Elements of an Energy Efficient House - 04/24/07 05:03 PM
Designing and building an energy-efficient home that conforms to the many considerations faced by home builders can be a challenge. However, any house style can be made to require relatively minimal amounts of energy to heat and cool, and be comfortable and healthy. It's easier now to get your architect and builder to use improved designs and construction methods. Even though there are many different design options available, they all have several things in common: a high R-value, tightly sealed thermal envelope; controlled ventilation; and lower than usual heating and cooling bills.   Some designs are more expensive to build than … (0 comments)

Electrical Safety - 04/23/07 08:59 AM
 
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. Never use anything but the proper fuse to protect a circuit. Find and correct overloaded circuits.  … (0 comments)

Protect Your Home from Water Damage - 04/16/07 09:27 AM
Water may be essential to life, but as a destructive force, water can diminish the value of your home or building. Homes, as well as Commercial buildings, can suffer water damage that results in increased maintenance costs, a decrease in the value of the property, lowered productivity and potential liability associated with a decline in indoor air quality. The best way to protect against this potential loss is to ensure that the building components, which enclose the structure, known as the building envelope, are water resistant. Also, you will want to ensure that manufacturing processes, if present, do not allow excess … (0 comments)

The Value of Construction Inspections - 04/12/07 12:17 PM
Buyers of re-sale homes almost always have their homes inspected by a professional inspector.  Buyers of new homes, however, often do not take this important step.  There are several reasons for this: The buyer is getting a brand new home, and thinks that the inspection is an unnecessary added cost.  The buyer feels that they are protected by the builder's one-year warranty for workmanship, plus extended structural warranty.  In many cases, the home is inspected by city inspectors as a part of the permitting process.  Buyers believe that they can rely on the builder's reputation.  The builder is resistant to idea … (0 comments)

Elements of an Energy Efficient House - 04/11/07 11:24 AM
Designing and building an energy-efficient home that conforms to the many considerations faced by home builders can be a challenge. However, any house style can be made to require relatively minimal amounts of energy to heat and cool, and be comfortable and healthy. It's easier now to get your architect and builder to use improved designs and construction methods. Even though there are many different design options available, they all have several things in common: a high R-value, tightly sealed thermal envelope; controlled ventilation; and lower than usual heating and cooling bills.   Some designs are more expensive to build than … (0 comments)

Crawlspaces...Hidden Risks and Dangers - 04/10/07 11:16 AM
Have you ever inspected a crawlspace? I don't mean, "poke your head in" type of inspection. I mean a "down and dirty, on your hands and knees, with cobwebs in your face," type of inspection. If the answer is yes, I'm sure you couldn't wait to get out of there. If you answered no, however, you should wonder if you are missing vital information on a home that your buyer needs to know about.
It has been my experience that if a crawlspace is inaccessible, then it does not get inspected. The financial consequences from this omission could be severe. The code … (0 comments)

Residential Foundation Insulation - 04/09/07 11:16 AM
Introduction   Homes being constructed today are more energy efficient than those built even just a few years ago, primarily due to significant improvements in building products and techniques as well as development of high-performance heating and cooling systems and other appliances. However, the benefits of foundation insulation are often overlooked. Heat loss from an uninsulated, conditioned basement may represent up to 50 percent of a home's total heat loss in a tightly sealed, well-insulated home. Foundation insulation is used primarily to reduce heating costs and has little or no benefit in lowering cooling costs. In addition to reducing heating costs, … (0 comments)

Pool Safety Tips - 04/07/07 12:46 PM
Pool Safety
A swimming pool in the yard can present a very dangerous area for children. Drowning is the number one cause of death for children under five in Florida, Arizona, and California with a ranking of number two for over a dozen other states. For every drowning there are eleven near drowning incidents, according to government statistics; many of which result in totally disabling brain damage. If you have a pool in your yard, protect your children (and those in your neighborhood) by observing the following suggestions:
Never leave your children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment. … (0 comments)

Illinois Carbon Monoxide Law - Effective January 2007 - 04/07/07 11:31 AM

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Asphalt Driveway Maintenance - 04/05/07 04:00 PM
EXTENDING THE LIFE OF YOUR DRIVEWAY:      Winter ice along with the trauma of a snow shovel digging against the surface can really do a number on asphalt driveways.  Spring is a great time to repair and reseal your driveway and extend it's life. Examine the surface for cracks and gouges. Then treat small cracks with crack filler and fill in the potholes with asphalt fix. You might want to put the fix in place, then cover it with a board and drive the wheel of your car over it to really set it in place.
     When you're finished filling in … (0 comments)

Radon - 04/02/07 04:55 PM
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