Underground Utilities

Ever wonder….

….what some of those strange utility boxes are in your yard?

….where pipes and wires are located in your yard?

….how deep they are?

….how does power/water/gas/sewer/phone/cable get to my house?

….can I paint, move, disguise or conceal some of these things in my yard?

We’ll try to answer some of these questions and more.

Digging a hole in your yard?  You really should know what’s below the surface!  There are legal requirements to locate utilities before you dig.  Cutting into electrical or gas lines can be highly destructive and cause death or injury.  Tearing up sewer, telephone and cable lines can also be disruptive.  Even damage to irrigation and landscape lighting can be an expensive headache.  Avoid this by knowing what’s where under your grass.

Learn more in the  Underground Utilities  topic.

Utility Shutoff

Know how to shut off utilities in an emergency or other necessary situation.  Teach older, responsible family members how to do this with info from the  Utility Shutoff  topic.  It may just save lives and property someday.

Smoke Alarms

Alarming statistic (pun intended) that in 1 out of 5 homes surveyed, none of the smoke alarms worked!  Smoke alarms are one of the most useful and life saving features of any home, yet residents usually ignore them until they cause problems.

Did you know that smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years?

Did you know that smoke alarms should have regular maintenance (not just replacing batteries and pushing the test button)?

Did you know that several smoke alarms should be installed (and are required by code)?

Did you know there are different types of sensors and features and batteries for smoke alarms?

Learn all about these considerations, plus how to properly test and troubleshoot a nuisance alarm in the  Smoke Alarms  topic.

Property Lines and Easements

Did you know that your legal property is smaller than it appears and that there are limitations to where you can erect structures such as sheds, fences, decks and such?  Don’t be surprised to find that some utility can tear up your yard and landscaping in the process.  Learn more in the  Property Lines and Easements  topic.