Copyright © 2003 Realty Times
All Rights Reserved.
 

 Finding a Good Home Inspector: What You Should Ask

You've found the house, your offer has been accepted, and funding is in place. But before you start packing, be sure you hire a professional home inspector to make sure your house doesn't have any major defects that could cost you down the road.

A home inspection typically includes an examination of heating and central air conditioning systems, interior plumbing, electrical systems, the roof, attic, visible insulation, walls, ceilings, floors, windows, foundations, and basements. Inspections may also include appliances and outdoor plumbing.

Once the inspector examines the house, he or she will write up a report with findings. If there are any major problems, you'll need to negotiate with the seller to either lower the sale price of the home, or determine how the problem will be fixed.

When you make an offer it's wise to have a contingency clause based on the home inspection. In other words, if the inspector finds $10,000 worth of problems and the seller doesn't want to provide the fix, you can rescind your offer.

In fact, two in five resale houses will have at least one major defect that could cost you from a few hundred dollars to as much as $15,000 to repair, according to the 2000 HouseMaster Resale Home Deficiencies Study.

Spending a few hundred dollars for a home inspection is well worth the peace of mind.

If you don't know how or where to find a home inspector, be cautious about asking your real estate agent.

"Be careful, though, of inspectors who are popular with agents - that popularity may stem from not killing too many deals by going easy on their inspections," says Eric Tyson and Ray Brown in their book Home Buying For Dummies (Hungry Minds, Inc., 1999).

Tyson and Brown say the American Society of Home Inspectors is a good place to start.

"Just because an inspector is an ASHI member doesn't guarantee that you'll get a good inspection, but it certainly increases the likelihood that you'll be working with a qualified professional," Brown and Tyson write.

All certified members have performed at least 250 inspections have passed two written proficiency exams. They must also adhere to standards of practice, continuing education requirements, and code of ethics.

The authors and the ASHI recommend you interview several inspectors before choosing one. Some of the questions you should ask include:

• What does the inspection cover? Make sure the inspection and the inspection report meet all applicable requirements and comply with the ASHI Standards of Practice. 
• How long have you been in the profession and how many homes have you inspected? Again, ASHI Members are required to have completed at least 250 paid professional home inspections and passed two written exams that test the inspector's knowledge.  
• Are you specifically experienced in residential inspection? The answer should be yes. If someone says they have specialized training in something like construction or engineering but not in residential inspection, you may want to move on to the next candidate. 
• Does the inspector's company offer to do repairs or improvements based on the inspection? The answer should always be no. This is against the ASHI Code of Ethics because it might cause a conflict of interest.
• How long will the inspection take? The average for a single inspector is two to three hours for a typical single-family house; anything less may not be enough time to do a thorough inspection. Some inspection firms send a team of inspectors and the time frame may be shorter. 
• How much will it cost? Costs vary quite a bid depending on the region, size of the house, scope of services and other factors. A typical range might be $300-500, but consider the value of the home inspection in terms of the investment being made. 
•  Does the inspector prepare a written report? Ask to see samples and determine whether you understand the report. 
• Does the inspector encourage the client to attend the inspection? This is a valuable educational opportunity for you to learn about how things work around what could be your house, and the inspector may point out things that don't quite merit a mention in the report but which you should keep an eye on. An inspector's refusal to allow you to be present should raise a red flag.

Finally, once you've found an inspector you like, ask him for references, then follow up and contact those clients. Two key questions - whether they discovered any major defects after the close of escrow that the inspector missed, and whether they'd use the inspector again.

Written by Michele Dawson
March 10, 2003 

Copyright © 2003 Realty Times
All Rights Reserved.
 

In the "good old days," when most of us thought of mold in our homes we thought of the gunk growing in that jar in the back of the refrigerator. Today we worry about mold growing in the walls, or attic, or under the floor.

Recent news about household mold raises questions for homeowners and Realtors alike. Is mold dangerous to us or others? How do I know if I have mold? What happens if I do have mold? How will mold affect me or others? How will mold affect my home's value and for how long? How do I keep from getting mold? What are molds?

Molds are living fungi. These organisms produce spores that can be released into the air. It is estimated that there are over 100,000 different species of fungi world wide.

There are five (5) major types of molds found in homes, they are:

Cladosporium

Health concerns

While it is true that some molds are toxic, not all molds are. Toxicity varies among the molds and the affects on individuals also varies. For example, those allergic to penicillin vaccine are likely to experience allergic reactions to Penicillium mold. If you are not allergic to penicillin vaccine, then Penicillium mold may not significantly affect your health, particularly in small amounts. If you are allergic to any of the molds, or the toxins they produce, then more dense quantities of spores (indicating more mold) should affect you more significantly than environments with less dense quantities of spores (less mold).

The degree of allergic reaction to a specific mold varies among individuals. Stachybotrys chartarum spores produce poisonous mycotoxins. When these spores are inhaled and ingested by a human, they can cause unpleasant, and even very serious, symptoms and conditions.

The Website for theCenter for Disease Control and Preventionstates that there is currently no test that proves a link between Stachybotrys chartarum and particular health symptoms. While mold is not proven to cause specific health problems the spores released by mold may contribute to illnesses or problems experienced by those with chronic respiratory diseases, allergies, asthma, immune suppression, and/or other illnesses as these people will likely be more susceptible to the mycotoxinsin the spores released by the mold.

