Posted: Friday, January 30, 2015 11:30 pm

Ask the Inspector: Bat run-ins By Rich Duerkop Ask the Inspector columnist Leader-Telegram

Friends of mine had an inspection on their home and told me they had safety hazards in the attic. What is in the attic that could be identified as a safety hazard?

Possible hazards found in attics can involve deteriorating chimneys, bad wiring and insulation placed too close to heat sources.

And then theres the occasional run-in with bats.

One time I saw their little heads peaking out of the insulation, so I just closed the attic cover and put in the report that the attic had bats.

Another time I came out of the attic and it felt like something was tugging at my sweatshirt. There it was: a bat hanging by my shirt collar. I looked like Curly from the Three Stooges waving my arms around trying to knock it off.

I can laugh about it now, but at the time it was a surprise that you would rather not experience.

Duerkop is a licensed home inspector and serves as president and education director of the Wisconsin Association of Home Inspectors for the central and northern Wisconsin chapters. To submit a question to him, call 1-866-715-8222 or email AmericanSentryl@charter.net.

Posted in Home garden on Friday, January 30, 2015 11:30 pm.

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Ask the Inspector: Bat run-ins

We all love our electricity and the quality of life it brings to us. When we turn on our computer, television, lights and appliances with a flick of the switch, all these are powered by electricity. However, with such convenience upon us, we will sometimes tend to take things for granted.

What we will also forget is the lengths of electrical wiring running through the home or office that gives allows the power to reach these appliances at the proper speed and power levels. Like veins in the body, proper electrical wiring is the life of the home, to provide the routes for electricity to properly flow from the power source to all parts of the house.

Electrical wiring are insulated conductors or cables use to carry electricity. The wires are conductor materials that allow the electric current to flow through with little resistance. Copper is the most commonly used material. The wires will then be covered with an outer sheath of insulation usually rubber. Cables are mostly consisting of two or more of these insulated wires running side by side and bonded, twisted or braided together to form a single assembly.

These wires can vary due to their gauge, materials they are constructed with and other more technical reasons. They are identifiable via different colours and markings. Also it is also very important to choose the right type of wires to suit each application as we would not want to over juice a certain source or under power an appliance. These are also concerned to safety matters hence only a certified electrical engineer should be called in to deal with any wiring issue in the household.

In the past, electrical wiring and cables would be present and visible throughout the household. As the usage of electricity increases with all the latest gadgets available, the amount of wiring and cables also increases. Modernizing the electrical wiring has also been about concealing the unsightly clutter of cables and wiring. Now there are panels and hidden structures to neatly tuck away the wiring while still providing that convenient power to turn on our various appliances with the flick of a switch.

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Electric Wiring | Powering to a better home style

Structured Wiring and Networking Panels

on September 24 2013

A Structured Networking Panel (SNP) accepts and distributes signals throughout your home, much like an electrical panel receives and distributes electricity. Cables from outside service providers, such as telephone or cable television, come into the panel. From the panel, signals are distributed in home runs or direct lines to each room in your home. The SNP can also serve as the distribution point for internal signals, such as audio, video or security cameras or in-home computer networking, such as for a shared printer.

From the SNP, you can run different types of cables depending on the signals you plan to distribute.

CAT-5e/CAT-6 Cables

Category 5e cables, also called CAT-5e or generically called Ethernet cables, are the industry standard for connecting telephones, computer networks, home automation networks and audio/video distribution systems. CAT-6 is the emerging standard, offering up to twice the bandwidth of CAT-5e. Either can be used in home networking, and they are installed in the same way. CAT-5e cables consist of 4 pairs of wire (8 total conductors) with an Ethernet capability of up to 1,000 megabits per second (Mbps). They terminate in RJ-46 plugs, which look like wider versions of common telephone plug.

