Carpenter Ants by W.H.I.3

Carpenter ants love excavating wood that has been weakened because of water to develop the nest. Not like the termite carpenter ants really do not consume the wood; they bite directly into the wood in order to create passageways often known as galleries inside the wood. They live life inside of these galleries and come out and about at night to look for food. Carpenter ants are inclined to adventure about 2 hundred Ft. from the nest to be able to forage for meals. In the fall season they love to be able to feed on sweet food items for example, honey, jelly, and also fruit, in the spring they like protein which includes meat. If they can’t locate these foods they’re going to feed on living or perhaps dead bugs and also other organic matter.

Carpenter ants are a nuisance insect but also can be harmful to wood. These guys don’t come with a stinger however they can potentially attack using their mandibles (utilized for chewing into wood) when picked up. These ants are among the bigger types of ants around they’re about 1/4 to 1/2 in. long and tend to be blackish or even reddish orange in color.

Tell-tell signs that you might have a problem with carpenter ants are ant tracks in your kitchen where foods are stored. Bathrooms near the toilet and also beneath the sink if there is a leak present. You may even discover small heaps of saw dust that they’ve shoved out from the galleries. Often at nighttime after it is really quite you might even hear them in the walls chewing on the wood.

These are some of the things that you can do around you house to assist in preventing carpenter ant troubles:

        I.            Attend to all roof leaks, plumbing related leaks and also any other kind of leaks you can see around your house

      II.            Cut all tree branches away from the house as well as the roof

    III.            Seal off all the cracks and also openings within the foundation

    IV.            Place fire wood away from the house as well as the garage

Prevention is extremely important however, if you feel that you’ve got a carpenter ant problem don’t be reluctant to contact a knowledgeable pest control company to come and take a look.

 Remember “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of repairs”

 

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Air Exchanger Recalled Due to Fire Hazard

Venmar Ventilation Recalls Air Exchangers Due to Fire Hazard

Name of Product: Air Exchangers

Units: About 1,400 in the United States

Manufacturer: Venmar Ventilation Inc., of Quebec, Canada

Hazard: The motor in the air exchangers can overheat, posing a fire
hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received nine reports of overheating
incidents resulting in fires and property damage outside of the United States.
No incidents have been reported in the United States.

Description: This recall involves air exchangers sold under different
brands that are used to circulate air in and out of the home. The metal air
exchangers are painted blue or grey. Air exchangers included in the recall were
manufactured from 1996 through 2001 and have brand and model information printed
on the unit’s rating plate or on the side of the unit. The following brand names
and model numbers are included in the recall:

Sold by: Heating, plumbing and building supply distributors nationwide
from January 1996 through December 2001 for between $350 and $850.

Manufactured in: Canada

Remedy: Consumers should immediately turn off and stop using their air
exchangers. Consumers should contact Venmar Ventilation to request a free
inspection and repair by a Venmar field technician.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact the Venmar
Ventilation toll-free at (866) 441-4645 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday
through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.venmar.ca

Full article from CPSC

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Burlington Coat Factory Recalls Slow Cookers Due to Fire Hazard

Picture of recalled Bella Kitchen 5-quart slow cooker
Bella Kitchen 5-quart slow cooker

Full article from CPSC: Burlington Coat Factory Recalls Slow Cookers Due to Fire Hazard.

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Lennox Hearth Products Recalls Natural Gas Log Set Burner Assemblies Due to Risk of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Name of Product: Lennox Shadowdance Natural Gas Log Set Burner Assemblies

Units: About 3,200

Manufacturer: Lennox Hearth Products LLC, of Nashville, Tenn.

Hazard: A crack can develop at the gas valve connection allowing natural gas to leak while the burner is in use, posing a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Incidents/Injuries: Lennox has received 20 reports of cracks at the gas valve connection. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves gas burners sold with Lennox brand Shadowdance natural gas log set burner assemblies. The product is used in a wood-burning fireplace or a ventless firebox enclosure. The assemblies were sold under model numbers LSVFSD-18, LSVFSD-24 and LSVFSD-30, and include a burner and ceramic-fiber log set. Replacement gas burners also were sold separately under model number LSVFSD-NG. Burners included in this recall have serial numbers that begin with 6407, 6408, 6409 and 6410A through 6410G. The burner’s model and serial numbers are printed on a metal identification plate attached to the burner.

Sold by: Fireplace and HVAC retailers and installers nationwide from August 2007 through December 2010 for between $700 and $850.

Manufactured in: USA

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled natural gas log set burner assemblies. Consumers can contact Lennox to arrange for a free replacement of the burner.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, please contact Lennox Hearth Products at (800) 299-0027 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at http://www.lennoxhearthproducts.com

Picture of recalled gas log set

Shadowdance Natural Gas Log Set Assembly

Picture of recalled gas log set burner rating plate
Sample Shadowdance Natural Gas Burner Rating Plate

 

Full article from the CPSC: Lennox Hearth Products Recalls Natural Gas Log Set Burner Assemblies Due to Risk of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.

