St. Pete Road Trip, "A desperate call for help"

This blog is a true story and occurred on the dates stated. I am writing this blog because this family was at the end of their rope. They had spent thousands of dollars trying to make this their dream home, only to feel like they are allergic to it. I believe that this is happening all over Florida. A lot of people do not know why they don't feel well. Hopefully it will encourage someone to make that "Desperate call for help" and start living healthy again.

This blog post will be in five parts.

Part one is an introduction to the situation I encountered.

Part two is the Chinese drywall visual inspection and the indoor air quality inspection.

Part three is the testing that was required for these homeowners.

Part four is the testing results.

Part five is the recommended remediation and conclusion

After each section I will give a tease of the next section. This blog posting will start on my Active Rain blog and continue to my blog at my website at www.mermininspections.com. All those starting at my Blog on Active Rain please follow the link to my website and click on the blog button and go to "The Inspector's Corner" From the inspector. It will be titled "A St. Pete road trip, A desperate call for help"

Part one:

The initial introduction:

I received a request from a homeowner to perform a Chinese drywall visual inspection and a HVAC and indoor air quality inspection of their home located in St. Petersburg, Fl. During the week of the 23^rd of November this homeowner called me and expressed her concerns that she may be suffering from the effects of the chemicals associated with Chinese drywall. Though the home was built prior to 2003 which is thought to be the beginning of the time period when Chinese drywall was first used, she was concerned that Chinese drywall may have been used in the recent remodeling.

Please go to my website at www.mermininspections.com/blog/ for the completion of this blog post. Stay tuned to My Active Rain blog THE INSPECTOR'S CORNER for part two, three, four and five.

I inspected as much duct work as I could get to.......

The blower wheel inside the air handler was completely impacted .......

I would like to give the HVAC contractor the benefit of the doubt...........

Jacob Mermin CHI/CMI

www.mermininspections.com

jacob@mermininspections.com

239-243-7322

FROM THE INSPECTOR,

I was recently in a development in South Ft. Myers doing a Visual Chinese drywall inspection. I was very saddened to discover that this very nice complex was suffering from the effects of the chemicals associated with Chinese drywall. I spent some time there speaking with residents of this development and found out that many of the units were being rented. I talked to one owner that recently moved his tennant out at his expense. He informed me that there were many empty units in the development.

As you can see the developement that I did the visual Chinese Drywall Inspection was Avalon Preserve. Feel free to go to my blog at my website at www.mermininspections.comand click on the blog button which will take you to the INSPECTOR'S CORNER. Look for the "From the Inspector" posts and you will find all the previous Chinese Drywall update posts. You will find pictures of the visual evidence found in the unit I inspected in Avalon Preserve.  You will also see all the other corners that are made available for guests to write postings. There is a Realtor's Corner that I allow realtors to write interesting posts. Just send a post to me at jacob@mermininspections.comand I will look it over and if it fits into the whole concept of seperate corners I would be happy to post it. I am looking for current events of the real estate business that you feel would be of interest to realtors and sellers and buyers. No listing please, they will not be posted. Be looking of a Jacob Mermin Inspections monthly newsletter. It will cover all types of inspections.

I have been in the air conditioning business since 1988 and in 1994 I became an EPA Certified Type ll air conditioning technician. I did this for two reasons, one because it gave me more knowledge and two because it was a new law that required all air conditioning technicians who were going to work with Freon comply with that law.

I believe that laws governing the HVAC industry are very important. These laws protect the homeowner in Florida. It amazes me that so many air conditioning contractors do not pull permits on their air conditioning and duct work installations. What amazes me more is that the homeowner doesn't care or doesn't know that these permits need to be pulled and posted on the home in a place that can be seen from the street. This not pulling permits epidemic that has infected the air conditioning business in SW. Florida comes from the small mom and pop operation to the large corporate contractor. There are companies that sometimes pull permits and sometimes don't. When the home is off the beaten path there is a good chance that a permit is not pulled. It costs about $100.00 considering the cost of the permit and the cost to post it to do business legally.

