(C) Copyright, 2000, by Rik Goodell. All rights reserved. Articles change frequently -- well sort of. Check back often for other informative text about your home and maintaining its utility and value. Got a question about Home Inspections or home maintenance or construction? Send it to me in an E-mail for a prompt reply. *********************************************************************** Mold! It's Everywhere It's Everywhere! © Copyright, 2003, by Rik Goodell. All rights reserved. Doesn't it seem just a bit curious that mold has "suddenly" become the big, hyper-conscious, all pervasive health issue that it has? Isn't it peculiar that something so ancient and primitive as a mold spore, which scientists will tell us is among the oldest of life forms (fungi), would turn up now as an insidious and lethal health-threat in our homes? My curiosity got the better of me so I did some research to augment my basic understanding of the matter and to try and see if there is/was more than just hype and newsprint behind this latest environmental, ‘issue du jour'. What I learned is actually, really fascinating in its science and simplicity. I couldn't stop reading. So I then attended a captivating lecture on Ventilation & Moisture. Guess what? It's not all hype and litigation. A few years back (July 2001) I wrote a column on this topic and mentioned the basics about mold including mold's obvious need for moisture to exist. In that column I said essentially that Moisture-Dispersal Theory 101 was air movement over the surface of the water. I also said that there was precious little we could do to entirely eliminate moisture from our homes, nor would we want to. Let me state my "MDT" premise another way by quoting Joseph Lstiburek, Ph.D., P. Eng., the excellent presenter in the lecture I referred to above. Joe is probably the most knowledgeable person on this topic, not to mention the most effective communicator-teacher on moisture issues inside buildings, that I have ever had the brilliant pleasure of hearing. He cuts to the chase: "It's not about wetting, it's about drying. We don't have a moisture problem", he says, "We have a drying problem". He goes on to tell obvious, simple, yet very clarifying facts. "When the rate of accumulation is greater than the rate of drying we have accumulation" (of moisture). Consider these fundamental facts or needs for mold sustenance: 1. Mold needs water. 2. Mold will only grow in temperatures between 40 F & 100 F. 3. Mold grows on sugar (cellulose, or, wood). Actually mold also needs oxygen to grow but oxygen is so omnipresent, not to mention essential, that there is no point in even mentioning it in the context of this article. These mold "basics" remind me of fundamental fire-facts I learned in elementary school. You remember them: Fire needs Heat, Fuel and Oxygen. If you take away any of those three you simply cannot have combustion. So think about it. Take away water, sugar or the requisite temperature range and you'll have no mold. Well, we build with wood and a myriad of cellulose byproducts, including the paper on drywall surfaces, so were not going to get rid of the sugar. The region of circulation for The Real Estate News is one that spends the majority of the year well within the 60 mold-thrive, climate range. Clearly then, in our area, we actually cannot eliminate three of the mold-survival requirements so that leaves us with an imperative interest in moisture control if we are to eliminate or prevent mold growth in our homes. We are off to a difficult start when we consider the tremendous amount water that goes into a new, "modern" home. Lumber is wet; drywall joint compound is very wet; latex paint is all about water. The task becomes more difficult and compounded when we look at modern materials such as "OSB" (oriented strand board) which will not breathe (no air movement = no drying) whereas the plywood that it replaced as a common sheathing material does. Neither does hardboard (modern, lumber- replacement siding) or particle board (flooring underlayment, paneling, cabinets etc.) breathe. Then consider that insulation in wall cavities prevents air-flow and that every gap, nook and cranny in a house today is caulked, moisture "barriered" and sealed against air-transfer in an effort to reduce energy consumption. So, in simple terms, we have become more aware of mold as a problem in homes because we have more of it than we used to. We have more mold because our homes are wetter. Our homes are wetter today because they don't dry as well as they once did. They don't dry as well because we intentionally make them to not allow air movement (see MDT 101 in paragraph three above) and we use building materials that are wetter and/or inherently do not breathe so well as the materials they have replaced. Is mold actually a health risk? You bet it is. Does it affect as many people as often as the hype and media would worry us to believe? Probably not. But I'm still the student. For some truly excellent reading on the topic by some real authorities, I recommend you go to Dr. Lstiburek's website, http://www.buildingscience.com/resources/mold/default.htm and read