Today's Home Inspection

What a "Sellers" agent thinks

2012-01-26T08:58:00.000-05:00

This morning I awoke to a text message from Facebook on my I-phone about a posting on my wall from a listing agent concerning an inspection conducted for the buyer on her listing. That sounds ominous.

"Chris, Thanks so much for the Home Inspection on my listing in Buena Vista...Older homes can be a problem...My Sellers were very impressed with your expertise and we are moving forward with the closing of this home.... Thanks Again!!"

Here was the comment I left:

"Thanks (agent's name), it's very nice to receive kind words from a "listing agent" on a buyers inspection. Inspecting older homes can be very stressful for all concerned. My love for older homes usually shows through in my inspections. However, its the home that makes the difference. This home was well constructed from the beginning through its additions. Yes, there were a few issues but they are manageable considering the exceptional base to work from."

I didn't think it appropriate to use the agent's name here without permission. However, it is on my Facebook wall time line if you are curious.

What a client thinks

2012-01-25T18:51:00.000-05:00

I just stumbled on this review written by an unknown client in Google places on June 23, 2011 with FIVE stars:

"So glad we chose Mr. Hilton as our home inspector. He's SO knowledgeable and informative. We got more than our money's worth -- learned SO much. We felt very comfortable with him and free to ask any and all questions we had. And his report was very detailed and informative as well, with drawings and links to further explanations of issues that were found. And his website/blog has been really informative as well. He really was 'unbiased,' not telling us "what we wanted to hear," nor did he make his discoveries seem so "alarming" as to scare us away from going forward. We'd HIGHLY recommend him to any buyer or realtor!"

This was my response: Thanks, I just noticed this posting (January 25th 2012). Must not be paying attention. Probably a good thing so my head doesn't swell up. I try hard, it's great to know the effort is appreciated. Chris D. Hilton

40% OFF Shugart Home Inspection

2012-01-22T18:25:00.000-05:00

Received a call from an agent selling a new Shugart home inquiring if the Shugart deal I offered in 2011 was still good. Had to make a quick decision and the response was YES. Here is the Shugart deal updated for 2012:

After following the progress of Shugart Enterprises since its inception in 1966 and having inspected Shugart homes, new and existing, for over 14 years I often state that Shugart is now one of the best builders in North Carolina. I typically observe fewer issues and less serious issues in Shugart construction. Without doubt inspecting and writing reports on Shugart homes requires less time. Such performance deserves to be rewarded. Inspecting these homes requires much less effort, on my part, therefore the inspection should be less expensive.

Here is the deal for 2012:

40% OFF of all home inspections on New Shugart Homes for the duration of 2012 with the Shugart Homes Savings Certificate presented at site. Example - home up to 1600 SF would be $300.00 with discount will be only $180.00. Price is based on size of the home!
Payment allowed with cash, check, credit card or at closing.
Click Here for your Exclusive Shugart Homes Savings Certificate. Print as many as you desire now or later for your marketing packages throughout 2012.

Four simple steps:

Print the Exclusive Shugart Homes Savings Certificate as you need them.
Include an Exclusive Shugart Homes Savings Certificate with your marketing package or give to your client at any time you desire throughout 2012.
You or your client can book the home inspection by (clicking here) or visit www.chrisdhilton.com for your booking.
You or your client present the Exclusive Shugart Homes Savings Certificate on site and receive 40% OFF of the booked price!

Radon Testing Confusion

2012-01-22T16:51:00.000-05:00

Are you confused about all of the different devices used to test for radon by various home inspectors? Educate yourself about radon and the various testing devices by watching this brief video.

I refuse to use any other testing device than the devices addressed in this video! What will your home inspector use? Better find out!

Find additional information about radon by clicking here.

Where did the copper go?

2011-12-15T09:00:00.002-05:00

What a way to start your day! Where do I begin to write this up? Air conditioning system inoperative does not quite fill the bill, does it?

At least the fool had the good sense to pull the electrical disconnect before he began his dastardly deed. There are homes all around this home. Was anyone paying attention?

What a client thinks

2011-03-13T09:20:00.000-04:00

Unsolicited comment from a recent client:

I was recently involved with inspection of a large home completely enveloped in EIFS (Synthetic Stucco) which has been a serious concern for many years. As part of that inspection Emory Widener, an EIFS inspector, was involved in a survey of the condition of the EIFS wall system discovering moisture damage and areas of concern. Here are exerts from an e-mail addressed to Emory and I received from that client:

"I would like to inform you two gentlemen that I have gone ahead and now made the Earnest Money Deposit … Thus, I will be buying the house.

I'm sure that especially you, Chris, will find this piece of news interesting, given that you kindly took a lot of your personal time to share your thoughts with me and to write out for me your advice on the whole matter of the EFIS. Emory, you too spent a good amount of time with me on the phone one morning, about this same issue. I thank you both wholeheartedly for your time and your willingness to share your honest and professional views so that I could come to a decision made with confidence and without great anxiety.

Fellows, I so much appreciate any of your personal time that you two could give me regarding this matter.

As always, my best regards to you!"

What do you think, should I feel good? Does that sound like a "deal killer" to you?

Ponds

2011-03-12T12:38:00.000-05:00

Ponds are beautiful to look at, but they can be a headache and expensive if not maintained properly. Many ponds are man-made and have dams that require maintenance and repair. Some dams fall under the jurisdiction of the state’s Dam Safety Program (http://www.dlr.enr.state.nc.us/pages/damsafetyprogram.html ). Ponds can also become choked with aquatic weeds that affect plant and animal life. For information about ponds, check the following Web site: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/nreos/wild/fisheries/index.html Before purchasing property with a pond, find out the status of the pond from the owner. The Dam Safety staff in the DENR regional office that serves your area may be able to provide you with information about any dams that are regulated by the state. The county Cooperative Extension Service may be able to help you with information and guidance if you’re thinking about buying land with a pond or want to build a pond on the property. A county-by-county listing of local Cooperative Extension Service offices is available through the following Web site: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=countycenters

Weeping Over Weep Holes

2011-02-20T19:55:00.000-05:00

This is a rewrite of an article for my November 4, 2000 Newsletter

If you don't intend to read this in its entirety, then stop NOW because you will just be more confused than ever.

Weep Holes

Over the past few weeks I have been hearing about, conflict, lack of understanding, confusion, upset buyers, sellers and Realtors over the issue of a home inspectors report of the lack of weep holes in the brick veneer walls of a two year old home. Luckily for me, I was not involved in the inspection, but several Realtors I know well and two home inspectors whom I am in contact with often were involved.

Here are some of the issues I heard about being bounced around:

Are weep holes required by code, and if so since when?
If they are required, why did the builder of this two-year-old home not install them?
Why did the local building inspector approve the home without them?
What does a weep hole do?
Why is it a big deal if they are left out?
Who should be responsible for installing weep holes after the fact?

Are weep holes required by code, and if so since when?

First let me make it very clear that pre-sale home inspections are not code inspections. However, many of the issues we raise are also code issues and this is a good example. Here is what the current building code (2000) says about weep holes:

North Carolina State Building Code Volume VII – Residential:
703.7.4 Weep holes. Weep holes shall be provided in the outside wythe of masonry walls at a maximum spacing of 48 inches on center. Weep holes shall not be less than 3/16 inch in diameter. Weep holes shall be located immediately above the flashing.

Where is flashing required per the code?
703.7.3 Flashing. Flashing shall be located beneath the first course of masonry above finished ground level above the foundation wall or slab, and at other points of support, including structural floors, shelf angles and lintels …
703.8 Flashing. Approved corrosion-resistive flashing shall be provided at top and sides of all exterior window and door openings … at the intersection of chimneys or other masonry construction with frame or stucco walls … under and at the ends of masonry, wood, or metal copings, sills; continuously above all projecting wood trim; where exterior porches, decks or stairs attach to a wall or floor assembly of wood-frame construction; at wall and roof intersections.

In simple language, weep holes are required in masonry walls at the top of the foundation wall, below all window and door sills, at the top of all window, door and any other wall opening, at supporting points, at shelf angles, at copings, projecting trim, wall and roof intersections.

If you were aware of weep hole requirements, I bet you only knew about their requirement at the top of foundations. Sorry, that's not the only place.

How long have they been required?

I didn't take the time to check this out, but I can tell you this. I started in construction as a mason while a teenager and I am now sixty years old. There has never been a time when I did not install weep holes.

Why did the builder of this two-year-old home not install them?

That's a good question but easy to answer. Most builders don't build homes, subcontractors build homes. How many times have you seen a homebuilder or even one of his employees installing brick or for that matter even watching it being installed? If the sub doesn't do it correctly, unfortunately I am ashamed to say, many builders aren't managing their jobs closely enough or just plain don't know the difference.

Why did the local building inspector approve the home without them?

To be very blunt, he shouldn't have. Do the local code enforcement inspectors miss issues like this? Every day. Why are they missed? For many reasons, over worked, over scheduled and under paid is a good one and I am sure there are many others. Say what ever you like, but it boils down to this: Code enforcement inspectors are not responsible for code compliance, builders are. Builders must know the code and demand that their subcontractors meet code requirements.

What does a weep hole do?

Masonry walls leak. A tightly tooled mortar joint is a masonry walls first line of defense against water penetration. Slick concave joints are best, slick “V” joints are next. Flush joints are fair. Joints raked out after they have begun to dry, beloved by residential masons and used on most homes today are not good, and rake joints beloved by architects because they cast a shadow are guaranteed to trap water on their ledges and greatly increase water penetration. Brick work with irregular lines and ledges as has been popular in the past and coming back into popularity today make walls less water tight and create ledges for penetration. Water can pass through a crack that is only 1/100” wide. A square foot of brickwork with cracks that size around each brick will have voids equal to a hole that has a diameter of about 1”. These hairline cracks are almost invisible; yet allow much water to enter the wall. Adding to all of these issues is the fact that although brick manufactures have for years attempted to beat into masons brains that all brick joints must be full of mortar without voids, few if any homes are constructed today or have been constructed in the past which met this requirement.

The water is coming in and weep holes constitute the second line of defense against this water becoming a problem by controlling the water, which has penetrated the walls. They usually are open vertical mortar joints spaced regularly around the house near the top of the foundation. Ideally, although required but seldom seen, they also should be provided at the top and sills of windows and doors. These openings in the wall allow the water that accumulates on the flashing from the failure of the first line of defense to drain to daylight.

Weep holes have a secondary function. Weep holes help equalize air pressure on both sides of the wall, making it less likely that wind-driven rain will penetrate the wall. When water does penetrate the wall, weep holes expel it, and ventilation through the holes helps dry the wall cavity. Ventilating weep holes also allow any condensation that accumulates on the inner surface of the brick to dissipate.

Why is it a big deal if they are left out?

This is minor, it can be much worse that this!

The absence of weep holes occasionally may allow so much moisture to accumulate that metal fasteners turn to rust, wood-destroying insects are encouraged, or rot develops. It is unlikely that a nondestructive visual home inspection will reveal these problems unless they are so severe that cracks in the walls or other manifestations are accessible to visual examination. The most likely visual manifestation of a problem will be water stains, damp areas or rot at the foundation plate and or floor band and stains or damp areas at the top of the foundation wall. Another is leaks and stains around windows and doors, at roof to wall transitions or chimneys. I have personally witnessed severe damage which appeared to have been caused by the lack of weep holes and/or flashing. Unfortunately, not only do inspectors find weep holes missing, but often we find them filled up because someone though they were just holes needing to be repaired.

Who should be responsible for installing weep holes after the fact?

I guess that will be left up to the judge and jury, but I will state my personal opinion. Failure to install recommended and/or required weep holes constitutes negligence and is the responsibility of the contractor of record. This is not a warranty issue for which the contractor's responsibility disappears after one year. As I often tell contractors: Fail to do it correctly, and you sleep with it at night and live with it forever. This is just one of the many reasons I am no longer a contractor and am now a pre-purchase home inspector.

Reality

This week as I have driven from one inspection to another I have been looking for weep holes. Based on this week, as well as my past experience, in the newer developments they are for the most part clearly evident at the top of the foundation, hardly ever anywhere else. In older developments except for large track builders, they are often in fact almost always missing. If all of the pre-purchase home inspectors wrote up the lack of weep holes on every home we inspect you should buy stock in any company that manufactures drills and masonry drill bits and might ought to consider going into the weep hole installation business.

I will not pretend to speak for other home inspectors, but this is how I handle this issue. I am not a code enforcement inspector. In many instances I must make a judgment call on what I write up. On older homes I can't just consider code or best practices, I must consider what may have been a generally accepted practice at the time the home was constructed. Considering the amount of older homes I see without weep holes and based on my past experience, it is my opinion that the installation of weep holes at some point in the past, even if it was part of code, was not a generally accepted practice and appears to have been ignored by code enforcement officials. Therefore I must make a judgment call because I believe that is what my client is paying me to do. If I think the age of the home relates to the time when this was not a generally accepted practice and I see no visual evidence of this being a problem then I don't even address the issue in my inspection and or report. If on the other hand I see visual issues which could be attributable to the lack of weep holes it becomes an issue that I address on site with my client and include in my report.

I believe that weep holes at the top of the foundation, today and in recent years, is not only a code requirement but is a commonly accepted practice. Weep holes at other locations may be code, but has not become a commonly accepted practice even though it should be. To be honest, I see problems at these other locations from lack of or improperly installed flashing, but I can't say that I am aware of problems from the lack of weep holes. If the home is new construction or fairly recent construction the issue of weep holes at the top of the foundation will definitely be addressed both on site and in my report and someone had better get out the drill and their wallet or be willing to live with it.

Yes, I did say that I think this issue is the responsibility of the builder even after the one-year warranty period. If the home is new, or recent construction I definitely recommend going after the builder and demanding correction of his negligent workmanship. Reality is that many builders after one year will not respond largely because they know the owners are more than likely going to be forced to deal with the issue on their own and are not willing to deal with the time, lose the sale or bear the legal expense required to force the builder into compliance. Reality is whether the seller and buyer likes it or not they are going to be forced into negotiations relative to how this will effect closing their deal. The choice to live with it or bear the expense of repair is more than likely going to be theirs to decide and your commission will hang on the results.

These little holes didn't appear so important before today, did they?

What Dr. Oz says about Radon

2011-02-11T15:30:00.000-05:00

Don't accept my word on Radon! Do you have any trust in a guy named Dr. OZ of Oprah fame? Check out these two segments of a show he did on February 10, 2011 on this subject:

Dr. Oz on radon part one

Dr. Oz on radon part two

Dr OZ - Radon and Lung Cancer

2011-02-08T08:10:00.001-05:00

This Thursday, February 10, 2011 NCHH Executive Director, Rebecca Morley will be on the Dr. Oz show! She will be talking with Dr. Oz and an affected family about radon-related lung cancer.

There is a teaser for the segment online at:

Radon and Lung Cancer on The Dr. Oz Show!

Dr. Oz is on FOX at 9:00 AM in the Triad. Please check your local listings to verify times. Be sure to tune in or TiVo!

Fraudulent Home Inspectors

2011-01-26T09:40:00.001-05:00

Yes, unlicensed home inspectors are functioning and defrauding the unsuspecting public in North Carolina and in the Triad! The last experience I had with one the client was thrilled with their home inspection and their inspector. Unbeknownst to them his inspection and report came nowhere near meeting required North Carolina standards. His report is in front of me as I write this post. These folk were defrauded, up front, to the tune of $250.00. Unfortunately, that may not be all. What did this inspector fail to point out? How much may it cost for repairs?

Who will protect you or your clients from unlicensed, deceptive, fraudulent Home Inspectors?

You will find, as I have experienced, that there is not very much protection. The first line of defense is information and it will begin in this post. Yes, there are people posing as home inspectors with an intent to defraud and deceive the public for their personal gain. There are more than one but I have personal experience with one and he has been deceiving unsuspecting home buyers and real estate agents in my service area FOR OVER TEN YEARS. He has been arrested, in the past, through the efforts of local home inspectors and real estate agents. He has been prosecuted and it is very possible he may continue, as in the past, to ignore the law, book and perform home inspections with you or your clients.

I can assure you that the only person who will stop him is YOU. You must refuse to deal with someone who's full intent appears to be to defraud you and your clients. In the past the unlicensed home inspector I have experience with has functioned under the name "A Buyers Home Inspector" and his name is John Salstrom. In his most recent episode, of which I am personally aware, a Realtor's client advised that they had booked their own home inspector. John Salstrom is who showed up. Following the inspection the Realtor called me to inquire about this person, I advise that he was not a licensed home inspector, requested a copy of the report and turned him in to the licensure board again!

John was prosecuted again by Forsyth County for this infraction. John plead guilty on January 7, 2011 to one count of inspecting a house without a license and received a prayer for judgment and was fined court cost. He has been fined and paid before! Yes, he may be on the loose again now or in the future inspecting homes without a license. I have learned from my involvement in this process over ten years that there isn't much the counties or state can or will do about such a person other than smack their hand, fine them and turn them loose again on an unsuspecting public. You are on you own.

