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Entry bubble Is Radon Lurking in Your Home?

By: Stephanie | September 05, 2008 | Category: Health

radioactive symbolDid you know that the number one cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers may be lurking in your home? The culprit—elevated levels of radon—is estimated to be found in nearly one out of every 15 homes in the United States, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Some 20,000 people will die this year due to breathing too much radon without even knowing it. Among smokers, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas found in nearly all soils. It can leak through cracks into your home, where it can get trapped and build up. You can't see radon, and you can't smell or taste it. Any home can have a radon problem—new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements.

The EPA and the Surgeon General of the United States have recommended that all houses be tested for radon. I thought that my house had a radon tester, but while researching this post, I learned that it’s just a monitor—which sports the recommendation to test for radon every two years.

Luckily, many states offer free or discounted radon test kits; you can check your state’s program on EPA’s map. Radon test kits are also available by calling 1-800-SOS-RADON (1-800-767-7236), and from some local or state American Lung Associations and home improvement stores.

If you have elevated levels of radon in your home, professionals can help fix the problem, often for about the same cost as other common home repairs.

For more facts on radon, visit EPA's general information, its citizens' guide to radon, and its consumers' guide to radon reduction. Pueblo.gsa.gov also offers information on the deadly gas, and the National Institutes of Health and USA.gov offer useful links to more information on radon.

| View Comments [3] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: gas   home   house   killer   lung_cancer   radioactive   radon   safety   stephanie   test  

 

Entry bubble Certified Deed Scam

By: Nancy | August 28, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

Recently, Gov Gab headquarters, aka the Federal Citizen Information Center, enjoyed a visit from investigative reporter Lisa Robinson from Baltimore's WBAL-TV. She was here to put together a story about one of our office's pet peeves: a consumer scam. We hate it when people try to rip you off and we do everything we can to keep you informed. So we like people, like Lisa, who are looking out for you, too.

deedOne of Lisa's viewers told her about a scam that's been circulating the country. It involves the deed to your home.

Like thousands of people nationwide, this viewer received a letter that looks like this from an official sounding company. It might also come to you in email form. The letter says that the Federal Citizen Information Center recommends that you get a certified copy of the deed to your home. Not sure where to get it? Lucky you—the company will provide it for you for just fifty-nine to eighty-nine bucks, depending on the version of the letter you receive. Oh, and don't forget the $4.50 shipping fee. I guess they photocopy your deed on especially heavy paper or something.

The truth is, we don't endorse that company or their service. You can get a copy of your deed yourself from your county clerk or registrar. In most places it's free or no more than ten bucks.

If you get any offer like this by mail, phone or email that sounds fishy, trust your gut and check it out with us, with your state or local consumer office or attorney general, or with your local consumer or investigative reporter, like Lisa.

Have you gotten one of these letters? What other scams have been hitting your area (or your inbox) lately?

| Post a Comment | View Comments [8] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: deed   home   nancy   scam  

 

Entry bubble Avoid Foreclosure Rescue Scams

By: Nicole | August 15, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

Mortgage PaymentsA few weeks ago, I wrote a post about avoiding mortgage foreclosure. I know that topic resonated with a lot of folks. In addition to other worries, homeowners must now be more guarded than ever against foreclosure rescue scams. The fear of losing their homes can make even the savviest consumers susceptible.

The Federal Trade Commission and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency both provide general descriptions of the most common foreclosure rescue scams:

  • Lease-back or repurchase scams happen when someone offers to pay your mortgage and rent your home back to you. This scheme often involves signing over your deed to a con artist.
  • Refinance Fraud occurs when people pose as mortgage brokers and offer to refinance your loan so you can afford the payments. Con artists may trick you into signing over the ownership of your home by saying that you are signing documents for a new loan.
  • Bankruptcy Schemes attempt to abuse the bankruptcy laws. The con artist may even file a bankruptcy case in your name, without your knowledge.

Here are some general tips to help you avoid these scams:

  • Read and understand everything you sign.
  • Don’t sign blank or partially completed documents.
  • Make payments directly to your lender or mortgage provider.
  • Contact your lender directly to discuss payments and options.
  • Never sign over the deed to your house without consulting a lawyer.
  • Report suspicious activity to the FTC or your state consumer protection office.

