Every year, consumers statewide lose thousands of dollars to con artists posing as legitimate craftsmen, builders and repairmen. They make promises of quick, inexpensive improvements, pressure the homeowner into paying a large deposit in advance, and then disappear without completing the work. Sometimes no work is performed at all.

the work at a discount.

Has a post office box or local motel as an address, but no regular street or business address.

Asks the homeowner to obtain all necessary building permits.

 

Determine how long a contractor has been in business. Check with local building supply retailers. Ask for and verify local references.

Obtain more than one written estimate, especially on large jobs. Make sure the estimate contains a complete description of all the work to be done, costs and completion dates.

Don’t automatically select the lowest bid, especially if it is considerably lower than all the others. The "low-ball" contractor may intend to seek more money after the job is under way, and may not be able to meet contractual specifications and obligations.

The construction lien law permits a homeowner’s property to be sold in a court proceeding if a lien is filed against the property as a result of an unpaid bill for labor, materials and other home improvement services.

But homeowners can protect themselves by obtaining a written" release of lien" statement from all unpaid workers, subcontractors, and suppliers.

After all the work is done, homeowners should make sure their contractor obtains all appropriate lien releases before making final payment. To file a complaint against a licensed or unlicenced contractor, call DBPR at (850) 488-6602; or the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at 1-800-HELPFLA (1-800-435-7352).

Source: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

A favorite target of babies and toddlers are power cords, which they are apt to place in their mouth and chew. Consequently, parents should replace a worn or frayed electrical cord with one having an appropriate length.

Children also love to tug on loose electrical cords. As a result, they can knock over a lamp, appliance or telephone and injure themselves in the process.

Use night lights to illuminate darkened areas of your home.

Use a switch extender wall plate which helps youngsters reach wall switches to turn lights on and off.

Source: The Leviton Institute

Mixing water and electricity can be a shocking experience. In fact, each year more than 300 people are electrocuted, and thousands more injured from electrical shocks or electrical fires in and around the house.

But many homes built before 1975 are not equipped with GFCIs. If your home is one of them, call a licensed electrical contractor to install GFCI receptacles wherever they may be needed.

A dimmer switch is the ideal way to control the lighting levels in each room of your house, but in some circumstances, it can cause light bulbs to produce an irritating, buzzing sound.

The source of the buzz can be either your light bulb or your dimmer. In either case, the problem is simple and inexpensive to correct. First, try replacing your existing light bulbs with higher quality bulbs from a different manufacturer. In many cases, this will resolve the problem.

The reason this simple step can often stop the buzzing has to do with the quality of the two main components inside the bulb, the support posts, and the fine coils of wire, called the filament.

If, after changing the bulb, you still hear the buzz, consider upgrading your dimmer switch. Typically, dimmers in the mid-price range of $25 to $35 will not cause light bulbs to buzz.

Extension cords, with their ability to bring any appliance or lamp within easy reach of an electrical outlet, are one of the most convenient products in the home. But when they are misused, they can also be a source of potential danger.

The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that some 3,000 people are treated each year for injuries associated with extension cords. In addition, improperly functioning extension cords cause 5,000 residential fires annually.

Never run extension cords through walls, under rugs or furniture, or across doorways.

Never try to repair a damaged extension cord with electrical tape; replace it instead.

Never overload an extension cord. If any part of the cord feels warm to the touch, the cord is drawing too much power and could present a fire or shock hazard.

Never cut off the ground pin to connect a 3-prong appliance cord to a 2-wire extension cord or receptacle. Always use a UL listed adapter for this purpose.

Replace older extension cords if one of the prongs in the plug is not "polarized." In a polarized plug, one prong will be wider than the other.

Do not allow extension cords to dangle from counters or table tops, wheresomeone could accidentally pull them down or trip over them.

Always plug an appliance into the extension cord before plugging the extension cord into a wall receptacle Also, make sure the appliance is "off" before plugging it in.

When disconnecting an extension cord, always pull from the plug, never the cord itself.

Cover unused outlets on the extension cord to prevent children from making contact with a live circuit.

Before buying any extension cord, check the product and its packaging to ensure that the product has been listed by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

Use special, heavy-duty extension cords for high wattage appliances such as air conditioners, portable electric heaters and freezers.

When placing furniture or an appliance directly up against a wall where a cord is plugged into a receptacle, use a low-profile type of plug. These plugs will let the appliance or furniture get closer to the wall, and there is less chance of the plug coming loose.

Outside the home, use extension cords designed expressly for outdoor use.