Information of Interest
These are just some of the issues found during home inspections. Take a look!
Radon
Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas which occurs naturally as a by-product of the decay of radioactive materials underground. It has been recognized as the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. If your home is in contact with the ground, there will be a detectable radon reading. The gas concentrates in the lower areas; if the home has a basement, that is where the reading will likely be highest, but if the home is on a slab the main floor could show an elevated reading. Federal and State EPA guidelines call for action to be taken to lower any readings of radon above 4.0 pico-Curies per Liter of air (piC/L), which is how the concentration is measured. A test for a real estate transaction is a simple 48-hour test with a monitor or monitors which supply an hourly readout of the levels. State testing protocols dictate the number of monitors which must be used in a home. Testing and any resulting mitigation (installation of a system to lower radon levels) must be done by Illinois-licensed professionals.
If you have decided to go ahead with a radon test, notify the sellers that the home must be kept closed except for normal entry and exit for 12 hours before the test is set and for 48 hours during the test. This means keeping doors and windows shut and not allowing these openings to stay open for any appreciable amount of time. Failing to do so can void a test. If the radon testing technician has any reason to think the closed-house conditions have not been met at the start of the test, the test monitor(s) can be left an extra day, but if the conditions are thought to have not been met at the end of the test, the test will be voided and the fee is NOT refundable. So this is a process both buyer and seller must agree to.
Foundation Problems
Cracking in foundations is pretty much inevitable, but leaking cracks can be controlled. If the foundation is concrete, as is preferred in the Chicagoland area, there are ways to control water infiltration. In one type of repair, a urethane sealant is injected into cracks via ports installed in the crack itself; the material "sets up" and resists water trying to get through the wall. Photo 1 shows such a repair. If large areas of foundation are leaking, an interior drain system may be the answer. In this repair, a trench is excavated along the inside of the foundation wall in the affected area. Into the trench goes gravel, a drain pipe with filter fabric, a barrier of some sort to direct water into the new drain, and a topping of new concrete to seal off the repair.Water getting through the foundation finds it's way into the new interior drain and then to a sump pit installed to collect the water. It is then pumped away from the home. Photo 2 shows such an installation. There are a number of companies in the metropolitan area which specialize in these issues, all with varying systems and components, and all of which are successful in fighting water problems.
Vertical crack with injection repair Interior drain routed to new sump pit
Lead Paint
Legislated out of use by the federal government in 1978,
lead paint which is deteriorating and flaking off the walls and trim of older homes is still an issue today. Lead builds up in the body, and can cause physical and neurological problems which cannot be cured. Children especially are at risk because they will ingest the paint chips because they are sweet to the taste; it's hard to dissuade a child from enjoying something sweet. Learning disabilities and stunted growth are some of the effects of lead poisoning. Adults also are at risk from high blood pressure, nerve disorders, and reproductive system problems, among other ills. There are prescribed ways of dealing with lead paint, processes which can be expensive but are necessary to rid the home of any residue of the substance. Follow the link to the U.S. EPA site dealing with lead for more information. Sellers are required to
disclose known information about lead in their homes, but the key word here is "known." If you are buying an older home, you may want to take steps to be sure any lead hazards are minimized. Talk to your inspector about it.
NOTE: In April, 2010, ANY contractor doing work that disturbs lead paint will have to become an EPA-certified renovator. Essentially, this means getting a license. Such work will include as little as 6 square feet inside the home or 20 square feet outside. To be certified, contractors (or an employee directly involved with the process) will have to complete an EPA-accredited training course.
EIFS-Synthetic Stucco
This is a
siding system in which a layer of insulation and layers of mesh and stucco finishes are applied to the home as a siding. It is beautiful, can be made to closely resemble stone work, and has been very popular. The downside is that if not done properly (some might say even IF done properly), it leaks. If the application is installed over wood framing and sheathing, water can get behind it and cannot get out; the results can be both expensive and extensive. The link to an
inspect-ny site can give some extra information. There have been class action lawsuits over this material in the past, and some manufacturers have stopped producing the product. There are now other stucco systems which are inherently different, and apparently can be made to drain properly, but any examination of these types of products is beyond the scope of a simple home inspection. Professional evaluation is recommended. Understand that removal and repair of damage related to this product will be expensive.
ELECTRICAL
Over the years, products used in the building of homes have been questioned and some have found to be lacking as far as performance and safety.
Federal Pacific electrical panels and more specifically, their line of Stab-Lok Breakers, have been discussed for over 20 years, but no government entity has warned about them yet. These breakers can fail at an alarming rate, and when we see them we recommend replacing them. Follow the link to the inspect-ny website and read about them.
Questions also have arisen about the use of Zinsco breakers, and this link to another inspect-ny site will delve into those worries. Again, if these are present, we recommend replacing them.
