Holiday Home Safety Tips - www.onesourceinspection.com

Holiday Home Safety Tips

 

 

The winter holidays are a time for celebration, and that means more cooking, home decorating, entertaining, and an increased risk of fire and accidents. InterNACHI recommends that you follow these guidelines to help make your holiday season safer and more enjoyable.

     
 

Holiday Lighting

• Use caution with holiday decorations and, whenever possible, choose those made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant and non-combustible materials.
• Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials, and do not use candles to decorate Christmas trees.
• Carefully inspect new and previously used light strings, and replace damaged items before plugging lights in. If you have any questions about electrical safety, ask an InterNACHI inspector during your next scheduled inspection. Do not overload extension cords.
• Don't mount lights in any way that can damage the cord's wire insulation.  To hold lights in place, string them through hooks or insulated staples--don't use nails or tacks. Never pull or tug lights to remove them.
• Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations.
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
• Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use.  
• Make sure all the bulbs work and that there are no frayed wires, broken sockets or loose connections.
• Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground-fault circuit interrupters to avoid potential shocks.
• Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.

 

 

 

Decorations

• Use only non-combustible and flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel and artificial icicles of plastic and non-leaded metals.
• Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down.
• In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp and breakable, and keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children.
• Avoid trimmings that resemble candy and food that may tempt a young child to put them in his mouth.

 

 

Holiday Entertaining

 

• Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S.  When cooking for holiday visitors, remember to keep an eye on the range.
• Provide plenty of large, deep ashtrays, and check them frequently. Cigarette butts can smolder in the trash and cause a fire, so completely douse cigarette butts with water before discarding.
• Keep matches and lighters up high, out of sight and reach of children (preferably in a locked cabinet).
• Test your smoke alarms, and let guests know what your fire escape plan is.

 

Trees

• When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label "fire-resistant."
• When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches, and when bent between your fingers, needles do not break.
• When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces, radiators and portable heaters. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.
• Cut a few inches off the trunk of your tree to expose the fresh wood. This allows for better water absorption and will help to keep your tree from drying out and becoming a fire hazard.
• Be sure to keep the stand filled with water, because heated rooms can dry live trees out rapidly.
• Make sure the base is steady so the tree won't tip over easily.

   

Fireplaces

• Before lighting any fire, remove all greens, boughs, papers and other decorations from fireplace area. Check to see that the flue is open.
• Use care with "fire salts," which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten.
• Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

  

Toys and Ornaments

• Purchase appropriate toys for the appropriate age. Some toys designed for older children might be dangerous for younger children.
• Electric toys should be UL/FM approved.
• Toys with sharp points, sharp edges, strings, cords, and parts small enough to be swallowed should not be given to small children.
• Place older ornaments and decorations that might be painted with lead paint out of the reach of small children and pets. 

 

Children and Pets

• Poinsettias are known to be poisonous to humans and animals, so keep them well out of reach, or avoid having them.
• Keep decorations at least 6 inches above the child’s reach.
• Avoid using tinsel. It can fall on the floor and a curious child or pet may eat it. This can cause anything from mild distress to death.
• Keep any ribbons on gifts and tree ornaments shorter than 7 inches. A child could wrap a longer strand of ribbon around their neck and choke.
• Avoid mittens with strings for children. The string can get tangled around the child’s neck and cause them to choke. It is easier to replace a mitten than a child.
• Watch children and pets around space heaters or the fireplace. Do not leave a child or pet unattended.
• Store scissors and any sharp objects that you use to wrap presents out of your child’s reach.
• Inspect wrapped gifts for small decorations, such as candy canes, gingerbread men, and mistletoe berries, all of which are choking hazards.

 

 

Security  

• Use your home burglar alarm system.
• If you plan to travel for the holidays, don’t discuss your plans with strangers. 
• Have a trusted friend or neighbor to keep an eye on your home.

 

YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD InterNACHI INSPECTOR WISHES YOU
A SAFE & JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON!

 

 

 

From Holiday Home Safety Tips - InterNACHI http://www.nachi.org/holidaysafety.htm#ixzz2kwe8U8HD

Thank You for serving our country & protecting our freedoms!

Increasing Home Energy Efficiency - One Source Real Estate Inspection www.onesourceinspection.com

by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard

 

 

InterNACHI advises that energy-efficient homes require less energy to perform household functions than homes that are less energy-efficient. There are many adjustments that homeowners can make to reduce the amount of energy required by their homes.