Here is a page out of the 2009-2010 AT&T Real Yellow Pages where you will note John's add circled in red right along side of real home inspectors. Note that it is the most expensive, obvious and eye catching of the adds. Isn't that interesting. He uses "A" at the beginning of his company name to place the add near the top to catch your attention.

Here is the add blown up so you can read it:

Looks for real, doesn't it? Don't be deceived, John is not a licensed home inspector in the State of North Carolina and hasn't been for over TEN YEARS! Here is as much of his record as I am aware of. I don't doubt that there is much, much more I am not aware off.

You will find the public record of John Salstrom's experience with the North Carolina Home Inspector Licensure board posted on their website at:

http://www.ncdoi.com/OSFM/Engineering/HILB/NCHILB.asp

Here is what it says:

SALSTROM, John P. (99) REVOKED
Complaints filed: April 27, 1999, November 5, 1999, and September 19, 2000 (Greensboro and Winston-Salem)
License Revoked.

I am aware that John was previously arrested, prosecuted and fined in Forsyth County in 2001 for conducting a home inspection without a license.

So there is no doubt about this claim. Please allow me to document that a guilty plea was entered by John Salstrom for Inspecting a House without a License in District Criminal Court, Forsyth County. The charge against Salstrom, “Obtain Property False Pretense”, is for his charging a fee for doing a home inspection without an active license with the Home Inspectors Licensure Board of North Carolina.

Below is a notification letter dated January 10, 2011 from the District Attorney (21st District) received by the NC Dept of Insurance Criminal Investigator in this case. Also below is copy of a February 2, 2004 cease and desist letter from the 18th District, Guilford County District Attorney that notes a prior conviction on or about July 19, 2001.

Mr. Salstrom had multiple complaints filed against him when he was licensed that were addressed through consent agreements. On September 29, 2000 he surrendered his license. Still, after 10 years he continues to mislead the public.

Who will protect you?

You can only protect yourself!

Every licensed Home Inspector in the State of North Carolina has an identification card with his license number and expiration date. So that you know what one looks like, here is mine. Demand proof that you or your clients inspector is a properly licensed North Carolina Home Inspector! If he or she (yes there are female inspectors!) can't provide proof, protect yourself and your clients, call someone else! Have doubts, call the Licensure Board in Raleigh at (919) 662-4480.

Are you displeased with the way this issue is being handled in your county? Make your District Attorney aware! Is your local Realtor's association keeping you informed on this issue? This has been going on for over 10 years. Were you aware? Why not?

Asbestos in the Home

2011-01-14T13:00:00.000-05:00

This article was provided by and posted at the request of PleuralMesothelioma.com, committed to providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on pleural mesothelioma cancer. PleuralMesothelioma.com is the Web's most inclusive resource solely dedicated to this rare cancer.

Please be aware that home inspections, as regulated in the State of North Carolina and most other states, do not require the home inspector to address asbestos or any other potential environmental concern in the home. This and most home inspectors exclude asbestos and environmental issues as part of their inspection process. That being said, this inspector, should he observe any issues which might indicate asbestos in the home, will suggest further evaluation by the appropriate professional.

Asbestos in the Home

Click here for a larger view!

Asbestos was highly regarded throughout the 20th century as an ideal building and construction material. It’s fire resistant, durable and versatile qualities made it sought out by many industries. Typically found in insulation's, piping, popcorn ceilings, roof shingles and flooring, asbestos was used throughout the 20th century as a form of insulation for piping, roofing and flooring.

Many homes and buildings built prior to 1980 may still contain asbestos, but even homes built in the years after may harbor asbestos.

Because vermiculite is also an inexpensive and readily available mineral, it is an important addition in many of products that we use every day to insulate our homes and fertilize our gardens. When it is tainted by impurities such as asbestos, it can be extremely harmful to the health of your family. Although Vermiculite alone does not contain asbestos, it came from one single mine that contained a large amount of asbestos.

Homeowners and inspectors should be aware that even vermiculite insulation from the 1990’s can contain asbestos and the proper precautions should be taken to avoid unnecessary problems and potential exposure to this material.

Asbestos Tips and the Value of a Home Inspection

According to the experts, the general rule of thumb is if the asbestos is in good shape, it's posing no apparent risk. If it's in bad shape, it could be a problem. It is recommended for homeowners to leave any suspected asbestos alone, as this can takes its fibers airborne and this is where it becomes dangerous. Removal of asbestos, if necessary, must be performed by a licensed contractor.

Receiving a professional home inspection is something that cannot be understated. Many building substances can become a problem for homeowners due to the negative health effects that can occur if not identified. A professional home inspection is extremely important to protect your investment. Professional consultants can provide an evaluation of the home and will identify material defects in structures and components of the home, in adherence to or exceeding national, state, and industry regulations and standards.

Not only should potential home buyers take this into consideration, but those performing demolition, renovation or abatement must take precautions to avoid exposure at all costs. Generally, asbestos appears in roof shingles, attic insulation, dry wall board, popcorn ceilings, joint compounds, electrical wires and furnace cement.

Asbestos fibers are thin and strong, and when inhaled frequently, an individual can develop mesothelioma, a rare but severe lung ailment caused by asbestos exposure. There are a number of factors that can impact mesothelioma survival rate. These factors include latency period, age of diagnosis and cigarette smoking.

GREEN Alternatives to asbestos

There are many green, Eco-friendly materials that replace the need for asbestos and can reduce energy costs annually. The implementation of Eco-construction, green energy solutions will play an important role in the transformation to a healthier and sustainable world.

Green alternatives to asbestos include the use of cotton fiber, lcynene foam and cellulose. Cotton fiber is made from recycled batted material and treated to be fireproof. A water based spray polyurethane foam, lcynene features no toxic components. These green options have the same beneficial qualities as asbestos, minus the health deteriorating and toxic components.

By having a professional contractor inspect your home, you can avoid the stress and problems associated with not knowing that asbestos and other harmful building materials are present in your home.

For additional information visit Asbestos.com and/orPleuralMesothelioma.com

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T00:01:00.003-05:00

We wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year.

Chris D. Hilton, Home/Building Inspector

Pam Hilton, Broker, Coldwell Banker Triad, Realtors

Oops! Santa Claus Hit by Aircraft

2010-12-23T10:20:00.002-05:00

Yes Virgina, there was a Santa Claus

There will be no Christmas this year, so please tell your children, unfortunately, Santa's Sleigh and reindeer were taken out during a routine training mission the other day over New York City. Unfortunately, I am sad to say, there was a Mid-Air collision with an airliner full of passengers. The aircraft took off from La Guardia and climbed to approximately 4,200 feet AGL (above ground level) according to the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) where it struck Santa Claus.

The visibility was not a factor, as it was a perfectly clear day. The pilots did not see the Bright Red Sleigh or rotary beacon, or even the flashing red nose of Rudolph. Apparently, they were busy text-messaging to Paris Hilton's Twitter account, while the other was talking to a real estate salesman about buying a new Lake Tahoe second home REO, which was heading into foreclosure.

"Oh, it was just a horrible mess and most of the reindeer were sucked into the large engines," said Margret Morgan-Winthrop a first class passenger on the jet. She also said, "But, the engines didn't quit because they are GE Jet Engines and did I tell you, I have stock in GE. Too bad Santa wasn't using GE Engines too, instead of that old reindeer technology, he really should have upgraded," she added.

The pilots claimed the passengers were never in danger and they did not overfly the airport like the other incompetent crew recently, nor did they have to ditch in the Hudson, because this was a Boeing Aircraft, and even with the debris in the engine from all those reindeer, the airliner continued on its way. At first, the FAA assumed it was a terrorist strike from an Islamic Radical group which hijacked a business jet, so they shut down the national aviation computer system, claiming it was a glitch.

Later, they turned it all back on, thankfully, so no one else was inconvenienced. Unfortunately, as you know Santa is gone and there will be no Christmas this year. Santa Claus LLC is seeking Stimulus Bailout money to prevent a bankruptcy now in light of this news.

If you don't appreciate this news now, you will when you receive your credit card statements!

New Offer to Purchase and Contract

2010-12-12T15:30:00.002-05:00

The new revisions to the North Carolina Real Estate Offer to Purchase and Contract will drastically affect how home inspections will be addressed as part of your real estate transaction in the future. The playing field and rules have changed. What we as home inspectors do has not changed, but how you will handle the results of what we do as a buyer, seller or Realtor will change. In my opinion this is a good change and is long overdue.

This information is provided for home inspectors from the NC Bar Association and NC Association of REALTORS® regarding changes to the Real Estate Offer to Purchase and Contract effective January 1, 2011.

SIGNIFICANT REVISIONS TO OFFER TO PURCHASE AND CONTRACT

By Bob Ramseur, Miriam Baer and Will Martin*

Home inspectors should be aware that significant changes to the Offer to Purchase and Contract (form 2-T) have been approved by the NC Bar Association and the NC Association of REALTORS®. The new form will be released effective January 1, 2011.

Content and format. A great deal of the content of the current form (copyright 7/2008) has been carried forward into the new form. The organization of the current form has also been significantly changed to group related provisions in a more logical way. For example, defined terms are grouped together in a new “Terms and Definitions” paragraph at the beginning of the new form, and buyer and seller representations and obligations are grouped together in paragraphs 5 through 8.

“Alternative 1” replaced with “due diligence” approach. The most significant change in the new form is the elimination of the current “Alternative 1.” Doing away with Alternative 1’s complicated repair negotiation structure will help reduce many of the disputes that have frequently been stumbling blocks to the negotiation of repairs, including disputes over whether an item is “covered” under the list of items in Alternative 1, whether an item is “performing the function for which intended” or is “in need of immediate repair,” whether repair requests and responses to repair requests are timely, whether an item is includable under the Cost of Repair Contingency, whether the estimated cost of repairs is reasonable, and whether and when a contract is “over” following a breakdown in repair negotiations.

Replacing Alternative 1 is a new “Buyer’s Due Diligence Process” paragraph (paragraph 4). During an agreed-upon “Due Diligence Period,” the buyer will have the opportunity to investigate the property and the transaction to decide whether the buyer will proceed with or terminate the contract. Prior to the expiration of the Due Diligence Period, the buyer may terminate the contract for any reason or no reason by written notice to the seller. If the buyer decides to terminate, time is “of the essence” regarding the notice of termination.

The new due diligence paragraph is similar to Alternative 2 in the current Offer to Purchase and Contract but differs from it in some important respects. First, unlike Alternative 2, the description of the due diligence process in paragraph 4 in the new form includes a significant amount of guidance to the parties to aid them in understanding the things they should consider doing during the due diligence period. Examples listed of things that the buyer may consider doing during the due diligence period include conducting inspections to determine the condition of improvements on the property, reviewing relevant documents such as restrictive covenants, conducting an appraisal and a survey of the property, investigating current or proposed zoning, the availability and cost of property insurance, potential flood hazards, and pursuing qualification for and approval of any loan that the buyer may need to obtain to purchase the property. The buyer does not have to do all or any of the listed items, but it is important that any of those items that the buyer does choose to do should be done during the due diligence period.

Repair negotiation. Regarding the negotiation of repairs, Paragraph 4 in the new form specifically states that the parties may, but are not required to, engage in repair negotiations. There is no limitation on what the buyer can ask the seller to repair, and there is no obligation on the seller’s part to repair anything. The buyer is advised to make any repair requests in sufficient time to allow any repair negotiations to be concluded by the end of the due diligence period. There is a “Warning” to the buyer in paragraph 4 that unless the seller agrees in writing to an extension of the due diligence period, the buyer should terminate the contract if the buyer is not satisfied with the results or progress of the buyer’s due diligence.

If the buyer chooses not to terminate prior to the end of the due diligence period, the buyer would lose any right to terminate the contract later based on any matter that should have been addressed during the due diligence period. However, the buyer would not lose all rights to terminate after the end of the due diligence period. The “Note” at the end of paragraph 4(g) makes it clear that the buyer would retain any right to terminate for any other reason permitted under the contract or North Carolina law. For example, if the seller was unable to deliver a deed conveying marketable and insurable title (see paragraph 8(a)), that would be considered a breach of contract by the seller. Paragraph 8(l) specifically provides that the buyer would be entitled to a refund of the earnest money deposit and any due diligence fee, and reimbursement for reasonable costs incurred by the buyer in connection with the buyer’s due diligence.

Separate loan condition eliminated. It is important to understand that there is no longer an independent loan condition in the contract. If the buyer has to obtain a loan to purchase the property, the buyer will be entitled to pursue qualification for and approval of the loan during the due diligence period. Depending on the length of time the buyer and seller agree that the due diligence period will last, it’s quite possible that the buyer won’t know for sure when the due diligence period expires that the loan will be approved. Thus, prior to the expiration of the due diligence period, the buyer will need to make a decision based on the information from the lender at that time whether to terminate or proceed with the transaction. If the buyer terminates the contract, the buyer gets the earnest money deposit back. If the buyer proceeds with the transaction and the lender doesn’t approve the loan for some reason, the buyer would lose the earnest money deposit if the buyer was unable to close without the loan.

Is it fair to make the buyer put the earnest money deposit at risk? Recall that the loan condition in the current contract was completely rewritten in 2008. Prior to that time, the loan condition extended right up to the date of closing and if the lender decided not to make the loan at the last minute, the buyer could terminate the contract and get their earnest money deposit back. Many felt this was unfair to the seller. It was felt that the loan condition should be changed to more fairly balance the risk between the buyer and seller of the sale not closing due to the buyer’s loan not being approved. This was accomplished by shifting that risk to the buyer at some mutually agreeable date during the transaction. The new due diligence contract uses this same basic approach. The date that the risk shifts to the buyer is the date that the due diligence period expires.

What’s a fair period of time to give a buyer to make a decision? The buyer typically would like for this date to fall as close to the closing as possible and the seller typically would like for this date to come sooner in the process. Just as the sales price is negotiable, the date that the buyer has to make a decision to terminate or move forward is a matter of negotiation. The “Note” at the end of paragraph 4(a) in the new Offer to Purchase provides: “Buyer is advised to consult with Buyer’s lender prior to signing this offer to assure that the Due Diligence Period allows sufficient time for the appraisal to be completed and for Buyer’s lender to provide Buyer sufficient information to decide whether to proceed with or terminate the transaction.”

Due Diligence Fee. The “Due Diligence Fee” is defined in paragraph 1 of the new form as “[a] negotiated amount, if any, paid by Buyer to Seller with this Contract for Buyer’s right to conduct Due Diligence during the Due Diligence Period” (see paragraph 1(i)). The payment of a due diligence fee 3 is not mandatory under the new version of the Offer to Purchase and Contract. That’s the second significant difference between the due diligence provision in the new form and Alternative 2. To address concerns about the enforceability of the contract in situations where no due diligence fee is paid, a mutual waiver of any defense to the enforceability of the contract based on the absence or alleged insufficiency of any due diligence fee has been added at the end of paragraph 1(i).

The amount of the due diligence fee will be influenced by such things as the market for the property and the time it’s been on the market, the buyer and seller’s personal circumstances, and the length of the due diligence period. In determining how much due diligence fee he or she is willing to pay, a buyer should clearly understand that the fee is generally non-refundable (with some exceptions listed in the Due Diligence Fee definition) and that the seller is not required to make any repairs to the property or agree to any other concessions that the buyer may request. On the other hand, in deciding how much of a fee to accept, the seller should clearly understand that the buyer may walk away from the transaction for any reason or no reason, even if the seller is willing to fix everything that the buyer may request or agree to any other concessions, and that the due diligence fee is all the seller is going to get for taking the property off the market during the due diligence period.

