Canadian Residential Inspection Services PEI
101 Kent St C1A 1N3 Charlottetown, PE, Canada

Keep your home safe over the holidays 1. Always lock your doors and windows, even if you plan to be out for a short amount of time. 2. Leave lights turned on both inside and outside your residence after dark. Criminals do not like bright places. The use of automatic lights will give the appearance that someone is home.... 3. If you plan on being away from home for several days, make arrangements to have someone pick up your mail and newspapers. An overstuffed mailbox is a sure sign that no one is home and burglars are tempted to check those envelopes for holiday gifts. Large displays of holiday gifts should not be visible through the windows and doors of your home. 4. Do not place the boxes of large ticket items where they are visible in the trash; break them down so it’s not so obvious what treasures they can find in your home. 5. When setting up a Christmas tree or other holiday display, make sure doorways and passageways are clear inside your home. 6. Be sure your Christmas tree is mounted on a sturdy base so children, elderly persons or family pets cannot pull it over on themselves. 7. If you use lights on your Christmas tree ensure the wiring is not damaged or frayed. Frayed or damaged wiring may cause a fire. 8. If you are purchasing toys for small children, be sure that they are safe; you would be surprised what a small child can swallow or what can injure them. 9. Keep food out of the danger zone. Bacteria can grow rapidly at room temperature. After food is cooked, keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Refrigerate or freeze any perishable food within 2 hours. For more seasonal tips for the maintenance of your home, go to the Home Maintenance section of our website at: www.CanadianResidential.com Happy Holidays and warm wishes for 2018!

Autumn is in full swing and winter is just around the corner. Follow these handy tips to get ready: Drain the water from sprinkling systems and outside hoses and disconnect them to prevent freezing and cracking. Vacuum air conditioning units and remove from windows or wrap with an approved cover. ... Inside the home have your heating systems cleaned and checked by a professional to ensure efficient heating and to ward off potential problems during the winter. Check ductwork for gaps where it has pulled apart at seams or corners and seal. Clean registers to allow heat to move freely into rooms and ensure they aren’t blocked by furniture. Lock windows to create a tight seal, check around windows and doors for drafts and seal where required - plastic window wrap is an economical way to prevent heat through windows and patio doors. Replace worn weather-stripping around doors. Visit www.CanadianResidential.com for more seasonal tips on the maintenance of your home.

Excessive Condensation Are you missing this sign of too much moisture in your home? Monitor your home for excessive moisture levels such as condensation on your windows. Excessive moisture can cause significant damage down the road and pose health issues to your family. View Moisture and Air A Guide for Understanding and Fixing Interior Moisture Problems in Housing, https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/odpub/pdf/61033.pdf

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and all the best for 2017. Special thanks to all my clients, PEI realtors, Canadian Residential Inspection Services Ltd., and all my friends and family for their support during the past year. Happy Holidays!

As you Prepare for the Holidays Ah, Tis the Season....food, travel, time off work and great times with family and friends. Along with your regular preparations for the holidays, we have a few more things for you to think about: Service Your Heating System Nothing puts a damper on holiday fun like a sub-zero abode. If you didn’t have your heating system serviced in the fall, now is the time to make sure it’s in tip-top shape.... Have Your Chimney Swept Everyone loves a cosy fire burning over the holidays. Unfortunately, the creosote build-up found in poorly maintained chimneys is a leading cause of dangerous house fires. If it’s been a while since you checked it, you owe it to your family and guests to get that chimney cleaned. Check Snow Shovel and Snow Blower Status Be sure you’ve got a good snow shovel or a working snowblower in the garage along with a couple of bags of salt or sand. While you might not mind tramping through a foot of snow, your guests may not feel the same. So be sure you can properly clear your walks and driveway of ice and snow before grandma and grandpa arrive. Unplug Christmas Lights and Unnecessary Appliances If you are heading out for festivities, unplug lights and unused appliances. They are not only a fire hazard, they cost you money. Phantom loads created by unused - but plugged in, electrical appliances can account for as much as 10% of your monthly utility bill.

