Home Improvement Books Recalled by Oxmoor House Due to Faulty Wiring Instructions; Shock or Fire Hazard to Consumers

WASHINGTON: On January 8, 2010, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with the firm named below, announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Home Improvement Books

Units: About 951,000

Publisher: Oxmoor House, Inc., of Birmingham, Ala.

Hazard: The books contain errors in the technical diagrams and wiring instructions that could lead consumers to incorrectly install or repair electrical wiring, posing an electrical shock or fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recall involves nine home improvement books, as listed below:

• AmeriSpec Home Repair Handbook; ISBN 978-0-376-00180-1; published January 2006
• Lowe’s Complete Home Improvement and Repair; ISBN 978-0-376-00922-7 and 978-0-376-01098-8; published September 2005 and December 1999
• Lowe’s Complete Home Wiring; ISBN 978-0-376-00928-9; published May 2008
• Sunset Basic Home Repairs; ISBN 978-0-376-01581-5 and 978-0-376-01025-4; published February 1995 and January 1975
• Sunset Complete Home Wiring; ISBN 978-0-376-01594-5; published December 1999
• Sunset Complete Patio Book; ISBN 978-0-376-01411-5, 978-0-376-01397-2, and 978-0-376-01399-6; published January 2006, January 1998 and April 1990
• Sunset Home Repair Handbook; ISBN 978-0-376-01258-6 and 978-0-376-01256-2; published October 1998 and February 1985
• Sunset Water Gardens; ISBN 978-0-376-03849-4; published January 2004
• Sunset You Can Build - Wiring; ISBN 978-0-376-01596-9; published January 2009

Sold at: Home improvement stores and bookstores nationwide from January 1975 through December 2009 for between $13 and $35.

Printed in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using these books and contact Oxmoor House for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Oxmoor House toll-free at (866) 696-7602 anytime, or visit the firm’s website.

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Click here for more information.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC's website.

Attorney General and CSLB Stop Massive Statewide Home Repair Scheme

SAN DIEGO - California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. and the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) have finalized an agreement that will stop a massive service and repair scheme that unfairly overcharged thousands of Californians for "shoddy and woefully inadequate" home repair work.

"This massive scheme defrauded thousands of California homeowners who were charged exorbitant fees for shoddy and woefully inadequate home repair work by unlicensed and unskilled contractors," Attorney General Brown said. "The agreement stops the illegal practices and gives homeowners a chance to recover some of their losses."

A months-long investigation by the Attorney General's Office and the Contractors State License Board found that SRVS Charge Inc. and its affiliated companies had been cheating some 6,000 customers each year for overpriced and substandard home repair work since 1989.

To stop the companies' illegal practices and provide restitution to those who were victimized, Brown and the CSLB reached a settlement with:

• SRVS Charge Inc. and its affiliates;
• Principal owner, Sarkis Terabelian, 43, of Burbank;
• General manager, Zohrab "Rob" Mkhitarian, 40, of Burbank; and
• Associates Marine Metspakyan, 33, Avetik Avo Gyandzhyan, 38, Lilit Lusparyan, 28, Alisa Oganyan, 35, Estine Akopyan, 28, and Vardui Terabelian, 45

The defendants operated various service and repair companies that employed electricians, plumbers, and heating and air-conditioning technicians in Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the Sacramento region. These companies routinely targeted elderly Californians.

Exorbitant customer fees enabled Sarkis Terabelian, Mkhitarian, and his associates to purchase two helicopters, a Mercedes-Benz, and real property valued in excess of $1 million. Title to these vehicles and real property were seized by the Attorney General's Office last year and will be released as a result of the settlement.

SRVS Charge Inc.'s scheme worked like this:

• The company placed millions of dollars in telephone directory advertising, including many full-page ads. The ads, which listed different company names, claimed a 100% satisfaction guarantee and senior discounts. When customers called the numbers listed in any of the ads, they would be directed to a central call center.
• Many times repairmen would be dispatched from a different company than the customer called.
• Often, these workers had not undergone the criminal background check required of all contractors and Home Improvement Salespeople licensed by the Contractors State License Board since January 1, 2005.
• Customers were charged high prices for emergency home service and repair, often unrelated to the actual home repair work. Much of the work was poorly done or never completed.
• If a customer refused to pay, the company would file a lien against the home to force payment.

