For many homeowners in Minnesota we rely on the assistance of fans during the warm spring or summer days or not having to turn on the AC, just in case it will be another tempermental week of Minnesota weather and the next day decides to cool off. But, before you do this season take a look at the fan you're using. Lakso, a large fan manufacturer recently released a large recall of over 4 million fans which have been in circulation since 2002 and contain an electrical fire hazard. Lasko Recalls Box Fans Due To Fire Hazard WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is il... 04/01/2011

As I wrote in my last post winter is the season for being cozy, sitting next to a warm fireplace and maybe sipping a cup or two of cider. But while spending long days and nights inside the comfort of our homes it's also an infamous time for feeling dry and under-the-weather. With people spending more time indoors, air circulation is compromised, and the level of contaminants increases. Fleeting freshness and moisture take a toll on our skin, throats, noses and overall health, and can be especially harmful to those suffering from allergies and asthma. Up to 72 trillion microscopic irritants, or allergens, find their way into your home every day. They include dust, pollen, pet hair and dander, dust mites, mildew, lint, fungus, most tobacco smoke, cooking grease and bacteria. Many of these... 12/29/2010

Winter is officially here and fireplace season for many of us in Minnesota has already begun. But if your chimney and fireplace has not seen regular maintenance and cleaning for some time, then your soothing fire may become a hazardous condition. A solid fuel fireplace and chimney that has not been properly maintained can lead to several problems. Over time, soot and creosote can build within a chimney and lessen efficency and cause fires. Furthermore, there are many factors that can affect a chimney's performance and the potential for hazards. A lack of a chimney cap or spark arrestor can allow debris from tree and overhead vegetation as well as pest entry into a flue and over time blocks within the chimney flue or firebox can become loose due years of use. So if you haven't had your c... 12/21/2010

Energy costs, burst pipes, power outages, and fires, all potential winter hazards that makes winter not sound so merry, but you can protect yourself and your home. With a little preventative maintenance and preparation you can minimize the inconveniences that ensue during this cold time of the year in Minnesota. Indoor Floods While home fires seem to always make headlines, water damage is actually more common and often just as severe. The most frequent cause for this problem in the winter is faulty or broken pipes. Be sure to insulate along rim joists and around pipes that are more exposed to cold temperatures. If you leave your home during the winter for vacation or are just hitting the slopes leave your thermostat to at least 50-55 degrees. Don't let high fuel prices tempt you to drop... 12/09/2010

There are some absolutely disgusting things that go in your clothes washer from dirty socks, to infant clothes and more but if you have ever had a wash machine with a bad odor there is no comparison. Over time, you may begin to notice that your wash machine begins to develop an order from a build up of residue. This is a signal that it may be time to clean your washer. To start off decide where the source of the smell is originating. Typically the cause is your washer but every once in awhile it may be from the water supply. So double check your water supply before beginning to make your washer out to be the culprit. After you eliminate any other possibilities and you are sure that it is your washer it's time to begin cleaning. To start off with get a a bucket and some nice hot water an... 11/23/2010

The following information has been provided by General Electric and the United States Consumer Product and Safety Commission. The United States Consumer and Product Safety Commission and General Electric announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer products. Name of Product: GE ProfileTM and GE Monogram® Dishwashers Units: About 174,000 Manufacturer: GE Appliances & Lighting, of Louisville, Ky. Hazard: Water condensation can drip onto the electronic control board, causing a short circuit and resulting in an overheated connector. This poses a fire hazard to consumers. Incidents/Injuries: GE has received five reports of fires, four of which caused minor damage to the kitchen countertops where the dishwashers were installed and one caused minor damage to adjacent cabinets and smo... 11/04/2010

In Minnesota and the midwest it's that time of the year again, the time when everyone is outside for a different reason, time to start prepping our homes for winter weather and freezing temperatures. So to help out a little I figured a winter prep checklist wouldn't hurt. Obviously, as you will see this checklist doesn't constitute everything one might do but hopefully this might steer some in the right direction. Heating System Test Run: Turn the thermostat to heat mode and try it out. If it isn't operating properly have a HVAC technician service it. Replace your filter if its old Fuel: If you have a propane or oil furnace, make sure to have your fuel storage tank topped off and ready to go. Heating Vents: Clear obstacles to heating vents so air can freely flow. Check for Carbon Monox... 10/22/2010

