In a recent article I was reading on everydayhealth.com, I ran across some information on COPD that I thought might be helpful to those of you who are elderly or may have elderly parents.
You can live with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder if you get the right treatment plan and stick to it. The goals of a good COPD treatment plan are to manage and avoid symptoms, slow the progression of the disease, manage exacerbations and emergencies and improve your general health.
Medications that your doctor prescribes can help keep your symptoms under control but there is a lot that you can do on your own.
In addition to following your treatment plan, you can help keep your COPD under control by avoiding potential complications, watching out for anxiety and depression and making sure that you have a good support system. Here's how:
Preventing COPD flares: Quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke are two of the most important things you can do. Air pollutants, allergens like dust and mold and chemical fumes can also cause a COPD exacerbation.
Avoid Depression: Depression may keep you from sticking to your treatment plan. Learn the symptoms of depression and ask for help if you need it. Treatment for depression may be an important part of managing your COPD.
Understanding COPD anxiety: If you are worried about your breathing all the time, especially if you are afraid to leave the house because of it, you may need help managing your anxiety.
COPD Support: A support group can be a source of experience, strength, and hope and can help you keep your COPD treatment on track.
Your COPD treatment plan is a lifelong process. Sticking with the plan is the best way to keep living well with COPD, and staying in touch with your health care team will allow you to adjust your COPD treatment plan over time.
I hope this is helpful to you or someone you know.
Our topic for this article will be basements. Many of the things we will touch on can also contribute to crawlspace issues as well but because a basement can become part of the living quarters, we'll focus on that.
Moisture Problems: Virtually all basements leak from time to time. Even basements that have never been damp may someday show moisture or even a trickle of water. Sometimes this happens after an unusually heavy rain. Often, basements spring a leak because silt has accumulated in the gravel backfill/perforated pipe drainage system buried underground. When this happens, water accumulates above the footings, creating water pressure that penetrates tiny cracks that abound in most foundations. No foundation can serve as a reverse swimming pool – keeping out water that builds up above its footings.
Contributing Factors: Perhaps voids under concrete slabs have created a channel for water to flow next to the foundation. Perhaps a growing tree root has channeled water to the foundation or even cracked the foundation wall. A new flower garden or similar project may have loosened the soil next to the house. Gutters or downspouts may have become clogged and are dumping water near the foundation instead of flowing it away from the house.
Practical Approaches:
- Create positive slope away from the house by raising the soil level next to the house. Be careful not to come within 8” of the siding with the new soil level.
- Remove excess vegetation from around foundation walls. Do not plant shrubs or trees next to the house.
- Be sure water from downspouts is routed away from the building. This can be done by putting elbows at the bottom of the downspout and also using splash blocks.
- Be sure to keep gutters and downspouts flowing freely so that water does not overflow around the foundation.
- Remove large roots from around the foundation. (This might kill the tree)
- Seal all driveways, steps, and patios where they join the house.
- Repair any cracks that you notice.
If these approaches don’t solve the problem, you may want to hire an inspector to analyze the situation and recommend an approach.
In an industry forum that I frequent on LinkedIN, there was a post regarding this question that I thought was interesting. I wanted to share his input and my take on it for your benefit.
Closed cell spray foam is a widely used method of applying insulation to seal buildings from air and moisture intrusion. Spray foam is the "new" fix for everything product.
Although there are installation guidelines, the real issue may be lack of certification and training that ultimately leads to poor application practices. There are many companies running around eager to fill your home with foam .... But I say buyer beware.
The author had several clients that had 1: Spray foam applied in a crawlspace without encapsulating it resulting in high mold spore counts in the crawlspace and upper level floors buckling from the wicking of moisture, 2: off-gassing from the foam due to improper installation, 3: Soffit area spray foamed in an unconditioned attic. Although there was a ridge vent and gable vent the area between the attic floor and gable had no ventilation resulting in significant mold growth. In a 5 year old home, moisture was trapped between the roof decking and insulation causing deterioration of the roof decking.
During installation, if the chemicals are not mixed correctly or at the proper temperature, incomplete curing of the two checmicals can occur, ether of which is toxic on its own. Although rare, the risk is still there.