Because the company used multiple business names, it was difficult, if not impossible, for customers to seek recourse for incompetent workmanship, incomplete work, or any other issue that arose on their project. Customers were often denied refunds, despite the existence of the "100% satisfaction guarantee" promised in the ads.

Over several years, the Attorney General and the CSLB shut down affiliates of SRVS Charge, Inc. But instead of ending their scheme, the defendants continued to run their company under a labyrinth of business names and fraudulent contractor license numbers that were interchangeable. When CSLB either revoked a license or received an excessive number of complaints, the company would establish a new corporate identity and business would continue without interruption.

As part of its investigation, CSLB conducted undercover stings against service technicians suspected of using these fraudulent licenses and referred instances of the illegal activity to the San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Clara, and Sacramento County district attorney's offices. In one instance, the San Diego District Attorney's Office found that a service technician had also committed burglary and theft and is now being prosecuted for his crimes.

Attorney General Brown entered into a final agreement with the defendants in San Diego Superior Court on March 12, 2009, and the agreement was made public today. The settlement provides for the following.

A permanent injunction against the defendants' prior illegal activities. This includes:

• CSLB monitoring of the defendants' operations for one year;
• Mandatory registration of all company service technicians with CSLB. This requires technicians to undergo a criminal background check;
• Capping the number of business licenses that the defendants can use to a maximum of five;
• Preventing the defendants from charging exorbitant fees or fees that have nothing to do with the actual work that is performed;
• Fully disclosing to CSLB the names of the directors, officers, and employees of their company;
• Mandatory customer complaint tracking with proper complaint investigation and reasonable efforts to resolve them; and
• Prohibiting the defendants from engaging in false advertising.

$3 million in penalties and restitution to be distributed as follows:

• $1.3 million to be used for consumer restitution;
• $450,000 to be assessed in penalties for state Business and Professions Code violations; and
• The remainder to be used to reimburse CSLB for investigative costs, legal costs, and costs of monitoring future compliance with the judgment.

"This settlement is a victory for California consumers and legitimate contractors, and brings resolution to thousands of hours of investigative work," said CSLB Registrar Steve Sands. "Victims will now be able to regain some of their money, and CSLB will be able to watch this company closely so others aren't harmed."

If the terms of the settlement are violated, the defendants could face jail time.

The following companies are affiliated with the defendants and are included in the settlement:

• American Electric (CSLB #834398)
• American Home Repairs, Inc. (CSLB #834206)
• 59 Minute Service (CSLB #837697)
• Cal Repair Services, Inc., dba Pick Red Plumbing (CSLB #797241)
• Answering Resources, Inc., dba Thrifty Electric (CSLB #723375)
• Orbell Enterprises, Inc., dba Plumbing One (CSLB #713006)
• USA Services, Inc. (CSLB #775863)
• Love My Home, Inc. (CSLB #811361)
• Electric Avenue, formerly A Plus Electric Company (CSLB #569322)
• American Electric 911 Fast Inc. (CSLB #826916)
• Pro Electric Co. (CSLB #670171)
• RG Electric (CSLB #516892)
• Pacific West Heating & Air Conditioning (CSLB #604150)

If you think you have been the victim of fraud by this company and its affiliates, please contact the Contractors State License Board at 1-800-321-CSLB (2752) and press 7.

Attachments:

• Complaint for Civil Penalties & Injunctive Relief
• Stipulation for Entry of Final Judgment
• Final Judgment

Faulty Instructions Prompt Recall of Electrical Wiring How-to-Books by The Taunton Press; Shock Hazard to Consumers

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

Name of Product: Wiring a House, 3rd Edition and Wiring Complete, Expert Advice from Start to Finish Instructional Books

Units: About 64,000

Publisher: The Taunton Press, of Newtown, Conn.

Hazard: The books contain several errors in the technical diagrams that could lead consumers to incorrectly install or repair electrical wiring, posing an electrical shock hazard to consumers.

