Have You Checked Around Your House for Mold?

Mold is a relatively common household occurrence that can potentially cause health problems as well as damage to structures and surfaces. Although most molds are harmless, some can cause serious respiratory problems, especially in sensitive individuals, so it's important to be aware of potential mold growth in your home. As with most things, a little knowledge goes a long way - read below for information that will help you identify a mold problem.

Mold Basics:
Mold enters your home as tiny spores, which need moisture to begin growing, digesting and destroying. Mold can grow on almost any surface, including wood, ceiling tiles, wallpaper, paints, carpet, sheet rock, and insulation, given the right conditions.

Identifying the Problem:
Mold most often appears as small black or white specks in places like your damp bathroom or basement walls. To the unaided eye, mold has a variety of appearances: fuzzy, velvety, leathery, powdery, and glassy. Mold colonies may appear to be black stains or patches of white, yellow, green, brown, black, gray, or even pink. Some mold may be hidden behind wall coverings or ceiling tiles, but is often visible to the naked eye.

Where to Look:
Mold grows best when there is an abundance of moisture, so it is often found in areas with water damage or excessive humidity. Mold can also be found growing along walls where warm moist air condenses on cooler wall surfaces, such as behind dressers, headboards, and in closets where articles are stored against walls. Mold often grows in rooms with both high water usage and humidity, such as kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and basements.

Trust your nose:
The compounds produced by molds have strong smells, which are volatile and quickly released into the air. Because these compounds often have strong or unpleasant odors, they can cause a "moldy" or musty smell frequently associated with mold growth. A musty odor suggests that mold is growing in the building and should be investigated.

Trust, but Verify

Especially in winter, your nose can be irritated by a variety of causes such as allergies and dry air. It is suggested that you test your house for elevated mold spores in the air, and also for elevated levels of allergens. This can be especially useful if you’ve recently moved into a home with wall-to-wall carpeting. If you suspect a mold problem, you should address the issue as quickly as possible, as mold can spread quickly. A professional can help you spot water intrusion that you may not be able to see with infra-red detection. As long as the moisture problem is corrected, you can successfully clean up a small amount of mold yourself using a simple solution warm water and soap, however larger infestations should be tested and removed by a professional mitigation expert.

Article courtesy of David R. Leopold, ACI

 David Leopold
146 Coleman Road
Fairfield, CT 06825
tel: 888-801-7111
fax: 203-374-4564
David.Leopold@pillartopost.com

www.pillartopost.com

Book an inspection here

Buying or Selling a Home in Fairfield County?  Contact us!

If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in  Fairfield County, and are in need of representation, I invite you to contact me. I know the market like the back of my hand, know marketing inside and out, am a skilled negotiator- and I'd love to be on your side :) - Judy

Search for properties on any of our sites, or get the very best visibility available for your home. Visit us online wherever you like: Find out more about Judy here

www.CThomesAndRealEstate.com      www.TheCTrealtyBlog.com     www.TheCTRB.com    and   www.CTfeaturedHomes.com 

 Email us or  call Toll Free (855) GET-JUDY

Almost November- Time to Have The Chimney Checked on Your CT Home!

Chimneys are among the heaviest and most structurally vulnerable of all exterior components of a building.  Accidents caused by their collapse can lead to death.  A collapse can also cause costly structural damage to the building and its surroundings. Inspection, maintenance and preparedness are critical safeguards against chimney collapse.

 

Wind and other elements may cause an already weakened chimney to collapse. An elderly man in Britain was crushed by a wind-toppled chimney as it fell from the roof of the managed-care facility where he lived. This case is, unfortunately, fairly unremarkable, as such accidents occur often for a variety of reasons -- from weathering and wind, to falling tree limbs and poor design.

Chimneys collapse by the hundreds during major earthquakes, typically snapping at the roofline. More than half of the homes in Washington State inspected by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)  following the Nisqually Earthquake in 2001 sustained chimney damage.  Chimney collapses were widely reported following the massive-magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck New Zealand in September 2010.

 

Earthquake damage and injuries can be caused, in large part, by bricks and stones as they fall from chimneys onto vehicles, structures and people. These collapses happen suddenly and without warning.  Collapses can also cause implosion-type destruction as the chimney makes its way through the roof and attic, demolishing part of the living space and injuring occupants below. For these reasons, it is crucial that chimneys, especially in seismically active regions, be inspected periodically for signs of weakening. Following an earthquake, it is even more vital that chimneys be inspected for indications of imminent or future collapse.

