How Much Snow Can a Roof Hold?
Unusual amounts of snow lead to many things—stalled cars, snowball fights, and airport closings. They also lead to many homeowner concerns over the roof’s ability to hold the weight. Find out what you can do to identify or prevent problems.
By Steven Fox
When weather stations predict frigid temperatures and record snowfall, concerns rise that roofs may not make it the full season but instead collapse under the strain of a surprising snow load. If it’s your first winter with your current roof (new or old), you may be trying to assess the situation for the season. How much snow can a roof hold, anyway? And are there steps you can take to avoid a worst-case scenario?
Holiday Electrical Safety Tips
As the holidays draw near, many people will begin bringing out their Christmas lights and icicles hidden in storage units to hang them up in celebration of the holidays. Perhaps you are this year’s host of the annual dinner or having a Christmas sleepover with the entire family. Remember, no matter what celebrations you will be hosting this year, safety is always the number priority. You do not want an electrical shortage, fire, or worse—a serious injury. (more…)
Fireplace Maintenance and Safety

Harmony Weihs
Enjoying a warm, cozy fire requires a clean, safe fireplace. Here are some tips for keeping it that way:
A Fall Checklist of 10 Things You Gotta Do Before Winter Sets In
By John Riha
When the last of summer’s heat is a faint memory, and you’re pulling out your hoodies more than your shorts, it’s time to tackle a few simple chores that’ll make winter more pleasant and prevent some nasty surprises next spring.
This fall checklist helps:
Is A Home Inspection And Appraisal The Same Thing?
Dryer Vent Safety
Reasons You Should Have A 4-Point Inspection
Carpet Mold: Identification, Prevention and Removal
Molds produce allergens, which are substances that can cause allergic reactions, as well as irritants and, in some cases, potentially toxic substances known as mycotoxins. Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis). Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people. Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold, but can also occur.
Hard Water

Identifying Hard Water
The best way to determine whether or not a home has hard water is to have it tested. For homes served by municipal water systems, you can ask the water supplier about the hardness level of the water they deliver. Private water supplies can be tested for hardness. However, hard water (especially if it is excessively hard) can be detected by inspectors and their clients through the negative effects it has on a home. The most common problems associated with hard water are:
- poor washing machine performance. Clothes washed in hard water often look dingy and feel scratchy or stiff. Continuous laundering in hard water can damage fibers and shorten the lifespan of clothes;
- a mineral ring around the tip of a faucet or in a toilet bowl;
- unsightly, whitish scale deposits in pipes, water heaters, tea kettles, pots, silverware and dishes;
- calcification of taps and shower- heads;
- inefficient and costly operation of water-using appliances. Pipes can become clogged with scale that reduces water flow, ultimately requiring pipe replacement. Crystalline deposits (limescale) have been known to increase energy bills considerably;
- soap curd and scum in washbasins and bathtubs. Bathing with soap in hard water leaves a film of sticky soap curd on the skin, which may prevent removal of soil and bacteria. Soap curd on hair may make it dull, lifeless and difficult to manage. Soap curd also interferes with the return of skin to its normal, slightly acid condition, and may lead to irritation; and
- limescale in solar heating systems. Solar heating, often used to heat swimming pools, is prone to limescale buildup, which can reduce the efficiency of the electronic pump.
A 4-Point Inspection System Explained
A 4-point inspection is an examination of the current condition of a house. It examines four effective systems: roof, plumbing, and electrical systems. Electrical, plumbing, and roof inspections are typically done as a home purchase or sale.
An inspection need not be done in the buyer’s market but is recommended by professionals to better understand your home’s condition before deciding whether you should buy or sell it. An inspection can give you peace of mind that your house will provide what it promises; comfort, security,, and value for years to come. (more…)