Everyone who wants to purchase a home should have an inspection of the property done before any final papers are signed. This inspection is not considered an appraisal and no grading system exists, so a house cannot “fail” one of these inspections. They exist simply to show the buyer what is wrong with the house and give advice on what can be done about any problems that do exist.
Most contracts to buy a home in the United States will include a clause that the contract will not be considered valid until the property has been looked at by a home inspector. Some states require that home inspectors are to be licensed, but those who are professional engineers do not have to have this license, since their engineering license covers these inspections.
Inspections will usually include checking the basement, water heater, central heat and air conditioning, structural integrity, electrical system, plumbing, and the roof. Other aspects of the building will also be looked at, including areas of the home that are not considered up to code and need extensive repair, general maintenance issues, and etcetera.
Mold is something, however, that is not generally covered under a general home inspection. Having a home inspected for mold growth is typically considered to be a separate act and so a contract to purchase a home should be amended to include a mold inspection before the contract is considered valid. One clue as to whether you will really need a mold inspection or not will be whether the home inspection finds that the home has had a water damage to any area of it. Mold will typically grow where water damage has occurred, but it can also grow in homes that show no signs of this, so purchasing a mold inspection is advised whether your home inspector finds water damaged areas of your home or not.
If damage to the home or mold is found, then you need to decide whether or not to go ahead and purchase the home after having this information in your hand. Some sellers may give you a credit on the price of the home if you choose to buy it and repair the damage yourself and some may repair the damage done for you. Others may insist that the sale is “as-is” and will not give any leniency one way or another on the issue. Judge the scale of the problem and what it will cost to have it repaired and make the decision that is right for you.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Orlando water Damage companies.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Having Home and Mold Inspections Done Saves You Money
Purchasing a new home is not an easy task by any means for most people, since there are all kinds of considerations that you have to think of. You have to take into account what style of home you want, how many bedrooms it has, whether it has a yard, where it is located, and many other things, but what most people do not think to have done before they finally purchase that perfect home is a home inspection. Most sellers will insist that there is nothing wrong with the home, but taking their word for it has been the worst mistake that some new homeowners have ever made. Not all sellers are honest, especially if the home has any hidden problems that need to be looked for.
The home inspection will need to cover several different areas of the home and is not to be considered an appraisal by any means. It is intended to give you an accurate depiction of the home’s physical condition and enable you to make an informed decision on whether or not to ultimately purchase the home. Going without these inspections has been the regret of a large number of homeowners who thought that they were getting a great deal, but in reality, they would have to pay thousands of dollars in extensive repairs.
On the list of things that need to be inspected in your possible new home are the basement, roof, the electrical system, the plumbing, checking for infestations underneath the house and in the attic, the floors, the air conditioning, and the home’s foundation. Having repairs done on any of these areas in your home can be very expensive and it is left up to you after receiving the information whether to buy the home or not.
One thing not generally included in the normal home inspection is the search for mold. Mold growth is a separate problem altogether, even though homes that have been water damaged in the past are hotbeds for mold. The rooms in the house that are the most at risk for this problem tend to be areas that are moist like the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, and basement. If these rooms pass a casual visual inspection, then you may not have much to worry about, even though you should still have a mold inspection done simply to find out if there is any hidden mold growing under the floor, in the walls, or in the ceiling.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Orlando water Damage companies.
The home inspection will need to cover several different areas of the home and is not to be considered an appraisal by any means. It is intended to give you an accurate depiction of the home’s physical condition and enable you to make an informed decision on whether or not to ultimately purchase the home. Going without these inspections has been the regret of a large number of homeowners who thought that they were getting a great deal, but in reality, they would have to pay thousands of dollars in extensive repairs.
On the list of things that need to be inspected in your possible new home are the basement, roof, the electrical system, the plumbing, checking for infestations underneath the house and in the attic, the floors, the air conditioning, and the home’s foundation. Having repairs done on any of these areas in your home can be very expensive and it is left up to you after receiving the information whether to buy the home or not.
One thing not generally included in the normal home inspection is the search for mold. Mold growth is a separate problem altogether, even though homes that have been water damaged in the past are hotbeds for mold. The rooms in the house that are the most at risk for this problem tend to be areas that are moist like the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, and basement. If these rooms pass a casual visual inspection, then you may not have much to worry about, even though you should still have a mold inspection done simply to find out if there is any hidden mold growing under the floor, in the walls, or in the ceiling.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Orlando water Damage companies.