Once applied (correctly or incorrectly) a house is bound up and glued together in a manner that is impossible to reverse, limiting the ease of future renovations dramatically. It also can produce toxic gases in the event of a fire.
I'm certainly not against foam insulation but as a professional and homeowner I would make sure the application methods are sound.
I could just sit back and let the spray foam industry build my business for the future but I'm more interested in helping my clients make the right decisions to ensure a healthy home.
Heating and Air Conditioning
Hopefully, you'll find this information helpful in maintaining your HVAC systems:
Furnace:
Owners of fossil-fueled furnaces (gas, oil, coal, wood) should purchase a maintenance contract that includes inspection of the heat exchanger as soon as they obtain possession of the home – especially if the furnace is more than five years old. Remember, that you must change the furnace filter frequently (approximately every three months). Owners of units that use natural gas should get their maintenance contract through their gas supplier (if available). Suppliers of natural gas typically do not sell furnaces and will not recommend replacing a safe unit just because a trace of gas had been found to get through the heat exchanger in a gas tracer test. Owners of units that use other fuels should get their contract through a trustworthy holder of a mechanical license. After the first year, a tune-up by a specialist is required every other year according to the Department of Energy.
Life Expectancy: Most furnaces last 20 to 30 years. Fossil-fueled, forced-air central heat furnaces cost $2,000 or more to replace. Floor and wall furnaces cost less to replace.
Ducts: Dirt in ducts of central heating systems may breed dust mites. Dust mites survive by ingesting human skin scales which abound in houses. Many persons suffer allergic reactions when they become sensitized to the dust mite's droppings. Ducts should be inspected once a year. Repair those with loose joints or holes that are losing expensive conditioned air to unfinished spaces. Consult a professional when cleaning metal or flexible ducts is necessary. If the insulation on flexible ducts has seperated, it should be repaired to not only avoid loss of conditioned air, but to prevent moisture from collecting in the ductwork which can present health concerns.
Warning: Do not operate an air conditioner when the temperature is below 65° F. or in the morning when the overnight low temperature is less than 55° F. Turning on a cold unit can cause liquid “slugging” of the compressor. Liquid (cold) refrigerant won’t compress and a compressor trying to compress it will self destruct.
Replacement: Remember that installation costs remain about the same whether good or cheap parts are used. Spend a little more to have a quality system. Always check out your contractor. If a compressor is found to be bad, the repair cost can be as high as $3,000. In rare circumstances, a small compressor may cost as little as $700.
General Plumbing
Test Yearly: Public water provided in many urban areas has been found to be contaminated. Water from a few large cities (especiallyNew York andLos Angeles) is likely to be safe, but smaller water companies are likely to produce contaminated water (the federal government’s General Accounting Office has found that most community water companies fail to follow the government testing guidelines). The chlorine most communities introduce into the water to kill bacteria may produce cancer-causing agents when it interacts with organic debris (such as rotted leaves) in the water. Private wells may draw water that fell as rain or snow hundreds of miles away, and is especially likely to be contaminated by intervening farms and factories.
Therefore, it is recommended that all water supplies be tested at least once a year. If you are using public water, ask for their latest water quality report and compare it with EPA regulations (available by calling 800-426-4791). It is important that household water be tested to be sure that lead, excess copper or other contaminants are not being introduced into pure public water. It is especially important that water from water treatment devices found on the property be tested, for often these are major sources of contamination as they age. A mail order testing agency that rated well in numerous tests by Consumers Union is the WATERTEST Corp. 800-426-8378(800-H20-TEST); local water tests often do more than check for coliform bacteria; but call your local health dept. to see if they provide inexpensive testing.
Chemical Drain Cleaners: As a rule, it is best to avoid chemical drain cleaners for drains. According to many articles in Consumer Reports, they rarely clean drains, and these caustic or acidic chemicals may endanger the person who has to repair clogged drains. Some pipes and gelcoat (common in plastic tub/showers) can be damaged by them. Some specialists do recommend their use to keep drains open, but pouring a pot of boiling water down the drain each month probably works as well. However, new enzyme cleaners appear to be both safe and effective.