Description: The recall involves the 3rd Edition of Wiring a House. The paperback book’s cover is white and yellow and has a photograph of a man wiring a panel. ISBN #978-1-56158-942-5 is printed on the back cover. Wiring Complete, Expert Advice from Start to Finish is paperback and has a green, black and white cover that shows hands wiring an electrical wall receptacle.

Sold at: Home improvement stores, book stores, and various other retailers nationwide from February 2008 through November 2008 for about $25.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the books and return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Taunton at (800) 477-8727 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site www.taunton.com

Contractors State License Board Warns Consumers to Check License Before Hiring Contractors

Suspect arrested for installing peep cameras in Rancho Cucamonga was not licensed

The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) is warning consumers to be vigilant in checking out the credentials of contractors after an unlicensed electrician was arrested for installing hidden cameras without homeowners' knowledge in Rancho Cucamonga.

David Mitchell Clark, 34, was arrested this week by Rancho Cucamonga Police after he allegedly installed hidden cameras in the bathrooms of unsuspecting customers who hired him for electrical work. There are no records of David Mitchell Clark or his company DMC Electrical with CSLB licensing. The Police Department has warned consumers, in a press release, to check their electrical outlets for possible hidden cameras, if they hired David Clark to perform work.

"We can't stress this enough, for property owners to be careful about who they hire to perform contracting work," said CSLB Registrar Steve Sands. "It only takes a few minutes to check out a contractor's license status. Ask for the contractor's plastic pocket license and photo identification, then go online or call the CSLB’s automated phone system to verify the status of the license."

Anyone with complaints about David Clark or any other unlicensed operator can file a complaint with the CSLB Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) in Southern California at: Office numbers (562) 345-7600 / FAX (562) 466-6065.

The CSLB urges consumers to follow these tips when dealing with any contractor:

• Don't rush into decisions and don't hire the first contractor who comes along.
• Be especially hesitant when approached by someone offering home improvement services door-to-door, especially when they will use material they claim is left over from another job.
• Verify the contractor's license by checking online at http://www.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicense/LicenseRequest.asp or via CSLB's automated phone service at 1-800-321-CSLB (2752).
• Get three references for each contractor and three bids.
• Make sure the contract for work to be done is in writing and that you understand all terms before you sign it.
• Never pay more than 10% or $1,000, whichever is less, as a down payment.
• Don't pay in cash, and don't let the payments get ahead of the work.
• Contact the CSLB if you have a complaint against a contractor.

The Contractors State License Board operates under the umbrella of the California Department of Consumer Affairs. The CSLB licenses and regulates California's 316,000 contractors, and investigates more than 20,000 complaints against contractors annually. In fiscal year 2007-08, the CSLB obtained nearly $35.2 million in ordered restitution for consumers.

Reprinted with permission, The Contractor's Secret Weapon.

Performing a Home Energy Audit

By Erika Weliczko

The goal of an energy audit is to identify ways to improve a home's performance. The average home devotes almost half of all energy usage to heating and cooling. The water heater and refrigerator together account for nearly a quarter. All of the lights and appliances and other usage consumes about one-third of our energy usage. By addressing both small and large energy losses, you can save on your energy bills and increase the comfort of your home. There are some steps you can take to identify some opportunities for improvement. Do-it-yourself energy audit checklists can provide some guidance on target areas. U.S. Department of Energy offers many resources for DIY audits and remedies. Some improvements you can do yourself, while others may be best to hire a contractor.

• Evaluate the insulation level in your walls, attic, crawl spaces and basement walls. Many of our older homes have little or no insulation. Any renovation projects should include insulation upgrades.
• Find and reduce air leaks. Air movement through insulation reduces its effectiveness. About one-third of air infiltration happens through ceilings, walls, and floors - not windows. Find these holes and seal them.
• Perform regular checkups on your major appliances. Keeping your refrigerator coils clean and changing your furnace filter help these appliances perform at their best. Use a programmable thermostat. Drain sediment from your water heater.
• Reduce your lighting and appliance demands. Motion sensors can be used both indoors and out. Use power strips to turn off unused gadgets.

