How to Determine which Wire is “Hot” in Household Wiring

Your home repair project involves installing a light fixture and an electrical outlet.  You flipped the breakers and disconnected the existing fixture, but now you’re uncertain which wire is the “hot” one.  What now?

In the United States, household wiring code offers us a clue as to which wire SHOULD correspond to what.  Extreme caution should be used, however, when dealing with electricity, even if you feel certain that you know which wire is which.  The possibility exists that a misguided handy-man who came before you made the wrong choice connecting the wires.  You can never be too careful when your life is at risk.

According to code, the black wire is always the “hot” or “live” wire, meaning, it is connected to a source supplying 110 VAC.  If you are connecting this wire to an electrical outlet, this wire should connect to the narrow spade, or brass colored terminal.  If you have not switched off the breakers like you’re supposed to and you grab the copper conductor of this wire, you will probably feel an unmistakable tingling sensation quickly travel up your arm.  If you do feel it, let go of the wire because this sensation is not good for you.  If this happens to you often, be sure to have someone around who knows CPR and first aid when you do home repairs.

The green wire is your friend.  This is the ground wire.  Its sole purpose for existing is to save your life by providing electricity an alternate path to ground.  In the case of a short circuit, the current passes through the ground wire and overloads the breakers, causing them to trip.  Sometimes this wire will also have a yellow stripe.  Be sure to connect the ground wire properly when performing an electrical repair.  If the copper conductor of the “hot” wire that we just discussed were to maneuver it’s way over to the metal casing of, for example your ceiling fan, and make contact with it without the ground wire attached, you would be in for a nasty surprise when you touched the metal casing of the fan.

The white wire is known as the “neutral” wire.  In any circuit, whether AC or DC, there has to be a complete path in order for the electrical current to flow.  The white wire alone should not have a charge and should not hurt you if you touch it.  If installing an electrical outlet, this wire connects to the wide spade or silver colored terminal.

Sometimes, you will find a red wire living side-by-side with the black, white, and green wires.  This wire is known as a “traveler” wire and is used to connect power between 3-way light switches.

Always use caution when working with household wiring.  Turn off the breaker that corresponds to the circuit that you are working on.  If you are not certain which one is which, switch off the main breaker.  Even then, it is a good idea to test the wires with a multimeter to be absolutely certain that the wires are not “hot”.  It’s a good idea to test between the black wire and the white wire and then between the black wire and the green wire.  It is important to note that when reading AC voltage with a multimeter, if you connect your probes between two wires that are both “hot” (110VAC) the reading will be 0 volts. (A lesson that I learned the hard way!)  Always know what you are doing when dealing with electricity.  Small mistakes could prove to be fatal.

Preparing Your Home for Overnight Visitors

Your home is your comfort zone; a place where you can unwind at the end of a long day, but is your home ready to accept overnight visitors? Follow these easy steps and be prepared for them.

Perform a thorough cleaning of the entire house.  Vacuum every inch of carpet and rugs and sweep and mop all the other floor coverings.  Use disinfectant to clean all counter tops and bathrooms.  Change the air filter in the hallway return.  Make sure each room of the house is as clean as it can possibly be.  Adjust the thermostat temperature to the most comfortable setting for the current season.  If you have pets, find out whether your guest has any pet allergies so that you’ll know whether or not to keep them separated.

Wash and fold your best towels and leave enough stacked in the bathroom for each day that your visitor will be there.  Prepare a basket with soap, shampoo, mouthwash, toothpaste, and shaving supplies, in case they forget a few things.  Buy plenty of snacks and drinks and have them chilled well in advance.  Rent a few movies as back-up entertainment and leave them near the television.  If your visitor has given you any special gifts in the past, find them, dust them off, and leave them out on display to show how much you appreciate the gift.

Create a guest account on your computer and be sure to leave the computer logged into that account so that your visitor may check their email and use the Internet without having access to your personal files and information.  It is a good idea to create a restore point on computers running Windows operating system and back up any important files to external storage devices.  Lock all filing cabinets and search the house for documents like bank statements or personal mail and put all of it away.  Now is a good time to shred any old documents that you no longer need.

