Radiant Barrier is a great way to keep your home energy costs down. This is something every Texas homeowner needs to think about getting for their home.
You can either get the Radiant Barrier Spray and Radiant Barrier Foil. Both the spray and the foil "Reflect" radiant heat. The spray type can reflect up to 75% and the Foil type will reflect about 97% of the heat. Foil is actually the best radiant barrier. You can do-it-yourself if you have handyman skills and can handle the heat in the attic for an extended amount of time. Foil is considered the best and most cost effective way to go whether you staple it to the rafters or lay out radiant barrier over the pre-existing insulation. You can google "radiant barrier" to find detailed installation instructions.
Spray-On Radiant Barrier Spray-On Radiant Heat Barrier is basically a "liquid foil". As you know, foil is a heat barrier. Thre are many brands of paint and have different performance characteristics. The best are water-based low-e paint called HeatBloc 75 made by STS Coatings or Radiance e.25. made by BASF. It CAN be a good product if installed correctly. However, foil is known for out performing radiant barrier spray paint.
Radiant Barrier Foil The radiant barrier foil actually blocks over 95% of the radiant heat (better than the spray type) and can be fairly easy to install in some homes.
A radiant barrier will act like a mirror and reflect the heat away just like a sunscreen in your car. A radiant barrier saves you money on your summer electric bill and can usually pay for itself in between 2-5 years. So basically a radiant barrier will act like shade for you home. This means less heat gain into your living space and a cooler, more energy efficient and more comfortable home with lower electric bills. With the rising energy costs, this can save you lots of money over the life of your home.
Green building is a design and construction practice that promotes the economic health and well being of your family, the environment and your local community.
Green building is necessary for our childrens future. Below are some of the reasons why.
Water:
Older toilets use 3.7-7 gallons per flush
Dishwashers normally use 8-14 gallons per cycle
Top-loading washers use around 45 gallons/load
A dripping water faucet waste 15-21 gallons per day
U.S. water users use enough water to fill a line of Olympic-size swimming pools reaching around the world EVERY SINGLE DAY (300 billion gallons)
Although our planet is 71 percent water, humans depend on a mere .65 percent of the water for survival - much of which is polluted and is getting worse.
About a quarter of the nation's largest industrial plants and water treatment facilities are in serious violation of pollution standards.
An estimated 7 million Americans are made sick annually by contaminated tap water; in some rare cases this even results in death.
Indoor Air Quality:
US Environmental Protection Agency ranks indoor air pollution among top five environmental risks. Unhealthy air is found in up to 30% of new and renovated buildings
Indoor air pollution causes 14 times more deaths than outdoor air pollution (2.8 million lives)
Of hundreds of EPA-regulated chemicals, only ozone and sulfur dioxide are more prevalent outdoor than indoors
20% of all housing in the US has too much lead dust or chippings (causes kidney and red blood cell damage, impairs mental and physical development, may increase high blood pressure)
Wood:
Although the US is home to only 4.5 percent of the global population, it is responsible for over 15 percent of the world's consumption of wood.
Pesticides:
In the US, pesticides poison 110,000 people each year. More than 1/3rd of the calls to animal poison control centers result from pets exposed to harmful pesticides.
The volatile organic compounds (including pesticides) found indoors are believe to cause 3,000 cases of cancer a year in the US.
95 percent of the pesticides used on residential lawns are considered probable carcinogens by the EPA
2,4-D-a component of Agent Orange-is used in about 1,500 lawn care products
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Each year, in our country, 300 to 500 children under the age of five years old drown in residential swimming pools.
The figure does not include the large number of children who survive a near-drowning, some with permanent injuries including brain damage and other long term damage.
Nationally, after fire deaths, swimming pool drownings are the second leading cause of accidental death in the home to children under five years old. In some states, such as Florida, Texas, Arizona and California, drowning is the leading cause. Obviously, there are more pools in those states than other states.
The most common cause leading to these deaths is that a child (often only one or two years old) is being supervised but the parent or guardian is momentarily distracted. It only takes a minute or two for the curious child to find his/her way to the pool. The few minutes required to discover that the child is missing is usually too long to prevent drowning or serious injury.
A barrier restricting access from the house to the pool is one of the best ways to prevent these drownings.
In a study of drowning or near-drownings, it was found that almost all of the victims lived in or visited the home where the accident happened. Less than 3% of the accidents occurred when the child trespassed on the property.
The model pool barrier should have the following features: The most important element is that a fence or barrier, at least 48 inches high with no footholds or handholds surrounds the pool, hot tub, or spa. When a wall of a house is used as part of the barrier, all doors leading from the house to the pool must be equipped with an appropriate alarm to alert parents and guardians when the door is opened. A power safety cover should protect the pool when it is not in use.
More specifically, the CPSC proposed regulations (to be administered through existing code enforcement organizations) which include the following provisions for any outdoor, private swimming pool, hot tub, or spa:
That there be a barrier around the entire pool, at least 48 inches high, with a maximum vertical clearance between ground and the bottom of the barrier of two inches.
That openings in the barrier should not allow passage of anything greater than a 4" diameter sphere.
That solid barriers should not have openings or indentations that make it possible to climb over the barrier.
That barriers composed of horizontal and vertical members shall be built to minimize the possibility of a child climbing over it.
That the maximum mesh size for chain-link fence shall be 1-1/4 inch square.
That access gates shall be equipped to accommodate a locking device to prevent opening of the gate.
Pedestrian access gates shall open outwards away from the pool and shall be self locking and have a self-latching device.
Where a wall serves as part of the barrier, all doors with direct access to the pool area through that wall shall be equipped with an alarm which produces a loud warning when the door and its screen are opened.
For an above-ground pool or where the barrier is mounted on top of the pool structure, ladder or steps used as access shall be lockage or removable to prevent access when the pool is not supervised by adults or guardians.
Indoor pools should have all walls satisfy solid wall barrier standards as noted above.
Following these guidelines and watching your children closely can help prevent a tragedy for your family or friends.
Toxic chemicals may lurk inside your home, putting you and your family at great risk. Here are six household pollutants to watch out for, and tips on how to minimize your exposure.
1. Cigarette Smoke
Cigarette smoke is a toxic pollutant, made up of more than 4,000 chemicals. In smokers, it causes a variety of deadly cancers, as well as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, heart disease, respiratory allergies and complications during pregnancy. In addition to the 450000 American smokers who die every year from illnesses caused by cigarette smoke, thousands of nonsmokers die from health problems caused or aggravated by secondhand smoke, including heart disease, lung cancer and sudden infant death syndrome. The Centers for Disease Control ranks smoking as the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the United States each year.
What You Can Do: Quit smoking, and urge your loved ones to do the same. Short of that, don't allow smoking indoors or in areas where others may be exposed.
2. Lead
More than 30 years after the ban on lead in paint, nearly half a million American prekindergarten children have elevated levels of lead in their blood. That's largely because old lead paint remains on the walls in many homes, workplaces and schools. This paint can emit lead-laced dust particles, especially during remodeling and construction. Old, corroded lead pipes are another common culprit. Elevated blood-lead levels in kids increase risk of learning disabilities, behavioral problems, anemia and, in extreme cases, serious brain damage or other serious health problems.
What You Can Do: If your home is more than 25 to 30 years old, you should have it tested for lead paint. Some state and local health departments will provide assistance for lead testing. If there is a significant lead hazard in your home, consider having the lead paint removed. This work should always be done by a professional that is trained, certified, and state licensed for lead paint removal. The easiest way to decrease the risk from lead paint is simply to paint over it -- but avoid scraping, sanding or heating it, which allows dangerous lead particles to escape. Also, you should keep floors, window sills and other surfaces free of dust, and wash your children's toys frequently to remove the lead particles. Lead in pipes is more difficult to handle, but you can have your water tested. Contact your state or local health department for information on local contractors, or obtain a testing kit from a hardware store, and install a water filter if you find lead in your water. Also, you can ask to have your child's blood tested for lead at his or her next regular doctor's appointment.