One website, Toxic-mold-tort-news-online.com, says Stachybotrys is thought to be responsible for a potentially fatal condition called acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage. This has only occurred in infants and individuals with impaired immune systems. Other symptoms may include headaches, fevers, respiratory infections, diarrhea, burning or watery eyes, fatigue, and skin irritations.

Mold Prevention

Since mold is a living organism, it requires three basics to remain alive and to grow. They are:

• Light - mold must have light to grow. Not much, but some light is required, and enough light can exist to nurture mold behind walls.
• Food Source - mold must feed on something, i.e.: proteins found in building materials, such as the glue used to hold the paper onto the gypsum in drywall, wallpaper glue, carpet, etc. Food sources for Stachybotrys chartarum are primarily materials which are high in cellulose and low in nitrogen content. Examples include wallpaper, cardboard, ceiling tile, cellulose insulation and wood.
• Moisture - mold must have moisture to grow. Moisture is considered the most controllable of the three conditions to grow mold. Omit the moisture, and you omit the mold. Mold can not begin to grow without a source of moisture and existing mold can not survive if the source for moisture is removed.

Some common sources of moisture are: 

• Leaking plumbing - supply or drain lines, slow drip behind a sink, toilet, or in a wall
• Appliances and Fixtures- damaged water heaters, refrigerators, dishwashers, clothes washing machines, faucets, sinks, tubs, showers, toilets, etc..
• Moisture by condensation or steam. Both central and window A/C units, boilers, etc.
• Structural problems - Leaking roof, leaks around windows, improper drainage under pier and beam homes, pooling in basements or under or around homes.
• Natural causes - Flooding. Poor drainage.

Prevention of moisture methods (i.e. prevention of mold) are:

• Maintenance - plumbing system, appliances and fixtures, and structural
• Drainage - insure proper drainage and prevent pooling under or near home
• Ventilation - insure proper ventilation - In the home with windows and heating and air conditioning - Under the home (for pier and beam construction) with ventilated crawl spaces - Above the home (the attic) with vented soffits or other attic vents.
   

Home Inspection - Mold Issues - Radon 

Radon

If you're in the process of searching for or buying a home, you've probably been advised to have a home inspection. But there's another test that you'll want to make sure your potential home - - or, if you don't have plans to move, your current home - - passes - the radon test.

Radon, a colorless and odorless decay product of uranium that occurs naturally in soil and rock, has been identified as a leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. It causes 15,000 to 22,000 deaths a year.

Radon can enter your home from the ground through cracks in walls, basement floors and foundations, and the risk of exposure increases during colder months when we keep our windows and doors closed and spend more time indoors.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, radon can be a problem in any type of home. Local geology, construction materials, and how the home was built are among the factors that can affect radon levels.

Radon is found in every state in the United States. However, there are some states that are more radon prone. The hottest radon spots are Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. But radon is also common in many other states.

The only way to know whether radon exists in elevated levels in your home is to test. Reliable radon tests can be purchased from some local hardware or home improvement stores, or from the National Radon Hotline at 1-800-SOS-RADON.

When you're buying a home, the EPA recommends asking the seller for their radon test results, if they have had the house tested. Find out who conducted it and where in the home it was taken. Also what, if any, structural changes, alterations, or changes in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system have been made to the house since the test was done.

If you need to test, do it as soon as possible and consider including provisions in the contract specifying where it will be located, who will conduct it, what type of test to do, when to do it, how the seller and you will share the results and costs, and when radon mitigation measures will be taken and who will pay for them, if necessary.

You can hire a qualified radon tester who is certified by the National Environmental Health Association (www.neha.org) or test yourself.

The quickest way is with short-term tests that remain in your home for two to 90 days, depending on the device. Charcoal canisters, alpha track, electret ion chamber, continuous monitors, and charcoal liquid scintillation detectors are the most commonly used devices.

If you need results quickly, you can take two short-term tests at the same time in the same location for 48 hours.

The EPA recommends that testing device(s) be placed in the lowest level of the home suitable for occupancy. The test should be conducted in a room to be used regularly; do not test in a kitchen, bathroom, laundry room or hallway. Operate the home's heating and cooling systems normally during the test. For tests lasting less than one week, operate only air-conditioning units that re-circulate interior air. If a radon-reduction system is in place, make sure the system is working properly and will be in operation during the test.

Also be sure to: 

• Close your windows and outside doors at least 12 hours before beginning the test.
• Do not conduct short-term tests lasting less than four days during severe storms or periods of high winds.
• Follow the testing instructions and record the start time and date.
• Place the test device at least 20 inches above the floor in a location where it will not be disturbed and where it will be away from drafts, high heat, high humidity, and exterior walls.
• Leave the test kit in place for as long as the test instructions say.
  Once the test is finished, record the stop time and date, reseal the package, and return it immediately to the lab specified on the package for analysis.
   

You should receive your test results within a few days or weeks. If you need results quickly, request expedited service. Action should be taken to reduce levels if the test results indicate a radon level of 4 pCi/L or higher.

To avoid/detect test interference:

Most homes can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs. The average cost for a contractor can range from $800 to $2,500.

A variety of methods are used to reduce indoor radon levels, from sealing cracks in floors and walls to changing the flow of air into the home. Simple systems, known as sub-slab depressurization, use pipes and fans to remove radon gas from beneath the concrete floor and foundation before it can enter the home.

So as you hire a home inspector, check for termites, and dream about the home you're hoping to make your own, take the time to test for radon.

And if you're not planning on buying or selling anytime soon and you haven't had your house tested, put the radon test at the top of your household to-do list.

Published: February 11, 2003