL number STARTING with OR SERIAL number ENDING with
NW39, NW40, NW41, NW42, NW43, NW44, NW45, NW46, NW47, NW48, NW49, NW50, NW51, NW52, NY01, NY02, NY03, NY04, NY05, NY06, NY07, NY08, NY09, NY10, NY11, NY12, NY13, NY14, NY15, NY16, NY17, NY18, NY19 JC, JE, JG, JJ, JL, JN, JP, JR, JT, JV, JX, LA, LC, LE, LG, LJ, LL, LN, LP, LR, LT, LV, LX, NA, NC, NE, NG, NJ, NL, NN, NP, NR
Sold at: Department and appliance stores and by homebuilders nationwide from February 2006 through April 2010 for between $250 and $900.
Manufactured in: United States
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dishwashers, disconnect the electric supply by shutting off the fuse or circuit breaker controlling it, inform all users of the dishwasher about the risk of fire and contact Maytag to verify if their dishwasher is included in the recall. If the dishwasher is included in the recall, consumers can either schedule a free in-home repair or receive a rebate following the purchase of certain new Maytag brand stainless-steel tub dishwashers. The rebate is $150 if the consumer purchases new dishwasher models MDB7759, MDB7609 or MDBH979; or $250 if the consumer purchases new dishwasher models MDB8959, MDB8859, MDB7809 or MDB7709. Consumers should not return the recalled dishwashers to the retailer where purchased as retailers are not prepared to take the units back.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Maytag at (800) 544-5513 anytime, or visit the firm’s website at www.repair.maytag.com
HGTV is looking for Austin area home buyers to appear on its weekly series, “My First Place.” Entering its 9th season, the reality program follows first-time home buyers as they go through the trials and tribulations of looking for, bidding on and ultimately buying their first place.
HGTV seeks home buyers who are:
*Just beginning the search for their very first home purchase
*Fun, interesting people who are excited to be a part of this show
*Willing to share their personal and financial struggles with viewers and consider their lives an “open book”
*Going to be closing by Fall, 2010
*Will be buying within a 60- to 90-minute radius of downtown Austin
Candidates who are selected to appear on the show (and complete taping) will receive a surprise housewarming gift as part of shooting the show and will also get a DVD copy of their episode after it airs on HGTV! Singles, couples and families buying their first place are all encouraged to apply.
Homebuyers who would like to be considered for the program should fill out an application at by clicking here, then clicking on the “casting” tab, then “My First Place.” You can also apply by contacting Megan Golliday at (303) 712-3283, or by email at mgolliday@highnoontv.com.
New episodes of “My First Place” air on HGTV at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday nights.
If you are chosen and recommend using us as your inspection company, we will perform your inspection for free.
The Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of the busy summer season, family vacations, barbecues and the start of an increase in the real estate market.
But most importantly, on Memorial Day we honor the heroes who have laid down their lives in the cause of freedom, resolve that they will forever be remembered by a grateful Nation, and pray that our country may always prove worthy of the sacrifices they have made.
Join us in observing the day as it should be, a day where we actively remember our ancestors, our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice.
Memorial Day 2010: To those who gave all in service to our country, we thank you. We honor you. We remember you.
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died serving our country. This is a great time to honor our veterans and famous Americans. The Memorial Day weekend also marks the beginning of the busy summer season for most families and an increase in Real Estate transactions. But we take this time to pause in our hectic lives to take a moment to remember.
Join us in observing the day as it should be, a day where we actively remember our ancestors, our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice:
“The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”
Memorial Day 2010: To those who gave all in service to our country, we thank you. We honor you. We remember you.
So you just bought a carbon monoxide detector to put in your home. The most common response would be to plug it into the electrical socket near the ground. Stop right there though. You just made a crucial mistake that many other people make when choosing the location to mount their carbon monoxide detector.
It is known that some companies recommend mounting their units near the floor, but in general it is a potential risk due to the chemical properties of carbon monoxide. The key point that we want to focus on is the specific gravity of CO which is 0.966. Compared to the air we breathe (1.0), carbon monoxide is slightly lighter which means it will rise. Having a carbon monoxide detector mounted near the ground means there is the possibility that it may not detect CO when it is present in your home. Consequently, you will want to mount carbon monoxide detectors on the ceiling the same way you would mount a smoke alarm.
Additionally, here are some other guidelines you should follow when choosing a mounting location. You will want to keep CO detectors out of bathrooms or any other humid areas. You will also want to place them at least 15 feet away from heating or cooking appliances. Placing a CO dectector near a furnace may also set off false alarms since these devices are known to emit a small amount of carbon monoxide upon start-up.