3. Pesticides
The pesticides we use to control weeds and insects in and around our homes can be significant health hazards. Exposure to certain pesticides is associated with health problems ranging from skin rashes to nervous system disorders and even cancer. Children are at the greatest risk of harm because of their hand-to-mouth habits and their underdeveloped nervous systems; also, the places they play are often the type of area that is treated with pesticides. In recent years, many of the most dangerous pesticides have been pulled off the market, thanks to pressure from environmental groups. But that doesn't make the aging supplies in your garage any safer.
Things you can do: You can prevent pest problems by keeping your home and its surroundings clean and well maintained. Only use pesticides when absolutely necessary, read labels very carefully and follow all of the instructions. Avoid pesticides containing organophosphates, which include ingredients such as acephate, dichlorvos, dimethoate, disulfoton, malathion, naled, phosmet, tetrachlorvinphos and trichlorfon. Carbamates, which include the pesticides carbaryl (Sevin), and propoxur (Baygon), are another class of chemicals that should be avoided. The dangerous pesticide diazinon was banned at the end of 2004, but it could still be lurking in an old bottle of weed killer lying around your house. Also the manufacture of chlorpyrifos (sold as Dursban or Lorsban) was halted as of 2000, but stores were still allowed to sell existing stocks, which were considerable. If you find unsafe pesticides in your home, don't flush them down a toilet or pour them down a drain -- you don't want these chemicals to end up in your water supply, either. Instead, call your local public works department to find out how to dispose of unsafe pesticides.
4. Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde isn't just the stuff of high school science labs. It's more common in your home than you probably realize. Formaldehyde is used in fertilizers, glues, plywood, fiberboard, particleboard and certain types of insulation, as well as in some disinfectants, antibacterial soaps and even beauty products. Formaldehyde has been classified as a probable human carcinogen by the EPA. Its vapors can irritate the eyes, nose, throat and skin, and also cause asthma attacks in sensitive people. Home exposure to formaldehyde has been linked to respiratory allergies in some children.
What You Can Do: If you're remodeling, use exterior- rather than interior-grade pressed wood products. The formaldehyde in exterior grade products is more stable and less likely to break down and get into the air. Also, when you buy wood furniture or fixtures (cabinets, for example) that use particleboard -- many do, even if you can't see it - make sure it is laminated or otherwise coated. And finally, if you have products or construction in your home that could release formaldehyde vapors, make sure you have good ventilation.
5. Radon
Radon is an invisible, odorless, radioactive gas produced by the decay of a naturally occurring element in soil called radium. Radium could be anywhere, and if it occurs in high levels, radon gas can be a serious health problem. Radon seeps into homes through cracks in the foundations, accumulating in lower floors, especially basements. The problem is worst where ventilation is poor. Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, after tobacco, and is responsible for approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year.
What You Can Do: Altbough Texas is not known for having high concentrations of Radon, you can get your house tested by a certified inspector.
6. Kitchen/Household Cleaners
Household chemicals have many harmful and toxic chemicals that can be very dangerous to your childrens health.This includes oven cleaner, carpet cleaner, metal cleaners, detergents, and furniture polish and many more. You should buy alternative chemicals that do not contain toxic ingredients. You will pay a little more, but it will be money well spent.
An important component of a home inspection is the inspection of the roof. From the outside of the home, on a peaked shaped roof, a home inspector can make a visual inspection from the ground level. To get an even closer look he or she may use binoculars. Although most inspectors will climb onto the roof, some may not climb a ladder and walk up on your roof for safety reasons. From the inside of the home, if possible through the attic or opened crawlspaces, an additional look will be taken which is just as important as the exterior inspection.
From the exterior, the focus will be on the following things:
1.
The roof covering: Are there broken pieces or bubbling? The home inspector will try to determine the age of the roof and can let you know the roof material and design.
2.
Items penetrating the roof: The inspector will inspect the exterior skylights, vents, exterior of the chimney and everything else coming from the roof along with their flashings.
