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Spend a little bit of money on your Kamloops home and save a lot on your home energy bills. Here are some tips on cutting your energy costs year round.

A lit fireplace sucks furnace-heated air up the chimney, which is replaced by cold air that comes in the opposite direction through the same opening. Turn the thermostat down and close your damper when it’s not in use.

Soot buildup, dusty fans and loose fan belts can add hundreds of dollars to your heating costs each year. Have your furnace tuned up regularly by a heating contractor, this can save up to 10 percent on heating bills.

Heating water makes up about 11 percent of our utility bills. Switching your unit for a more efficient storage model could save you 10 to 20 percent on heating bills.

Small changes can make a big difference.

Maintenance Matters

Air filters, included on all forced air furnaces, remove dirt and lint from heated air. This keeps the fan, heat exchanger and air conditioning coil clean. It also helps clean the air of your home as air circulates through the system.   The air in houses in Kamloops and area can be very dusty due to the low humidity, and filter maintenance is essential to keeping your home healthy.

Maintenance is based on the type of filter, how often the unit is running and how you use your home. The three basic types of filters are media, electronic and electrostatic.

The standard filter on most furnaces is a 1-inch thick media filter, usually made of fiberglass. This filter should be changed when visibly dirty – usually every month or two, depending on the quality of the filter and the amount of dirt in your home’s air. Children, pets, plants and activity tend to produce more dirt that finds its way into the heating system.

Filters are designed to be installed with one particular side facing the air stream. Most filters have directions or an arrow telling you which side should be installed toward the furnace.

Todd Hrycenko, Global Property Inspections

Phone: 250-371-2787 ac.cbipgnull@ddot

Ladder Safety

As a home inspector in Kamloops I spend a lot of time using a variety of ladders to do my job.  Ladders are dangerous pieces of equipment, if not handled correctly or you are unfamiliar with them. Homeowners in Kamloops should think about a few things before you climb the ladder to perform fall maintenance tasks, and take these safety precautions.

• There should only be one person on the ladder at one time.

• Never leave a raised ladder unattended.

• Be sure all locks on extension ladders are properly engaged.

• All metal ladders should have slip-resistant feet.

• The ground under the ladder should be level and firm.

• Don’t carry objects in yours hands while on a ladder.

• Keep your body centered between the rails of the ladder at all times.

* Inspect your ladder every time before you use it for broken or excessively warn out parts.  As someone who has taken the fast ride to the ground from roof height, believe me you don’t want to realize your ladder has a defect too late.

Maintenance Matters

Fall is the time of year to prepare your garden for the fall months ahead. I know with the temperatures still hovering around 30 degrees in Kamloops nobody wants to think about winter or even fall, but your plants and garden already are.  Here are some tips to help you with your fall garden prep.

• Bring tropical and other plants inside for the fall.

• Dig and store summer and fall-flowering bulbs.

• Avoid heavy pruning of trees and shrubs going into the fall months.

• Apply a layer of mulch about 2 to 4 inches deep to the floor of the garden.

• Apply mulch or a wrap around the base of bushes and trees to protect them from the cold temperatures.

• Rake up any leaves that may have already fallen.

• Turn off the water supply to your hose tap and irrigation systems.

• Fallize garden furniture if necessary.

• Fertilize to give your garden one last nutrition boost before fall.

• Empty out and bring in any pots that could break in cold temperatures.

• Plant spring-flowering bulbs with their roots down.

Todd Hrycenko, Global Property Inspections

Phone: 250-371-2787 ac.cbipgnull@ddot

Pool Safety

Pools are a very popular feature for homes in Kamloops due to our warm weather.  Mid summer is the most popular season for swimming pools in Kamloops. Routine maintenance is important for any swimming pool equipment. Here are some must know/must do items regarding swimming pools.
•  Hire a service contractor to routinely check equipment.
•  Establish a maintenance routine based on your pool equipment.
•  Maintain chemical balance, treatment and water chemistry.
•  Keep records on maintenance and water chemistry.
•  Routinely check for leaks at piping and other systems.
•  Regularly change or clean filters and screens.
•  Never allow children to use the pool without adult supervision.
•  Install an electronic or automated safety monitoring system to detect water movement when the pool is not in use.
•  Secure the pool with a proper enclosure such as a 5′ or higher locking fence when not in use.

Keeping Cool with Air Conditioning

Homes in Kamloops often have air conditioners because of our sometimes blisteringly hot summers but very few people know what what to look for if the air conditioner doesn’t seem to be keeping your home cool.  If your home’s inside temperature is feeling more like the warm outside temperature, it could be a problem with the air conditioning system. What should you do to inspect it if the air conditioning is not working in your home?
•  Check the thermostat. Is it set to “cooling” or “AC?” Is it set lower than the room temperature? If it’s a digital thermostat, is the battery dead?
•  Check the on/off switch on the side of the furnace or near the furnace. The furnace fan distributes air for the air conditioner and must be on.
•  Check if the disconnect switch outside at the AC unit is switched off, disconnect pulled or the fuse blown.
•  Check if the main breaker fuse for the air conditioner is off. Reset the breaker or replace the fuse.
•  Check for a broken belt or clogged air filter on the furnace.  This is a VERY common cause of AC not cooling the entire house properly.
•  Check if the coil above the furnace iced up.
•  Check if the exterior coil is dirty or blocked by plants.  Fallen leaves and cut grass in the air conditioner can greatly reduce your A/Cs effectiveness, efficiency, and life span.
•  It is always important to call a qualified service technician when you have questions or concerns and don’t feel comfortable performing the above checks yourself.
Remember to NEVER put your hands or any other part of your body anywhere where you could be injured.  Guards and covers are there for a reason, don’t remove them to look unless you have disconnected all the power to the system in question.  When in doubt, call a professional.

Todd Hrycenko, Global Property Inspections

Phone: 250-371-2787 ac.cbipgnull@ddot

Kamloops home owners have you considered the dangers of carbon monoxide? Carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless gas, is a byproduct of combustion processes in furnaces, fireplaces, appliances, charcoal grills and vehicles that use fossil fuels. It can be dangerous.

A proper exhaust and venting system safely removes this by-product from the home. To keep heating systems and gas or wood burning appliances working well, have them checked annually. Installing carbon monoxide detectors near sleeping areas and in each bedroom can provide another level of safety.

According to Health Canada, the elderly and those with respiratory or heart conditions may react poorly to even low levels of CO poisoning. If you suspect a carbon monoxide problem, follow these tips from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. If an obvious source of carbon monoxide is not present:

• Evacuate all occupants.
• If anyone has flu-like symptoms, call 911; if there are no health problems, call your gas utility, heating contractor or the fire department to have your house tested.
• Have a qualified service technician inspect and repair any problems.
• Do not re-occupy the house unless those who tested the house inform you that it is safe.

The best thing to do to prevent any potential health risks or death is install carbon monoxide detectors in your home. You can purchase them from many local businesses here in Kamloops.

If you have any questions about carbon monoxide or anything related to home inspections contact me directly or post your question here.

Todd Hrycenko, Global Property Inspections

ac.cbipgnull@ddot 250-371-2787