some well-written, highly digestible articles by Dr. Lstiburek and his colleagues, Nathan Yost, MD. and Terry Brennan, MS. Let's Get Real 2004 © Copyright, 2004, by Rik Goodell. All rights reserved. Wasn't it only a month or two ago we were all gearing up and protecting our homes and computers, our very lives, from Y2K fears at the midnight, millennium transition from December 1999 to January 2000? Time flies. Changes in the home construction industry are happening so fast, and so broadly, it is a full time job to keep abreast in a general sense and, I have become convinced, it is impossible to maintain full awareness and detailed knowledge of all aspects of this rapidly evolving field. It's no wonder we are in an age of specialization. Which brings me to my not-so-clever segue to this months topic: A Home Inspector is a generalist. The Home Inspection industry in North America is perhaps, at most, about thirty years old. That means we are still an infant, maybe at most an adolescent, industry. Most things that the American consumer buys are purchased with a clear understanding and a reasonable, realistic and valid expectation of the benefit to be had from the expenditure. Not so with a Home Inspection. When I started in this business in 1985, my marketing and advertising focus was never an effort to convince potential clients why I was the best choice for them as a home inspector. My energy was directed toward educating the home buying and home selling public as to just what a Home Inspection would consist of and the benefit of obtaining one. It was critical for the growth of my business for there to be an educated population that understood the benefit of a Home Inspection in general rather than a specific reason for a Home Inspection by Rik Goodell. My experience, even eighteen or nineteen years later, is that there has been little change in the public's understanding and expectation of a Home Inspection. Oh sure, many more people today have heard of Home Inspections now and many have a sense of what a Home Inspection is but it seems to me that the majority of people buying a home still have distorted, inaccurate or unrealistic expectations of their Home Inspector. The inspector simply cannot guarantee, as most buyers would like, that their home is "earthquake-proof" (now there's a fantasy-concept) or that the roof is not going to leak. The misunderstanding, I believe, stems, at least in part, from what I mentioned above in the second paragraph. In this highly complex age of specialization, it is simply not possible for one person to have the knowledge necessary to completely assess every aspect of a house and its systems. While it is only natural for a home buyer to want to learn every detail about the systemic conditions of a house, the cost of actually providing that degree of information-gathering, studying, assessment and reporting is prohibitive. It may be possible to obtain however. If a buyer wants to spend the money, a Home Inspector can assemble a team of specialists who have the knowledge and expertise to conduct thorough tests and examinations of the various systems. Those highly qualified, experienced people could then spend many days estimate remaining serviceable life of components quite accurately and form detailed, science-based opinions. This kind of assurance would, justifiably, bring more peace of mind to the buyer and might even include warranties from the provider but it would, by definition, not be a Home Inspection and the cost would probably be in the range of five to ten thousand dollars. Not only would most buyers be unable and unwilling to embrace that cost but such detail, in terms of average risk and return for dollar spent is unwarranted. Most homes are not going to have such complex problems with multiple systems. This then is why a Home Inspection makes so much sense. A Home Inspector should be able to recognize visible defects, hazards, faulty construction, deviations from conventional practices in the structure and its systems (electrical, plumbing, mechanical, heating, roofing etc.). When he or she makes an observation of that poor condition, the inspector's job is then to form an opinion and communicate that opinion to his or her client. If it is within the inspectors experience or personal expertise he or she can then make recommendations as to specific remedial action to take but it is the inspectors job to make some recommendation as to action if such is warranted. If the Home Inspector is unfamiliar with the action needed or unsure of the severity or importance of the condition then that recommended action may be to get further evaluation and that is when it is appropriate to call in the specialist. Bottom line of this month's column: Do not expect your Home Inspector to give every final answer to every question or condition that arises during the inspection. Sometimes we raise more questions than we answer. That doesn't happen too often but it does happen and the person who hires a Home Inspector without being prepared for recommendations for further assessment of one or two systems by a specialist is setting up for disappointment and