In 2017, 2,812 Americans died as a result of fire, flames, or smoke. This number is up from 2,730 in 2016, and 2,646 in 2015. Despite the rising fatality rate, the actual number of fires in the United States has been steadily decreasing over the last decade. What this shows is that fire safety and … Read more
The average U.S. household used 10,399 kilowatt hours (kWh) in the year 2017, with an average or 867 kWh each month. The state that had the highest usage was Louisiana with each residential unit using 14,242 kWh of electricity. The state with the lowest usage was Hawaii at 6,074 kWh per residential customer. HOW IS … Read more
Like all forms of insulation, spray foam is designed to prevent heat from traveling between the interior of your home and the exterior. Most often, this is between a warm home and a cold exterior, although in hot climates it can be a cool interior and warm air outside. Insulation allows you to reduce your … Read more
Finishing a basement is a great way to maximize the space in your home. Rather than using your basement as a storage space – or having it be totally unused – you can convert it into another room, finished to the same standard as the rest of your home. There are two main benefits to … Read more
If your home were to flood, how much would you expect to pay? How would that be different if the flood was from a burst water pipe versus a river bursting its banks? What if water permeates the walls or the brickwork? Each of these will greatly shape the final bill for water damage repair. … Read more
If you experience a sewage leak, it can be unpleasant in multiple ways. For information on what to do if sewage leaks into your home, see our page Sewage Backup in Basement – What to Do. There are two main costs involved: The cost of fixing whatever caused the leak in the first place. The restoration … Read more
Septic tank pumping is not one of the most glamorous topics of discussion, although if you do own a septic tank, care and maintenance are some of its most important features. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a septic tank should be inspected every two to three years. There is a large number of … Read more
Drywall is a cheap, useful material for creating interior walls or ceilings in a home. Generally, drywall – also known as gypsum board, plasterboard, or sheetrock – comes in panels of 4 x 8 feet. Drywall is thin (usually between 3/8 of an inch and 5/8 of an inch thick) and therefore light. You can … Read more
Blown-in Insulation – also known as loose-fill – involves spraying small sections of fiberglass into a cavity, which is a quick and efficient way of adding insulation to a home. When a home is built, strips of fiberglass rolls or batts are added to fit between wall studs and ceiling joists. However, after drywall is added on … Read more
