What Home buyers Should Know About Radon
If you're thinking about buying a home, it's best to test for radon before the deal is done.
Home sales often occur at a fast pace, leaving little time to check for such problems. But it's important to do so in order to avoid difficulties afterwards.
Radon is a cancer-causing gas that has secretly infiltrated millions of homes in the United States. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that it causes thousands of deaths each year. The Surgeon General reports that only smoking is a greater cause of lung cancer.
Radon gas testing is rapidly becoming a common component in the home inspection process.
Radon is a naturally occurring gas which results from the breakdown of uranium, which is found in nearly all soils.
This radioactive gas typically moves up through the ground, penetrating cracks and openings in your home. Radon can be present in building materials or can infiltrate the home through the groundwater; however, these issues alone are often not enough to cause a substantial radon gas problem.
Testing for radon is relatively easy and inexpensive. Home kits are available for those who want to do it themselves. They are easy to use and accurate. The alternative is to hire a company to test your home or a home you are thinking of buying. The most common method of testing involves the placement of a device in the home for a period of two to 90 days.
Annual testing may be required for homes with a marginal gas reading, as levels fluctuate.
As there's no known safe level of radon gas, certain upgrades can be made to a home to reduce the levels.
A soil suction radon prevention system uses a vent pipe system with a fan installed to draw radon gas from beneath the house and send it to the outside.
In addition, the foundation, crawl space and other cracks leading into the home should be sealed to reduce the amount of gas seepage.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Spring Cleaning
Simple Steps for Spring Cleaning Without the Stress
Spring is the perfect time to clean up your home and lighten the load of everyday maintenance. But with so much to do, the task can seem overwhelming. Try these simple tips to spruce up your home and brighten your outlook:
Spring is the perfect time to clean up your home and lighten the load of everyday maintenance. But with so much to do, the task can seem overwhelming. Try these simple tips to spruce up your home and brighten your outlook: Clear the Clutter
Put a box or two in the center of every room and then clear the clutter from closets, cabinets, the garage, garden shed and other storage areas both inside and outside the home.
Wash the Doors and Windows
Doors and windows take a lot of abuse, so it's no surprise they tend to build up dirt, grime and unsightly stains. Begin by removing curtains and blinds for a deep clean, and then tackle tracks, screens and sills with a gentle solution. Tough stains around doorknobs may require a quick touch-up of paint, but the results are worth it.
Floors and More
Rent a commercial-quality carpet-cleaning machine or consider having a professional do the job for you. Either way, it's important to clean the carpets and upholstery in preparation for spring. Research shows that humans lose an average of seven pounds of dead skin each year, and most of it ends up in carpets, the couch or other fabrics.
Breathe Easy
For the ultimate spring clean, be sure to include the air vents, ceiling fans and central air filters. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, homes that have been sealed tight over a long winter are prone to air quality problems that can make asthma, headaches and allergies even worse.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
First-Time Buyers: Tax Credit
First-time and seasoned home buyers received some good news recently.
On Nov. 6, 2009, the federal government extended a valuable tax break to home buyers under the Worker, Home ownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009.
The legislation was passed by the U.S. Congress as part of its plan to stimulate the U.S. housing market and address the economic challenges facing the country.
The act includes elements that extend time frames for home buyers and ease eligibility requirements.
It extends a tax credit of up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers.
It also extends a credit of up to $6,500 to current homeowners purchasing a new or existing home.
The credit applies to sales occurring between now and April 30, 2010, and covers home purchases completed by June 30, 2010.
The income-based qualification system allows for a $125,000 limit for a single taxpayer and a $225,000 limit for married couples filing joint returns.
The final tax credit is equal to 10% of the purchase price of the home being considered and it only applies to homes valued under $800,000 for qualified first-time home buyers.
But there's more good news.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is allowing monetization of this tax credit, meaning that buyers with a Federal Housing Administration-insured mortgage can apply for and receive their anticipated tax credit immediately rather than wait until they file their income taxes to receive a refund.
