Courtesy of: All Southland Home Inspections * (661) 212-7951

The winter holidays are a time for celebration, and that means more cooking, home decorating, entertaining, and an increased risk of fire and accidents. InterNACHI recommends that you follow these guidelines to help make your holiday season safer and more enjoyable.

Holiday Lighting
Use caution with holiday decorations and, whenever possible, choose those made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant and non-combustible materials.
Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials, and do not use candles to decorate Christmas trees.
Carefully inspect new and previously used light strings, and replace damaged items before plugging lights in. If you have any questions about electrical safety, ask an InterNACHI inspector during your next scheduled inspection. Do not overload extension cords.
Don’t mount lights in any way that can damage the cord’s wire insulation. To hold lights in place, string them through hooks or insulated staples–don’t use nails or tacks. Never pull or tug lights to remove them.
Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations.
Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use.
Make sure all the bulbs work and that there are no frayed wires, broken sockets or loose connections.
Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground-fault circuit interrupters to avoid potential shocks.
Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.

Decorations
Use only non-combustible and flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel and artificial icicles of plastic and non-leaded metals.
Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down.
In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp and breakable, and keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children.
Avoid trimmings that resemble candy and food that may tempt a young child to put them in his mouth.

Holiday Entertaining
Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. When cooking for holiday visitors, remember to keep an eye on the range.
Provide plenty of large, deep ashtrays, and check them frequently. Cigarette butts can smolder in the trash and cause a fire, so completely douse cigarette butts with water before discarding.
Keep matches and lighters up high, out of sight and reach of children (preferably in a locked cabinet).
Test your smoke alarms, and let guests know what your fire escape plan is.

Trees
When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label “fire-resistant.”
When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches, and when bent between your fingers, needles do not break.
When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces, radiators and portable heaters. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.
Cut a few inches off the trunk of your tree to expose the fresh wood. This allows for better water absorption and will help to keep your tree from drying out and becoming a fire hazard.
Be sure to keep the stand filled with water, because heated rooms can dry live trees out rapidly.
Make sure the base is steady so the tree won’t tip over easily.

Fireplaces
Before lighting any fire, remove all greens, boughs, papers and other decorations from fireplace area. Check to see that the flue is open.
Use care with “fire salts,” which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten.
Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

Toys and Ornaments
Purchase appropriate toys for the appropriate age. Some toys designed for older children might be dangerous for younger children.
Electric toys should be UL/FM approved.
Toys with sharp points, sharp edges, strings, cords, and parts small enough to be swallowed should not be given to small children.
Place older ornaments and decorations that might be painted with lead paint out of the reach of small children and pets.

Children and Pets
Poinsettias are known to be poisonous to humans and animals, so keep them well out of reach, or avoid having them.
Keep decorations at least 6 inches above the child’s reach.
Avoid using tinsel. It can fall on the floor and a curious child or pet may eat it. This can cause anything from mild distress to death.
Keep any ribbons on gifts and tree ornaments shorter than 7 inches. A child could wrap a longer strand of ribbon around their neck and choke.
Avoid mittens with strings for children. The string can get tangled around the child’s neck and cause them to choke. It is easier to replace a mitten than a child.
Watch children and pets around space heaters or the fireplace. Do not leave a child or pet unattended.
Store scissors and any sharp objects that you use to wrap presents out of your child’s reach.
Inspect wrapped gifts for small decorations, such as candy canes, gingerbread men, and mistletoe berries, all of which are choking hazards.

Security
Use your home burglar alarm system.
If you plan to travel for the holidays, don’t discuss your plans with strangers.
Have a trusted friend or neighbor to keep an eye on your home

All Southland Home Inspections
Wayne Wolven
Certified Home Inspector
direct 661-212-7951
Call today for 10% off on your client next home inspection
37311 47th St E, Palmdale, Ca 93552

A common question for homeowners that want to sell is whether they should sell in a down market or wait until the market improves? This article provides some insight into this question.

Timing the Market: To Sell or Not to Sell in a Down Market

Timing the Market: To Sell or Not to Sell in a Down Market. June 7th, 2010 · No Comments. Every book I have read on trying to time the stock market says don’t. Most financial advisors recommend getting in and staying in with the proper …

Publish Date: 06/07/2010 6:56

http://www.shawnburyska.com/real-estate-blog/2010-06-07/timing-the-market-to-sell-or-not-to-sell-in-a-down-market-2/

If you want to save money on your home purchase in the Palmdale/Lancaster area, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the local foreclosure activity. Property values have dropped significantly over the past few years and appear to have leveled out. Compared to 2006-2007 prices, most properties are an absolute bargain. This article helps put in perspective the foreclosure opportunities that exist.

You Can Find The Bargain Of A Lifetime In Today's Foreclosure …

You don’t have to be a genius to see that foreclosures often represent some of the best deals in real estate. The banking business is all about making loans to property owners and collecting mortgage payments, not owning property.

Publish Date: 06/02/2010 9:15

http://blog.webmagazinetoday.com/you-can-find-the-bargain-of-a-lifetime-in-todays-foreclosure-crisis

How long after foreclosure does it take before you can buy again? Jay Brinkmann, chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association says that “It could be well over seven or eight years before walkaways are able to obtain a mortgage to buy a home again.”

For those that have either had a short sale, the time frame to qualify to buy another home can be considerably less. We encourage those home owners that are facing a foreclosure, to weigh all of their options, especially the short sale alternative.

After foreclosure: How long until you can buy again? « Rightways's …

After foreclosure: How long until you can buy again? May 28, 2010 — rightways. NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Walking away from a mortgage you can still afford to pay has consequences; everyone knows that. Your credit score is shot and it …

Publish Date: 05/28/2010 3:49

http://rightways.wordpress.com/2010/05/28/after-foreclosure-how-long-until-you-can-buy-again/

Attention: Home Buyers! Mortgage rates have fallen again. This means that it’s easier to qualify for the loan and you can get more house for the money.

Mortgage rates sink to lowest this year | KVAL CBS 13 – News …

Mortgage rates have fallen to the lowest level of the year as investors poured money into the safe haven of US government securities.

Publish Date: 05/27/2010 15:53

http://www.kval.com/news/business/95029004.html