For more information about housing, visit the USA.gov Homes and Housing Page. Do you have any other tips for avoiding foreclosure scams?

| View Comments [3] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: bank   foreclosure   fraud   home   housing   lending   loan   money   mortgage   nicole   scams  

 

Entry bubble Do You Have Enough Insurance?

By: Nancy | June 19, 2008 | Category: Money

Two weeks ago, my neighborhood was torn up by an "unconfirmed" tornado. Roofs ripped off. Trees through homes. I got off easy, only losing power for three days and having to chuck most of the food in my fridge. But my neighbor two houses down also lost her deck, her new fence and the front of her car when a huge oak tree took them out—along with all the power lines. fallen tree

Two days ago, the back of my car was torn up in a parking lot by a very contrite lady who got her brake and gas pedal mixed up. My poor old car's bumper is smashed and hanging. The liftgate is dented. And I had to secure the tailpipe with a wire hanger to keep it from dragging. Again, I got off easy; the other car has a crushed hood, fender and headlight and a jammed-shut driver's side door.crushed bumper

The most important thing is that nobody got hurt in either event. People are infinitely more important than "stuff." But times like these are good reminders to review the insurance policies that protect your “stuff” and ask yourself some questions.

Does your homeowner’s policy cover the current cost of rebuilding your home? If your house is a total loss, will your insurance pay for complete rebuilding or only give you a limited amount of money toward it? Find out from a local realtor or builder how much rebuilding your home would cost and make sure your insurance coverage is in line with that estimate.

How about what’s inside? Your premium will be less if you're insured for only the depreciated value of your possessions. But then you'll have to make up the difference yourself when you shop for replacements. Consider getting insured for the full replacement value of what you own and be sure to keep your home inventory up-to-date.

What about flooding? Most homeowner’s policies don’t cover it, as so many people in the Midwest and South are tragically finding out. Consider separate coverage from the National Flood Insurance Program.

How high should your car insurance deductibles be? The higher your deductible on things like collision or comprehensive coverage, the more you save on premiums, but the more you'll have to pay out of pocket for repairs before insurance kicks in. How much coverage you want to get also depends on you car’s age, condition and value.

I’m glad the lady who crashed into my car was covered. Her insurance is paying for everything, including the rental car that will be waiting for me next week at the body shop when I take my baby in for a new bumper.

What have been some of your more memorable insurance claim stories?

| Post a Comment | View Comments [9] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: accident   car   home   insurance   nancy  

 

Entry bubble Bats!

By: Nancy | June 12, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

flying bat

I’ve had so many bats in my house over the years, friends call me Batgirl. They’ve been everywhere:

  • One was sound asleep on a wash cloth the morning I turned 34. Glad I switched on the light before putting it under the faucet to wet it down and soap it up. Happy birthday to me!
  • When my neighbor Wally tried to help me rescue one that was scratching around inside my furnace, the little brown blur bolted out and Wally dove for the floor, hugging my ankles and screaming like a girl.
  • Another once completed a perfectly synchronized, Blue Angels-style overhead maneuver with my pet cockatiel. The bird then hid in the bathroom while the bat played dead on the guest room curtains. Attempting to pull it down, I slipped off the bed, tangling myself and the bat in yards of green dotted swiss. We both screamed.
  • And last week, I awoke to the sound of rustling on the floor and turned the light on to find a bat flying counterclockwise around my clockwise-rotating ceiling fan. I don't know which one of us was dizzier.

Bats squeeze inside this time of the year through cracks and holes less than a half inch in diameter. Since my first winged intruder, I've been hunting down and sealing gaps in the attic and around basement pipes and windows in my World War II-era house. After last week's bat, I filled a gap in my floor molding, where I’m guessing it got in.

A bat will usually get out if you isolate it in a room and leave a window open. But if you need to catch one, wear long sleeves and heavy gloves and wait for it to land. Slide your visitor off whatever it's hanging onto and into a lidded box so you can carry it outside safely for release.

If you've been bitten or scratched and the bat can be caught, contact your local health department or animal control center to have the bat tested for rabies. If it tests positive, you'll need to get rabies shots. Only a very small percentage of bats carry rabies, so don't panic when one gets inside, but do play it safe.

Here's some more info on bat myths, other ways to get them out of your house and ways to batproof your home to prevent future visits.

Swap stories with me. Have you ever had a bat in your home?

| Post a Comment | View Comments [24] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: bats   home   nancy   rabies  

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