 

Chimneys should be inspected for the following defects:

• mortar between the bricks or stones that crumbles when poked with a screwdriver;
• missing or insufficient lateral support -- typically, steel straps -- used to tie the chimney to the structure at the roof and floor levels. Building codes in some seismically active regions require internal and external bracing of chimneys to the structure;
• mechanical damage to the chimney, such as that caused by falling tree limbs or scaffolding;
• visible tilting or separation from the building. Any gap should be frequently measured to monitor whether it is increasing; and
• chimney footing defects, including the following:
  • undersized footing, which is footing cast so thin that it breaks, or does not sufficiently extend past the chimney’s base to support its weight;
  • deteriorated footing, caused by weathering, frost, loose or poor-quality construction; and
  • poor soil below footing, including eroded, settled or otherwise weakened soil, frost heaves or expansive clay beneath the footing.

A more thorough inspection performed to the International Phase I Standards of Practice for Inspecting Fireplaces and Chimneys may also be considered.

 

The following additional precautions may be taken:

• Attach plywood panels to the roof or above the ceiling joists to act as a barrier between falling masonry and the roof.
• Strengthen the existing chimney by repairing weak areas.
• Tear down the chimney and replace it with a flue or a stronger chimney. Keep in mind that tall, slender, masonry chimneys are most vulnerable to earthquakes, weathering, and other forms of wear.  However, even newer, reinforced or metal flue chimneys can sustain significant damage and require repair.
• Relocate children’s play areas, patios and parking areas away from a damaged chimney.
• Instruct family members to get away from chimneys during earthquakes.

Homeowners should contact their local building departments to obtain required permits before starting any significant construction that may affect the chimney structure and/or its supports.

In addition to collapse hazards, leaning chimneys can also make using the fireplace dangerous. Hearth cracks, side cracks in the fireplace, openings around the fireplace, and chimney damage all present the risk that sparks or smoke will enter the living space or building cavities. Check for evidence of fireplace movement. Following an earthquake, homeowners should have their chimney inspected before using the fireplace.

Commercial chimney collapses are rare, but they deserve mention due to the devastation they cause. In one terrible incident in central India, more than 100 workers were killed when a 900-foot (275-meter) tall chimney collapsed on a construction site. One of the worst construction site disasters in recent history, the collapse was blamed on heavy rain. While safety standards are generally more stringent outside of India, commercial chimneys everywhere require inspection.

In summary, chimneys should be inspected to prevent deadly, expensive collapses.

 

Written by Nick Gromicko (All Rights reserved)

Nick Gromicko, FOUNDER. www.nachi.org
International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) is the world's most elite, non-profit inspection association.
President, ComInspect, www.cominspect.com
Director, Master Inspector Certification Board, www.certifiedmasterinspector.org
Author, 15 books and Co-Host of  www.NACHI.TV

Buyers and Sellers- How to Prevent a Failed Building Inspection on Your Home

Nobody's too happy when the house doesn't pass a building inspection.  In fact, everyone has to start from square one all over again....The seller, the buyer, and both agents that are involved. Everybody begins their tasks all over again- and that should ALMOST NEVER be the case.
 
A failed inspection would only occur rarely in the market if agents educated their clients during the process.

It is extremely rare  that my clients have had to endure a failed building inspection, and that's whether I represent the seller or buyer- and I have sold hundreds of properties. ....So what makes such a big difference for my clients as opposed  to everyone else?

Education and disclosure. Those two factors will prevent over 99 percent of failed inspections.

Education:

For Buyers: Look closely at the home before you place an offer in on it. My buyer clients get a kick out of looking at houses with me, because I perform mini-inspections as we look at homes, and educate my buyers as to what potential problems there may be if any. I knock on tiles, stomp on the floors, and poke wood that looks like it needs poking.  I am not a building inspector, and do not have that specialized knowledge, but I have attended EVERY home inspection for EVERY home that I have ever sold. If some knowledge hasn't rubbed off on me to impart to my clients, then I wouldn't belong in the business. A couple of very good things result out of this practice- One, if the house doesn't pass my mini-inspection, there is no need to put an offer in on the home and spend money for an inspection that won't end up on a positive note, or, Two- the buyers make their offer knowing that there are some issues that will need to be addressed and are not blindsided by the building inspection.

