Bats are nocturnal mammals found in most inhabited places throughout the world. Bat infestation in homes, especially in attics, can be a health hazard, as well as a nuisance, for homeowners. Interesting Facts Due to its high levels of phosphorous and nitrogen, guano (bat feces) is an effective fertilizer and gunpowder ingredient. Guano has been […]
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Eminent Domain
Eminent Domain Eminent domain, also known as compulsory purchase, expropriation and compulsory acquisition, is the right of a government to seize a citizen’s property without their consent but with due monetary compensation. The property is taken either for government use or by commission to third parties for public use, or, in controversial cases, for economic […]
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If you apply for a loan to buy a house, the lender is going to decide whether you are a good or poor credit risk based on your credit report. If the report says that you have a lot of debt, or you don’t pay your bills on time, the lender may adjust your interest […]
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Electrical Safety
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 […]
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Electrical Service Panels
Electrical panels are boxes that house circuit breakers, which are are safety devices that stop the electrical current if it exceeds the safe level for some portion of the home electrical system. Safety Many people, even experienced electricians, have been killed or seriously injured while opening electrical panels. In 1991, an Atlanta electrician was killed […]
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Daylight Saving Time
Daylight Saving Time (DST), also known as British Summer Time (BST) in the U.K., is the practice of adjusting clocks an hour ahead of Standard Time so that afternoon Daylight Saving Time was controversial when it was first enacted by Congress have more daylight and mornings have less. It is designed to reduce energy consumption […]
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Deck Receptacles
Are exterior receptacles required at decks? The 2008 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC) describes two requirements for locations of outdoor receptacles in one- and two-family dwellings. The previous edition (2005) includes only one of these requirements, and inspectors should be aware of this change and understand the reason it was made. The NEC […]
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Aluminum Siding Inspection
Aluminum siding is generally in decline as an exterior cladding material because vinyl siding and other materials have become more popular choices. However, it is still among the most common forms of siding found today. It provided many advantages over other materials when it was introduced in the 1940s. It was installed on many affordable […]
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Advantages of Solar Energy
Solar energy offers considerable advantages over conventional energy systems by nullifying flaws in those systems long considered to be unchangeable. Solar power for home energy production has its flaws, too, which are outlined in another article, but they’re dwarfed by the advantages listed below. Solar energy is a great choice The following are advantages of […]
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Dryer Vent Safety
Clothes dryers evaporate the water from wet clothing by blowing hot air past them while they tumble inside a spinning drum. Heat is provided by an electrical heating element or gas burner. Some heavy garment loads can contain more than a gallon of water which, during the drying process, will become airborne water vapor and […]
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