This except from: “The Answer Man”.Belleville News-Democrat. 12 Feb 2007, Final Ed.: C8
The National Fire Protection Association recommends a NFPA 211, Level II inspection
of any fireplace when a home is purchased. Such an inspection, performed by a
certified or otherwise qualified chimney sweep, may reveal problems not apparent to
this inspector and is strongly recommended. A list of qualified Chimney sweeps is
available online at www.csia.org.
The National Fire Protection Association recommends a NFPA 211, Level II inspection
of any fireplace when a home is purchased. Such an inspection, performed by a
certified or otherwise qualified chimney sweep, may reveal problems not apparent to
this inspector and is strongly recommended. A list of qualified Chimney sweeps is
available online at www.csia.org.
Inspectors do a general inspection of the chimeny, but before buring your first fire, it is always a good idea to have a chimeny sweep take a further look and do some spring cleaning.
The National Fire Protection Association recommends a NFPA 211, Level II inspection of any fireplace when a home is purchased. Such an inspection, performed by a certified or otherwise qualified chimney sweep, may reveal problems not apparent to an inspector during the reular course of an inspection and is strongly recommended. A list of qualified Chimney sweeps is available online at www.csia.org.
Here are a few tips to help you, or your listing clients prepare for a home inspection.
The majority of home inspection preparation rests on the property seller. This is by no means a must, but it may help the smoothness of the home inspection. The more time it takes home inspector to figure out tricks, obstructions, etc. the longer we’ll be at the house.
– Make repairs ahead of time. Even minor blunders can present your home in a less favorable light. Fix the little things like handles, knobs and faucets. Repair major defects (like roofs), or be straightforward about them and adjust the asking price accordingly.
– Thoroughly clean the house. It may seem obvious, but cleaning is often overlooked before an inspection. Inspectors are always looking beyond the mess to the real issues within the home. But an unkempt house gives the impression of uncaring owners and neglected regular maintenance. Additionally, new buyers are likely to accompany the inspector and will feel the same way.
– Have the home ready on time. A home inspection can take several hours, depending on condition. With busy schedules to keep and reports to prepare, home inspectors try their hardest to be on time. Often, inspectors are early. A good rule of thumb is to be ready an hour before the appointment time.
– Leave keys. Leave keys to all locked utility boxes and doors. Inaccessible systems are cause for incomplete inspections and delays. Arrange a place for the inspector to find the keys, or provide them ahead of time. Very common in bank owned properties are the garage door padlocked, check to see prior if you can retrieve the padlock keys.
– Keep utilities connected. If the property is unoccupied, be sure all utilities–electricity, gas, and water are connected and filled enough for appliances to run. The home inspector will need to test heating and cooling systems, plumbing, appliances, faucets, electrical systems and more. Without utilities, required testing cannot be done. The result is an incomplete inspection. Incomplete inspections will delay the release of the home inspection contingency clause, which, in turn, will delay closing. Check with the applicable utility company and make sure the water is turned on in the street prior to having a de-winterization contractor show up to turn the water on in the home.
– Keep pilot lights lit. For liability reasons, home inspectors will not light pilot lights on stoves, furnaces and water heaters. When pilot lights are not lit, inspections are rendered incomplete. Delays ensue.
– Clear workspace around systems. Home inspectors need adequate room to access appliances, electrical panels and heating and cooling units. Remove boxes, stored items and debris from these areas; at least three feet of workspace is recommended. Also, leave applicable remote controls available for testing. I run into this all the time and it causes delays.
– Provide access to additional spaces. Attics, garages, sheds, basements and crawlspaces need to be accessible to the home inspector. Clear away any blockages and make sure doors can be opened (unlock if necessary). This includes accessing inspection hatches for bathtubs, water meters and shutoff valves.
– Remove appliance contents. Dishwashers are subject to the home inspection and will be run. Even if an appliance is not included in the sale, inspectors will run your machine to ensure that the plumbing, venting and electrical supplies are in working order. Also, replace any burnt out lightbulbs throughout the house. Make sure all refrigerators and freezers in your garage are not plugged into a GFCI outlet.
– Clear exterior clutter and debris. Foundations, outside electrical outlets and faucets are a few of the items inspectors will want to see outside. Remove trash cans, trim branches and brush, dispose of dead limbs and clear an accessible path around the home, especially in winter. Again, the inspection will be easier, but the appearance of your house will improve as well. This just adds to the disclaimers in your inspection report.
– Collect receipts for repairs for your new buyer. Leave receipts and repair invoices for anything you have had fixed in the home. This shows proof of upkeep and answers to many questions a buyer may have.
– Remove pets. If possible, take your pets with you or have them boarded elsewhere for the day. At the very least, secure animals in crates, kennels or leads far away from any area where the inspector will be. Avoid an incomplete inspection, pet loss or liability resulting from nervous pets.
And last but not least, please don’t go behind us turning off water and lights. These are turned on for a reason and will be turned back off when the inspection process is complete.