Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

PITTSBURG, Calif.

Modified wiring for an illegal marijuana grow operation was suspected to be the cause of a two-alarm fire that destroyed a house in Pittsburg early Thursday morning, a fire inspector said.

The fire at 2610 Tampico Drive was reported at 1:10 a.m., Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Inspector Vic Massenkoff said.

Firefighters found the second floor and attic of the two-story home engulfed in flames and worked outside to keep the blaze from spreading to two adjacent houses, Massenkoff said.

When firefighters tried to enter the house, the roof and ceiling collapsed and a second alarm was called. After about 80 minutes, they finally brought the fire under control.

Crews investigating the wreckage found the modified wiring for the illegal marijuana grow operation, which is suspected to be the cause of the fire, Massenkoff said.

Damage to the home, built in late 2012, was estimated at $400,000 and the home is considered a total loss. There was a sprinkler system inside but the water had been shut off so it was not activated.

No one was injured by the blaze, Massenkoff said.

A total of 35 firefighters responded, including ones from Pittsburg, Antioch, Bay Point, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill and Pacheco.

Fire officials are asking anyone who sees suspicious activity in unoccupied houses, including alterations such as bars on windows, people coming and going at unusual hours or aluminum foil covering windows, to report that to avoid fires from grow houses or hash oil labs.

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Illegal marijuana grow triggers cause of 2-alarm fire

RedKey Realty Leaders #39; Professional Partners - Christy Cooper of HSA
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Tenvis Home Security Camera [JPT3815W] Unboxing - Video

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Mounting threats to target the Sochi Games prompt some Olympians to tell their families and friends to stay home. US officials, meanwhile, offer some reassurances on security even as they make concerns clear.

[Updated Jan. 24 5:45 p.m.] American speed skater Tucker Fredrickss parents were on hand in Turin, Italy, in 2006 and Vancouver in 2010 to root for their Olympian son.But when Fredricks skates in the Sochi Gamesin Russiain February, his mom and dad will be at home where their son has asked them to stay out of concern for their safety.

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Normally, Olympic athletes encourage family and friends to attend the Games to cheer them on. But this year, as concerns mount over the threats that militants from Russian hot spots such as the Caucasus region where Sochi sits may pose to the Winter Olympics, more athletes from the United States and other countries are asking loved ones to stay home.

The list of countries to announce that their Olympic committees have received specific threats is growing. Hungary was the latest country this week to reveal it has received e-mails warning that its athletes could be targets.

Russia insists that the Games, set to kick off Feb. 7, will be safe and it has deployed an unprecedented number of security forces of all stripes to back up that vow.

On Friday, Mitt Romney, former Republican presidential nominee, told NBCs "Today" that he would feel confident sending his family to the Sochi Games. Mr. Romney, who was CEO of the 2002 Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the Winter Olympics that took place just months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, said, Theres never been a Games I know of that have been so targeted for specific threats as youre seeing in Sochi, But it's also the case, he added, that the level of security preparations appears to be at an unprecedented level.

That appears to apply to both Russia and the United States. US officials, acting on their own threat assessments, are deploying resources to the Olympics site and to the area. The US is offering assistance and antiterrorism technologies to Russian authorities.

Publicly, US officials are acting to calm rising jitters about Sochi, even as agencies from the military to the FBI take steps to address security concerns and to prepare to evacuate American athletes in the event of terrorist attacks or other disasters.

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Sochi Games: Security jitters evident among Olympic athletes, US officials

Mounting threats to target the Sochi Games prompt some Olympians to tell their families and friends to stay home. US officials, meanwhile, offer some reassurances on security even as they make concerns clear.

[Updated Jan. 24 5:45 p.m.] American speed skater Tucker Fredrickss parents were on hand in Turin, Italy, in 2006 and Vancouver in 2010 to root for their Olympian son.But when Fredricks skates in the Sochi Gamesin Russiain February, his mom and dad will be at home where their son has asked them to stay out of concern for their safety.