This past week Siemens Company issued a recall in conjunction with the United States Consumer and Product Safety Commission for approximately 2.2 million electrical breaker units due to a potential fire hazard. Because we inspect breakers everyday and the units in the recall are for the months of June through August 2010, we felt it was very important to provide this information. Please call with any questions. More information can be found at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10354.html Siemens Recalls Circuit Breakers Due to Fire Hazard WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless o... 09/29/2010

As many residents are aware, Greater Mankato and many Southern Minnesota homes were affected by  storms late in the month of June. With high speed winds and heavy hail larger than golf balls in some communities, its not supring that a number of roofs have been replaced. With a high demand for roofing, siding and various exterior finish replacements, the area was flooded with numerous advertisements and contractors that aren't so "local" looking to get in on a chunk of the repair and replacement pie. Now that a couple of months have past since most roofing and finish repairs have been completed we have had the opportunity to review some of the work done on local homes. While most homes were repaired in an appropriate manner with good workmanship and installation methods, some were less t... 09/02/2010

There is nothing worse then having a horrible refrigerator odor...and trust me I know. Being a home inspector means you're in a number of houses over a given year and have the chance to take a look at many kitchen appliances and not all of them smell like roses! Many things can cause your refrigerator to have a bad smell such as leftovers, cut onions or garlic, mold, bacteria and mildew growth. If you don't work to eliminate the refrigerator odor quickly, it can change the taste of all the food you have in it, and it can become a very unhealthy situation. Ultimately, getting the smell under control is your main goal. Avoiding Odors Always keep baking soda in your refrigerator. Baking soda can absorb almost all smells and it is very easy to maintain, as you will only need to replace it e... 08/24/2010

There have been many homes in the Greater Mankato area from Mapleton to Minnesota State University damaged by recent hail and high speed winds. In southern Mankato, roofers and insurance adjusters have been overwhelmed with the amount of requests from homeowners. While siding repair and replacement is being made the majority of the damage appears to be roofing related. In the past 2 weeks, southern Minnesota has had some wild weather and unfortunately the season isn't over just yet. If you think you have had recent weather damage to your home it is highly recommended that you contact your insurance provider to determine whether this is the case. However, if you are looking to find out more information on what to look for on your own you have come to the right place. Please remember the ... 07/12/2010

Below is information provided by the U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission announced earlier this month. Please feel free to contact our office for more information. WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product. Name of Product: Dishwashers Units: About 1.7 million in the United States Manufacturer: Maytag Corp. of Newton, Iowa or Maytag Corp. of Benton Harbor, Mich. Hazard: An electrical failure in the dishwasher's heating element can pose a serious fire hazard. Incidents/Injuries: Maytag has r... 06/22/2010

Chinese drywall has been a problem for many American families and now the U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission and Housing and Urban Development have released a guidance for remediation of problem drywall. Below is the U.S. HUD and CSPC issued information.   Help is on the way for homeowners struggling to rid their properties of problem drywall linked to corrosion of metal, such as electrical components, in their homes. The guidance comes from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which had issued a protocol earlier this year to help identify problem drywall in the home. What's being called "interim remediation guidance" is being released in recognition that many homeowners want to begin remedying their homes and ... 04/12/2010

With all of the flooding and water problems many local Minnesota homeowners have had over the past few weeks I thought a great subject to write about would be sump pumps. What are they, and how do they work? Well, unlike many of the appliances or electronic devices in your home, a sump pump is probably something you have bought out of neccessity or prevention. The goal of a sump pump is is to help keep the area under the building dry and to prevent it from taking on water or flooding, for Minnesota homeowners this usually means your basement.  Sump pumps have been a common device in many homes for years, primarily in homes of low-lying areas or places where rapid melting of heavy snow can occur. Excessive moisture in places such as a basement can cause thousands of dollars of damage in... 03/22/2010

