• MattReed
• Home Owners and Buyers Articles
• Apr, 21, 2016
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Building Cavities Used as Supply or Return Ducts by Nick Gromicko and Ben Gromicko  Nearly all building codes restrict the use of cavity spaces as supply ducts. However, it has been common practice to use cavity spaces as return-air pathways. Building cavities used as return-air plenums is one of the leading causes of duct leakage […]

• MattReed
• Home Owners and Buyers Articles
• Apr, 20, 2016
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Barbeque Safety by Nick Gromicko With barbeque season already here, homeowners should heed the following safety precautions in order to keep their families and property safe. Propane grills present an enormous fire hazard, as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is aware of more than 500 fires that result annually from their misuse or malfunction. The following […]

• MattReed
• Home Owners and Buyers Articles
• Apr, 15, 2016
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by Nick Gromicko and Ethan Ward Asbestos cement siding is a composite material consisting of Portland cement reinforced with asbestos fibers.  When manufacturers figured out ways to produce siding made using asbestos cement, it became very popular for a number of years before being banned in the U.S. in the 1970s.  InterNACHI inspectors are likely to […]

• MattReed
• Home Owners and Buyers Articles
• Apr, 13, 2016
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by Nick Gromicko  Attic Pull-Down Ladders Attic pull-down ladders, also called attic pull-down stairways, are collapsible ladders that are permanently attached to the attic floor. Occupants can use these ladders to access their attics without being required to carry a portable ladder.   Common Defects   Homeowners, not professional carpenters, usually install attic pull-down ladders. Evidence […]

• MattReed
• Home Owners and Buyers Articles
• Apr, 12, 2016
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by Nick Gromicko Anti-scald valves, also known as tempering valves and mixing valves, mix cold water in with outgoing hot water so that the hot water that leaves a fixture is not hot enough to scald a person. Facts and Figures Scalds account for 20% of all burns. More than 2,000 American children are scalded […]

• MattReed
• Home Owners and Buyers Articles
• Apr, 11, 2016
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by Nick Gromicko Gravity furnace A Gravity furnace is a heating unit and related equipment that employ gravity to move warm air throughout a building. These antiquated furnaces were installed from the late 1800s to the mid-20th century and are still found in use in some older buildings. Their design is simple:  fuel is inserted through a door into […]

• MattReed
• Home Owners and Buyers Articles
• Apr, 09, 2016
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by Nick Gromicko While the considerable advantages offered by solar power move some proponents to ignore the budding technology’s comparatively minor flaws, these imperfections must be acknowledged, lest their resolutions be stalled. We should take an honest look at the system’s disadvantages and seek to refine solar energy systems into a truly environmentally friendly alternative. The […]

• MattReed
• Home Owners and Buyers Articles
• Apr, 08, 2016
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by Nick Gromicko   Solar energy offers considerable advantages over conventional energy systems by nullifying flaws in those systems long considered to be unchangeable. Solar power for home energy production has its flaws, too, which are outlined in another article, but they’re dwarfed by the advantages listed below. The following are advantages of solar energy: Raw materials are […]