Please go to my blog on my website at www.mermininspections.com/blog/  to read the complete posting. This is a very important issue that is not just for the air conditioning industry. As realtors and home inspectors we are responsible for our clients welfare and well being. We must protect them from the contractor who only cares about themselves. If you have any clients who require guidance in this matter my consultations are free.

Jacob Mermin CHI/CMI

www.mermininspections.com

jacob@mermininspections.com

239-243-7322

AIR CONDITIONING

As you can see in this picture the old evaporator coil with it's blackened copper tubing is in stark contrast to the new shinny copper tubing of the new evaporator coil. This is definite evidence that this home maybe suffering from the effects of the chemicals associated with   Chinese Drywall.

The Chinese drywall situation is very important and as a Certified Home Inspector I am recommending to all my rea estate freinds to make sure their clients are well aware of the problems associated with the effects of the chemicals found in this imported drywall. Please go to my website blog located at www.mermininspections.comand click on the blog button at the top of the page. Here you will find many posts from The Inspector showing pictures. I also list developments where I have found examples of the Chinese drywall. I will never use a clients name or give their address in my posts. But I feel it is my responsibility to let the Real Estate industry and the general public know when I have discovered another community in SW. Florida where I have found evidence of Chinese Drywall. Lennar homes has announced that not only did they file suit against the manufacturers and distributors of Chinese drywall, but now they are also filing suit against the installing companies of Chinese Drywall. No one is safe. It is our responsibility to protect our clients. Please become a member of my blog at www.mermininspecitons.comso that you can help keep your clients updated. Let your customer know not ot ever buy a home without a home inspeciton. REMEMBER ALL MY INSPECTIONS INCLUDE THE CERTIFIED HOME INSPECTION,  MOLD INSPECTION, AIR CONDITIONING INSPECTION, AIR QUALITY INSPECTION, AND NOW CHINESE DRY WALL INSPECTION

Jacob Mermin CMI/CMI

www.mermininspections.com

jacob@mermininspections.com

239-243-7322

I would like to invite everyone to go to my blog at www.mermininspections.com/blog. I have been running a series of blogs on Chinese drywall. I have been doing a lot of visual inspections all over Lee County. Unfortunately I have found several developments and communities that are showing the effects of Chinese drywall.

I am advising all of my Realtor freinds to not let their clients purchase a home that was built in the years 2004 through 2007 without first having a visual inspection done by a Certified Home Inspector. If you go to my website at www.mermininspecitons.comyou will see on the first page a special I am running for a visual inspeciton for the effects of Chinese drywall. I am also including this visual inspection with my Certified Home Inspection at no additional cost. This free visual Chinese Drywall inspection is Free only when it is done at the same time as the Certified Inspection. The price for this Visual Chinese Drywall inspeciton is so low that any coupons or discounts cannot be applied to the price.

I take this Chinese Drywall situation very seriously. I have many out of town investors using my visual inspection prior to making offers on investment properties. With all the great homes and their prices it doesn't make any sense to take the chance a home your client may be interested in is suffering from the effects of Chinese Drywall. No client of mine has been upset that I did not find the visual effects of Chinese drywall after they have paid for this inspeciton. They will be very upset with someone if it is found after they close.

Together the Professional Realtor and the Certified Home Inspector, we can protect our joint clients from Chinese Drywall. At this time I would like to thank the many Realtors that have called me to work with their clients in this matter. It is also our jobs to protect out clients from those who would take advantage of them. With your help I will do what ever it takes to do that.