Other significant changes. Other significant changes include the following:

The separate appraisal, loan, and flood hazard conditions have been eliminated since obtaining an appraisal and investigating the availability of any necessary financing and potential flood hazards, among other things, will become part of the buyer’s due diligence.
The new form recognizes a distinction between “settlement” and “closing” “Settlement” is when all the documents are signed and delivered to the settlement agent along with the funds necessary to complete the transaction. “Closing” is a process that includes the settlement, as well as the title update following settlement, the settlement agent’s receipt of authorization to disburse all necessary funds and the recordation of the deed(s) and any deed(s) of trust (see definitions in paragraphs 1(k) and 1(m)).
The seller’s damages in the event of a breach of the contract by the buyer are limited to the earnest money deposit (see paragraph 1(e)). A seller’s damages can be difficult to determine, and unless the contract sales price is greater than the appraised value of the property at the time of the contract, the seller may not have any significant damages if the buyer breaches the contract. Limiting the seller’s damages to the earnest money deposit will give the parties greater certainty during the negotiation process about possible outcomes if the transaction doesn’t work out.
An attorney fee provision has been added in paragraph 1(g) in an effort to help discourage frivolous disputes over earnest money.
The separate “Fuel” provision and the necessity of measuring the amount of fuel in any tank(s) prior to closing has been eliminated. In the new form, the buyer will be entitled to whatever fuel may be the tank(s) at Settlement (see paragraph 2).
New representations by the buyer have been added regarding other property that the buyer may need to sell and the buyer’s financial ability to complete the transaction (see paragraphs 5(b) and 5(c)).
New representations by the seller have been added regarding length of the seller’s ownership of the property, whether the property is the seller’s primary residence and whether there is an owners’ association (see paragraphs 7(a), 7(b) and 7(e)). The length-of–ownership representation has been added in response to loan underwriting guidelines which now commonly require that a seller has owned the property for a minimum period of time. The representation regarding primary residence was added as a result of a new North Carolina law that requires a statement whether the property includes the seller’s primary residence to be included in a deed conveying the property
The new form requires the attachment of an “Owners’ Association Addendum” if there is an owners’ association (see paragraphs 7(e) and 8(k)).
The existing “Delay in Closing” provision has been simplified as a result of confusion about how it worked and a few reported problems associated with the payment of accrued per diem interest. In the new form, the per diem interest provision has been eliminated and the permitted delay shortened to fourteen days (see paragraph 13).
In the “Fixtures” paragraph, “range/stove/oven” has been added to the list of fixtures to address the common understanding between the parties that such a device generally remains with the property. This addition will eliminate the need to add such a device in the Personal Property paragraph of the contract. In addition, the word “attached” has been added in front of “wall and/or door mirrors” primarily to distinguish bathroom mirrors that are hung like pictures from those that are attached to the wall in a more permanent way.

Changes to other forms. Corresponding changes have been made to the Offer to Purchase and Contract—Vacant Lot/Land (form 12-T) and the Guidelines for completing both forms have been updated. The various addenda to the Offer to Purchase have been updated and a new, separate Offer to Purchase and Contract for new construction has been developed.

A “Sample” of the new Offer to Purchase and Contract is available via the following link: http://www.ncrealtors.org/uploads/050310sample2-T.pdf.

*Bob Ramseur and Miriam Baer are members of the Real Property Section Council of the NC Bar Association and are co-chairs of the Joint Forms Task Force, which is responsible for maintaining residential forms that are jointly-approved by the Bar Association and the NC Association of REALTORS. Will Martin is a member of the Real Property Section and the Joint Forms Task Force and acts as NCAR’s General Counsel.

Radon Protection Plan

2010-12-04T07:50:00.005-05:00

Is your radon measurement service provider confidant in their equipment and testing procedures? Ask them for a warranty! If they say no, you have your answer. Why use the rest when you can have the best?

For over 11 years Chris D. Hilton has been a Radalink Affiliate Radon Measurement Service Provider. You say that means very little to the average home buyer and real estate agent.

We have been trying to tell you we are the best when it comes to radon testing. Why do you think we get the call when someone else's test is in dispute? Now, we will prove it!

Radlink offers:

The most knowledgeable best trained home inspectors in the industry.
The most complete and accurate test report available.
The highest statistical confidence available.

That is simply the tip of the iceberg. You don't know what is inside of these monitors, we do!

Now, we are giving you one better: Get a FREE written 120 day radon protection plan from Residential Warranty Services with every radon test we conduct provided our test results in a radon measurement of 3.9 PCi/L or less. If the test is high, have it mitigated and then retested by us and still get the warranty under the same terms! Find you have high radon during the terms of the 120 day free or extended warranty? The costs of the mitigation system, up to the limitations in the warranty, are covered. This proves the confidence we have in our systems.

These means that as a Radalink Affiliate we will now provide a written warranty with every test report good for 120 days for free and offer you an ongoing warranty at minimal cost to you after 120 days.

Can you get that from any other radon measurement service provider? I don’t think that you can!

Get a sample of our 120 Day Radon Protection Plan transmitted with every test report and a sample report HERE.

Don't lick your deck!

2010-11-27T07:00:00.002-05:00

This is a rewrite of an article in my Newsletter of January 11, 2003

This is me in today's economy! Not quite yet.

If you can visualize, when I originally wrote this article (I have since sold this house) I was sitting in my den looking across my laptop computer at the TV thinking about past newsletter articles. I was wondering when backdrafting of someone's combustion appliance may cause a problem, if problems with the T & P valve on their water heater may send it through their roof or if much of their conditioned air is being sucked out by their attic power ventilator.

Out the window over the TV was my wonderful three-level deck constructed of the finest grade of CCA treated lumber. You did know I was once a real contractor. It does have a few advantages. During the summer my wife and teenage daughters sun bathed on that deck. Then it hits me; this stuff may harm my grandchildren and yours. Hence today's article.

Warning: Don't lick your deck!

Great deck licker!

All right now, get your dirty little mind out of the gutter. I didn't even think about what you just thought until my little "Realtor" wife said "Lick WHAT?" And you think I'm a dirty old man.

Are you aware that it has now been determined that your deck may kill you and those you love? What is this world coming to? Is there nowhere I can relax without being concerned for my safety, not to mention yours? Did you realize that if you really want to poison your spouse you could rub their steak (or hamburger for those who are in a slump) across the boards on your deck just before throwing them on the grill and add arsenic as a tenderizer? You don't even need to visit the hardware store for rat poison and there will be no record of your purchase of the arsenic. Yep, what do you think keeps them dirty little "T-devils" (what I call termites) out of that there green lumber on your deck.

This is not my deck

Look out your rear window, is there a deck constructed of treated wood on your home? Most of you have one. It may be, or was at one time, "green." What about in the backyard or at your child's neighborhood or school playground is there play equipment constructed of treated wood? What about the house you just listed or sold? If so, you had better pay attention to this.

Per our Environmental Protection Agency, as of February 12, 2002, we were informed of the "voluntary decision by industry to move consumer use of treated lumber products away from a variety of pressure-treated wood that contains arsenic by Dec. 31, 2003, in favor of new alternative wood preservatives." You did get that "voluntary" didn't you. This was a major component of the construction industry and you can be assured that "voluntary" means they had seen the writing on the wall and the guillotine is about to chop off their heads. Did their taking action before the disaster happened to protect their interest? You have heard the words "class action law suite" haven't you? What better defense than "We determined it was a problem and we have voluntarily steered in a different direction."

So, why should I not "Lick my deck?" You know that I know you are not quite strange enough to walk out the back door and lick your deck, don't you? Well, maybe a few of you would. I have seen a few strange ones, but we won't get into that, you know there are no strange home inspectors and absolutely there are no strange builders or Realtors. I think I know a few of all of the above that have been licking their decks and it has affected their brain. Sorry, I'm rambling.

This transition affected virtually all residential uses of wood treated with chromated copper arsenate, also known as CCA, including wood used in play-structures, decks, picnic tables, landscaping timbers, residential fencing, patios and walkways/boardwalks. By Jan. 2004, EPA did not allow CCA products for any of these residential uses. Be aware, most of what you know as "treated wood" in existing structures constructed prior to 2004 is this product!

"This action will result in a reduction of virtually all residential uses of CCA-treated wood within less than two years," says EPA Administrator Christie Whitman. "Today's announcement greatly accelerates the transition to new alternatives, responding to market place demands for wood products that do not contain CCA. This transition will substantially reduce the time it could have taken to go through the traditional regulatory process." I guess this mean that if the manufacture's hadn't volunteered something worse was about to happen.

"This is a responsible action by the industry," Whitman continued. "Today's action will ensure that future exposures to arsenic are minimized in residential settings. The companies deserve credit for coming forward in a voluntary way to undergo a conversion and retooling of their plants as quickly as possible. The transition to new alternatives will provide consumers with greater choice for their building needs." Do you have any vague idea how much of this stuff is out there already? Just think how much you have seen in your lifetime.

So, what about my deck or my children's play equipment?

Here is what the EPA has to say:

EPA has not concluded that CCA-treated wood poses unreasonable risks to the public for existing CCA-treated wood being used around or near their homes or from wood that remains available in stores. EPA does not believe there is any reason to remove or replace CCA-treated structures, including decks or playground equipment. EPA is not recommending that existing structures or surrounding soils be removed or replaced. Sound a little strange to you? If it isn't any big deal, why did they discontinue its use? Do you think this statement may have something to do with the cost of replacing what is already out there, or the potential lawsuits that might come out of recommendations to remove it?

What should I do about my existing deck or play equipment?

From the EPA:

While available data are very limited, some studies suggest that applying certain penetrating coatings (e.g., oil-based semi-transparent stains) on a regular basis (one re-application per year or every other year depending upon wear and weathering) may reduce the migration of wood preservative chemicals from CCA-treated wood.

How is that for a carefully worded statement?

The EPA goes on to explain what the issue is all about on how you should deal with it:

Arsenic is a known human carcinogen and, thus, the Agency believes that any reduction in the levels of potential exposure to arsenic is desirable. As always, when children play outside, whether around CCA-treated play structures or not, they should wash their hands prior to eating. Also, food should not be placed directly on any outside surface, including treated wood. CCA-treated wood should never be burned, as toxic chemicals may be released as part of the smoke and ashes. Consumers who work with CCA-treated wood are encouraged to use common sense in order to reduce any potential exposure to chemicals in the wood. Specific actions include sawing, sanding and machining CCA-treated wood outdoors, and wearing a dust mask, goggles and gloves when performing this type of activity. Clean up all sawdust, scraps and other construction debris thoroughly and dispose of it in the trash (i.e., municipal solid waste). Do not compost or mulch sawdust or remnants from CCA-treated wood. Those working with the wood should wash all exposed areas of their bodies thoroughly with soap and water before eating, drinking or using tobacco products. Work clothes should be washed separately from other household clothing before wearing them again

What is the EPA doing about this issue?

During the past several months (January 2003), CCA-treated wood has been the subject of an EPA evaluation under provisions of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, which direct EPA to periodically reevaluate older pesticides to ensure that they meet current safety standards. The Agency is continuing to proceed with a risk assessment. EPA is also continuing to evaluate public comments and input from an external scientific review panel on methodologies to perform a risk assessment for residential settings and potential exposure to children from CCA.

Hum - - Thinking about licking my deck.

You have the general idea of the issue and this has become a bit long but, if you are interested in more and how this may relate to your children or grandchildren here are questions and answers provided by the "U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission" in February of 2002 (these have been edited for brevity and to remove duplicated statements):

What is chromated copper arsenate (CCA)?

Chromated copper arsenate, or CCA, is a chemical compound mixture containing inorganic arsenic, copper and chromium that has been used for wood preservative uses since the 1940s. CCA is injected into wood by a process that uses high pressure to saturate wood products with the chemicals. CCA is intended to protect wood from dry rot, fungi, molds, termites and other pests that can threaten the integrity of wood products.

Chromated copper arsenate or CCA, is a chemical preservative that is used to protect wood from being destroyed by microbes, termites or other wood-boring insects. CCA contains forms of the chemicals chromium, copper, and arsenic. CCA is largely used to pressure treat lumber intended for outdoor uses such as home, schooland community playgrounds; decks; and landscape timbers. CCA-treated lumber is also used in building structures.

What work is CPSC doing related to CCA-treated wood?

In May 2001, CPSC was petitioned by the Environmental Working Group and the Healthy Building Network to ban the use of CCA-treated wood for playground equipment. In response to this petition, and to define the risk to children, the CPSC staff is evaluating the amount of CCA (in particular, arsenic) that a child might be exposed to while playing on CCA-treated playground equipment.

Do public wood playground structures contain CCA?

School and public playgrounds can be made with a variety of materials, including CCA-treated wood. Many older playground structures have been constructed using CCA-treated wood. In the past year (2003) some playground manufacturers have begun moving away from the use of CCA-treated wood for playground equipment and are using either untreated wood or wood that has been treated with chemicals that do not contain arsenic.

What does CPSC staff know about the amount of CCA that children are exposed to when playing on CCA-treated wood playground equipment?

CPSC staff is currently evaluating the amount of CCA released from both newly purchased, unused CCA-treated wood that might be used for building playground structures and from "used" or "older" wood. CPSC staff is particularly interested in knowing the amount of arsenic that children can be exposed to when they play on CCA-treated wood playground equipment. CPSC staff studies are being conducted by wiping the surface of the wood to measure the amount of arsenic on the wood's surface. The wipe samples are used to estimate the amount of arsenic that might be accessible to children when they rub their hands on the wood surfaces while playing.

How are children exposed to arsenic from playground equipment?

Children can be exposed to arsenic from playground equipment primarily through hand-to-mouth contact when they touch the wood and then place their hands in their mouths. Minimal exposure to arsenic can occur through their skin.

What are the health effects of exposure to arsenic and is there a risk to my child playing on CCA-treated wood playground equipment?

In order to define the risk, the CPSC staff is currently evaluating the amount of CCA, and in particular, the amount of arsenic, that a child might be exposed to while playing on CCA-treated wood playground equipment.

According to the National Academy of Sciences, long-term exposure to arsenic increases the risk of lung, bladder and skin cancer over a lifetime. The risk to children playing on CCA-treated playground equipment depends on the amount of available arsenic on the wood surface, how children are exposed to the arsenic (orally or through skin contact) and the length of time children spend using the equipment. Studies suggest that children may be exposed to arsenic from playing on some CCA-treated wood playground equipment.
The amount of arsenic present in different samples of CCA-treated wood appears to vary and limited test data do not allow staff to define the mechanism by which the amount of available arsenic changes as the wood ages. It may depend in part on the environmental conditions to which the wood is exposed (for example the amounts of heat, sun and rain) as well as the chemical composition of the wood.

In addition to evaluating the amount of the chemical available on the wood surface, CPSC staff is considering product-specific human use characteristics in its assessment. CPSC staff is evaluating the reasonably foreseeable use of the product by considering the age of the child using the product, the type of exposure (hand-to-mouth), the frequency and period of exposure, accessibility, extent of exposure (area contacted), and use environment (exposure to heat and sunlight). The relationship between exposure and adverse health effects will then be considered.

Consumers may wish to take steps to reduce this exposure. These steps are described in the following question and answer.

What can I do to decrease my child's exposure to chemicals found in CCA-treated wood?

CPSC staff is aware that various trade and consumer groups, some state governments, and a Science Advisory Panel (SAP) recently convened by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Pesticides, have made suggestions concerning surface coating of CCA-treated wood to reduce potential exposure to chemicals found in this wood.

Based on the limited available data, these groups have suggested that applying certain penetrating coatings (for example, oil-based semi-transparent stains) on a regular basis (for example, once a year or every other year depending upon wear and weathering) may reduce the migration of chemicals in the wood preservative from CCA-treated wood. However, in selecting a finish, in some cases, "film-forming" or non-penetrating stains (latex semi-transparent, latex opaque, and oil-based opaque stains) on outdoor surfaces such as decks and fences are not recommended as subsequent peeling and flaking may ultimately have an impact on durability as well as exposure to the preservatives in the wood.

CPSC staff has not completed its assessment of the effectiveness of these mitigation measures. However, consumers desiring to reduce potential exposure to chemicals found in CCA-treated wood may wish to consider using them.

It is also important to have children wash their hands after playing on playground equipment.
CPSC staff is aware of alternatives to CCA-treated wood. These include both non-arsenic wood preservative chemicals such as ammoniacal copper quat (ACQ) as well as other wood (for example cedar and redwood) and non-wood materials (for example metal and plastic). Consumers may want to consider using these alternatives for new construction.

How can I tell if my playground equipment or deck contains arsenic?

Freshly treated wood, if not coated, has a greenish tint, which fades over time. Historically, CCA has been the principal chemical used to treat wood for decks and other outdoor uses around the home. Generally, if you know that your deck has not been constructed with redwood or cedar, then it is likely that the deck was probably constructed with CCA-treated wood. Alternatively, if you know who the building contractor or wood retailer was, you may want to call and ask.

In 1990 the CPSC looked at the release of arsenic from playing on wood playground equipment treated with CCA. What's different now?

Since that study was conducted, additional health effects data are available. At the time of the 1990 study, skin cancer was the only carcinogenic effect of arsenic ingestion that was considered. New data reviewed by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) suggest that long-term exposure to arsenic increases the risk of lung and bladder cancer, as well as skin cancer, and that the health risks posed by exposure to arsenic may be more than previously believed.

Can you explain the recent action taken by the CCA chemical manufacturers concerning CCA-treated wood and how does it affect CPSC's work?

STOP Licking your DECK!

Pesticides must be registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for certain uses before they can be sold or used in the U.S. CCA has been registered for many uses, including use in dimensional lumber (2 x 4s, etc.) sold to consumers.

In early February, 2002, the manufacturers of CCA asked EPA to remove from their registration many applications of CCA for residential use, including playground equipment, decks, and landscape timbers. According to EPA, manufacturers are phasing out the production of CCA over the next 22 months to allow enough time for wood treatment facilities to convert to alternative chemicals and to ensure the availability of enough wood preservative during the transition time. It thus appears that after December 31, 2003, CCA will no longer be available to treat wood used in residential settings.

The results of this action will likely impact the work that the Commission staff undertakes in the future, particularly in the area of mitigation.