For Sellers: When you decide to put your home on the market, you  pretty much have a good idea as to whether there may be issues, which could or would break a sale. Tell Your Realtor!  Once you are lucky enough to have a sale, you don't want to needlessly lose it. As a listing agent, I do that same mini-building inspection that I do for buyers when I list your home, and try to find the most common deal-breaker issues that may arise so that we can address them prior to putting the home on the market.  If I see something that looks like a specialist is needed, I'll say so. It's much easier to fix it now rather than fix it later, AND risk a sale because of it.

Disclosure

For Buyers: When buyers disclose found issues prior to the formal building inspection and adjust their offering price because of it, sellers are more likely to accept that offer given that they would have to address items with any future buyer as well. It gives the owner some peace of mind that they won't be nickeled and dimed at time of inspection, which seems to be a common occurrence these days. ( I do not subscribe to the last minute nickel and dime tactics. )

For Sellers: Disclose your known issues, or your suspected issues. By the way, it is the law. Besides that, the little items that wouldn't normally mean a thing to buyers become amplified when there are bigger issues to address, and  they can feel like there might be a lot of hidden problems that the inspector hasn't even found. What happens then is the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back, and it's hard to keep the deal together or even renegotiate if that's the case.

If buyers have a good idea what they are getting into right from the get go, they are less likely to "walk" after a poor inspection report. They will already be aware of most of the issues. If sellers feel that the buyers have been honest with them, they are more likely to negotiate, or renogiate as the case may be.

Simply put, your agent has to have well rounded skills- marketing, negotiating, and good solid knowledge of a home and its components. You deserve nothing but the best.

When you're ready to buy or sell, contact me. It's my job to keep everything running smoothly, and especially when it gets rough- without worrying you about it unless absolutely necessary.

Tweet

If Your Connecticut Home Has an Underground Oil Tank

What You Should Know About Residential Underground Home Heating Oil Tanks
 

Whether you are buying or selling you may have questions regarding Underground Storage Tanks (UST).  If not leaking, there is no Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regulation requiring the removal of UST, however most buyers will require the seller to remove prior to closing.

Questions: Through the DEP’s website the homeowner can find a list of frequently asked questions regarding removal of UST and proper abandonment. Additionally, homeowners should always contact their Town to determine the local regulations or ordinances.

Removal:  Removal of a UST must be done by a licensed contractor. A homeowner can check the status of a contractor's registration with the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) prior to entering into a contract for a tank removal through the DCP's web site at: www.ct.gov/dcp

Moreover, the contractor must follow specific requirements for removal. The specific requirements can be found at the Department of Consumer Protection

Oil Spill: In the event of a leak or spill the homeowner should contact the CT DEP at the emergency response and spill prevention

 

The weekly Tip-of-the-Week* is supplied by Only Closings --

a law firm devoted to real estate closings.

      - Our closing staff is made up of seasoned, experienced real estate attorneys.
      - Close where it is most convenient for the client (home, office, job or bank)
      - Very competitive closing fee and no hidden fees!
      - No fee consultations.
      - Personalized, responsive service from all of our attorneys and paralegals

  To learn more about Only Closings and how they can help you quickly close a property transaction, call them at 203-563-9677 or visit them online at www.OnlyClosings.com

*The content within the "Tip-of-the-Week" is strictly for informational purposes and not intended to be interpreted and/or used as legal advice. Only Closings and OnlyClosings.com is a service provided by Tamara L. Peterson Attorney at Law LLC.

  Tweet

Generator Safety for your Connecticut Home- Hazards You Can Avoid

After Hurricane Irene hit Connecticut a little over a month ago,  thousands of state residents were without power, and there was a BIG rush on generators. There are many types of generators, from small portable units to more involved systems that hook up right into your electrical system as an automatic back-up.

This type of  back up power supply should be treated with the same caution,  care,  respect, and diligence as any other power source coming into your home. That means, hire a licensed contractor for installation. Do not attempt to Do-It-Yourself, period.

This article written by our regular contributor, Nick Gromicko with Elise London as co-author, and has a lot of useful information every that homeowner who has an alternative power source should read.

******

Homeowners may use a generator to supply electricity to their home in the case of a power outage, either out of necessity or convenience. Inspectors may want to know about generators and the potential hazards they present when improperly wired or utilized.   