Have Clean Water During Hurricanes
Most of us know just how dangerous hurricanes can be, especially since the disasters of Hurricane Rita and Katrina a few years ago. If you live further inland, you are probably not as concerned about these events, but if you are planning on moving to the coast, there are a few things that you need to know, since you will probably have to deal with a hurricane at your new home at some point or another. It is not as easy as you may think and sometimes the best thing that you can do is leave the area.
Probably the most important resource that you can save up ahead of time is clean water to drink. Flood waters from the sea, burst pipes, rivers running over their banks, and even sewage from the city can get into the local water supply, so you should never trust the water that comes out of your faucet after the storm has already begun. Always assume that it is contaminated with something and do not drink it until the storm is over and you are sure it is safe.
You can save up clean water by filling up milk jugs that you have rinsed out and saved over time. You should have at least one gallon for every person in your house to use for each day, preferably for a week’s time. This will give you the peace of mind that you will probably not run out of clean water during the storm and have to make more.
How can you make clean water? You can boil the water that comes out of your faucet, although if your local water supply has been contaminated by sewage due to hurricanes or flooding in the past, this may not be a good idea. No one wants to drink sewer water, even if it has been boiled.
Water purification tablets can also be bought at some camping and department stores. People who go hiking or camping often use these if they are going into the wilderness where a clean water supply is not guaranteed.
To help protect your home from the storm damage that could occur to it, one thing that almost everyone does is put plywood over their windows and doors. This keeps the glass from blowing in, but if you plan on staying in your home, you will have to leave at least one door uncovered.
Lastly, if there is a chance that your home will flood during the storm, you should evacuate. The horror stories of victims of Hurricane Katrina who stayed in their homes and were flooded are extremely well known and should not be ignored.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New York flood water damage restoration and other states and cities such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
Probably the most important resource that you can save up ahead of time is clean water to drink. Flood waters from the sea, burst pipes, rivers running over their banks, and even sewage from the city can get into the local water supply, so you should never trust the water that comes out of your faucet after the storm has already begun. Always assume that it is contaminated with something and do not drink it until the storm is over and you are sure it is safe.
You can save up clean water by filling up milk jugs that you have rinsed out and saved over time. You should have at least one gallon for every person in your house to use for each day, preferably for a week’s time. This will give you the peace of mind that you will probably not run out of clean water during the storm and have to make more.
How can you make clean water? You can boil the water that comes out of your faucet, although if your local water supply has been contaminated by sewage due to hurricanes or flooding in the past, this may not be a good idea. No one wants to drink sewer water, even if it has been boiled.
Water purification tablets can also be bought at some camping and department stores. People who go hiking or camping often use these if they are going into the wilderness where a clean water supply is not guaranteed.
To help protect your home from the storm damage that could occur to it, one thing that almost everyone does is put plywood over their windows and doors. This keeps the glass from blowing in, but if you plan on staying in your home, you will have to leave at least one door uncovered.
Lastly, if there is a chance that your home will flood during the storm, you should evacuate. The horror stories of victims of Hurricane Katrina who stayed in their homes and were flooded are extremely well known and should not be ignored.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New York flood water damage restoration and other states and cities such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
Getting Rid of Mold On Your Own
The last thing that anyone wants to discover in their home is mold, but unless you do at least a casual inspection of your property on a regular basis, you might end up finding it in larger quantities than you are capable of dealing with. Mold is a health hazard for anyone that comes into even just indirect contact with it, since the spores float in the air that we breathe every single day. Larger quantities are noted indoors than outdoors only in environments where there is an excess growth of mold somewhere in the property that needs to be taken care of as soon as possible. If you discover a growth that is large and appears to be more than you can handle, do not be afraid to hire a professional to get rid of it for you.
However, if you cannot afford a professional mold remediation, then there are a number of things that you can do to get rid of the mold in your home. If you discover it on a non-porous surface, then you can get rid of it using normal chemicals that are advertised as killing mold, such as Tilex.
Most of the time, though, you will find it growing on items like drywall or on organic materials like floor joists or papers and cardboard boxes that have gotten wet. Standing water in your home will be one of the worst areas for mold to grow in, since species such as the deadly Stachybotrys atra enjoy this level of moisture and thrive heavily on it. Remove standing water from your home wherever it may occur, even if it is just a slow drip underneath the kitchen or bathroom sink. It is these slow leaks that cause the majority of the problems, not the huge bathtub or toilet overflows.
If you have experience in interior remodeling, you can perform the removal of materials contaminated by mold yourself. Hiring a professional to do this for you can be expensive, but as long as you take the proper safety measures, doing it yourself is much less so.