Harry Potter's Bedroom

2010-11-20T06:50:00.001-05:00

This is a rewrite of one of my very popular newsletter articles of March 2, 2002

I hope you saw the movie "Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone" (I think that was the name), read the book, heard about it from your children or TV. If not, be aware that Harry's bedroom was under the stairs. Using our imagination we will assume that Harry's bedroom was 6'-11" long, 4' wide, 6' tall at the high point down to 12" at the low point (below the slope of the stair). There is a French style door with glass and a light hanging from a cord with a pull string switch. Got it? Today we are going to have a little fun with Harry's bedroom.

A short time ago I received this e-mail from one of our readers:

I was working with this client and we looked at a house that listed 4 bedrooms. One of the bedrooms was in the basement. This room had a closet and a bathroom. This room did not have a window or an extra door (I thought that a below surface or even an attic that has been finished had to have an extra way out for safety reasons.) My client ask me when a home inspection is done would the inspector advise on the basement bedrooms? I told my client that I did not know but I would ask an Inspector. So, when a home inspection is done do you look at the rooms that has been label extra bedrooms with details with regards in an extra way out (like a window that a person could fit into get out? or an extra door in the bedroom) Would this fall into home inspection warning? to the client in regards to safety.

A Bedroom?

Be aware that we home inspectors, as a general rule, don't have any idea how the rooms are listed therefore if there is no furniture in the room we don't know what you may have called it.

Last week I inspected a very nice two year old home with a bonus room over the garage being used as a bedroom (it had a bed in it). There was a closet and one window which was 49" above the floor and roughly 2'-6" x 3'-0."

My former home had a room in the basement which I used as an office. It had a window which is 64" above the floor 2'-6" x 3'-0" and two large closets. There was a half bath (no shower or tub) immediately outside of this room. When I purchased this home it was represented to have 5 bedrooms, this being one of the five.

Door to Harry's Bedroom?

Was Harry Potters room under the stairs a bedroom? What about the other two? Well, I don't know about Great Britain, but I can address the issue if Harry lived in good old Winston-Salem or surrounds. There is some confusion, however. The state has standards for existing properties as does the city of Winston-Salem. Municipalities have their on standards which may be different from the state standards but usually more stringent, not less. Then there is the building code for new construction which any home constructed must met at the time it is constructed and it changes over time. It works like this, a home must meet the minimum standards set forth by the state and or municipality no matter when it was constructed but also must meet the building code requirements in force at the time it was constructed. I will address both as it relates to bedrooms. As we list these issues, you determine if either of the three bedrooms listed above meet the requirements. Do the bedrooms in your homes? What about the ones, as a Realtor, you have listed and called a room a bedroom?

First let me make it very clear that pre-listing or pre-purchase home inspections performed by independent home inspectors under the regulation of the North Carolina Home Inspectors Licensure Board ARE NOT CODE INSPECTIONS. We can and do however use the codes as a guide to what we do.

I will begin with the City of Winston-Salem Code for minimum housing standards which is fairly close to the state requirements (I have abbreviated these for ease of reading attempting to maintain the intent):

A first bedroom shall have not less than 100 square feet. I don't believed Harry's is the Master so this may not be a problem.
A second bedroom shall have not less than 70 square feet. Well, Harry's ain't the second. (Note the use of the word "ain't" making it very clear that I am not British but maybe closer to a good old southern redneck, although I might be offended if you called me one.)
Each habitable room shall have at least 70 square feet. Oops, Harry failed this one. I knew them redcoats didn't know how to follow the rules
At least 80 square feet of bedroom floor space shall be provided for the first occupant, 20 square feet for the second occupant, and 30 square feet over the number of two (children one year of age and under shall not be counted). I think Harry may have a problem here.
Habitable rooms included to meet the minimum space standards shall be at least seven feet wide with one-half of the floor area having a ceiling height of at least seven feet six inches. That portion of any room where the ceiling height is less than five feet shall not be considered part of the floor area. Harry comes up a little short here, of course I believe he is short anyway.
No basement space shall be used as a habitable room or housing unit unless: The floor and walls are impervious to leakage of underground and surface runoff water and are insulated against dampness. The total of window area and openable area in each room is equal to at least the window area sizes listed below pertaining to light and ventilation standards. Such required window area is located entirely above the grade of the ground adjoining such window area. Let me put it simple: If it leaks and doesn't have a window above ground its not a bedroom. I don't believe Harry had this problem, but I bet some of your past listing have.
Access shall be provided to living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms without passing through a bedroom, except in a housing unit with only one bedroom. Hey, if you have to go through it to get to a kitchen or other bedroom, it ain't a bedroom so don't list it as one.
Bathroom walls, toilet room walls and bedroom walls shall have no holes or excessive cracks. You thought those holes and cracks were cosmetic, didn't you. Surprise they aren't. What about that opening overlooking the den below?
Doors shall be provided at all doorways leading to bedrooms, toilet rooms and bathrooms and at all rooms adjoining public spaces. That open loft space is not a bedroom.
12 square feet of closet space should be provided with each living unit for the first bedroom plus six square feet for each additional bedroom. The space provided should be, if possible, divided into separate closets serving each bedroom and having one closet located as to open directly off a hall or living or dining area. None of the minimum clothes closet space should be located within the kitchen. Where separate closets for each existing bedroom are not possible, a closet elsewhere within the living unit shall be acceptable only if the minimum clothes closet space for the dwelling unit is provided and the closet in question is reasonably accessible to the bedroom. Clothes closets should have a shelf and rod. Within each living unit, total shelf area or built-in drawer space of a least eight square feet should be provided for linens, This space should be increased two square feet for each additional bedroom. Did you know that linen areas and coat closets were REQUIRED and not just something most women insist on?
Window areas in each habitable room shall be at least ten square feet and shall face directly to the outside Openable window area in each habitable room shall be at least one-half of the minimum window area, weathertight, no broken glass and have adequate locks and hardware. (I understand that the state requirement is now 8' and that the city will accept that even though the city code is more stringent. There is much more about windows which face walls, but your would be bored it I got into all of that.) Harry failed this one hands down. What about the sizes of the windows in the other two "bedrooms"? Does 2.5 x 3 equal 8? How about 10? Maybe where you learned math.

So much for the minimum housing standards. Be aware that the standards are different in different municipalities, but not usually less than the state requirements, and I think there is something happening now requiring all standards to meet state minimums. Now lets take a look at the current building code for North Carolina which effects new construction and any home constructed during its effective period. Note that this has and will change over time. A new code went into effect January 1st. Both the last code and new code can be used for this year and I am using the old code because I don't yet have a copy of the new one. There should not be much difference on this issue. Again I am abbreviating and attempting to maintain the intent. Note that the building code for new construction is more strict and more detailed than the minimum housing standards.

Now this is a WINDOW!

All habitable rooms shall be provided with aggregate glazing area of not less than 8 percent of the total floor area of such rooms. One-half of the required area of glazing shall be openable. (Example a 10' x 10' room requires 8 square feet) There are exceptions to this openable and glazed area requirement related to mechanical ventilation and artificial light which gets complicated and I am not going into it here. Suffice it to say that you can have a bedroom which does not have to meet this specified glazed area and openable area requirement, but it must meet the egress requirement which will be addressed later.)
Floor area cannot be less than 70 square feet and must be 7 feet wide in one direction. Ceiling heights must be 7' -6" for at least 50% of the required area, not more than 50% may have a sloped ceiling of less than 7'-6" high with no portion less than 5' high. There are some complicated exceptions to this which I will not get into here.
Openings (windows/doors) from a private garage directly into a room used for sleeping is not permitted.
Every sleeping room must have at least one openable window or exterior door approved for emergency egress or rescue, operable from the inside without a key or tool. If a window the sill height can't be more than 44" above the floor with a clear opening of 4 square feet with a minimum opening height of 22" and width of 20", total glass area of 5 square feet if a ground window and 5.7 square feet at a second story. Bars, grills, screens or other obstructions must be removable from the inside without the use of a key or tool.

Jackie Kennedy's bedroom 1962

Harry's bedroom failed miserably, and the bonus room and my 5th bedroom have problems as well. What about yours? Think you should be a little more careful writing up your next listing? Do you think I should sue the Realtor who had my house listed? Remember these simple issues:

WIDTH, HEIGHT AND TOTAL AREA / CLOSET / EGRESS / RESCUE / VENTILATION / GLAZED AREA

To the person who asked: You are correct, there must be a window or door in the bedroom in question, but that is not all and its not just about the "extra bedroom." Just because the current owner has a bed in it doesn't make it a bedroom. Be careful what you write up and what you lead your clients to believe.

Where Does The Poopie Go?

2010-11-13T08:50:00.002-05:00

At Pam’s (my bride) request this is a rewrite from my March 5, 2005 Newsletter. This was another of my most popular articles. It's a little long. Not only is this subject nasty, it is confusing, complex and not handled properly potentially deadly. Wally will attempt to simplify it for us.

Hello, Wally Raindrop here. Hope you haven't forgotten me (Don't remember? Click on "Wally Raindrop" in the upper right corner of this page).

In case you haven't figured it out yet, old man Hilton doesn't control me, I write what I feel like when I feel like it. You can be assured that poopie is not something I care to discuss with you. I am sure you have no interest in reading about such a nasty subject. Can you think of anything worse than falling from the sky and landing in a pile of dog poop? It is not a pleasant experience.

Then there are cats, horses, deer, rabbits and oh, shall I tell you about the grizzly bear? I about forgot about the Sasquatch, man was that ugly. You thought people poop was bad. Have you ever considered just how much poopie there is in this world? I prefer to be clean enough for you to consume and I don't think you want anything to do with me following those adventures.

Hilton has five children, six grandchildren. One is two years old at that age when poopie is a daily subject for everyone in hearing range including me whether I care to hear or not. Then the subject arose; Grandad, where does the poopie go?

When Hilton's son-in-law was being potty trained his parents told him when they flushed the poppie was going to grandma Goldie in New York. Sounds like a good place for poopie to me. I have been to New York, there is lots of poopie there. But, since September 11th I have tried to not be so critical about the place. We all have our problems theirs are just more populous. I understand psychologically it is very important not to upset the child about this issue. Where the poopie goes is a very upsetting issue. This is an important event concerning something they made. Where it is going is very important to your child. You may not think much of it, but if the poopie doesn't reach its intended destination you will think its important as well so pay attention.

Being the very clean technical guy that he is, do you think Hilton is going to do the research on this subject? No way man, who do you think gets this smelly little assignment? Well, since he is a grandfather six times, I thought I would be nice and agree to the assignment. Boy did I ever screw up. First he picks me up, throws me in the toilet and flushes. As if that wasn't enough, because that toilet was on a public sewer, he takes me out to the county, throws me in another toilet and flushes. Said he wants us to have a complete experience. I think I will look for another place to live. Hiltons computer is beginning to stink.

I can still see the light as I go round and round, water is everywhere. Darkness, wet, dirty, it stinks down here. Ops, going back the same way, the water is getting higher, light again as I hit the basement floor. Looking up the pipe is slopping the wrong direction and leaking. Poopie does not run up hill. If your poopie goes into a public sewer system count yourself lucky. You only must get the poopie off of your site and the public utility handles the rest. You don't need to concern yourself with it. The main concerns you have are that the pipes don't leak, run down hill and if your lowest fixture is lower than the sewer man hole nearest your home you better have a backflow valve on your poopie line or everyone else's poopie may end up in your floor. Now that can be a smelly mess. It's also a good idea to pay your water bill which usually includes the sewer bill otherwise your poopie will not leave the house and it can get really smelly. Realtors know what that's like, don't you?

Not lucky, don't have a connection to public sewer? You must be much more concerned about where your poopie goes because it probably does not leave your yard and you are now responsible for it forever. Go with me on my little adventure as we go round and round again out of the light through the pipe, its just like the slide at the water park (you had better hold your nose) except at the end we fall into a tank with all of the poopie from the past along with water and soap from the washing machine and dishwasher and last nights leftovers from the garbage disposal. Oh, there is the scuba diver and fish baby flushed down the toilet before us. At least we will not be lonely here.

On the left "Septic Tank" that is where we are now. Did you know if you don't have public water and drink water from a well on your property that the water you flush ends up coming back to the pump in your well? Isn't that a pleasant thought? Don't be upset, when you flush on a public sewer system that water goes into a river and is then pumped out by the town down stream for their water supply. Who is up river from you? Do you begin to grasp the importance of your sewer system? Improper maintenance can make you very sick and even lead to the death of your family, friends and neighbors.

A well designed, installed, and maintained septic system can provide years of reliable low-cost service. When these systems fail to operate effectively, property damage, ground and surface water pollution, and disease outbreaks can occur. Therefore, it makes good sense to understand and care for your septic tank system.

There are many different types of septic tank systems that can fit a wide range of soil and site conditions. The following information will help you to understand a simple type of septic system, and keep it operating safely at the lowest possible cost.

A "conventional" septic tank system has three working parts:

The septic tank.
The drainfield with its replacement area.
The surrounding soil.

Note that some systems may have a sand filter as shown on this drawing but such is unusual in our area. Some systems if the drainfield is higher than the tank may have a pump as shown here.

The Septic Tank

We came in the "Inlet From House" above. The typical septic tank is a large buried rectangular or cylindrical container made of concrete, fiberglass, or polyethylene. Wastewater from your toilet, bath, kitchen, laundry, waste disposal, etc. flows into the tank the same way we arrived. Heavy solids settle to the bottom (thank God Wally Raindrop is not a heavy solid and stays at the top) where bacterial action partially decomposes them to digested sludge and gases. Most of the lighter solids, such as fats and grease, rise to the top and form a scum layer. That's where old Wally is now in the "Scum Layer". I would like to drag the old scum bag that flushed me here down to join us.

Septic tanks may have one or two compartments. Two compartment tanks do a better job of settling solids and are required for new systems. Tees or baffles are provided at the tank's inlet and outlet pipes. The inlet tee slows the incoming wastes and reduces disturbance of the settled sludge. The outlet tee keeps the solids or scum in the tank. All tanks should have accessible covers for checking the condition of the baffles and for pumping both compartments. If risers extend from the tank to or above the ground surface, they should be secure to prevent accidental entry into the tank.

Solids that are not decomposed remain in the septic tank where old Wally has absolutely no intention of overstaying his welcome. If not removed by periodic pumping, solids will accumulate until they eventually overflow into the drainfield. Most septic tanks need to be pumped every 3 to 5 years, depending on the tank size, and the amount and type of solids entering the tank.

Early Waring Levels Inside Your Septic Tank

The septic tank should be pumped whenever:

The bottom of the scum layer is within 3 inches of the bottom of the outlet tee or baffle, or the top of the sludge layer is within 12 inches of the bottom of the outlet fitting.

Many products on the market, such as solvents, yeast, bacteria, and enzymes claim to improve septic tank performance, or reduce the need for routine pumping. None have been found to be of benefit. Some can cause solids to carry over to the drainfield, which results in early soil clogging and the need for a new drainfield. Products containing organic solvents contribute to groundwater pollution.

The wastewater leaving the septic tank is a liquid called effluent. It has been partially treated but still contains disease-causing bacteria and other pollutants. Discharging effluent onto the ground's surface or into surface and ground water is against North Carolina State law.

The Drainfield

Finally we have made it through that nasty septic tank and into the drainfield. The drainfield receives septic tank effluent. That's what we have become. It has a network of perforated pipes laid in gravel-filled trenches (2-3 feet wide), or beds (over 3 feet wide) in the soil. Wastewater trickles out of the pipes, through the gravel layer, and into the soil. The size and type of drainfield depends on the estimated daily wastewater flow and soil conditions.

Every new drainfield is required to have a designated replacement area. It must be maintained should the existing system need an addition or repair.

Soil

Through the drain field and out into the soil. Oh what a wonderful place. There is a worm, roots, pebbles, rocks and rich dirt. This is much nicer than that nasty septic tank and the drainfield wasn't much better. The gravel and soil acts as a filter to remove any small amounts of solids that may be carried along with the liquid. The drainfield treats the wastewater by allowing it to slowly trickle from the pipes out into the gravel and down through the soil. The gravel and soil act as biological filters. The longer distance we soak through the soil the cleaner we become until finally we reach ground water. Lets swim over to the well, into the pump, through the pipe into the holding tank through another pipe and if we take the right turn out the kitchen sink faucet and freedom. Be careful now and stay out of that drain or we will take that stinky nasty journey again. Relief a glass, Oh is that lips I see, we are in for trouble if we don't get out of this glass. Have you ever visited a stomach? And you thought septic tanks were a bad place.

System Failure

NASTY!!!

Warning signs of a failure:|

Odors, surfacing sewage, wet spots or lush vegetation growth in the drainfield area
Plumbing or septic tank backups
Slow draining fixtures
Gurgling sounds in the plumbing system

If you notice any of these signs or if you suspect your septic tank system may be having problems - contact your local health department for assistance.

Caring For Your System - The Ten Essentials

Practice water conservation. The more wastewater you produce, the more the soil must treat and dispose. By reducing and balancing your use, you can extend the life of the drainfield, decrease the possibility of system failure, and avoid costly repairs.

To reduce your water use:
- Use water-saving devices.
- Repair leaky faucets and plumbing fixtures.
- Reduce toilet reservoir volume or flow.
- Take shorter showers.
- Take baths with a partially-filled tub.
- Wash only full loads of dishes and laundry.
Keep accurate records. Know where your septic tank system is and keep a diagram of its location. Records of its size and location may be available at your local health department. It is also wise to keep a record of maintenance on the system. These records will be helpful if problems occur, and will be valuable to the next owner of your home.
Inspect your system once each year. You may want to leave this to a professional it is a nasty job. Check the sludge and scum levels inside your septic tank to assure that the layers of solids are not within the early warning levels. The tank also should be checked to see if the baffles or tees are in good condition. Periodically inspect the drainfield and downslope areas for odors, wet spots, or surfacing sewage. If your drainfield has inspection pipes, check them to see if there is a liquid level continually over 6 inches. This may be an early indication of a problem.
Pump out your septic tank when needed. Don't wait until you have a problem. Routine pumping can prevent failures, such as clogging of the drainfield and sewage back-up into the home. Using a garbage disposal will increase the amount of solids entering the septic tank and require more frequent pumping.
Never flush harmful materials into the septic tank. Grease, cooking fats, newspaper, paper towels, rags, coffee grounds, sanitary napkins, and cigarettes cannot easily decompose in the tank. Chemicals such as solvents, oils, paint and pesticides are harmful to the system's proper operation and may pollute the groundwater. Septic tank additives do not improve the performance of the septic tank, nor do they reduce the need for pumping.
Keep all runoff away from your system. Water from surfaces such as roofs, driveways, or patios should be diverted away from the septic tank and drainfield area. Soil over your system should be slightly mounded to help surface water runoff.
Protect your system from damage. Keep traffic such as vehicles, heavy equipment, or livestock off your drainfield or replacement area. The pressure can compact the soil or damage pipes. Before you plant a garden, construct a building, or install a pool, check on the location of your system and replacement area.
Landscape your system properly. Don't place impermeable materials over your drainfield or replacement area. Materials, such as concrete or plastic, reduce evaporation and the supply of oxygen to the soil for proper effluent treatment. They also can hinder getting to the system for pumping, inspection, or repair. Grass is the best cover for your system.
Never enter any septic tank. Poisonous gases or the lack of oxygen can be fatal. Any work to the tank should be done from the outside preferable by an experienced professional.
Check with your local health department for help with system problems. Although some malfunctions may require complete drainfield replacement, many problems can be corrected with a minimum amount of cost and effort.

How does the location of my septic system affect my water supply?

To avoid problems such as recycling untreated wastewater, location should be the first consideration when installing a septic system. A septic system usually requires a specific amount of land based on the soil characteristics and should be at least 100 feet from any wells or water supplies. There must be adequate room to install a new drainfield should the original drainfield fail. The ability of the soil surrounding the drainfield to absorb and treat the effluent is an important concern in regard to water quality. Signs of soil problems or site limitations that could affect the septic system include gullies, ravines, excessively steep slopes, or other land characteristics that would make installation difficult. The system should not be installed in land that is wet or swampy, designated wetlands, or land near streams or rivers that could flood. It has also been found that septic systems constructed where the water table is too shallow do not provide effective treatment in the drainfield.

Often the most suitable soil for a septic system is on the highest ground on the site. Under ideal conditions, however, the septic system should be located lower than your well, but good soil is most important. Also, the deeper your well, the less likely it is to draw in sewage effluent.

What are the rules and regulations governing septic systems?

North Carolina State law requires a comprehensive soil and site evaluation by your local health department to determine the suitability of your soil and land site. Before construction begins on your home or septic system, you must receive an improvement permit from the health department. Permits for septic systems are valid for no more than five years. Beginning in July 1992, state regulations require a septic system maintenance contract between homeowners and management organizations for certain types of alternative septic systems.

The size of the septic system that you install is legally determined by the number of bedrooms in your home and the type of soils at the site. Once installation is complete, the system must be approved by the health department before electrical service can be permanently connected to your home.

What are the alternative types of septic systems?

The conventional septic system is the most widely used and least expensive. Alternative types of septic systems include low-pressure pipe systems, fill systems and aerobic treatment units. These cost a great deal more to install than a conventional system, and the low-pressure system needs to be inspected every 6 months. The aerobic treatment unit must be inspected 4 times a year.

Other possible options for on-site wastewater disposal include cluster systems, sand filters, mound systems, and spray irrigation systems.

What interest do banks and mortgage companies have in my water and septic systems?

Some banks or lenders require that the prospective buyer or seller furnish proof of a bacteria-free water supply before they will issue a mortgage. Also, some will not issue a mortgage for homes with a failing septic system. Thus, it pays to be concerned about your water from well to wash to waste. Here we are back in the clean world. The next time old man Hilton or his stinky little grandchildren have poopie ideas you will find me running for the hills.

Bye, see you next time!

Some folks poppie is other folks gold
Ever paid a plumber or had your septic tank pumped?
On the side of septic tank pump trucks
Sweet Thing / Honey Bee / Liquid Gold

The Samuel J. McElroy House

2010-11-10T20:00:00.003-05:00

I love inspecting old and historic properties. Enjoyable, due to my affiliation with the Historic Building Inspectors Association, and my background dealing with properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Every now and then, I have the privilege of inspecting historic or very old properties. When this occurs, I have decided to share my pleasure with you. Such was the case this week as I inspected the National Register Listed "Samuel J. McElroy House" located at 10915 Beatties Ford Road in Huntersville NC.

Realtor's Description:

EQUESTRIAN'S DELIGHT...! Completely restored 19th century home, brought into the 21st century for a special owner who wants an old home with today's amenities. Historic house on National & Mecklenburg County register ... only minutes from uptown Charlotte and lovely Lake Norman...! An additional 10 acres available for sale that abuts the Latta Plantation which has 400+acres of horse trails. The house has been restored, den addition in 2005, great master suite with new bath and fireplace. This unique home also features 8 fireplaces, extensive gardens, in-ground swimming pool, 8 stall barn, smoke-house, 20' X 40' pool, Victorian greenhouse .... Truly one of the most interesting historic homes in the area as featured in Charlotte Magazine.

Architectural Description:

The Samuel J. McElroy House is among the finest and most intact of a collection of vernacular Victorian, two-story, T-shaped farmhouses to appear in Mecklenburg County (including five along Beatties Ford Road) after the Civil War. The house is situated in a rural setting just north of the historic Hopewell Presbyterian Church and the ca. 1800 Latta Plantation. An operating farm stands to the southeast of the property and an open field is located northeast across the road. The dwelling's asymmetrical form stands in contrast to the typically balanced facades of I-houses, which predominated in rural Mecklenburg during the 19th century. Built in the late 1880s, the McElroy House is a picturesque mix of vernacular Victorian influences. Although the original weatherboards were covered with aluminum siding about 1980, (now removed) the exterior retains much of its original decorative woodwork, including the late Victorian sawnwork on the front porch.

The house's gable-front section features a front-facing bay window on the first floor and a sash window with six panes in each sash on the gable-front facade of the second story. Original sash windows with six-over-six panes survive throughout the residence. The two-bay, one-room-deep, side-gable portion features the largely intact front porch. This porch includes pairs of slender wooden, chamfered supports with decorative sawn brackets. These posts are connected by a sawnwork balustrade.

The main entrance, positioned at the corner of the two sections of the house and leading into the central hall, features a crossetted surround and double doors with four panels in each. The paired screen doors are highlighted by ornate jig-sawed woodwork. The rear of the house includes a one-story bedroom wing on the north side that is probably original. Its original gable roof replaced by a shed roof in the early 1980s. At the south end of the rear facade is a one-story kitchen wing topped by a gable roof that extends to incorporate an original smokehouse. The two units are separated by a narrow breezeway. This configuration is unique in Mecklenburg County.

An engaged porch extends along the north and south elevations of the attached smokehouse and originally covered now partially remodeled south-elevation of the kitchen. A presumably original back porch with chamfered, supports and foundation of stone piers wraps around the rear of the smokehouse. The porch's irregularly-shaped low-pitched roof is a later modification, and the porch has been partially rebuilt, with several of the original posts replaced with square wood supports, and a simple wood railing erected. All of the roofs on the McElroy House are covered with standing-seam metal sheathing.The interior of the main body of the house is essentially intact.

The interior follows a central-hall plan, with a parlor on the northwest side (side-gable portion) and a living room and dining room on the southeast side (gable-front portion). The dining room leads into the kitchen wing, which has been remodelled and enlarged to include a section of the engaged porch on the northwest side. The original bedroom wing on the north side of the rear elevation has been remodelled as a family room and now also incorporates a portion of this porch. However, in the main T-shaped block of the McElroy House original vernacular Victorian elements survive intact. The central hall features an open-string stair ascending in two runs from the main entrance to three bedrooms in the second floor. The stairway has turned balusters anchored by a sturdy turned newel.

Original mantels, four-panel doors, and delicately moulded door surrounds survive throughout the interior of the main block. The mantel in the south front room--the living room--is particularly elaborate. The frieze has a curvilinear motif with raised curved panels, and three heavy wooden corbels supporting the shelf. The pilasters also have raised panels topped by moulded caps. Flanking this mantel are two original closets with doors having two vertical panels, a lingering vernacular Greek Revival trait. The other mantels--in the parlor, dining room, and three upstairs bedrooms--are simpler, but all reflect the vernacular Victorian style exemplified by the living room mantel. The original ceiling in the living room is covered by a modern rough-finished plaster coating; but all of the other rooms in the main bock of the house have original board-and-batten ceilings. The walls of the house have original plaster, and original hardware, porcelain door knobs, and wood flooring survive throughout.

The McElroy yard, shaded by mature oak trees, comprises a mix of historical and modern elements. The remains of a fieldstone chimney (perhaps once a summer kitchen, but more research is needed to confirm its original function) stands behind the house to the south. It is not classified in this nomination as either contributing or noncontributing. Other contributing and non-contributing resources are listed below:

Tack House Contributing ca. 1885:

This frame gable-front building stands on granite slabs. It was built to store bridles, harnesses, and saddlery for horses and mules. Measures about eight by twelve feet. Present wood-shingled roof put on in 1988.

The Samuel J. McElroy House is architecturally significant under Criterion C as an outstanding example of the T-shaped, two-story, vernacular Victorian farmhouses that were built in the county after the Civil War. Erected in the 1880s for Samuel J. McElroy, a farmer, the dwelling features one of the more ornate post-Civil War front porches remaining in rural Mecklenburg. The interior, though not exceptionally decorative, retains mantels with curviliner friezes and raised decorative panels, a turned-post staircase, board-and-batten ceilings, and intact doors and simply moulded door surrounds that exemplify the interior finishes of middle-class farmhouses across the county in the late 19th century. The house's asymmetrical form reflects the emerging preference among well-to-do farmers in the area for up-to-date picturesque domestic architecture, over the more conservative I-house. Yet, the basic design remains restrained both inside and out compared to the picturesque styles appearing in Charlotte and other substantial North Carolina cities in this period. The focus of stylistic attention is placed on the front porch and bay window. The attached smokehouse, which is unique in Mecklenburg County, reflects McElroy's concern for function as well as style in the overall design of his farmhouse. The tack house, which is the only surviving free-standing farm outbuilding on the tract, contributes to the architectural significance of the McElroy property.

Historical Essay:

The Samuel J. McElroy House was built sometime after November, 1883, when Samuel Jefferson McElroy (1840-1927) purchased a ninety-one acre parcel on what is now Beatties Ford Road.

McElroy was descended from Scotch-Irish ancestry who came to America in 1729 and settled in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Sometime later they moved on to Virginia, then to Kentucky. One of the descendents, Samuel Jefferson McElroy, Sr., moved to Waihaw in Union County, N.C., where he was engaged in mining and farming. One of his sons, Samuel Jefferson McElroy, Jr., moved to Mecklenburg County as a young man (he appears as a resident of the county in I860).

A volunteer during the Civil War, McElroy was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg, where he lost a finger, and was taken prisoner. After the war, on January 16, 1866, he married Margaret Janet Sample (1846-1928) of Hopewell, who was a great-grandaughter of Richard Barry, Sr., a signer of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. They started their married life on the Dr. George Dunlap farm near Hopewell Presbyterian Church, which was part of her father's estate. Samuel and Margaret McElroy had eight children: William Edward; Henry Lynn; John Grier; Carrie Jane (Mrs. John Underwood); Flora May (Mrs. William E. Luckey); Una Dunbar (Mrs. Frank Patterson); Margaret Eugenia; and Martha Ellen. All were active members of Hopewell Presbyterian Church. John Grier McElroy (1878-1958) became an elder of the church in 1907. He also inherited the homestead from his father in 1928, where he lived and farmed.

Just a few months before his death in 1958, John Grier McElroy sold off fifty acres of the ninety-three he had inherited from his father, and his children, John Grier Jr., Robert Sidney and Samuel Jefferson divided the remainder into three 5-l/2-acre lots. The S. J. McElroy House was acquired by John Grier McElroy, Jr. in the division.

In 1976, J. G. McElroy, Jr. sold a 1.88-acre parcel fronting on Beanies Ford Road that contains the house to Donald C. and Timola B. Moore, who in turn sold it to the present owners, Thomas M. and Mildred D. Snyder, in 1982.

Baby Jonah - Update

2010-11-06T09:02:00.001-04:00

Many of my blog readers followed the story of my great nephew Jonah born with Epidermolysis Bullosa. Articles I wrote about him in 2009 are still some of the top postings read on this blog. I thought that you might enjoy an update. The ideal update has become available with a series of videos made by Brenner Children's Hospital of Jonah's mother telling their story. Get a BIG box of Kleenex and click on this link: http://www.brennerchildrens.org/video/patient/jonah/

You will find access to my past posting on this subject under "Topics" on the right side of this blog.

Visit Jonah's mothers blog at: http://patriceandmattwilliams.blogspot.com/

Little House on the Hill

2010-11-02T15:13:00.001-04:00

Now and then I am invited to inspect a home and on arrival wish I had found it first. This is one of those houses located North West of Mount Airy. Cedar sided home with rock foundation and chimney situated on two acres sitting on top of a hill in the middle of a former dairy farm. Great-room with two story vaulted ceiling and stone fireplace. Two bedrooms down and master up. The Little House on the Hill.

View of house from bottom of driveway

Front of house

View from front porch

View from front yard

Sorry, I didn't make photos appropriate to show here of the interior, trust me it was just a good! This is one lucky home buyer!

Reference Library

2010-10-19T14:00:00.004-04:00

Every wish you had access to a reference library of home inspection issues? Through my relationship with Horizon - A Carson Dunlop Company I am able to offer you access to:

(Order your copy by clicking on the book)

Click on the topic to access that information.

Roofing, Flashing and Chimneys

Exterior

Structure

Electrical

Heating

Cooling

Insulation

Plumbing

Interior

A Builders Opnion

2010-10-16T14:20:00.012-04:00

You do know that builders do not like home inspectors, right? Check out what a builder said about me:

“The quality of a home or building inspection is determined by the experience of the inspector. Chris' vast experience as a general contractor and as a inspector make him one of the most knowledgeable inspectors around. I highly recommend Chris as an inspector both for his hands on knowledge of correct construction techniques as well as his experience inspecting multitudes of homes and buildings."

Find that difficult to fathom? See it here

Garage/Party Room

2010-10-16T14:11:00.006-04:00

Do you have a double carport and need a double garage and a party room. Try out this ingenious idea. Add a garage door and WINDOWS. Problem solved - Former Double Carport = Double Garage/Party Room. Yes, you may click on the photo to enlarge!

Mountains or Mole Hills

2010-10-02T10:33:00.047-04:00

NOTE PHOTO OF EXPERT HOME INSPECTOR

This article is significantly edited (if you can believe it) from my May 3, 2003 Newsletter. This was one of my most popular articles.

Have you heard this? “I don’t care for that inspector; he tends to make mountains out of mole hills.” Why do you think that is said? A Home Inspector tends to view a home with an attempt toward x-ray vision determining issues which may not be readily evident. Here are Two examples of hidden damage difficult to discern from visible evidence:

Leaking Window?

A good example of this came up while inspecting, what the Realtor referred to as, “such a happy home.” A repair contractor was replacing wood flooring below a window. To the “happy home” listing agent, end of issue, mole hill resolved. I asked, what had caused the problem and where was the material he removed? He stated that water had come through the window; he had re-caulked it and disposed of the damaged wood.

Walking outside I observed no overhang on the roof and gutters hung directly to the exterior wall. Had he been on the roof? No. I observed, from the crawl space, that the floor repair was extensive. Climbing on the roof I found the mountain. A leaf guard had been installed on the gutter incorrectly sloping toward the house. Water, for an extended period, had been running behind the gutter down through the wall around the window to the crawl space below severely damaging the floor system. How much damage was hidden at the roof below the shingles and inside of the exterior wall?

