When children are little, falling over is an everyday occurrence and the majority of times, they are unhurt. Did you know, however, that well over 2.5 million children visit the emergency room each year due to a fall related injury? It is worth a consideration then, to see how some of these falls can be avoided.


One way of protecting your child against dangerous falls, is to install safety gates. These can be placed in doors ways or stairs. There are a couple of types of safety gate you should consider. These are the type that are fixed by pressure mounting them against walls or doorways. Then there are hardware mounted gates that are fixed with screws. Although this seems like a permanent thing, they are actually very easy to remove.


When thinking about which type of safety gate to choose for your staircase, the best option is the hardware mounted type. This is much more secure, and is what you need to ensure that your small child does not fall down the stairs.


Pressure mounted safety gates are good for door ways, for example one that goes into the kitchen. This will keep your crawling baby or toddler away from potential dangers in the kitchen.


Its important to remember that whichever gate is best for you, make sure it meets the ASTM standards. To make sure the gate has this, check the gate or the packaging which will indicate if it meets these standards.

If you are thinking of buying an older home, you might want to consider that it could possibly be wired with aluminum wiring. Is this something you should be concerned about?

Here are a few factors to consider;

• Aluminum has been shown to have certain weaknesses which make it less durable than copper wiring

• Aluminum is a soft metal, which can break down, especially if it has been twisted and bent a lot. and this can pose a real danger

• If exposed to air, aluminum can oxidize which can eventually create a fire hazard.

• If you are considering buying a house that hasn't been lived in for a while or has been neglected, be aware that electrical fixtures such as outlets and light fittings containing aluminum wiring can become a dangerous fire risk when neglected.

• You might not be able to insure the home if it has aluminum wiring

As you can see from this very brief overview, aluminum wiring can be quite dangerous especially as it poses a much greater fire risk than copper wiring


Please contact us here at Golden Home Inspections for more information and advice on what to do if you have aluminum wiring in your home.

So many things in our home nowadays are electric, from kitchen appliances to iPads and phones, everything requires an electrical outlet. In many older homes, there are simply not enough outlets, so a power strip seems the obvious choice to keep up with the demand, but how can we make sure that we are using them safely? Consider the following:
​

• Never interconnect power strips, even if the power strip has a surge protector. These can become overloaded and cause a fire hazard. It is also a violation of OSHA and NEC regulations.

 

• You may think that old power strip you've had for years with its exposed wires and scorch marks is still in workable condition, but it is not safe and should not be used.

 

• Stop use immediately if power strip becomes hot to the touch

• When plugging in your device, make sure that none of the metal prong parts are exposed as this presents a danger also

• Power strips are not intended to be a permanent solution, but only for use temporarily.

As you can see, power strips can be very useful, but only if used correctly.


Please give us a call with any questions you may have about electrical outlet safety in your home

We all need to protect our homes from burglars, so how about a few tips and pointers on how to do so.

Did you know?
A high percentage of burglars enter through the first floor of the home, so insuring exterior doors and windows are secure is important.

Exterior doors should be constructed of a heavy solid material that are not easily broken, and should have good quality deadbolt locks.

Beware of leaving spare keys in what you believe to be hidden areas. Don’t hide keys in obvious places or close to the door, instead leave them with a neighbor you can trust.

Install a peephole, so you can see who’s at your door before you open it

If you absolutely must have a pet door, make sure it’s not located close to a lock and try to have it as small as you can.

What about sliding glass doors? A cheap fix would be to place a wooden pole or handle of a broom, and place it in the door track so it cannot be opened. These doors should also have top and bottom locks.

​Windows want to be constructed with strong glass and screening should be a heavy-duty wire.

Burglars don’t want to be seen, so make it as difficult as possible for them by attaching motion censored lighting all around the house.

What if you’re going to be away?
Try to make it look like someone's home. Timer activated lights, TV or radio are a good idea. Make sure the yard is kept neat while you are away, also try keeping a car in the driveway.

Contact us for more advice on how to protect your home.

No one enjoys the thought of these little creatures living in our attics, however since bats can be found in most inhabited places all over the world, we have to expect that we will encounter them at some point, so what are some of the ways we can identify if we have bats in our homes?

• Bat feces (guano) can look like rodent feces but the difference is that guano is often shiny and speckled in appearance (due to the bat's diet of insects), it can also be crushed into smaller pieces, which does not happen with rodent droppings.
• Look out for urine stains on windows which are milky white in appearance, also keep your eye out for stains around cracks, entry holes and crevices
• Listen out for squeaking and scratching noises in your walls and attics especially around the dusk and dawn hours.
• Check for unpleasant smells and stains generated from the bat's feces

What are some of the dangers of a bat infestation?
Bats pose a huge health risk to humans. They can carry rabies which can be fatal. Bat feces is also dangerous to humans as it can cause a respiratory disease called Histoplasma capsulatum.
​
Please contact us for more details and instructions on where to locate entry points for bats, as they can squeeze through very small holes.

The most common roofing material in all of North America (and the most common to see on a home inspection) is asphalt shingle roofing. 

If you are thinking of getting a new roof, knowing what your roofing contractor should do and how an asphalt shingle roof is put together is very important to protect yourself and your home.

​The video below will help you understand the basics of an asphalt shingle roof: