Atlanta Inspection News! Consumer information: January 2010

Many homes today have been built with trusses - prefabricated structural assemblies that hold up the roof and the top floor ceilings. Trusses are a series of triangles fastened together with gusset plates. The outside members of a truss are called chords while the inner pieces are known as webs.Truss uplift occurs when the top chord of the truss expands while the bottom chord contracts due to changes in humidity. Truss uplift usually becomes visible in a home during the winter when the bottom chords (the ceiling joist part of the truss), which are buried under ceiling insulation, stay warm and dry but the top chords are exposed to moisture.

The resulting stress causes the truss to lift up at its center. When this happens, a crack can appear at the wall/ceiling juncture.From a structural standpoint, truss uplift isn't a problem, but cosmetically, it can cause cracks and separations in the drywall. Many homeowners try to repair the cracks with drywall compound, only to have them reappear next year.

Contractors can mask truss uplift by securing the ceiling drywall to the top of the interior walls and not the trusses for 18 inches away from the interior walls. As the drywall flexes, it stays fastened to the walls while the trusses lift above it.  

Decorative molding can also be installed where the walls meet the ceilings. The molding should be fastened to the ceilings, not to the walls so as the ceiling move up, so does the molding thereby hiding the gap.

Homes that were completely underwater or that are flooded to the upper floors in the Austell, and douglasville areas, the cost of repair will probably exceed the cost of moving. At the very least, the interior finishes of a waterlogged house must be stripped and replaced. High water can also damage the wiring, gas lines, furnace, and septic system, as well as furniture and appliances.Wind and water can cause a house's structural components-the struts, studs, and foundation-to shift or warp.

Tilting walls or a shifted roof also suggest dangerous structural damage that could signal an imminent collapse. Flood victims should check the foundations of their homes for cracks before venturing inside.

Inside the house, ceilings may sag under the weight of trapped water or soggy drywall. Wet floorboards bend and buckle, and the roof may leak or break altogether. Flooding in the basement can be especially dangerous; if the water is removed too quickly, pressure from the soaked earth outside can push
inward and crack the foundation walls.

Brick and masonry houses will suffer less exterior damage than those made of wood. In all types of housing, though, flooding will most likely destroy the interior walls. Soaked wallboard becomes so weak that it must be replaced, as do most kinds of wall insulation. (The higher the water gets, the more
interior walls must be replaced.) Studs will eventually dry out and return to their original shape, but any plywood in the walls is likely to swell and peel apart. Water can also dissolve the mortar in a chimney, which creates leaks and thus a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning once the heat comes back on.

Structural hazards account for only one category of water damage. Floods often deposit dirt and microorganisms throughout the house. Silt and sediment can create short circuits in the electrical system as gunk collects in walls and in the spaces behind each switch box and outlet. Appliances, furnaces, and
lighting fixtures also fill with mud, making them dangerous to use.

Anything that gets soaked through with water may contain sewage contaminants or provide a substrate for mold. A long-lasting flood provides more time for the mold to grow and requires more cleanup after the fact. Carpets have to be thrown away, along with mattresses, bedding, and most upholstered furniture.
Kitchen items, clothes, washing machines, and dryers must be disinfected with bleach, and all surviving interior surfaces should be cleaned to prevent mold growth. Standing water in a house can also serve as a breeding ground for insects and other animals.

In this sluggish market the value of the homes purchased is far less than I'm sure the goverment wants to pay. So the question is do I take a loss on my home through the buy out or loose money correcting repairs that will haunt the home down the road. Also with disclosure laws, this will have to be in the disclosure when you decided to move, and this will turn buyers away.

Recent medical studies show that mold is one of the most common causes of allergic symptoms and certain types of mold can cause fatal disorders.  The presence of mold, fungus and mildew can create a health hazard in a home, and homes should be tested to determine the type of mold growing in a home.

Mold may still cause allergic reactions in some people, so it is not enough to simply kill the mold, it must also be removed. In recent years, the nation has been gripped by the fear that their own home is making them sick, well-known as "sick home syndrome". Because homes and businesses are being built "tighter," moisture that is trapped within the walls before, during or after construction, is contributing to the growth of toxic mold, often referred to as "black mold." This mold travels through the air and is inhaled by the occupants causing a multitude of health problems. The problem of black mold.

Some common Fungus found in homes are:

•1)      Aspergillus- A genus of fungi containing over 100 species, approximately 11 of which are commonly encountered in American Homes. All natural occurring aspergillus are toxigenic. A fast growing mold that may cause infection in people who have compromised immune systems or have asthma.  

Penicillium- A fungi that tend to be blue green in color, commonly found on moist, non-living matter. This type of fungi requires less moisture and cooler temperatures than other types of mold      

The symtoms of this type of Mold Exposure are as follows;    Bronchospasms, Edema,Pulmonary emphysema, Pneumonitis, Sneezing, Coughing, Low-grade Fever, Headaches.

•2) StachyBotrys- A greenish or black mold. A product of prolonged water damage involving exposure to cellulose materials.Stachybotrys molds produce my cotoxins considered to be extremely hazard. Stachybotrys spores have been recorded as toxigenic, and this fungus should be treated with caution.

The symtoms due to long time exposure may included; Fatigue, Skin rashes, Liver and Kidney cancer,Bone and lymphoid disorders, Lung Cancer.

