Los Angeles prosecutors charged that Becker built a Hollywood Hills West mansion with such disregard for public safety and building codes that he should be held criminally liable for the death of a Los Angeles firefighter who was crushed by a thousand pounds of ceiling while battling a blaze there in 2011.

Becker, 49, was set to go on trial for involuntary manslaughter and faced up to four years in jail. But on Friday, the case came to an abrupt end with a judge agreeing to a deal that will keep the architect in jail for a total of only six months in exchange for a no-contest plea.

Prosecutors, the victim's family and firefighters opposed the resolution, saying Becker deserved more punishment. About 15 uniformed firefighters attended the court hearing Friday to lend their support. More than 400 firefighters submitted letters to the court.

In offering the deal, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Robert Perry questioned the strength of the prosecution's case. He suggested that a Los Angeles building and safety inspector who reviewed Becker's home may share some of the blame.

The inspector, Brad Bescos, signed off on the house three months before the fire, according to court records. During an interview with investigators and then in his testimony at a preliminary hearing in 2012, Bescos offered conflicting accounts about whether he saw some of the building code violations or whether Becker might have hidden them during an inspection. The confusion damaged the inspector's credibility in the eyes of the judge.

"There are serious issues of proof for responsibility of the loss of life," Perry said.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Sean Carney, who had offered Becker a plea deal of two years in jail, criticized the judge's offer Friday, saying it missed an opportunity to send a stronger message to architects who might be considering skirting the rules.

"It is a sentence that undermines any deterrent effect that says they can blame it on city bureaucracy's negligence," Carney said outside the courtroom, flanked by firefighters.

"I don't think six months in jail is worth what all these guys went through," retired firefighter Kevin Mulvehill tearfully told reporters. "Everyone who responded has a life sentence."

After 11 years of designing massive villas on a Spanish island, Becker had set his sights on a new challenge: a lot on Viewsite Terrace straddling a hillside a mile up from West Hollywood's ritzy Sunset Plaza.

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Architect reaches plea deal in L.A. firefighter's death

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) December 31, 2013

Hangman Products' new Elephant Hook, named for its distinctive shape, is so clean and contemporary in its design, it will change how you think about what you can hang from the ceiling, and how you organize your home. Depending on the model, it will hold between 20 and 50 pounds in drywall or plaster, or up to 100 pounds in a solid wood beam.

The Elephant Hook requires only two simple steps for installation. Using either a Hangman double-headed Bear Claw wood screw, or double-headed machine screw for anchors, install the screw or bolt, click and lock the Elephant Hook, done. The Elephant Hook will swivel, but locks under tension.

The Elephant Hook is available in white, nickel, or bronze to match any decor.

The Elephant Hook joins the might of Hangmans powerful line of hanging products, including its innovative and award-winning line of TV mounts, picture hangers, mirror hangers, and safety products.

About Hangman Products: Hangman Products creates hardware solutions for everyday needs. The multiple-patented Hangman Systems are carefully engineered to guarantee a safe and sturdy installation while promising to hang it level every time. Hangmans products range from Hanging Pictures, Hanging Mirrors, Hanging Framed Art, TV/Stereo Mounts and Safety to Garage/Slat Wall and Organization. They are designed to meet the installation requirements for retailers, consumers and manufacturers. Hangman's ever-expanding line of products can handle even the most difficult projects.

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Hangman Products Has Re-Invented Ceiling Hooks With Their New Innovative Elephant Hook

Ceiling insulation provides essential sound control between floors in your home. Properly insulating the ceilings will make your home a more peaceful and quiet place because it will ensure that footsteps and other sounds do not migrate to other rooms.

When ceiling insulation is installed at the same time as wall insulation, which is usually the case in new construction, it is installed up from underneath, before drywall is put in.

Follow the installation tips below to ensure that you do a professional job. It's a good idea to wear a work helmet when you're installing ceiling insulation. This can help you avoid injuring yourself on exposed framing members such as ceiling joists, exposed nails and other hazards. Refer to our complete list of Safety Tips for more important ways to protect yourself while installing insulation.

Make sure you are using insulation with the most appropriate R-value. Our R-value Estimator in the Site Toolbox can guide you. Click on the product links below to learn more about the JM insulation products you can use in ceilings.

JM Spider custom insulation sprays-in filling all gaps and voids in your walls, significantly improving energy efficiency, sound control and family comfort.

ComfortTherm insulation is a lightweight, thermal and acoustical insulation made of long, resilient glass fibers bonded with an acrylic thermosetting Formaldehyde-free binder.

MR Faced Batts are a lightweight thermal and acoustical fiber glass insulation made of long, resilient glass fibers bonded with an acrylic thermosetting Formaldehyde-free binder.

