Viking Range Recalls Dishwashers Due to Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Viking dishwashers

Units: About 2,000

Manufacturer: Viking Range Corporation of Greenwood, Miss.

Hazard: An electrical component in the dishwasher can overheat, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Viking has received 21 reports of incidents, including five reports of property damage from fires. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall includes Viking 24" Professional, Designer and Custom Panel dishwashers manufactured between May and September 2010. They were sold in black, white and 24 other custom colors, stainless steel and with custom wood panels. The name "Viking" appears on the control panel at the top of the door. The model and serial number are located on the identification plate mounted on the inside on the left side of the dishwasher door opening. The first six numbers in the serial number are the manufacture date in mmddyy format, e.g., serial number 052610 was manufactured on May 26, 2010. Model and manufacture dates included on this recall are:

Model Numbers Starting With*:	Date Codes - first six digits of serial number:
DDB325 DFB450 VDB325 VDB450	052610 through 091510

* Model numbers ending with an E are not included on the recall.

Sold at: Appliance and specialty retail stores nationwide from June 2010 through March 2012 for between $1,425 and $2,000.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dishwashers and contact Viking's hotline for a free in-home repair.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Viking toll-free at (800) 241-7239 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday or visit Viking's website atwww.vikingrange.com

Navien Recalls Tankless Water Heaters Due to Risk of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled 

consumer product.

Name of Product: Navien Instantaneous or Tankless Water Heaters

Units: About 13,000

Importer: Navien America Inc., of Irvine, Calif.

Manufacturer: Kyung Dong Navien Co. Ltd., South Korea

Hazard: An unstable connection can cause the water heater’s vent collar to separate or detach if pressure is applied. A detached vent collar poses a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning to the consumer.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported

Description: Navien tankless hot water heaters are white with “T-Creator” and “NAVIEN” on the front. Recalled model numbers are CR-180(A), CR-210(A), CR-240(A), CC-180(A), CC-210(A) and CC-240(A) manufactured in 2008. A label on the side of the water heater lists the model number along with the manufacturing year in YYYY format.

Sold by: Wholesale distributors to in-home installers nationwide from February 2008 through March 2009 for between $1,500 and $2,100.

Manufactured in: South Korea

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using and check the model and manufacture year information on their Navien water heater. Consumers with recalled water heaters should immediately contact Navien to schedule a free repair. Navien will replace all Nylon 66 vent collar with PVC collars. Consumers who continue use of the water heaters while awaiting repair, should have a working carbon monoxide alarm installed outside of sleeping areas in the home.

Customer contact: For additional information, contact Navien at (800) 244-8202 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.navienamerica.com

Note: Regardless of the type of water heater that is used, every home should have a CO alarm outside all sleeping areas and consumers should ensure that their CO alarms have working batteries.

Helpful Resources for our clients has been updated

Click here to access the most up-to-date list of resources that we can recommend to contact. 2Patriots only lists services and businesses that have been referred to us by our clients. We do not post any "ratings" - however, if we ever receive a negative comment OR if a client states that they didn't get a return phone call in a normal amount of time, the service/business will be removed from this list.

Why a home inspector will not turn the water on at a house.....

We get asked this question all the time.... Why won't you turn on the water? Sometimes people don't understand and sometimes they get mad - but, when we give the example of "why" most understand...

How would YOU be feeling after you made the decision to go in to someone elses home and turn on the water..... you can hear water running, assume someone left a faucet open - but, nope - this is what you find

What? Water on the floor? Then you look up and you see.....

Yep, water pipe broke, blew-out the drywall.  You run as fast as you can back to the water main, get the water turned off.  Go back in the house to survey the damage.....

Can you see all the damage potential from just turning on the water? Hope this helps you understand the home inspectors postion on this now. 

(And, by the way, this water was not turned on by the inspector.)