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly Digital Edition

Normally, Olympic athletes encourage family and friends to attend the Games to cheer them on. But this year, as concerns mount over the threats that militants from Russian hot spots such as the Caucasus region where Sochi sits may pose to the Winter Olympics, more athletes from the United States and other countries are asking loved ones to stay home.

The list of countries to announce that their Olympic committees have received specific threats is growing. Hungary was the latest country this week to reveal it has received e-mails warning that its athletes could be targets.

Russia insists that the Games, set to kick off Feb. 7, will be safe and it has deployed an unprecedented number of security forces of all stripes to back up that vow.

On Friday, Mitt Romney, former Republican presidential nominee, told NBCs "Today" that he would feel confident sending his family to the Sochi Games. Mr. Romney, who was CEO of the 2002 Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the Winter Olympics that took place just months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, said, Theres never been a Games I know of that have been so targeted for specific threats as youre seeing in Sochi, But it's also the case, he added, that the level of security preparations appears to be at an unprecedented level.

That appears to apply to both Russia and the United States. US officials, acting on their own threat assessments, are deploying resources to the Olympics site and to the area. The US is offering assistance and antiterrorism technologies to Russian authorities.

Publicly, US officials are acting to calm rising jitters about Sochi, even as agencies from the military to the FBI take steps to address security concerns and to prepare to evacuate American athletes in the event of terrorist attacks or other disasters.

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Sochi Games: US hints at need for more security information from Russia

Poplar Bluff, Missouri (PRWEB) January 24, 2014

Geothermal heating and cooling systems are changing the green energy industry, as they offer homeowners a convenient source of energy that is unaffected by weather patterns, such as solar and wind energy. Many homeowners make the switch due to the increased energy efficiency, and therefore increased savings. For geothermal heating, Poplar Bluff homeowners report even temperatures during the coldest winter nights.

1.Geothermal systems range from 400-500 percent energy efficiency. Homeowners can save significantly on their monthly utility bills by replacing traditional systems, which max out in the mid-90 percent range of energy efficiency, with a geothermal heating and cooling system. 2.Geothermal heating and cooling units use the Earths energy, which is accessible 4-5 feet underground. There are different loop designs available (vertical and horizontal), depending on the amount of land or yard size that is available. This type of energy is a constant resource that isnt subject to high or low temperatures, presence or lack of sunshine, or wind speed. 3.Geothermal energy is considered green because it doesnt require the use of fossil fuels, reduces the emission of greenhouse gases, and will lower the users carbon footprint. 4.This type of system has a much greater lifespan than that of a traditional system. Due to the loop system being buried underground, undisturbed and not exposed to harsh weather conditions, and the unit itself being housed indoors, there will be minimal wear and tear. Geothermal systems require much less maintenance and repair as well. 5.Geothermal units provide very consistent heating and cooling. Homeowners enjoy consistent indoor temperatures all year long and superior humidity control.

For more information regarding energy savings with geothermal systems, homeowners should visit Home Comfort Geo at http://homecomfortgeo.com/.

About Home Comfort Geo

Home Comfort Geo is the leading source for geothermal statistics, technology, and innovation. Our dealers proudly serve residents throughout Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri.

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Top 5 Reasons to Switch to Geothermal

It is a chilling tale of winter, one that in ghost-story fashion begins with a sign that all is not right. Maybe there's a damp spot spreading ominously across a wall, or faint sounds that grow louder and more insistent.

"I heard water dripping," Liz Simon-Higgs of Baltimore said, "but mostly what I heard was my water meter spinning."

Similarly, Kacey Gaige heard the tell-tale sound of water on the move in her Severna Park home, "but I wasn't running the laundry." As she headed into her garage to pick her kids up at school Thursday, the source of the mystery sound was revealed.

"Oh, an ice skating rink," she said of the water that had spewed from a broken pipe onto the garage floor, freezing in the unheated space.

