Posted: Friday, August 8, 2014 3:00 am

Red Cross provides aid for victims of attic fire By LIZ MCCUE liz.mccue@nptelegraph.com nptelegraph.com |

Two renters were displaced from a North Platte home Wednesday night after a fire began in their attic around 11:10 p.m.

Fire marshal George Lewis said the fire at 1220 W. Ninth St. was caused by an overloaded electrical circuit. The home used knob-and-tube wiring connected to an old fuse panel, and the fire started above the back door. However, both occupants of the home were unharmed and the building has minimal damage. Firefighters did have to cut a hole in the roof of the home.

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Red Cross provides aid for victims of attic fire

Hills Home Hub Video
The Hills home wiring video.

By: Brad Sherry

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Hills Home Hub Video - Video

By Geoff Williams, U.S. News & World Report

So you're thinking of buying a fixer-upper? Maybe you're a do-it-yourselfer, or you just love this home so much that you don't mind lavishing extra TLC on it in the years to come. Or perhaps you're enthralled with home renovation television programs where every home has a camera-ready happy ending.

But there is a reason movie plot lines have been based on the darker idea that rehabilitating a home can result in disaster. Sometimes fixer-uppers turn out to be dismal downers. So if you're weighing the pros and cons of purchasing one, here are some thoughts to put in your mental toolbox.

Some projects are fun; others aren't. If you're going to lay down $10,000 to turn an outdated kitchen into a modern marvel that will be the envy of the neighborhood, that's fun. But if you need to spend $10,000 on a center beam in the foundation of the house that no one will see or care about, the joy of fixing up your home might start to fade.

And future buyers may not be impressed, either.

Post continues below.

That was the scenario Christopher Rither found himself in several years ago when he was working in due diligence services in real estate, including inspecting residential homes. "I bought an old plantation home in a great location in Hawaii and decided to fix it up, live in it for a few years, and sell it," says Rither, who now teaches conversational English at Myongji University in South Korea and runs a lifestyle website. "I thought restoring the entire house would make it a cinch to sell.

It didn't. Rither moved from Hawaii in 2010 and just sold the home a few months ago. As he found, "People really only care about what they can see. Nearly all buyers didn't seem impressed that I spent well over $25,000 ripping out and replacing all the plumbing, electrical lines and fixtures. What eventually sold the house was the clean exterior and the appearance of the interior. This could have still been achieved without new wiring and plumbing. A few upgrades would have been just fine."

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Can you afford a fixer-upper?

The final frontier of the connected home has nothing to do with thermostats, fancy doorbells, or smooth jazz coming out of your credenza.

If your domicile is large enough to also house a car or two, then the first and last portal you pass through every day is most likely your garage door. And when you and your Porsche (or Chevy Impala) roll to work or come home from the gym, youbeing the owner of a fully-connected homeexpect more than just an old-school remote-controlled garage door opener. You want something smarter. Something that not only opens and closes the door, but a device that can be controlled by your phone no matter where in the world you are. Such a device should also know when you switch off the lights and lock the front door, then anticipate your next move and open the garage door for you (and your Impala).

The Iris Z-Wave Garage Door Controller, available from Lowes stores for $99, is such a device. Its part of the Iris connected home platform. The controller itself is a small device you connect to your garage door opener. That in turn connects wirelessly to a central Iris hub (another $99) which you connect over Ethernet to your Wi-Fi router. A companion smartphone app gives you total garage door control, and lets you tie the openers actions to other devices running on the Z-Wave protocol you have installed. There are a number of protocols for home automation on the market, and Z-Wave is one of the most popular. Major manufacturers like GE, Schlage, Trane, and Utilitech make devices that can talk to Iris equipment.

Recently, I installed one of the first Iris production models to see if it lived up to my connected garage door dreams. To compare, I also installed a couple of non-Z-Wave, but still smartphone-connected openers, the Chamberlain MyQ Garage ($130) and a pre-production version of the new BTMate GarageMate ($50) controller.

Most of us have had totally reliable remote-controlled garage door openers for decades. So if theres any hassle at all with a smart garage door opener, people will balk. It has to make everything about opening and closing a garage door more convenient than the current one-button norm. Luckily, installation was dead simple. First, I connected the Iris controller to the metal opener mounts, then connected two wires to the opener. There are three screws on my opener for connecting wires, but one of them is for the safety triggerthe common garage door feature which detects something blocking the door and prevents closing. Otherwise, the two wires from the Iris can go in either of the remaining two ports. Lastly, I attached the tilt sensor to the upper inside part of my garage door using the included mounting plate.

