IT'S ON THE HOUSE

January was Radon Prevention Month. This is something we all need to take seriously – radon is lethal. Radon is a tasteless, odorless, invisible and a deadly killer. According to the EPA, radon causes more deaths per year than drunk driving. A very sobering statistic.

The adverse effects of radon exposure can cause lung cancer. In fact, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in the US causing 21,000 deaths, per year.

Test Your Home - You can test your home for radon and if your levels are high – it can be eliminated. Radon is a radioactive gas that can enter your home through the foundation, floor drains, construction joints and water system. If you are a new home buyer, radon-resistant construction techniques can be effective in preventing radon entry. Encourage your builder to install them at them time of construction which makes it easier and less expensive to reduce radon levels. It is recommended every new home be tested after occupancy, even if your builder said it was built radon-resistant. 

No state is radon free. Radon can be found all over the US; in fact, nearly 1 out of every 15 homes in the U.S. is estimated to have elevated radon levels. While radon problems can be more prevalent in some areas, any home can have a problem. A common myth is using your neighbor’s results as an indicator of your results. Radon levels can vary tremendously from home to home. 

The Chemistry Lesson on Radon

Radon levels are measured in Picocuries per Liter (pCi/L). First and foremost, be sure your home inspector is qualified and certified in radon testing. The EPA approved continuous monitor will be placed in your home for a minimum of 48 hours. The monitor must be in “closed home conditions” – no open windows, as this could affect your results.  The monitor takes hourly air samples over the two day period and gives an average level. 

The EPA recommends less than 4.0 pCi/L as a safe radon level. You will receive a radon level report which is always good to keep on file should you sell your home. 

Last call  

The only way to have peace of mind is to test. It is inexpensive and easy.

Selling? The Pre-Listing Home Inspection 

With the spring market just around the corner, it is time to get your home ready to sell.  Should we replace the roof before listing? Do we have termites? Is that mold? 

A pre-listing inspection will help you identify major problems and repairs. The pre-listing report will give you a clearer picture of what you need to fix and allow you to decide what repairs you are willing to pay for.  These issues can be addressed ahead of time and then the asking price can be adjusted appropriately. 

For every flaw a buyer finds that would cost $1,000 to fix, you stand to lose $3,000-$5,000 off your asking price. The average buyer doesn’t really know what it would cost to fix an issue found. So when issues are not made apparent to buyers before their own inspection, they are seen as far more extreme than those disclosed beforehand. By taking a proactive approach, you now have knowledge and leverage during the negotiating process. You are a savvy seller and a more relieved buyer.

Here are five tips to Prepare for a pre-listing home inspection:

Be Honest and Upfront – Skeletons in your closet? Undisclosed problems will be found – it’s our job. You will save time and money if you alert the inspector at the beginning of the inspection to potential problems.

Clean you Gutters – I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have been in a home with water in the basement – a red flag to buyers! A simple fix – clean your gutters and direct the downspouts away from the house to prevent moisture issues.

Access to attics and crawlspaces – As much as I don’t love crawling around in spider webs – these spaces are crucial for identifying critters, termite and mold issues.

Check lightbulbs – If a light switch is not working it could be a simple burned out bulb, but a good inspector will need to document fixtures that are not operating at the time of the inspection. The less items that need to be documented the better the report.

Have you appliances in working order –  We offer an Appliance Recall Check Report as an upgrade service. Our inspectors will check all appliances to ensure they are in working order. If an appliance is not working, it will be noted in the report. Remember to remove laundry from washer and dryers.

LAST CALL – Statics have found that homes that have a pre-listing inspection sell faster and at a price far closer to the listed price. 

It’s true: residents of Kennett Square are familiar with their fungi. Life in this little town built around its spongey, delectable inhabitants – they enjoy pride of place on our water tower and are at the center of our largest festival. That being said, not all fungi are friends. Anyone who’s ever stepped into a dank basement or opened an abandoned bag of bread knows this.  

Mold threatens a home’s value, its integrity, and – most importantly – the health of its inhabitants. No need to worry, though; we here at “It’s on the House” have the tools you need to keep your home (and lungs) fresh and clean.

The Dirt on Mold 

Like all fungi, mold only grows in certain conditions. In these conditions, mold spores are able to soak up nutrients and metastasize. Specifically, mold requires moisture, food, and oxygen. Like other fungi, it also thrives in relative darkness: there’s a reason our mushroom farmers build all of those concrete houses. As such, in order to keep your home mold-free, you need to eliminate excess moisture. Oxygen is everywhere, and mold eats almost anything; all you can control is moisture levels.

The Usual Suspects

· Basements: It almost goes without saying that basements are a favorite habitat of molds. Especially if they’ve recently flooded, basements offer mold moisture and darkness in a single, often undisturbed venue. To keep your cellar mold-free, be sure to mop up any standing water that remains after flooding incidents. Try to find where that water came from, too; leaky pipes and cracks in walls are common culprits. If these repairs do not reduce moisture levels in your basement, it may behoove you to invest in a dehumidifier. These devices can pull excess moisture out of the air, leaving your basement fresh and free of mold.

