From the outside, the little white house looked abandoned. Set back from the quiet residential road and surrounded by towering trees, the place was the picture of neglect, with crooked front steps, a broken railing and a door that had been hung upside down and backward.

Inside lived three elderly brothers who, for decades, kept to themselves and rarely saw a visitor. Then, one day last November, a county building inspector pulled up in the gravel driveway. He gently explained that the brothers would have to bring their property up to code or the home could be condemned, and the brothers would be put out.

Their roof leaked, and wind blew through holes in the walls. More than a dozen cats roamed the yard, which was scattered with piles of junk. Still, it was home the only one the brothers had ever known. They could remember how their father, an immigrant from Italy, used to sing and play piano in the front room. One of his favorites was "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'."

Oh, what a beautiful mornin',

Oh, what a beautiful day,

I've got a wonderful feelin',

Everything's going my way.

"Year after year, we'd listen to him practice and sing," said Ray Sabec, 67, the youngest brother. "I am very sentimental. To me, everything is feeling and memory.

"That music is still there in the house."

Indeed, when the brothers looked at their dilapidated home, they could remember how it used to be.

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New Lenox community rebuilds brothers' home

Electricity "The Spark Of Life" Your home electrical system provides, energy to heat or cool your home, cook meals, drive power tools and perform many other useful functions. Residential lighting provides comfort and security, on the darkest of nights. Used safely and wisely, electricity will continue to enrich our lives...

Welcome to Sparkie's Home Wiring 101. A easy to follow, electrical wiring resource, for the everyday "Do It Yourself'er" and weekend project dominator alike. Covering basic electrical concepts, practices and DIY projects. And by breaking projects down, into step by step tutorials, you too can wire that switch.....and MORE!

Electrical Basics ~ How Does A Switch Work? The "switch", we use them daily, to turn on and off lights or dispose of last night's dinner. A simple, yet powerful device, capable of controlling any situation, with just the flip of a switch....

Electrical Basics ~ Residential Wiring Diagrams... Keeping in mind that the "source" is both, the startingpointand the return point of an electrical circuit, you can use that knowledge to map any wiring situation. Below, we'll go through the more common wiring scenarios that a homeowner may run into...

Electrical Basics ~The GFCI : Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter The Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter or GFCI, senses any leakage or loss of current, on a electrical circuit, that may be flowing through a person. When the GFCI detects a loss, it ...

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Home Wiring 101~ Electrical Basics For Homeowners ~

Most homes built before 1950 or so were wired using a system called "knob-and-tube." K&T wiring is a two-wire system (there is no ground wire); the wires run through porcelain tubes for protection wherethey pass through wood framing pieces, and are supported by porcelain knobs along their length to prevent heat build-up.

K&T wiring is common in older Northeast Ohio communities. You can usually spot the knobs and tubes in a basement ceiling or unfinished attic. Left alone, K&T wiring is extremely safe, according to most electricians. Problems can occur when the system is altered by such things as:

What if you own a home with knob-and-tube wiring? Certainly, you don't have to rewire your home immediately. But, be aware that you may encounter problems down the line if you want to change insurance carriers, or when you sell your home. It's not a bad idea to have your system checked by a licensed electrician to ensure that everything is safe, and to evaluate whether replacingyour K&T wiring with a more modern system might be worth the cost.

There is a lot of good informationavailable online. Check out articles by theInternational Association of Certified Home Inspectors andold house web.

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Knob & tube wiring can make getting insurance difficult: The Weekly Fix

CHICAGO (WLS) --

These large open boxes were set up for the I-Team by the Alsip Fire Department. The one on the right is full of older or antique furniture, made of cotton, wool and down.

The room on the left is a typical a home with newer, synthetic furniture made with chemicals like polyurethane and hydro-carbons.

Firefighters and other safety experts lit both rooms at the same time using a candle. In just one minute and thirty seconds, flames raged through the newer furnishings in what firefighters call a "flashover."