This allows home buyers to apply the funds to closing costs. Home buyers can also use the funds to increase the amount that they put down on their home.
The tax credit applies to any home that is being used as a principal residence and includes detached homes, condominiums, townhouses and a wide variety of manufactured homes.
On Nov. 6, 2009, the federal government extended a valuable tax break to home buyers under the Worker, Home ownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009.
The legislation was passed by the U.S. Congress as part of its plan to stimulate the U.S. housing market and address the economic challenges facing the country.
The act includes elements that extend time frames for home buyers and ease eligibility requirements.
It extends a tax credit of up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers.
It also extends a credit of up to $6,500 to current homeowners purchasing a new or existing home.
The credit applies to sales occurring between now and April 30, 2010, and covers home purchases completed by June 30, 2010.
The income-based qualification system allows for a $125,000 limit for a single taxpayer and a $225,000 limit for married couples filing joint returns.
The final tax credit is equal to 10% of the purchase price of the home being considered and it only applies to homes valued under $800,000 for qualified first-time home buyers.
But there's more good news.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is allowing monetization of this tax credit, meaning that buyers with a Federal Housing Administration-insured mortgage can apply for and receive their anticipated tax credit immediately rather than wait until they file their income taxes to receive a refund.
This allows home buyers to apply the funds to closing costs. Home buyers can also use the funds to increase the amount that they put down on their home.
The tax credit applies to any home that is being used as a principal residence and includes detached homes, condominiums, townhouses and a wide variety of manufactured homes.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Winterize your home
January is basically the coldest month in my area and if you have not already winterized your home you may need to get started. These helpful links will help you determine what you need to stay snug as a bug.
10 ways to winterize
Now's the time to winterize your home
Don't forget the vacation home
and if you don't like to read well you can watch how it's done. Comfort and energy efficiency.
Stay warm!
Affordable Home Inspections
10 ways to winterize
Now's the time to winterize your home
Don't forget the vacation home
and if you don't like to read well you can watch how it's done. Comfort and energy efficiency.
Stay warm!
Affordable Home Inspections
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Summer is here and our honey-do list has begun
Summer is here and our honey-do list has begun. As a home inspector, I see the adverse affects of not keeping the simplest elements of a home operating as intended. Here are a few tasks I suggest completing this summer.
First and foremost “Water“, is the biggest source of problems with a home. Check your gutters. Are they pitched correctly towards the downspout, clean, no leaks and extensions on downspouts to divert water away from the home? If not then get busy!
“Crawl Space“, is it dry? Is it covered 100% with a plastic vapor barrier overlapped 12″ and pinned in place? If moisture is present what is causing it? Gutters/downspouts drain away from the home? Grade pitched towards the home? Air handler in the crawl space dripping condensation? Plumbing leak? If the answer is yes to any of these questions have a pro correct them.
“Tree’s and Shrubs” Are there branches close to the roof that can cause damage during high winds? Are shrubs close to the siding? This will cause water to splash against the wall and keep moisture against it. I recommend minimum 2′ clearance to walls. Don’t plant shrubs or flowers close to the foundation that take a lot of water. Water can penetrate into the crawl space or cause uneven soil bearing for the foundation.
“Mulch” Best practice would be to not use it against foundations. But if you must keep 6″ clearance to the start of the framing or siding on the foundation. Use cedar or other naturally insect resistant mulch.
“Exterior Finish” Walk around your home and look for failed caulking joints, thin or peeling paint and indicators of water damage to your siding or trim.
Correcting issues early can save a lot of money later!
We at Affordable Home Inspections offer annual home checks at a reasonable cost that would include Roof, Exterior, Crawl Spaces, Attics or just a single component.
Call us today at 919-557-3889, visit us at www.houseinspections.com or follow us on Twitter @mikencinspector.
Monday, June 22, 2009
LIFE IN THE 1500'S
The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water flow and temperature are not just how you like, think about how things used to be.
