Mold

Starting in the 1940s, gypsum drywall began replacing plaster and lathe in the U.S. home construction industry. Our goal was to evaluate whether some mold populations differ in water-damaged homes primarily constructed with gypsum drywall compared to plaster. The dust samples from the 2006 Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) American Health Homes Survey…

Indoor air cleaning systems are one of the most commonly used methods for controlling indoor air pollution and the spread of mold. The other two methods are source control (eliminating or minimizing the source of pollution) and ventilation. Both portable air-cleaning units for room-size applications and in-duct devices/filters that are installed in the HVAC system…

All About Tree and Planter Dangers Trees and planters are generally a desirable feature of home landscaping, but they can pose a threat to buildings in a number of different ways. Trees and planters installed too close to your structure can cause damage to the foundation or to the exterior wall, causing stucco or cladding…

Direct bonding is required for gas piping systems incorporating standard (yellow) or uncoated CSST whether or not the connected gas equipment is electrically powered. This requirement is provided as part of the manufacturer’s instruction for single-family and multi-family buildings and required by the 2009 and later editions of the National Fuel Gas Code, the International…

What Is Sick Building Syndrome? Symptoms related directly to Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) Include: Most symptoms and complaints subside soon after leaving the contaminated building, although lingering effects of neurotoxins can occur. There are various factors that can degrade indoor air quality and cause SBS; the following factors can be directly responsible for Sick Building…

After conducting a few home inspections this past month I began to start noticing a pattern. Upon inspecting the fireplace two major issues stood out in each home I inspected: Both of these defects pose a severe hazard. This condition can result in excessive heat entering the surrounding wall which poses a fire hazard. Your…