Well I'm sure we have all seen this type of statement on a brochure or on a listing before. Over the years I have learned that 75% of the time this is CODE for "Buyer beware" and it just makes me look a little harder to see what I can find that was covered up.
Today's inspection was on a 125 year old home in historic East Nashville, TN. I have looked at many homes in this area and for the most they are all in the 100 year old range and those that have been updated are really fine homes. But, I have also found many that the owners or agents claim that they have been updated when I'm sure they meant to say that they have been freshly painted!
The next few pictures are what I found in the basement of this updated home:
Sump pump not working
This is a 6x6 post newly installed!
New High Efficiency HVAC split system sitting in mud from being flooded because the sump pump was not working. Unit was distroyed and will need to be replaced.
If your siding, car, fence or any other surfaces around your house have broken out with a rash of black or dark-brown specks that do not want to come off, you are probably at war with something called Artillery fungus.
I have seen this on many homes over the years, but I have noticed a drastic increase in the number of homes that have been "shot"! The following picture is from a home that I just inspected, even the PVC plastic privacy fence had been shot!
The artillery fungus, cannon fungus or shotgun fungus resembles a tiny cream or orange-brown cup with one black egg. The cup is approximately 1/10 of an inch in diameter. Areas of mulch with artillery fungi may appear matted and lighter in color than the surrounding mulch. The fruiting body of this fungus orients itself towards bright surfaces, such as light-colored houses or parked automobiles. The artillery fungus "shoots" its black, sticky spore mass which can be windblown as high as the second story of a house.
After doing some research I think that I have discovered why we are seeing more homes with artillery fungus problems. It looks like the appearance of Artillery fungi has been associated with wood mulch (versus bark mulch) and the increased use of wood products in potting media. Mostly the use of ground-up wood pallets and unused pulp wood and the use of fallen trees from storms that have been ground into mulch .
The best way to limit your exposure is the composting of these products prior to incorporation into media is encouraged to prompt the growth of beneficial antagonistic organisms. Better yet, use only the bagged or prepackaged mulch from a garden center. Bulk mulch (not in bags) tends to be more of a raw material that could contain spores.
Also, the use of gravel mulch, stone, pea gravel, and black plastic next to buildings instead of using wood products will help reduce the problem. If wood products are used, the addition of about 3 cm of fresh mulch to cover old mulch each year may lessen the problem. Use of bark products, rather than wood products, may also lessen the fungal spread.
One word of warning to homeowners wishing to replace house siding splattered by Artillery fungi --- insurance companies may not cover claims of damage due to "molds".
I know that just about everyone has heard about companies that clean the air ducts in homes. The typical way to clean the air ducts is to place a round bristle brush about the same inside diameter as the pipe. It is either pushed or pulled through the pipe. Many times it also has a vacuum suction as part of the brush. Then after they have cleaned the duct they come back and spray various anti-bacterial and anti-fungal chemicals to aid in the cleaning of the ducts.
Is it a good idea or is it a bad idea to clean your air ducts?
It depends on what the air ducts are made of! If you have the strong sheet metal air ducts, then it might be a good idea to have a qualified company clean them. The key is a quality company that knows what they are doing!
But, if you have those flexible plastic air ducts that are in the majority of the homes that have been built in the past eight or so years then you might want to rethink having them cleaned. The flex-duct type plastic air ducting is like a sandwich. it is comprised of an inner layer of plastic like sheeting then a layer of fiberglass insulation and then an exterior layer of plastic. Most of the time the inner layer has a wire that is built into it so that the duct will have additional strength and flexibility to help keep the duct from crushing and closing up. This wire also gives the air duct a fan or accordion shape, that traps dirt and dust. The plastic flex- duct can not effectively be cleaned. Most of the time if cleaning is attempted the flex-duct will be damaged
This is a picture of a damaged duct as see from a floor register on a new construction home that I inspected. This is the result of an air duct cleaning company cleaning the construction debris out of the air supply ducts. The pink is the fiberglass insulation part of the flex-duct:
We also have fiberglass fiberboard air ducts. This type of air duct can not be cleaned either. The fiberboard has a protective covering that is easily damaged.
We really do not want fiberglass particles floating around in the air we are breathing every day!
So, if you have metal air ducts you can clean them. If you have flexible type of fiberboard air ducts you should not clean them. This type of air duct needs to be replaced and not cleaned.
After seeing in person several homes with Chinese drywall and seeing the Red Flags in those homes of what to look for I have compiled a simple list that will give you a good start in the search to see if your home has this problematic drywall in it:
Use you sense of smell. If you detect a sulfur like odor, you might have it.
