Albany, NY (PRWEB) September 30, 2014

Most people have a favorite season of the year but it seems that almost everyone enjoys the fall. It is the time of the year for picking apples, enjoying beautiful fall foliage and harvesting of crops. Temperatures become more pleasant and perfect for outdoor bonfires and hayrides. However, dropping temperatures also trigger a need for many pests to begin searching for a place of refuge from the long, cold winter months.

Rodents, cockroaches, ladybugs, cluster flies and spiders are just some of the pests that begin seeking shelter from harsh winter weather. As outdoor temperatures begin cooling down, warm homes become very enticing to pests. While some insects like the Monarch butterfly will migrate to warmer climates, others will seek shelter in the comfort of your home and hibernate for the winter.

These unwanted, uninvited pests not only come in to escape cold temperatures, they also bring with them the risks of physical damage to property as well as spreading of diseases. Rodents, for example, are carriers of diseases like Salmonella and Hantavirus. They also pose a risk to the physical structure of the home by gnawing through walls and chewing into wiring, posing a risk of house fires. Cockroaches not only spread disease, they trigger asthma attacks. Some spiders like the Brown Recluse will bite if threatened and cause very threatening sores. Ladybugs and cluster flies arent as serious of carriers of disease but are extreme nuisances and very hard to control.

The logical answer to these fall pests is to stop or prevent the invasion from happening. There are several things one can do to pest proof your home during this time of year. Following these 6 tips will do much in preventing these uninvited pests from invading your home.

1. Remove all sources of food and water by storing food in sealed containers and removing water supplies by removing standing water inside or outside of the home and repairing any leaking pipes. 2. Place screens over all vents and chimney openings. 3. Install fresh door sweeps on exterior doors and repair any damaged screens. 4. Seal all cracks around windows, doors and utility entrances. 5. Trim tree branches and shrubbery away from the roof and outside walls of the home. 6. Keep firewood stored a good distance away from the house.

While these preventive steps will be very helpful, dont hesitate to contact your local, licensed pest professionals, the moment you discern a problem with fall pests. It's always best to get to the root of the problem before you find a full blown infestation in your home.

Thomas Pest Services is a leading pest control company in the Albany area that can provide safe and effective pest control services to eliminate the pests you have now and prevent future infestations. For more information on fall pest control as well as year round services, visit http://www.518gotpests.com.

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6 Tips For Fall Pest Proofing In Your Albany Home

OAKLAND -- A Fruitvale District home with illegal wiring to grow marijuana indoors caught fire Saturday morning, authorities said.

The one-alarm fire broke out at the two-story home in the 900 block of 40th Avenue near San Leandro Street at 8:38 a.m., fire Battalion Chief Lisa Baker said. The fire started inside walls on the first floor and spread to the attic, Baker said. Fire crews had the blaze under control by 8:58 a.m.

Three residents displaced by the fire were outside the home when firefighters arrived, Baker said. No one was injured.

Police were called to investigate the marijuana grow operation found inside the home, Baker said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Also on Saturday, fire crews responded to a blaze in the 6200 block of Foothill Boulevard, where a car fire spread to nearby garages at about 6:45 a.m. No injuries were reported.

David DeBolt covers breaking news. Contact him in Richmond at 510-262-2728. Follow him at Twitter.com/daviddebolt.

Excerpt from:
Oakland: Crews battle blaze in Fruitvale neighborhood

Up to 25,000 people die every year in domestic fires across Europe. Each year, approximately 70,000 people are hospitalized due to injuries caused by fire and smoke, and fire damage burns up about 1 percent of Europes GDP.

Here in the United States, a fire department responds to a report of a fire every 25 seconds. In 2013, there were:

The top causes of fires in U.S. homes are:

Candles The top three days for home candle fires are Christmas, New Year's Day and Christmas Eve.

Cooking Includes general cooking safety info, as well as tips for microwaves, cooking oil and turkey fryers.

Electrical Overloaded outlets, outlets that arent grounded, old wiring provide greater safety in the home with the use of circuit interrupters.

Heating The peak months for home heating fires are December, January and February.

Smoking Smoking materials (i.e., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.) are the leading cause of fire deaths in the United States.

Dryers and washing machines The leading cause of home clothes dryer and washer fires is failure to clean them.

