buyers: Open flame heaters and fire hazards
- 12/21/11 08:53 AM
Open Flame Heater Fires This California Height home still have its original open flame heaters as part of the historic preservation value, and at the time of the inspection the open flame heaters was disconnected and the home was using a Central Air Conditioning System.
The increasing fuel and utility prices have led many homeowners to use alternate heating methods. Supplemental heating sources add warmth — and considerable fire risks — to your home. Today, one-third of the U.S. population uses fireplaces, wood stoves or other portable fuel-fired appliances as primary heat sources in their homes. This practice can be dangerous. For example, a … (4 comments)
This is an inspection recently I performed on a home that had a solar water heater system installed in August 1984, at a cost of 12,886.00 and re-copper piping at a cost of $2684.00 for a total cost of investment at $15,570.00, in order to benefit from this invest, the energy saving would have to be at a saving of $576.67 per year (27 years Divided $15,570.00) Return on investment was hard to realized. The following program if to low income families in the Los Angeles County offering as much as 80% Incentitive off the investment: The Single-family … (4 comments)
buyers: Neighborhood Stabilization Program
- 11/10/10 11:27 PM
http://www.longbeach.gov/cd/neighborhood_services/nsp2.asp NSP2 First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program Your First Home Is Just A Few Steps Away The City of Long Beach is partnering with select local lenders and realtors to bring you the Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 (NSP2) a First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program. If you’re a first-time homebuyer, through NSP2 you may qualify for a second silent mortgage loan of up to $200,000 to assist with the purchase of a foreclosed, single-family home in the City of Long Beach. Plus, you may also qualify for up to $40,000 in grant funding for code-related repairs, energy-efficiency home improvements and closing cost assistance. WHAT … (2 comments)
buyers: Water Damage and EIFS
- 09/24/10 08:28 AM
Water Damage and EIFS Synthetic Stucco Synthetic stucco is quite different from historic stucco. Historic stucco is basically a plaster made with water, sand and lime. While the composition of stucco has changed over time, it has always been applied wet over a brick, stone or wood surface to form the visible outside layer of a wall. Synthetic stucco is foamboard and fiberglass mesh attached to a wall that is covered with a polymer-based material which is then textured to look like historic stucco. It is technically known as an exterior insulation and finish system, or EIFS. It has been … (4 comments)
buyers: Eyebrow Dormers
- 09/24/10 12:04 AM
Eyebrow Dormers An eyebrow dormer, also known as a roof eyebrow, is a wavy dormer that protrudes through the slope of a roof. It contains a window that may be fixed or operable.
The first eyebrow dormers appeared on medieval thatch-roofed cottages, making their way to America in the second half of the 19th century on Queen Anne-style houses after being popularized by Boston architect Henry Hobson Richardson. Today, roof eyebrows can be found on many different types of homes, from post-modern beach homes to converted-garage guest cottages. They are most commonly found on the attic, although they’re sometimes … (3 comments)
Purchasing foreclosed homes in desirable areas at below-market values can be a sound investment strategy. Appreciation on their original prices may be tax-free. Buying foreclosed rental properties can provide positive cash flow, as well as valuable tax deductions. On the other hand, buying a foreclosure involves homework, patience, and a certain amount of being in the right place at the right time! For those wishing to get a bargain house through the foreclosure process, it’s best to learn the basics.
An FHA loan is a federal-assistance mortgage loan offered by qualified lenders and backed by the Federal Housing Administration.
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, soaring foreclosure and default rates led lenders to tighten their loan requirements to the detriment of the prospective homeowner. The FHA was created during this time to provide lending institutions (such as banks, savings and loan associations, and mortgage companies) with sufficient insurance to allow them to ease up on eligibility requirements for borrowers so that they could be approved for loans that they could not … (5 comments)
buyers: Our right to be honest or our right to be greedy
- 06/01/10 10:54 AM
Recieving an email like this will make the difference, bottom line you will be involved with fraud if you respond, an you will be the victim: Scam Letters: 542 different examples!By date received, with names of supposed senders, country where the money is supposed to have originated, and amount. Many duplicates omitted. Many of these emails have been reformatted for readability; the recipient's email address, and all angle brackets or HTML tags were removed. All of the other email and postal addresses, phone numbers, etc., are as given in the email, but be warned, do not attempt to contact the perpetrators!. … (2 comments)
buyers: Inspecting your Deck
- 05/28/10 09:14 AM
A deck failure is any failure of a deck that could lead to injury, including rail failure, or total deck collapse. There is no international system that tracks deck failures, and each is treated as an isolated event, rather than a systemic problem. Very few municipalities perform investigations into the cause of the failure, and the media are generally more concerned with injuries than with the causes of collapses. Rail failure occurs much more frequently than total deck collapses; however, because rail failures are less dramatic than total collapses and normally don't result in death, injuries from rail failures are rarely reported. Here are … (5 comments)
http://www.walkscore.com/CA/Long_Beach Walkable neighborhoods are a key component of sustainability in Long Beach, offering several health, environmental and community benefits. Walkable neighborhoods locate housing near grocery and retail stores, schools, libraries, parks and other local amenities within an easy and safe walk. The City of Long Beach is ranked the 8th most walkable city in the United States.
What makes a neighborhood walkable? A center: Walkable neighborhoods have a center, whether it's a main street or a public space. People: Enough people for businesses to flourish and for public transit to run frequently. Mixed income, mixed use: Affordable … (8 comments)
The economy is so bad that: I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail. I ordered a burger at McDonald's and the kid behind the counter asked, "Canyou afford fries with that?" CEO's are now playing miniature golf. If the bank returns your check marked "Insufficient Funds," you call themand ask if they meant you or them. Hot Wheels and Matchbox stocks are trading higher than GM. McDonald's is selling the 1/4 ouncer. Parents in Beverly Hills fired their nannies and learned their children'snames. A truckload of … (7 comments)
A building's central air conditioning system must be periodically inspected and maintained in order to function properly. While an annual inspection performed by a trained professional is recommended, homeowners can do a lot of the work themselves by following the tips offered in this guide.
Clean the Exterior Condenser Unit and Components
The exterior condenser unit is the large box located on the side of the building that is designed to push heat from the inside of the building to the outdoors. Inside of the box are coils of pipe … (5 comments)
buyers: Tree house Safety Inspection
- 04/29/10 08:58 AM
Tree house Inspection Tree houses are great fun for kids, but danger is inherent when you let children play in trees. Inspectors should be aware of a tree house on a property and warn the owners of their potential hazards. Power Lines Despite what we know about power line dangers for residential homes and commercial structures, homeowners sometimes build tree houses near power lines, perhaps due to space constraints. This situation increases the likelihood that children will be electrocuted or burned in a tragic treehouse fire, as it becomes quite easy for them to climb onto the power lines or … (0 comments)
Any contractor, from plumbers to electrians, to painters who distub lead paint while working in a pre-1978 home , shool or day care center, now much be certified. If you're not, you can face tens of thousand of dollars in fines, plus, you put the heath of your self, your workers and your customers at risk, which could result in lawsuits. One class certifies you for five years, it's that easy!
EPA Press Announcements: April 2010 April 23, 2010 -- EPA … (2 comments)
buyers: Air Quality and House Vents
- 04/27/10 04:04 PM
The primary purpose of venting is to allow air quality to flow through the house in unoccupied areas such as the raised foundation, and attic, if the house did not breath, stale air will cause the air quality to be offensive mostly doing the winter months. At any point you open the crawl space vents or slide them open you possibly will allow animals to enter the attic or enter the raised foundation area some animals find crawl space electrical wiring insulation very tasty! and if you have a floor furnace, that is a very warm spot for the critters! Animal relief … (5 comments)
Open Flame Heater Fires 
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