ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

My job as your home inspector is to alert you, to the extent possible, to unknown problems and potential environmental hazards in your current or potential house. Ours is a non-invasive visual inspection of your property which can alert you to possible problems. Below are some common environmental hazards.

Asbestos

Excerpted from the Environmental Protection Agency's website, click for more info about abestos.

In the past, asbestos was added to many products to strengthen them and provide fire resistance and heat insulation. If disturbed, asbestos material may release asbestos fibers which can be inhaled into the lungs. Asbestos material that crumbles easily if handled, scraped, sawed, or sanded is more likely to create a health hazard. Breathing high levels of asbestos fibers can lead to an increased risk of lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. Houses built between 1930 and 1950 may have asbestos insulation. Most of today’s products do not contain asbestos. If asbestos material is more than slightly damaged or you plan changes that might disturb it, you require a professional for repair and removal. Before home remodeling, find out if asbestos is present.

Lead

Excerpted from the EPA's website, click for more info about lead.

Lead is a highly toxic metal used for many years in products in and around homes. Primary sources of lead exposure are deteriorating lead-based paint, plumbing, lead-contaminated dust, and lead-contaminated residential soil. Lead might be present in any home built up until the 1940s. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, joints, and solder. New homes are also at risk: even legally “lead-free” pipes can contain up to 8 percent lead and leave significant amounts of lead in the water for the first several months after installation. Since the 1980s, EPA and its federal partners have banned or limited lead used in consumer products, including residential paint. Federal regulations limiting the amount of lead in paint sold for residential use started in 1978.

Mold

Excerpted from the EPA's website, click for more info about mold.

Mold (fungi) is present everywhere, indoors and outdoors. Mold most likely grows in bathrooms, basements, or anywhere there is high humidity, dampness or water. Many types of mold routinely encountered aren’t hazardous to healthy individuals. Too much exposure to mold may cause a worsening of such conditions as asthma, hay fever, or other allergies. Exposure can occur if people inhale the spores, directly handle moldy material, or accidentally ingest the spores. Most often molds are confined to areas near a water source. Removing the source of moisture through repairs or dehumidification is crucial in preventing mold growth. Correcting underlying water damage and cleaning the affected area is the best way to treat mold. If mold contamination is extensive, a professional abatement company may be needed.

Pests

Excerpted from the University of California's Statewide Integrated Pest Management site, click for more info.

Termites: These pests cause serious damage to wooden structures and posts and can also attack stored food, household furniture, and books. Successful termite management requires special skills, including a working knowledge of building construction and an understanding of termite biology and identification. In most cases, it is advisable to hire a professional pest control company for the inspection and control problem.

Wood-boring Beetles: Beetle larvae can feed on wood and wood products. Adults of some species bore holes into plaster, plastic, and soft metals. To avoid these problems, infested wood must be kiln-fired before being used for lumber. Adults of some species bore through such soft metal as lead and silver, as well as plaster and other non-wood materials. Affected structural wood should be removed and replaced whenever possible.

Wood Wasps and Horntails: Wood wasp damage in buildings is likely to be more cosmetic than structurally weakening. Emerging wood wasps can chew through any substance: wallboard or plaster walls, hardwood floors, carpeting, linoleum, non-ceramic floor tiles, and other interior surfaces.

Carpenter Ants: Several species can damage wood in building and other structures. Though ants don’t eat wood, they bore into it to make their nests, sometimes causing serious structural damage. Also, they nest in hollow doors, cracks and crevices, furniture, wall voids, and termite galleries. New building infestation occurs when land-cleaning in the area disturbs existing native colonies.