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Consumer Q's - April 5, 2007

April 5, 2007

Contact:  Teresa Jenkins
(404) 656-3645
1-800-282-5852

 

CONSUMER Q’s
Prepared by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Office of Public Affairs
Tommy Irvin, Commissioner
Call Consumer Q’s Hotline at 1-800-282-5852

Consumer Alert/Recall:  Intex Recreation Corp. Recalls Ladders for Above-Ground Pools Due to Fall Hazard

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:   "Intex®,” “Easy Set®” and “Sand N Sun™” Above-Ground Pool Ladders; Units:   About 466,000; Importer:   Intex Recreation Corp., of Long Beach, Calif.  Hazard:   The ladder’s plastic steps can be assembled backward on the support brackets.   If this happens, the ladder steps can break and the user can fall.  Incidents/Injuries:   Intex has received 172 reports of steps breaking during use.   There were 127 reports of injuries, including six leg lacerations requiring up to 21 stitches, five reports of bone fractures, two back injuries, two reports of torn ligaments, eight sprained ankles, and other minor injuries.  Description:   The recall includes 42-inch, 48-inch, and 52-inch “A” frame pool ladders.   The ladders were sold with above ground pools with the brand names “Intex®,” “Easy Set®” and “Sand N Sun™” in the following sizes:

Each leg of the recalled ladder has two pieces joined together with a metal sleeve.   The ladders have either three or four blue plastic steps on each side of the “A” that attach to blue plastic support brackets mounted on the legs.   The following pool ladders are not included in the recall:

• "A" frame ladders with single piece legs
• “A” frame ladders with two-piece legs and a 300 lb. weight limit listed on the ladder warning label (sold with pools after February 2007).

Sold at: Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, and Target stores nationwide, from February 2006 through February 2007.   Pools with 52-inch ladders were also sold at other retailers nationwide during this time.   Above-ground pool sets that included the ladders sold for between $150 and $800 depending on pool size and included accessories.  Manufactured in:   China; Remedy:   Consumers should immediately stop using the ladders and contact Intex to obtain information about how to obtain a free replacement ladder.   Consumer Contact:   Consumers should call Intex at (800) 549-8829 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit www.intexcorp.com

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How can I get the squirrels out of my attic?

Trapping is the most satisfactory way to eliminate squirrels.  However, success in squirrel trapping depends largely on placement and setting of the trap.  Complete information on controlling squirrels can be found on the website of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at www.forestry.uga.edu/warnell/service/library.  Or, if you will provide us with your complete mailing address we will be happy to mail the document to you.

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My termite company has notified me that if I do not remove six inches of the stucco-like siding on my home, my contract will not be renewed.  Can they do this?

Unfortunately, yes they can.  This foam insulation product, which is used for its decorative and thermal qualities, can cause serious problems if termites attack the structure.  These problems usually occur when the foam insulation is placed as a continuous sheet with portions of it resting below grade.  This contact with the ground makes termite inspection, treatment and prevention virtually impossible.  Termites can use the below-grade insulation as a super highway into the structure by tunneling through the foam, or between the foam and masonry.  Because the insulation is hidden from view by aluminum, vinyl siding, wood, paint, stucco, etc., the termites can remain undetected until severe damage has occurred.  Depending on the type of structure, removing the foam inside the crawl space and outside six inches above the grade is one of the proposed solutions for this problem.

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If a Wood Infestation Inspection Report has been issued on a house, can I assume that it is structurally sound?

No, and in this situation, assumptions can be costly.  A wood destroying organism inspector is not ordinarily a construction or building trade expert and is therefore not expected to assess structural soundness.  A qualified inspector in the building trade, who is approved by you and the lending agency, should perform evaluation and correction of damage that may have resulted from an active or previous infestation.

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I have a large planting of azalea bushes that have bloomed every year except this one.  A very small portion of one bush has bloomed but the others have not and show no buds. They are fed and well cared for.

Based on what you've said, I suspect they may have been pruned or trimmed back at the wrong season.  Azaleas set their flower buds during the summer for the coming year.  If they are trimmed late in the season the buds for the next spring are cut off.  Generally the best time to prune them is right after they bloom.

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If you have questions or problems with products or services regulated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, you may write the Office of Public Affairs, Room 224, 19 Martin Luther King Drive, Atlanta 30334 or 404/656-3645 (metro Atlanta) or 1-800-282-5852 (state wide).