Unfortunately, this was only one of numerous unhappy home issues causing the buyers mother to frown throughout the inspection, an unhappy buyer, and ultimately unhappy Realtors. With a new Realtor aboard I inspected the next, far more “Happy Home” as was clearly evidenced by the mother's beautiful smile. Now that I recall, after seven years, that first Realtor has never called again. Must be because she cares so much for her clients.

The Thing in the Closet

This had nothing to do with a home inspection. My experience with “The Thing” began with an e-mail from a Realtor, whom I had never met, stating:

Dear Chris: I am calling on you for some professional services for myself. I need to have a mold test conducted. Please contact me at: --- Look forward to hearing from you.

Maybe this Realtor was having visions of a mountain in her own home. Unfortunately, the mountain she envisioned was not the same I envisioned. I responded that I do not perform mold tests, due to their being no official protocol established. Being a Home Inspector, who just loves making mountains out of mole hills, I asked her for additional details.

Our home is 2 ½ years old. About Christmas time, we noticed a white tubular plant with some type of leaves growing in our foyer coat closet. It came up between the floor and the baseboard. I am sending you some pictures of the plant & it's location in my home. We have not bothered the plant at all. It is exactly where it has always been. The floor & lower wall have both a dusty white & black substance--didn't touch the plant. The floor is hardwood--underneath, I am not sure. The 2 closets are on each side of the front door & the whole area is "bumped out" -- see exterior picture. Closet is on an outside wall. Grade is close -- see pictures--not sure if this goes all the way down to the basement. This house is only 2 1/2 years old & we never saw this before Christmas. Could have been growing the whole 2 years up from the ground. We have called the builder & he has not yet called us back. Look forward to hearing from you.

Among the pictures she sent was this intriguing picture at the right, which definitely garnered my interest (Click on it for a larger version):

I believe most “Happy Home” Realtors, had this not been in their own home, would have jerked up the little plant, threw it in the backyard cleaned up the floor and walked away. Mole hill solved. Not me, I like mountains. Later I found out that the husband and daughter had contracted a rash which a dermatologist decided came from “The Thing.”

My e-mail response:

Dad and I have been doing a little research into your little plant. I actually have seen pictures of this type growth before, have personally seen it in forests and in old unoccupied rotting homes, but have not encountered one in an occupied home other than in damp crawl spaces. Based on the information I have so far, it appears that it is what I call a flowering fungus. What appears as flowers is actually know as fruit. It prefers to grow on damp wood in dark damp places. The dust on the floor is spores it produces in its attempt to populate your home. This type of fungus is usually found growing on rotted wood in damp areas. It is not unusual to find these in homes, but it is unusual to find one growing in an occupied area of a home without damp rotting wood. What I am concerned about with yours is not particularly the fact that it exists or how it got there, but where it is getting its needed moisture from which could be an indication of a problem, which may need to be addressed. I am interested in coming to look at it closer.

With visions of a mountain, I conducted an inspection of the subject property limited to issues related to the growth of what appeared to be a fungus in the left front foyer coat closet. (Click on photo for a larger version):

Warping and dampness was noted in the wood floor adjacent to the growth. The moisture readings of the wood flooring, in the area of the warping and dampness, peaked out a moisture meter indicating the wood flooring to be extremely wet. The homeowners were so enamored by the growth that they had not even noticed that the wood flooring was wet and warped. What is the old saying “Can’t see the forest for the trees.” It is generally accepted that this type of fungus must have moisture to survive and grow. Therefore, its very presence is indicative of a moisture problem, which needs attention. Visions of a mountain were traipsing through my head.

Without destructive inspection it was impossible to determine positively what was causing the moisture problem. Based on experience and training it was possible to conjecture what may be causing the problem, which has resulted in the wet warped wood flooring and fungus growth.

My original article goes into great detail about my findings conjectures and recommendations. I will save you suffering through the details by simply stating that I instructed her to have the wet areas ripped out and not to stop until the cause of the moisture was found and repaired in both closets, even though the other closet had no evidence of an issue.

It is very difficult to determine the exact cause of the very evident moisture problem without the use of destructive investigation, which is beyond the scope of a home inspection. This type of inspection is best to be performed by a reputable repair contractor as part of the repair process.

Showing his responsibility, but making it very clear that he didn’t think it was a big deal, the builder agreed to remove the wood flooring. It was clear that was all he intended to do and that he was going to dry out the sub flooring and replace the finished flooring. Fortunately, the homeowner observed the process, how very wet and rotten the sub flooring was, and demanded that it be removed to observe what was underneath, as I had recommended. To their surprise the flooring band below this floor and supporting the two story exterior wall was dripping wet and so rotten that it could be ripped apart and removed with bare hands (click on the picture at the right for an enlarged version). The floor in the second closet to the opposite side of the front door was removed, although there was not evidence of an issue, and the same condition was discovered below that floor. Maybe I do have x-ray vision. Immediately attitudes changed and the homeowner and builder began to treat me differently. Disdain began to change to trust and respect as the contractor ripped out, repaired the damage and installed foundation vents.

What was the cause? Below these closets was a closed un-vented masonry cavity extending from the first floor to below the basement floor probably ten feet deep (click on the picture at the right for an enlarged version). The chimney effect of this shaft was drawing the moisture out the ground below and depositing it on the wood floor system destroying it in the process. Remember, this is a 2 ½ year old home!

What about “The Thing?” Not being a fungus expert, I did an Internet search and made contact with Professor Tom Volk of the University of Wisconsin La Crosse Department of Botany. Here is his response (click on the links, you will not regret it!):

Hi Chris, Greetings from Wisconsin. Thanks for the interesting article. It is interesting to see that fungus indoors. I can give you further information on it. It appears to be a Pleurotus species, commonly known as Oyster Mushrooms.
See: http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/oct98.html
They are a delicious edible mushroom. However they are well known for their prolific white rot of wood. There are very few health problems associated with it, although some workers in farms where these are grown become allergic to the spores after constantly being exposed to them for several months. However I don't think that could happen in this case because there would not be enough spores. Hope this helps. ---Tom

My conclusion, following contact with the expert? Wood-eating monster from outer space which causes severe incurable rash in humans. I recommend leaving the premises, burning it to the ground to stop the spread of its spoors. Remember, I must make mountains out of mole hills I am a Home Inspector. Don’t you hope I am available when this dastardly little creature attacks your new home? You would think, after doing all of this without charge, that this Realtor would be calling me constantly for her inspections? Not, I don't think that I have heard from her again in the seven years since this happened. Such is the lonely life of a Home Inspector. The better the job the less the Realtors will call.

Social Networking

2010-09-26T00:00:00.023-04:00

OK, they (I am not sure who they are) tell me that I must improve my social networking skills. Here goes, you can now check me out at these social sites (click on logos):

You can learn all about my business background and establish business connections at Linkedin.

Check out home inspection happenings, ideas, recommendations and see photos of my inspections on Facebook.

Yes, I will now be tweeting as "The Yard Dog" on twitter about home inspection happenings, where I am, what I am doing, neat quotes from my reading (I read a great deal) and the things I learn in my sixty year search for wisdom.

What a client thinks

2010-09-18T10:26:00.009-04:00

Unsolicited comment from a recent client:

"Thanks so much Chris, you have been the only cog in this process thus far that has demonstrated exceptional customer service and professionalism!"

Now, that made my day!

New EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Certification

2010-02-17T19:50:00.003-05:00

Do you live in, own, deal with the sale of, or intend to perform work (such as repairs following pre-purchase inspections) in any home constructed prior to 1978? Surprise, this new certification requirement will now affect you!

Beginning in April 2010, federal law requires that contractors performing renovation, repair and painting that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 be certified and they must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. The recommended actions and practices aren’t new; they began on April 22, 2008. However, the certification requirement, enforcement of recommendations becoming requirements and fines is a very different scenario.

What is at risk? First and foremost is the safety of the children spending time in these homes or buildings. It doesn’t end there. There are new liability issues related to landlords, contractors and Realtors who may be involved with repairs especially if they fail to use EPA certified contractors. If you live in or are involved in any capacity with a home built before 1978, for your welfare and the occupant’s safety, make sure your contractor is properly trained and certified in accordance with the new EPA regulations and uses lead-safe work practices during renovation or they are subject to fines of up to $37,500.00 per violation per day of noncompliance. Put simply, demand to see and be given a copy of your contractor’s certification and the EPA “lead hazard information pamphlet” (click on the photo below). Verify for yourself that all contractors are following proper protective procedures.

For additional information visit EPA’s website at:

http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm

The Perfect Storm Brewing

2010-02-06T13:50:00.003-05:00

Some storms are bad but, some are good. I think that a good storm is brewing all around us! I am not alone in my thought! All of the conditions are coming together for this storm to occur and there is only one factor preventing it from hitting us full force. Here are the factors which are leading to a perfect storm in Real Estate sales:

Pent-up demand
High inventory
Low prices
Motivated sellers
Low interest rates
Incentives from government and other sources

What is the one thing preventing this storm from occurring? It is lack of buyer confidence. When this one factor changes, Katie bar the door!

Have you noticed the little blond giving Real Estate advice on the NBC Today Show? Maybe you have seen her on the program Shark Tank. At first I wasn’t very comfortable with what she had to say because she appeared attune to a single market “New York City” rather than the Nation as a whole. Are you aware who this tiny lady is? Maybe we should pay attention!

Being old sometimes has its privileges such as receiving the AARP magazine. A recent article about “Real-Estate Seer” Barbara Corcoran by Laurie Wiegler was titled:

A Tycoon’s Tips

BUY NOW! That’s the hot advice of respected housing expert Barbara Corcoran, who says she’s never seen a better time to purchase a home. “Typically when real-estate prices are low, interest rates are high. This is the first time I’ve seen cheap money and cheap prices simultaneously. This is the good old days we’ve dreamt about.”

Corcoran has a knack for timing. Having parlayed a $1,000 loan into a high-end New York City real-estate firm she started, The Corcoran Group, she sold the company for $66 million in 2001, before the market cratered.

Now, as an investor on ABC’s Shark Tank, Corcoran encourages buyers to jump at the abundance of good deals, “It’s a perfect time to snatch a bargain or to upgrade,” she says. And when does she think the market will rebound? “Real estate is slow to unwind but fast to recover. I suspect we’ll make up for most of the loss of the last four years within the next 18 months.”

I like this tiny blond better all the time! Check out her best selling book (click on the image below).

Plumbing – Caulk Toilet at Floor

2010-02-06T12:30:00.005-05:00

There is one issue I count on being different on the residential and commercial properties I inspect. The requirement is clearly the same on both. Commercial building toilets will, most likely, be caulked at the floor and single family residential will not.

Why the difference?

It’s simple, an anticipation of enforcement of codes or a lack thereof. Most builders will not acknowledge such but they default to the minimum of enforcement or generally accepted practice rather than the requirement of codes or manufactures recommendations. Many builders and subcontractors actually learn code when their hand is smacked for failing to meet it not from their foreknowledge of the requirement. Hence no enforcement leads to a failure of compliance. This is an easily observable primary example of this issue. Walk into your bathroom. Is your toilet caulked at the floor? Most likely it is not. Should it be?

When conducting a home inspection I handle this differently depending on the home. On new construction I write up “Toilet Not Caulked at the Floor” as a “repair” item. However, on lived in homes I write it up as a "discretionary improvement". When I started in this business I wrote them all up as a repair item. Why the difference? You can’t imagine the flack I have taken over this. Most homes new or existing, in my service area, have un-caulked toilets. Many home inspectors simply ignore this issue because of all of the flack and conflicting opinions. I call that a cop out on the part if the inspector who should know better than to ignore such an issue. Some counties code enforcement inspectors require that toilets be caulked and some ignore this. You might be surprised to observe that large builders who work in multiple areas usually have their toilets caulked while local builders might not only ignore this but may be vehemently opposed to this practice. I have found the difference interesting and have been observing it for many years. Why the difference? I have found it to be simple. Large builders, working in many areas of enforcement, tend to function at the most restrictive, following codes more closely to keep their employees and sub contractors, who function in the different areas, from having issues with the enforcement officials. For example in my service area I will usually find new construction, in most counties, with un-caulked toilets with the exception of Guilford County where they are much more likely to be caulked. Wonder why?

Why are some builders and homeowners opposed to caulking toilets? The primary excuse is leakage or more correctly easily observable leakage. The thought is if the joint is open water from a leaking wax seal will run out onto the floor making the homeowner aware of a leak before the floor is damaged by rot. Interestingly a small open area in caulk at the rear of the toilet will easily accomplish this although most will refuse to caulk at all. Is there interest in observing a leak or simply their bull headed refusal to change their long standing practice of not caulking toilets?

Why should toilets be caulked at the floor?

Although our inspections are not code enforcement inspections we must consider code issues, especially on new construction, even though we do not write them up as such. The International and Uniform codes clearly show a water-tight seal is required where plumbing fixtures meet floors and walls. Since issues found on new construction are the responsibility of the builder, who is responsible to meet code requirements, enforced or not, I choose to designate this as a repair item which is easily justifiable under current code requirements. On lived in homes this falls on the homeowner who isn’t responsible for meeting current code requirements and most likely required by code or not, at the time the home was constructed, the generally accepted local practice was not to caulk the toilet. Hence the difference as an improvement recommendation.
Manufactures recommendations include that plumbing fixtures should be sealed where they meet floors and ceilings. Interestingly, by default, manufactures recommendations carry the same weight as code in most municipalities. Surprisingly, to some in most situations, where manufactures recommendations exceed the written code the code enforcement official will demand the more excessive be followed. Codes even state where an issue is not addressed in the code that manufactures recommendations are to be followed. That gives the manufactures recommendations the force of code.
Often below a second floor toilet you will observe a stain on the first floor ceiling. Has the toilet leaked? Not necessarily. Where do you think the mop water, water dripping from bathing or leaking at a shower curtain goes when it runs up under an un-caulked toilet? Through the opening in the floor at the pipe and to the ceiling below.
Have you ever noticed or cleaned the obnoxious build up in the joint at an un-caulked toilet? Think that might be a sanitation issue? The Health Department does. Wouldn’t it be easier to caulk the toilet rather than cleaning the open joint over and over on your knees with a tooth brush (hopefully not the one you use later to brush your teeth)? On second thought if you are willing to clean the joint with a tooth brush and then brush your teeth caulking the toilet will not be high on your list of things to do today.
Many experienced plumbers have observed that toilets caulked at the floor are less likely to have leaking wax seals. Why could that be? Easy, Caulking reduces the potential for movement limiting forces on the seal which might cause it to leak.

Is your toilet caulked at the floor? Would you desire for me to write this issue up on a home you are purchasing? Do you think your builder should caulk your toilet?

Manufactured Stone - Is there another storm brewing?

2009-11-22T11:40:00.006-05:00

(Revised June 4, 2010)

Raise the storm flags, batten down the hatches, prepare the bilge pumps and rain suits there appears to be another real estate storm brewing. Storm clouds are forming on the horizon and you need to be aware, not caught by surprise, when the force of this storm hits the market place.

Do you recall the issues with asbestos, hardboard siding, synthetic stucco (EIFS), polybutylene water pipe, radon, mold?

Do I have your attention?

If you have been around for a fraction of the time I have you have noted a major shift in the architectural appearance of newer homes. Drive through almost any newer upscale neighborhood and you can’t help but observe the change. What is this growing architectural detail? Manufactured Stone or more properly stated Adhered Concrete Masonry Veneer. This wonder is cropping up on homes in all price ranges. Why? Buyers love it! The problem with fast expanding usage of a newly popular product is that proper installation practices often lag far behind the demand for the product. So it is with this product.

Put bluntly the issue is similar to the Synthetic Stucco (EIFS) situation where lack of proper installation practices allows for moisture damage to the wood components of the wall system. A repair contractor familiar with both repair of EIFS systems and Manufactured Stone systems makes this comment in the Journal of Light Construction: “With cast stone veneer, leaks and rot often show up sooner, progress more quickly, and cause more severe damage inside the wall.”

Ouch, that smarts! Are you paying attention?