The old furniture burned slowly. It takes more than 13 minutes to "flashover."

"The products now-a-days are all synthetic," says Thomas Styczynski, Fire Chief Village of Alsip. "They are hydrocarbons, a solid form of gasoline if you will. They will ignite quicker, they give off different gasses. Besides carbon monoxide, they give off cyanide gases, all those which are toxic to humans."

And it's not just furniture causing faster fires. Research at Underwriter Laboratories in Northbrook has shown that the modern construction materials can put you at a higher risk.

"Lightweight construction uses laminated beams and trusses and under normal circumstances these are great," says contractor and TV show host Ron Hazelton. "But in fire they collapse much sooner than conventional wood."

Hazelton showed the I-Team two examples. The bigger piece of wood is solid and used in older construction. The other is many pieces of wood compressed together, with glue, found in newer homes.

"What happens with solid wood is it begins to burn from the outside in, so the outside may char but the interior of it the structural integrity is there so it tends to fail slowly and you know when it is going to go," Hazleton says. "This burns hotter and more quickly, and when it fails, it fails almost instantaneously."

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Faster Fires: Why your home could burn 8x faster

A home built of commercial shipping containers is under construction in Royal Oak, Mich., Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2014. Seven shipping containers will be transformed to make up the 2,100 square-foot home, which includes three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Holes for windows and passageways will be cut before plumbing, electrical wiring and other mechanical functions are installed. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

ROYAL OAK, Mich. (AP) An unfinished house in Royal Oak is drawing the attention of passersby due to the unusual material it's being constructed with: commercial shipping containers.

"Ever since construction started this summer, people stop and stare at it," said neighbor Lawrence Marble. "Every day (motorists) on Rochester stop and look at it. Some people even take pictures."

The builder, ModEco Development, tells The (Royal Oak) Daily Tribune (http://bit.ly/1v70ulI ) that the two-story house is likely the first of its kind in Michigan. Seven shipping containers will be transformed to make up the 2,100 square-foot home, which includes three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Holes for windows and passageways will be cut before plumbing, electrical wiring and other mechanical functions are installed.

"We wanted to do something outside the box, especially for Michigan," ModEco employee Nilesh Patel said. "The housing industry has had very little innovation and we wanted to give it a different take on things."

Using recycled shipping containers as building materials is a trend that began on the West Coast more than a decade ago, according to Joe Latozas, project manager for the house with Rochester-based Designhaus Architecture. Now the containers are used to build houses all over the world, he said, in Japan, Norway, Central America and beyond.

"As long as it looks like a residence when it's finished I think it will be good for the neighborhood," Marble said.

The company hopes to put the house on the market early next year. The final price of the home hasn't been determined yet since it's a new concept, Patel said.

___

Information from: The Daily Tribune, http://www.dailytribune.com

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Royal Oak house built with shipping containers

Albany, NY (PRWEB) September 30, 2014

Most people have a favorite season of the year but it seems that almost everyone enjoys the fall. It is the time of the year for picking apples, enjoying beautiful fall foliage and harvesting of crops. Temperatures become more pleasant and perfect for outdoor bonfires and hayrides. However, dropping temperatures also trigger a need for many pests to begin searching for a place of refuge from the long, cold winter months.

Rodents, cockroaches, ladybugs, cluster flies and spiders are just some of the pests that begin seeking shelter from harsh winter weather. As outdoor temperatures begin cooling down, warm homes become very enticing to pests. While some insects like the Monarch butterfly will migrate to warmer climates, others will seek shelter in the comfort of your home and hibernate for the winter.

These unwanted, uninvited pests not only come in to escape cold temperatures, they also bring with them the risks of physical damage to property as well as spreading of diseases. Rodents, for example, are carriers of diseases like Salmonella and Hantavirus. They also pose a risk to the physical structure of the home by gnawing through walls and chewing into wiring, posing a risk of house fires. Cockroaches not only spread disease, they trigger asthma attacks. Some spiders like the Brown Recluse will bite if threatened and cause very threatening sores. Ladybugs and cluster flies arent as serious of carriers of disease but are extreme nuisances and very hard to control.

