Campbell Hausfeld Recalls Air Compressors Due to Fire Hazard

The recall involves the Campbell Hausfeld model HU200099AV air compressor with 20 gallon tank. The recall includes date codes ranging from January 2009 through June 2009 and were exclusively sold at Walmart.

The compressor's thermal overload, which shuts the unit off when it overheats, can fail. This can lead to overheating, melting and a risk of fire.

For information on this recall go to CPSC website.

www.thediypal.com

Welding Safety Apparels

For welders, safety is one that cannot be taken for granted and safety apparels are part of keeping safe. Good reliable safety equipments are a must because welding is inherently dangerous profession.

Hobart Welding Product just introduced a variety of welding apparels which includes leather and flame retardant cotton welding jackets, leather aprons and flame retardant cotton welding sleeves.

Hobart's Leather Welding Jacket is available in three sizes: L, XL, XXL. MSRP $60. The cloth welding jacket is available in three sizes: L, XL, XXL. MSRP $35. Aprons MSRP is $20 and the sleeves are selling about $8.00.

For more information on these products visit Hobart Safety Acessories.

www.thediypal.com

Save Energy, Save Money

During this lean times, everyone is looking to save a buck and you can start by saving energy at home and a good one to start is replacing those incandescent light bulbs we use all over our homes.

According to the EPA and the US Department of Energy if every American home replaced just one light bulb with ENERGY Star qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light 3 million homes for a year. That amounted to $600 million in annual energy cost, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.

Replacing those incandescent light bulbs with Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs makes a lot of sense and eventually will save you energy cost. Compared to the incandescent light bulb, CFLs use about 75% less energy, 75% less heat which means they are safer to use, last 10 times longer which means all this could save you $35.00 for each bulb's lifetime use.

CFLs comes in different sizes and shapes, for indoors and outdoors, warm or soft lighting and are great to be used in all areas of our homes.

Some CFLs works with dimmer switches but make sure to read the labels because majority of CFLs will not work with these switches.

It's a small start but it makes sense, it will save you energy cost in the long run and also great for the environment.

www.thediypal.com

Is Your Water Heater Needs Replacing?

Don't get caught unprepared when your water heater fails. Water heaters lasts about 10–15 years or so, so if your water heater is getting close to the end of it's service life, start looking around for a replacement and replace them before they actually fail.

Take in consideration of all the available options and models of water heaters in the market today and choose one that will save you energy, operating cost and the one that will meet the hot water demand of your home.

Some of the available types of water heaters are Heat Pump Water Heaters, Gas Storage Water Heaters, Gas Condensing Water Heaters, Whole-Home Gas or Electric Tankless Water Heaters, Solar Water Heaters and Heat Pump Water Heaters.

Here are some of the checklist you can use before purchasing.

• Check for product availability in your local area and on the web and do a research comparison.

• Decide on what size you need according to your household hot water demand, your plumber or sales person will be able estimate them for you.

• Get quotes on water heater cost and installation, get them in writing.

• Find out about warranty on the water heater, parts and labor.

• Make sure you have the available space for your new model and size you choose.

• Take in considerations any additional expenses such as additional electrical wiring or additional plumbing.

• Find out if there are special deals and any tax credits for purchasing a qualified Energy Star compliant water heaters.

• Find out if your contractor will obtain all the necessary permits for you.

• Get references for your contractor.

• Check the companies you are dealing with the Better Business Bureau.

By preparing and acting before your water heater fails, you will save money, more in control of your purchase and a lot less mess on your hands.

www.thediypal.com

Change your Clock, Change your Smoke Alarm Batteries

March 8, 2009 at 2:00 am is the start of daylight saving time, don't forget to set your clocks before you go to bed but most importantly, this serves as a reminder for all of us to replace the batteries of our smoke alarms.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA),

• A 2004 telephone survey found that 96% of U.S. households had at least one smoke alarm, yet in 2000-2004, no smoke alarms were present or none operated in almost half (46%) of the reported home fires.

• An estimated 890 lives could be saved each year if all homes had working smoke alarms.

• 65% of reported home fire deaths in 2000-2004 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Some facts to ponder, smoke alarms really do a great job saving lives, but we must maintain them.

www.thediypal.com

Reclaimed Greywater to Flush the Toilet?

The Sloan Valve Company's new Sloan® AQUS® Greywater System does exactly that, reclaims greywater from bathroom lavatory drains and reuses it to flush toilets, which could mean savings of gallons of water annually. The system is currently ideal for hotels, schools and many commercial applications, a common household probably will not generate enough greywater for this system to be practical but if Sloan Company can come up with a home model, it will be a great one for household use, but who says you cant try this one for your home?

The systems basically, funnels water collected from sink drains, sanitizes, cleans and filters the water. The water then stored to a reservoir under the sink for future use. When a toilet that is connected to the system flushes, water from the reservoir is used to flush the toilet, a very ingenious way to save and tap greywater.

www.thediypal.com

Electrical Cords Safety

Electrical cords that are damage or used improperly can posed a serious risk, they can be a source of shock hazards, fire hazards or tripping hazards.

Here are some few tips to prevent injuries or accidents involving electrical cords from occurring.

• Before using electrical cords, make sure they are not damage, check the insulation make sure they are not chafed or cut. Make sure all the prongs are there and not damage.

• Use GFCI along with your electrical cord when working outdoors, in close proximity with water, or in damp conditions.

• Remove all cords out of foot traffic paths, they pose a tripping hazard when stepped on. If this is not unavoidable, use duct tape to keep them flat and secure on the floor, use this only as a temporary solution.

• Move cords or furniture so cords are not covered. Heavy weights or traffic can damage cords, crushing insulation or breaking wire strands, creating a fire or shock hazard.

• Unwrap cords. Wrapped cords trap heat that normally escapes loose cords, which can lead to melting or weakening of insulation.

• Do not use nails or staples to fasten electrical cords, nails and staples can tear or crush the insulation or cut the wires inside, presenting a fire or shock hazard.

• Do not overload cords, make sure extension cords are not carrying too much load than what they are supposed to, if so replace cords with a higher capacity cords (16 AWG handles 1375 W, use 14 or 12 AWG for heavier loads). Too much current will cause the wires to get hot. If the cord, plug, or outlet feels warm, it may be overloaded, and can be a fire hazard.

• Do not use extension cord as a permanent wiring, extension cords are not as safe as permanent house wiring. Have additional outlets installed, installed wiring can carry more current and is protected from accidental damage that could cause shock or fire.

• Do not pull on the electrical cord itself when unplugging, remove them by the plug.

• When using electrical cords, make sure they do not come in contact with water, water and electricity do not mix and can result in serious shock or fire.

• When done using them, unplugged and remove them from electrical source.

www.thediypal.com