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Mold

MOLD INFO — http://www.nachi.org/mold.htm

If you’re on this page, odds are your concerned about mold in your present (or prospective) home. That is wise – but don’t panic yet, get solid facts and evidence first. (Try the link above for great information ! )

When perfoming a general inspection, I may observe signs of ‘organic growths’, and conditions which may promote those growths, but until it is tested i can neither know nor say if it is indeed “mold” let alone if it is a toxic variety. Only way to know is to test. Now mind you, there are several MILLION species of known molds in America alone and still more are being discovered.

Radon Gas

*RADON GAS IS A NATURALY OCCURING,COLORLESS , ODORLESS, TASTELESS, RADIOACTIVE, AND INVISIBLE GAS THAT DECAYS IN TO LARGE ALPHA PARTICLES AND THEN TO POLONIUM.

AN ALPHA PARTICLE IS ESSENTIALLY HELIUM WITH ITS ELECTRONS REMOVED.

RADON GAS IS PRODUCED FROM THE NATURAL BREAKDOWN OF URANIUM IN SOIL , ROCK AND WATER.

STACK EFFECT CAN DRAW RADON INTO THE HOME THROUGH CONCRETE, CRACKS AND HOLES IN THE FOUNDATION; WHEREVER MOISTURE CAN PASS THROUGH A MATERIAL INTO THE HOME IS A POSSIBLE ENTRY POINT FOR RADON GAS AS WELL.

ABOUT 38% OF HOMES IN THE CHICAGO LAND AREA WERE FOUND TO HAVE ELEVATED LEVELS OF RADON.

IF IT IS FOUND IN LEVELS ABOVE 4pCiL YOUR HOME, IT CAN BE EASILY FIXED (MITIGATED) TO REDUCE LEVELS TO A MORE ACCEPTABLE RANGE. THE COST IS NOT MUCH MORE THAN A TYPICAL HOME REPAIR.

PLEASE NOTE: A MEASUREMENT TECHNICIAN CAN NOT INSTALL MITIGATION SYSTEMS, AND CONVERSELY A MITIGATION TECH CANNOT TEST INITIALLY IN YOUR HOME AND THEN INSTALL A SYSTEM.

STATE PROCEEDURES HELP AVOID INHERENT CONFLICTS OF INTEREST THAT CAN ARISE.

Life Expectancies

InterNACHI’s Estimated Life Expectancy Chart

The following chart details the predicted life expectancy of household materials and components.

Interior and exterior paints can last for 15 years or longer, however homeowners often paint more frequently. Surface preparation is likely the most important determiner of paint life expectancy.

ADHESIVES, CAULK AND PAINTS	YEAR
Caulking	5-10
Paint	7
Roofing Adhesives	15+

Appliance life expectancy depends to a great extent on the use it receives. Furthermore, consumers often replace appliances long before they become worn out due to changes in styling, technology and consumer preferences. Of a home’s major appliances, gas ranges have the longest life expectancy.

APPLIANCES	YEARS
Air-Conditioners	8-15
Boilers	20-35
Compactors	6
Dehumidifiers	8
Dishwashers	9
Disposers, Food waste	12
Dryers	13
Exhaust Fans	10
Freezers	10-20
Furnaces	15-25
Gas Ovens	10-18
Heat Pumps	16
Humidifiers	8
Microwave Ovens	9
Range/Oven Hoods	14
Electric Ranges	13-15
Gas Ranges	15-17
Refrigerators	9-13
Washing Machine	5 -15
Water Heaters	10-11

BATHROOM	YEARS
Cast Iron Bathtub	50
Fiberglass Bathtub and Shower	10-15
Shower Door	25
Toilet	50

Kitchens are in the process of becoming larger and more elaborate, and together with the family room, modern kitchens now form the “great room.”

Great rooms are a place to cook as well as a space where people gather to read, talk, eat, do homework, surf the Internet, and pay bills.

CABINETRY & STORAGE	YEARS
Bath Cabinets	100+
Closet Shelves	100+
Entertainment Centers/Home Office	10
Garage/Laundry Cabinets	100+
Kitchen Cabinets	50
Medicine Cabinets	20+
Modular/Stock Manufacturing Type	50

Walls and ceilings last the full lifespan of the home.

CEILINGS, WALLS & FINISHES	YEARS
Acoustical Ceiling	100+
Ceiling Suspension	100+
Ceramic Tile	100+
Standard Gypsum	100+

Natural stone countertops, which are less expensive than they were just a few years ago, are becoming more popular and one can expect them to last a lifetime. Cultured marble countertops have a shorter life expectancy, however.