Leaks: Leaks should be fixed immediately, for even a small leak can promote unsanitary conditions and may damage the structure. A leak in the basement or worse yet, crawl space, may cause much damage before being detected. A warning device that will sound an alarm, when major leaks wet the nearby area is available for about $40.
DWV Lines: Building drains that exit through a basement sidewall are more vulnerable to damage by settling backfill than those that exit through the floor. Tree roots are an enemy of septic lines. Avoid planting trees and bushes near the drain field of a septic system. Never pour grease down the drain. The grease can not only damage pipes, but can destroy the bacteria eating enzymes in the septic tank which help break down solid waste in the tank.
Main Cutoff: The location of the main cutoff valve should be known by every family member so they can cut off the water in case of a catastrophic leak. Wise homeowners hang red tags on the main cutoff valve to help family members find it during an emergency. Homeowners must be able to turn the valve’s handle. Attempts to open a “frozen” valve with a wrench can result in a broken stem. Such valves are not likely to be opened by even the strongest of family members. Prevent this problem by turning the valve a few turns at least once a year to keep it limber. If the valve is totally frozen, you can probably free it by loosening the flange nut slightly, and then trying the handle again. Don’t turn the nut too much unless you want to turn the room into an indoor swimming pool. If you doubt your plumbing expertise, call a plumber to free the valve.
I just attended a conference on Radon yesterday and came away with some interesting information.
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers in the USA.
Virtually all homes have radon in them but it is important to know whether you have elevated levels in your own home. The only way to know is to test and if elevated, have it properly mitigated.
National and international health experts as well as the Surgeon General of the U.S. recommends testing your home.
Elevated Radon levels in your home present a health risk to your family. Radon levels are considered to be elevated if above 4.0 pCi/L.
What if I have had my home mitigated or levels were acceptable in the last test:
As part of mitigation, all junctions of concrete slabs and foundations walls as well as other penetrations are sealed to force the gases to be collected by the mitigation system. These joints can and will open up again over time and will allow soil gases to bypass the mitigation system. Soil configurations change over time as well which can cause radon levels to change. The Surgeon General is so concerned about Radon that he suggests testing every two years.
Even if you are living in a relatively new high rise condominium building you have exposure to Radon from the concrete that surrounds you in floors and walls. Even though the levels of Radon gas from the concrete is very low, the amount of air exchanges in new condos have been found to be less than half of what would occur in a single family home thereby concentrating the gases in a small area.
How do I know if I live in a high Radon area?
Even though your area may be designated as a low probability area, there are still small pockets of elevated Radon present. Dekalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties have been designated as high levels areas. One of my inspectors recently purchased a home in Ellijay that had very high levels of Radon. The only way to know if your family is safe is to test with a professional.
Several government agencies have added the testing for Radon to their "healthy Homes" program checklists.
The only way to be sure your family is safe is to TEST! Always use a third party environmentlist to determine if you have elevated levels and if a mitigation has been properly performed.
When we do general home inspections, we obviously inspect all areas of the home. What I would like to do over several blogs is take an area that we inspect, tell you what we generally find but more importantly, give you information to help prevent it or fix it once discovered.
Today, we will deal with the general exterior of the home:
Safety Concerns:
Homeowners should examine the exterior of the house annually. The homeowner should check for broken steps or loose bricks on steps or sidewalks. Check for unlevel sidewalks that could present a tripping hazard. Any weak handrails or guardrails should be repaired. If there are ballusters (vertical rails), they should be no more than 4" apart. This is to prevent a small child from passing in between them.
Cleaning of Siding:
Most siding is designed to be self cleaning with rain. However, rain does not get up under the soffit or in other sheltered areas. Hosing these areas with a garden hose once a year will remove dust and a little scrubbing will get most of the rest. If necessary, a biodegradable cleaner (such as Simple Green) may be used to help scrub the really tough dirt. Mold first appears as tiny gray spots that resemble paint flecks and develops into dark, splotchy areas. Remove mold with a fungicide that will not bleach or fade the siding unless the siding is white or very light, in which case, liquid laundry bleach is best (diluted 1 part bleach to three parts water). Do not clean masonry with muriatic acid without testing; sometimes it causes discoloration months later. Professional siding cleaners can be called upon for cleaning efflorescence from masonry siding and for other cleaning chores that are too difficult for the homeowner.
