10 Easy Ways to Save Money & Energy in Your Home

Grinder pumps are waste-management devices used to grind up household waste into a finely ground slurry and then force it into the sewer system.  Grinder pumps are required where a building’s drain system is at a level below a municipal sewer line or septic tank. Even if a building is at the same level as its sewer line or septic tank, the geography of the site may prevent sewage from flowing fast enough by gravity alone, making a grinder pump necessary. A   typical application of a grinder pump is in a home where a basement bathroom is located lower than the height of the sewer line that leaves the home.  www.HomeBossInspection.com www.FLBOSS.com How do they work? Household wastewater flows into the grinder pump’s tank. When the wastewater reaches a pre-set level, the grinder automatically turns on, grinds the waste, and pumps it into the public sewer system or septic tank. Grinder pumps will normally run for a few minutes and turn off when the tank is emptied...

Homeowners have more to worry about than being ripped off by shady contractors in this lagging economy, but such a climate brings desperation -- and with it, sadly, fraud. Of course, the majority of tradesmen are generally honest professionals, but there is a large number of unscrupulous contractors who will fix items that don’t need fixing, or grossly overcharge you for services or parts. Worse, there are plenty of con artists posing as tradesmen who will simply take your money and run. Inspectors are often the first ones to uncover such fraud, so they too need to be familiar with its common forms in order to best serve their clients.  www.HomeBossInspection.com www.FLBoss.com Some common home repair scams include: roof work. Con artists are known to travel from state to state following natural disasters and looking for victims of storms. Beware of people who suddenly arrive in your neighborhood, offering to fix your roof at a discount. Also, don’t trust a roof...

www.HomeBossInspection.com Roofs play a key role in protecting building occupants and interiors from outside weather conditions, primarily moisture. The roof, insulation and ventilation must all work together  to keep the building free of moisture. Roofs also provide protection from the sun. In fact, if designed correctly, roof overhangs can protect the building's exterior walls from moisture and sun. The concerns regarding moisture, standing water, durability and appearance are different, reflected in the choices of roofing materials. Maintaining Your Roof    Homeowner maintenance includes cleaning the leaves and debris from the roof’s valleys and gutters. Debris in the valleys can cause water to wick under the shingles and cause damage to the interior of the roof. Clogged rain gutters can cause water to flow back under the shingles on the eaves and cause damage, regardless of the roofing material. including composition shingle, wood shake, tile or met...