On my MacBook, I registered for an Iris account at IrisSmarthome.com. Then, I connected the Iris hub into my router. To add the garage door controller, I clicked Add Devices in the web app, found the controller in the list, and pressed a button to pair it. Slicker than silk. I then installed the Iris app on my iPhone 5s and logged in. Up popped the garage door controller under the Control tab. It took 20 minutes, including the time to mount the controller and install the app.

My first tap on the app to open my garage door worked perfectly. The Iris controller beeps loudly and flashes a light as a warning. Inside the app, theres a tab called Control and then a tiny icon with an up and down arrow. You press it to open and close the door. It worked, but I wanted a bigger and more obvious button.

In the web app, I set a rule to close the garage door automatically each night at 11pm. It worked like a charm. You can even set a rule to close the garage door when you lock your front door if you install the Iris lock. One downside: Driving up at night, I had to fish out my iPhone, find the app, and click the small button open/close button. The Iris does not sense when I pull up in the driveway. However, I was able to open and close the garage door from my office downtown. Once, I opened the garage door for a friend so he could grab my lawn mower when I wasnt home. He texted me and I hit the button again to close the door. I was impressed.

To test the safety feature, I put a large box in front of my garage door and tried to use the app to close the door. After two attempts, the app stopped sending the command. It turns out this is a UL safety feature. To close the door, I had to push the garage door button manually at home. Also, I never saw any warning messages in the app.

Iris does let you grant access to friends so they can open and close your garage door from their phones. And, you can connect the app to multiple garage doors. However, you pretty much have to set a lock code on your phone. Otherwise, anyone who steals your phoneeven for a momentcan use the app to open your door.

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The Ups and Downs of an Internet-Connected Garage Door Opener

Typical home electrical cable has a bare ground wire and two insulated wires inside.

Home electrical wiring can seem mysterious, but have no fear: This helpful guide will help you understand how wiring works and how to work with wire.

Electrical wire is a catchall term that refers to conductors that route electricity from a power source to lights, appliances, and other electrical devices.

Wires and cables of various sizes bring electricity to a house and route it to all the lights, switches, receptacles, and electrical appliances. Generally speaking, large cables deliver electricity to the house and smaller cables and wires distribute it throughout.

Nonmetallic cable is routed between wall studs; switches and receptacles fasten to electrical boxes.

Nearly all household wire is copper, though aluminum is occasionally used. A rubber, plastic, or paper-like coating, called insulation, serves as a barrier to keep the electrical charge (and heat) where it belongsin the wire (this insulation is stripped from the ends of the wires where connections are made). Bare (non-insulated) conductors are used for grounding.

Wire is a comprehensive term commonly used to refer to all types of cable and wire. Technically, an individual wire is called a single conductor; several single conductors twisted together or combined together in a sheath make a cable.

Just as highways can handle more cars than small streets, large conductors can handle more electricity than small ones. The diameter of a metal conductor is indicated by an AWG (American Wire Gauge) number; the smaller the number, the larger the wire. Most household lighting and receptacle circuits are wired with AWG 14 or AWG 12 conductors.

In addition to standard electrical wire, a house has several other types of wire needed for the telephone, cable television, stereo speakers, and so on. Most of these wires do not carry a dangerous electrical current because they operate on very low voltage or carry only sound or picture signals, not electrical power.

In this section of HomeTips, you will learn more about the Types of Electrical Wiring and the Types of Wires & Cables.

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Home Tips - DIY - Electrical Wiring - HomeTips | Expert ...

MIAMI -- A federal judge has slammed Miami-Dade County for knocking down the home of an active United States soldier, CBS Miami reports.

The county sent a number of violation notices.

The U.S. Army Staff Sergeant said he was doing what he could while fighting overseas, but the county demolished his home anyway.

All that is left is an empty field with a tattered American flag and a sign that says: "This is how the U.S. Government thanks the service of an active army soldier."

CBS4 spoke with Sergeant First Class Jesus Jimenez who's now stationed in Texas about what happened to his home.

"That happened while I was in active duty in Iraq," said Jimenez.

He was in Iraq to teach soldiers how to handle explosive devices.

Jimenez and his wife, Laure, received notices for building code violations for a dangerous porch, bad roof and faulty electrical wiring in the home.

"When this all started, the request was impossible to meet. You need to bring your house to current code even though it was built in 1947 and you have 30 days," said Jimenez.

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Soldier's Florida home demolished while he was stationed in Iraq

Maybe you are considering purchasing a renewable energy system to generate electricity at your home. Although it takes time and money to research, buy, and maintain a system, many people enjoy the independence they gain and the knowledge that their actions are helping the environment.

