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I LOVE MY HEAT PUMP, MY ELECTRIC WATER HEATER AND MY ELECTRONIC DIGITAL GLASS COOK TOP.

By Lenn Harley

Real Estate Agent with Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate 303829;0225082372

September 11, 2011 02:31 AM

I LOVE MY HEAT PUMP, MY ELECTRIC WATER HEATER AND MY ELECTRONIC DIGITAL GLASS COOK TOP.

GAS APPLIANCES IN HOMES ARE ALWAYS SOMETHING WITH POTENTIAL HEALTH and SAFETY HAZARDS.

James Quarello, in THE LANDLORDS A KILLER post this a.m. describes on of the most serious hazards involved with gas appliances, CARBON MONOXIDE exhaust venting into the living areas of the home.

I'VE SEEN THIS WITH MY OWN EYES!!!

I've also seen gas water heaters with incorrect venting serious enough that the water vapor in the exhaust had penetrated the piping causing rust. Rust on exhaust pipes is not strong and sooner or later, holes will develop.

PERFECT AREA FOR CARBON MONOXIDE TO VENT INTO THE HOUSE AND THE LIVING QUARTERS.

I've also been in homes where gas leaks were so bad that the smell of gas was throughout the basement area. On two occasions, when attending home inspections, the gas company was called and they made a quick inspection (hours) and SHUT THE GAS SERVICE OFF until repairs were made. When I sell a home with gas appliances or systems, municipal or propane, I want to make sure that the home inspector has the proper equipment to detect gas leaks that may be too low for the "smell test" although I believe that real estate agents and home inspectors have developed a special awareness of detecting these leaks.

THE NEW GENERATION OF HEAT PUMP is far more efficient and cost-effective than many consumers understand.

No gas. No exhaust.

I'm not a home inspector. However, as a buyer's agent, I know enough to make sure that a house with gas appliances or systems requires a through home inspection by an experienced expert.

I LOVE HOME INSPECTORS.

DO I ATTEMPT TO PERSUADE HOME BUYERS TO BUY ALL ELECTRIC HOMES?? Of course not. I know that most home buyers prefer homes with gas heat and especially gas cooking. My job is to help home buyers find the very best home for their location, price range and the HOME THEY WANT.

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988,
a real estate broker agent helping home buyers in Loudoun County.

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James Quarello

JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT

Connecticut Home Inspector

Do I detect an aversion to gas? :) I am in the process of converting my home to all gas from oil. I love gas.

Sep 11, 2011 02:35 AM

Brenda Mullen

RE/MAX Associates - San Antonio, TX

Your San Antonio TX Real Estate Agent!!

What can I say Lenn...Gas scares me. I am with you. Anyone who is going to buy a home that is run on gas must have it thoroughtly inspected. Electricity might be more expensive...but as far as I know, it doesn't blow up like gas does!

Sep 11, 2011 02:35 AM

Pam Dent

Gayle Harvey Real Estate, Inc. - Charlottesville, VA

REALTOR® - Charlottesville Virginia Homes / Horse

Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. We have to be very careful with gas. At the same time I love cooking with it. And I love my home inspector!

Sep 11, 2011 02:42 AM

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

James. Indeed, you are good at "read between the lines". When I purchased my home in Bethesda (the one before the one I have now), I converted the entire house from gas to electric. I don't have an "aversion to gas. I simply know that each year, there are many deaths from gas, municipal or propane, appliances and systems. I'm the most risk averse person you'll ever know.

Brenda. I do not find electricity more expenseive. That changed about 15 years ago with the new generation of high efficient heat pumps. Elec. water heaters are more expensive.

Pam. Agreed. Care is the secret.

Sep 11, 2011 02:52 AM

Debbe Perry

Real Living Carolina Property - Morganton, NC

828.439.3084 Morganton/Lake James NC

You're so right, Lenn - we must handle all things gas with care. Still love it for heat and cooking!

Love my home inspector, too!

Sep 11, 2011 03:08 AM

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Debbie. We are all in agreement with loving our home inspectors.

I love my heat pump too.

Sep 11, 2011 03:48 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

Lenn- glad you reblogged this. When we lived in Leesburg we had gas heat, stove and I have no idea what else. While I loved cooking with gas I was also concerned about what could happen. Yes I have an electric cooktop now and while it's not the same... I don't have to worry about explosions and leaks!

Sep 11, 2011 04:26 AM

Charlie Ragonesi

AllMountainRealty.com - Big Canoe, GA

Homes - Big Canoe, Jasper, North Georgia Pros

Hi Lenn, I love my heat pump and electric water heater too. But I am afraid ther is nothing like cooking with gas. Now I have become a convery to the electric oven . But I wish i could go back to the gas cook top

Sep 11, 2011 05:47 AM

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Kathy. I started using the glass cook-top about 15 years ago. I can cook anything on it. Just take a little learnin'.

Charlie. The main reason I went to a good digital cook top was because I hated cleaning gas anything. I love it, love it, love it.

Sep 11, 2011 09:04 AM

George Souto

George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT

Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Lenn, I have an all electric house, and the next time that I need to replace my hot water heater I was thinking of going tank-less or with a heat pump, but I was told that it was expensive to install. I guess I better do a little more research.

Sep 11, 2011 12:42 PM

Virginia Hepp - Mesquite NV REALTOR

Desert Gold Realty - Mesquite NV Homes For Sale - Mesquite, NV

Mesquite NV Homes and Neighborhoods - Search MLS

I love my electric everything - which is good, because Mesquite has no gas at all. Propane is available from Utah, but mostly used for heating pools and spas.

The newer electric flat top ranges are excellent, not like the old coil burners. With a good set of flat bottomed pots and pans, cooking with electricity is just fine.

And no potential gas leaks - love it.

Sep 11, 2011 02:11 PM

Ruthmarie Hicks

Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605 - White Plains, NY

Electric everything is a very tough sell around here. Gas is far more affordable and therefore preferred. Our grid is old and not effecieint and ConEd charges MORE for delievering the electricity than it does for the electricity itself. So a home that has electric heat and hot water is VERY hard to sell.

Sep 11, 2011 03:51 PM

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Every year we hear the stories of someone killed by CO. And the analysis is always the same - they did something stupid to trap CO in the house, or did not have detectors.

CO is very easy to detect! My CO alarms have never gone off.

All the literature I have read about gas detectors says that the cheap ones home inspectors typically use are not very good. The ones the gas company uses are. And they cost many thousands of dollars. I spent my money on a thermal camera, and would like a new one! But that quality of gas detection will have to wait until I'm richer!

Sep 12, 2011 12:17 AM

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

George. I too have considered the tankless since it would be perfect for me. I sold a home recently that came with that feature new. However, it's all too expensive for me. I simply practice good hot water conservation living. Hot water is an expensive electric cost. Conservation is the key for me. Fact is, I rarely use hot water after a morning shower.

Virginia. Hear, hear. You're right on target.

Ruthmarie. That was the case here many years ago. Things have turned around and the gas is as or more expensive than electricity.

Jay. HA! With an all electric home, one doesn't have to think about CO.

Sep 12, 2011 12:27 AM

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Until a drunk pulls into the garage, passes out and keeps the car running!

That happened just a couple of months ago in Maryland.

Sep 12, 2011 12:40 AM

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I LOVE MY HEAT PUMP, MY ELECTRIC WATER HEATER AND MY ELECTRONIC DIGITAL GLASS COOK TOP.

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