Some folks are just natural born “Mr. or Ms. Fixits.” Does this sound like you? Not only do you revel in the afterglow of saving money by doing things yourself, but you also really enjoy tackling do-it-yourself home projects. However, it’s best to acknowledge that your experience and abilities may have some limits. Some projects can result in serious injury, death, or huge bills to undo damage you may have caused. 

Each year, homeowners suffer millions of injuries from tools, hardware, falls, electric shock, and more. Click here to learn more.  

Aside from risking bodily harm, if you do projects or repairs badly, that may haunt you later if want to sell your home. Shoddy repairs can raise serious red flags with home inspectors.

So, when is it time to forget do-it- yourself and call in the pros? Let’s take a look at home projects we recommend you NEVER do.

Tree trimming and removal

It’s tempting to want to do your own tree work, especially when it’s something simple like trimming small trees. However, trimming tall trees or removing dead and rotting ones is a job for experienced arborists.

Why should you NOT cut down trees yourself? Let’s count the whys:

• Risk of injury from chainsaws

• Falls from ladders

• Trees or limbs falling on people below

• Electrocution from power lines

The takeaway? Removing trees or limbs is dangerous work best left to professionals.

The shocking truth!

You pride yourself on having changed out light switches or electrical outlets. That’s great, but don’t let your guard down. When it comes to bigger jobs, it’s just not worth the risk to your life.

In general, working with electricity is dangerous. Not only do you risk injury or death, but making the wrong connections can lead to a devastating house fire. 

Here are some electrical jobs you should NEVER attempt:

• Working in or swapping out a home’s main electrical panel

• Rewiring the whole house

• Working with live electricity

Click here for NIH statistics on accidental death by electricity.

When the walls come tumbling down

Knocking down walls is not do-it-yourself task for most homeowners. Misidentifying a load-bearing wall may cause structural collapse or cause upper floors to slope or sag. And NEVER try to demolish an exterior wall; that’s strictly a job for licensed contractors.

It’s a gas gas gas!

Repairs on natural gas or propane lines can be explosive, so don’t even attempt it. 

Contact your gas company or a plumber immediately if you smell gas, or if gas-powered appliances are not functioning properly. If you call a plumber, make sure they are certified to handle gas lines.

Speaking of plumbers

Some plumbing projects may be the right fit for your home handyman chops, such as swapping out a p-trap under your sink or changing your toilet’s flapper. However, there are some you should not attempt.

Leaky pipes, drain clogs that won’t go away, and a kaput hot water heater are best left to experienced, licensed plumbers. Attempting these yourself could make the problem worse, resulting in water damage or flooding. The money you tried to save is not worth the repair price of extensive water damage to your home, aside from the fact that your homeowner’s insurance will turn you down if they learn that you caused the damage with your faulty fix.

Click here to learn how homeowners can wreck their plumbing.

Up on the roof

Most homeowners don’t have the skills to do roof repair. Be honest with yourself, and leave the job to licensed roofing companies.

If you intend to sell your house any time soon, consult with a professional roofer to do any needed repairs before listing the property, especially if you notice curled, damaged or missing shingles, missing flashing, or signs of water damage.

Never disturb asbestos

If you find asbestos in your home, never attempt to remove it yourself. Inhaling asbestos fibers can result in a long, painful death from a rare type of cancer. Generally, if left undisturbed, asbestos does not pose a safety hazard. But during removal, particles can get into the air and find their way to your lungs. 

Asbestos removal can be quite expensive, but it’s a must if you’re planning on doing remodeling in areas where it’s found, usually in siding and in plumbing installations. If you plan to sell your home, get an estimate on professional removal, since asbestos can be a real sticking point in home inspections.

No matter how great you believe your D-I-Y home skills to be, err on the side of caution and always call professionals for these types of projects.

Buying or selling a home?

Avoid unpleasant surprises! Contact Asheville Home Inspector Peter Young before signing any contracts. Call (828) 808-4980, or click the link below to make an appointment.

Schedule an appointment

The post Our DO NOT DO list for homeowners appeared first on Peter Young Home Inspections.

It’s almost the season for cool autumn nights, sitting near a toasty fire and sipping your favorite warm beverage. Whether you have a fireplace, a woodburning stove, or a gas log insert, nothing warms your bones as completely as fire.

However, there’s a “dark side.” Fires can be dangerous! Let’s take a closer look.

A burning issue

Approximately 14,000 chimney fires occur in the United States annually, according to the US Fire Administration (USFA), and nearly 90% of them are caused by creosote buildup. 

Chimney fires cause property damage upward of $120.9 million in this country alone, 60% of these during the winter months, and 75% of these fires involve chimneys or flues.

Download a report from USFA on residential chimney fires.

On the side of caution

While fireplaces, wood stoves, and gas logs can be cozy ways to heat your home on cold nights, it’s imperative to learn some safety rules to avoid accidents and house fires. Here are some tips for fire safety:

• Get your chimney or metal chimney pipe cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified professional. This helps prevent fires and ensures that your fireplace or wood-burning stove is operating efficiently.
• Use only dry, seasoned wood. Wet or green wood produces creosote, a sticky, flammable substance that builds up in chimneys and pipes and causes fires.
• Never burn flammable materials other than wood, with the exception of a bit of newspaper or store-bought fire-starter packs. Never burn pressure treated wood or plastics. These emit toxic fumes and may contribute to chimney or pipe fires.
• Keep the area around your fireplace or stove clear of flammable materials, including rugs, curtains, and furniture. Sparks can and do happen!
• Don’t leave fireplaces unattended. Modern wood stoves can be set up to run all night, but that’s only accomplished with a lot of practice. Better to be sure the fire is out before you go to bed.
• Always use a fire screen or spark guard to prevent flying sparks.
• Open the damper when you start a fire, and close it when the fire is out.
• NEVER use gasoline or flammable liquids to start your fire!