Look at the soft reactive metals in your home. Copper and Silver seem to be the first to show signs of reacting to the corrosive off gassing of the drywall.
Copper wiring that is turning dark is a tell tail sign. It turns almost black when it is exposed to the drywall off gassing.
Most of us have pennies sitting in a jar, bowl or whatever. Take a look at that pocket change that has been sitting on the desk for a while. If the pennies on top are turning dark and the ones further down in the jar are not, then you might have it.
Silver plated picture frames are another good test. If they are turning dark, you might have a problem.
Silver jewelry is another good prospect to see if you might be at risk.
Looking for the Made in China or Knauf/Tianjin marks on the back of the drywall in black ink. This is a guarantee that you have it! This can be done form the attic or even an air return chase.
Note: If you find Made in China or Kanuf on the back of the drywall in Blue ink, this drywall seems to be OK.
Any of the above situations or items along with the smell of sulfur in the home is about the best way to tell if your home is at risk of having Chinese drywall or drywall that has been mixed with fly ash. After talking with individuals who's homes have had this drywall, they all said that it started after they had been in the home for more than a few months and some took as long as four years. A common thread was that they all started to notice their silver jewelry was turning or tarnishing more than it ever did as soon as they moved into their new home.
At this time we have no sure method of testing an entire home to see if it has Chinese drywall in it. The only way to test via a lab is to take a sample (1" round core) every 4 feet in every wall and on every ceiling that has drywall. Why every 4'? The drywall sheets are in 4'x8' sheets so you must test every sheet! It is cost prohibited and very destructive to do this type of testing. Visual is the best method we have at this time for identifying a home with Chinese drywall. Be careful of the testing scams that have popped up over the past few months.
This information is provided by Scott Patterson as a service. It may be reproduced with permission as long as credit is given to the author and it is not changed.
Summer is upon us! Today in Nashville TN, my A/C was on and it was not the first time this year! Just a few weeks ago we were in the mid 80's. The following easy steps we help homeowners in preventing a few problems from occurring with their A/C system this summer.
•· Inspect the filters - The first step in maintaining a well-functioning air conditioning system is to inspect the air filters. These should be changed or cleaned at least twice a year. Monthly maintenance is recommended if the system is in constant use or if the air is dusty and dirty. Replace that filter every month. The best time is when you pay your electric bill!
•· Make sure the machine is properly lubricated - Over time, friction can increase within the machine. Oil the motor and bearings twice a year. Be sure to turn off all electricity to the unit when servicing. NOTE: I would not recommend this for the typical homeowner! This job is best left for the professional HVAC contractor.
•· Inspect the fan belts - Check fan belts and pulleys for wear and proper tension. This is located in the "blower" compartment. Most newer systems do not have belts but rather a direct drive motor that is virtually maintenance free. If you do have belts that need replacing, have a professional replace worn parts.
•· Clean the outdoor condensing unit - Foreign objects and dirt can affect the performance of the machine. Brush away or hose off any insects, dirt or other items on the outdoor condensing unit.
•· Clean the drain line -Inspect the drain line to make sure there are not any problems with the termination. If algae is present, wash the affected area with chlorine. This will keep to keep the condensation water from overflowing and causing damage to your home.
If you have a window air conditioning unit, check the window and sill for decay, inspect the unit for rusting and spot paint if any rust is present.
I strongly recommend using a local company for yearly tune ups on your cooling and heating system. Once in the late summer/early fall for the heating system and then in the spring time for the A/C.
When the Obama Administration recently announced the Making Home Affordable Program it also opened the door to more mortgage scams! This was or is not the intent of this program. It is designed to assist up to nine million American families refinance or modify their loans to a monthly mortgage payment that is more affordable.
Due to the over¬whelming interest in the plan, homeowners are increasingly becoming the target of scammers trying to take advantage of families with false promises and steep fees to provide foreclosure assistance. With President Obama's plan, a homeowner NEVER has to pay to participate in the program. If you wish to obtain counseling assistance, HUD urges you to contact a local HUD-approved housing counseling agency to en¬sure they are receiving legitimate information.
Need some help?? Try the following listings, I bet that you might just find what you are looking for!
According to the HUD website the FTC is the lead agency in the fight against this type of fraud:
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission works for the consumer to pre¬vent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them.
If you feel you have been a victim of a foreclosure scam, to file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, contact: www. ftc.gov or 877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382- 4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261
I have been performing various types of property inspections since 1994 and I have always wondered if the name Home Inspector really was the correct name for my profession? Home inspections comprise about 50% of my business, the rest are various type of related inspections from bank to commercial types of inspections.