dissatisfaction. *********************************************************************** Considerations for a Safer Home © Copyright, 2004, by Rik Goodell. All rights reserved. More and more safety devices are available for the home. We all know about smoke alarms but there are a host of additional safety accessories obtainable. Here is my suggested list for your consideration: The Heat Detector: These devices respond to fire rather than smoke and seem generally to be set around 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat alarms are intended for use in rooms where smoke or steam are frequently parts of the normal air conditions, such as bathrooms, kitchens or garages. These safety devices should only be used in conjunction with smoke alarms and do not replace smoke alarms. I find them especially helpful where smoke alarms are frequently sounding with a false or nuisance alarm. Carbon Monoxide Detector: Available either as battery powered, hard-wired or a combination of the two, next to smoke detectors, these devices are probably the best known safety alarms for residential use. They will sound if there is a leak in a vent from a gas-fired water heater or furnace that is allowing lethal carbon monoxide to spill into the home. Some manufacturers now supply these alarms with a direct, plug-in feature for a wall outlet. They are also available with digital read-outs and even a memory that allows you to review the history of CO levels in your home. Explosive Gas Alarm: This lesser-known safety invention sniffs for leaks of combustible gases such as propane and natural gas in the home. They are an especially prudent guard for garage installation and for placement near any gas-fired appliance. If used in the kitchen though, place it at least ten feet away from the gas-range as some gas emission is normal every time a burner is lit. Fire Extinguisher: This is probably the oldest fire-safety accessory available for the home yet the least commonly found. I rarely see fire extinguishers installed in homes yet these are inexpensive, compact and vital to the home fire-safety arsenal. Be sure to get one that will extinguish all of the common home fires including, wood, paper, cloth, gas, oil, flammable liquids, and electrical. I have one installed in each of these locations in my home: 1. Garage; 2. Kitchen 3. Laundry Room. My furnace is in my garage. If yours is gas-fired and in another location, add an extinguisher there too. Be certain everyone in the house, including children of appropriate age, are familiar with where these are located, how to remove them from their wall brackets and how to use them. I actually even have one installed in my car too. Check their replacement or recharge requirements and update them as needed. Fire Escape Ladder: Installed fire escapes are usually not required unless a home is three stories high or more. But, realistically speaking, many two story homes have bedroom windows much higher above the ground than I'd want to jump from — especially on the hillside properties that we build on in our area. A simple metal and chain ladder stored, perhaps, under your bed, can be the difference between a safe escape from a fire and severe injuries or death. Instruct all family members in the safe use of the ladder, how to hang it on the window sill and where it is kept. First Aid & Emergency Kit: Buy a good first-aid kit and know its contents and how to use them. Also have a battery operated AM Radio and spare batteries; A Strong flashlight and spare batteries and bulb; a multi-tool knife such as a "leatherman"; whistle; candles; bottled water (a couple of gallons per family member); blankets; water proof matches and propane lighter; Emergency Blankets, compass and food bars or other storable emergency food sources; A list of phone numbers of family and friends. Consider tools such as shovels and axes. Once a year (I like Independence Day) have a family play day with a picnic and practice sessions in which the fire escape ladder is removed from storage, set on the sill and used by all. If your window sills are high and difficult for children to reach, keep a step-stool in a known location nearby. Build a small campfire outside in a safe place and have the children actually use a fire extinguisher to put it out. Go to your emergency box (I keep a large, hard-rubber bin in my garage) and replenish old batteries and water. Test the radio and flashlight and have each family member use or handle various items in the kit. Talk about a rendevous plan and a place to meet should there be an earthquake or fire that damages or destroys your home. Discuss where cell phones and their spare batteries are normally kept. Familiarity with these items, and periodic practice in using them, will not only prepare all for their actual use in time of real need but will build a sense of reality that disasters can occur and hazards are real. My perspective is that we lead very, protected, sheltered and insulated lives today. For many, the biggest challenge in an emergency is the recognition that an event requiring action, courage, clear thinking and implementation of a bold response is truly at hand.