COUNTERTOPS	YEARS
Cultured Marble	20
Natural Stone	100+
Laminate Countertops	20 – 30
Tile	100+
Wood	100+

Decks are exposed to a wide range of conditions in different climates, from wind and hail in some areas to relatively consistent, dry weather, in others. Under ideal conditions, they have a life expectancy of about 20 years but they can fail much sooner.

DECKS	YEARS
Deck Planks	25
Wood	10-30

Exterior fiberglass, steel and wood doors will last as long as the house, while vinyl and screen doors have a shorter life expectancy. Closet doors may last a lifetime, but French doors will fail sooner.

DOORS	YEARS
Closet (Interior)	100+
Fiberglass (Exterior)	100+
Fire-Rated Steel (Exterior)	100+
French (Interior)	30-50
Screen (Exterior)	40
Vinyl (Exterior)	20
Wood (Exterior)	100+
Wood (Hollow Core Interior)	20 – 30
Wood (Solid Core Interior)	30 – 100+

Floor and roof trusses and laminated strand lumber are durable household components, and engineered trim may last 30 years.

ENGINEERED LUMBER	YEARS
Engineered Trim	30
Laminated Strand Lumber	100+
Laminated Veneer Lumber	80+
Trusses	100+

FIXTURES & FAUCETS	YEARS
Accessible/ADA Products	100+
Enamel Steel Kitchen Sinks	5-10
Faucets	15-20
Modified Acrylic Kitchen Sinks	50
Saunas/Steam Rooms	15-20
Shower Enclosures/Modules	50
Shower heads	100+
Soapstone Kitchen Sinks	100+
Toilets/Bidets	100+
Whirlpool Tubs	20-50

Natural wood floorings may las as long as the house. Marble, slate, and granite are also expected to last for about 100 years, but require more maintenance. Vinyl floors last up to 50 years, linoleum about 25 years, and carpet between 8 and 10 years (with appropriate maintenance and normal traffic).

FLOORING	YEARS
All Wooden Floors	100+
Bamboo	100+
Brick Pavers	100+
Carpet	8-10
Concrete	50+
Engineered Wood	50+
Exotic Wood	100+
Granite	100+
Laminate	15-25
Linoleum	25
Marble	100+
Other Domestic Wood	100+
Slate	100
Terrazo	75+
Tile	75-100
Vinyl	25

Concrete and poured block footings and foundations will last a lifetime, assuming they were properly built. Termite proofing of foundations will last about 12 years if the chemical barriers put in place during construction are left intact. Waterproofing with bituminous coating lasts 10 years, but if it cracks it is immediately damaged.

FOOTING & FOUNDATIONS	YEARS
Baseboard System	50
Bituminous Coating Waterproofing	10
Cast Iron Waste Pipe (Above Ground)	60+
Cast Iron Waste Pipe (Below ground)	50 – 60
Concrete Block	100+
Concrete Waste Pipe	100
Poured Footings and Foundations	100+
Pumps, Sumps, and Wells	5-12
Termite Proofing	12

Framing and structural systems have extended longevities; poured-concrete systems, timber frame houses and structural insulated panels will all last a lifetime. Wall panels and roof and floor trusses will also last a lifetime. Hardboard, softwood, and plywood last an average of 30 years, while OSB and particleboard are expected to last twice that long.

FRAMING & OTHER STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS	YEARS
Poured-Concrete Systems	100+
Structural Insulated Panels	100+
Timber Frame Homes	100+

Garage door openers are expected to last 10 to 15 years, and light inserts will last slightly longer.

GARAGES	YEARS
Garage Doors	20-25
Garage Door Openers	10-15
Light Inserts	20

Home technology systems have diverse life expectancies. While a built-in audio system will last 20 years, security systems and heat/smoke detectors have life expectancies of 5 to 10 years. Wireless home networks and home automation systems are expected to work properly for more than 50 years.

HOME TECHNOLOGY	YEARS
Built-in Audio	20
Home Automation Systems	100+
Security Systems	5-10
Smoke/Heat Detectors	Less Than 10
Wireless Home Networks	50+

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems require regular maintenance in order to work properly, but even well-maintained systems only last 15 to 25 years. Furnaces, on average, last 15-20 years, heat pumps last 16 years, and air conditioning units last 10-15 years. Tankless water heaters last more than 20 years, while an electric or gas water heater has a life expectancy of about 10 years. Thermostats may last 35 years but they are usually replaced before they fail due to technological improvements.