MOLD
Another buzzword these days is mold (or mildew). Not all mold is toxic, but the presence of any mildew is cause enough for a potential buyer to walk away if it is not removed. The recommendation, therefore, is for removal, not expensive testing that can only tell you the species of the growth. Follow the link to the Building Sciences page and read the articles on mold. Understand that mold removal will be an expensive proposition and is best left to professionals. If you see it, remove it. Money spent testing will tell you what species the mold is, but will that sway your decision to get rid of it? Most buyers will figure mold is mold, they will want it removed. Another Building Sciences site has a wealth of information on testing for various things, information on mold, energy, ventilation and other valuable homeowner resources.
Mold growing on a bathroom ceiling and on roof sheathing in an attic (different homes).
ASBESTOS
Once considered a miracle substance, this mineral was used for fireproofing, insulation, floor tiles, chimney surrounds, brake linings, some types of piping and a host of other applications. Time has shown that when the fibers become airborne (friable) they can be inhaled; once in the lungs, they don't leave because the body cannot break them down to eliminate them, leading to scarring and a condition known as Asbestosis. A form of lung cancer known as Mesothelioma is related to asbestos exposure, with estimates of 75 to 80 per cent of this cancer being caused by this mineral. As with mold, removal of this substance is to be left to licensed professionals and can be expensive. Vermiculite, also known as Zonolite, was used as insulation for many years, and the material is often found in attics and walls across the country. This material usually had measurable amounts of asbestos in it also, so removal such as during remodeling can be a surprise to the budget due to the steps which have to be taken to handle it safely. The U.S. EPA has a website,
Asbestos pipe insulation wrapping heating pipes in older home.
Vermiculite or Zonolite is a loose, fibrous material used for insulation.
POLYBUTYLENE PIPING
The settlement deadline for filing for compensation for damage caused by polybutylene (PB) piping is May 1, 2009. A gray plastic pipe used for water piping in homes beginning in the late 70s, this material was famous for catastrophic leaks. A 1995 class action suit set aside over a billion dollars to re-plumb homes built with this piping. A recent news article noted that over 300,000 homeowners have had their homes repaired already. If you are a homeowner with this piping in your home, go to www.pbpipe.com or call 1-800-392-7591 to talk to at the Consumer Plumbing Recovery Center. They are in charge of distributing funds.
CONSOLIDATED FURNACE SETTLEMENT
A settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit regarding furnaces manufactured by Consolidated Industries Corp. ("Consolidated") prior to January 1, 2001. Most, if not all, of the furnaces manufactured by Consolidated contain one or more defective parts, including the burner, heat exchanger, and/or expansion joints. Check here to see if your furnace is involved.
CHINESE DRYWALL
From 2004 to 2008, millions of loads of Chinese-produced drywall made their way to our shores, and possibly was being imported as far back as 2001. It has been reported, and studies are ongoing, that the material is laced with compounds which can corrode piping and metal and make people sick. The Chinese have great problems with quality control with everything they attempt to manufacture, and the explanation we're given about this product is that they may be mixing fly ash, along with other waste products, with the gypsum material in the board itself. The material "off gases" compounds which attack piping and can affect health. A recent symposium in late 2009 links the corrosive effects of the panels on copper in the home to high levels of sulfur. According to ebuild.com,
"Scientists addressing an early November conference in Tampa, Fla., on defective Chinese drywall have offered a more detailed explanation of why the material produces gases that corrode copper elements in buildings, such as wiring and air conditioner coils. According to reporters who attended the “Technical Symposium on Corrosive Imported Drywall,” a $300-a-head event sponsored by the University of Florida, a leading investigator into the problem says the gas releases can be traced directly to the presence of pure sulfur in the panels.
The Sarasota Herald Tribune says that toxicologist Tom Gauthier of the firm Environ International, hired to study the problem by builder Lennar Homes, has found that the elemental sulfur in the panels reacts with naturally-occurring carbon monoxide in the ambient air to form carbonyl sulfide. The carbonyl sulfide then reacts with moisture and air to produce hydrogen sulfide and carbon disulfide. All three gases have been detected in test chambers and in homes containing the Chinese drywall. And according to Gauthier, Environ was able to stimulate a much faster release of the offending gases by placing the drywall in a chamber rich in carbon monoxide."
The identifying labeling on this product, if it exists, is on the rear of the panels along the edge. Labels such as "Knauf Tianjin" are what to look for. We haven't heard of a problem in the Northern Illinois area, but that does not mean the material isn't here. A fellow inspector forwarded this photo with an example of a mill marking on the back:
There is no way to identify it without doing some damage. Unless there is a way to view the back side of the drywall, which there usually isn't in a completed home, some removal of product is needed to identify it. It may be possible to move insulation around in the attic enough to see a label, but interiors with both sides of the walls finished aren't so simple. Here's an example of websites which have been assembled to get the word out about this material.
According to guidelines released on April 2, 2010, the Consumer Product Safety Commission advised that the only way to effectively deal with the problems caused by this material is to completely remove it from the home, repairing or (usually) replacing deteriorated pipe and wiring caused by the material, and refinishing the interior. Although drastic, this course appears to be the only one which affords peace of mind.