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Remote Control Systems Recalled Due to Fire Hazard

Remote Control Systems Recalled by Niles Audio Due to Fire Hazard.

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Hoover Recalls WindTunnel Canister Vacuums Due to Fire and Shock Hazards

Hoover Recalls WindTunnel Canister Vacuums Due to Fire and Shock Hazards.

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AmerTac Recalls Night Lights Due to Fire and Burn Hazard

AmerTac Recalls Night Lights Due to Fire and Burn Hazard.

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Lasko Recalls Portable Electric Heaters Due To Fire Hazard

Lasko Recalls Portable Electric Heaters Due To Fire Hazard.

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DeVilbiss Recalls Air Compressors Due to Fire Hazard

The recalled compressors were sold under the Craftsman, Delta Shopmaster, DeVilbiss, Husky and Porter-Cable brand names. The model number and manufacture date on each unit is located on the unit name plate on the tank. The model numbers, brands, tank size, orientation and color are shown below:

Brand Model Number Tank Tank
Color
Manufacture
Date Range
Craftsman 919-16644 15 gal. vertical Red 5/2004 – 3/2005
Craftsman 919-16724 15 gal. horizontal Red 9/2000 – 3/2003
Craftsman 919-16724-1 15 gal. horizontal Red 9/2002 – 12/2003
Craftsman 919-16724-2 15 gal. horizontal Red 7/2003 – 5/2005
Craftsman 919-16724-3 15 gal. horizontal Red 5/2004 – 1/2005
Craftsman 919-16725 15 gal. horizontal Red 12/2002 – 12/2003
Craftsman 919-16725-1 15 gal. horizontal Red 7/2003 – 8/2004
Porter-Cable C2000-WK 6 gal. pancake Red 1/2004 – 5/2004
Porter-Cable C3001 4 gal. stacked Red 1/2004 – 7/2004
Delta Shopmaster CP503 12 gal. horizontal Gray 6/2002 – 3/2003
Delta Shopmaster CP503-1 12 gal. horizontal Gray 5/2003 – 3/2004
DeVilbiss Impact Series HFAC 3030 3 gal. horizontal Blue 1/2003 – 7/2004
Husky Y6010-WK 25 gal. vertical Red 2/2003 – 9/2003
Husky Y6010-WK-1 25 gal. vertical Red 7/2003 – 9/2003
Husky Y6020-WK 25 gal. vertical Red 5/2003 – 3/2004

Sold at: DeVilbiss, Porter-Cable, Husky, and Delta Shopmaster brand compressors were sold at home centers nationwide from January 2003 through December 2004 for between $199 and $299. Craftsman-brand compressors were sold at Sears stores nationwide from September 2000 through December 2005 for between $199 and $229.

Click here for the full article by the CPSC> DeVilbiss Recalls Air Compressors Due to Fire Hazard.

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Birmingham Inspector answers “Buying a home and testing for radon”

There are some words that has several meanings, but Radon is just one of those words that basically just means 1 thing:

 \ rā’dŏn\ radon: a very weighty radioactive gaseous component developed as a result of decay of radium.

Radon is a naturally developing radioactive gas which could be found within lots of areas all-around the nation. The problem with radon is that it could be found inside of the house that you’re purchasing and you will only find out by testing for it.

Radon happens to be more predominant in mountainous locations, consequently where that you’re buying a home has a lot related to whether you should have your potential new home tested or not.

 You can find maps of the complete Nation categorized by Regions offered by the home inspector or perhaps you can locate them on-line to determine if you are purchasing a home in a region that could have high radon levels.

EPA reports that according to their estimates; radon would be the Number one risk factor for lung cancer in Non-smokers.

 Houses that have basements which have been built partially underground and as well as slab built houses are more inclined to have radon than a building which has a crawl space, but just because you are purchasing a residence that has a crawl space this doesn’t imply your house won’t have increased radon amounts, you may still want to test to make sure.

 There are many permitted short testing practices that the majority of home inspectors use; the stand alone electric power continuous monitors have one distinct benefit to any home buyer relating to a Real Estate contract; you will get the test results in two days.

 Most of the other types of test methods including the charcoal canisters, and as well as liquid scintillation test products require to be delivered to the testing center and then wait for final results that may vary from one day to up to a week.

The definition of elevated radon within a property according to the U.S. EPA as; a radon evaluation result of 4.0 pCi/l and / or higher

A few concerns you should have if you are buying a home and having a home inspection.

  • Is radon something that is common in the area you are buying your new home Alabama Radon
  • If you are going to test for radon gas be sure you let your home inspector understand the time line for the results

If elevated radon levels are found inside your new home understand it can be taken care of by installing a radon mitigation system which are usually around $1500

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