Biological Pollutants in the Home

by | Feb 23, 2016 | Shawn Chesney Home Inspections Blog

Outdoor air pollution in cities is a major health problem. Much effort and money continue to be spent cleaning up pollution in the outdoor air. But air pollution can be a problem where you least expect it, in the place you may have thought was safest — your home. Many ordinary activities, such as cooking, heating, cooling, cleaning and redecorating, can cause the release and spread of indoor pollutants at home. Studies have shown that the air in our homes can be even more polluted than outdoor air. Many Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors, often at home. Therefore, breathing clean indoor air can have an important impact on health. People who are inside a great deal may be at greater risk of developing health problems, or having problems made worse by indoor air pollutants. These people include infants, young children, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses. Many factors determine whether pollutants in your home will affect your health. They include the presence, use and condition of pollutant sources, the level of pollutants both indoors and out, the amount of ventilation in your home, and your overall health. What are Biological Pollutants? Biological pollutants are or were living organisms. They promote poor indoor air quality and may be a major cause of days lost from work and school, and of doctor and hospital visits. Some can even damage surfaces inside and outside your house. Biological pollutants can travel through the air and are often invisible. Some common indoor biological pollutants are: • animal dander (minute scales from hair, feathers, or skin); • dust mite and...

Biowall Inspection

by | Feb 23, 2016 | Shawn Chesney Home Inspections Blog

Biowalls — also referred to as living walls, vertical gardens, green facades, and green walls — are interior or exterior walls that are covered with living vegetation. Biowalls have practical applications for both indoor and outdoor use. Many indoor biowalls are implemented in homes and offices for their natural air-filtration properties, Biowalls have many health and financial benefits when implemented properly. This biowall was constructed by Team Montreal for the Solar Decathlon 2007.and are used in tandem with traditional HVAC systems. Outdoor biowalls are most commonly found in urban environments, and serve to insulate buildings and combat the urban heat island (or UHI) effect, where exposed concrete surfaces reflect heat and cause urban centers to be excessively hot in the summertime. Biowalls are also effective for mitigating the UHI effect in urban centers located in warm and dry climates. Facts and Figures The EPA estimates that even in buildings employing state-of-the-art HVAC systems, indoor air quality can be significantly worse than outdoor air quality due to the emission of volatile organic compounds (or VOCs). VOCs result from the off-gassing of paint, refrigerants, new carpeting, glues, electronics, and other petrochemical products. VOCs may not be hazardous in small quantities but, over time, they contribute to Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), which causes occupants of affected buildings to suffer headaches, dizziness, and irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. In a 1984 study, NASA found that vegetation sequesters and purifies a significant amount of VOCs from enclosed indoor spaces. Plant foliage is responsible for turning carbon dioxide into oxygen, but it is the root system that actually sequesters hazardous VOCs. How do...

Building a Home

by | Feb 23, 2016 | Shawn Chesney Home Inspections Blog

If you want to build a new home, there are things you need to know before you begin. Learn about construction standards and about buying land, so you know your rights. MPS Supplementing Model Building Codes The Minimum Property Standards (MPS) establish certain minimum standards for buildings constructed under HUD housing programs. This includes new single-family homes, multi-family housing and healthcare-type facilities. HUD Minimum Property Standards and How They Supplement the Model Building Codes Until the mid-1980s, HUD maintained separate Minimum Property Standards for different types of structures. Since that time, HUD has accepted the model building codes, including over 250 referenced standards and local building codes, in lieu of separate and prescriptive HUD standards. However, there is one major area of difference between the MPS and other model building codes — durability requirements. Homes and projects financed by FHA-insured mortgages are the collateral for these loans, and their lack of durability can increase the FHA’s financial risk in the event of default. More specifically, the model codes do not contain any minimum requirements for the durability of items such as doors, windows, gutters and downspouts, painting and wall coverings, kitchen cabinets and carpeting. The MPS includes minimum standards for these, and other items, to ensure that the value of an FHA-insured home is not reduced by the deterioration of these components. HUD Field Office Acceptance for Areas Without Building Codes HUD requires that each property insured with an FHA mortgage meet one of the nationally recognized building codes or a state or local building code based on a nationally recognized building code. In areas where such state or...

Building Orientation for Optimum Energy

by | Feb 23, 2016 | Shawn Chesney Home Inspections Blog

Building orientation is the practice of facing a building so as to maximize certain aspects of its surroundings, such as street appeal, to capture a scenic view, for drainage considerations, etc. With rising energy costs, it’s becoming increasingly important for builders to orient buildings to capitalize on the Sun’s free energy. For developers and builders, Graphic from EcoWho.comorienting a new home to take advantage of the warmth of the Sun will increase the home’s appeal and marketability. For homeowners, it will increase their indoor comfort and reduce their energy bills. Thus, building orientation, along with daylighting and thermal mass, are crucial considerations of passive solar construction that can be incorporated into virtually any new home design. InterNACHI inspectors who consult with new homeowners can pass along this valuable information to help their clients reap long-term energy benefits and savings. Facts and Figures Many older homes’ designs were oriented through the use of a heliodon, which is a moveable light source used to mimic the Sun’s path that hovered over a small-scale model of a proposed building. Today, mathematical computer models calculate location-specific solar gain and seasonal thermal performance with precision, and have the added ability to rotate and animate a 3D color graphic model of a proposed building design in relation to the Sun’s path. Homeowners may now tap into a specialty market of homes designed to spin on their axis in order to follow the hourly and seasonal path of the Sun. These UFO-shaped homes can spin a full 360 degrees in minutes and are built with unusually tall ceilings and windows for maximum efficiency in powering their...