Professional energy auditing services can help quantify the opportunities for improvements in your home and focus your efforts. Professionals use blower doors, infrared cameras, surface thermometers, and moisture meters to provide the necessary data. A blower door test measures the home's airtightness and can identify the leakiest areas of the home. Infrared cameras record heat differences in building surfaces. Large temperature variations indicate heat loss or moisture problems. A report suggests modifications.

If you are considering buying a new home or financing an energy improvement, a home energy rating will help you leverage energy savings as a financing tool. A home receives a score that identifies its energy efficiency. The score is a quantitative summary of the systems of the home and how they interact. Unlike an energy audit or weatherizati n assessment, the mortgage industry recognizes the home energy rating as a way to compare the energy characteristics of different homes. Certified energy raters will generate more detailed reports and recommendations.

Resources: For more about DIY measures: www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/yourhome/
To find a professional rater in your area: www.natresnet.org

About the author
Ms. Weliczko holds degrees in Engineering and Music from Case Western Reserve University and in Teaching from Kent State University. With engineering expertise and several years of electrical experience, Erika brings a broad range of knowledge and experience to any project. As an experienced educator, Erika delivers training to a wide variety of audiences through workshops and seminars.

Electrical Safety in the Home

by: Michael Del Greco

Electricity is a wonderful part of our lives, clearly enabling us to do so many of the things we take for granted. Food preparation, entertainment, communication, and so much more are all dependent upon the delivery of electricity. And yet, coming into direct contact with electrical current can severely injure you. In some cases, it can even kill you. Here are some things you can do to keep safe. Some of what we suggest may seem obvious, but we include it here because we believe it's impossible to over emphasize the importance of safety.

Safety Outdoors

Undoubtedly, first and foremost, stay clear of all power lines, especially those on the ground. Consider a downed wire to be "live" with electrical current going through it.

Take these easy steps to keep yourself from coming into contact with overhead lines:

• When you're using equipment outside, look up to make sure that the equipment isn't going to collide with the lines.
• Do not try to remove anything caught in power lines, not even an animal. Instead, call your power company.
• Be especially careful when you're doing any jobs that require you to use tools which might extend up over your head.

Keep electrical equipment on your property clear of all obstacles such as trees and bushes.

Downed Power Lines

Your power company wants to know about any outages or power lines that are down. Please call it immediately if you experience or see a problem. You can call them 24 hours a day and they'll send emergency crews out to make repairs.

Inside a Car Touched by a Power Line

Fallen power lines can be extremely dangerous. Never touch a downed power line or anyone who's in contact with it, and stay away from a vehicle if a power line is touching it.

If a power line touches your vehicle, stay inside and warn others to stay away and have them call the power company.

If you MUST get out of the vehicle for safety reasons, jump clear. Do not touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time.

Electric Lines and Trees

Trees are certainly beautiful and enhance our neighborhoods. However, trees planted in the utility right of way must be tended to so that electric service can be maintained on behalf of all of our citizens.

If your tree encroaches into the utility right of way, it becomes your responsibility to keep it trimmed; otherwise, the City will clear those trees that have not been maintained and threaten the electric service.

Trees that grow into or near the power lines which go to your house are also your responsibility and are only trimmed by the City when they threaten continuity of electric service.

To trim near power lines safely:

• Call your power company if there is any question as to whether or not a tree is contacting the electric wires before trimming it. They can move power lines away from trees so that they may be trimmed safely. Call them a couple of days in advance of trimming so that they can coordinate with you.
• Never hire unqualified tree trimmers or do the work yourself when trees are contacting high voltage electric wires.
• Never cut tree limbs that are touching power lines or that could fall into them.

Electrical Lines and Flying Objects

Don't let metallic balloons or kites get away. Balloons and kites with shiny, metallic surfaces or strings can be very dangerous if they come into contact with electrical lines. As Benjamin Franklin discovered, they're excellent conductors of electricity, and, if they get tangled in the line, they can cause a short circuit. This can melt an electrical wire and cause it to fall, resulting in a power outage and possibly severe injury or even death.

Fly kites safely. Kites and electrical lines can be a potentially deadly match. Use common sense when flying a kite; always use dry string, wood, and paper and never use wire or any metallic material. Don't fly your kite in the rain and never try to retrieve your kite if it gets caught in a power line. Call the power company.

