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We are sick. Can you help us. Home inspection for mold ETC.

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Home Inspector with Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections 10072923

We are sick. Can you help us. Home inspection for mold ETC.

I get calls every now and then for a different kind of situation. This family called me because they are sick and tired of being sick.

The lady of the home called me wanting me to come and inspect the home to see what I could find if anything that may be making the two members of the home very sick.

She told me that they had been sick since they had purchased the home back in November of 2011.

"There always seems to be a health issue going on all the time".

Now the pressure was on for me to come up with something that may contribute to them being sick all the time.

Lets take a look at the home.

Here we have a mold issue in the master shower.

Mold in master bath shower.

Then there was a lot of other mold in the shower as well.

Mold in master bath shower.

Yes, these molds were alive and well.

Here we have live mold under the master bathtub. Not an easy find but I did find it.

Mold under master bathtub.

This was caused by a very small leak in the hot water side of the supply lines to the tub faucet.

The there were other issues as well. The main issue was the leaking sewer gasses from the sewer drain line under the home. Which is located right under the master bedroom.

Sewer drian gas leak.

As you can see. This drain looks like it has been worked on before. Right now it is leaking sewer gasses . There are a lot of gasses coming out of the drain lines coupler.

As soon as I removed the skirting to gain access, I could smell the gasses. The skirting was tight and this was trapping the gasses and letting the gasses enter the home.

Never a good thing.

I hope I did find the source of her troubles.

She is going to call the park owner and have the sewer line repaired today.

Have a great day every one.

Posted by

 

Clint  McKie

Owner of Desert Sun Home Inspections Carlsbad, New Mexico. Eddy County's only certified home inspection service WITH OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE. Serving all of South East New Mexico. We inspect the homes entire structure from the roof to the foundation, and everything in between. Most reports within 4-24 hours from time of inspection completion. We issue a PDF report with pictures Starting at $250.00 for each home inspection. Why settle for less when you can have the best?

Also included is a Appliance recallcheck and a 90 day warranty with all full home inspections.

When it comes to Quality home inspections. Simply put, we are the best.

1-575-706-5586   www.carlsbad-home-inspector.com Call me for the latest specials.

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Comments(18)

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Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Mold is always the symptom of the problem.  You may have found the problem!  And the sewer gases are just gravy to an otherwise full plate of turkey and potatoes!

Feb 12, 2013 09:23 PM
Clint Mckie
Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM
Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Jay,

They had a dollar store filter in the furnace as well. I could read through it.

Not good. Plus the registers and duct work was really dirty.

Have a great day in Bristow my friend.

Best, Clint McKie

Feb 12, 2013 09:36 PM
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Clint, good thing you found the mold for this family, and now maybe they can remain healthy.     Mold can be very dangerous!

Feb 12, 2013 09:37 PM
Clint Mckie
Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM
Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Joan,

There were other issues as well. But the mold and sewer gasses were the big items in the inspection.

Have a great day in Denver.

Best, Clint McKie

Feb 12, 2013 09:42 PM
Tom Arstingstall, General Contractor, Dry Rot, Water Damage Sacramento, El Dorado County - (916) 765-5366
Dry Rot and Water Damage www.tromlerconstruction.com Mobile - 916-765-5366 - Placerville, CA
General Contractor, Dry Rot and Water Damage

I hope that you had solved her dilemma Clint, its always a good feeling to help out the client.

Feb 12, 2013 10:35 PM
Adrian Willanger
206 909-7536 AdrianWillanger-broker.com - Seattle, WA
Profit from my two decades of experience

Hi Clint-yes mold can reap havoc on occupants health overtime, good finds, hopefully they'll have everything taken care of and start feeling better. 

 

Good job-Adrian

Feb 12, 2013 11:04 PM
Kristine Ginsberg
Elite Staging and Redesign, LLC - Short Hills, NJ
NJ Home Stager

Client - I've heard of people being hospitalized for mold and you did this woman a great service by finding the source as well as other issues going on with the house. I hope she and her family start feeling better! SUGGESTED!

Feb 13, 2013 12:38 AM
Patricia Feager
Flower Mound, TX
Inactive/Semi Retired Real Estate Agent

Dear Doc McKie,

I'm glad you diagnosed the problem and by sharing the story, you will help others with the same problem. For some, mold can be life threatening and visits to the doctor and prescriptions can be extremely costly. Getting to the root of the problem, while it may be costly, can compare to the cost of good health.

Once again, this is an excellent post that will help many.

Feb 13, 2013 01:24 AM
Robert Butler
Aspect Inspection - Montreal West Island, QC
Montreal Home Inspector | Aspect Inspection

Nasty stuff Clint. The crawlspace I was in yesterday had 105 year old cast iron pipes in short three foot sections that ran down the length. Almost every joint had seepage leaks. Nasty.

Feb 13, 2013 02:34 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Thanks, Clint, for sharing this story.  This is a very important topic that is seldom discussed.  Houses can make you sick if they are not properly maintained.

Feb 13, 2013 02:56 AM
Donald Hester
NCW Home Inspections, LLC - Wenatchee, WA
NCW Home Inspections, LLC

Clint, Could be very well that the sewer gases are the biggest culprit. Even lower levels of Hydrogen Sulfide can cause many ill effects.

Feb 13, 2013 10:09 AM
James Dray
Fathom Realty - Bentonville, AR

I guess we can now call you Dr. Clint the medicine man.  Finding the cure for peoples sickness is a big deal to them or anyone for that matter

 

Feb 13, 2013 07:10 PM
Clint Mckie
Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM
Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Adrian,

I just hope this is what was making them sick. Then I will feel better about the findings.

Have a great day in the Seattle and Bothell areas.

Best, Clint McKie

Feb 13, 2013 07:34 PM
Clint Mckie
Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM
Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Tom,

A really good feeling when you find that AH HA moment. I hope it was the culprit.

Have a great day in Sacramento my friend.

Best, Clint McKie

Feb 13, 2013 07:36 PM
Clint Mckie
Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM
Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Kristine,

I do what I can for my client's. Never know the nature of the inspection till they call and ask me. Just glad to be able to help.

Have a great day in New Jersey.

Best, Clint McKie

Feb 13, 2013 07:38 PM
Clint Mckie
Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM
Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Patricia,

They had been in and out of the hospital for over a year. If this is the source of them and their health issues, then I feel pretty good about finding the issues for them.

Always here to help.

Have a great day in Flower Mound Texas.

Best, Clint McKie

Feb 13, 2013 07:41 PM
Clint Mckie
Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM
Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Robert,

And the joints were leaded as well right? The supports were not so good after all this time. Remove the cast iron and replace with PVC piping.

Problem solved.

Have a great day in Montreal my friend.

Best, Clint McKie

Feb 13, 2013 07:44 PM
Clint Mckie
Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM
Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi James,

Just a simple "Clint" will do. No DR. needed. Any competent inspector should have found the issues in the home.

Have a great day in Rogers my friend.

Best, Clint McKie

Feb 13, 2013 07:46 PM