I have contemplated with changing what I call myself, some of the following are some names I have been contemplating:
Property Consultant; well it sounds good but what does it say that I do?
Construction Consultant; same issue, but it does define the type of work I'm doing. But, I do more than the name implies.
Property Evaluator: sounds more like an appraiser, but it could also work for inspections.
Real Estate Inspector; actually I like this one, but it is kind of awkward and limited in use.
It might not be possible to have just one title to identify a profession or what a person does. We have all had to diversify in order to survive, but when the day is over I'm still a home inspector. Whether I adopt another title or not will not really change what I do to make a living.
It appears that the Chinese drywall problem might now be a domestic problem as well. The following link is to a new article with claims about Synthetic Gypsum Drywall market by Georgia Pacific as GP Tough Rock. This product is made in the United States and Canada.
It was sold through 84 Lumber and produced by Georgia Pacific in the case that was filed in Florida. The action was filed Friday, April 24, in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Ocala Division. The lead attorney for the plaintiff is Brian Warwick of the law firm of Varnell & Warwick in The Villages, Fla. Janet Varnell of that firm is a board member of the National Association of Consumer Advocates.
This is a brief summary of the complaint as found in the article written by Craig Webb is Editor of ProSales.
According to the suit, Michael Swidler--a builder who has worked 15 years for Lennar Homes, Eagle Homes, and Deluca Homes--ordered 289 sheets of GP ToughRock drywall from 84's Tavares, Fla., store in May 2006 to be used in building a house for his family. The Michael and Jill Swidler and their two children moved into the home in October 2006.
In early 2007, "the plumbing fixtures and several silver picture frames in the plaintiffs' home started to corrode," the suit maintains. In January 2008, coils in the house's HVAC unit developed a leak. The coils were replaced, but in July 2008 they sprung another leak. The family's microwave quit working in April 2008 because a keypad stopped working properly, in August 2008 the Swidlers' year-old TV set died, and in February 2009 the dishwasher failed because copper wiring in the unit had deteriorated.
"The smoke detectors in the plaintiffs' home randomly go off without cause, and the home has a strong sulfur odor throughout," the suit reads. "All the copper ground wires attached to every light-switch and outlet in the home have turned black and are rapidly oxidizing." And pieces of Jill Swidler's jewelry has turned black, it says. By mid-April 2009, the Swidlers moved out of the house.
I will try to findout more on this new entry into the toxic drywall fiasco. It still appears that "Fly Ash" better known as Coal Ash is the main culprit. Stay tuned for more information as it is discovered. For right now I would just be careful when selling or inspecting a home that has been built in the past 7 or so years. If you have any question or concern go with that "gut" feeling and bring in another set of eyes to help.
I know that just about everyone has seen those roof mounted satellite dishes for Direct TV. Have you ever wondered why they put them on the roof? Would you belive that is the easyest way to mount one! It is also 100% incorrect. Every single roofing manufacturer states that their products are not to be punctured in anyway, shape or form. They go on to say that if the shingle is punctured that it needs to be replaced.
Why do the manufacturers not want holes in their shingles? Could it be that holes tend to leak!
The satellite dish installers could care less about your roof, their job is to install the dish as quick as they can and then move to the next victim.
So the next time you see this type of roof mounted dish you will know that it is wrong!
The owner of this home kept trying to tell me that it must be OK, because all of the other homes in the area have been done like this. I could not make him understand that Direct TV does not control what is right when it comes to roofing materials.
I have also noted that many home inspectors are not reporting them either. I just finished reviewing three reports from home inspectors who did not note the roof mounted dishes. All three homes have had problems. Two of the homes have roof and wall damage from water leaks and the other had a section of the roof (along with the dish) torn off in a thunderstorm. The dish acted like a sail and as it was only screwed into the OSB decking, that section of the roof took off like a sailboard.
If you have not heard we have a very important legislative bill in the works. HB 1576/SB1509, which would establish a one-year statute of limitations of liability for actions to recover damaged based on a home inspection!
A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday March 31, 2009 at House Hearing Room #31 at 12:00 pm, in the Tennessee State Capitol.
Right now home inspectors do not have a limitation of liability, other than a general business statue of 7 years that covers contracts. We need to get this passed! A companion bill (SB1509) has been presented in the Senate as well. Little to No opposition has been seen. It looks good, but you need to contact your representative and let them know how important it is to get this passed.
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.
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