Atlanta Inspection News! Consumer information: December 2008

This is a test of code to builders or code inspector.Consumer are even welocome.

Is it the intent of Section 322.1 to regulate the proximity of sill plates as well as other components of wall framing, such as studs, with respect to exposed ground, or is the intent of the code met simply by installing a pressure treated sill regardless of the location of the studs?

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SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

Today,all homes have heaters for winter heat.There are widely used, gas heaters, electric heaters.Coal heaters, radiotor type units are the most common in some places in the northern regions. Where  warehouse use used motor oil for heating.

Did you say USED MOTOR OIL? Yes I did.I have worked over seeing building application for oil recyclers of
used motor oil.Did you know that places like asphalt companys paving shopping center,city roads,have to
heat the asphalt through a tube like tumbler system as the sand,gravel,tac coat(#6 oils).This material
has to reach 350 deg F before the materials are ready to be shipped out.Most asphalt companys
in rural areas have two choice's of generating the heat range needed to heat the material.

1) onsite delivery of diesel fuel at rack price which is around 1.20 per gallon. In a 8 hr day they will
use over 11,000 gallons of diesel fuel.Price cost estimated-$13,200.00

2) Recycled oil is boiled filter through 600 micro filters and sold to asphalt,manufacture plants,warehouse
because it has the same BTU factors as diesel.Recyclers collect this oil from your local dealership, jiffy lubes,Quick oil change location

Some asphalt paving company's are equipped with a nautral gas service. Rural areas company's do not have thisavailability.They rely on diesal deliveries, or recycled motor oil.

Recycled motor oil is used in many ways the public isn't aware of at all.It is called "Black Gold". The resale
of used oil after it goes through as basic processing before entering the market.Most all used oil has
other products mixed with it a waste storage containers such as anti-freeze,transmission fluid,etc.. the
processing is no more than boiling this oil to 350 to 400 deg F. Water and in purities are extracted
from the oil and then the oil is filtered. It is sold back to big cardboard factories who generate seam,or heat.

Motor oil used is still a valuable commodity.When we where paying 3.50 a gal for gas, used # 5 recycled oil was being sold to upwards to 1.45 per gallon.Used motor oil or processed number 5 oil (market name), has the same heating BTU factors as nautral gas,and diesal fuel as well.

Car dealerships,jiffy-lube,quick oil changes,manufacture plant( use hydrolic oil for their machinary),are the
source for collection points for used oil collectors. These places usally charge a 0.50 cent environmental
disposal fee, and recieve another 0.35 to 0.45 cent from collector who in return sell it to processor for
around 0.95 cent. Everone makes money and it uses the waste product. It is a lucrative business.

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Throughout the United States, even in desert areas, there is moisture in the ground from groundwater being absorbed. Even in an apparently dry crawlspace, a large amount of water is entering the home.    In a dry crawlspace, the moisture is drying out as fast as it is entering, which causes high moisture levels in the crawlspace and elsewhere in the house. A solid vapor barrier is recommended in all crawlspaces and should be required if moisture problems exist. This vapor barrier, if properly installed, also reduces the infiltration of radon gas. Of course, if the moisture is coming from above ground, a vapor barrier  will collect and hold the moisture. Therefore, any above ground source of moisture must be found and eliminated.  The source may be as obvious as sweating pipes, or may be more difficult to spot, such as condensation on surfaces.The solution can be as simple as applying insulation to exposed sectionsof    the piping or complex enough to require power exhaust fans and the addition of insulation and vapor barriers.

The more common causes of moisture problems in a new home are moisture trapped within the structure during construction and a continuing source of excess moisture from the basement, crawlspace, or slab. To resolve this potential problem,6-mil plastic sheets should be laid as vapor barriers over the entire
crawlspace floor.The sheets should overlap each other by at least 6 inches and should be taped in     place. The plastic should extend up the perimeter walls by about 6 inches. The plastic sheets should be attached to the interior walls of the crawlspace with mastic or batten strips.All of the perimeter walls should be insulated, and insulation should be between the joists at the top of the walls.Vents, which   may need to be opened in the late spring and closed in the fall, should not be blocked. If not properly managed, moisture originating in the crawlspace can cause problems with wood flooring and create many biological threats to health and property. A properly placed vapor barrier can prevent or reduce problem moisture from entering the home.

Most basements start leaking within 10 to 15 years. The basement walls and floors should be sealed and preserved before they deteriorate. The basement floor should be concrete which has been poured on at least 6 inches of gravel. The gravel distributes groundwater movement under the concrete floor, reducing the possibility of the water penetrating the floor. A waterproof membrane,such as plastic sheeting,should be laid before the concrete is poured, for additional protection against flooding and infiltration of radon and other gases.The basement floor should be gradually but uniformly sloped in all directions toward a drain or a series of drains.These drains will permit the basement to drain if it becomes flooded.

Water or moisture marks on the floor and walls are signs of ineffective waterproofing or moisture proofing. Cellar doors, hatchways,and basement windows should be weather-tight and rodent-proof. A hatchway can be inspected by standing at the lower portion with the doors closed; if daylight can be seen, the door needs to be sealed or repaired.

Vapor Barriers for Concrete Slab Homes:

Strip flooring and related products should be protected from moisture migration by a slab. Proper on-grade or above-grade construction requires that a vapor barrier be placed beneath the slab. Moisture tests should be done to determine the suitability of the slab before installing wood products. A vapor barrier equivalent to 4- or 6-mil polyethylene should be installed on top of the slab to further protect the wood products and the residents of the home.
 

Radon gas is a toxic gas that seeps into homes through the foundations. And it doesn't matter if your home is built on a basement, crawlspace or a slab, this deadly gas can seep in and it doesn't matter if it's brand new construction or a 50 year old home.

Radon Gas kills 24,000 Americans each and every year.Radon Gas can be detected with a simple test
elevated levels of Radon Gas, it can be easily fixed.

* Radon is estimated to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year.

The numbers of deaths from other causes are taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 1999-2001 National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Report and 2002 National Safety CouncilReports. 

Radon Is a Cancer-Causing, Radioactive Gas

You cannot see, smell, or taste radon. But it still may be a problem in your home. When you breathe air containing radon, you increase your risk of getting lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General of the United States has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.Accurate home inspection of atlanta performs radon testing indoor air by collection of ambient air sampling and sends results to a EPA national accredited lab for test results.

You Should Test for Radon

Testing is the only way to find out your home's radon levels. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon.

You Can Fix a Radon Problem

If you find that you have high radon levels, there are ways to fix a radon problem. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels.

LET US PERFORM A RADON TEST FOR YOUR HOME AFFORDABLE  RATES .

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