Interesting facts about energy consumption in the United States and Canada:

• The United States is the world’s largest consumer of energy, and the world’s seventh largest consumer of energy per capita.
• Canada consumes more energy per capita than the United States.
• Buildings account for 72% of all energy consumed in the United States.
• 18% of all emissions in the United States comes from operating homes. 
• In the average household, the TV is left on stand-by for 17 hours per day.

Why make your home more energy-efficient?

• Federal, state, utility and local jurisdictions' financial incentives, such as tax breaks, are very advantageous in most parts of the U.S.
• It saves money. It costs less to power a home that has been converted to be more energy-efficient.
• It increases indoor comfort levels.
• It reduces our contributions to climate change. Many scientists now believe that excessive energy consumption contributes significantly to global warming.
• It reduces pollution. Conventional power production introduces pollutants into the air that find their way into the soil and water supplies.

Heating and Cooling

 

As much as half of the energy used in homes goes toward heating and cooling. The following are a few ways that energy bills can be reduced through adjustments to the heating and cooling systems:

• Add insulation to the building envelope (walls, floors and ceiling) to bring the home up to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-recommended limits for the climate zone in which the home is located.
• Insulate heating ducts. Up to 40% of energy can be lost in uninsulated heating ducts routed through unheated space. This means that up to 45 cents of every dollar spent on heating can be wasted.
• Install a ceiling fan. Ceiling fans can be used in place of air conditioners, which require large amounts of energy.
• Periodically replace air filters in air conditioners and heaters.
• Set thermostats to an appropriate temperature. Specifically, they should be turned down at night and when no one is home. In most homes, about 2% of the heating bill will be saved for each degree that the thermostat is lowered for at least eight hours each day. Turning down the thermostat from 75°F to 70°F, for example, saves about 10% on heating costs.
• Install a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat saves money by allowing heating and cooling appliances to be automatically turned down during times at which no one is home and at night. Programmable thermostats contain no mercury and, in some climate zones, can save up to $150 per year in energy costs.
• Install a wood stoves or a pellet stove. These are more efficient sources of heat than furnaces.
• At night, curtains drawn over windows will better insulate the room.

Appliances and Electronics

 

Appliances and electronics are responsible for about 20% of household energy bills in a typical U.S. home. The following are tips that will reduce the required energy of electronics and appliances:

• Refrigerators and freezers should not be located near the stove, dishwasher or heat vents, or exposed to direct sunlight. Exposure to warm areas will force them to use more energy to remain cool.  
• Computers should be shut off when not in use. If unattended computers must be left on, their monitors should be shut off. According to some studies, computers account for approximately 3% of all energy consumption in the United States.
• Use efficient “Energy Star” -ated appliances and electronics. These devices, approved by the DOE and the EPA’s Energy Star program, range from TVs, home theater systems, DVD players, CD players, receivers, speakers and more. According to the EPA, if just 10% of homes used energy-efficient appliances, it would reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of 1.7 million acres of trees.
• Chargers, such as those for laptops and cell phones, consume energy when they are plugged in. When they are not connected to electronics, chargers should be unplugged.
• Laptop computers consume considerably less electricity than desktop computers.

Electric Lighting

 

The average household dedicates 11% of its energy budget to lighting. Traditional incandescent lights convert approximately only 10% of the energy that they consume into light, while the rest becomes heat. The use of new lighting technologies, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), can reduce energy use required by lighting by 50% to 75%. Advances in lighting controls offer further energy savings by reducing the amount of time lights are on but not being used. Here are some facts about CFLs and LEDs:

• CFLs use 75% less energy and last about 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.
• LEDs last even longer than CFLs and consume less energy.
• LEDs have no moving parts and, unlike CFLs, they contain no mercury

Daylighting

 

Daylighting is the practice of using natural light to illuminate the home's interior. It can be achieved using the following approaches:

• skylights. It’s important that they be double-pane or they may not be cost-effective. Flashing skylights correctly is key to avoiding leaks.
• light shelves. Light shelves are passive devices designed to bounce light deep into a building. They may be interior or exterior. Light shelves can introduce light into a space up to 2½ times the distance from the floor to the top of the window, and advanced light shelves may introduce four times that amount.
• clerestory windows.  Clerestory windows are short, wide windows set high on the wall.  Protected from the summer sun by the roof overhang, they allow winter sun to shine through for natural lighting and warmth.
• light tubes.  Light tubes use a special lens designed to amplify low-level light and reduce light intensity from the midday sun.  Sunlight is channeled through a tube coated with a highly relective material, then enters the living space through a diffuser designed to distribute light evenly.

