Baby Proof (Answer)

Hey Andy,

Childproofing your home is a very important step for your child’s safety. Hazards in the home contribute to the injury or death of about 2 million children a year. Fortunately many of these incidents can be avoided by informed parents and using some of the simple child safety devices on the market today.

Here are some child safety devices that can help get you started on making you home as safe as possible for your young children:

 Use Safety Gates to help prevent falls down stairs and to keep children away from dangerous areas.
 Use Safety Latches and Locks for cabinets and drawers in kitchens, and bathrooms.
 Use Door Knob Covers and Door Locks to prevent passage to possible danger.
 Use Smoke Detectors, and Carbon Monoxide Detectors on every level of your home and near bedrooms.
 Use Window Guards and Safety Netting to help prevent falls from windows, balconies, decks, and landings.
 Use Corner and Edge Bumpers to help prevent injuries from falls against sharp edges.
 Use Outlet Safety Covers and Outlet Plates.

For more information on child safety in your home go to; www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/grand/12steps/12steps.html

Thanks for your questions.

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Baby Proof (Question)

Hey Al,


I am a brand new Dad and while I am nervous about everything that the
little guy does, I was wondering if you have any tips on easy things I can
do to Baby proof my home.

Thanks

Andy

I will post the answer tomorrow.

Please send questions to agarrett54@hotmail.com Please put "Hey Al" in the subject box.

Doorbell Transformer (Answer)

Hey Amanda,

In residential 120 volt wiring the black is the hot and the white is the neutral. Look closely at the connection screws on the transformer, one will be silver in color and one will be brass. So with 120 volt residential wiring remember “black on brass”. The black wire is the hot wire and the brass screw is the hot connection. The white wire is the neutral and it goes to the silver screw. The “black on brass” rule applies to all household wiring. When you mount the transformer you can mount it to the outside of the main panel box or on a wall, but never mount it inside the panel box. Transformers will get warm and heat is not something you want on the inside of a panel. Remember always turn the power off at the main electrical box before attempting any wiring.

Thanks for the question.

Send Questions to agarrett54@hotmail.com Please put "Hey Al" in the subject box.

Doorbell Transformer (Question)

Hey Al,

I have owned my own house for the past nine years and I have become very handy with repairs, but I still have problems with electrical repairs. Recently my doorbell quit working because of a bad transformer. I replaced the transformer and it worked for about ten minutes before it got real hot and quit. I feel I did not wire it correctly, so before I cook another transformer I would like to know if there is a coded way to know which wire (black or white) goes onto which screw on the transformer?

Help

Amanda

I will post the answer tomorrow.

Send Questions to agarrett54@hotmail.com Please put "Hey Al" in the subject box.

Furnace Filter (Answer)

Hey Ted,

Changing or cleaning the furnace filter is a good step to prolong the life of your furnace and air-conditioner. Since the same duct work and circulating fan is used for heating and cooling system, it is important to change the filter in the winter months and summer months.
It is important to get the correct size of filter for your furnace. You can get the size of the filter off of the old filter. But when it comes to picking a filter you have a lot of choices depending on how much you want to spend. Your Dad used the least inexpensive disposable fiberglass filters. These filters are good to protect your furnace, but they only block out the large dust and dirt particles, and let the smaller particles like mold and pollen pass through.
A reusable static charged filter (electrostatic filter) is slightly more effective and slightly more expensive than the disposable fiberglass filter. This is a very popular filter, but the down side is it has to be cleaned instead of just throwing it away like the disposable fiberglass filters. By the way, I think this is the type of filter you found in your furnace.
Pleated disposable filters can trap a lot more of the allergens like mold and pollen, but they are slightly more expensive than the reusable static charged filter.
If allergies are not a problem, I would recommend a disposable fiberglass filter, or an electrostatic filter.
There are filters on the market that are very efficient in reducing mold and pollen, but they can also restrict airflow and cause problems with some heating and air-condition equipment. If you are considering a high efficiency filter you should consult your heating and air-conditioning service person to make sure the filter will work with your system.

Thanks for the great question.

Al

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Furnace Filter (Question)

Hey Al,

I recently purchased my first home, it is a thirty-year-old house in good condition and well maintained. My Dad has given me a list of preventive maintenance items, and one of the things on the list is keeping my furnace filter changed.
I went to change the filter in my furnace, and when I pulled it
out I saw that it wasn't like the filters my Dad had, it was this wire mesh
filter. I grew up watching my Dad change those old filters that look like insulation.
What kind of filter do I have? And are there special filters I need for this furnace?

Thanks

Ted

The answer will be posted tomorrow.

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