When your guest arrives, give them a short tour of the house and show them to their room.  Keep the house quiet and give them plenty of time to unpack and relax.  Offer them refreshments and tell them where to find you when they are ready.  If you will be eating out, prepare a list of restaurants in advance and allow your guest to choose their favorite type of food.  Enjoy your time together without worrying about the condition of your home and without the stress of making last-minute decisions.

How to Install Automatic Foundation Vents on Your Home

Most old metal foundation vents are equipped with a lever or slide switch which allows the homeowner to manually open and close the vents in response to changes in the temperature outside. Let's face it though, how many people remember to switch these vents at the appropriate times? Leaving the vents open year-round wastes energy and can lead to excess moisture under a home.

This creates a perfect environment for mold and mildew to grow and is also a welcome home for termites. Automatic foundation vents are a wonderful investment because they save the homeowner the trouble of having to constantly open and close them with the changing outside conditions.

Most automatic foundation vent installations require only a claw hammer and a flathead screwdriver. Using a pair of knee pads will make the job more comfortable.

To remove an existing foundation vent, the cement around the vent needs to be chiseled away. Strap on your knee pads or position your stool in front of the vent to be replaced and use the hammer and either a chisel or a flathead screwdriver to tap on the cement around the existing vent. Most of it should crack and fall away. Be sure to only loosen the cement around the vent and try not to loosen any of the bricks.

If the existing foundation vent is made of metal, try to wedge the claw portion of the claw hammer behind one of the metal slats on the face of the vent. Now use some leverage to pry the vent out of the wall. Don't worry about damaging the vent. It should be discarded at the end of the project anyway. When the vent is removed, use the hammer and chisel or screwdriver to remove any excess cement in the rectangular opening left by the absent vent.

Installation may vary depending by the type of automatic vents that you purchase, but the current standard uses metal clips and also pointed screws which apply pressure to the bricks at each corner of the automatic vent to hold it in place. Position each clip and screw in place and then, working against the resistance caused by the metal clips, insert the automatic vent into the opening. Once it is flush with the existing brick wall, tighten each screw carefully.

That's it, the installation is complete. When the temperature drops to approximately 40 degrees F, the vent will close automatically using an internal metal coil. This same coil will cause the vent to reopen when the temperature returns to 70 degrees F. There are powered vents available which include a fan, but these simple automatic vents only use a metal coil and no power to operate.

Tips & Warnings 

• Routinely inspect under your home for signs of moisture.
• Be sure to maintain a contract with a termite control company. They will alert you to possible moisture problems when they perform the annual termite inspection.
• If you cannot afford to purchase replacement vents for your entire house at once, try replacing just several at a time every few weeks.
• Automatic foundation vents may be found at your local home improvement store and the average price is around $15 each.
• Do not assume that just replacing vents will completely solve moisture problems under your home. This is just one remedy. Each situation is different. Evaluate your situation carefully and if you need automatic vents, then the steps in this article will help you to install them.
• Avoid striking the bricks around the vent opening or applying too much pressure. You'd be surprised how easily they may be removed!

Preparing Your Home for Cold Weather

As winter approaches it is crucial for homeowners to think ahead and perform simple preventative maintenance on their homes to avoid unnecessary and often expensive repairs.  It is possible to complete the majority of these projects in one weekend.

Examine the exterior of the home and look for potential hazards like tree limbs hanging overhead that could fall and damage the roof or sides of the home.  Trim any bushes have grown and are now making contact with the house.  Make sure all doors and windows are sealed tight and if necessary, purchase new weather stripping and replace old worn out sections.  If there is any existing damage to the siding on the house or the roof shingles, now is the time to repair these problem areas.  Check the gutters and downspouts for debris and clean them thoroughly.  It is a good idea to spray water into the gutters periodically or check them during a heavy rainfall for leaks and repair any problems that are found.  If the home has a crawl space and is not equipped with automatic vents it is a good idea to invest in some.  Otherwise close all the vents now to prevent low temperatures from freezing the water lines.  If the home is not under a pest control contract, purchase enough pest repellent to treat the perimeter of the home to block unwanted pests that will soon be seeking refuge from the cold.  Pay to have the heating system of the home inspected and serviced by trained professionals to prevent surprise outages that will literally leave you in the cold.  Purchase a bag of de-icer to spread on steps and walkways and be sure that there is a shovel with a flat face easily accessible.