3.
The Roof framing: The outside frame of the roof will be checked for rotting, deflection, or other signs of deterioration.
4.
Drainage: At the time of the roof inspection, the gutters and downspouts or drainage system is normally checked to make sure water is draining off of the roof properly.
5.
Obstructions: The roof will be checked to make sure tree branches, leaves, or other vegetation are not touching the surface along with other obstructions which may cause premature wear on the roof.
From the interior, the inspection will focus on:
1.
The Roof Decking: Signs of rot, holes, breaks, leaks, or other damage.
2.
Items Penetrating Outward: Area around vents and other items penetrating out are checked for signs of water leaks.
3.
Interior Framing: The interior framing is checked for signs of rot, breaks, or other damage.
These are the basics that make up the inspection of a roof. The home inspector will provide you with a complete summary of this part of the complete home inspection, and can also help make recommendations if needed.
Roof Maintenance Tips:
If you want to help keep that roof over your head in good shape, here are a some tips:
Make sure the roof drains properly and keep gutters and downspouts clear of all debris and obstructions.
Make sure nothing is touching the roof like tree branches, leaves, or vegetation.
Repair leaks as quickly as possible. A leak can cause rotting in the deck and this rot spreads easily, so catching it early is the key to preventing other major repairs on your roof.
Buy a programmable thermostat. Use it effectively and you can save you up to $190 a year on your energy bill.
Shade the exterior air conditioner condenser unit and plant trees strategically around your home to keep it cool. That can save you $100 to $200 a year. Make sure you plant them on the south and west sides of the home.
Improving the insulation in your home can cut 20% off your cooling costs.
Using an attic fan can reduce air conditioning costs by another 10%.
Installing new energy-efficient or storm windows is a big expense but it can save you up to 30% on your annual energy bill over many years.
Even simple steps like using cold water for your laundry and replacing incandescent bulbs with the compact fluorescent bulbs around the home can save you over $100 a year.
Turn off everything you're not using; lights, TVs, computers, electronics, etc. Use dimmers, timers and motion detectors on other indoor and outdoor lighting.
Close blinds, shades, shutters and draperies that are facing the sun to keep the sun's heat out and help fans and air conditioners cool more efficiently.
Check the weather-stripping and caulking around doors and windows. Eliminate all air leaks between window air conditioners and windows with foam insulation or weather-stripping.
Close all doors leading to the uncooled parts of your home. With central air, close off vents to all of the unused rooms.
Use fans to draw cooler air inside during the night and circulate air during the day. Even if you have air conditioning, ceiling and other fans provide additional cooling and better circulation so you can raise the thermostat and contain air conditioning costs.
Delay your heat-producing tasks such as washing and drying the laundry or dishes until later in the evening, and wait until loads are full.
Refrain from using nonessential appliances. Unplug them or use only them when necessary. A great example of this is an extra refrigerator in your garage. A refrigerator in an uncooled space such as a garage uses much more energy on hot summer days than it does during the winter.
Replace your used 100-watt incandescent bulbs with comparable 23-watt compact fluorescent bulbs. ENERGY STAR® -labeled compact fluorescents work well almost anywhere incandescent bulbs are in use, and can save you a great deal of money over their lifetime.
Solar Screens can really keep the heat out of your home. While some people don't care for the look, those who have had Solar Screens on their windows, they usually rave about them.
With Texas energy bills costing $300 to $600 a month during the summer for a decent sized home, these tips can save you a significant amount of money.
Many people are unaware that they're living near a meth lab. Meth labs can turn up anywhere such as houses, barns, apartments, trailers, campers, cabins and motel rooms - even in vehicles. The equipment needed for a meth lab can be as small as to fit in a carry-on bag, a small cardboard box or the trunk of a car.
Here are some of the signs to look for in identifying a meth lab:
Houses with windows blacked out.
Strong and unusual smells/odors(like cat urine, ammonia or other odd smelling chemicals).
Renters who pay the landlord in cash. (Most drug dealers trade only in cash.)
