Call 811 Before You Dig
There are more than 100 billion feet of underground utilities in the United States. Digging without knowing the approximate location of underground utilities increases the likelihood of an incident, which can cause serious injuries, service disruptions and repair costs. Everyone who calls 811 a few days before digging is connected to a local one call notification center that will take the caller's information and communicate it to local utility companies. A professional locator will then visit the dig site to mark the approximate location of underground utility lines with spray paint or flags. Once a site has been accurately marked, it is safe to begin digging around the marked areas. Take the following steps when planning a digging project this spring:
By Sameer S Panjwani - One of the most common causes for disputes occurring after the sale of a home arise from the buyer finding defects in the property, defects which were not disclosed to him by the owner before the sale of the property. If you are the owner of a home that you are looking to sell, please be aware that you may be held liable for not disclosing any known defects in your home. The statutes governing seller obligations vary with each state. Some states require a seller to complete a questionnaire about their property's condition; in other states, disclosures can be made verbally. In some states, seller disclosures are voluntary. The only sellers excluded from disclosure laws are banks and mortgage companies with foreclosure properties. In addition to the state laws, there are certain federal laws as well which govern what needs to be disclosed. For instance, federal law requires sellers of homes built before 1978 to disclose any known lead hazards. Some real estate companies may also ask you to disclose all known material facts about your home before they decide to take up your home listing.
For many families, summer vacation means children will spend more hours at home than they do during the school year. Extra time at home may expose children to unexpected risks from surprising sources - such as an unstable television. Between 2000 and 2010, 176 people died as a result of TVs tipping over on them, according to a Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) report. In 2010, the report estimated 20,000 emergency room visits were the result of tipping TVs - a 25 percent increase since 2006. To minimize the risk of a TV tipping or falling, always properly secure it to appropriate furniture or mount it on the wall. Choose stable furniture made for displaying a TV, and always secure the top edge of the TV to the back of the furniture. The furniture itself should be secured to the wall, following the manufacturer's guidelines. Even properly constructed, appropriate furniture will be top heavy with a TV on it, so correctly securing it is essential. Look for products like Sanus' Anti-Tip Strap that holds the flat screen in place by attaching the TV to the furniture and the wall behind it. Wall mounting a flat screen is another alternative, and one that not only places the TV out of reach for little hands, but looks good, too. Look for a product, like Sanus' VisionMount series, which incorporates a wall plate that secures into the studs behind the wall, and attaches to the TV with mounting brackets. Visit www.sanus.com to learn more. (ARA) Join the Conversation: Go to www.facebook.com/ pages/LifeandHomes-Austin to leave your thoughts on this and other articles.
Join the Conversation: Go to www.facebook.com/ pages/LifeandHomes-Austin to leave your thoughts on this and other articles.
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Some facts may affect one buyer while it may not affect the other. If you’re confused about what you need to disclose, then consult your real estate agent or property attorney. To keep it simple, as an owner you should put yourself in the shoes of the buyer and decide what you would need to know about the house before you decided to make the purchase. If you have to make the sale, make sure it goes through smoothly. There have been many instances of lawsuits arising from owners not disclosing important material facts about their home. (Source -ChoiceOfHomes.com)
Flat Screen Safety Risk
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Home Owners: Disclose the Facts!
May
* Always call 811 a few days before digging, regardless of the depth or familiarity with the property. * Plan ahead. Call on Monday or Tuesday for work planned for an upcoming weekend, providing ample time for the approximate location of lines to be marked. * Confirm with your local one call center that all lines have been marked. * Learn what the various colors of paint and flags represent at www.call811.com/faqs. * Consider moving the location of your project if it is near utility line markings. * If a contractor has been hired, confirm that a call to 811 has been made. Don't allow work to begin if the lines aren't marked.
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