Glazing Compound Failure:
Most single -pane windows use glazing compound(such as window putty) to seal the window glass to the sash. Eventually, the glazing compound loses its elasticity and can no longer adjust to the expansion and contraction of the sash and glazing. Cracks can appear, water enters and further deterioration follows quickly. It is recommended that bad glazing be removed and replaced with new compound. Many homeowners find that an electric hot-air gun is useful in helping to soften the old putty but the heat does break the glass sometimes. Be sure that glazing points, little metal retainers that are pressed into wood sashes, are used to securely fasten the glass. Any bare wood should be primed with exterior wood primer before replacing new compound, and the compound should be painted when finished. The paint should extend onto the surface of the glazing about 1/8" to provide a weather seal.
Ironwork Deteriorating:
Ironwork must be protected from the elements or it will deteriorate. Surfaces must be kept painted. Supports that are set into concrete are especially vulnerable for they must withstand moisture drawn through the concrete by capillary action. The point of support must be carefully caulked to prevent water from standing in puddles around the support. Once ironwork set in concrete begins to rust, the rust itself will allow water into the metal/concrete joint. The force created by this expansion can break concrete. It is recommended that ironwork be painted often to prevent this from occurring.
Vegetation:
Vegetation should not be on or near your house. Vegetation can encourage mold or moldew as well as interior rot and termites. The weight of vegetation can also dislodge siding. Vines can penetrate the mortar on brick veneer siding. It is recommended that vegetation not be closer than one foot to the house
Please check back for our series of articles on maintaining your home.
It seems these days, everyone is allergic to something. It may be food, flowers, grasses, pets, other people. The reasons why may be very simple.
1. With the affect that electronics have had on our lifestyle (video games, internet, cell phones, facebook/twitter, fear of letting our children outside) we and our children have not been exposed to nature like the "old days". Kids don't just go out and play for hours on end anymore. They sit in front of TVs, Nintendo DSs and computers. Their immune system doesn't get a chance to be exposed to the natural environment at a young age and therefore doesn't develop the resistance to outdoor influences.
2. They newer housing is much more energy efficient and doesn't breath like before so when things are not thoroughly maintained and moisture affects the indoor environment or if the HVAC system is not functioning or maintained properly, we are exposed to contaminants more than may have occurred in the past.
3. I think our food and the additives in it are compromising our immune system and reducing our body's ability to fight off contaminants.
What can you do to counter these things:
Only you can decide to change your eating habits and reduce processed food. If you saw me, you would realize that I'm not good at it either.
We are not going to make our housing less energy efficient and poke holes in the exterior walls of the home.
If you or a family member is experiencing respiratory discomfort in the home, have the home tested for allergens. Most folks think in terms of mold and that is a frequent contributor, but there are also dust mites, cockroaches, dog or cat dander, or rodent droppings.
There can also be what are referred to as Volatile Organic Compunds (VOCs). These are gases that are emitted from construction materials, adhesives, foam insulation or cleaning solvents.
If you have elderly parents who are suffering from COPD, everyday materials or cleaning solutions in their home can irritate them.
What type of tests are available?
When a doctor (allergist, pediatrician, Oncologist) refers their patient to me, we usually start with testing for mold which is the cheapest and most frequent source of the problem.
If that is either negative or does not completely solve the problem, then the next step would be allergen testing. This could be done as part of the initial assessment but I normally prefer to eliminate one thing at a time so as not to spend money unless you know you need to.
Lastly, we can perform MVOC testing to detect the presence of hidden mold gases as well as the top ten chemicals in the air on a given level of the home. These are more expensive and I usually leave these until all less expensive and more likely causes have been addressed.
You don't have to change your lifestyle, just be aware of conditions that come up and take the approriate steps to correct them and you should be able to enjoy life.
If you've been hearing footsteps in you attic or have noticed little presents left for you in your crawlspace, you may want to consider dealing with it because it is more that a nuisance.