Breaker filler plate, what is that? This is a common question I receive on home inspections...and for good reason. I find open knockouts and breaker slots on main panels and remote panels (sub-panels) on a very regular basis. Simply put a knockout or breaker filler plate is meant to block an opening within an elecrical panel. Openings can exist for a number of reasons but one way or another a knockout was removed accidentally, or a change in the panel was made over its life, whether it be from a remodel, new wiring, moving circuits around, or a different change. Nonetheless, when a change has been made in the panel and an opening still exists it is always recommended a filler plate be installed.   The reasons for this are many. First, you don't want someone accidentally placing a finger... 03/18/2010

Price: $164,900 FIZBER.com ID 15107320 Single Family with 3 bed, 2.5 bath, in 80 Juniper Trail Mankato, MN, 56003 http://www.fizber.com/15107320/ 80 Juniper Trail - For Sale By Owner Property Details: Type: Single Family Address: 80 Juniper Trail, Mankato, MN, 56003 Sq footage: 2471.0 Floors: n/a Bathrooms: 2.5 Bedrooms: 3 Year built: 2009 View full property details and seller's contacts. View more Minnesota homes for sale. Homes for Sale by Owner. Description: Cute 3 bedroom 2.5 bath home with a 2 stall garage in cozy Upper North Mankato Benson Park Cottages. Nice foyer leads to an open floor plan for that grand room feeling on the main level. The upper level featuring a grand 18x17 family room with vaulted ceilings and 3 bedrooms. Total finished square footage is 1,840 add the unfini... 03/17/2010

Price: $239,900 FIZBER.com ID 15000734 Single Family with 3 bed, 2.0 bath, in 137 Cougar Drive Mankato, MN, 56001 http://www.fizber.com/15000734/ 137 Cougar Drive - For Sale By Owner Property Details: Type: Single Family Address: 137 Cougar Drive, Mankato, MN, 56001 Sq footage: 1588.0 Floors: n/a Bathrooms: 2.0 Bedrooms: 3 Year built: 2006 View full property details and seller's contacts. View more Minnesota homes for sale. Homes for Sale by Owner. Description: Open, airy, tastefully decorated, just a few words to describe this home located in Mankato's hilltop. Truly one of a kind custom home with four levels. 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths and a 3 stall garage. The upper level bath has a whirlpool tub with a tile surround and beautiful neutral tile floor. you will find quality throughout t... 03/11/2010

Tandem breakers, sometimes called split breakers, provide two separate circuits in the space of a normal sized breaker opening. Every main electrical panel has a limited number of circuit openings available. The problem that many people encounter is that when the openings are all used up and you still need to add another circuit, such as maybe a few extra outlets in the garage or a home remodel, what do you do? You could change the main electrical panel or you could "double-tap" a breaker, but this is not an approved application and can place to much strain on a circuit resulting in overheating, the potential for loose connections and ultimately this situation can become a fire hazard. The answer that many have found is a tandem breaker. This type of breaker is the same size as any othe... 02/19/2010

Price: $439,900 FIZBER.com ID 14490272 Condo/Townhome/Co-op with 4 bed, 2.5 bath, in 117 Viking Drive Mankato, MN, 56001 http://www.fizber.com/14490272/ 117 Viking Drive - For Sale By Owner Property Details: Type: Condo/Townhome/Co-op Address: 117 Viking Drive, Mankato, MN, 56001 Sq footage: 3300.0 Floors: n/a Bathrooms: 2.5 Bedrooms: 4 Year built: 2005 View full property details and seller's contacts. View more Minnesota homes for sale. Homes for Sale by Owner. Description: Beautiful executive townhome built by Mark Deichman. Located in an upscale neighborhood close to Rosa Parks Elementary, ravine lot, convenient to shopping, recreation and entertainment! Low maintenance living. Custom home with superior upgrades and features throughout! More Photos: 02/18/2010

Few homeowners know that in order to keep your water heater running smoothly and hopefully get an extra year, two or more it needs maintenance. As water enters a water heater tank, dirt, sediment, and various minerals also enter, and eventually settle to the bottom. Depending on your community or local water supply these extra minerals and sediment can end up robbing your water heater's energy efficency and ultimately decreasing its life. So what is a homeowner to do? A little preventative maintenance...and a hose and bucket might help too! The preventative maintenance I am referring to is draining your water heater, which in my opinion should be done annually unless you live in an area where hard water is a problem. First, locate your water heater and determine if its gas or electric. ... 02/13/2010