Coaxial Cables

More here:
Buying Guide to Structured Wiring at The Home Depot

This post will try to make you understand the most basic principles of house electricity. Since this blog is intended for beginners in electrical works, and for readers who seek to understand electrical system enough so they can do their own work, I think it should start with materials that can help readers understand whatever materials I post here as smoothly as possible.

It is actually quite easy to understand electrical and the simple diagrams below will show that.

Diagram 1 The most basic principle of electricity ================= RELATED ARTICLES: A simple electrical installation | Electrical socket extension unit | 1- Phase ELCB connection pictures | Bare fluorescent light pictures | Recessed down lights installation | Bollard light pictures | Light switch installation pictures | Home wiring pictures | Electric Meters | Electrical Grounding Electrode Pictures | MATV antenna bracket pictures ================= What does this diagram say?

It says that there is a battery, a length of wiring cable connecting the positive terminal of the battery to one of the incandescent lamp terminal.

Then there is another length of cable connecting the other terminal of the lamp back to the battery at the negative terminal.

You may have played with toys that work with this very basic electric circuit when you were young.

You take one AA-size battery, a pair of whatever metal wires you can lay your hands on and a small bulb. Any bulb you can dig out of battery-powered electric toys will do.

Connect the battery and the bulb with the metal wires as in shown the diagram.

The electricity will flow and the bulb will light up.

There you have it, a working electric circuit.

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Electrical Installation Wiring Pictures: Most Basic ...

NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV (FOX5) -

The removal of eight children from a North Las Vegas home investigators described as deplorable has raised questions about how it got that way and why something wasn't done sooner.

The conditions of the apartment came to light about a month before a 3-month-old who lived there died on Jan. 20. That child was among the eight who had been removed from the home in late December.

According to police, trash and human waste covered portions of the unit and it was overrun by cockroaches.

SLIDESHOW: Inside home were dead infant lived

According to a Child Protective Services document, the Clark County Department of Family Services received 18 prior reports about the family. However, the department said reports aren't enough; claims must be substantiated.

The apartment, which North Las Vegas police referred to as an extreme environmental hazard," was home to eight children between the ages of 3 months and 17 years old.

If a parent's behavior is out of control, if it's severe, if it's imminent and it's observable danger, then a child can be removed, Clark County Department of Family Services manager Kechia English said.

Thirty-nine-year-old Geneva Morgan appeared in court on Wednesday, admitting she failed to provide a habitable environment for the children.

Police made entry into the home on Dec. 20.

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Family Services had received reports about family living in filth

From flicking a light switch to opening your garage door with a remote control, our homes have been automated for decades. The concept goes as far back as the 1934 World's Fair in Chicago where the "home of the future" was unveiled. In the last 80 years, however, the automated home has morphed into the smart home, courtesy of the Internet, sensors and connectivity. The modern automated home can do more than turn on our heating and our lights--it can actually think for us.

In this guide, we'll explain what smart home automation is, how it can help you, and explore the latest and greatest technologies, products and services in the Home Automation field.

The terms "Home Automation," "Connected Devices" and "Internet of Things" are often used interchangeably, but they are distinct parts of the Smart Home concept:

Home automation: This is where a home's electrical devices are connected to a central system that automates those devices based on user input. For example, you push a button and your shades go up, or you give a voice command and your lights turn on.

Connected devices: These are electrical devices that are intelligent, courtesy of a connection to the Internet and sensors. These devices know or are able to anticipate what a user needs. At first, this intelligence comes from user programing, but with time the device can learn and adapt to patterns and interact with its users.

Internet of Things: IoT is the magic dust that turns the automated home into the smart home. With a combination of sensors, smarts and systems, IoT connects everyday objects to a network, enabling those objects to complete tasks and communicate with each other, with no user input.

When you combine home automation, connected devices and IoT you get a Smart Home. And a modern smart home can be easily controlled through a smartphone, tablet or computer.

Why do you need a smart home?