Cooking

 

An enormous amount of energy is wasted while cooking. The following recommendations and statistics illustrate less wasteful ways of cooking:

• Convection ovens are more efficient that conventional ovens. They use fans to force hot air to circulate more evenly, thereby allowing food to be cooked at a lower temperature. Convection ovens use approximately 20% less electricity than conventional ovens.
• Microwave ovens consume approximately 80% less energy than conventional ovens.
• Pans should be placed on the correctly-sized heating element or flame. 
• Lids make food heat more quickly than pans that do not have lids.
• Pressure cookers reduce cooking time dramatically.
• When using conventional ovens, food should be placed on the top rack. The top rack is hotter and will cook food faster. 

Leakage Through the Building Envelope

 

Sealing holes and cracks in the home’s envelope helps reduce drafts, moisture, dust, pollen and noise. A tightly sealed home can improve comfort and indoor air quality while reducing utility bills. Tightening the home reduces the number of air changes per hour. The following are some common places where leakage may occur:

• electrical outlets;
• mail slots;
• around pipes and wires;
• wall- or window-mounted air conditioners;
• attic hatches;
• fireplace dampers;
• weatherstripping around doors;
• baseboards;
• window frames; and
• switch plates.

Strategies for filling cracks:

• Caulk can be used to fill small gaps. Caulk can be obtained at hardware stores.
• Expandable foam can be used to fill larger gaps.
• Foam gaskets can be used to seal electrical outlets.

Windows and Doors

 

About one-third of the home's total heat loss usually occurs through windows and doors. The following are ways to reduce energy lost through doors and windows.

• Seal all window edges and cracks with rope caulk. This is the cheapest and simplest option.
• Windows can be weatherstripped with a special lining that is inserted between the window and the frame. For doors, weatherstrip around the whole perimeter to ensure a tight seal when closed. Install quality door sweeps on the bottom of the doors, if they aren't already in place.
• Install storm windows at windows with only single panes. A removable glass frame can be installed over an existing window.
• If existing windows have rotted or damaged wood, cracked glass, missing putty, poorly fitting sashes, or locks that don't work, they should be repaired or replaced.

Indoor Water Conservation

 

The following systems can be installed to conserve water usage in homes:

• low-flow shower heads. They are available in different flow rates, and some have a pause button which shuts off the water while the bather lathers up.
• low-flow toilets. Toilets consume 30% to 40% of the total water used in homes, making them the biggest water users. Replacing an older 3.5-gallon toilet with a modern, low-flow 1.6-gallon toilet can reduce usage an average of two gallons-per-flush (GPF), saving 12,000 gallons of water per year. Low-flow toilets usually have "1.6 GPF" marked on the bowl behind the seat or inside the tank.
• vacuum-assist toilets. These types of toilets have a vacuum chamber, which uses a siphon action to suck air from the trap beneath the bowl, allowing it to quickly fill with water to clear waste. Vacuum toilets are relatively quiet.
• dual-flush toilets. Dual-flush toilets have been used in Europe and Australia for years, and are now gaining in popularity in the U.S. Dual-flush toilets let you choose between a 1-gallon (or less) flush for liquid waste, and a 1.6-gallon flush for solid waste. Dual-flush 1.6-GPF toilets reduce water consumption by an additional 30%.

Solar-Thermal Heating

 

Solar water heating first became popular in the 1970s when federal, state and utility incentives encouraged their installation, as is happening again now. Inspectors will see many of these older systems still in place but no longer working. In practice, inspectors will encounter a wide variety of system configurations and components, and recommending a specialist inspection is a good idea in order to pass on liability. These systems can be expensive. The idea is fairly simple. Solar insolation heats a circulating fluid which transfers its heat to a storage tank from which home hot water can be drawn, either directly to plumbing fixtures, or to supply pre-heated water to boilers or hot water heaters.

Various types of solar-thermal heating can be installed, such as:

• evacuated tube collectors;
• flat-plate collectors; and 
• parabolic through-collectors.

In summary, there are a variety of adjustments to the home that homeowners can make to increase the energy-efficiency of their homes. 