HVAC	YEARS
Air Conditioners	10-15
Air Quality Systems	15
Attic Fans	15 – 25
Boilers	13-21
Burners	10+
Central Air Conditioning Unite	12-15
Dampers	20+
Dehumidifiers	8
Diffusers, Grilles, and Registers	25
Ducting	10
DX, Water, Or Steam	20
Electric	15
Electric Radiant Heater	40
Furnaces	15-20
Heat Exchangers, shell + tube	10-15
Heat Pumps	16
Heat Recovery Ventilators	20
Hot Water or Steam Radiant Heater	40
Induction and Fan-Coil Units	10-15
Molded Insulation	100+
Shell and Tube	20
Thermostats	35
Ventilators	7
Water Heaters	20+

As long as they are not punctured, cut, or burned and are kept dry and away from UV rays, cellulose, fiberglass, and foam insulation materials will last a lifetime. This is true regardless of whether they were installed as loose fill, house wrap, or batts/rolls.

INSULATION & INFILTRATION BARRIERS	YEARS
Batts/Rolls	100+
Cellulose	100+
Fiberglass	100+
Foam	100+
House Wrap	100+
Loose Fill	100+

Ladders are expected to last a lifetime, but life expectancy of lifts is significantly shorter.

JOB SITE EQUIPMENT	YEARS
Ladders	100+
Lifts	8-10

Copper plated wiring, copper clad aluminum, and bare copper wiring are expected to last a lifetime, whereas electrical accessories and lighting controls may need to be replaced after 10 years.

LIGHTING & ELECTRICAL	YEARS
Accessories	10+
Bare Copper	100+
Copper Clad Aluminum	100+
Copper Plated	100+
Lighting Controls	10+

Masonry is one of the most enduring household components. Fireplaces, chimneys, and brick veneers can last the lifetime of a home.

MASONRY & CONCRETE	YEARS
Brick	100+
Sealer Caulking	2-20
Stone	100+
Veneer	100+

Custom millwork will last a lifetime, and all stairs – circular and spiral stairs, prebuilt stairs and attic stairs – are expected to last a lifetime.

MOLDING & MILLWORK	YEARS
Attic Stairs	100+
Custom Millwork	100+
Prebuilt Stairs	100+
Stair Parts	100+
Stairs, Circular & Spiral	100+

Lifetime of any wood product depend on level of moisture intrusion

PANELS	YEARS
Flooring Underlayment	25
Hardboard	30
Particleboard	60
Plywood	60
Softwood	30
Oriented-Strand Board	60
Wall Panels	100+

The life of a roof depends on local weather conditions, building and design, material quality, and adequate maintenance. Slate, copper, and clay/concrete roofs have the longest life expectancy while roofs made of asphalt shingles, fiber cement or wood shakes will fail sooner.

ROOFING	YEARS
Aluminum Coating	3-7
Asphalt Shingles (3 – tab)	20
Asphalt (Architectural)	30
BUR (Built-up Roof)	30
Clay/Concrete	100+
Coal and Tar	30
Copper	100+
EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) Rubber	15 – 25
Fiber Cement	25
Metal	40 – 50
Modified Bitumen	20
Simulated Slate	50
Slate	50+
TPO	7 – 20
Wood	30

Outside materials typically last a lifetime. Brick, vinyl, engineered wood, stone (both natural and manufactured), and fiber cement will last as long the house. Exterior wood shutters are expected to last 20 years, depending on weather conditions. Gutters have a life expectancy of more than 50 years if made of copper and for 20 years if made of aluminum. Copper downspouts last 100 years or more, while aluminum ones will last 30 years.

SIDING & ACCESSORIES	YEARS
Aluminum Downspouts	30
Aluminum Gutters	20
Aluminum/Interior Shutters	10+
Brick	100+
Copper Downspouts	100
Copper Gutters	50+
Engineered Wood	100+
Fiber Cement	100+
Galvanized Steel Gutters/Downspouts	20
Manufactured Stone	100+
Soffits/Fascias	50
Stone	100+
Stucco	50 – 100
Trim	25
Vinyl	100+
Wood/Exterior Shutters	20
Wood/Interior Shutters	15+

Most landscaping elements have a life expectancy of 15 to 25 years. Sprinklers and valves last about 20 years, while underground PVC piping has a lifespan of 25 years. Polyvinyl fences are designed to last as long as the house, and asphalt driveways should last between 15 and 20 years. Tennis courts can last a lifetime if they are recoated; most coatings last 12 to 15 years. The concrete shell of a swimming pool is expected to last more than 25 years, but the interior plaster and tile have life expectancies of about 10 to 25 years.