That’s a gas!

Gas log fireplace inserts have become popular, due to their ease of use. Here are some additional safety tips for gas fireplaces:

• Make sure the gas line was professionally installed, and have it checked annually.
• NEVER use your fireplace if you suspect a gas leak.
• Turn off the gas when not using the fireplace.
• Use only gas logs approved for your fireplace.
• Never leave gas logs unattended when lit.
• Clean and inspect your gas fireplace annually.

More considerations

Fireplaces, woodburning stoves, and gas logs can produce carbon monoxide (CO), an odorless, colorless gas that can kill you. 

Be sure to install CO detectors in your home, and test them monthly. Wear earplugs during the tests.

While we’re on the subject of CO, common sense dictates that you’d be better off not using ventless gas log fireplaces.

While the amount of CO released may be small, the tight insulation envelopes in many modern homes keeps them quite airtight. That means CO will be present, lessening the quality of your indoor air. Open the flue and vent these gases up and away from you.

Fireplaces and wood stoves can injure children and pets. Take steps to keep them away while in use.

Follow these tips, and then you can feel confident about enjoying the warmth and ambiance of your wood stove or fireplace on those crisp autumn and winter evenings.

Buying or selling a home in Western North Carolina?

Avoid unpleasant surprises! Contact Asheville Home Inspector Peter Young before signing any contracts. Call (828) 808-4980, or click here to make an appointment.

The post Stay safe enjoying the fire on cool autumn nights appeared first on Peter Young Home Inspections.

When it comes to injuries and fatalities, most accidents occur in the home. The National Safety Council says home deaths occur every 16 minutes, and one disabling home injury happens every four seconds. The plain truth is that most accidents are preventable. With a combination of knowledge and good, common sense, you can make your home a safer and happier place. Here are some important things to know to keep your home and family safe.

Where there’s smoke…

The key to surviving a house fire is early detection. Minutes (and sometimes seconds) count. Be sure to have smoke detectors installed close to bedrooms. The best smoke detectors are electrical with a battery backup. These emit a shrill, piercing tone that will alert you when smoke is detected. The battery is there in case power goes out. Be sure to change your battery at least once a year, and preferably twice (spring and fall). Also, be sure to test your smoke detector by pressing the test button monthly. A non-functioning smoke detector is no better than having none at all. Place fire extinguishers throughout your home. Inspect them regularly according to specifications, and be sure you and family members (including children) know how to use them.  Click here to learn about types of fire extinguishers and their proper use. Keep winter fire starter items in a safe, closed container away from sources of combustion, such as stoves, water heaters, pilot lights, etc. Home supply stores sell plastic, lidded bins that are excellent for storing these items. Keep flashlights and backup batteries on nightstands or close to beds, and in other areas, such as living rooms, dens, and kitchens. Formulate a fire escape plan with your family, and practice it until everyone knows it by heart.  Read more about fire escape plans here. If bedrooms in your home are above ground level, keep a collapsible escape ladder available for each room. A variety of models and types are available at most home supply stores. Keep a disaster preparedness kit stored in an accessible place. Check and refill it each spring and fall.

The shocking truth

Like all accidents, electrical injuries can be prevented. Begin by checking the condition of all electrical sources. Inspect all your home outlets, and replace damaged or cracked covers. If an outlet feels warm to the touch, there is something wrong! Contact an electrician to have the outlet fixed or replaced. Also, check all cords and wires for damage. Do not use appliances that have damaged cords; have them repaired or replaced immediately. Install ground fault circuit interrupters in wet areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and garages. If you are not familiar with electrical repair, it’s best to let an electrician handle this task. Keep small appliances away from water sources. For example, don’t keep a plugged-in hair dryer near the bathtub or near a water-filled sink.

Big ba-da-BOOM!

Natural gas and propane are fabulous conveniences. They can cook our food, heat our water, and heat our homes in the cooler months. However, to use gas safely, you need to be familiar with a few strict rules. Know the warning signs of a gas leak. If you detect a strong sulfur smell (like rotten eggs) get out of the house quickly. DO NOT turn anything connected to a power source on or off. Just get yourself and your family out of there, and call 911 and your gas company from your cellphone outside or from a neighbor’s house. Ignoring signs of a gas leak can lead to fire or explosions and fatalities or serious injuries. Keep carbon monoxide detectors in your home if you use gas appliances. A malfunctioning gas appliance may emit lethal levels of CO2. A carbon monoxide detector emits a shrill tone, similar to a smoke detector, to warn you before CO2 levels become incapacitating. Be sure to test your detector according to manufacturer’s instructions. Inspect all gas appliances periodically. If you are unsure of how to do this, call your gas company to arrange an inspection. Never keep flammable materials, such as furniture, curtains, or papers close to a gas heater. Always leave at least three feet of clearance between the heater and flammable items. As you can see, most accidents don’t just happen. They are the end result of carelessness and unpreparedness. Take the time and energy to educate yourself and your family, and you will be able to enjoy your home safely for many years to come.

Call Peter Young Home Inspections

Buying or selling a home? Never sign any contract without first getting a home inspection!  Call Asheville Home Inspector Peter Young, 828-808-4980, or click here to make an appointment today.

The post Fire, electrical, and gas safety tips appeared first on Peter Young Home Inspections.