While 96% of homes have smoke alarms according to the National Fire Protection Association, many of the fire alarms in these homes don’t work. Almost half of the fire related deaths in the U.S. could have been avoided if only the smoke detectors had been working. Make sure that your smoke alarms are working: Test […]
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How often do you think about your hot water heater? Can you remember the last time that you checked it? Typically, water heaters last 10 to 15 years, but with a little care maintenance they can last even longer. Some things to consider about your tank: Check the exterior. Leaks rust on the outside could […]
Inspect your fire extinguishers on a regular basis, at least once per month. Making sure that they are working properly is critical to safety in an emergency. When checking your fire extinguisher, make sure it is: accessible charged (the needle is in the green zone) free from any obstructions, moving freely intact: the seal tamper […]
Oxygen, heat, fuel make up the three sides of the fire triangle. Without one, the fire will not continue to burn. The main principle behind firefighting is to take away one of these elements. Different types of fire extinguishers remove one of these elements out of the equation. Because there are different materials that provide […]
Jane Regan of HB Building Design shares the following tip: Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter Outlets (GFCIs) are designed to reduce the risk of electric shock. Building codes require GFCIs to be used in “wet” areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, outdoors. GFCIs damaged by lightning or electrical surges may fail to provide adequate protection. […]
Sixteen years ago we bought our dream house in the woods. As we moved in met the neighbors, many of them told us that they had hammered a lot of nails into our house. The process the former owners followed was simple: Invite the neighbors over for a meal, enjoy some beer or wine with […]
Did you know that an American home can waste, on average, 11,000 gallons of water every year due to running toilets, dripping faucets, other household leaks? Nationwide, more than 1 trillion gallons of water leak from U.S. homes each year. That’s whythe EPA’s WaterSense program is promoting Fix a Leak Week from March 16 to […]
HB Building Design sells quality bathroom fixtures, including TOTO’s Aquia III toilet. An industry leader in water conserving technologies, TOTO has developed a dual flush mechanism allowing for either 1.6 or 0.9 Gallons Per Flush with the push of a button. Sophisticated styling makes this toilet easy to keep clean. The superior ceramic finish ensures […]
by Bob Regan, HB Building & Design One of the many things Hammer Building knows a lot about is building decks, it is one of our specialties. So today I wanted to talk about building decks decking materials. The most important thing to know is that each deck is different, a General Contractor is the […]
by Jane Regan, HB Building Design Is it just me, or does the industry wide designation “Aging in Place” just strike a funny chord with you, my fellow ‘boomers?’ During my recent attendance at the Peninsula ASID Chapter “Designing User Friendly Interiors for Aging in Place,” education training, presented by Dr. Wilma S. Hammett, FIFDA, […]