A renewable energy system can be used to supply some or all of your electricity needs, using technologies like:

Planning for a home renewable energy system is a process that includes analyzing your existing electricity use (and considering energy efficiency measures to reduce it), looking at local codes and requirements, deciding if you want to operate your system on or off of the electric grid, and understanding technology options you have for your site.

If you're designing a new home, work with the builder and your contractor to incorporate your small renewable energy system into your whole-house design, an approach for building an energy-efficient home.

Calculating your electricity needs is the first step in the process of investigating renewable energy systems for your home or small business. A thorough examination of your electricity needs helps you determine the following:

Conducting a load analysis involves recording the wattage and average daily use of all of the electrical devices that are plugged into your central power source such as refrigerators, lights, televisions, and power tools. Some loads, like your refrigerator, use electricity all the time, while others, like power tools, use electricity intermittently. Loads that use electricity intermittently are often referred to as selectable loads. If you are willing to use your selectable loads only when you have extra power available, you may be able to install a smaller renewable energy system.

To determine your total electricity consumption:

Considering energy efficiency measures in your home before you buy your renewable energy system will reduce your electricity use and allow you to buy a smaller and less expensive system. For information about determining the overall energy efficiency of your home, see energy assessments.

Each state and community has its own set of codes and regulations that you will need to follow to add a small renewable energy system to your home or small business. These regulations can affect the type of renewable energy system you are allowed to install and who installs it. They can also affect whether you decide to connect your system to the electricity grid or use it in place of grid-supplied electricity as a stand-alone system.

A local renewable energy company or organization, your state energy office, or your local officials should be able to tell you about the requirements that apply in your community. If you want to connect your system to the electricity grid, these groups may also be able to help you navigate your power provider's grid-connection requirements. Here are some of the state and community requirements you may encounter:

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Planning for Home Renewable Energy Systems

Sunnyvale, CA (PRWEB) July 30, 2014

iSmart Alarm, Inc. today announced a new and ongoing presence in Europe as an expansion of their successful US-based launch in 2013. Partnering with iHealthLabs Europe, the iSmartAlarm Home Security System will be immediately offered in packages as well as smart home devices in Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, and France. With headquarter operations in France, 30 additional European countries will launch in stages in the following months.

The iSmartAlarm ecosystem offers users advanced smart home control, security and automation using their iPhone or Android devices at a fraction of the cost of traditional security companies. The company's flagship product is the Internet of Things (IoT) home solution, iSmartAlarm, which puts a 21st century spin on traditional security systems by offering a self-monitored, self-controlled home security system that is designed to be expandable, mobile and DIY, with no wiring necessary. There are no contracts and no monthly fees for customers Families can use and expand the system without worry.

Opening up new channel is an incredibly exciting adventure, and were happy to be able to reach the European market with such fantastic partners, said Raymond Meng, co-founder and CEO of iSmart Alarm, Inc. Based on our research and conversations with thousands of fans and customers, we know we can bring benefit to their homes and families in the immediate as well as long-term future.

A new iCamera is on the way to customers worldwide, launching in early Q4 with additional features and functionalities, including motion capture technology, HD video streaming, multi-camera support, and more. iSmart Alarm is also introducing iSmartAlarm Smart Switch, which allows users complete control over their homes lighting, appliances, security and electrical bill through their mobile devices. These products and services are part of the continued growth of the iSmartAlarm home control ecosystem, offering users a new level of control, security, and connectivity, allowing anyone to monitor, manage, and secure their home, property and family using their iPhone or Android devices.

We are extremely excited to be partnering with iSmart Alarm, Inc. We are very close on philosophy and product design, Uwe Diegel, iHealthLabs Europe President said. iHealthLabs motto is the Connected Life, and we strongly believe that we can contribute to a better living by helping users to take care of their families, their health, their beloved and their belongings. When smartphones and the internet of things converge it creates a brand new worldand a huge potential market.

About iSmart Alarm, Inc. iSmart Alarm, Inc. was founded in Silicon Valley in 2012 on the principles of safety, beauty, and intelligence. They designed and developed the best smartphone-enabled home security and home control system. The iSmartAlarm puts a 21st century spin on traditional security systems. The sleek, sophisticated system utilizes Apple devices to put home security and home control in the palm of its users hands. Their products are cool, simple to use, and affordable to everyone. iSmartAlarm protects your home intelligently.

iSmart Alarm Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/iSmartAlarm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iSmartAlarmInc YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/iSmartAlarminc

About iHealthLabs Europe iHealthLabs Europe distributes industry-leading and cutting edge mobile care products for personal and professional health, and has established effective distribution channels at tier-1 retailers in Europe such as Media Markt, Maplins, Fnac, etc.

iHealthLabs Europe Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/iHealthLabseu Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iHealthEU

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iSmart Alarm Announces European Availability and Distribution

TOTAL CONTROL: Your house is in your hands

Technology has a way of controlling our day-to-day life like never before, one app at a time, and now your home is no exception. The phenomenon is dubbedThe Internet of Things, and this connected network of sensors and devices only looks set to expand if the below examples are anything to go by...

