2020 Blog

shower safety

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 18:17:00 GMT

Question: QUICK! Do you know which side the HOT water control handle is in your shower?

It SHOULD be on the left side without hesitation of thinking about it. Most people don't have to think about it because it is the building standard. We get used to it but in some houses I inspect, the plumber (or homeowner) has reversed the hot/cold water supply. The homeowner states "we just got used to it" but what if they have visitors staying at their house and want to take a shower. As the water is getting hotter, they may be thinking they are turning more cold water on, but they are actually turning up the heat (hot water supply). This is especially a child safety issue.

Don't take anything for granted! Especially in showers, make sure the hot is on the left and the cold water supply is on the right. On showers that are single handle control, turn the handle all the way to the left for hot water. As you turn it back to OFF (turning it right), the water should get colder.

DIY Garage door sensor installation

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 18:04:00 GMT

What's wrong with this picture? Please read manufacturer's installation instructions for safety issues. It is not enough to just have a garage door installed it must also be done with accuracy. It must be in great working order all the time so that there are no accidents that can occur with a faulty door. One thing that we stress is the fact that it is important that they have safety sensors installed on their garage doors.

Safety sensors have photo eyes in them. These photo eyes can detect if there is anything that will block the garage door from closing properly. It works with laser lights. These laser lights must come in contact with each other in order for the garage door to close. If they do not meet because is blocking them then they will stop and reverse themselves to the open position again. Do you know the statistics of how many people, especially young children that have been injured or even killed with garage doors crushing them. Most garage doors are heavy. When these heavy doors come down on a child who weighs less then a hundred pounds it can be a horrible thing. They all know that you can tell a child a hundred times to not play with the garage doors and they will take no heed to your words. So they push that customers install these safety sensors to take the chance away from a child getting hurt.

Crickets or saddles on your roof

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:32:00 GMT

It is not uncommon to see a missing cricket behind a chimney used to divert water around the chimney so water does not dam behind the chimney. A cricket or saddle shall be installed on the ridge side of any chimney greater than 30 inches (762 mm) wide. Cricket or saddle coverings shall be sheet metal or of the same material as the roof covering. It looks like a mini-roof behind the chimney.

Slab Foundation Maintenance

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:28:00 GMT

Most of the North Texas area soil is expansive type clay. Therefore, proper care of your home’s foundation is very important in preserving the integrity of the structure. Clay soil has the ability to expand (when wet) and contract (when dry) at alarming rates. This requires that an even and rather constant level of moisture be maintained around the entire house. Defects in foundations occur when the structure does not move as a unit. This could occur when one area around the foundation is continually wet, while other areas remain dry. Suggest a soaker hose approx 1.5’ from slab during summer months. The SW corner is your hottest area during the summer. Keep the soil against the slab with proper watering.

Water heater weights

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:31:00 GMT