JM's Kraft-Faced Batts & Rolls are made of naturally white, Formaldehyde-free fiber glass, reducing environmental concerns including the risks of poor indoor air quality and the effects of manufacturing on the environment.

JM's Unfaced Insulation is a lightweight thermal and acoustical fiber glass insulation made of long, resilient glass fibers bonded with an acrylic thermosetting resin made without formaldehyde.

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Insulating Ceilings | How to Install Ceiling Insulation | JM

Posted: Friday, December 27, 2013 6:09 pm

House of the Week 12/28/13 By Landmark Designs Leader-Telegram |

Contemporary with accents of brick and wood, the Ogden house plan is a spacious three-bedroom design.

That includes its three-car garage, which has a workbench and an adjacent workshop.

The house has three bathrooms - two that have a shower stall and a master bath complete that has an oversized tub.

Ceiling fans are intended for installation in all bedrooms, the home office, living room and shop.

On the rear of the house is a covered sun deck with skylights.

House ofthe Week

For a study plan of this home, send $25 to Landmark Designs, P.O. Box 5625 Eugene, OR 97405. Specify Ogden, plan 408-04 LT54. Allow two weeks for delivery. For faster service, call 800-562-1151 or go to landmarkdesigns.com.

Dimensions: 68' by 72'

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House of the Week 12/28/13

Published: Thursday, December 26, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. Last Modified: Thursday, December 26, 2013 at 7:11 p.m.

There were no smoke alarms in the trailer where three children died in a Christmas morning fire and several others were hurt, authorities said.

Installation tips: Experts offer the following tips when installing smoke alarms:

--- Sleeping areas need the most protection. One detector in a short hallway outside the bedroom is usually adequate. Hallways longer than 30 feet need one at each end. The best is a detector in each bedroom.

--- Keep the detector away from fireplaces, wood stoves and cooking areas to avoid false alarms. Dont remove the batteries after repeated false alarms, leaving family members without protection.

--- Place smoke detectors at the top of each stairwell. Smoke rises easily through stairwells. )( You can mount many detectors by yourself, but those connected to the household wiring should have their own separate circuit and be installed by a professional electrician.

--- If you mount your detector on the ceiling, keep it at least 18 inches away from walls and corners. On a wall, place it 6 to 12 inches below the ceiling and away from corners. Keep them high because smoke rises.

--- Never place them closer than 3 feet from an air register that might re-circulate smoke. Dont place them near doorways or windows where drafts could impair the detector operation. Dont place them on an uninsulated exterior wall or ceiling; temperature extremes can affect the batteries.

The fire at 120 Whispering Oaks Court, a trailer park on Main Street near East Street in Houma, killed a 13-year-old girl, her two brothers, ages 11 and 12, and landed both parents in a Baton Rouge burn center, authorities said. Seven other family members were treated and released.

Authorities say the survivors of Wednesdays fatal blaze told them they didnt know there was a fire until smoke seeped down the hall and underneath a closed bedroom door.

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Burned trailer had no smoke detectors

home section Interior Design Housekeeping Entertaining Home Improvement Gardening & Plants Landscaping eHow Home & Garden Home Appliances Ceiling Fans How to Install a Ceiling Fan With Lights

Lucosi Fuller

Lucosi Fuller was a student at Miami University-Middletown and a graduate of the University of South Carolina-Upstate, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 2008. He devotes his time to writing this thing and that other thing and always disregards giving names to his work.

Lighted ceiling fans are multi-functional. They serve the purpose of beautifying a room while providing a cool breeze and central lighting that reaches farther than light from a table lamp, which only benefits the person sitting right beside it. Lighted ceiling fans are a little more difficult to install than regular ceiling fans because you have to wire the light fitter kit to the regular fan, but with an assistant to help you with the weight of the fan, the installation shouldn't take more than 1 hour.

Before you begin working on electrical wiring, you should turn off the light switch and the circuit breaker in the room in which the ceiling fan will be installed. Try to install the ceiling fan during the daytime so you can open a window for natural light. If you're doing the installation during the night, get as much light as you can from other rooms as possible, and having a spotlight will be a tremendous help.

Remove the cover of the outlet box on the ceiling and expose the wires you'll use to connect the fan. This is normally done with a Phillips screwdriver, but if you don't have one, a flathead screwdriver will work.

Using the screws that you just removed from the outlet box cover, connect the ceiling fan's mounting bracket to the outlet box. If you're installing the fan on an angled wall, see that the open end of the mounting bracket is turned toward the higher side of the ceiling. If it's turned toward the lower side, the fan blades will hit the ceiling when they're installed.