Thank you,

Jacob Mermin CHI/CMI

www.mermininspecitons.com

jacob@mermininspecions.com

239-243-7322

Jacob Mermin Inspections website at www.mermininspections.com has a special right now on a Chinese Drywall Inspection. I have recently found evidence of Chinese drywall in two local developments. One being The Meadows in Estero next to Pelican Sound. I looked at three different units in there and all three had black evaporator coils. The other development I have been in lately is The Rookery. The evaporator coil was replaced in November so the coil was not black. I did remove two electrical outlet switch plates to look at the copper wire and found that the copper wire had turned black. I am advising all of my Real Estate Agent friends to recommend to their clients to have a Chinese Drywall Inspection. All of my Certified Home Inspections include a Certified Mold Inspection, Certified Air Quality Inspection, and a Certified Air Conditioning Inspection. Now all my Home Inspections include a Chinese Drywall Inspection at no extra charge. If a client only wants a Chinese Drywall Inspection it is on sale at my website www.mermininspections.com just go to the website and see the offer on my front page. Call me at 239-243-7322 for immediate information. Be advised a colleague and I will be announcing an affordable lab test for Chinese Drywall for homeowners in a couple of weeks. Final negotiations are being conducted this coming weekend to finalize the pricing for our SW. Florida friends. Anyone interested in having this testing done after the visual inspection has been done can be put on a list and offered the lab testing when it is available. You will find more information and when this testing is available at my blog located at www.mermininspections.com. I look forward to helping as many SW. Florida homeowners as time will allow. When this test becomes available in about two weeks please be patient.

Thank You,

Jacob Mermin CHI/CMI

Jacob Mermin Inspections

www.mermininspections.com

jacob@mermininspections.com

My passion is air quality. I mean no incense, candles, or those products that contain oils that are plugged into an electrical outlet. I do not use Fabreeze or any other spray that is supposed to make our homes smell better. I don't want to come home from a long day out in the world to a house that smells like pumpkin pie, especially when there is no pie. Why is it that we use so many sprays? The reason why we use so many of these chemicals is because we do not know any better. The next time you pick up a can of Lysol. You know the product that is the cure all for the human race. When you pick it up, turn it around and read the label showing the ingredients. One of the main ingredients is Ethanol which is in racing fuel.

 I have a line of air quality products that I would like to introduce to the real estate professionals of SW. Florida. Going back to March 5^th 2008 I wrote a Blog at active rain under my heading The Inspector's corner, called did your last open house stink. Homes that have been closed up for months or even years are now known as a" sick building" or having "dirty sock syndrome".

 http://www.mermininspections.com/ac_parts_catalog.html

Click on JMI-3000 JMI-1000 JMI-200 and JMI UV-1

 My air purification products are all over SW Florida from nail salons to UPS stores. These machines are providing home owners and business owners with indoor air quality second to none. When I am called in to do an assessment and when mold testing is needed, I bring in one of my machines to get a head start against what may be discovered by the lab testing. When mold counts inside the home are higher than outside the home remediation is the order of the day. Results are clear. I have retested a subject house after running my air purification machine and found that the numbers have changed. The indoor mold count has become less than the outside or nearly the same. The machine works. The JMI 3000 is good up to 3000 sq ft. The JMI 1000 purifies up to 1000 sq ft. The JMI 200 is a plug in and is great for near the kitchen garbage can, the bathroom, or even near the litter box. The is pure deodorizing with out the Candles or plug in oil units.

 I wrote a Blog about Ultra-violet lights and it got a lot of views on The Inspector's Corner on Active Rain. They really work and I have several models including my own model JMI UV-1.

The key thing here to remember is that there are two types of air purification concepts. One concept is Passive and the other is Pro-Active. In the Passive category you have products like the Ionic Breeze. It just stands there where you put it and covers about 300 sq ft. It stands there waiting for something to hit it. You then you pull out the collection plate and clean it up. If you have a 1500 square foot house you would need five of them. My JMI-3000 and JMI 1000 are considered pro-active purifiers. There are three different types of technologies in these units. The first is a type of Radiant Catalytic Ionization, UVX Ultra Violet Light, and Electrified Oxygen O-3. These technologies are sent out into the room to purify and clean your air. You might say these units are creating clean fresh new air in your home.

I am offering at no charge a free demonstration at your office, your home, or even a foreclosure you may be preparing for an open house. I would like the opportunity to show you this technology. I have simple experiments that we can test this technology. After we have done these tests I am willing to let you, the local real estate professional to test on your own, one of these amazing machines. You can test it for three days or more at your office, your home, or one of those stinky open houses. This is your opportunity to test a thoroughly tested technology that has been used all over the country for over 20 years.