· Bathrooms: Repeat after me: where there’s moisture, there’s mold. That means that you should be careful not to get too excited while you’re splashing around with your rubber ducky: wet bathroom walls and ceilings are perfect places for spores to take root. The simplest way of preventing this is to use your bathroom fan while you wash up. Let it run for 20 minutes after your shower to ensure that it does its job. Again, mopping up excess water is always a good idea. If you see mold growing on tile or other bathroom surfaces, you can scrub it away yourself. Some water and detergent should do the trick. 

· Windows: When they’re doing their job, windows serve to regulate airflow throughout your home; however they are prone to rotting and leakage with age. Additionally, wooden sills serve as good food sources for spores. Be sure to patch up these leaks and to check windows in rooms that don’t see regular use. 

· Carpets: Carpets soak up anything: soda, queso dip, Sparky’s accidents… and above all, water. Wet carpets can grow rife with mold very quickly. As far as carpets go, it’s better to be proactive. Don’t put them in places that are often wet, including bathrooms and basements. Be sure to attend to leaky spots in your ceilings and roofs quickly in order to keep carpeted areas dry. If your carpet does become moldy, just throw it out – there’s no saving it, it’s better to cut your losses and be rid of the spores.

Mopping Up

Although mold normally grows in the places we’ve mentioned, it has the potential to grow anywhere in your house. A central air conditioning effectively manages moisture levels throughout your home in warm weather, which can go a long way in warding off unwanted fungi. Make sure your clothes dryer vets to the outside; otherwise, it’ll be pumping unwanted moisture into your home. Remember, if you have a lung condition or a mold allergy, it’s best to find outside help when dealing with mold.

If you know that your home is prone to humidity and you’re thinking about putting it on the market, consider a pre-inspection.  Our inspectors  can help you eliminate problem spots before buyers walk in the door. 

A/C units have the potential to add value and comfort to your home; however, they can also be costly and inefficient. Whether you are a buyer, seller, or happy home-owner, these tips – along with professional inspection – can help you to stay cool, calm and collected.

Know what you’ve got – and what you need.

Central air conditioning is the most efficient way to cool your home. However, as we mentioned above, air conditioning units are often inefficient and expensive. The key to optimizing performance – and the value of your dollar – is to make sure that your A/C unit fits your home.

Contractors often err on the side of caution and install units that are too large in order to avoid complaints during the dog days of summer. As a result, many homes have over-sized systems that cool the house quickly and then shut off. This, however, leads to some unpleasant consequences. A/C units need to run for about 7 minutes to reach peak efficiency; over-sized units never have a chance to reach that point. You will feel the consequences not only in your wallet, but also on your skin. Since over-sized units shut off so quickly, they fail to perform their dehumidifying duties. The result is home that is cold and clammy. 

As a home owner, you shouldn’t be forced to pick your poison during the hottest days of the year. Moreover, if you are trying to sell your home during the summer, you don’t want potential buyers feeling as if they have just stepped into an ice cave on planet Hoth. The knowledgeable inspectors at Logton Home Inspection can help you to determine if your A/C system is optimal for your home and if you should seek more specialized help.

Fix what you can.

You don’t need to be an air conditioning specialist to improve the efficiency of your A/C system; there are plenty of DIY tricks that work wonders. Most modern air conditioners are ‘split systems’: one part (the condenser) is located outside, while the other (the evaporator) is inside. This is important to keep in mind, because it means improvements can be made both inside and outside the house.

Outside, you can make sure that the area around the condenser is clear. This might involve moving miscellaneous items away and cutting back overgrowth. The condenser itself has vents which become obstructed by debris from time to time – clearing this away is also helpful.

There are a plethora of inexpensive improvements to be made inside the house. The main thing is to stop up air leakages, both in the ductwork and around the house. Ducts are unable to efficiently carry cool air throughout the house if they look like they’re made out of Swiss cheese. Thankfully, you can easily seal these with paint-on mastic. Drafty windows, doors, and walls let hot air in and cool air out. Caulk often does the trick. On extremely hot days, you should try to avoid using the oven or the dryer during the middle of the day, since these appliances generate quite a bit of heat. Keep lamps away from your thermostat. They can trick it into thinking your home is hotter than it really is. Make sure the vents inside your home are clear of debris and uncovered. Last but not least, change the filter in your evaporator if it looks dirty. 

Do what makes sense.

As we mentioned earlier, oftentimes homes contain A/C units that are not a good fit. Moreover, older homes sometimes have ancient, inefficient units. Nowadays, manufacturers are required to produce units that have a baseline level of efficiency – they must have a SEER rating of 13 or greater. The SEER scale is the industry-standard measurement of air conditioning efficiency: the larger the number, the more efficient the machine. If you live in an older home with a low-rated system, or in a home with no central air at all, it might pay to upgrade – especially if you are trying to sell. In fact, a proper central air system can increase the value of your home by 10-20%.

Whether or not installing a new system makes sense or not depends on the case. The new industry baseline SEER rating of 13 can cause some problems. For instance, more efficient systems tend to be larger – sometimes larger than your home’s existing A/C infrastructure can handle. This can increase the costs of an upgrade. Figuring out what makes sense might involve some number crunching.