There are millions of different types of spores and fungus that could be in your home.

You may suspect hidden mold if a building smells moldy, but you cannot see the source, or if you know there has been water damage and residents are reporting health problems. Mold may be hidden in places such as the back side of dry wall, wallpaper, or paneling, the top side of ceiling tiles, the underside of carpets and pads, etc. Other possible locations of hidden mold include areas inside walls around pipes (with leaking or condensing pipes), the surface of walls behind furniture (where condensation forms), inside ductwork, and in roof materials above ceiling tiles (due to roof leaks or insufficient insulation).Have accurate home inspection of atlanta inspect your property for mold,and air quality of your home.

Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins). Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis). Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people. Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold. Research on mold and health effects is ongoing.

A Green Home Begins with ENERGY STAR Blue

Homebuilders and homebuyers across the country are increasingly interested in green building. But what exactly makes a home green?

Did You Know?

Did you know that a typical home can cause twice the greenhouse gas emissions of the typical car?

Green building means improving the way that homes and homebuilding sites use energy, water, and materials to reduce impacts on human health and the environment. Building a green home means making environmentally-preferable and sustainable decisions throughout the building process-decisions that will minimize the environmental impact of the home while it is being built and over the many years it will be lived in.

What should homebuyers look for first in a green home?

Energy efficiency is the place to start. That's because the energy used in homes often comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and risks of global climate change. So, the less energy used, the less air pollution generated. And the easy way to make sure a new home is energy efficient is to look for the blue ENERGY STAR mark, the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency.

ENERGY STAR qualified homes are independently verified to meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes save money on utility bills, provide a more comfortable living environment with better indoor air quality, and help protect the environment.

Typical features to look for in ENERGY STAR qualified homes include:

Did You Know?

Each ENERGY STAR qualified home can keep 4,500 lbs of greenhouse gases out of our air each year. And because homes have such long life spans, this environmental benefit lasts for many, many years.

• An Efficient Home Envelope, with effective levels of wall, floor and attic insulation properly installed, comprehensive air barrier details, and high-performance windows;
• Efficient Air Distribution, where ducts are installed with minimum air leakage and are effectively insulated;
• Efficient Equipment for heating, cooling, and water heating;
• Efficient Lighting, including fixtures that earn the ENERGY STAR; and
• Efficient Appliances, including ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers, refrigerators, and clothes washers.

These energy efficiency improvements save homeowners money - about $200 to $400 per year on utility bills. More importantly, monthly energy savings can easily exceed any additional mortgage cost for the energy efficiency improvements, resulting in a positive cash flow from the first day of home ownership. As a result, the cost-effectiveness of ENERGY STAR improvements can help offset additional costs associated with other green home features.

What comes after energy efficiency?

Homebuyers can also look for the Indoor airPLUS label - a new specification developed by EPA to address the indoor environment component of green building. Homes that achieve this level of excellence are first qualified as ENERGY STAR, and then also incorporate more than 60 additional home design and construction features to control moisture, chemical exposure, radon, pests, ventilation, and filtration. Together, these features help protect qualified homes and their residents from mold, chemicals, combustion gases, and other airborne pollutants.

Completing the green home picture

Through ENERGY STAR qualified homes and the Indoor airPLUS Program, homebuyers can address two critical green home elements. Then, look to the wide variety of available green home programs to complete the picture with water-efficient products, renewable energy technologies, waste reduction, recycling, and sustainable land development practices.

Heating water accounts for up to 30 percent of the average home's energy budget. Some makers of gas-fired tankless water heaters claim their products can cut your energy costs up to half over regular storage heaters. So is it time to switch?

Probably not. Gas tankless water heaters, which use high-powered burners to quickly heat water as it runs through a heat exchanger, were 22 percent more energy efficient on average than the gas-fired storage-tank models in our tests. That translates into a savings of around $70 to $80 per year, based on 2008 national energy costs. But because they cost much more than storage water heaters, it can take up to 22 years to break even-longer than the 20-year life of many models. Moreover, our online poll of 1,200 readers revealed wide variations in installation costs, energy savings, and satisfaction.

Water heaters are fond to state there ability to provide an endless amount of hot water. But inconsistent water temperatures were a common complaint among our poll respondents. When you turn on the faucet, tankless models feed in some cold water to gauge how big a temperature rise is needed. If there's cool water lingering in your pipes, you'll receive a momentary "cold-water sandwich" between the old and new hot water. And a tankless water heater's burner might not ignite when you try to get just a trickle of hot water for, say, shaving.

Nor do tankless water heaters deliver hot water instantaneously. It takes time to heat the water to the target temperature, and just like storage water heaters, any cold water in the pipes needs to be pushed out. And tankless models' electric controls mean you'll also lose hot water during a power outage.

The tankless water heaters  cost $800 to $1,150, compared with $300 to $480 for the regular storage-tank types. Tankless models need electrical outlets for their fan and electronics, upgraded gas pipes, and a new ventilation system. That can bring average installation costs to $1,200, compared with $300 for storage-tank models. Tankless model warned of scale buildup Calcium buildup can decrease efficiency, restrict water flow, and damage tankless models. Experts suggest installing a water softener if your water hardness is above 11 grains per gallon. Ignoring this advice can shorten your warranty.