Spring Time Maintenance (Part 2)

Made it thru the first maintenance list yet? :)  Below is a list of more good maintenance checks you should make:

ATTIC

• Check your attic for proper ventilation and birds nests.
• Look for obstructions over vents, damaged soffit panels, roof flashing leaks and wet spots on insulation.
• When you're in the attic, wear long sleeves and gloves to protect yourself from insulation.

HVAC & BATTERIES

• You can change filters and clean the air purifier,but have a maintenance check of your HVAC system by a professional.
• Spring is also a good time to have your ducts professionally cleaned. It'll make your indoor air quality healthier and your furnace more efficient.
• Change batteries on smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

DRAINAGE

• Shrubs and landscaping help against soil erosion, but should be planted to form a negative grade, which means water will flow away from the house.

CONCRETE

• Seal and inspect asphalt or concrete driveways. Most of us put off sealing driveways until the fall, but the spring is an ideal time to do it, says Gibbs. The sealer you use, driveway material and climate will affect how often you need to seal your driveway.
• Power wash concrete patios; inspect decks for rotting wood and secure railings. Seal both if necessary.

POOL

• Have a professional service your pool.

WINDOWS & DOORS

• Remove interior storm windows (old homes only) and replace screens on clean windows and doors
•  You can also save on utility bills by adding blinds to windows that face south and west.
• Examine putty/caulk lines around exterior windows and doors; ensure weather stripping creates a good seal.

SUMP PUMP

• Make sure the sump pump is operating correctly; install a battery back-up pump. The backup, another pump that floats above the original pump, will kick on when the electricity goes out. If your sump pump fails, an alarm goes off, letting you know the backup is working. A few hundred dollars will save you thousands in water damage, especially if your basement is finished.

If you need help locating a professional, check out our HELPFUL RESOURCES page.



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Make sure to look your house over after this storm (by Bill Poole, Sr. Inspector)

 Hope this post finds each of you doing okay and without any issues from this weather that has dumped on Middle Tennessee this past weekend.

I wanted to take a moment and remind you to take the time to look around your home and property for damage to it and/or ways to prevent damage during the thaw. To some, this may be old hat. But, 2Patriots has inspected many homes over the last few years for people that have moved from areas of the country that aren't used to the snow & ice that we have experienced.

• Snow and ice on the roof can melt during the day only to re-freeze again at night when the temperature falls below freezing once again. When this happens, rain gutters are prone to a condition called "ice dams" where ice builds up in the gutters, preventing water from flowing. When conditions are just right, this water blockage can cause water to work its way back up the roof line, under the shingles, causing leaks in the attic, down the walls, or through the ceiling. If possible, make sure to do a visual inspection of your gutters and your shingles. If you see evidence of raised shingles, please call a roofing professional to further investigate.  You may also want to take the time to go in your attic and look for any leaks in your roof.

Snow; ice and cold temperatures are damaging to pipes as well. While many residents that live in areas with harsh winter weather insulate their pipes, ice storms can hit more temperate areas (such as the Middle Tennessee). Even homes with insulated pipes can experience burst pipes after the weather we have experienced, especially if the power has been out for extended time periods. After all, without home heating systems circulating warm air, water in the pipes could reach the freezing point. When water freezes in pipes, it expands, putting extreme pressure on pipes and pipe joints. Depending on the extent of the freeze, the water damage may not appear until everything begins to thaw out. The best way to evaluate your plumbing is to LOOK & LISTEN. Go in your crawlspace or basement to detect leaks in waterlines or joints. Look for dripping spots on the ground and listen for any running water.  If you hear running water or see leak evidence, call a plumbing professional.

In addition to freezing and melt cycles, ice is exceptionally heavy. It can cause structural damages to roofs, bridges, and other structures. After the ice storm, ice from above can fall off in chunks causing injuries to pedestrians below.

If ice/snow has covered your bathroom fan vent, go in the bathroom and turn on the fan until you can see the vent on the roof (disregard if your vent fans at the eaves.) This may take anywhere from 10 - 60 minutes depending on the outside temperature and how much snow/ice is on the vent.

