Carbon Monoxide Poisoning and Detectors by Nick Gromicko Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas that forms from incomplete combustion of fuels, such as natural or liquefied petroleum gas, oil, wood or coal. Facts and Figures 480 U.S. residents died between 2001 and 2003 from non-fire-related carbon-monoxide poisoning. Most CO exposures occur […]
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Try looking in the monthly archives. August 2016
Check on Your HVAC System
(Before your HVAC Checks Out on You) by Fran J. Donegan for The Home Depot Have you ever woken up in the middle of a winter night, shivering under the blankets and able to see your breath? Or have you ever watched the thermostat creep into the upper 80s during a record-setting heat wave, […]
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Condensation
by Nick Gromicko Condensation, also called sweating, forms on building materials when the temperature drops below the dew point, which is the temperature at which droplets of water vapor are forced so closely together that they coalesce into liquid water. Because of their characteristic thermal conductivity, components made of metal are usually the first places where condensation will appear in a building. Condensation […]
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Emergency Preparedness
by Nick Gromicko and Kate Tarasenko Whether you’re facing rising floodwaters or a wildfire that’s too close for comfort, many homeowners confront seasonal threats to their safety that force them to flee their properties, at least temporarily. In the last three years alone, damage created by severe weather and natural disasters in the U.S. has […]
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Backflow Prevention
by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard Backflow is the reversal of the normal and intended direction of water flow in a water system. Devices and assemblies known as backflow preventers are installed to prevent backflow, which can contaminate potable water supplies. Why is backflow a problem? Backflow is a potential problem in a water […]
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Choosing the Right Home Inspector
Buying a home? It’s probably the most expensive purchase you’ll ever make. This is no time to shop for a cheap inspection. The cost of a home inspection is very small relative to the value of the home being inspected. The additional cost of hiring an InterNACHI-Certified Professional Inspector® is almost insignificant. You have recently been crunching the numbers, negotiating […]
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