Spring Roof Check Inspect your roof for wind, snow or ice damage. Check to see that the shingles are secure, tightly fastened and in good condition. If any of the shingles are loose, repair with asphalt roofing cement. If they are damaged or missing, replacement will be necessary and may require professional help.... Inspect the flashing around the chimney, plumbing vent stacks, electrical masts, and in valleys where roofing sections meet. Repair or re-flash if the flashing has deteriorated. Examine the eavestrough, downspouts, gutters and valleys. Check for any loose joints and be sure everything is secure to the building. Clear any obstructions to ensure water flows away from your foundation. Visit CanadianResidential.com for more seasonal tips to help you maintain your home.

Spring Deck Check Spring is the time of the year when we are getting ready to start using our decks again. Prior to this you should be performing a quick check to make sure that your deck areas are still serviceable and safe for your family. Check that they are securely attached to the house and are level. Check that the support posts under the decks are plumb. Over the winter months the wood and supporting beams may have deteriorated. Check for rotten boards and replace as r...equired. It is not uncommon to need to re-level your decks in the spring. In order to prolong the life of the wood, wash the deck to remove any mold or mildew, and apply water repellants or semi-transparent deck stain. Visit www.CanadianResidential.com for more seasonal tips to help you maintain your home.

Hot Water Tanks Can Pose a Safety Hazard When replacing your hot water tank make sure that it is properly installed by a professional who understands the importance of the "temperature/pressure release valve" TPRV and the "discharge pipe" as well as their functions. It is extremely important that your hot water tank has a properly installed and functioning temperature/pressure release valve and discharge pipe. The TPRV will either be on the top of the tank or on the side near... the top. The TPRV is designed to release any excessive build-up of pressure or temperature from the tank. This valve must not be capped off or plugged in any way! If it is, there is no way for pressure to be released. Also check for any signs of leakage or corrosion. The discharge pipe is a pipe attached to the valve that - in case of pressure - will direct the steam downwards towards the floor, into a bucket. Occasionally hot water tanks are located near areas that have regular traffic such as laundry areas. The purpose for directing the scalding steam downwards is to avoid a situation where the escaping steam could burn an individual who happened to be standing near the tank at that time. So it is critical to ensure that the TPRV with a proper downspout is in place. If you are unsure or have any questions, give me a call. Check out Discovery Channel's "Mythbusters" as they demonstrate the possible consequences when a hot water tank malfunctions. https://youtu.be/68p4ngS-yME

Breathe Easy This Winter It is a good idea to remove the inside screens from your windows over the winter months. This allows more air to circulate around the inside of the window trim and sill area, thus reducing the incidence of molds and mildews. Molds tend to grow in high moisture areas. In the winter months extra moisture may condense on the colder surfaces of the glass. Adequate ventilation helps expel that moisture. Although some home owners block off heating vents to ...certain rooms over the winter months to decrease heating costs, it is never a good idea to completely block off your vents for the same reason - ventilation helps to expel moisture that may contribute to mold and mildew in a home. When you remove the screens do a quick check of each window and clean the sill and trim if you notice anything that may be mold or mildew. Dry the area quickly after cleaning. Check for tears and repair any damaged screens. Clean the screens before storing them in a dry area so they will be ready for installation - in case we have an early spring! - See more at: http://www.canadianresidential.com//molds-and-mildew-preve

Avoiding Ice Dams Our Canadian winters have their frosty reputation for good reason. These extreme temperatures can affect the condition of your home and how it functions. Your roof is one of the most important lines of defense between you and the natural elements. It helps keep warm air locked in during the winter months and prevents snow, rain or the cold from penetrating the exterior of your home.... This is an ideal time to examine your attic for frost accumulation. Look for excessive frost or staining of the wood on the underside of the roof. Ice dams on the exterior surface of the roof can be a problem, particularly for low-sloped roofs with an overhang. This is the result of snow accumulation on the roof and is more common on poorly insulated homes. After a snowfall, heat escapes from the attic and melts the snow on the roof. The water runs down and encounters the snow on the overhang, which has not melted because there is no attic below it. The water, which meets this snow, will freeze forming a dam at the lower edge of the roof. This moisture can then back up beneath the shingles and result in damage below. A well-insulated and ventilated attic will help reduce this problem. Consult a roofing/insulation professional for more information.