On the ceiling fan motor, take out the motor screws and washers from the bottom of the motor.

Decide whether you want to use a short downrod or a long one. A long downrod is only used for high ceilings. Once you've decided, push the wires from the top of the motor up through the downrod, slide the canopy (the part of the ceiling fan that covers the mounting bracket) over the downrod with the open side facing upward and then slide the yoke cover (the part of the ceiling fan that covers the screws at the bottom end of the downrod) over the downrod with the open side facing downward.

Take out the pin and the clip that holds the pin at the top of the motor and slide the downrod into the motor. Once the downrod is in the motor, slide the pin back into place and lock the downrod and the motor together with the holding clip.

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How to Install a Ceiling Fan With Lights | eHow

Drop Ceiling Installation Tip 1: Lay out the ceiling grid on paper

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Sketch and measure the ceiling so you can position the grid and add up the materials you need.

Even the pros use graph paper to lay out the ceiling grid for each room. It helps not only with your materials list but also with getting equal-size panels at each side of the room. Include items like light fixtures and heat registers. The room should be bisected at the center by either a main tee or a centered row of tiles. Wades tip on ordering materials: order by even numbers. If a room is 9 x 11 ft., order enough for a 10 x 12-ft. room.

Wade Sides has been hanging suspended ceilings for more than 30 years. He started out working with his dad while still in high school. Wade has hung ceilings just about everywhere, from residential laundry rooms to casinos and mega-malls. With these tips, $75 worth of tools and a little elbow grease, youll save about 40 percent of the total cost of professional installation.

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Cut one flange of the angle and bend it around outside corners.

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Slip a special outside corner piece over the flange to hide the corner cut.

Pick a height so the ceiling tile will clear the lowest ceiling obstruction, like plumbing lines or ductwork. Snap a chalk line marking the top of the wall angle. Nail the wall angle at every stud with 1-1/4-in. drywall nails. Try to avoid nailing on or near the corner beadsits a sure way to cause nail pops and cracks. Instead, run the wall angle long, snip the bottom and then bend it around the corner. Finish it with a slip-on outside corner.

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Drop Ceiling Installation Tips: The Family Handyman

Complete Ceiling Mount Installation Kit with 3' to 5' Drop Adjustment for 37' to 63' Dual Back to Back Screen Feature Complete Ceiling Mount Installation Kit with 3' to 5' Drop Adjustment for 37' to 63' Dual Back to Back Screen Get Your Dwelling Completely ready For The Storms You may possibly live in a very turbulent space where by you get strike with storms all the time or you are destined to get hit by a storm soon. But, stormy year is coming for everybody. So, get out there and make confident that your household is protected from the storms that are about to appear. Complete Ceiling Mount Installation Kit with 3' to 5' Drop Adjustment for 37' to 63' Dual Back to Back Screen Repairs Of All Kinds Are Undertaken By Just one Enterprise This article highlights the use of one quit retailers to undertake all sorts of perform on houses and properties. It also reveals how time and price is saved by applying just one firm to deal out all types of do the job. Complete Ceiling Mount Installation Kit with 3' to 5' Drop Adjustment for 37' to 63' Dual Back to Back Screen Pros and Works by using of Higher Density Shut Cell Foam Significant Density Closed Mobile Foam has a lot of advantages around other types of regular insulation. With a increased R Worth (thermal resistance, indicating the resistance to warmth circulation) than most typical insulation goods. Substantial Density Shut Cell Foam permits pretty minor permeation of air and drinking water vapors therefore it will not mildew or bring in other kinds of fungus.

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home section Interior Design Housekeeping Entertaining Home Improvement Gardening & Plants Landscaping eHow Home & Garden Home Repair & Maintenance Ceiling Repairs Ceiling Tile Installation

Karen Curinga

Karen Curinga has been writing published articles since 2003 and is the author of multiple books. Her articles have appeared in "UTHeath," "Catalyst" and more. Curinga is a freelance writer and certified coach/consultant who has worked with hundreds of clients. She received a Bachelor of Science in psychology.

Ceiling tiles provide an attractive way to update or cover unattractive ceilings. While replacing the old ceiling might not be a financial option, ceiling tiles offer an inexpensive alternative. Acoustic ceiling tiles reduce noise due to their sound absorbent quality. There are many styles, colors, materials, sizes and thicknesses to choose from. Popular ceiling tile choices include tin, acoustic, cork and plastic. Installing your own ceiling tiles is an inexpensive way to transform the look and feel of a room.

Prepare the ceiling. Clean the ceiling surface to remove dust, grease and dirt. Scrape off any flaking paint. Cracks should be filled with mortar.

