HOMESPEC
   HOME INSPECTIONS

 Nassau 516-942-0009 & Suffolk 631-243-6642

Engineering Reports
NYS. License Home Inspector
John Graham #16000005054
ASHI. Certified #206772
NAHI. Certified #10-9079
NYS. Termite #C1810801

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 Full Certified Member 2003 /2004

HOME SAFETY & CARBON MONOXIDE Did You Know ?
Approximately 250 people in the United States died last year from the Silent-Killer carbon monoxide (CO). This deadly gas is hard to detect because it is odorless, colorless and tasteless. Safety experts recommend that consumers follow these steps to help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Have a qualified technician inspect fuel burning appliances at least once each year. Fuel burning appliances such as furnaces, hot water heaters and stoves require yearly maintenance. Over time, components can become damaged or deteriorate. A qualified technician can identify and repair problems with your fuel burning appliances. Be alert to the danger signs of a CO problem; streaks of carbon or soot around the service door of your fuel burning appliances; the absence of a draft in your chimney; excessive rusting on the flue pipes or appliance jackets; moisture collecting on the windows and walls of furnace rooms; fallen soot from the fireplace; small amounts of water leaking from the base of the chimney, vent or flue pipe; damaged or discolored bricks at the top of your chimney and rust on the portion of the vent pipe visible from outside your home. Be aware that CO poisoning may cause flu-like symptoms such as headaches, tightness of chest, dizziness, fatigue, confusion and breathing difficulties. Because CO poisoning often causes a victims blood pressure to rise, the victim’s skin may take a pink or red cast. Install a UL Listed CO detector outside sleeping areas. A UL Listed CO detector will sound an alarm before dangerous levels of CO accumulate. CO indicator cards and other devices are also intended to detect elevated levels of CO, but most are not equipped with an audible alarm, and can not wake you at night, when most CO poisoning occur. Read the manufactures installation instructions carefully before installing the detector. Do not place the detector within five feet of household chemicals. If your detector is wired into your homes electrical system, you should test it monthly. If your unit is battery operated, test the unit weekly and replace the battery once a year. Avoid placing your detector directly on top of directly across from fuel burning appliances. These appliances will emit some CO when initially turned on. Never use charcoal grills inside a home, tent, camper or unventilated garage. Do not leave vehicles running in an enclosed garage, even to "warm up" your car on a cold morning. Know how to respond to a CO detector alarm. If your alarm sounds open windows and doors for ventilation. If anyone in the home is experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning, headache, dizziness, flu like symptoms immediately evacuate the house and call the fire department. If no one is experiencing symptoms continue to ventilate, turn off fuel burning appliances and call a qualified technician to inspect your heating system and appliances as soon as possible. Because you have provided ventilation, the CO buildup may have dissipated by the time the help responds and your problem may appear to be temporally solved. Do not operate any fuel burning appliances until you have clearly identified the source of the problem. A CO detector alarm indicates elevated levels of CO in the home, never ignore the alarm.

If you would like to arrange for any of our services call us at
(516) 942-0009 or (631)-243-6642
 or   Toll free at 1-877 814-4775
(Please call 7 days a week from 9am to 9pm)
Order "on-line" Inspection 
or
E-mail us at Homespecny@aol.com 

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