Lots of traffic with people coming and going at strange times. There may be little traffic during the day, but at night the activity increases quite a bit.
Large amount of trash including large amounts of items such as: antifreeze containers, lantern fuel cans, red stained coffee filters, drain cleaner and duct tape.
Large amounts of clear glass containers being brought into the home.
Windows blacked out or covered by aluminum foil, plywood, sheets, blankets, etc.
Secretive / protective area surrounding the residence (like video cameras, alarm systems, guard dogs, reinforced doors, electrified fencing).
Little traffic during the day, but high volume of traffic at late hours; including many different vehicles arriving and staying for small periods of time.
Very little or no mail, furniture, visible trash and no newspaper delivery.
Presence of the following items could indicate the existence of a meth lab in your neighorhood:
Alcohol Ether Benzene Toluene/Paint Thinner Freon Acetone Chloroform Camp Stove Fuel/Coleman Fuel Starting Fluid Anhydrous Ammonia "Heet" White Gasoline Phenyl-2-Propane Phenylacetone Phenylpropanolamine Iodine Crystals Red Phosphorous Black Iodine Lye (Red Devil Lye) Drano Muriatic/Hydrochloric Acid Battery Acid/Sulfuric Acid Epsom Salts Batteries/Lithium Sodium Metal Wooden Matches Propane Cylinders Hot Plates Ephedrine (over-the-counter) Cold Tablets Bronchodialators Energy Boosters Rock Salt Diet Aids
What are the health effects from exposure to meth lab contaminants?
The contaminants present during meth's cooking process can be very harmful if someone is exposed to them. The contaminants can cause many different health problems such as respiratory (breathing) problems, skin and eye irritation, headaches, nausea and dizziness. Acute (short-term) exposures to high concentrations of some of these chemicals, such as those police officers encounter when they first enter a lab, can cause severe health problems including lung damage and burns to different parts of the body.
There is little known about the health effects from chronic (long-term) exposure to contaminants left behind after a meth lab is dismantled. Until the contaminants have been identified, their quantities measured, and their health effects known, property owners should exercise caution and use the safest possible cleaning practices in dealing with former meth lab properties and any possible remaining contamination.
The possible health effects depend on
which chemicals to which a person is exposed
how much of each chemical to which a person is exposed,
how long a person is exposed, and
the health condition of the person being exposed.
Exposure to meth residues may cause symptoms similar to those experienced by meth users.
Exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may cause symptoms such as nose and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, confusion and breathing difficulties
Coffee Pot Mini Meth Lab
Ask just about anyone in law enforcement, and they will tell you to be very careful if you ever brew coffee in a hotel or motel room.
Instead of brewing coffee, coffee pots are sometimes used to brew methamphetamine. And since meth labs in hotels aren't anything new, Police say there's definitely a risk. "The coffee makers that you find in every motel room is an ideal heat source. They mix it up in the coffee pot, put it on a heat source and let it sit there and cook," said Phillips. It's common knowledge to those who fight meth, but a shock to your average citizen.
Hundreds of different problems can be found during a Home Inspection. Here are ten of the most common:
1) Improper Surface Grading and Drainage Problems. This is by far the most frequent problem. It is responsible for the most common household aggravations, including water penetration into the basement or crawlspace. In Texas, excess moisture around the foundation can cause the clay soil to expand too much and damage your foundation.
2) Improper Electrical Wiring/Wiring Problems. Many homes have minor electrical problems, while many older homes can have major electrical problems. This includes such situations as insufficient electrical service, inadequate overload protection, and amateur (often dangerous) wiring connections or installation.
3) Roof Damage. Ranked third, leaking roofs are a very frequent problem. This is caused by old or badly damaged shingles, improper flashing and drainage, or structural problems with the roof decking.
4) Heating System Problems or Defects. Defect items in this category include broken or malfunctioning controls and components, blocked chimneys, and unsafe or blocked exhaust disposal.
5) Poor Overall Maintenance. A common problem with all homeowners. Signs of poor maintenance include cracked, peeling or dirty painted surfaces; crumbling masonry; makeshift wiring or plumbing; and broken fixtures and appliances. Broken tiles or missing caulk around the showers or bath is also a sign.