From Increasing Home Energy Efficiency - InterNACHI http://www.nachi.org/increasing-home-energy-efficiency.htm#ixzz2jVy0J2gK

Grease Trap Inspection - One Source Real Estate Inspection

Grease Trap Inspection - One Source Real Estate Inspection 1-888-340-6566.

by Nick Gromicko

Commercial property inspectors, especially those who inspect food-handling establishments, can assist their clients in understanding the operation of grease traps so that their maintenance is not neglected.  An inoperable or clogged grease trap can cause serious problems not only for the inspected establishment, but also for neighbors and even the entire local community.
Grease traps are plumbing devices designed to intercept fats, oils and grease -- collectively known as FOG -- before they enter a wastewater disposal system. FOG originates from the cleaning process of pots, pans, plates and silverware that contain food products such as deep-fried foods, meats, sauces, gravy, dressings, baked goods, cheese and butter.
The terms “grease traps” and “grease interceptors” are often used interchangeably, but they are distinctly different technologies. While they both remove grease from water and operate by similar principles, here are some of their differences:

• Grease traps have a small capacity and are installed indoors and near the location where the grease is generated. They can be monitored and cleaned by restaurant employees and require no special equipment to clean.
• Grease interceptors are large, underground units (some having a capacity of several thousand gallons) that typically serve high-flow applications, such as larger restaurants, factories and grocery stores. To install a grease interceptor, a large trench must first be excavated and a cement footing built for support. The interceptor is placed into the trench where gravel is then poured to fill the space between the interceptor and the earth. An extension collar connects the buried interceptor with a manhole cover at ground level, approximately 30 inches above. Grease interceptors must be cleaned by licensed grease haulers who use specialized pumps and hoses.

Grease Traps vs. Removal or Converter Units

Grease traps and interceptors merely trap grease, so they should not be confused with automatic grease-removal units or grease converters. The former device employs hydrostatic pressure or a skimmer to clean itself, has more moving parts, and relies on motors, heaters and timers. Grease converters trap grease in a tank that contains bacteria and enzymes that digest the grease and convert it into a water-soluble biodegradable product that can be safely discharged into the drainage system.

 

How Do Grease Traps Work?

 

Most grease traps are passive, which means that they operate without any moving or mechanical parts. Greasy wastewater entering the trap passes through a vented flow control that regulates the flow of the wastewater. The wastewater passes over a series of baffles that separate the grease and oil from the water by slowing the flow to allow enough detention time for lighter fats, oils and greases to rise. The clean water rests at the bottom, where it may leave the unit through an exit valve, retaining the FOG within the trap until it is cleaned out. 
Without these devices, grease will enter sanitary sewer systems to create economic, safety and environmental hazards by clogging and damaging pipes and interfering with water-treatment plant operations. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that nearly half of all the 400,000 sewer blockages that occur annually are caused by grease, and many of these contribute to the 40,000 annual sewer overflows. Even accumulated FOG that does not lead to an overflow or blockage may increase public maintenance and costs. Homeowners, business owners and municipalities are burdened by cleanup costs that can exceed $100,000 per incident. People may be responsible for overflows that are not their fault, as was the case in 2007 when the city of Fort Worth, Texas, declared immunity to severe damage caused to three residences when effluent from the public sewer system flooded their homes.
Restaurants are the most common source of FOG that causes backups, and they're particularly vulnerable to the resulting damage, often in the form of lost business during temporary closure, spoiled food, and injured reputation. The use of adequately sized and regularly inspected grease traps is thus mandated by local jurisdictions in restaurants, along with hotels, food-processing establishments, supermarkets, factories, and other places that routinely generate significant amounts of grease that would otherwise wind up in public sewers.
Inspection Checklist
InterNACHI commercial inspectors and business operators can use the following checklist for inspecting grease traps:

