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Inspector's Viewpoint
"Your Source For Independent Inspection Information"

Summer 2000 - By Dennis R. Robitaille, President Able Home Inspection, Inc.
Mailing Address PMB 155 - 643 Bway Saugus, MA 01906 - Phone 781-231-0236

New Home Inspector Organization Formed:

In response to the consumer protection that will be afforded to prospective home buyers in Massachusetts, I have formed a new independent home inspector's organization. This will be for the benefit of home buyers in the other 49 States and in Canada.

This new association is know as the Independent Home Inspectors Of North America. Members of this new organization have pubicly stated that they do not actively solicit real estate agents for client leads.

If you or someone you know will be purchasing property outside of Massachusetts, be sure to contact one of the inspectors listed on that web site.

Several home inspectors have written letters to me concerning this new organization. This is what one out of state home inspector wrote:

"Dennis; By nature, a new inspector solicits referrals from real estate sales people, the very people that need to "close the deal" to get paid. To obtain referrals, the new inspector must consider the sales person the primary client and as such must satisfy the sales person's need to get paid. This is accomplished by reinforcing the buying decision, not by inspecting for defects.

The relationship that often results is very similar to a used car salesperson recommending a mechanic for the purpose of inspecting a used car for a purchaser, an obvious problem in the eyes of most people. The attempt by sales people to control the Home Inspection process has become more open. This control extends to other professionals such as attorneys, appraisers, lenders, etc..

The results of your legislative efforts are a huge step in the right direction. The home buyer must be allowed to freely select all professionals involved in the purchase process."

Tom Corrigan
Framingham Associates
Delmar, New York

This link will take you to what other home inspectors have written concerning this issue: Inspector Comments.

Have Rising Home Prices Peaked?

For the past year everyone has been wondering when housing prices, which have been rising at a 15% + yearly rate in many Massachusetts areas will slow down or stop.

There may be a few things happening which could be a prelude to a slow down of the escalating prices. First, interest rates have risen slowly but steadily over the past year. Two, the stock market has been in a general decline for a few months. Three, there are more and more real estate listings advertising "new price". (This indicates that potential buyers are not biting at the high "test" price.)

The steep rise in housing prices may very well have already peaked. It's also possible that any bad economy news this summer could weaken housing prices.

Two Homes Destroyed By Natural Gas Explosions:

Within four days, natural gas explosions rocked two residential neighborhoods in Massachusetts. In Boxford, on 5/12, a homeowner digging up his front walk with a backhoe triggered a major explosion leveling his home. Boston Gas spokesman Mike Connors said the homeowner was doing some work outside the home when he apparently dislodged a service line, causing the house to fill with gas.

In Braintree, on 5/15, a contractor clearing the back yard of a home, dislodged a gas line with a backhoe. The resulting explosion leveled a home.

Boston Gas advises anyone to contact DigSafe before starting any excavation, trenching, blasting, demolishing, boring, backfilling, grading, landscaping, or other earth moving operations, 1-888-DIG-SAFE (same as) 1-888-344-7233. Federal and State Laws require excavators to notify appropriate utility companies before excavating. Notifying member utilities individually would be time consuming, but calling "Dig Safe" simplifies the process.

Dig Safe is a system, funded by member companies, which allows excavators to notify the appropriate utilities with one telephone call or one Web form. This system was created to promote public safety, avoid costly damage to underground facilities, and reduce cost and time of notifications.

Central Air Conditioning Systems:

Now that summer is upon us you may want to make sure your central A/C is in good working order. To test the A/C, the outside temperature should be above 65 degrees for at least 12 hours. Some A/C compressors may be damaged if they are run when the temperature is below 60 degrees.

First, make sure all the windows and doors are closed, then turn the fan switch to "auto" and set the thermostat below the room temperature. The fan and condensing unit should come on, unless there is a time delay built into the system. Let the system run about an hour. Check the temperature at the supply and return registers with an accurate temperature gauge. The temperature at the supply register should be 14 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than at the return ducts.

If the temperature differential is more than 20 degrees it likely indicates restricted air flow. This could mean: (1.) A dirty air filter. (2.) Improper ductwork or (3.) An improperly sized blower fan or one that is not working properly.

If the temperature differential is less than 14 degrees, the possible causes are: (1.) Refrigerant loss, (2.) A dirty coil, (3.) A laboring compressor, (4.) An oversized blower fan, or (5.) A deficient return air system or ducting (leaky ductwork in central A/C systems is often overlooked and is a big energy waster. In fact, recent California utility studies found a 25% to 30% leakage rate to be common in home air conditioning ducts. The dirty job of duct sealing is often neglected, but it can be a cost-effective way to boost energy efficiency)

Two Common A/C Problems:

1. Low refrigerant: Due to a possible leak in the system. If the leak can be located easily, the repair and recharging would typically cost less than $350.00.

