Hire a New Expert to Find the Cause of Mildew
Question: Since purchasing our home three years ago, we’ve had a mildew odor under the bathroom and kitchen sinks and in the coat closet. We can’t even keep towels under the bathroom sink because they begin to smell like mildew. All of these problem areas are toward the front of the house, and we are wondering if there could be water in that part of the sub area.
Our home inspector mentioned nothing about this when we bought the home, and now he claims that this was a visual inspection only and that he never went under the house. Two of the neighbors in our tract say they have the same problem. Shouldn’t we have been told about this before we bought the property?
Answer: It is unfortunate that you’ve waited so long to confront this problem, since your chances of recovery diminish with the passage of time. However, there are two pertinent disclosure issues that warrant consideration:
* If the sellers of the property occupied the premises, they must have been aware of moisture problems and should have disclosed them to you. It seems unlikely that someone would be oblivious to mildew problems in their closets and cabinets. But given that three years have elapsed since you purchased the property, you may no longer have recourse with the sellers. Only an attorney can answer this question with certainty.
* The other pertinent issue is the thoroughness of the home inspection. Your inspector had a professional obligation to inspect the crawl space beneath the dwelling, unless that portion of the building was inaccessible. In that case, lack of access should have been specifically noted in the inspection report, with a recommendation for further evaluation as soon as access could be provided.
If the inspector simply neglected to inspect that portion of the building, without any related recommendations, this would indicate that the inspection was not conducted in accordance with established industry standards.
The American Society of Home Inspectors, the National Assn. of Home Inspectors and the California Real Estate Inspection Assn. include inspection of the crawl space as part of their Standards of Practice for member. To omit this portion of a property evaluation would constitute negligence performance, casting doubt as to the thoroughness of the entire inspection.
Before taking action, you should have the property reinspected by the most thorough home inspector available in your area. You should determine not only the cause of the mildew problem but also the condition of all accessible components of the building, as it relates to possible moisture damage.
If excess moisture below the building is causing symptoms in the living area of the home, moisture damage to wood members could be extensive in the sub area, especially if there is inadequate ventilation. All of these conditions warrant immediate evaluation.
To find the most qualified inspector in your area, call several real estate offices and tell them you want the name of the most meticulous home inspector available. Tell them you want the “deal killer.”
Check Out Safety of Altered Fireplace
Q: Last year I removed the screens from my zero-clearance fireplace and installed glass doors in their place. Now that I’m selling my home, the inspector says this is illegal because screens are needed to keep sparks from burning the carpet. I’ve explained that the doors will contain sparks just as well as screens, but he is not satisfied with this reasoning.
Do you see any benefit in reinstalling the old screens?
A: The addition of glass doors on an existing fireplace should never be undertaken without professional expertise. Zero-clearance fireplaces are factory-made units, subject to strict design limitations. Alterations that are not in compliance with manufacturer’s specifications and which do not employ hardware designed for that particular fixture can render a fireplace unit unsafe and void the manufacturer’s warranty.
As to the question of doors vs. screens, zero-clearance fireplaces are not intended to be used with the doors in closed position. When you close the doors on your fireplace, changes in combustion airflow can cause the wood to burn much hotter. This heat can transmit through the walls of the firebox and may eventually cause spontaneous combustion of the wall framing behind the fireplace unit.
Now that your fireplace has been altered without the benefit of professional know-how, I strongly recommend that you have the unit evaluated by a certified chimney sweep. This will help to ensure that all aspects of your fireplace are maximally safe and fully operable.
Furnace Requires a Work Platform
Q: Now that I’m selling my home, the buyer’s inspector has just cited my furnace because it has no work platform. This heater has been in place for nearly 20 years and has passed inspections by the gas company on previous occasions. Is this the result of some new code requirement or is the home inspector just being picky?
A: The home inspector is merely responding to a safety requirement that has been in effect for decades. Although previous inspections failed to disclose the platform violation, it was inevitable that someone would eventually notice it. But don’t despair: Needed repairs are simple and relatively inexpensive.
According to code, a work platform, at least 30 inches deep and wide, is required along the control side of any furnace installed in an attic. The intent of the code is to provide optimum working conditions for anyone servicing your heater--conditions that would not compromise the quality of workmanship.
Without a platform, a heating contractor would be forced to balance his knees on the edges of ceiling joists while attempting to perform critical repairs and adjustments on a gas-burning fixture. Prolonged discomfort in this precarious posture could impair a workman’s concentration and precision. Resultant mechanical errors might have serious repercussions, including the possibility of fire, explosion or the venting of carbon monoxide into occupied areas of the home.
The likely cost of adding a work platform to your attic is moderate; possibly as little as $50. My advice is to find a handyman who can nail a piece of plywood in front of your furnace. Just make sure he understands the requirements of the code before he begins work.
In addition to a work platform, it is also required that the furnace area be well-lighted. So check to see that a permanent light fixture is installed.
A Choice Between Security, Fire Safety
Q: The buyers of my home hired a home inspector who made what I consider to be an outrageous recommendation. Having lived in a large city, I’ve learned to be security conscious. Therefore, my front and rear doors are equipped with double-cylinder deadbolts, locks that require a key on the inside. Where I come from, this is standard hardware for discouraging burglars. Now the home inspector says the locks should be changed to ones that only need a key on the outside. I’ve argued with the inspector, but to no avail. Could you please set the record straight? What’s wrong with double-cylinder deadbolts?
A: It would seem that your transaction is deadlocked over deadbolts. The key to resolving this impasse involves two conflicting issues--access security versus fire safety.
When the occurrence of big-city burglaries rose sharply during the 1970s, police departments were routinely recommending the use of double-cylinder deadbolts. The apparent benefit was simple: A burglar could force entry by way of a window but was unable to carry anything out the door because a key was needed to release the lock.
The main shortcoming with this arrangement became evident when fire departments reported people being trapped in their homes during fires, unable to locate their keys under conditions of panic and fear. Needless loss of life prompted the authors of the Uniform Building Code to enact a prohibition against the use of double-cylinder deadbolts on all residential exit doors. This is why home inspectors recommend replacement of this kind of lock.
My advice is to comply with the inspector’s recommendation. Single-cylinder deadbolts may not provide optimum burglary protection, but then, the loss of a TV set is preferable to loss of life.
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If you have questions or comments, contact Barry Stone through his Web site at https://www.housedetective.com.
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Distributed by Access Media Group.
