by Shawn Chesney | Jul 13, 2016 | Shawn Chesney Home Inspections Blog
12 Devices for Child-Proofing Your Home About 2.5 million children are injured or killed each year by hazards in the home. The good news is that many of these incidents can be prevented by using simple child-safety devices available today. Any safety device you buy should be sturdy enough to prevent injury to your child, yet easy for you to use. It’s important to follow installation instructions carefully. In addition, if you have older children in the house, be sure they re-secure safety devices. Remember, too, that no device is completely childproof; determined youngsters have been known to disable them. You can child-proof your home for a fraction of what it would cost to have a professional do it. And safety devices are easy to find. You can buy them at hardware stores, baby equipment shops, supermarkets, drug stores, home and linen stores, and through online and mail-order catalogues. Here are some child-safety devices that can help prevent many injuries to young children. Use safety latches and locks for cabinets and drawers in the kitchen, bathrooms, and other areas to help prevent poisonings and other injuries. Safety latches and locks on cabinets and drawers can help prevent children from gaining access to medicines and household cleaners, as well as knives and other sharp objects. Look for safety latches and locks that adults can easily install and use, but that are sturdy enough to withstand pulls and tugs from children. Safety latches are not a guarantee of protection, but they can make it more difficult for children to reach dangerous substances. Even products with child-resistant packaging should be locked away out...
by Shawn Chesney | Jul 13, 2016 | Shawn Chesney Home Inspections Blog
Bed Bugs and Their Prevention Bed bugs are small, flightless, rust-colored parasites that feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals. Homeowners should learn the telltale signs of these pests. Adult bed bugs are flat and the size of apples, with rust-colored, oval bodies. Newly hatched bed bugs are semi-transparent, light tan in color, and the size of a poppy seed. Yet, due to their elusive nature, their presence is usually discovered through peripheral clues rather than by seeing the bugs themselves. Some of these signs include fecal spots, blood smears, crushed bugs, or the itchy bumps that may result from bites. The bugs may be disturbed while feeding and leave a cluster of bumps, or they may bite in a row, marking the path of a blood vessel. The parasites emit a characteristic musty odor, although the smell is sometimes not present in even severe infestations. The bugs also emit a scent that is picked up by dogs, which has lead to the implementation of dogs for bed bug detection. Properly trained dogs can find bed bugs in wall voids, furniture gaps, and other places that homeowners may overlook. This helps exterminators to know where they should focus their efforts. History and Resurgence Bed bugs were all but eradicated in the 1950s, but they have re-emerged in a big way. At the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Bed Bug Summit in 2009, researchers decided that the parasite’s revival is more appropriately termed a pandemic rather than an epidemic, noting its rapid spread across large regions and different continents. The United States has seen a 50-fold increase in...
by Shawn Chesney | Jul 13, 2016 | Shawn Chesney Home Inspections Blog
The Bathroom Vent System Bathroom ventilation systems are designed to exhaust odors and damp air to the home’s exterior. A typical system consists of a ceiling fan unit connected to a duct that terminates at the roof or side of the home. Ventilation systems should be installed in all bathrooms, including those with windows, since windows will not be opened during the winter in cold climates. Fan Function The fan may be controlled in one of several ways. Most are controlled by a conventional wall switch. A timer switch may be mounted on the wall. A wall-mounted humidistat can be pre-set to turn the fan on and off based on different levels of relative humidity. It’s not always easy to tell whether the bathroom vent fan is operating as it should. Newer fans may be very quiet but work just fine. Older fans may be very noisy or very quiet. If an older fan is quiet, it may not be working well. Bathroom ventilation fans should be periodically checked for dust buildup, which can impede air flow. Particles of moisture-laden animal dander and lint are also attracted to the fan because of its static charge. Homeowners should regularly clean dirty fan covers to prevent this kind of buildup. Defects The following conditions indicate insufficient ventilation in the bathroom: stains on the bathroom walls and/or ceiling; corrosion of metal parts of the vent system; visible mold on the walls and/or ceiling; peeling paint or wallpaper; frost on the interior of the bathroom window; high indoor humidity; and/or improper duct termination. Duct Termination The most common defect related to the...
by Shawn Chesney | Jul 13, 2016 | Shawn Chesney Home Inspections Blog
Crawlspace Safety Crawlspaces are notorious for the nasty discoveries made there by homeowners, inspectors, and home re-modelers, and it isn’t hard to figure out why; for one thing, their cool, dark environment attracts undesirable pests and can promote dangerous conditions. And since the crawlspace is mostly unmonitored, hazards can breed there unchecked for a long time. Never enter a crawlspace without wearing protective clothing and having two flashlights (in case the first one stops working). The following are some of the more common dangers discovered in crawlspaces: • Metal and Wooden Protrusions: Depending on the age of your home, the crawlspace may house some unwelcoming structural protrusions that you may bump your head on or cut your hand on, so proceed with caution. Even if your crawlspace is clean and free of pests, it’s no guarantee that it will also be free of a nail head, bent metal attachment, or joist or beam in an unexpected area. Protect your head by wearing a ball cap or hard hat, and wear gloves to protect your hands. • Pests: Dirt crawlspaces provide the environment that is favored by ants, termites and other insects, and various other pests, including snakes and scorpions, as well as warm-blooded animals looking for a place to nest, such as raccoons, mice and rats. Some of these pests are poisonous; others may attack when startled. Always wear protective clothing and use a strong flashlight to illuminate the space before entering it. • Mold: Just like pests, mold and other types of fungus can grow rapidly in crawlspaces. Mold is a health concern, as well as a cause...
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