The logical answer to these fall pests is to stop or prevent the invasion from happening. There are several things one can do to pest proof your home during this time of year. Following these 6 tips will do much in preventing these uninvited pests from invading your home.

1. Remove all sources of food and water by storing food in sealed containers and removing water supplies by removing standing water inside or outside of the home and repairing any leaking pipes. 2. Place screens over all vents and chimney openings. 3. Install fresh door sweeps on exterior doors and repair any damaged screens. 4. Seal all cracks around windows, doors and utility entrances. 5. Trim tree branches and shrubbery away from the roof and outside walls of the home. 6. Keep firewood stored a good distance away from the house.

While these preventive steps will be very helpful, dont hesitate to contact your local, licensed pest professionals, the moment you discern a problem with fall pests. It's always best to get to the root of the problem before you find a full blown infestation in your home.

Thomas Pest Services is a leading pest control company in the Albany area that can provide safe and effective pest control services to eliminate the pests you have now and prevent future infestations. For more information on fall pest control as well as year round services, visit http://www.518gotpests.com.

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6 Tips For Fall Pest Proofing In Your Albany Home

OAKLAND -- A Fruitvale District home with illegal wiring to grow marijuana indoors caught fire Saturday morning, authorities said.

The one-alarm fire broke out at the two-story home in the 900 block of 40th Avenue near San Leandro Street at 8:38 a.m., fire Battalion Chief Lisa Baker said. The fire started inside walls on the first floor and spread to the attic, Baker said. Fire crews had the blaze under control by 8:58 a.m.

Three residents displaced by the fire were outside the home when firefighters arrived, Baker said. No one was injured.

Police were called to investigate the marijuana grow operation found inside the home, Baker said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Also on Saturday, fire crews responded to a blaze in the 6200 block of Foothill Boulevard, where a car fire spread to nearby garages at about 6:45 a.m. No injuries were reported.

David DeBolt covers breaking news. Contact him in Richmond at 510-262-2728. Follow him at Twitter.com/daviddebolt.

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Oakland: Crews battle blaze in Fruitvale neighborhood

Up to 25,000 people die every year in domestic fires across Europe. Each year, approximately 70,000 people are hospitalized due to injuries caused by fire and smoke, and fire damage burns up about 1 percent of Europes GDP.

Here in the United States, a fire department responds to a report of a fire every 25 seconds. In 2013, there were:

The top causes of fires in U.S. homes are:

Candles The top three days for home candle fires are Christmas, New Year's Day and Christmas Eve.

Cooking Includes general cooking safety info, as well as tips for microwaves, cooking oil and turkey fryers.

Electrical Overloaded outlets, outlets that arent grounded, old wiring provide greater safety in the home with the use of circuit interrupters.

Heating The peak months for home heating fires are December, January and February.

Smoking Smoking materials (i.e., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.) are the leading cause of fire deaths in the United States.

Dryers and washing machines The leading cause of home clothes dryer and washer fires is failure to clean them.

Medical oxygen Portable medical oxygen in the home has grown over the past decade.

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Home Fire Safety [Infographic]

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. At this year's NECA show, Legrand, a leading provider of electrical wiring devices and home systems, will be showcasing a number of solutions that will help electrical contractors grow their businesses. To learn and see more, visit Legrand in booth #846 from September 28 - 30, 2014, at McCormick Place, West Hall F1, Chicago, IL.

The Legrand booth will feature a live "touch screen" performance demonstrating Legrand solutions at work in a commercial building that has been retrofitted to increase building performance. A demonstration of WattStopper's Digital Lighting Management solution will also take place. In addition, the adorne, Cablofil, On-Q, Pass Seymour, Wiremold and WattStopper product lines will be displayed in appropriately themed kiosks: New products, productivity, industrial and residential solutions.

