10 Easy Ways to Save Money & Energy in Your Home

www.HomeBossInspection.com Electricity is an essential part of our lives. However, it has the potential to cause great harm. Electrical systems will function almost indefinitely, if properly installed and not overloaded or physically abused. Electrical fires in our homes claim the lives of 485 Americans each year and injure 2,305 more. Some of these fires are caused by electrical system failures and appliance defects, but many more are caused by the misuse and poor maintenance of electrical appliances, incorrectly installed wiring, and overloaded circuits and extension cords.     Some safety tips to remember:   Never use anything but the proper fuse to protect a circuit.  Find and correct overloaded circuits.   Never place extension cords under rugs.   Outlets near water should be GFCI-type outlets.   Don't allow trees near power lines to be climbed.   Keep ladders, kites, equipment and anything else away ...

www.HomeBossInspection.com Fireplaces and wood stoves are designed to burn only one type of fuel. Used as all-purpose incinerators, these devices can pose the following hazards: Harmful vapors can vent into the living space. Even the most efficient fireplaces will vent directly into the living space while they’re opened and closed for cleaning and refueling, exposing everyone in the house to potentially dangerous fumes. Harmful vapors will vent to the outdoors. Most newer fireplaces and wood stoves do an excellent job of funneling smoke and fumes to the outdoors, but the problem doesn’t end there; this pollution persists, contaminating household and environmental air.  Burning inappropriate fuel can cause mechanical damage. Chimneys can become lined with residue from inappropriate items, which may lead to a dangerous chimney fire. The fumes from certain items will quickly wear out sensitive components, such as catalytic combustors in wood stoves.  Read the following ...

A fan attached to a room’s ceiling is known as a ceiling fan. Like other fans, it is used to provide comfort for building occupants by circulating air within a room.  www.HomeBossInspection.com   Fun Facts About Ceiling Fans An adult human cannot be decapitated by a ceiling fan, according to the TV show "MythBusters."  A powerful, industrial-strength fan might be able to damage a skull or slice a person’s neck, however.  Ceiling fans were first used in the United States in the 1860s. They were powered by a system of belts driven by a stream of running water.  Unlike air conditioners, fans do not actually cool the air, which is why they merely waste electricity when they circulate air in an unoccupied room. Ceiling Fan Components A ceiling fan is comprised of the following parts: electric motor:  varies with the size of the fan and its application;  blades:  typically, two to six spinning, precision-weighted blades made from...

www.HomeBossInspection.com  Burglary is a crime of opportunity.  And burglars don’t want to spend a lot of time looking through a home to find things of value to steal, which is why there are obvious locations that they always check.  That means that there are ways to outsmart them by hiding your valuables in not-so-obvious places, and sometimes even in plain sight. Depending on the size and type of item, the best places to hide valuables are those that burglars don’t want to search through or wouldn’t bother with, including places that are inconvenient or difficult to search, messy, or uninteresting. Here Are the Top 10: hollowed-out books.  Criminals tend to be uneducated, which is why they’ve turned to crime to  make their living.  They’re practically allergic to books!  But if you have only a couple of books on a bookshelf, this may be a clue that they’re actually hiding places for your valuables, so make sure your library is large en...

       The winter holidays are a time for celebration, and that means more cooking, home decorating, entertaining, and an increased risk of fire and accidents. InterNACHI recommends that you follow these guidelines to help make your holiday season safer and more enjoyable. www.HomeBossInspection.com          Holiday Lighting Use caution with holiday decorations and, whenever possible, choose those made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant and non-combustible materials.  Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials, and do not use candles to decorate Christmas trees.  Carefully inspect new and previously used light strings, and replace damaged items before plugging lights in. If you have any questions about electrical safety, ask an InterNACHI inspector during your next scheduled inspection. Do not overload extension cords.  Don't mount lights in any way that can dama...