6) Structural Related Problems. As a result of the problems in one or more other categories, damage is sustained by such structural components as foundation walls, floor joists, walls, rafters and window and door headers.
7) Plumbing. Plumbing problems are extremely common problem found during a home inspection. This includes the existence of old or incompatible piping materials, as well as faulty fixtures and waste lines. Leaking faucets and pipes happen in just about every home at one time or another.
8) Exteriors. Flaws in this exterior, such as doors, windows and wall surfaces, rarely have structural significance but may cause discomfort to the occupants due to water and air penetration. The most common culprits are inadequate caulking and/or lack of weather stripping.
9) Poor Ventilation in the home. In an effort to save energy, a lot of homeowners have "oversealed" their homes, resulting in excessive moisture in the interior of the home. Too much moisture is a problem that can lead to rotting and failure of both the structural and non-structural elements.
10) Shrubs and Vegetation too close to exterior walls. This is extremely common, however shrubs and vegetation shoud be cut back so that they do not touch the home. Vegetation that touches the walls is an invitation for termites to enter the home and it also can trap moisture in this area which can cause damage or mold due to moisture problems.
11) Cosmetic Problems. Many cosmetic items will not even be put on a inspection report because they do not affect the structural integrity or function of the home. These are items that can easily be fixed.
Problems are found in every home inspection. Although many of these problems will be minor, you should educate yourself to know what to expect before the home inspection has been completed.
This information is provided for your general interest and is not intended to be technically exhaustive. Please consult a professional inspector or contractor to obtain an assessment of your particular situation.
Texas is well known for Foundation Problems. Some of the causes could be:
Sources of water such as leaking faucets.
Neighboring Properties drainage water onto your property.
Improper placement of soaker hoses.
Inadequate gutter systems and drainage systems.
Overgrowth of Tree root or bush roots.
Proximity to to Swimming pool, ponds, etc.
Do you think you have foundation problems? Here are some things to look for:
Roof leaks when the roof material is still in good condition.
Check the house after a rain. Does water puddle up next to the foundation?
Check for cracks in the concrete at the base of the house. Small cracks could be non-structural, but larger cracks will be a definite sign.
Check gutters and downspouts. Do they empty onto a splash block? They should!
On the exterior of the home, check the bottom corners of the windows and doors. Are there cracks along mortar joints in the brick veneer?
Raise and lower the windows in the house. Open and close all the doors. Are they sticking?
Look for nails popping out of the gypsum board.
Look for cracks in brick fireplace walls.
Look for interior cracks in walls. Examine areas where walls meet walls. Are they pulling apart?
Cracks in tile floors.
Because of the expansive clay soils in Texas, you must be very vigilant to make sure you do not end up with foundation problems. If you choose not to "worry about it", you will probably being paying a large sum of money in the future to have your foundation repaired.
Here are some things you should do to maintain your foundation:
Keep the water around your foundation at a consistent moisture level. You dont want the soil to get too dry but you don't want water standing around your foundation either. If you don't have time to check it periodically, you can put soaker hoses around the foundation. Do not put them right against the foundation. These should be set about 16" to 18" away from the foundation. You can also have an automatic sprinkler system put in just for the foundation.
Never plant trees or large shrubs to close to the foundation. The roots will eventually grow up under the foundation and the roots will also suck up all the water that you need for your foundation. Trees should be planted at least 10 to 15 feet from the house. Small shrubs are ok but larger shrubs such as red tip photinias and crepe myrtles can really damage your foundation.
Maker sure you gutters work properly and you have a splashblock to carry the water away from the foundation.
Make sure the surface around the foundation drains away from the house.
Plumbing leaks/problems should be fixed immediately.
If you are willing to take the time, you can properly maintain your foundation to avoid any future problems or expensive repairs.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
The most important element is that a fence or barrier, at least 48 inches high with no footholds or handholds surrounds the pool, hot tub, or spa.
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