Inside the home, check all of the vents for obstructions and verify that each one is open.  Blocking vents causes the heating system to work harder and waste energy trying to warm those areas.  A programmable thermostat is easy to install and relatively inexpensive compared to the savings that long-term use will provide and it will maintain the home at a comfortable temperature based on the time of day.  Wash some blankets and leave them folded in various rooms to encourage family and friends to cover themselves if the temperature is a little too low for their comfort.  If the home has an attic with an access door, insulate that opening to prevent heat from escaping into the attic.  Icy weather often brings power outages, so stock up on candles, flashlights, and batteries.  If there is a fireplace available, be sure to have the chimney thoroughly cleaned prior to using it and gather and store enough firewood to heat the home for a few days.  For areas where power outages are frequent, investigate the costs versus benefits of installing a gas-powered generator.

Purchase a supply of non-perishable foods including canned goods and some gallon jugs of purified water in case you find yourself unable to leave home for a few days due to snow and ice.  A battery-powered radio may be used to listen for important weather advisories in case the television or computer are inaccessible.  If anyone living in your home uses prescription medication or oxygen tanks that are crucial for their health, be prepared by keeping a little extra on-hand.  Collect board games and think of ways to entertain family and friends in case they wind up trapped indoors together.

With simple preparation, your home will pass the cold winter months with ease and might give you and your family an opportunity to relax and enjoy the beauty of the season.

How to Reduce the Amount of Dust in Your Home

The first step in reducing the amount of dust in your home is to understand what causes this problem. Dust forms due to a number of things, including pet dander, dirt particles entering from outside the home, the decomposition of upholstered furniture and clothing, insects and their waste, dead human skin cells that have been shed, and many others. Through routine cleaning practices and some preventative measures, all of these problems may be controlled to an extent.

Let's begin with the central air conditioning system if your home is equipped with one. It makes no sense to clean and dust while there is a large machine recirculating dust and spewing it all over the house. Make an appointment to have the ducts cleaned and in the meantime replace the air filter with a high quality filter that is rated for maximum filtration of dust and allergens. Regardless of the directions specified on the filter, replace it every month. Leaving an air filter in place for several months at a time in a home with a high level of dust will cause unnecessary stress on the central air system and result in costly repairs.

Now do a thorough cleaning of your entire home using furniture polish and clean cloths where applicable. Don't forget to dust ceiling fans, blinds, drawers, and cabinets. Clean every surface in the home where dust could settle. Be sure to wash all bedding materials and if possible wash your curtains. Mop all hardwood and laminate floors and vacuum all carpeted areas using a vacuum with a Hepa filter. Clean your shower and bathtubs. At least once a month, move furniture, including dressers, beds, refrigerator, clothes washer, and clothes dryer and clean behind and underneath them. As this is a time consuming and often strenuous process, it may be necessary to alternate one area of furniture a month and then another the next month. Cleaning behind these pieces of furniture just a few times a year is better than never cleaning behind them at all.

Verify that each entrance of your home is equipped with a mat for guests to wipe their feet on. If you own a pet, be sure to bathe and brush them frequently. Check for cracks and crevices in your home where air may be flowing from the outside and repair them. If your home is equipped with attic stairs, verify that the door is sealing properly when closed. Products are available now that may be installed on an attic entrance that seals the door when shut.

If the dust problem persists, invest in an air purifying machine. The ionic air purifying machines do not require replacement filters and help capture a large amount of dust from the air. Consider removing large area rugs and upholstered furniture from your home. Switching carpeted areas to hardwood or laminate flooring will also greatly reduce the level of dust in a home. Be sure to keep closets and drawers which contain clothes shut at all times when not in use.

Following these simple tips will reduce much of the dust in a home and will simplify the cleaning process in the future.