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I Live In Knoxville; Do I Need A Radon Test?October 22nd, 2007
Question:I heard that Knoxville has high levels of radon gas. Is that true? And what is radon gas and how do I know if it’s in our home?
Answer:It’s true that Knoxville does have high levels of Radon. In fact, Knoxville and most of East Tennessee is in either a Zone 1 or Zone 2 which are the highest probability areas for Indoor Radon. See Radon Probability Map at http://www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html .
Radon gas is produced from a breakdown of uranium in the soil under your home. Radon gas is odorless, colorless and tasteless. The Surgeon General of the United States has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Approximately 24,000 people die each year from exposure to Radon.
I would not live in a home in Knoxville without having a radon test conducted.
The only way to know if you have elevated Radon levels in your home is to have a Radon test. Please see our website at http://www.smokymountainhomeinspections.com/ for complete details on Radon, Radon Testing and Radon Mitigation.
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Do I Need GFCI Electrical Outlets?October 22nd, 2007
Question:My house was built prior to 1990 and we don’t have GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) protected electrical outlets. Should we upgrade the existing outlets?
Answer:Absolutely! Today GFCI electrical outlets are required in all wet areas around the home, i.e., kitchens, and baths, garages, basements and on the exterior of the home. They are an inexpensive way to protect your family from electrocution when using electrical devices around water.
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It Takes My Clothes Too Long To Get Dry In My Clothes Dryer. Any Ideas?October 22nd, 2007
Question: It seems like it takes longer and longer for our clothes dryer to get our clothes dry? Any suggestions?
Answer:My first thought is that the clothes dryer vent needs to be cleaned out. When the vent line gets clogged up with lint it takes a lot longer for your clothes to get dry.
As a matter of fact, if the dryer vent line is clogged up you could actually have a fire. The Consumer Products Safety Commission estimates that there are approximately 15,000 clothes dryer fires each year with $97 million worth of damage caused by these fires.
Please, clean out your clothes dryer vent line at least Annually! I saw a good product on the internet the other day for cleaning your clothes dryer vent line. It was called the “Lint Eater” and their web site is www.linteater.com. The unit was priced under $55.00.
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Are Double Key Deadbolt Locks Unsafe?October 22nd, 2007
Question: We have double key deadbolt locks on our doors. Should we replace the double key deadbolt locks with single key deadbolt locks?
Answer:Double key deadbolt locks present a serious safety issue to household occupants in the event of a fire. First, in the event of a fire you won’t be able to find the key. And secondly, in a fire the clear air is no more than eighteen inches above the floor but the lock is typically installed about forty two inches above the floor so you won’t be able to insert the key to open the door.
I would replace all double key deadbolt locks.
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Do The Rubber Hoses On My Washing Machine Need To Be Replaced?October 22nd, 2007
Question: Our clothes washing machine is connected to the hot and cold water supply lines with the black rubber hoses. Should we replace the rubber hoses?
Answer:Yes! One of the best things you can do to minimize the risk of a flood in your home is replace your existing rubber washing machine supply line hoses with the flexible braded metal hoses. The braded metal hoses cost approximately $15 each. That’s the cheapest insurance you will ever purchase!
Here is a well kept secret - The rubber hoses will only break when you’re on vacation.
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How Can I Prevent Wood Rot On The Trim Of My House?October 22nd, 2007
Question: How can I help prevent wood rot on my wood window sills and trim?
Answer:There are three good ways to help prevent wood rot on your wood window sills and trim. The first thing is to keep the bushes and shrubs trimmed back away from the house at least eighteen inches. Second, the window sills and trim need to be kept caulked and painted (check on their condition annually). Finally, the third way to prevent wood rot is to remove the window screens on all of the windows that you don’t use for ventilation. The reason is that metal bottom section of the screen acts like a dam and water ponds on the window sills. As the paint on the window sills deteriorates water seeps through the sill and the wood begins to rot.
The interesting thing is that wood rot occurs more quickly on newer homes than on older homes. The wood on older homes is truly stronger.
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How Do I Know When To Change The Air Filter In My Heating & Cooling System?October 22nd, 2007
Question:How do I know when it’s time to change the filter in my heating and cooling system?
Answer:There are two ways to know when it’s time to change you air filter. First, the standard fiberglass air filters need to be changed once a month. The second way to know when it’s time to change your air filter is to mark the filter when installed with the date, that way you know how long the filter has been installed.  No disposable filter will last longer than 90 days. Indoor air quality is greatly enhanced by replacing your air filters on schedule.
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Is A Programmable Thermostat Worth The Investment?October 22nd, 2007
Question:
I have a standard thermostat for my heating and cooling unit. Should I upgrade to a programmable thermostat?
Answer:Most Definitely!
With a programmable thermostat, you can heat your home at various temperatures throughout the day, allowing the house to be cooler when no one is home or when everyone is asleep. Then you can crank up the heat 30 minutes before it’s really needed, and never feel the difference.
Installing a programmable thermostat shouldn’t set you back more than $150.00 and you can quickly recoup your costs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can slash your heating and cooling bills by 10% annually just by turning your thermostat back 10% to 15% for eight hours a day.
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Do I Need A Carbon Monixide Detector?October 22nd, 2007
Question: What is Carbon Monoxide and why do I need a Carbon Monoxide Detector?
Answer:Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless and potentially dangerous gas produced when fuel burns without enough air for complete combustion. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include fatigue, headache, dizziness, nausea, coughing, irregular breathing, paleness and cherry red lips and ears.
If symptoms are noticed, it is advised that you immediately open windows and doors to ventilate the home or structure, call 911 and get outside into fresh air. Later, have appliances checked carefully by a qualified heating contractor.
Purchase and install a carbon monoxide detector on each level of your home and near sleeping areas, in rooms over or near a garage, in the basement or other isolated area, and in rooms where space heaters are used. Detectors that have been verified by Underwriters Laboratory (UL) and have been manufactured after October 1995 conform to minimum alarm requirements. Those marked UL 2034 or IAS 6–96 have met the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines. Follow the directions for installing and using the detector carefully.
To help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning: Have your chimney and flue cleaned every year. Get a qualified inspector to check appliances and heating systems each year. Be sure all home appliances have adequate ventilation. Don’t rely on carbon monoxide detectors as a substitute for maintaining appliances, furnaces or chimneys. Be sure burner flames in appliances and heating systems are blue, not orange. Never use a gas range for space heating. Never run an automobile or gasoline engine in an enclosed space. Never use a charcoal grill indoors.

For more information, please call us at 800-511-4880 or go to our website at smokymountainhomeinspections.com

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