Generator Types- There are two main types of generators:  permanently installed, standby generators; and gasoline-powered, portable generators.
 
Standby Generators- Standby generators typically operate on natural gas or liquid propane. They remain fixed in place outside the home and are designed to supply on-site power to specified circuits through a home's electrical wiring. These generators work in tandem with a manual or automatic transfer switch, which automatically detects an interruption in grid-powered electricity and subsequently transfers Standby generators are non-portable and may require a permit.over electrical input to the generator. The transfer switch suspends input from the generator once it senses that utility-powered electricity has resumed. Generators for small- to medium-size homes are typically air-cooled and employ fans to regulate the temperature inside the unit. Liquid-cooled units are used for the larger energy loads in larger homes.
 
Some advantages of standby generators are as follows:

    They may be turned on manually, or they may be programmed to switch on automatically in the case of a power outage even when no one is home.
    Power may be supplied for extended periods of time.
    Hard-wired systems, such as a home's furnace, well pump and air conditioner, may maintain continuous power.
    Uninterrupted power can be supplied to systems that must remain on continuously, such as medical equipment used for breathing, etc.

Disadvantages of standby generators are as follows:

    Installation may require a permit.
    A qualified technician, such as an electrician, is required to install the ATS and to determine the electrical load requirements for the circuits in a home.
    Routine maintenance is required.
    Standby generators may be prohibitively expensive.Portable generators are versatile and do not require a complicated setup.

Portable Generators- Gasoline-powered, portable generators are typically smaller in size and power capacity than permanently installed generators. They are designed so that corded electrical devices may be plugged directly into them.
 
Advantages to portable generators are as follows:

    Portable generators are versatile. They may be used at home or transported and utilized in remote locations, such as a campground or a construction site.
    They do not require complicated installation.
    They typically do not require permits.
    Portable units are generally less expensive than standby generators.   

Disadvantages of portable generators:

    Devices that are hard-wired into a home's electrical system cannot be powered by a portable generator if no transfer switch is installed.     

Hazards

    Portable and standby generators produce dangerous carbon monoxide (CO) gas, which can be deadly if inhaled.
    Inexperienced installers are exposed to the risk of electrical shock. Only qualified electricians should attempt to install a generator.
    Overloading a generator may result in reduced fuel efficiency, damage to appliances or fire.
    Standby generators or their required transfer switches that are incorrectly wired (or missing) may result in "back-feed" -- a hazardous condition in which an electrical current is fed back into the grid -- which could potentially electrocute and kill homeowners, utility workers, and others who are using the same utility transformer.
    Connecting a portable generator directly into a home's wall outlet can also cause dangerous back-feed.
    Generators that are exposed to water or that are not properly grounded can cause electrocution.
    Gasoline for portable generators is highly flammable and may cause a fire when exposed to an open flame or when spilled on the hot generator.
    Over-taxed cords attached to a portable generator may cause a fire.

Inspection- InterNACHI inspectors may want to check for the following:

    Generators should never be used anywhere indoors, even if the area is ventilated.
    Portable generators placed outside should not be near doors, vents or open windows leading into the home.
    Carbon-monoxide detectors should be installed in case CO is accidentally released into the home.
    Portable generators should not be plugged directly into a home's electrical receptacles.
    A standby generator hard-wired into a home should have a transfer switch installed to prevent backfeeding.  An inspector can locate this device situated between
    the generator and the main electrical panel.  An automatic transfer switch (ATS) required by a standby generator
    Generators should be properly grounded.
    Units should be dry and shielded from contact with liquid.
    Only heavy-duty electrical cords that are rated for outdoor use should be plugged into portable generators.
    Electrical cords should not have any punctures or exposed wiring.
    Cords running from portable generators should be kept out of the way of foot traffic and should not run underneath rugs.
    The total electrical capacity of the generator should exceed the power requirements of the devices that the unit is supplying.
    Fuel for portable generators should be stored away from the home and children in clearly labeled and durable containers.


In summary, generators can be lifesavers during a power outage, but they present serious health and safety concerns if they are not installed and used properly.

Nick Gromicko, FOUNDER. http://www.nachi.org
International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) is the world's most elite, non-profit inspection association.
President, ComInspect, www.cominspect.com
Director, Master Inspector Certification Board, www.certifiedmasterinspector.org
Author, 15 books and Co-Host of  http://www.NACHI.TV

Tweet