I hope this information helps you out. Feel free to call me if you have any questions. Our office # is 615.790.6233.  You can also find service professionals on our website.

How to replace a faucet aerator (reprinted from AcmeHowTo.com)

Caution: Please read our safety information at the bottom of this post before attempting any testing, maintenance or repairs.

A faucet that has weak water pressure for both hot and cold water may just need the aerator cleaned. Another symptom of a dirty aerator is an irregular spray pattern or a stray stream of water going off at an odd direction. Cleaning or replacing the aerator is very easy and you might be able to do it without any tools.

First of all, close the drain so you don't lose any parts. You don't need to turn off the water supply for this repair. The aerator is the assembly and screen water passes through as it leaves the spout. This part at the tip of the spout unscrews in a clockwise direction (righty tighty, lefty loosey). Dry both the spout and your hands before trying to remove it with your fingers. If it is too tight, then you are going to need to use adjustable pliers. Before using the pliers on the faucet, wrap several loops of masking tape or a rubber band around the aerator to reduce the risk of marring the finish.

Once you remove the aerator you will notice one or more parts contained within. Note the order and orientation of the parts as you remove them. As you take them out you will probably find grit and rust. Rinse the pieces with water and brush off the debris. For difficult to remove deposits, soak the parts in white vinegar for a few minutes and scrub with a toothbrush. If any parts are cracked or broken, replace them. If the washer has hardened, it should replaced.

With the debris cleaned out, reassemble the aerator and screw it back onto the faucet. Hand tightening should be adequate. If water leaks around the threads, give it a fraction of a turn with the pliers and then remove the masking tape.

That's it, you're done.

Safety Information


Do not attempt to adjust, test or make a repair if you do not have basic repair skills or if you do not fully understand the directions providedFurthermore, if your appliance, device, project, object of repair or its components differ from those described, you should not attempt the repair based upon the provided instructions. If the manufacturer's instructions differ from ours, always follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Always wear eye protection and protective clothing or gear, as appropriate.

Electric Shock can cause injury or death. Never assume the electricity is off. Before servicing an electrical device, disconnect it from its electrical source either by unplugging the appliance or turning off the power at the breaker or fuse box. Mark the service panel with a note so that no one will restore power while you are working. After turning off the power to the circuit, test the circuit to be certain that there is no power. Some devices can store a hazardous electrical charge even when disconnected from an electrical source, always discharge these devices before attempting service. If you are unfamiliar with a device or its components, consult with a professional before attempting service.

When working with electrical equipment wear rubber-soled shoes, avoid damp locations and hold all tools by their insulated handles. Never touch conductive surfaces such as pipes or metal bracing. Use a non-conductive fiberglass ladder when working with electricity. Avoid shorting electrical circuits.

Serious injury can result from sharp edges. When reaching into a service area, cabinet or housing there may be sharp edges. Use caution when reaching into something.

Always practice proper and reasonable safeguards as well as those suggested by the manufacturer of the devices and tools you use.


We assume no risk or responsibility in the provision of any and all information and warnings in this web site. All information is provided as-is. User assumes all risk. If you do not understand or do not accept these terms, please do not use this site or its services.

Tankless Water Heaters

Is a Tankless Water Heater for You?

There are many benefits to tankless water heaters:

• the water is heated only "on-demand" so no energy is wasted keeping a large tank of water hot and ready to use 
•  most of the 20%-30%"passive energy loss" (in pipes, etc.) is avoided;
• on average, tankless systems cost one third less to operate;
• tankless water heaters have an average life expectancy of 20 years, while traditional water heaters last 10-15 years; and
• tankless water heaters are powerful, but compact--most can be wall mounted inside or outside the home.

How do you decide if a tankless water heater is right for you? The U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Savers website is a good place to start.