• proper capacity. If the traps are too small, they will not be able to prevent some of the FOG from entering the sewer system. If they are too large, they can promote the creation of hydrogen sulfide gas, which may be converted into hydrochloric acid, which can damage metal and concrete structures downstream. Traps are sized based on the combined flow rate of the connected fixtures, including the sink, dishwasher and mop drain. As a rough guide, the city of Newton, Massachusetts, requires that grease traps have a retention capacity of at least 2 pounds of grease for each gallon-per- minute of water flow. The type of food served may also be a factor in sizing, as especially greasy or fried foods will require a larger grease trap;
• the presence of a flow-control valve. These T-shaped metal fittings control the rate of flow of wastewater into the trap and protect against sudden surges from the sink or other fixtures from overloading the system. They should be placed beyond the last connection from the fixtures and as close as possible to the underside of the lowest fixture. When two or more sinks or fixtures are combined and served by one trap, a single flow-control fitting can be used;
• the presence of an air intake for the flow-control valve. The flow-control device must be properly vented to permit air to mix with the fluid entering the interceptor to maintain adequate pressure. A vent will prevent a vacuum from forming within the trap, which can force water to enter the trap too quickly;
• proper clearance. Traps should be accessible for cleaning and inspection, whether located inside the kitchen, outside the building, or above or below ground;
• adequate distance from fixtures. Sources disagree over the proper distance that a grease trap should be installed from the fixtures being served. Some experts say that high temperatures may cause FOG to dissolve and exit the trap only to re-congeal once it cools in the sewer system, so traps should be installed some distance from dishwashers and other hot-water fixtures to allow time for the water to cool. Other sources, however, warn that placing the trap too far from fixtures will expose the building’s piping to grease buildup. Inspectors and restaurant owners can consult their authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) for local ordinances concerning appropriate water temperature and distance from fixtures of the grease trap;
• intact construction of the trap.  It should be free of cracks in any part of the trap, including the baffles;
• whether the garbage disposal empties into the grease trap, which is not desirable.  Ground food scraps will overload the trap and reduce its efficiency. Solid food scraps will also decay in the trap, creating unpleasant odors and unsanitary conditions;
• watertightness. Underground interceptors must be watertight to prevent the infiltration of groundwater or the escape of grease into groundwater or public sewers. Cracks should not be visible and the lid should be tight-fitting; and
• whether the grease trap has been re-purposed to serve multiple functions.  Grease traps should never serve toilets or other sanitary systems.

Cleaning the Grease Trap
It is important to understand that the grease trap’s efficiency diminishes as the trap fills with FOG, and when it is filled to capacity, it will no longer separate any FOG from water. The operator may not realize that the trap is full, however, as it will continue to accept water even after it fills, sending the unfiltered FOG directly into the sewer system. And because grease fills the trap from the top down (combined with variations in grease load), it can be difficult to know when the trap needs to be cleaned. And, unfortunately, cleaning grease traps, especially large units, is an unpleasant undertaking that may require restaurant operations to temporarily cease, so this important maintenance task is often neglected. Sometimes, too, amidst the hustle and bustle of a restaurant environment, the chore of cleaning the grease trap is simply forgotten.
The plumbing industry standard states that grease traps should be cleaned when 25% of the volume is occupied by grease (and 75% by water). Traps may need to be cleaned before hitting this threshold, however, so the operator will need to monitor the trap, particularly grease accumulation on the outlet baffle, to determine an appropriate cleaning schedule for the commercial enterprise. 
After disassembling the trap, the layer of FOG should be placed into a watertight bag or container and placed in the trash. Unlike “yellow grease” collected from deep-fat fryers that can be used in the production of biodiesel, soap and rubber, FOG is not recyclable and it must be placed in the trash. The interior sides, baffles and lid should then be scraped of FOG and cleaned. Rubber gloves should be worn and soap and antibacterial substances should be avoided during the cleaning process. When the trap is re-assembled, care should be taken to align the parts properly as, once flow is resumed, misaligned parts may allow overflowing and contamination of grease into the restaurant. While cleaning grease interceptors, care should be taken to avoid pinch points created by heavy manhole covers and to avoid damaging the rubber lining that prevents odors from escaping above ground. Any large items found at the bottom of the interceptor tank should be removed.  One company reported having discovered a tricycle in their tank.
To reduce the need for cleaning the grease trap, unfinished food, fats, cooking oil and grease remaining in pots and pans should be dry-wiped or scraped out and into the trash prior to wet-washing. This measure can substantially reduce FOG discharged into the grease trap and prevent the release of foul sulfur gases into the commercial establishment.
In summary, grease traps and grease interceptors are plumbing devices required in food service facilities that prevent fats, oils and grease from entering the public sewer system. InterNACHI inspectors and business operators should learn how these devices work and how they are cleaned, maintained and inspected.


From Grease Trap Inspection - InterNACHI http://www.nachi.org/grease-trap-inspection.htm#ixzz2jRdikhbU