Here are some interesting facts about the 1500’s:
Most people got married in June, because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other men and sons, then the women/girls and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Care had to be taken when throwing it away. Hence the saying, 'Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.'
Houses had thatched roofs. Thick straw, piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and drop off the roof. Hence the saying 'It is raining cats and dogs.'
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying 'dirt poor.'
The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. Also to protect their feet against the cold floor in winter. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A cross-piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying a 'thresh hold.'
(Getting quite an education, aren't you?)
In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, 'Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot, nine days old.'
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, the hosts would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could 'bring home the bacon.'
They would cut off a little pork to share with guests and would all sit around and 'chew the fat.' Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, cau sing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for nearly 400 years tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Bread was divided according to status. Servants got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or 'upper crust.'
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait to see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a 'wake.'
England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a 'bone-house' and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside, and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night to see if the bell rang. Thus the term the 'graveyard shift'.
By this method, someone could be 'saved by the bell' or was considered a 'dead ringer.'
And that's the truth. Now, whoever said History was boring? Educate someone... Share these facts with a friend.
Here are some interesting facts about the 1500’s:
Most people got married in June, because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other men and sons, then the women/girls and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Care had to be taken when throwing it away. Hence the saying, 'Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.'
Houses had thatched roofs. Thick straw, piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and drop off the roof. Hence the saying 'It is raining cats and dogs.'
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying 'dirt poor.'
The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. Also to protect their feet against the cold floor in winter. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A cross-piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying a 'thresh hold.'
(Getting quite an education, aren't you?)
In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, 'Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot, nine days old.'
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, the hosts would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could 'bring home the bacon.'
They would cut off a little pork to share with guests and would all sit around and 'chew the fat.' Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, cau sing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for nearly 400 years tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Bread was divided according to status. Servants got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or 'upper crust.'
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait to see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a 'wake.'
England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a 'bone-house' and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside, and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night to see if the bell rang. Thus the term the 'graveyard shift'.
By this method, someone could be 'saved by the bell' or was considered a 'dead ringer.'
And that's the truth. Now, whoever said History was boring? Educate someone... Share these facts with a friend.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
How to create virtual tours in Google Earth
Enhance your web site
I have been trying different methods on how to help clients in my profession. I stumbled across this article and thought it would be beneficial for Realtors to use it on there web sites. I also think it would be beneficial for builders to show there homes in a neighborhood.
If I was selling a home I would like to make the potential clients search as easy as possible. In Google Earth and Google Maps they provide tools for making this possible.
Lets take this example: A potential buyer wants to but a home in Raleigh NC. They search for a realtor and they visit there web site on the web. The realtor provides Google Earth link with all the listings of available homes in "Raleigh". The client can click on markers in the area they would like to view and see pictures of the home.
Builders could also provide the same thing for selling there homes. I'm sure allot of you already use this useful tool but if you haven't this link will provide you with step by step instructions on getting you started and put you one up on your competitor. "How to create Virtual tours"
Mike Schulz
Affordable Home Inspections
http://www.houseinspections.com
I have been trying different methods on how to help clients in my profession. I stumbled across this article and thought it would be beneficial for Realtors to use it on there web sites. I also think it would be beneficial for builders to show there homes in a neighborhood.
If I was selling a home I would like to make the potential clients search as easy as possible. In Google Earth and Google Maps they provide tools for making this possible.
Lets take this example: A potential buyer wants to but a home in Raleigh NC. They search for a realtor and they visit there web site on the web. The realtor provides Google Earth link with all the listings of available homes in "Raleigh". The client can click on markers in the area they would like to view and see pictures of the home.
Builders could also provide the same thing for selling there homes. I'm sure allot of you already use this useful tool but if you haven't this link will provide you with step by step instructions on getting you started and put you one up on your competitor. "How to create Virtual tours"
Mike Schulz
Affordable Home Inspections
http://www.houseinspections.com
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