Purchase some protective, disposable clothing made of plastic and a respirator from a local hardware or department store. Purchase them online if you need to, but do not continue the remediation without them. Breathing in or coming into contact with mold and its spores can be hazardous and bring about long term health problems.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New Jersey mold damage restoration and other states and cities such as
Connecticut mold remediation companies across the united states.
However, if you cannot afford a professional mold remediation, then there are a number of things that you can do to get rid of the mold in your home. If you discover it on a non-porous surface, then you can get rid of it using normal chemicals that are advertised as killing mold, such as Tilex.
Most of the time, though, you will find it growing on items like drywall or on organic materials like floor joists or papers and cardboard boxes that have gotten wet. Standing water in your home will be one of the worst areas for mold to grow in, since species such as the deadly Stachybotrys atra enjoy this level of moisture and thrive heavily on it. Remove standing water from your home wherever it may occur, even if it is just a slow drip underneath the kitchen or bathroom sink. It is these slow leaks that cause the majority of the problems, not the huge bathtub or toilet overflows.
If you have experience in interior remodeling, you can perform the removal of materials contaminated by mold yourself. Hiring a professional to do this for you can be expensive, but as long as you take the proper safety measures, doing it yourself is much less so.
Purchase some protective, disposable clothing made of plastic and a respirator from a local hardware or department store. Purchase them online if you need to, but do not continue the remediation without them. Breathing in or coming into contact with mold and its spores can be hazardous and bring about long term health problems.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New Jersey mold damage restoration and other states and cities such as
Connecticut mold remediation companies across the united states.
Clean Water and Supplies During a Hurricane
Hurricanes are devastating events that occur on a yearly basis around the world and in the United States and any homeowner that has gone through this event knows that it is often a much better idea to evacuate than it is to stay behind and ride out the storm. People still insist, however, upon staying behind in their homes instead of leaving along with most of the people in the area, but if you are going to do this, you need to know exactly what you will require during the storm.
The most important thing that you need during a hurricane is a good sized supply of drinking water. The human body cannot survive very long without water, so you should make sure that you and anyone else staying with you at the time has at least one gallon of water to use for every day you plan to be there. The last thing that you want is to run out of water and then resort to drinking water from the faucet. You should never drink water out of your tap while the storm is raging outside, due to the fact that it may be contaminated with more than just rain and sea water. Sewage and the bacteria that comes with it has been known to get into water supplies during these storms, so drinking water out of your faucet is never advisable. You can boil it if you need to, but it is much safer to make sure that you have a clean supply ahead of time.
Having an electricity generator to run things with is a good idea, since you may end up needing to boil water to finish riding out the storm. If the electricity goes off (and it very well may), you can survive without it as long as you have clean water to drink, but if you run low, you may end up in trouble.
A decent supply of non-perishable food is a good thing to have, since water is not the only thing your body needs to survive. Try to have some foods that are ready to eat and do not have to be cooked or refrigerated, like granola bars, cereal, and canned food.
To keep in contact with the outside world, you should also purchase a radio that has a hand crank on it to produce electricity for the radio to work on. This will make sure that you hear what is on the radio and if anything important is happening.
You should also have a sturdy flashlight and extra batteries.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration chicago and other states such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
The most important thing that you need during a hurricane is a good sized supply of drinking water. The human body cannot survive very long without water, so you should make sure that you and anyone else staying with you at the time has at least one gallon of water to use for every day you plan to be there. The last thing that you want is to run out of water and then resort to drinking water from the faucet. You should never drink water out of your tap while the storm is raging outside, due to the fact that it may be contaminated with more than just rain and sea water. Sewage and the bacteria that comes with it has been known to get into water supplies during these storms, so drinking water out of your faucet is never advisable. You can boil it if you need to, but it is much safer to make sure that you have a clean supply ahead of time.
Having an electricity generator to run things with is a good idea, since you may end up needing to boil water to finish riding out the storm. If the electricity goes off (and it very well may), you can survive without it as long as you have clean water to drink, but if you run low, you may end up in trouble.
A decent supply of non-perishable food is a good thing to have, since water is not the only thing your body needs to survive. Try to have some foods that are ready to eat and do not have to be cooked or refrigerated, like granola bars, cereal, and canned food.
To keep in contact with the outside world, you should also purchase a radio that has a hand crank on it to produce electricity for the radio to work on. This will make sure that you hear what is on the radio and if anything important is happening.
You should also have a sturdy flashlight and extra batteries.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration chicago and other states such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
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