Not all fires are the same. Some fires smolder and smoke for hours before flaming up and some fires burn quick without much smoke.  It makes good sense to install an alarm with duel detection features.

The most popular type sold in the U.S. today is the Ionization alarm. This type monitors ‘ions,’ or electrically charged particles in the air. Air molecules in a sample chamber are ‘ionized’ by a radioactive source. This allows a small electrical current flow. Smoke particles entering the sensing chamber change the electrical balance of the air. When combustion (smoke) particles enter the alarm, they obstruct the flow of the current. An alarm is pre-programmed to sound when the current gets too low.Ionization smoke alarms respond first to fast flaming fires. A flaming fire devours combustibles extremely fast, spreads rapidly and generates considerable heat with little smoke. This alarm is best suited for rooms that contain highly combustible materials like cooking fat/grease, flammable liquids, newspaper, paint and cleaning solutions.

Photoelectronic alarms contain a light emitting diode (LED) which is adjusted to direct a narrow infrared light across the unit’s detection chamber. When smoke particles enter this chamber they interfere with the beam and scatter the light. A strategically placed photodiode monitors the amount of light scattered within the chamber. When a pre-set level of light strikes the photodiode, the alarm is activated.Photoelectronic smoke alarms respond first to slow smoldering fires. A smoldering fire generates large amounts of thick, black smoke with little heat.

Photoelectronic models are best suited for living rooms, bedrooms and kitchens because they often contain large pieces of furniture, such as sofas, chairs, mattresses, counter tops, etc. which burn slowly and create more smoldering smoke than flames.

Photoelectronic smoke alarms are also less prone to nuisance alarms in the kitchen area than ionization smoke alarms.

I suggest the use of a duel detector that uses both the ionization and the Photoelectronic features. Together they should provide a home with maximum protection and an ample warning in the event of a fire.

For more information on home inspections, home maintenance and how to tips visit www.garynsmith.net or call 601-454-5559.

Even though you may not be a qualified HVAC technician there are several things you can do to you improve your air conditioner efficiency and you don’t need special tools and equipment to maintain your system.

• Inspect your system air filter monthly and replace as needed. A clean air filter is important for the air conditioning season and the heating season.
• Try and keep the supply registers (small grills in the ceiling) open during operation. Your heating and cooling system is sized for a specific amount of air flow. Closing too many registers can affect the system’s ability to function adequately.
• Be sure the drain line, most often PVC pipe that drains the indoor coil or evaporator, is kept clear and that there are no kinks in the hose or line. If this line seems dirty you can pour a small amount of common household bleach through it to kill growing bacteria and help to maintain flow.
• Turn the power off to the outdoor unit or condenser at the breaker. Remove all grass and shrubs growing within 8-10 inches of the coil that surrounds the air conditioner. Use a garden hose to soak down the coil surface area making sure not to use so much pressure that you damage the coil fins. Apply a condenser coil cleaner product and let soak for 3-5 minutes. Remove the unit’s top and flush the coil clean with a garden hose…preferably from the inside out. While working inside the condensing unit oil the condenser fan motor with 4-5 drops of light weight oil, provided the motor has oiling ports.
• Reassemble and restore power to the air conditioner. Set your thermostat to cool and below room temperature. Let it run for 5-10 minutes and check the discharge temperature at one of the supply registers closest to the indoor air handler (the main furnace). A quick rule of thumb is that you should have a 15 to 20 degree difference in supply air temperature and room air temperature. Test the air temperature at the return air filter and if it’s 76 degrees in the house your supply air temperature should be around 56 to 61 degrees. If the temperature difference is less than 15 degrees it may require servicing.

For more information on home inspections, home maintenance and how to tips visit www.garynsmith.net or call 601-454-5559.

• Always disconnect a circuit before making repairs on it or before installing a light fixutre.
• Never work with or near electricity when your hands are wet or your feet are damp.
• Don’t use outlet multiplier plugs (the device that plugs into an outlet and allows for more plugs to be added) to connect lamps and appliances whose amperage totals more than the capacity of the circuit.
• Avoid using extension cords whenever possible. Never rn them across hallways or doorways, under carpeting or furniture, or through walls. Never staple then in place.
• Never replace a blown fuse with a larger amp fuse.
• Don’t cut the grounding (3rd) prong off a plug to fit it into a two-hole receptacle.
• Keep electrical appliances (e.g., hair dryer, radio, shaver) away from bath tubs, sinks, and showers.
• Don’t pull cords out of receptacles by the wire; hold the cord by the plug and pull.
• Always replace worn or frayed lamp and appliance wires.
• Don’t try and extenguish small electrical fires with water. Use baking soda or a type “C” household halon extinguisher, whick is rated for electrical fires.
• All electrical work done in your home should be inspected and approved by the local authorities.
• When in doubt, call a licensed electrician.

The number one concern I receive in my pre-inspection interviews relate to foundation movement. There are many factors that can affect a solid foundation. Expansive soils and foundation design are two of the most critical. However there is one common suggestion amoung both design professionals and soils experts that play a vital role in maintaining a healthy stable home.

Drainage.

Poor surface and subsurface drainage can lead to water ponding around your home, leaks in your basement and water seeping into your crawlspace.  Successful drainage requires leading surface water away from the outside foundation wall at the appropriate angle.  What is the correct angle?

According to standard building practices the grade immediately adjacent to the building should be sloped a minimum of 5% (or 3 inches every 5 feet) for at least 10 feet outward from a building foundation or as far as practical. Here is how to measure the slope.

Slope is the ratio of the length of the rise (the vertical change) to the length of the run (the horizontal change). A simple way to measure slope is to use a carpenter’s level placed on a 2×4.

Place the board on the ground along the slope you want to measure and lift the lower end until the board is level.

To determine the rise, measure the distance from the ground to the bottom edge of the board.

The run is the length of the board from the end to where you measured the rise.

Divide the rise by the run to obtain the per cent of the slope. For example, if the rise is 3 inches and the run is 60 inches, the slope is 3 ÷ 60 = 5%.