Call me. I only have a few of these demo units available. Call me a 239-243-7322 to set an appointment for your free demonstration. Take a few minutes out of your busy schedule so that I can show you how you can help your client present a better indoor environment. If their home smells good potential buyers will stay longer. If you can't walk into that foreclosure because it smells so bad, how can you expect a buyer to?

Call soon.

Jacob Mermin CHI/CMI

www.mermininspections.com

239-243-7322

23 PROBLEMS THAT CAUSE 93% OF ALL AIR CONDITIONER FAILURES.

Why they happen, what they cost, and how to prevent them.

Part two is now posted on The home and mold inspectior's corner at http://moldandairtests.blogspot.com

PART TWO CONSISTS OF;

BURNT/LOOSE WIRE                                           Thanks to everyone who is following the link to my

CAPACITOR                                                      blog spot posts. I will keep everyone posted on Active

COMPRSSOR                                                    Rain when part three is complete as well all other parts.

CONDESER COIL AND AIR RESTRICTION               Thanks "The Inspector"

PART THREE WILL CONSIST OF:

CONDENSER COIL LEAK

CONDENSER FAN

CONDENSER FAN MOTOR

CONTACTOR

TO READ THIS BLOG POST PLEASE GO TO MY BLOG AT http://moldandairtests.blogspot.com

BEFORE YOU GO TO MOLD AND AIR TESTS AT BLOG SPOT HERE IS A PREVIEW OF PART FOUR OF MY BLOG POST.

THANK YOU.

23 PROBLEMS THAT CAUSE 93% OF ALL AIR CONDITIONER FAILURES.
WHY THEY HAPPEN, WHAT THEY COST, AND HOW TO PREVENT THEM

PART TWO

# 5 BURNT / LOOSE WIRE
# 6 CAPACITOR
#7 COMPRESSOR
#8 CONDENSER COIL AND AIR RESTRICTION

PLEASE BE PATIENT AS THIS NEXT PART WILL BE COMING VERY SOON. CHECK BACK IN A DAY OR SO AND THE NEXT FOUR PARTS WILL BE POSTED.


PART THREE WILL BE ON

CONDENSER COIL LEAK
CONDENSER FAN
CONDENSER FAN MOTOR
CONTACTOR

DON'T FORGET THAT ANY QUESTIONS CAN BE SENT TO moldandairtests@gmail.com


I WILL POST ALL QUESTIONS AND TRY TO ANSWER THEM. ANYONE CAN SUBMIT THEIR ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS THAT THE READER FEELS I MAY HAVE GOTTEN WRONG. I AM STILL INTERESTED IN LEARNING EVERYTHING THAT I CAN.


THANKS FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION
Jacob Mermin CHI/CMI

THE 23 PROBLEMS THAT CAUSE 96% OF ALL AIR CONDITIONING FAILURES

TO READ THIS SERIES OF BLOGS ABOUT THE 23 PROBLEMS THAT CAN CAUSE 96% OF AIR CONDITIONING FAILURES GO TO http://moldandairtests.blogspot.com and learn somthing about your air conditioner


This blog will be a 6 part blog series covering 23 things that can affect or prevent your air conditioner from operating properly. The first 5 parts will cover 4 items each and the last part will cover 3. This blog is not meant to turn you into a air conditioning expert but it will give a working knowledge of how today's systems work. It will help you talk with some intelligence the next time your air conditioning service man talks to you about your system. I would appreciate any questions or comments back just e-mail me at moldandairtests@gmail.com. We will add another section to the blog where we will list your question and try and present the answer. If I don't know the answer I will find someone who will. I don't need to know your real name or address but would like to know where you live. Remember we are trying to learn something out there so lets stick to the content of the blog with your questions.


We will explore these 23 problems, explain why they happen,how to prevent them, and what the options are. Part one of this blog will cover the following: 1. Blocked air filter. 2. Blower fan. 3. Blower motor. 4. Breaker/fuse