Medical oxygen Portable medical oxygen in the home has grown over the past decade.

Read this article:
Home Fire Safety [Infographic]

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. At this year's NECA show, Legrand, a leading provider of electrical wiring devices and home systems, will be showcasing a number of solutions that will help electrical contractors grow their businesses. To learn and see more, visit Legrand in booth #846 from September 28 - 30, 2014, at McCormick Place, West Hall F1, Chicago, IL.

The Legrand booth will feature a live "touch screen" performance demonstrating Legrand solutions at work in a commercial building that has been retrofitted to increase building performance. A demonstration of WattStopper's Digital Lighting Management solution will also take place. In addition, the adorne, Cablofil, On-Q, Pass Seymour, Wiremold and WattStopper product lines will be displayed in appropriately themed kiosks: New products, productivity, industrial and residential solutions.

"It is very important for contractors to implement strategies centered on business growth into their yearly business plans," says Steve Killius, Vice President, Business Development Group at Legrand. "Contractors cannot rely on waiting for construction projects or rest on what they have been doing for clients. It is critical that they are able to identify emerging trends in how customers interact with their spaces and look for opportunities to create new business. Contractors must continuously look for new value-added service, propose it to customers with a view to upselling them and providing additional options."

Legrand continuously monitors the contractor market to identify new trends and requirements for business growth and optimization. "Adopting this proactive approach and integrating ourselves with contractors allows us to design and deliver a vast amount of products and solutions that add value to their ability to generate new business and revenue streams. These products deliver benefits ranging from ease of installation and integration to energy efficiency, sustainability, flexible design and safety. It also allows us to help contractors prepare for future trends and industry developments," continues Killius.

Trends in open architecture, collaborative spaces and the focus on energy efficiency present opportunities to bring new, innovative solutions to the customer. "Service and preventive maintenance are also ways to add new streams of income beyond constructing infrastructure. Partnering with innovative manufactures will enable contractors to offer more to their customers, save time and earn more profits," concludes Killius.

Featured products from Legrand on the showfloor:

From Cablofil: Cablofil Wire Mesh Cable Tray, is an open cable management system that is fast and easy to splice and assemble. Onsite fabrication is easy and requires no special fittings. Contractors merely cut, bend and move on, which makes horizontal and vertical directional changes simple. It reduces installation downtime and interruptions for moves, add-ons and changes and this translates into lower job costs. The wire mesh cable tray can be mounted in a variety of ways: on the wall, above the ceiling or in raised floor applications.

From On-Q: The On-Q Quick Connect connectivity solution boosts contractor productivity by terminating all four pairs in one squeeze and also improves termination reliability. It is available with Cat 5e, Cat 6 or Cat 6a Keystone inserts.

On-Q's Home Theater In-Wall Connection Kit facilitates effective cable management by hiding unsightly power, HDMI, Ethernet, and audio cables behind the wall of flat panel TVs to enhance the aesthetics of a room. It can be used as a standalone kit for retrofit projects or with new construction brackets.

Creating a home network using existing electrical outlets is easy with On-Q's Powerline Network Starter Kit. It supports bandwidth-intensive applications such as online gaming and streaming and requires no new wiring to be done. It features easy plug-and-play installation and HomePlug AV compliant adapters.

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Legrand Showcases Business Enhancement Solutions at NECA 2014

Wink, the Internet of Things software company that grew out of Quirky, has released their newest product, Relay. Photo: Wink

Wink, the Internet of Things software company that grew out of Quirky, has released their newest product, Relay.

Relay looks like a traditional light switch, but is actually a physical nerve center for connected gadgets that previously talked only to a smartphone app. Photo: Wink

Relay looks like a traditional light switch, but is actually a physical nerve center for connected gadgets that previously talked only to a smartphone app.

Users can control smart gadgets via customized profiles, on Relays screen or an app. This means one touch could effectively shut the house down for the night, by turning off the lights and locking the doors, or amp it up for a party, by dimming the lights and turning speakers on. Photo: Wink

Users can control smart gadgets via customized profiles, on Relays screen or an app. This means one touch could effectively shut the house down for the night, by turning off the lights and locking the doors, or amp it up for a party, by dimming the lights and turning speakers on.

