Home Inspection
Information From
Alban Home
Inspection Service

June '03

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Sick House Syndrome
Sick House Syndrome – the result of poor air quality in a home – can result in allergies, asthma, chemical sensitivity, migraines, cancer, and emphysema. Many people in our country may be subjected to the syndrome, and children, women, and the elderly have increased susceptibility..

Numerous particles, fibers, and gases may be found in indoor air, and many of these foreign particles may be of concern. Some are called irritants, others allergens, while still others are labeled sensitizers or toxins. These particles of concern include lime and silica dust (which are found in concrete), pet dander, chips of lead paint, carbon (from fireplaces or candles), and body parts of dead microscopic insects. Fibers of concern include asbestos, animal hair, and carpet fibers, while gasses of concern include carbon monoxide, radon and volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds. These substances find their way into the property in various ways. They may be emitted from building, furnishing, and cleaning materials, tracked in on shoes, or flow through leaks in the house. They

 

 

 

may also grow like molds and mites inside the home itself. So what’s a homeowner to do? Well, to improve air quality indoors, it is best to audit the home (either personally or professionally) to locate typical sources of problems. The audit should also assure that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment is serviced on a regular basis. A professional touch may be preferable, as do it- yourself renovation and clean-up projects often cause more problems than they solve. If the homeowner wants to upgrade to improve his home air quality, he should consider the following nineteen tips: 
1. Install improved filters and
HEPA vacuum cleaners
2. Install high-efficiency furnaces and hot
water heaters; Perform duct cleaning 
3. Maintain a seal in all sewage traps 
4. Use bathroom and kitchen exhausts
and heat recovery ventilators 
5. Avoid toys, mattress covers, and other soft materials containing latex, vinyl, or neoprene 
6. Miteproof mattress and pillow covers; purchase non-allergenic blankets

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From the desk of . . .
     Arthur S. Lazero
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A Quick Update!

I. Website Additions.  Melissa Brois, our marketing director, and I are continually trying to improve and update our Internet website. We have two new additions. The first is additional information about environmental issues. Updated pages on mold, lead-based paint, well water testing and septic testing are online. These come from handouts we have developed for newly licensed Realtors. The second addition is numerous pictures of housing deficiencies and other "goodies", such as pictures of polybutylene piping, failed asphalt shingles, deterioration caused by galvanic action and structural failures. These pictures come from many years of photographing actual deficiencies. II. Cancellations: This spring and summer sales season has been record-breaking. However, we are experiencing a 10-15% cancellation rate. Too many inspections are being scheduled prematurely. Most damaging are cancellations within 24 hours of the inspection appointment, which wastes an inspector’s scheduled time and deprives the inspector of income. Shocking concept, but our inspectors work to feed their families. Accordingly, we have instituted a one hundred fifty dollar ($150.00) cancellation fee for any inspection cancelled within 24 hours of the scheduled appointment. Please, we ask all Realtors and clients to respect our time.

 

 

 

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