2. Compressor failure: A problem which usually requires replacement of the unit, especially if the age of the unit is over 12 years old. The replacement cost is about $600 per ton, (12,000 BTU's).

EPA Air Duct Cleaning Advisory:

The EPA has posted information concerning air duct cleaning. Some service providers have been recommending that chemical biocides, be applied to the inside of the duct work and to other system components and chemical treatments (sealants or other encapsulants) be used to seal or cover the inside surfaces of the air ducts and equipment housings.

These service providers state that the sealant will control mold growth or prevent the release of dirt particles or fibers from ducts. These practices have yet to be fully researched and you should be fully informed before deciding to permit the use of biocides or sealants in your air ducts. To learn more about air duct cleaning, click on this link: EPA Air Duct Cleaning Info

Just Curious:

Why is lemon juice made of artifical ingredients but
dishwashing liquid contains real lemons?

Why are children's toys vacuum sealed in hard plastic shells
but candy sits opened for a year in store lobby machines?

Ask The Inspector:

"What are powder post beetles?"

LIFE HISTORY
Powderpost beetles are small (about 1/12 to 1/5 inch long) and usually reddish-brown to nearly black in color. They emerge from infested wood from late winter through early summer. During this time, the females lay eggs in the wood pores. These eggs hatch into tiny curved grubs that eat into the wood, packing their burrows with the finely pulverized wood. When fully grown, the grubs go through a pupa stage and once again emerge as beetles. Powderpost beetles require from a few months to several years to complete one generation, depending on the species and the starch content of the wood.

In New England the number of active infestations cases are rare. In New England most powderpost beetle damage is old (inactive) and usually found in older (100+ year old) colonial homes. The surface of powderpost beetle-infested wood is perforated with numerous small "shot holes," each about the size of a pencil lead or nail point. Any jarring of the wood causes a fine, flour-like powder to sift from these holes. When cut or broken, the interior of infested wood may reveal masses of this finely-packed powder.

Sub-flooring, hardwood flooring, joists, sills, plates and interior trim are the parts of buildings most frequently attacked. Other wood products like hickory furniture, implement handles and ladders may also be damaged.

PROCEDURES FOR CONTROL
If treatment is needed, licensed pest control operators can use 0.5% Dursban (chlorpyrifos) and 0.5% lindane as emulsifiable concentrates (EC) that can be diluted to desired percentages by mixing with water. All surfaces being treated must be thoroughly wetted for effective control. This type of treatment will kill emerging adults rather than larvae since the insecticide will penetrate only slightly into the wood. Care should be exercised in treating hardwood floors and other finished surfaces to avoid marring the finish.

PRODUCT RECALLS

(Pictures and additional info of the recalled products
can be viewed by clicking on the links to the CPSC)

CPSC, Sta-Rite Industries Inc. Announce Recall Of Back-Up Sump Pump Battery Chargers Back-Up Sump Pump Battery Charger Recall

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Sta-Rite Industries Inc., of Delavan, Wis., is voluntarily recalling about 29,000 battery chargers used in battery back-up sump pump systems. The battery chargers can overheat and ignite, melting the charger housing and posing a fire hazard.

CPSC Safety Alert Portable Generator Safety Tips:

CPSC wants consumers to know that portable generators can be hazardous if used improperly. The hazards are: (1) carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from the toxic engine exhaust and (2) electrocution from connecting the generator to the home electrical wiring system. Portable Generator Safety Tips

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 12, 2000: First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton joined U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Chairman Ann Brown to announce legislation to help expand CPSC's authority to crack down on firms that are not reporting defective products to the agency. CPSC conducts 200 to 300 product recalls each year, yet half of the most serious product hazards are discovered by CPSC investigators - not reported by the companies as required by law.

Over the past 5 years, CPSC has fined 21 firms for failing to report nearly 360 injuries and four deaths associated with hazardous products. For the year 2000 these are the firms, penalties and hazards.

Firm--------------Product--------Penalty---------Hazard / Injuries (before report)

Black & Decker: Toasters, $575,000, 73 fires / 2 injuries.
Baby's Dream: Cribs, $200,000, 9 amputations / crushed fingers.
Hasbro: Infant Carriers, $400,000, 7 skull fractures.
Lancaster Co: Candles, $150,000, 142 flare ups, 20 burns, 55 property damages.

Send your home questions, news / legal articles or lighthearted quips to:

Dennis Robitaille

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Truth About Real Estate Agent Referred Home Inspectors Do You Need An Engineer
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