Sooner or later the growing demand for a product and lack of skilled installers aware of proper installation procedures reaches a state of crisis where action is required to correct shortcomings. For this product the time is fast arriving. If you haven’t experienced this issue on a home inspection report, you will shortly. Local home inspector associations and The North Carolina Home Inspection Licensure Board are in the process of addressing this issue with its licensed home inspectors. Many are already on the band wagon and others will be quickly climbing on board as the board makes its recommendations for how this issue is to be addressed in our reports. They may call it a “recommendation” but don’t take that lightly because the board doesn’t look down with pride on those who fail to adhere to their “recommendations”. Most home inspectors will take heed and begin addressing this issue if they haven’t already. Be prepared, you will be reading about this in reports soon. Here is a preliminary look at how this is shaping up. Soon something of this order is how inspectors will be addressing this issue:

Manufactured stone veneer has been installed on the (list areas) of this house. An inspection of the visible components has revealed that the stone veneer has not been installed in compliance with installation guidelines provided by the Masonry Veneer Manufacturer's Association (MVMA). A PDF copy of the installation guidelines is available at http://www.masonryveneer.org/pdf/MVMAManual%20Design_HiRes.pdf. Specific problems noted with the visible components include, but may not be limited to: (list all that apply)
Weep screeds are missing at the base of wood frame walls.
Weep screeds are missing at the tops of window and door openings.
There is no caulk between other materials and the masonry at windows, doors and adjacent trim.
The masonry veneer is in contact with the ground
The masonry veneer is in contact with paved surfaces
The masonry veneer is in contact with roofing materials
Kick-out flashings are missing where roof eaves meet the masonry veneer
Metal lath is visible between stones, indicating that the proper base coats of mortar were not applied prior to installation of the stone.
The lack of proper detailing and flashing may result in water penetration behind the siding, resulting in structural damage. The installation of the manufactured stone veneer should be evaluated, compared to the specific installation requirements of the stone manufacturer and the MVMA, and repaired as deemed necessary by a licensed general contractor or masonry contractor.

Please note that because the water resistive barrier, metal lath and basecoat of cement stucco are completely concealed behind the manufactured stone veneer, they cannot be evaluated by a visual inspection.

How will this affect homeowners, Realtors, homebuyers and sellers? That’s the interesting component. You will be hard pressed to find any installations of this product in the state of North Carolina installed per the “Installation Guidelines for Adhered Concrete Masonry Veneer”. Most likely the code enforcement authorities will follow behind addressing this issue in new codes as they are introduced. In the meantime you should be aware that all products installed in this state are “required” to meet manufactures recommendations. Therefore, although this may not be clearly addressed specifically in the current code it is implied and can be enforced at any time.

For detailed information on this issue check out the December 2004 issue of Journal of Light Construction article titled “Manufactured-Stone Nightmares”. For a copy of the guidelines provided by the Masonry Veneer Manufacturer's Association (MVMA) a PDF copy of the installation guidelines is available at http://www.masonryveneer.org/pdf/MVMAManual%20Design_HiRes.pdf.

Inspections every day 8AM to 9PM

2009-07-29T18:25:00.009-04:00

I do inspections seven days a week, yes, that includes Saturday's and Sunday's. It's all about accommodating your clients.

Now, I have extended my hours from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM every day. Before I cut it off at 6:00 PM but, no more. This will continue as long as there is daylight after which I will shorten the hours until spring.

Don't get excited, when I can't keep up or need a break I simply block out time for reports or for me.

Take advantage of the most available home inspector in the Triad.

What a client thinks

2009-05-29T13:49:00.007-04:00

Unsolicited comment from a recent client:

I know I already thanked you but I want to reiterate both from myself and my family (who are in the real estate business) our gratitude for your work. This inspection and report is one of the most professional, detailed, and well presented documents that we have ever seen. I hope to be able to use you again in the future and will certainly be an evangelist when it comes to recommending you.

NEW - Home Inspector Legislation

2009-05-25T13:00:00.007-04:00

Before reading this, please accept my apology for its length and be aware that this information is derived from three primary sources:

The actual proposed Senate Bill 1007
A report by Bruce Rudd, NCAR Liaison for the NC-American Society of Home Inspectors (NC-ASHI)
A report by Fred Herndon, President of the NC Licensed Home Inspectors Association (NCLHIA)

The abbreviations used here equal:

NC-ASHI = North Carolina chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors
NCLHIA = North Carolina Licensed Home Inspectors Association
NCAR = North Carolina Association of Realtors
HBA = Home Builders Association

This author is a current member of the first two, an associate member of the third and a former member of the last. Of course, if you have followed me for the last ten years you know that I am not very opinionated. Right!

Senate Bill 1007 is working its way through the General Assembly of North Carolina. There are many misunderstandings and much misinformation floating around, especially among Home Inspectors and Realtors about this Bill. This article will attempt to set forth what is actually happening. I will state my personal opinion related to this action by the Legislature and the action of those involved in this legislation.

Many organizations were involved in negotiations relative to this bill including NC-ASHI, NCLHIA, NCAR and the HBA. It should be noted that the HBA is probably the most politically powerful player in these negotiations. I know that may sound strange because NCAR is the largest and the most financially flush. However, from the perspective of the Legislature HBA is blue “collar” and NCAR is “white collar”. The Legislature is less likely to buck the position of HBA. The representative of HBA apparently, only attended one meeting only long enough to advise the participants that it would oppose the bill if the contractor’s license exemption was removed. Is the HBA powerful enough, on their own, to back up their threat to kill the bill? Yes, they have already killed a similar bill and have their forces in place to kill this one.

The proposed bill amends the laws under the North Carolina Home Inspector Licensure Act. I will review the sections of the bill being amended which will positively or negatively affect home buyers and Realtors.

143-151.51, Section 1.2 This change establishes a pre-licensing education system of no more than 200 hours and gives anyone currently enrolled in the Associate program until October 2013 to finish. This replaces the program that NCLHIA and NC-ASHI committed to supporting over a year ago. (CDH – I was involved in this as a committee member when the original serious discussion came out of the licensure board committee on Standardized Reports. I not only support this change without hesitation but, although I have hundreds of hours of home inspection education, ten years as an active inspector, I commit to participate in this education program and wouldn’t be opposed to all existing home inspectors being required to take the new 200 hour course.)

151-51.51 5 (a) someone in bill drafting goofed and, when they struck out the section that established the Associate program, they eliminated the requirement for a high school education as well. (CDH – This omission will probably be corrected before this bill achieves its final form.)

143-151.51 5 (b) this section, as written, requires all Inspectors with less than 5 years experience and 750 inspections as of October 1, 2011 to take an abbreviated version of the pre-licensing education program of no less than 50 hours before October 1, 2013. (CDH – In light of the fact that I have been an NC licensed home inspector for over 10 years, have completed well over 750 inspections I qualify for this exception. However, although I have completed hundreds of hours of training I intend to take the 200 hour course required for new inspectors so that there is no question of my qualifications. I strongly urge other home inspectors to do the same as proof of their competence. We should be willing to put our time and money where or claims are. I challenge all contractors, architects and engineers who have already, or in the future, become a home inspector through the open back door of this and previous legislation to follow my lead and prove your competence.)

151-51.51 (c) The exemption for architects, engineers and contractors remains in the law. The HBA lobbyist’s position is that without their exemption they will kill the bill and there will be no pre-licensing education program in North Carolina. However, after two months of intensive negotiation with the HBA and NCAR their is a compromise that requires anyone coming in under the contractor's license provision to wait at least 6 months before applying for a HI license, and requires them to maintain that contractor's license indefinitely or lose the HI license. (CDH – I was a licensed commercial contractor in North Carolina, now retired, and have constructed over 5,000,000 sf of buildings mostly in this state. I have also held license in Virginia and South Carolina and have worked in George, Tennessee and Maryland. Most competent contractors, engineers and architects (including me at the time I considered becoming a home inspector) will tell you that they are not qualified to act as a pre-purchase home inspector due to their lack of experience and training. Before I became a licensed home inspector I completed hundreds of hours in classes and educated myself with books on the subject before I inspected my first home. Since becoming a licensed home inspector I have completed hundreds of additional hours of training. Before my training, even considering my license, and many years of experience as a contractor, I was not qualified as a home inspector. This exemption should be eliminated and the members of Home Builders Association know that it should. Their ego will not allow them to acknowledge that most of their members are not qualified to be home inspectors without training. They should be ashamed of themselves for opposing the removal of this exemption and their lack of concern for the best interest of the buyers of their homes.)

143-51.51 Section 1.4 This requires all Inspectors to carry at least $250,000 worth of general liability insurance and either a net worth of at least $17,500, a bond in that amount, or E+O insurance of at least $250,000. (CDH- This should have been in the original legislation and I support this change) This section also gives anyone still licensed as an Associate on October 1 2011 two years to finish his Associate program. (CDH – I would not be this kind)

143-51.54 (b) this section requires anyone convicted of a felony or misdemeanor to report that fact to the Board within 60 days. A Home Inspector is already required to report this information on the yearly renewal form. (CDH – I support this change)

143-51.54, Section 3 This simply requires anyone reactivating an inactive license to make up his or her continuing education, up to a maximum of 24 hours. (CDH – I would not be this kind and require that ALL continuing education hours be made up)

143-51.58, Section 6 This section rewrites the summary requirements. The basic categories of "not functioning as intended, in need of further evaluation or subsequent observation are still included, but the only ones required to be in the summary are the "not functioning as intended" items. The others can be included at the Inspector's discretion as long as they have some kind of documented reason for putting them there. The old category of "adversely affecting the habitability of the dwelling" has been removed. In its place is a provision that specifically lets an Inspector include safety items in the summary at his discretion. (CDH – I have never understood the need for a Summary Page and don’t now. It was required at the behest of a few (I might add a very few) Realtors who did not desire to read the complete report. I am still appalled at the number of Realtors who do not read home inspection reports except for the Summary Page and the few who don’t even read the Summary page but only write their repair request based on what their buyers request. Why state anything twice. The biggest complaint that I receive from my buyer clients and the sellers, whose home I inspect for the buyer, is that the summary page is not only repetitive but unnecessary and confusing. The Summary Page requirement should be struck out of the legislative act for the best interest of the home buying public. Why should we legislate the act of ignoring the complete report in favor of only reading the summary page? Is that in the best interest of the public? I don’t think so, but who cares what I think?

143-51.58 Section 6 a(2) This simply says that if a home inspector specifically states in his report that something is a code violation, then he is responsible for knowing what codes were in effect when the house was built and conducting the inspection under those codes. (CDH – I would much prefer that the word “code” not be allowed in a home inspection report. However, if some inspector thinks he is competent enough in the content of every code written since the beginning of time and thinks he should “call a code” infraction. Let him, he is only hanging himself.)

My hat is off to Ric k Zechini, Director of Governmental Affairs-NCAR and the NCAR at large for inviting the stake holders to the table to negotiate this bill in the best interest of the public rather than taking a chain saw and running rampant thorough the woods without a clear understanding of the root system of the trees they sought to cut down.

My thumbs are turned down to the HBA who, by their actions, as represented by Lisa Martin with their large stick in hand, clearly exhibit their lack of concern for the buyers who purchase their homes. Shame on you for refusing to support removing an exception your builder members, architects and engineers clearing understand shouldn’t be in this legislation.

If you want to read the bill as currently written, click on the this link.

Epidermolysis Bullosa

2009-05-17T16:27:00.005-04:00

I had a terrible time learning how to pronounce Epidermolysis Bullosa. With so many asking me about it, figure I had better get it right. I am always encountering something I wasn’t aware of on a home inspection. You would think, at my age, and with my background, there wouldn’t be anything new I would find in something that is old. But there are.

I often must explain my terminology. I assume that people know what efflorescence is or that I wouldn’t need to explain a hose-bib anti siphon valve or draft/combustion/make up air to a seasoned Realtor, but I do. You would think that everyone would understand positive drainage, but they don’t. Yet, it is why so many basements leak and even seasoned builders simply do not understand the principle.

I am very fond of a particular word “exacerbated”. Don’t know what it means, look it up. I love the way pronouncing it rolls off of my tongue. It’s a great word for a home inspector and I use it once in a while and wonder if the reader has a clue what it means. For example, the lack of positive drainage along the front wall of this home exacerbates basement leakage. Sounds like a professor, doesn't it?

Epidermolysis Bullosa is a serious condition. I hope that you never need to learn to pronounce it, let alone discover what it is. I would however appreciate if you would take a moment and learn how you can help me defeat it by simply clicking here. Please spread the word about what you discover.

Have you purchased one of Jonah's magnets?

2009-05-06T18:57:00.007-04:00

Click on Jonah's magnet on the left to learn about Jonah and why he and his parents need your support. Help increase awareness about EB, help support Jonah and fund a cure by purchasing one of Jonah's magnets. Please share this information with others and help sell magnets.

The proceeds will be used for Jonah's care and 10% will be donated to the Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association of America to fund the search for a cure.

Make Home Buyers Hate Your House

2009-05-06T18:14:00.012-04:00

Did you know that buyers will turn around and walk back out of your door if they notice one or more of these?

Odors
Any odor applies, even what you might judge as an “excellent” odor. What are the worst offenders? How about cigarette, cigar and pipe smoke, pets, with mildew not far behind. If you smoke indoors--the non smoker will know as soon as they open the door. If you have pets, the house may smell bad--even if you don't notice it. Eliminate the odor, present potential buyers with a clean, fresh atmosphere, not a house full of perfumes to cover up the odors.

Dogs that Meet You at the Door or in the Driveway
Control your pets--dogs, cats, mouse, snake, whatever. Some people are frightened and others irritated. Did you plan to put them in a bathroom, bedroom or garage and ask people not to open the door? Would you buy a house you can't inspect? Remove pets during showings. If you can't, contain them in crates for their own safety and to show respect for the feelings of potential buyers.

Dirty Bathrooms
You may be comfortable with your filthy bathrooms but they are an instant turnoff for a buyer. Scour them, paint them, purchase a new shower curtain, rugs and towels, and make them shine. Who knows, you might be so impressed you begin a new habit.

Dimly Lit Rooms
A buyer is visiting to SEE your house. Can’t see, do you honestly think they will make an offer to purchase. Brighten it up:

Replace dim light fixtures
Install additional light fixtures
Install (quality) sun tunnels or skylights
Remove heavy drapes to let the light stream through windows
Repaint dark rooms with colors that reflect light
Trim trees and shrubs that shade the house

Dirty and fogged windows are another buyer turnoff. Clean them inside and out to bring in more light. If possible, replace any double-pane windows with broken seals. You can find them by looking for a foggy residue that cannot be removed.

A House Full of Busy Wallpaper
Busy wallpaper turns off most buyers. People who love wallpaper will rarely like what you've chosen. You must appeal to the masses when selling your home. Don’t paint over it, because it will be obvious that you did. Buyers know that paint makes removing it even more difficult.

Damp Basements
Dampness or damp smells in the basement screams leaks! Most problems we find are not caused by faulty foundations. They occur because rainwater is being diverted towards the foundation instead of away from it.

Grade slopping toward the home
Clogged gutters and underground drains
No rain gutters along roofline or leaking gutters
Downspouts aimed the wrong way

How difficult is it to go outside the next time it rains and determine where runoff water is going. Don’t have an umbrella? Buy one!

Bugs
Roaches, spiders, and insect that shouldn't be in the house. Get rid of them.
Poor Curb Appeal
If you can’t grab a buyer from the curb you will not sell your home for top dollar. Minor repairs, a fresh coat of paint, new front door, and new garage doors to mention a few ideas make a world of difference. The last house I sold I did all of the above and went one better with a new $600.00 mail box as the curb which screamed “look at me I’m special”. There was a much better house than mine across the street. Which house do you think sold first and at a better price?

Gutters with Plants Growing in Them
Seriously, some people never clean their gutters. What do you think buyers wonder about other issues with the house when a tree is growing out of your gutter? Remember the drainage issue above? Cleaning clogged gutters might help.

Sellers Who Hang Around for Showings
Yes, you... leave the house during showings. Home buyers feel awkward about opening closet doors and lingering for a really good look at the house if the seller is home.

Fascinating, most of the items home buyers hate are issues you can correct without spending a lot of money. Remember this, if your house develops a reputation among agents as the house that smells, the house with the huge barking dog or the house where the owner won't leave people alone, it will be too late. Your house will be last on their list to show potential buyers.

Jonah on front page of WS Journal again!

2009-04-22T10:50:00.004-04:00

If you are following baby Jonah, he was on the front page of the Winston-Salem Journal for the second time on Monday. (For those of you who haven’t been paying attention, this is my sister’s grandchild) The article was titled “TLC Required: Rare skin disorder causes baby’s skin to be extra fragile”, check it out at:

http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/apr/20/tlc-required-rare-skin-disorder-causes-babys-skin-/news/

Water inside of light bulb?

2009-04-22T10:36:00.004-04:00

This light bulbs home is newly constructed but has been on the market for a while. This is under the floor above a very large unfinished basement. The basement wall about 20 feet in front of this bulb has been wet at some point in time. My client brought this to my attention and asked what was going on. This was a first for me. Can you explain it? Give it a shot in the comments section of this posting.

When in doubt improvise!

2009-04-22T10:29:00.006-04:00

The drawer wouldn’t open with the new pull on the adjacent corner drawer. Nothing is impossible when you can be creative.

Bring your stale listing back alive!

2009-04-05T10:31:00.010-04:00

Has the activity on your listing died?

Do you have a listing which has become stale and stagnate over the winter months?

Is there anything that you can do to create interest as you enter the spring market?

Bring it back alive for the spring market.

The first thought is always, yes, reduce the price. Realtors have always had issue with my position that if the house was priced right in the first place NEVER, EVER, REDUCE THE PRICE. Why not just put a big sign out front “FIRE SALE – GET A DEAL NOW – MAKE A LOW OFFER – WE WILL ACCEPT ANYTHING”.