Locate the middle of the ceiling. This is your starting point for laying the tiles. Use two strings, extending each from one ceiling corner to the diagonal corner of the room. The intersection of the two strings indicates the center point. At the center point, draw two perpendicular lines to divide the ceiling area into four equal sections.

Put a 1 inch coating of mastic, a paste-like cement, on the back of the first tile. You may have to adjust the thickness of the mastic depending on the existing ceiling surface. A popcorn-type ceiling will be more porous and require more mastic, whereas a hard, flat ceiling may require less than 1 inch. Apply the mastic close to the corners and in the middle of the tile. These mastic coatings should be 2 inches in diameter and look like little mounds. These mounds will spread when the tile is pressed against the ceiling creating proper adhesive distribution.

Lay the beginning tile at a right angle to the walls, placing one of the corners exactly in the middle of the ceiling. Check to be sure the tile edges are aligned with the perpendicular lines you have drawn. Press the tile firmly, allowing the mastic to adhere completely to the ceiling surface. Lay the remaining tiles as close together as possible in parallel rows, avoiding any large gaps or openings. Any adjustment of a tile size that needs to be made as you reach the outer edges of the ceiling is made with the box-cutter knife.

Fill the existing spaces between the tiles with caulk, once all the tiles have been set in place. It is recommended that even the smallest seams be caulked, since this makes the ceiling look seamless. Using a caulking gun, lay a thin bead of caulk along the joint lines. Smooth the bead of caulk using your finger, ensuring the caulk fills in any gaps between the tiles. Wipe off excess caulk with a wet rag while the caulk is still damp. Caulk dries quickly and is more difficult to remove when dry.

All materials and tools needed for this project can be found at your local home supply center or hardware store.

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Ceiling Tile Installation | eHow - eHow | How to Videos ...

FastFind Pump Selector navigates through all major ductless mini-split brands/models for the U.S. market; selects most ideal Aspen pump along with installation and wiring info.

RectorSeal Corp., Houston, a leading manufacturer of quality HVAC/R products, debuts the RectorSeal FastFindtm Pump Selector, the HVAC industry's first and only interactive web-based ductless mini-split condensate pump selection tool for engineers, distributors and installers that's now available at http://www.rectorseal.com/index.php/pump-selector/

The RectorSeal FastFind Pump Selector is a free and easy step-by-step process that intuitively matches the correct Aspen Pumps ductless mini-split condensate pump with dozens of models from more than 15 mini-split brands. The software is updated regularly to accommodate newly-introduced models.

The user initiates the selection process by choosing a brand, model and then whether the installation requires a Maxi (more than 34-foot-of head) or a Mini (less than 33-foot-of head) style pump. Once the proper pump location--remote, lineset interior, external evaporator case or drain pan--is chosen, the website intuitively leads the user to the pump's specific product information webpage for installation guidance, voltage requirements, wiring diagrams and other specification and installation data. The information also includes recommendations of accessories such as Fortress or SlimDuct lineset protection duct.

The FastFind Pump Selector software is designed to quickly display all relevant user information in just two webpages of mouse clicks. The program is compatible with tablets, laptops, smart phones, computers and any other Internet-based device.

Aspen offers the world's most comprehensive selection of mini-split condensate pumps with its Aqua, Lime, Orange and White series in Mini and Maxi sizes. The Mini Aqua is designed for mounting inside the evaporator housing, inside the lineset ducting or remotely. The Lime and Orange are designed for concealment inside wall-mounted lineset protection duct elbows and remotely behind walls, or in ceiling spaces, respectively. Aspen's White Series is a aesthetic surface-mount pump that attaches to the wall below the evaporator housing. Aspen also makes the Peristaltic Pump that doesn't clog when exposed to excessively greasy or dirty environments, and the Silent+ pumps for ultra quiet operation.

For additional information on all of RectorSeal's Aspen Pump products and its comprehensive range of mini-split installation accessories, please visit http://www.rectorseal.com; email: marketing@rectorseal.com; or call 800-231-3345.

About RectorSeal: The RectorSeal Corporation is a leading manufacturer of chemical and specialty products designed for professional tradesmen. Steady growth over the years has been maintained through a commitment to providing high quality products and services. With a diversified business strategy, RectorSeal aggressively pursues new and unique technologies to serve the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, electrical and construction industries. The RectorSeal Corporation is devoted to providing innovative quality products supported by strong customer and technical service. For more information, visit http://www.rectorseal.com, email marketing@rectorseal.com or call (800) 231-3345.

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RectorSeal Debuts HVAC Industry's First Web-Based Condensate Pump Selection Tool for Ductless ...