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Smoke Alarms
Are Needed in Every Home
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Smoke
alarms need to be a part of every household,
even prior to the time a home is
put on the market. Smoke alarms are more
than just a selling point for perspective
buyers; they are also a safety feature
necessary during the occupancy of
a dwelling. The National Fire Prevention
Association contends that less
than one minute may elapse between
the time a house is beginning to
smoke until the time it is completely engulfed
by flames. If the homeowner happens
to be sleeping during that minute,
the cost could be devastating in
more than just dollars.
A
set of properly positioned alarms can make
the difference between sleeping through
that minute and being awakened
in time to seek safety. Smoke alarm
laws have been part of the building
code for more than two decades;
however, they are not well enforced
and are often violated. Many homes
are unequipped with smoke alarms,
while others have too few, improperly
placed, or inoperative alarms
in the house. Proper deployment of smoke
alarms includes the following:
•
The right alarm for the house. Smoke
alarm requirements vary according
to municipal standards and the
age of the house itself. For homes built
prior to 1979, battery-powered
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alarms
are permissible. In newer dwellings,
however, the alarm must be powered
electrically. The problem with battery
units is that people forget to change
the battery on a regular basis. On
the other hand, electrically wired alarms
may fail if the fire is electrical and
causes a power outage. The smartest
arrangement is to install electrical
alarms, but to back them up with
battery-powered ones. In fact, this type
of integrated system is required for
any home built after 1993.
•The
right placement of alarms. Again, requirements
for alarm placement varies
by age of the dwelling. In older homes,
most municipalities require alarms
within close proximity of all bedrooms.
There should be at least one alarm
on each floor of a multi-story...
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Alban is proud to offer FREE Continuing
Education Courses in Real Estate Offices!Call Melissa For
Information and to Schedule at 301-404-8104 or 301-607-8114. | |
From the desk of . . .
Arthur S. Lazerow
Protect Your Roof
While writing my
October 2003 article for the Frederick
County Association of Realtors newsletter about
how and why asphalt shingles deteriorate, I stopped and asked:
what is the next step after understanding
how a roof fails? The answer is to prevent
early failure. "Early" is the key word, because
all roofs fail eventually.
Since the main culprits in the war against asphalt shingle
failure are heat and ultra-violet light, every homeowner
should try to prevent failure by eliminating
these factors.
UV protection is difficult since, when the sun shines, UV
exposure results. South facing roof planes get the most
exposure. Keeping the aggregate in place is the best
that can be accomplished. The underlying shingle
mat dries when overheated. So attic ventilation
becomes critical. Alban recommends an attic
fan be installed in every home we inspect that has
an attic. Mechanically pulling fresh air into the attic
with an attic fan and forcing over-heated air out during
the summer months can reduce the attic temperatures
forty degrees or more. Ninety degrees in
an attic sounds hot, but 130 degrees is awful for the
health of a home’s roof.
I feel so strongly about the benefits of an attic fan that
my house-warming gift to my oldest son, Andrew,
when he moved back to Washington with his
wife in June, was an attic fan. Not fancy, but effective!
Further steps to take include making an annual visual
inspection of the roof. Look for problems at edges
and places where roofs change directions. Inspect
gutters and downspouts, roof flashings and skylights.
Make any minor repairs of deficiencies found.
Keep in mind that Mother Nature turns little problems
left alone into major problems. With roofs, be
proactive.
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