2001 Inspection Industry
Advisory
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Inspection Industry Updates
July 2001
Furnaces Recalled in California
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) is announcing a recall of about 30,000 furnaces sold in
California. Seven firms are offering to repair or replace certain furnaces,
which were sold under their own labels, but were manufactured by
Consolidated Industries Inc. The units involved are gas-fired horizontal
furnaces equipped with steel "NOx" rods installed above the
burners and are commonly called NOx rod furnaces. These furnaces pose a
substantial risk of fire.
Full
Story>>
Is Your Home Cracking Up?
Most of us have seen cracks in our
homes. Some of us may have even seen cracks appearing on the foundation of
the home. But do you know how to tell if a crack is structurally
deficient?
Full
Story>>
Electrical Safety Tips That Could Save
Your Life
Each
year, more than 41,000 residential fires that claim about 350 lives and
cause over 1,400 injuries are due to incidents that involve electrical
equipment, such as extension cords, outlets and light bulbs. When was
the last time you proactively looked for and corrected electrical safety
hazards in your home?
Full
Story>>
June 2001
Spotlight on Mold: Tips to Protect Your
Home
A recent court ruling in Texas
awarded a family $32 million after finding that the family's insurance
company mishandled the homeowner's claim for black mold damage. This
ruling has merely increased public awareness of indoor mold
contamination. What can you do to help protect your home from mold
invasion?
Full Story>>
Do Homeowners Really Need To Clean Brick
Walls?
Even the most diligent homeowner rarely considers the need to clean older brick surfaces -- brick, after all, seems just about permanent. But cleaning bricks enhances their appearance and adds to their longevity and preservation.
Full Story>>
Tips To Keep Children Safe in Backyard
Pools
About 350 children under five years
old drown in pools each year nationwide, and over half of these incidents
occur in June, July and August. Most of these cases involve
residential pools.
Full Story>>
May 2001
Electric Ranges Recalled
In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
(CPSC), Maytag Corp., of Newton, Iowa, is voluntarily recalling about 13,000 Crosley and Magic Chef electric ranges. Liquid can enter the indicator light and can cause sparking and flaming in the light, presenting a fire hazard to consumers.
Full
Story>>
Who Will Check For Asbestos?
A common question posed by potential homebuyers is, "Is there asbestos in this
house?" Asbestos is a known environmental hazard, which has been discontinued in residential construction since 1978. However, there are still thousands of older homes that contain this potentially lethal material.
Full Story>>
Thousands of Dehumidifiers Recalled
In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC), LG Electronics Inc., of Seoul, South
Korea, is voluntarily recalling about 100,000 Goldstar, General Electric,
and Sears Kenmore portable dehumidifiers. These dehumidifiers have an
internal electrical connection that can overheat, presenting a potential
fire hazard to consumers.
Full
Story>>
CPSC Warns Flood Victims: Replace All Gas
Control Valves, Electric Circuit Breakers, GFCIs and Fuses That Have Been
Under Water
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) is warning flood victims that all gas control valves,
electric circuit breakers, ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), and
fuses that have been under water must be replaced to avoid explosions and
fires.
Full
Story>>
April 2001
AquaStar Water Heaters May Leak Carbon
Monoxide
In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Controlled Energy Corporation (CEC), of
Waitsfield, Vt., is recalling about 320 AquaStar natural gas water heaters.
The heaters can produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide in the exhaust
gas, which can cause serious injuries and death.
Full
Story>>
Home Inspections Increase Confidence in Home Purchase and Realtor
A recent study by the National
Association of Realtors and the American Society of Home Inspectors
indicates that Realtors strongly agree that a home inspection increases
buyer confidence in their purchase, and increases buyer confidence in their
real estate agent/broker.
Full
Story>>
Air Conditioners Recalled
More than 17,000 air conditioning
units are being voluntarily recalled due to a fire hazard.
Full
Story>>
A Closer Look at Expansive Soil
A key component in the stability of a
house, which is often overlooked by homeowners and home buyers, is the soil
on which the house is built. The stability of the soil and the design
of the home's foundation play an integral role in the performance of the
structure. If soils move by expanding, contracting or sliding,
structural damage can occur to the home.
Full
Story>>
March 2001
How To Prevent Basement Leaks
When searching for a new home,
looking for indications of water in the basement is about as common as
kicking the tires of a used car -- everybody does it, but few have any idea
what they are really looking for, or why.
Full
Story>>
Buyer Beware: Synthetic Stucco Lawsuits
Blocked
Two judges in Alabama have blocked
lawsuits over Dryvit's synthetic stucco product that covers an estimated
8,000 homes in Alabama.
Full
Story>>
Keep It Safe Around the Pool
With warm weather just around the
corner, it's time to start thinking about pools and pool safety.
According to recent studies, more than half of all pool drownings that occur
in the U.S. involve children under the age of five. Attention to pool
fencing and other safety issues is imperative for everyone owning or living
near a pool or back yard spa.
Full
Story>>
February 2001
Class Action Suits Pending Over Fire-Free
Roofing
At least two class action lawsuits in
California are pending against Re-Con, the manufacturer of FireFree®
roofing products. Complaints allege that the FireFree®
roofing products warp, cup, break, deteriorate and delaminate, often well in
advance of the claimed 50-year warranty period.
Full
Story>>
Natural Gas Water Heaters Recalled
Controlled Energy Corporation (CEC)
of Waitsfield, Vermont, is recalling about 320 AquaStar natural gas water
heaters. The heaters can produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide
in the exhaust gas, which can cause serious injuries and death.
Full
Story>>
Should You Worry About Sloping Floors?
Surely you've come across homes with sloping floors, perhaps even your own. But do you know whether or not you should be concerned?
Full
Story>>
Floor Lamps Recalled
Environmental Lighting Concepts of
Tampa, Florida is voluntarily recalling about 1,560 floor lamps. An
electronic component inside the plug can overheat, presenting a fire and
burn hazard to consumers.
Full
Story>>
12-Inch Miter Saws Recalled For Repair
More than 118,000 12-inch miter saws
have been voluntarily recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission, Black & Decker Inc. and Dewalt Industrial Tool Company.
Bolts on the saws can loosen and the blade could detach, posing a risk of
lacerations to consumers.
Full
Story>>
January 2001
EPA Issues New Standards for Lead
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) announced tough, new standards to identify dangerous levels of
lead in paint, dust and soil. These new, national standards are more
protective than previous EPA guidance and will, for the first time, provide
homeowners, school and playground administrators, childcare providers and
others with standards to protect children from hazards posed by lead,
including children in federally-owned housing.
Full Story>>
Warning: Use Gas-Powered Generators Outdoors
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) has warned residents in areas hit by a severe winter storm
that gasoline-powered generators should not be used indoors because of the
risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Deaths from CO poisoning have
occurred after ice storms in the past.
Full
Story>>
Coming Soon: More Energy Efficient Homes
New home construction in California
will soon be required to be more energy efficient under new California
Energy Commission (CEC) regulations.
Full
Story>>
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