SITE & LANDSCAPING	YEARS
American Red Clay	100+
Asphalt Driveway	15-20
Asphalt with Acrylic Coating or Cushion	12-15
Brick & Concrete Patios	15-25
Clay Paving	100+
Cleaning Equipment(Swimming Pool)	7-10
Coating	5-7
Concrete Shell (Swimming Pool)	25+
Concrete Walks	40- 50
Controllers	15
Decking(Swimming Pool)	15
Fast-Dry Green Tennis Court	100+
Fast-Dry with Subsurface	100+
Gravel Walks	4-6
Interior Finish( Swimming Pool)	10-35
Polyvinyl Fences	100+
Sprinklers	10-14
Underground PVC Piping	60+
Valves	20
Waterline Tile ( Swimming Pool)	10

Aluminum windows are expected to last between 15 and 20 years while wooden windows should last nearly 30 years.

SKYLIGHTS & WINDOWS	YEARS
Aluminum/Aluminum Clad	15-20
Window Glazing	10+
Vinyl Windows	20 – 40
Wood	30+

Note: Life expectancy varies with usage, weather, installation, maintenance and quality of materials. Items listed as lasting 100+ years, especially those that open and close, often fail prematurely due to misuse or overuse. This list should be used only as a general guideline, not as a guarantee or warranty regarding the performance or life expectancy of any product.

I wish more clients knew these things

Time for a well deserved Rant —
Are you buying a home? Here are a couple things you should know:
1) Hire your own home inspector that you trust. they ‘ have a guy’ …but ..he’s “their guy” … choose an independent like me 🙂 I’m YOUR guy – for you.

2) The inspection period and attorney review can be whatever you need it it to be ! If both parties agree Don’t believe contract boilerplate BS… . 5 days Is simply NOT enough time in most situations , and this comes from my 15 years of experience watching people being rushed on their big dollar decision …sad ..

3) realize that everything the home inspector says is going to be downplayed by everyone else on the real estate “team”, that is supposedly working in your interest but directly benefits from the sale of the property.

4) Look up the term ‘fiduciary responsibility’
The home inspector might be the only unbiased person you deal with in some situations.. beware.

5) Never allow someone directly benefiting from the sale ( agent) to try to hurry an inspection along .( Common excuse: ” I have another appointment right after this. I don’t want to be late…” etc etc). The generic arbitrary number of 3 hours is an IDEALIC time frame if Conditions are very good , A good inspector will inspect for accuracy not speed. It’s going to take as long as it takes.

6) a city code inspector will check the home for the Bare minimums to be observed when construction or a sale is taking place. It is not the same objective as a state licensed home inspector.

7) a home inspector will observe and point out safety issues, money drains, maintenance problems and overall condition woes… Whether they are acknowledged by the local Village code or not. Some towns barely even have a code Department, And it’s like the Wild West.

8) an home Appraiser’s job takes about a half-hour at most and they appraise the property for value..$$$ .. Not the condition. It is not the same as a code inspector or state license home inspector.

9) You Totally have the right to ask the seller to disclose any safety issues from past inspections, ask questions ! and don’t believe the disclosure form because it’s an acknowledgement of pretending to be ignorant 9 times out of 10. If they get offended or taken back by you inquiring about the home, that you’re about to purchase for a lot of coin?? That might tell you something.

10) Most homeowners at some point, should have had someone view the sewer pipe from house to street …this is especially important if there are big trees in the parkway. When I find out someone lived in the home for 20 + years & never even knew about that? It concerns me.

11) If your real estate agent starts giving construction advice and they are not a licensed contractor?You need to tell them to stop immediately. If you don’t know Your way around tools and they’re telling you That YOU could fix up the house yourself because it’s easy. You need to tell them to stop….
Sure … IT CAN be done sometimes with due diligence and hard work but proffesionals are out there that can yield proffesional results that will last and be safer and better.

12) unfortunately a lot of homes that have been “flipped” lately are frightening to me. Please realize that everything was done to make a profit. You will not be getting the best of everything. You’re getting the minimum. Plus they have painted it whatever neutral color and installed a really neutral carpeting. yes
Some homes are flipped really well, by real remodelers .. the problem is everyone thinks they’re a remodeler now. I’ve seen places look like they’ve took several trips a day to Home Depot to ask some uniformed & disinterested Lumber Jockey what to do next and he didn’t even know.
Just because you changed the tires on your car doesn’t mean you know how to rebuild a 57 chevy to show quality… or even make it run right. Get the pro who knows.

13) When someone tells you Hey, you should really get that looked at, It’s probably some damn good advice.
When a home inspector spells it out in the home inspection report … Plan on it. For your own good, and Financial Health.