It's a modular solution. As gadgets accumulate over time, they can be folded into Relay as well. Photo: Wink

It's a modular solution. As gadgets accumulate over time, they can be folded into Relay as well.

Wink, the Internet of Things software company that grew out of Quirky, has released their newest product, Relay. Photo: Wink

Wink, the Internet of Things software company that grew out of Quirky, has released their newest product, Relay.

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Wink Could Be the Next Big Platform for the Smart Home

ANTIOCH -- Electrical wires that were rerouted to accommodate a marijuana grow inside an Antioch home caused a small fire Tuesday afternoon, according to the Contra Costa Fire Protection District.

The fire, reported at a single-family home in the 3000 block of G Street at 4:40 p.m., damaged the garage, but caused no injuries, said Fire Captain George Lang. The residents were not home at the time of the fire, but their dog was rescued once firefighters responded to put out the blaze.

Illegal modifications to the home, including wiring that residents had extended from the utility meter outside into the garage, likely caused the fire, Lang said.

Antioch police said several rooms inside the home were used to grow marijuana plants, although an official count was not immediately available. No arrests have been made, but an investigation is ongoing.

Check back for updates.

Contact Karina Ioffee at 925-945-4782. Follow her at Twitter.com/kioffee

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Antioch: Pot grow inside home causes fire

Visitors walking past the small, tidy lawn outside Brent and Wendy Mathers' neo-modern Park Hill home have no idea that under the grass, two vertical pipes stretch 250 feet into the ground to heat and cool the house.

And most of them would be surprised to learn that the roof hosts 500 square feet of solar panels that help make the Mathers' home even more energy-efficient.

"It's intentionally disguised to keep it from being seen from the street," said Brent, an architect and woodworker who designed some of the furniture in the home, which is among those featured on the Park Hill Home Tour on Sept. 28.

The Mathers chose smooth, durable walnut for many of the surfaces in their home, including the kitchen cabinets and the floors. Orange accessories add a vibrant touch.

Brent and Wendy, who also is an architect, designed the house at 2334 Grape St. to visually suggest the unpretentious dimensions of other houses on the block. Most of those are older brick homes, one or two stories high, places that would fit comfortably inside a suburban McMansion.

But few of those neighboring houses come close to the energy-efficiency of the Mathers' home, which they built last year after acquiring the lot in 2011. Only a carriage house, leased to renters, stood on the property. When it was listed for sale, the Mathers snapped it up.

"We got a good deal, because prices were still depressed, and it's a nice, wide lot with good solar exposure," Brent said.

Green demolition

After stripping the carriage-house appliances and fixtures, which they donated to Habitat for Humanity, they demolished the structure, along with a 40-foot spruce and a couple of aspen. They saved the usable wood for a friend who, like Brent, is a woodworker.

Then they designed their home. They knew they wanted geothermal heating and solar energy, and hired Dan Schmied of Sensible Heating And Cooling.

Go here to read the rest:
Denver home combines solar and geothermal but you'd never know it

Everything is connected these days, and that includes our houses. With wall-to-wall tech tempting potential homebuyers, how can you make your own house stand out from the crowd? These high-tech options can make your house so cool that you might actually have second thoughts about selling the place.

Make it easier to get in

What if walking into your home didn't require a key? What if you could simply push a button or two and walk right in the door, without having to carry around that keyring? Keyless entry has been standard with many car companies for years, and now you can have the same luxury with your home. Want even more security? Fingerprint scans are now becoming available for those who want to be absolutely certain that the person entering their home is truly supposed to be there. Best Consumer Reviews offers up three biometric door locks that have very reasonable prices.

Light the place up

Gone are the days when you had to flip a switch to get some light. Smart light systems sense when you come into the room and do all the work for you, so you never walk into a dark space. It can be an impressive part of your home security system, or it can be done with simple motion sensors. The cost depends upon the light you need, the size of your house, and what bells and whistles you want. An in-depth consultation with a lighting designer can help you figure out which route to take to light up the place. To learn about the education, training, and certifications your lighting designer should have, visit the International Association of Lighting Designers .

Control your atmosphere

Sure, you know all about the new thermostats that can read your activities and adjust your indoor climate accordingly. But did you know that they can do much more than that? Thermostats can use motion detectors to determine whether you are home, and adjust the temperature accordingly. It can also track the energy usage, giving you a clear look at exactly where your money is going. According to Mashable , even the coolest thermostats can run under $500.