I remember in the mid 70’s when things were bad I had a newly constructed home which set on the market for a very long time. Instead of lowering the price I bucked the market trend and raised my price every month to cover the cost of caring the home in inventory. This house ultimately sold at the higher price making my cost of caring the home zero. Fluke of the times, maybe, but who knows since others ignore this out side of the box idea. Don’t think lower price, make it better, and raise the price.

Yes, I am known for functioning outside of the box. Maybe you need to think outside of the box as well when it comes to moving your stale listing. Oh, your home/listing is perfect and couldn’t possibly be improved. All that says is that you haven’t looked at the home from the proper perspective. I don’t find any “perfect” homes. If yours is so “perfect” why hasn’t it sold?

Here are some suggestions for consideration. Once completed, make a big deal out of it with changes to the listing information, new sheets in the house, information to Realtors, a special luncheon or open house to showcase the changes.

Rent a storage unit: Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Leave just enough furniture to exhibit the room's function and abundant room to move around. Empty house, don’t fret many of these items will apply. Some of the worst homes I inspect are empty, apparently ignored, homes. Out of site, out of mind.
Disassociate yourself from the home, set aside your emotions, this isn’t personal, this is a business transaction. This isn’t YOUR home any longer it is the home of a potential buyer. Walk through the home, become that buyer, what would be your impression. What could you change to make a better impression?
- De-cluttering and maintain it without clutter
- Pack up your knick-knacks or donate them
- Put things you need on a daily basis in a box you can pull out when needed and put up when leaving for the day when a showing might occur.
- Different art, trinkets, wall hangings, etc
- Clean off the kitchen counter
- New appliance
- New counter tops
- Replace light fixtures
- Replace old door hardware
- New floor covering, wood flooring or ceramic tile
- Remove wall coverings and add paint (today most buyers dislike wall coverings)
- Clean up the yard, keep it mowed, trim the shrubbery, plant flowers, add landscaping, keep it immaculate
- Got a pool? Take the cover off, clean it up and make it sparkle.
- House empty, stage it with furniture and trinkets, not good at doing that, hire a professional.

De-personalize, home buyers are distracted by personal items.
- Remove personal photographs and trinkets and replace them with impressive looking non-personal items. You do not want a potential buyer thinking of this as YOUR home, you want them to be able to easily imagine their families personal photo and belongings in THEIR home.
- Minimize storage and clothing items in closets. Move what you don’t need in the short time somewhere else.

Rearrange bedroom closets and kitchen cabinets. Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. Think of the message it sends if items fall out! Now imagine what a buyer believes about you if she sees everything organized. It says you probably take good care of the rest of the house as well. This means:
- Alphabetize spice jars.
- Neatly stack dishes.
- Turn coffee cup handles facing the same way.
- Hang shirts together, buttoned and facing the same direction.
- Line up shoes.

Make Minor Repairs:
- Replace cracked floor or counter tiles.
- Patch holes in walls.
- Fix leaky faucets.
- Fix doors that don't close properly and kitchen drawers that jam.
- Consider painting your walls neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to purple or pink walls. (Don't give buyers any reason to remember your home as "the house with the pink bathroom.")
- Replace burned-out light bulbs.
- If you've considered replacing a worn bedspread, do so now!

Search for issues in need of repair which might standout to the potential buyer or home inspector and repair them. Are you blind to issues about your home or simply feel inadequate or biased? Hire a professional home inspector to take a look and make suggestions.
Make the House Sparkle. As a home inspector I visit thousands of homes with new home owners. What do you think is the most impressive single item expressed even on new construction? Allow me to put it in their words. “This is the cleanest house I have every seen. I don’t know how they do it. I could never keep this house this clean.”
- Wash windows inside and out.
- Rent a pressure washer and spray down sidewalks and exterior.
- Clean out cobwebs.
- Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks.
- Polish chrome faucets and mirrors.
- Clean out the refrigerator.
- Vacuum daily.Wax floors.
- Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures.
- Bleach dingy grout.
- Replace worn rugs.
- Hang up fresh towels.
- Bathroom towels look great fastened with ribbon and bows.
- Clean and air out any musty smelling areas. Odors are a no-no.

OK, now you have accomplished the task, have a party (special advertising, Realtor luncheon, open house), get the word out that this isn’t the same listing you might have looked at this winter. Please come back and look again. Haven’t seen this listing yet, you are missing out.

Selling in a Buyer’s Market

2009-03-28T16:59:00.009-04:00

In case you aren’t paying attention this is a “Buyer’s Market”. Buyers have many options to choose from. If they are turned off by something in your listing, guess what, they will simply move to the next one.

It never ceases to amaze me at the blatantly obvious issues which repeatedly surface as part of home inspections. Most are obvious items which could have been addressed prior to placing the home on the market but are ignored. I have come to the conclusion that some buyers and apparently some Realtors must be blind when they list a property for sale. Do you desire to get a contract on your listing at a reasonable price? It might be wise to pay attention. Do you desire to close on that contract at the contracted price with minimum repair cost? Then you had better pay even closer attention.

Here is a list of very common issues ignored by many sellers that become a major issue during the potential buyer’s consideration of the listing or during the inspection process:

Basement or crawl space water problems caused by negative drainage around the house and/or lack of, improperly installed, damaged leaking gutter and downspout systems. Grade sloping toward the house? Gutter issues? FIX IT NOW! A potential buyer will often overlook evidence of basement or crawl space water issues if it is clearly evident you have attempted to address the problems causing it. How difficult is it to tell that water is running toward the home?
Evidence of any type of leakage such as stains, damage, rot, fungal growth or visible standing or dripping water from plumbing, condensation or roofing issues. FIX IT NOW! Oh, it’s been that way since I moved in doesn’t get it with buyers.
Rot and termite damage. FIX IT NOW!
Fungal growth, call it whatever you please, mold, mildew, black stains, dirt, it doesn’t mater, clean it up.
Got polybutylene pipe, aluminum wiring, EIFS – synthetic stucco disclose it up front. No need for these types of items to be a shock to your potential buyer.
Have an active underground fuel storage tank? Have it checked for leakage and get a written certification that it hasn’t leaked. Have an abandoned underground storage tank, have it checked for past leakage and contamination then properly remove or fill it.
Is there an abandoned well on your property? Check with your local health department and have it properly closed per their regulations.
Is the listing on a well or septic tank system and public water and/or sewer available but not connected? Guess what, this is usually a home outside of the urban limits and there is a very good possibility the buyer will need an FHA loan. Public water and/or sewer available but not connected? FHA will not fund the loan until it is and they don’t care how it happens it simply must happen. Why not simplify the negotiations and connect it now?
Are there obvious cracks in your home or evidence of movement? Call a structural engineer now and either deal with issues or at minimum have a report that states the implications aren’t a concern at this time. Have an issue which is a concern? Fix it. Can’t afford to fix it, fine, have a report from an engineer and a price so the potential buyer knows upfront what to expect the cost of repair to be.
Broken windows or double pane windows with broken seals fogged between the glass panes? Replace them!
Have your heating and air conditioning systems checked out, running like a top, cleaned up and standing tall.
Old, damaged or non-functional appliances? Replace them.
Toilet loose? Secure it.
Door will not close, latch not engage, window will not open, hardware damaged or inoperative? Fix it.
Exposed electrical wiring or wiring connections? Fix them.
Don’t have a clue about the condition of your home? Call an experienced, reputable home inspector to check it out upfront.

Would you rather the potential buyer walk away or that much desired offer to purchase fall apart? Fine, ignore these issues and the buyer moves to the next one or I get paid to do the next inspection for the client who decides your listing isn’t worth it. I know you don’t believe this but nothing gives me greater pleasure than to walk away from a home inspection knowing that my client is pleased and that you, the seller and listing agent, will have a smile on your face when you receive my report.

If you are a seller then most likely you are also a buyer. Look at your listing as if you were the buyer rather than the owner. In what condition will you expect the home you are purchasing? Do you honesty think that your buyer should expect any less from you? Take a walk in their shoes, pay attention and you just might sell your house.

Don’t simple place you house on the market, prepare your house to sell in this market.

Baby Jonah and his parents need your support!

2009-03-01T21:04:00.011-05:00

This posting comes along with an urgent request for your involvement.

There come times in life when we must lay the business aside and deal with personal matters from the grandfather rather than the home inspector. As you may know I have five children and six grandchildren making children a very large part of my life. My sister has two children and prior to last week four grandchildren (one deceased). It is with the one that this story begins.

Less than a year ago my sister’s son Matt and his wife Patrice lost a full term baby with no explanation. On Friday their second son was born with Epidermolysis Bullosa. EB is an extremely rare genetic disorder involving the attachment of skin to the body. The baby is covered in blister like lesions. A simple touch literally causes the skin to fall off. The baby is treated like a burn patient. The few babies who have this condition are known as butterfly babies because their skin is as fragile as butterfly wings. There is no cure and this condition is so rare the local new born experts have little if any experience dealing with this. The baby can’t be held due to the potential damage. Apparently the first baby may have died from this same thing. They don't test for this in autopsy or in neo-natal testing because of its rarity.

Jonah Alexander Williams is in the critical care NICU at Brenner Children’s Hospital in Winston-Salem, NC. This morning the three experienced NICU nurses cried as they worked with tender care changing the bandages which cover most of his damaged body with the full knowledge that every movement they make not only causes this tiny baby excruciating pain but is potentially further damaging his beleaguered body.

So, why am I sharing this with you and what can you do?

Jonah’s mother, Patrice, is an active bloger and has and is still sharing the family experience on her blog. Also, if you are involved with facebook there is a prayer group set up folk can join to show their support. You can’t imagine what the number climbing as folk visit their blog and join the facebook prayer group does for their disposition. Even more the hundreds who are leaving comments from all over the country bring hope and a bright light to their eyes. Please consider becoming involved by doing one or both.

You can visit their blog by clicking on the photo at the top left corner of this page or at:

http://patriceandmattwilliams.blogspot.com/

The facebook prayer group page is at (or you can access it from their blog):

FaceBook Prayer Group

Thank you for your help

The House of Tears

2009-02-25T19:47:00.004-05:00

We all love a good story. This one is true and occurred long enough ago that I finally feel comfortable sharing. Nothing is more unsettling for me than having a female of any age cry because of something I did. Unfortunately with women, sometimes this is simply impossible to prevent. Such was the case at the house of tears.

Anytime I book an inspection on a very old house I never know what to expect. On arriving at this home I was advised by their agent that the young couple intending to purchase this home were excited because it was their dream to have a small cottage on a track of land with room for their horses. This site came with a large barn making it even more appealing. They had found their dream and were in love with everything. The Realtor made it crystal clear that “they” were hoping for the best from my inspection. I knew with the age of this home I was on the hot seat and it didn’t take long for the temperature to rise.

As usual, I started my inspection on the first floor. This home was a story and a half over a center dug out cellar open to crawl space surrounding it with exception of a stair down from the rear exterior. The second floor had a small finished area but for the most part was unfinished attic. As we were working our way through the first floor with the clients and Realtor following along Bob, the pest control inspector, arrived. We exchanged greetings and as usually I said “if you find anything of interest let me know and please clean the spider webs from the crawl space.”

Bob headed for the cellar but shortly came back through the door asking us to go into the first floor bedroom. Bob said “Chris, press your thumb on the floor right here on the right side of the bed” I knew I was in trouble when my thumb went through the wood floor up to the last knuckle. I overheard my clients take a deep breath as they looked at me with a wide eyed glare. The agent was not amused at Bob’s escapade or my participation. “Follow me to the cellar.” This was an unusual request. Bob usually simply explained what he had found. We didn’t go on a tour.

As we entered the exterior cellar stair Bob turned and said “don’t be alarmed at the snake skins.” The female client and her agent stopped in their tracks as Bob said “I have only found five little black snakes so far.” They decided the cellar was not of interest to them as they backed up into the yard. Bob, the male client and I continued down the stair observing numerous shed snake skins hanging along the side of the stair and others as we entered the cellar. I also observed major termite damage and old rags stuffed in holes in areas of the floor system everywhere I looked.

Bob walked forward to the edge of the cellar dirt wall facing the front area of the crawl space saying “I saw the five small black snakes over there in the front right corner but I think, based on the size and number of skins, there are several large ones somewhere I haven’t seen. Now the male client had heard enough and headed up the stair to join the ladies in the yard as Bob stated “you know that’s not my concern, take a look at all this termite damage”. Knowing that snakes move away from people Bob and I looked closer at the extensive structural termite damage and then joined the others in the yard.

As inspectors, we are limited to stating the facts of our observations and are never supposed to express our opinion of whether a client should purchase a home. As I explained in detail the extent of the damage we observed the lady began to cry. The more I talked the more she sobbed. Then as I finished she looked into my eyes through her tears and asked “should we purchase this home?” As I began explaining that the decision was between her and her husband, Bob and I both took great care not to verbally express our opinion as in unison we clearly shook our heads to the right and left expressing our real opinion. She began uncontrollable sobs. We were both destroyed and at a loss of how to proceed. I immediately offered to stop the inspection and write a letter addressing the extensive termite damage which would give them an out from their contract and reduce the charge for my time.

Gaining control of herself the lady inquired “what about the snakes?” I said that I would mention the snakes as well but thinking about all of the rags I observed stuffed in holes in the floor system I suggested that we look in the attic before leaving the property. Surprisingly, she not only agreed but followed. Opening the door between the finished and unfinished attic space we observed a very large baited wire cage in the center of the floor. What is that for she inquired? “You don’t want to know” was my reply. Any guess at what they were trying to catch?

That night my phone rings and it’s the occupant/owner of the home who inherited it from her grandmother. “I heard what you found here today, what should I do?” Before I caught myself I said “a bulldozer might be in order.” She was not amused as I could then tell she was in tears as well. I explained that the damage was so extensive that repair cost would probably exceed the value of the home. I then said “I bet you don’t have mice”. “How did you know that?” Next day the home was taken off the market.

Radon Testing

2009-02-18T19:43:00.004-05:00

Check out my new article on Radon Testing by clicking on the link. This is a great resource for Relators to send their clients for learning about Radon issues related to buying or selling a home. This is also a good resource for general knowledge about radon in your home.

A Difference of Perspective – “The House from Hell”

2009-02-16T16:19:00.001-05:00

All too often there is what I like to refer to as “the house from hell”, not that it is so old or bad but that the issues are either voluminous or complex. I come home from the inspection and comment to my wife “another house from hell”. The inspection and report on this type of property tends to be lengthy. The particular house could be new or hundreds of years old, small or large, beautiful or not particularly so. The house may be a gift from the Gods that any buyer would be crazy not to purchase at the contracted price. However, the volume and detail of my report may not reflect that in the eyes of all beholders. Such is a fascination to me.

From one perspective the seller and their Realtor are freaked out at the report ready to take a contract out for my demise. They can’t possibly comprehend how the condition of any house, especially theirs, could necessitate a 70 to 100 plus page report from any rascal of a home inspector. I may get a call from either or both complaining that I went completely overboard with my inspection and report. I will later hear how the Realtor is bad mouthing me all over town. Never recommend this nut case, he doesn’t know what he is doing and trashed my listing. You better hope he never inspects one of your listings! I am lucky the deal closed.

Then there is the call from my client raving about how great I am, how comprehensive my inspection and report and how surprised and pleased they are at the detail of my inspection and the ease of understanding the explanations and photographs in my report. Can they offer me a recommendation for future clients and be assured they will tell their acquaintances about me when they are purchasing a home. Then is the best of all sounds to my ears of how much more comfortable they are about their purchase after walking through the house with me and reading my report.

Same house, same report, different perspectives. Which is the reaction I should strive for? Is it both? Can you possibly have one without the other? I don’t think so. Such is the unstable ground upon which quality home inspectors must tread. We present the facts as best we are able with the knowledge available to us. How those facts are perceived by the reader completely depends on their perspective. One perceives a curse, another blessing. At face value they are simply the facts with a bright light shining on them. The difference between home inspectors is the direction and intensity of the light. I am of the opinion that clients who contract with me expect focused intense light and that I shouldn’t conduct inspections for the pleasure of listing agents, their sellers or for that matter the buyers agent who may have recommended me.

My greatest pleasure comes from the call from the seller of the last house I just “trashed” asking if I can work the inspection of the house they are purchasing quickly into my schedule. Such is a “Eureka” moment. Even better the listing agent of the house I “trashed” needs an inspection for their child, relative or themselves. Need I say more? It’s all about perspective.

Change in report "Summary Statement"

2009-02-01T11:55:00.002-05:00

Effective March 1st , 2009, the following modification to the “required” summary statement will be mandatory on all written inspection reports in the State of North Carolina.

“This summary is not the entire report. The full report may include additional information of interest or concern to the client. It is strongly recommended that the client promptly read the complete report. For information regarding the negotiability of any item in this report under a real estate purchase contract, contact your North Carolina real estate agent or an attorney.”

I have had a similar statement in my reports for 10 years and modified mine months ago on learning of this proposal.