Reducing
the
Electric Bill
Here are a few ideas to help your clients reduce their electric bills:
Regularly clean refrigerator coils and keep setting at the warmest levels possible that
are still within recommended food-safety guidelines.
Defrost freezers regularly and keep them full.
Avoid using ovens or electric
ranges to cook small quantities of food. Use microwaves and toaster ovens instead.
Run full dishwasher loads and use the energy-saver setting.
Run full laundry loads whenever possible.
Turn on portable heaters and fans only in occupied rooms. Close off both used and unused
rooms to avoid wasting energy.
Wrap electric water-heater tanks.
Take shorter showers and use flow restrictors on faucets and shower heads.
Set central heating to 68 F and central air conditioning to 78 F.
| Note: This newsletter
is for informational purposes only. When getting involved with a project, please work
within your ability. If you need help with a contractor or with any other home-related
issue, please contact Alban Home Inspection Service with any questions. Thank You. |
|
 Roof Need
Replacing?
Roofing requires an array of
skills, knowledge, and special equipment. The work is hard and involves a considerable
risk of injury because of the height and climbing involved. Most roofing-material
manufacturers recommend using qualified professionals for roof work because of consumer-
liability laws, but there are a few things that a homeowner can do to inspect and maintain
a roof.
Many homeowners wonder when to re-roof. This decision starts by inspecting the roof each
spring and fall to check for storm damage. If it's not possible to climb onto the roof, a
reasonable compromise would be to use a pair of binoculars to observe the entire roof
structure. Check the rain gutters to be sure they have not loosened at the eaves. Replace
or repair windblown or missing shingles and apply roof mastic around any chimney or vent
flashings and valleys.
Check inside the gutters and downspouts for signs of excessive granules from loose
shingles. As the asphalt shingles dry out, the stone granules will come loose and wash
down the roof. A buildup of shingle granules or brittle, broken, or curled shingles
indicates that the roof is due for replacement. Most older shingle roofs were installed
using shingles with a 15-20 year warranty, so if the year the roof was installed is known,
it will help to calculate when the roof may be due for replacement.
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Home
Safety |
It's not enough to get a fire extinguisher -
it's important to get the right one. They are not all alike; a useful fact to know in the
season in which home fires tend to increase.
There are three classifications of fire extinguishers for righting different types of
fires. Type A is used to right fires that involve wood, paper, or fabric; Type B is for
flammable liquids, gas, and grease; and Type C is for electrical fires. Some fire
extinguishers are formulated for righting more than one type of fire. Size is another
factor in fire extinguishers. The size of the fire the extinguisher can put out is
indicated by a number in front of the letter designating the type of fire. |
Protecting
Sensitive
Electrical
Equipment |
Momentary power disturbances can
damage highly sensitive electronic equipment, A simple, cost-effective way to prevent
damage is to unplug equipment whenever a storm threatens. However, if unplugging
electronic equipment is not practical, consider purchasing special devices known as surge
(or transient) suppressors to protect individual pieces. These devices can be purchased at
electronic, hardware, or computer stores. |
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