Get a handle on the weather

Do more than just look out a window to figure out whether it's rain or shine. Wireless weather stations tell you much more about the outdoor situation, including forecasts for the next few days, the humidity (a heads-up for bad-hair days), and much more. These stations can be very simple and inexpensive, or can come with all the upgrades you could possibly desire. The New York Times points out that a personal weather station can cost between $150 and $2,500.

Read this article:
6 High-Tech Options to Make Your Home Stand Out

Ambiance The special atmosphere or mood created by a particular environment. Ambiance is what makes us feel like we belong or want to remain in a particular space. Think of cozy, romantic restaurants with candles, alcoves of fancy old hotels, warm rock fireplaces and overstuffed chairs with low lighting. Night lighting in you garden can create a similar ambiance and its simpler and more affordable than you think.

Night lighting can do several things. It can extend the time you can spend in your garden and enhance the setting. It can address safety issues for you and guests walking through the yard. Security can be handled in an aesthetically pleasing manner and be appropriate to the site. Lighting can bring special interest to specimen plants, sculptures, and ponds while adding depth, and interest to your creation.

Lights and shadows are always attention getters. To achieve your goals for lighting take time to do a little research and planning. Drive through nice neighborhoods likely to have night lighting. Make notes of what catches your eye. Do you like the up-lighting illuminating a beautiful tree trunk? What about the low lights guiding you up the walk to the front door? Is there a light on or in the fountain or pond?

Also, make a note of what doesnt work, like harsh lights on a blank wall (you dont want to look like funeral home or model home). Flood lights detract from the ambiance. Are there glaring lights in the shrubs? Can you actually see the light bulbs? Lights should not shine into the windows of the home. Too many lights along a path can make it look like a runway. Unbalanced lighting will divide rather than unite a garden. Avoid high contrast ratios hot spots of bright light surrounded by large dark areas. Flooding the whole garden with light creates an artificial atmosphere and washes out the moonlight and night sky.

Yard lighting used to be solely electric. Today there are a number of solar powered lights that are making a big splash in the market. They are easy to install with no wiring and have no electric bill. It is any easy chore that almost anyone can do.

Guidelines

1. Light the pathways even if they are simple routes only you use. You deserve enjoyment too. Short or tall stake lighting is available for this; just press them into the ground.

2. Light stairs. Stick lights can be laid along the step, string lights (50 to 100 LED lights inside a PVC tube that is designed to hold up against the elements.) can be wrapped on the railing or laid along the step, stakes work well here also.

3. Accent the most dramatic trees in the garden with solar spot lights. Illuminating the trunk and branches from below can add enough glow that the garden can be navigated safely at night.

4. Some decorative light fixtures can add style when used with moderation.

Read more:
At Home Living: Creating evening ambiance in the garden

Names: Trish Floyd and Carey Beavers, owners of a contract office furniture dealership

The home: A three-bedroom, three-bath Craftsman-style bungalow built in 1930

Where: Atlantas Kirkwood neighborhood

Why they sold: After living in the home for nine years, they wanted more space, especially for the furniture that Floyd inherited from her mother. I had big, chunky furniture that I loved that didnt quite fit in the house, she said. They work and have friends who live in Avondale Estates, and they found a home to buy in that community. They contacted another friend, Margie Yondorf with Atlanta Intown Real Estate Services, to help them sell their home. We loved Kirkwood and we knew it was a good market, Floyd said.

Time on market: 8 days

Original price: $379,900

Sale price: $365,000

What it took

Yondorf visited their house and told them, Get rid of this, get rid of that. Clean this, clean that, Floyd said. Their work included rearranging furniture and placing some items in storage.

The writeup about the home in the listing emphasized its location on a corner lot in Kirkwood. A granite rock wall around the property gave it definition, along with a front porch, Floyd said. A previous remodel had increased the master bedroom and closet, along with the kitchen, which had granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Floyd and Beavers had added a carport and fence to the backyard. Yondorf arranged an open house quickly, and they accepted the first offer. We were obviously ecstatic, Floyd said.

More:
Clearing out Kirkwood bungalow proves a key step