"It is very important for contractors to implement strategies centered on business growth into their yearly business plans," says Steve Killius, Vice President, Business Development Group at Legrand. "Contractors cannot rely on waiting for construction projects or rest on what they have been doing for clients. It is critical that they are able to identify emerging trends in how customers interact with their spaces and look for opportunities to create new business. Contractors must continuously look for new value-added service, propose it to customers with a view to upselling them and providing additional options."

Legrand continuously monitors the contractor market to identify new trends and requirements for business growth and optimization. "Adopting this proactive approach and integrating ourselves with contractors allows us to design and deliver a vast amount of products and solutions that add value to their ability to generate new business and revenue streams. These products deliver benefits ranging from ease of installation and integration to energy efficiency, sustainability, flexible design and safety. It also allows us to help contractors prepare for future trends and industry developments," continues Killius.

Trends in open architecture, collaborative spaces and the focus on energy efficiency present opportunities to bring new, innovative solutions to the customer. "Service and preventive maintenance are also ways to add new streams of income beyond constructing infrastructure. Partnering with innovative manufactures will enable contractors to offer more to their customers, save time and earn more profits," concludes Killius.

Featured products from Legrand on the showfloor:

From Cablofil: Cablofil Wire Mesh Cable Tray, is an open cable management system that is fast and easy to splice and assemble. Onsite fabrication is easy and requires no special fittings. Contractors merely cut, bend and move on, which makes horizontal and vertical directional changes simple. It reduces installation downtime and interruptions for moves, add-ons and changes and this translates into lower job costs. The wire mesh cable tray can be mounted in a variety of ways: on the wall, above the ceiling or in raised floor applications.

From On-Q: The On-Q Quick Connect connectivity solution boosts contractor productivity by terminating all four pairs in one squeeze and also improves termination reliability. It is available with Cat 5e, Cat 6 or Cat 6a Keystone inserts.

On-Q's Home Theater In-Wall Connection Kit facilitates effective cable management by hiding unsightly power, HDMI, Ethernet, and audio cables behind the wall of flat panel TVs to enhance the aesthetics of a room. It can be used as a standalone kit for retrofit projects or with new construction brackets.

Creating a home network using existing electrical outlets is easy with On-Q's Powerline Network Starter Kit. It supports bandwidth-intensive applications such as online gaming and streaming and requires no new wiring to be done. It features easy plug-and-play installation and HomePlug AV compliant adapters.

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Legrand Showcases Business Enhancement Solutions at NECA 2014

Wink, the Internet of Things software company that grew out of Quirky, has released their newest product, Relay. Photo: Wink

Wink, the Internet of Things software company that grew out of Quirky, has released their newest product, Relay.

Relay looks like a traditional light switch, but is actually a physical nerve center for connected gadgets that previously talked only to a smartphone app. Photo: Wink

Relay looks like a traditional light switch, but is actually a physical nerve center for connected gadgets that previously talked only to a smartphone app.

Users can control smart gadgets via customized profiles, on Relays screen or an app. This means one touch could effectively shut the house down for the night, by turning off the lights and locking the doors, or amp it up for a party, by dimming the lights and turning speakers on. Photo: Wink

Users can control smart gadgets via customized profiles, on Relays screen or an app. This means one touch could effectively shut the house down for the night, by turning off the lights and locking the doors, or amp it up for a party, by dimming the lights and turning speakers on.

It's a modular solution. As gadgets accumulate over time, they can be folded into Relay as well. Photo: Wink

It's a modular solution. As gadgets accumulate over time, they can be folded into Relay as well.

Wink, the Internet of Things software company that grew out of Quirky, has released their newest product, Relay. Photo: Wink

Wink, the Internet of Things software company that grew out of Quirky, has released their newest product, Relay.

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Wink Could Be the Next Big Platform for the Smart Home