Vermin such as rats, squirrels or bats can cause you several problems other than interrupting your sleep.
Fire Hazard:
These pests must be able to sense the current going through electrical wiring as they will chew on the wire insulation. This can cause an electrical fire and if that is not bad enough, your insurance company may deny the claim once their fire inspector determines that the cause of the fire was from vermin, hence, lack of maintenance or preventative action. Then the cost of the repair or replacement is on YOU!
Health Issues:
These nasty little rodents can cause all kinds of health problems as they leave their droppings everywhere and after they dry out can be come aerolized and enter the living quarters either on you when you go in the attic or crawlspace or thru the HVAC system if not maintained properly. Additionally, they can enter the living quarters and they have this terrible habit of urinating all the time which can get on your carpeting, in your food storage cabinets or on your eating utensils.
They will often nest in walls or ceilings and create large amounts of droppings in those locations. There is an opportunity during renovation or repairs after a flood for those droppings to enter the living quarters. This can expose you to the Hanta Virus which can be deadly to humans. I have seen articles where rodent droppings are beginning to be associated with SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
Foreclosed homes are a great place for vermin to nest as they sit vacant for long periods of time and nobody bothers them. If you are looking to buy or have recently purchased a forelosed home, you should have it tested for the presence of rodents as well as coackroaches to spare yourself these exposures.
What to do?
When you hear the pitter-patter of little feet, deal with it right away. You can put out traps of your own or you can hire one of the critter removal services but you will also need to find out where they are getting in.
Ensure that you don't have dirt dishes sitting in the sink overnight or that leftover food is not left on tables or counters. Take away what they are looking for!
As you probably know, we provide stucco inspection services throughout Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama.
In recent years, some companies have begun offering renewable stucco moisture warranties either after they perform repairs to the stucco or on homes that have had repairs already made by a third party contractor.
Although there are a few that offer limited benefits, some are outright scams in my opinion. Although I won't name the companies, I will describe how this process works and why I believe our alternative is better for you.
Who would take on the responsibilty for the performance of someone else's stucco home?
The answer is really simple.
Think of any warranty that you have, whether on your car or water heater or furnace. The people putting the warranty on the item have done all the studies and they know that the likelihood of that item failing during the term of the warranty is slim to none. It is a numbers game kind of like Vegas. The house always wins.
1. Warranty from someone who has performed repairs to the stucco.
This is someone who knows that if properly maintained, the likelihood of a major problem with the stucco is pretty slim. The key words being "properly maintained". You can bet that there is verbage in their warranty that requires you to properly maintain the stucco and its interactions with other materials, ie: windows, sealant, etc. If you don't, they will not be responsible if a failure occurs. They also usually only warranty the items that they repaired so if you only need a few things to be corrected, you will either have to refresh everything or not get a complete warranty. These warranties are trypically a few hundred dollars per year to renew but require a periodic inspection with any deficiencies found corrected by you.
2. A Third Party Warranty Company.
These bother me more than the others because there is language in their "warranty" that states that they are not responsible for repairs to any structural items damaged by the failure of a covered repair. SO WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PAYING FOR! Your biggest worry is that water will get behind the stucco and damage your home. If all they do is refresh the sealant that failed, it isn't worth the paper it's printed on. Most folks don't read the fine print and all the brochures and paperwork look beautiful. These warranties are often marketed through repair contractors or thru real estate sales with the buyer not even seeing the document until closing. They are also very expensive per year. As with the other, a periodic inspection is required to renew the "warranty" with any deficiencies (wood rot, deficient sealant) to be corrected by you for the privelege of keeping their warranty in force.
Notice that having it inspected periodically is common to both appoaches.
I believe that the best option for you is to just have your stucco inspected every 12-15 months by an inspector that you trust who also provides instructions as to how repairs are to be made. Perform the small repairs that may come up and keep the stucco performing. Use the money that you would have spent on worthless or misleading warranties on other things.
This is similar to keeping maintenance records on your car which helps at sales time.
I hope this has been helpful and if you would like to get more information about the inspections, just call us.