MY SKY

If you have My Sky and have - heaven forbid - gone out to dinner without setting My Kitchen Rules to record, the free Sky TV app will save the day. Any smartphone can download the app, and it gives you access to SKY TV's electronic programme guide, as well as listings for every channel. Then for MY SKY customers, the app supports Remote Record, so when you are out and about, and have forgotten to record your favourite show, open the app, go to the guide and make a booking. It has been around a little while but it's a simple, helpful app functionality to have on your phone.

HEATING/AIRCON

A great example of living made more comfortable through technology; most heat pumps coming to the market now can be controlled through your smartphone or tablet, meaning you can manage it (turn it off/on, temperature up/down) during the day with an app. As the whole country feels the chill of winter, being able to have your home toasty warm on arrival is a very big plus. This kind of ability is also a winner in the power usage stakes.

For Mitsubishi Electric heat pumps you need to upgrade to get Wi-Fi capabilities (an adapter is installed into the unit) so you can choose units starting from $1,349 at Noel Leeming.

WASHING MACHINES

Nobody really wants to have a load of washing waiting to be hung out after a long day, but being able to tell your machine to start an hour before you get home is quite a handy thing to be able to do, why? No more all-day-stagnant-wet-washing to greet you of course! It is probably more of a nice-to-have rather than a have-to-have, but for a busy household it is potentially quite helpful. One or two brands also have the ability to help diagnose a problem (only with regards to its own functionality, not your own personal issues), going as far as 'speaking' to customer support.

The options are a little pricey though compared to the average cost of a washing machine - with a $3,298 price tag on the Samsung 9kg front loader at Harvey Norman and slightly more expensive, $3,499, at Noel Leeming.

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Control your home from afar with apps

If your router is one room and your TV is in another, your home Wi-Fi network might not be strong enough to reach it

I love my Victorian flat. But like many buildings from that era, it has lots of doors, lots of walls, and lots of old-school wiring, all of which interfere with my Wi-Fi network. My signal is quite strong in my office, where my router is, but the farther I move away the weaker the signal. I got tired of watching my iPhone drop connections in the living room so I decided to extend my network.

Anemic Wi-Fi is a common problem, and if you're router and modem are far from your livingroom, streaming videos and the like can be difficult. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to solve it.

Running Ethernet cable will give you the fastest and most stable connection, but cutting holes in wall and stringing cable around the house may not work for you.

The second option only makes sense if the router you're currently using is rather old. Routers that support the 802.11n and the newer 802.11ac standard do a good job extending your signal, so if you have a new router and still are having trouble extending your signal throughout the home, a new router probably won't help.

Wi-Fi extenders, in effect relay devices, aren't expensive, but the problem is if you put one in an area that isn't getting good reception, the extender may not get good reception. You could of course, connect it by cable to your router and it would then broadcast a robust signal around that part of your house.

The last option -- setting up a Powerline network -- is the one I choose. Simply put, this technology moves data or your Wi-Fi signal around the house via your electric wiring. One adapter is connected via Ethernet cable to your router and then plugs into the wall. At the other end, a second adapter is plugged into the wall. You can either plug your TV or other device into it with an Ethernet cable, or simply connect wirelessly, which is what I'm doing.

A number of vendors offer Powerline devices. I went with Linksys, a company that makes a variety of networking devices. The kit I bought is the PWK400-RM. It consists of two devices, one adapter for each end of the network. I found a deal on a refurbished kit, but even new you should be able to get it for under $100.

In theory, Powerline extenders should be Plug and Play. Setting up my network, though, required a good deal of fiddling before I got it to work. It's also important to note that Linksys says both devices should be on the same circuit breaker, something that's not always possible.

The biggest problem with the kit is that the enclosed manual is incomplete. It leaves out necessary steps. For example, I had no way to know that the adapter should be plugged into Lan Port 1 of my router. Adding security to the network is possible (and you certainly want to do it) but the steps outline in the manual are murky and the included installation software is baffling.

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How to Extend Your Home Wi-Fi Network