Throughout the area, the record-breaking cold has caused water pipes to freeze and burst, unleashing rivers of water that panicked homeowners rush to stop.

"I was just turning valves," Gaige told Stephen Tant Jr., a plumber who had arrived Friday afternoon to fix her pipes.

Tant, who works for Len the Plumber company, began sorting through a complicated set of pipes, spigots and knobs running along the wall of the unheated garage. Water had apparently frozen in one pipe, causing it to separate at the point where it had been soldered to another length of pipe.

Like other plumbers in the area, Tant, 28, has spent much of this frigid spell heading from one winter-worn pipe to another.

"We've never had unbearable cold like this," he said. "We were just catching up from the last cold spurt, and now we're back into it again."

Tant had just left a rowhouse in Southwest Baltimore where an outdoor spigot connected to a garden hose froze and cracked, sending water cascading down outdoor steps and a walkway to the street, where it froze into a thick sheet of ice along the curb.

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Big chill bursts pipes and heats up business for plumbers

Your home is more than likely the largest investment you will make in a lifetime. Protect that investment by performing regular maintenance throughout the year. These steps, most of which are fairly simple and cost little to no money, will prevent bigger (and expensive) problems in the future.

Winter

Since the winter weather has you spending time inside anyway, take a moment to walk around the interior of your home to look for problems. (Take a note pad and pencil with you, or a camera.) Pay special attention to the ceiling to look for water damage. Check water pipes underneath each sink and in the basement, plus around the faucets, for leaks. Go into the attic to look for water damage and make sure the vents are clear. Also, do you know where the water shut-off valves are in your home? Take a moment to locate them (look under the sinks and toilets, plus the main shut-off valves in the basement) and test to see if they work so youll be prepared for a water emergency.

Replace the filter on your heating system once a month during peak usage, or as recommended by your systems manufacturer.

Check the hoses on the washing machine for leaks and replace if necessary, and be sure to turn off the water to the machine after each use to prevent the hoses from breaking.

Clean the hood and filter above your kitchen stove. (This is good to do once a month.)

Check the ground fault circuit interrupters on electrical outlets, which are most often located near a sink or other water source. Just push the test button to make the reset button pop up. Then push the reset button to turn the outlet back on. (Also good to check once a month.)

Is there a drain pipe in your basement, or sinks that sit unused for long periods of time, such as a laundry sink? Pour some water down the drains from time to time to ensure there is water in the trap to prevent sewer gasses from backing up into the house.

Schedule the annual tune-up to your cooling system. Yes, cooling system. This will ensure it is ready to go with the temperatures warm up. Heating and cooling systems require ongoing service and maintenance to keep them operating safely and efficiently.

Spring

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Home improvement: A maintenance calendar for all seasons

ST. CHARLES The St. Charles School Board has decided to ask voters to approve a property tax increase for operations and a $7.5 million capital improvements bond issue.

The tax boost - 35 cents for each $100 assessed valuation - and the bond issue will be on the April 8 election ballot.

District officials say some of the tax proposal - Proposition L - would boost teacher salaries to keep the district competitive with neighboring districts. The extra revenue also will allow the district to avoid cuts in service.

Without the additional money, superintendent Jeff Marion said, "I don't see any way to hold class sizes down." He said voter rejection of the tax hike also could lead to cuts in school bus service, extra-curricular activities and other items.

The district says it has cut $8.1 million from its operating budget in the pats four years to deal with money problems.

The district says the owner of a home valued at $150,000 would pay $99.75 more a year in taxes if the measure passes.

The bond issue - known as Proposition S - would allow the district to expand video surveillance and other security features, upograde cmmunications systems, complete asbestos removal and add exterior lighting.

The money also would be used to upgrade outdated heating and cooling systems at Hardin Middle School, repair the roof at St. Charles High School and expand the Lewis and Clark Career Center, the district's tech school.

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St. Charles schools ask voters for property tax hike, bond issue