Going Underground

Call before you dig. You need to find out if there are lines in the ground before you dig for any reason, such as planting trees and bushes or installing fences and posts. If you fail to call you could end up in JAIL or worse.

Safety Indoors

Be just as careful with electricity indoors as out. In fact, odds are you and your family are more likely to come into contact with electricity inside your home, so take precautions.Cover all your electrical outlets and wall switches with cover plates.

Put plastic safety caps in all unused wall outlets to prevent children from pushing objects into the outlet openings.

Know when your wiring needs attention. Power company employees will check equipment when an electrical problem such as flickering lights is reported. If they are unable to find a problem on their end, then the wiring in your house may need to be repaired. Find a licensed professional to check your home's electric panel, circuit breakers, fuses, and internal wiring.

Do not use damaged or brittle electrical cords. They can cause shorts, shocks, or fires and should be replaced.

To avoid damage, remove cords from outlets by pulling the plug, not the cord itself. Never attach a cord to any surface with nails or staples, which can break the insulation. Also, kinking, twisting, binding, or walking on cords can harm them.

Never remove the third prong from a three-pronged plug. The third prong has been included to safely ground your electrical appliance. Most power tools and major appliances have three-prong plugs for safety. If you don't have three-hole outlets, adapters are available at your local hardware store.

Protect yourself from shock with Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI's). These special outlets can help prevent serious injury by detecting electrical faults and shutting off electricity to the outlet when necessary.

About The Author
Michael Del Greco is a New Jersey Home Inspector, owner of Accurate Inspections, Inc. who is a Certified, Licensed ASHI Member performing home inspections in Bergen, Essex, Passaic and Morris Counties

Finding Remodelers with Integrity

By: John Hill. Reprinted with permission.

There are many remodeling contractors in the world and, amazingly enough, they are not all quality. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find someone you can trust. The Better Business Bureau has listed remodeling as the #1 most searched industry and the #3 most complained about industry in the United States. So, how do you find the remodeler that will give you the most for your money? Answer: carefully.

One great place to start is to contact your insurance company. Big insurance companies have a few remodelers to whom they refer their claims. In order to be a part of this organization they have to pass multiple screenings and present themselves before a board of professionals. The insurance companies do not usually know these guys personally, but at least it is a good start. Typically, the contractors are at least legitimate and can be found at a physical location.

Many people search the internet and fill out forms on referral websites. There are many referral companies out there, but I do not suggest seeking a remodeler, from what I call, a "contractor farm" (such as this one). It may seem like a good idea to "get free estimates from at least 4 remodelers," but the truth is that it opens a door for problems. The referral company is the only one that has no risk. They will sell the lead that comes to their website to multiple contractors and then the bid war begins. The term "All's fair in love and war" applies to this method. Try to remember any horror stories you have heard about remodeling and see if this method would prevent or facilitate it. Most referral companies do not know any of their contractors personally. They have never met them face to face and have no plans to meet them. They have lost nothing if the remodeler doesn't get the job or if the homeowner hired a less than quality remodeler.

The best way to find a remodeler is to have a third party who has experience with the remodelers. If you know someone who has an understanding of what is required for the project and knows people in the industry that have great reputations, then I would solicit their help. Most people do not have a clue on what a good remodeler is supposed to look like or skills they need to possess. That is why many people are sold a bill of goods and end up being unhappy with the finished product. This is the safest way to hire a remodeler, but most of us do not have friends in the industry.

I would suggest finding someone in a related industry that you already know has a good reputation. For instance, if you have an air conditioning company that you have used for years and they have been extremely good, then you may ask them if they know a good remodeler. Most subcontractors that have good reputations will not risk their reputation by referring someone they wouldn't trust themselves. Believe me, it is worth going through the process to find someone you can trust. However, don't just take their word for it. Take the time to meet with the referred contractor and ask as many questions as you would like. If you feel rushed or you feel he is avoiding your questions, then move on quickly. You do not want to work with someone who does not communicate well.

There are no guarantees, but if you will take the time to truly seek out a professional, there is a good chance that you will be happy in the end.


About The Author
John Hill is the owner of http://www.dfwremodelers.com, a free service designed to find high quality remodelers in the Dallas / Fort Worth area.


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