Licensed and Certified Inspector

There are some inspectors today boasting of something to the effect of: “I’ve been an Inspector for over 15 years and I’ve done 7 thousand inspections. “In Illinois Home Inspection only became licensed in 2003, so before that it was not very official or professional, and there were no legal rules to deifne what a home inspection was.

You have to ask- What Regulations or basic standards were followed?, what kinds of “inspections” were performed and what really did they consist of? It could be anything goes and the “inspector” could be anyone, so how much weight does that really hold? Some of those “inspections” were very likely simple checklists, of maybe a few areas, maybe just an exterior drive by. It was really just up to them, they could have also counted every time they went to a property to give an estimate on a construction job. Hey, you could do ten of those a day. How long would it take? 15 minutes?

Before licensing, unless they were part of an organization that certifies the individual and they were personally adhering to some kind of home inspection standard, it is meaningless and can’t be counted as an official inspection. THE ONLY WAY IT COUNTS FOR SOMETHING LEGALLY IN ILLINOIS IS IF IT’S A LICENSED INSPECTOR DOING A HOME INSPECTION ACCORDING TO STATE STANDARDS.

I am proud to say that I have been a legal licensed home inspector and have been a member of InterNACHI from the beginning, and I have performed every one of my inspections according to IL state standards.

So when you hear talk about 20+ years as an inspector, ask them if they were at least certified by a professional organization and if they performed ALL of the inspections to a defined minimum standard.

Ten facts about RADON

Ten facts about radon gas

1. Radon gas is noble & heaviest gas on periodic table.

2. Radon is the largest source of exposure to radioactivity.

3. Alpha particles are emitted from the decay of radon gas;
the impact of the discharge of alpha particles is what
damages lung tissues, not the gas itself.

4. Alpha particles are very light- they have a helium nucleus.

5. Radon is not limited to the basement, the forces that draw it in to the home will continue to draw it up into living areas.

6. The SURGEON GENERAL , on Jan 13, 2005 issued a
health advisory : RADON CAUSES LUNG CANCER

7. Radon gas is a class A Carcinogen ( group 1)

8. Radon is spontaneous and unpredictable

9. Uranium decay chain leads to Radon which decays
to Polonium, lead, bismuth, and polonium again;
the half lives are relatively short- increasing
potential for exposure to radioactivity. 10. Radon mitigation (reduction) systems CAN also
help reduce mold and other volatile organic
compound gasses, and have been installed
for those purposes.

Seller Prep for Inspection

Sellers can speed their home inspection by following these suggestions. The inspection will go smoother, with fewer concerns to delay closing. Sellers Preparation for Inspection

Make sure all utilities are on ( water electricity, and gas ) and pilots are lit on waterheater,furnace , boilers etc.
If pets are in the home, make sure they wont slow things down. The best practice is to have them outdoors, or at a friends home. Do tell the agent if you have pets in the home.
A burned out bulb will give the appearance of an electrical problem, make sure to replace any dead bulbs.
Make sure all Smoke and CO detectors have fresh batteries and are functioning
Replace or clean the HVAC air filters, reinstall them correctly.
Clear away anything blocking view of the foundation exterior, and dont store wood against foundation.
Personal items stored inside should not obscure typically inspected areas or components such as the water heater, HVAC equiptment, Electrical service panels, attics and crawl spaces.
There should not be any locked and inaccesible areas- Make sure the inspector can get to everything possible.
Landscaping should be neat and clean, without overhanging tree branches, or shrubs too close to home.
Any Broken or missing items you find or know of should be replaced before they can end up in a report.

Do these things and you will have a much smoother inspection-
plus your agent will be grateful.

What does a Home Inspector do?

“A home inspector performs a very valuable and important service. Professional home inspectors examine existing homes using professional standards as a measure to accurately report their condition to parties involved in the real estate transaction.

The home inspector does not evaluate the home for cost or value, but reports objectively in writing the condition of the home’s systems as they appear and operate at the time of the inspection. A detailed home inspection usually takes two to three hours or longer, depending on the home’s age and square footage. I recommend that you be present at your home inspection so that you can ask your inspector any questions and to look at any areas needing maintenance or repair.”

to simplify what a home inspection is:

“A home inspection is a high-liability,
in-depth, multi-disciplined technical analysis
of the home conducted under adverse circumstances
in front of a demanding audience,
requiring the generation of an incredibly detailed
written report prepared in an unrealistically short
time frame for an inconceivably low fee.”

that always makes me smile… 🙂