At first glance, some of the most talked-about home automation devices appear gimmicky and expensive: $200 for a set of light bulbs that change color, or $250 for a thermostat that saves you the trouble of programming it may seem fun, but ultimately, isn't it frivolous?

Not at all. The color changing and self-programming features are simply icing on the cake. The real goodness is buried in the sensors and smarts. The more connected devices in your home, the more of these sensors and smarts you integrate, and the stronger and smarter your home becomes.

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What is home automation and how do I get started?

[MUSIC] Hi this is [UNKNOWN] for CNet today we're gonna take a look at the [UNKNOWN] Relay Smart Home Control Panel. So here's the panel right here. This is a $300 smart home accessory. The idea is you hardwire it into your wall where you have a light switch. And then anything on that circuit becomes a smart device. So we've got some hard buttons here. They control the lights that are out on my back porch there. So anything that is on the Wink Smart Home Network that I maybe control through an app on my phone I can now control from this one place here built into my wall. To install the relay, you need to take over a light switch on your wall and it has to have a neutral wire. That might be a problem for older homes too. It's relatively straightforward. You do kinda have to mess with the wiring setup, particularly if you have a double light switch box like this one is here. But the idea is you shut off the power, undo the light switch, tie those wires into the relay. It shouldn't be too hard to handle, though, if you're basically competent with home. Maintenance. So there are a wide range of devises that work with the Wink network. All kinds of lights and locks and different sensors and all kinds of things. It's actually pretty broad. So that Wink is useful. So scroll around on the screen, and you can see some of the devises connected to this relay hub. So I've got a [UNKNOWN] cam here. I've got some lights. Got a Nest Thermostat programming on here and clicking through to those will give me access to any of those smart home components. Thermostat integration is pretty good and I've gotten direct control here of the thermostat settings. I can go home, away. I can set it to heating mode, cooling mode. It's not quite as in depth as what you get on the Nest itself but for basic interaction with a thermostat, it's pretty useful. In it's resting mode, you can see the time, a weather display. It also has some short cut buttons that you program through your phone that show up on here. And you can kind of program all different smart home behaviors into short cuts here. So overall Wink really works pretty well. We had a few connection issues but nothing that we couldn't circumvent. There seems to be a lot of potential in the. Product. Particularly if you have a whole lot of smart home things that you're looking to kind of, wrangle into one easy to control spot. The benefit of everything else on the circuit becoming smart is useful. They're tied into these two switches here. But that said, you can get other in wall units that bring other things online for much less than this. But if you're just getting started with the smart home and you only have a handful of devices. This probably won't give you that much value. Particularly since most of the controls you'll find in the Wink app for free. So thanks for watching. I'm Rich Brown. This is the Wink Relay Smart Home control panel. [MUSIC]

Originally posted here:
Wink Relay smart home control pad falls short of its potential

By Antonio Coleman

CADILLAC Dropping temperatures are bringing higher fire risks as homeowners work to heat their homes this winter.

State Fire Marshal Richard Miller is urging extreme caution as deadly home fires are on the rise in Michigan this winter.

Just two weeks into 2015, and were already seeing an increase in the number of home fires and related fatalities, Miller said. Were especially seeing more fires in modular or mobile homes and apartments, injuring or taking the lives of children and the elderly, as residents look for alternative sources of heat and try to keep warm.

Cadillac Fire Department Captain Fred Osborn said space heaters near combustibles and poor chimney maintenance are among the most common reasons fire crews generally see more fires in the winter. Faulty wiring and wood stoves have also led to a few fires this winter.

In early January, firefighters battled a house fire on 24 Road near Meauwataka in Wexford County. Homeowner Jeff Okros said he believed the fire started in the familys wood-burning stove. But that wasnt the only blaze firefighters battled this month.

Firefighters also responded to a house fire on Mitchell Street in Cadillac. An investigation revealed that the fire had originated in electrical wiring within the wall of the main floor bedroom, Cadillac Fire Department Lt. Mark Near said.

