Happy Holidays to All!

The holiday season and the turn of the calendar into January 2006 is ahead, with holiday cheer, family gatherings and gift giving to enjoy. Normally, this year-end column is my favorite, but 2005 has been a difficult year for home inspectors. This year has been marked mostly by losses. For home inspectors, the large number of non-contingent contracts caused a significant contraction in our volume of work. This has also been a year for staff members to move on. George Ash, respected and admired Frederick area home inspector and a six-year Alban inspector, retired from home inspecting to concentrate on his horse farm and B&B in Florida. Roberto Montiel, well-liked 5-year Alban home inspector who helped many Hispanic homebuyers with Spanish language inspections, is retiring from home inspecting at the end of 2005 to concentrate on his real estate career in both Maryland and North Carolina. Mandy Toms, our administrative assistant, so sweet, so young and so efficient, left Alban to start her teaching career. And finally, Melissa Brois, our effective and creative marketing director for the last four years, was a victim of the downturn in the number of home inspections. With a commensurate downturn in her earnings, she could not contribute sufficient funds to the family income to remain with Alban. She has moved into a marketing position with a prominent, fast growing Rockville settlement company. We are proud to have had all of these fine people as members of the Alban family and we wish them great success in their future endeavors!
Our inspection staff, Quintin Satterfield, Roberto Montiel, Rudy Rudacil, Marty Blackwood, Rodney Shull and Lee Eyler, and our administrative staff, Sandy Watkins (general manager), Terry Toms (accounting), and Tina Yarborough (scheduling) join me in wishing you and yours the happiest of holiday seasons and a joyous New Year.

Electric Emergencies
A Guide to Avoiding Complete Disaster

Some tips seem simple – but they’re simply the best way to avoid a disaster when dealing with electricity. Such tips include:
CALL FIRST, DIG LATER
Before you plant a tree, lay a foundation, build a fence or do any other heavy duty digging, make sure you call the electric company. They can tell you where power lines are in the vicinity. If these are hit, they can be damaged – or, worse yet, you could be injured or killed. So make that call! FORGET WATER
If your frying pan, hair dryer or other electrical appliance catches fire, don’t try to put it out with water. Water can conduct the electricity right back to you. Instead, pull the plug or turn off the circuit or fuse, then head for the fire extinguisher.
EQUIPPED WITH PROTECTION
Highly sensitive electronic equipment can be damaged by variations in electrical flow. Homeowners should consider purchasing a surge protector to protect your electronic equipment and electrical appliances.
LET IT GO
If a homeowner drops a plugged-in appliance into water, he should let it go. Never reach for it, as the water can conduct the electricity. Instead, unplug the appliance by pulling the plug (not the cord).

DON’T MUDDLE THE PUDDLE
Basement flooded? Make sure the water isn’t in contact with a source of electricity before you wander in. Live appliances, electrical outlets and even extension cords can create a dangerous situation in a small puddle. If in doubt, call an electrician to disconnect the power.
SHOCK ATTACK
If someone in the household receives an electrical shock, medical assistance should be called immediately. DON’T touch the victim. DO turn the power source off, if possible.
CAR PORT
If a power line falls on your car, stay inside if at all possible. If you must leave the vehicle, jump clear and do not touch the car and the ground at the same time. Also stay away from the
fallen line.

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