How to Use a Fire Extinguisher Read more

• Pick a fire extinguisher classified as A:B:C to fight three kinds of fire (combustible, flammable liquids and electrical).
• Select the largest fire extinguisher that you and your family members can comfortably operate.
• Stock at least one fire extinguisher on each floor of your home.

For more details on selecting and using a fire extinguisher, check out this article from This Old House.

For fire extinguisher ratings, read about fire extinguishers at Consumer Reports. Read more

Every time I use my dryer, I clean out the lint screen. Unfortunately, not all the lint is captured there. According to Doug Francone, owner and President of Ductz of Walnut Creek and The Tri-Valley, some lint slips into the duct that’s used to move the hot, moist air from the dryer to the outside. Over time, that lint can build up and cause problems.

Your dryer has to work a little harder when its venting line gets clogged—it might take two hours to dry a load that used to take 45 minutes. Besides wasting energy, clogged venting lines wear out dryers sooner. On a more serious note, they’re also a leading cause of home fires. Read more

Many old Bay Area homes were wired using a method called “knob and tube,” which was in common use until the 1940’s. You don’t always have to replace it, according to Nick Courcoumelis, owner of Positive Electric, a Diamond Certified company. “Knob and tube can’t be used in places where it can’t supply enough power to a kitchen, bathroom, laundry room or outdoor wiring. Or anywhere you need surge protection because it doesn’t have a ground. However, if it’s in good condition, it can still be used in other parts of the house, like bedrooms.”

Mr. Courcoumelis explains that codes don’t allow electricians to install knob and tube wiring anymore. However, you can insulate over it in California, Read more