Dexter Carrick, owner of Docs Electric in Traverse City, said flickering or dimming lights and continuously blown circuit breakers can be two common signs of potential wiring problems in a home. Oftentimes, Carrick said, homeowners make the mistake of attempting to repair electrical wiring problems themselves. Homeowners unfamiliar with repairing faulty wiring should always consult a professional, he said, because attempting to repair home electrical problems yourself could lead to additional repairs and potential fire hazards.

If youre making connections on wires, you need to have them tight so they dont loosen up, because a loose connection could lead to overheating or a potential fire, Carrick said. People try to fix their wiring themselves and get in over their heads.

Having a licensed electrician inspect the electrical system to make sure it meets applicable Michigan Electrical Code requirements can prevent potential electrical fires. The State Fire Marshal also provided a few additional fire safety tips, including having furnaces inspected to ensure controls are working properly.

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State Fire Marshal warns of winter fire risk

Friday, January 23rd, 2015 Issue 04, Volume 19.

More than 40 percent of the previously-owned homes on the market have at least one serious defect, according to HouseMaster, a major home inspection company with offices in more than 390 cities in the United States and Canada.

"Virtually every used home needs some repair or improvement," said Kathleen Kuhn, CEO and president of HouseMaster. "Thats to be expected. But with todays high prices, you want to make sure that you are aware of any major problems in a house you are considering purchasing, and what it will take to remedy the situation."

Drawing from their own findings from more than one million home inspections, HouseMaster says the most serious home defects to be on the lookout for are:

Cracked heater exchange

Failing air-conditioning compressor

Environmental hazards including radon, water contamination, asbestos, lead paint, and underground storage tanks

Moisture in the basement

Defective roofing and/or flashings

Insect infestation - termites or carpenter ants

Continued here:
12 red flags to beware of when shopping for a home

Matthew Swatsky, a computer engineer turned product manager for Lutron's smart home products, has opined that today, smart home devices are still somewhat a pricey set of proprietary products, although someday, the smart home may be the norm. Slowly opening up to industry standards, various connected devices are inching closer toward an ideal future.

Lutron has been wiring homes since the 1980s. In the 1990s, it rolled out Clear Connect, its own wireless technology now in its fifth generation.

"We're in the early stages of the connected home," said Swatsky, who is attending CES 2015 this week. "In the early 90s, custom cabinets were an upgrade. Now they are standard. The connected home may follow that trend."

Before we get there, AV and security products need to work better with the kind of lighting, motorised shades and HVAC controls Lutron makes, and everybody has to interoperate with everyone else.

Lutron has been taking its own small steps in that direction. Its proprietary 433MHz wireless systems now work with a WiFi thermostat from Honeywell, and Lutron recently agreed to support the Google Nest thermostat.

Matthew Swatsky shows some of Lutron's Caseta Wireless gadgets.

The company ships Android and iOS apps for its network that goes under the Caseta Wireless brand. Apple demoed its app running on the Apple Watch when it was announced last year. "All the technology in that watch was not available five years ago," Swatsky said. "Mobile devices make home controls more accessible."

Lutron has 15 partners in its Caseta Wireless ecosystem, including Logitech, and it is reaching out for more. This year, it will embrace ZigBee in a remote control for smart LED lights.

Today's up-and-coming networks, Bluetooth, WiFi and ZigBee, weren't ready to plug into the smart home when Lutron started work on its wireless technology nearly 20 years ago. But today the private company that sells to both consumer and contractors, which need to embrace the rising tide of open standards to continue to thrive.

Swatsky does not pretend that his FM band network made with off-the-shelf radios and MCUs is at the bleeding edge. Its 62.5Kb/s links are meant to extend only 30 feet in a typical home. The key is that they are reliable and support nodes with battery life measured in years.

The rest is here:
Wireless devices target connected homes