MOLD AND YOUR HEALTH

A home is your castle and a place to hang your hat.  You spend a great deal of time in your home among your loved ones.  Home is where your heart is, and, more importantly, home is where your health is.

 A healthy environment is key to raising a healthy family

 What exactly is mold?  Mold is actually a fungus that loves to grow in damp and moist places.  It is often found in basements where there has been a water leak.  Mold generally comes in many colours—commonly seen is black or white and appears in a stain or smudge like pattern.  The smell of mold is quite distinct and is often a familiar musty odor.

In order for mold to flourish, it requires moisture and some material to live on.  Once found, it releases ‘spores’ which are easily breathed in from the air.  It is large amounts of these spores coupled with other by-products, which may become a health hazard.  Mold can develop into a serious problem if it is not caught early on and the source eliminated.  Common places for mold to grow indoors are on windowsills, fabrics, carpets, and walls in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry, and basements.

A person may respond to mold in different ways, depending upon the amount of exposure and the person's overall health. Some people are more vulnerable to the effects of mold than others. This includes children, the elderly and those with a weakened immune system or other medical condition(s), such as asthma, severe allergies or other respiratory conditions.

The presence of mold in the home may result in increased symptoms including:·      

•      -irritation of eyes, nose and throat
•      -coughing or wheezing
•      -shortness of breath
•      -asthma and other allergic reactions

If these symptoms arise, there is a good possibility that your home has mold and your health needs to be monitored by a health care provider.

HOME INSPECTION AND MOLD

When it comes to doing a house inspection, what is the inspector responsible for?The Ontario Association of Home Inspectors (OAHI) is a non-profit organization created by the provincial government in 1994.  It is a professional organization established to provide a ‘voice to home inspectors in Ontario.’  One of the goals of the OAHI is to establish a Standards of Practice, which provides inspection guidelines and lays out a Code of Conduct, which governs this profession.  According to the Standard of Practice outlined by the OAHI, a certified home inspector is NOT required to:“Determine the presence of any environmental hazards including, but not limited to toxins, carcinogens, noise, and contaminants in soil, water, and air.”  As well a home inspector is “not required to determine indoor air quality.” 

In conducting a routine home inspection, a home inspector is not able to detect mold growth from behind walls, in the ceiling or in insulation.  A home inspector may not be able to detect former flooding in the basement area as well as hidden leaks or suspected leaks, which may all serve as breeding ground for mold growth.Mold testing can be done through an independent lab.  Samples may be collected and tested for an additional fee.  The lab can determine, through testing if there is mold present and once detected, arrangements can be made for removal.  Mold remediation may be required in extreme cases of mold growth resulting from ‘marijuana grow operations’ or drug houses.
      

REMEMBER TO INSPECT BEFORE YOU SELL

IMPORTANCE OF PRE-INSPECTION

The industry norm has been to have a home inspection conducted if you are the buyer putting in an offer.  This scenario benefits the buyer. 

But, if the seller conducts a Pre-inspection, it stands to benefit all parties involved in the real estate transaction--the seller, buyer and the agent.

BENEFITS

Often, an offer on a home is conditional upon a satisfactory home inspection.  Often times, this may end up jeopardising the deal.  The reasons for this can be either that the purchaser gets cold feet or that a major deficiency is uncovered during the inspection.  It my also be that the house was misrepresented.  Or still, maybe that the way in which the home inspector conveyed the minor repairs scared the purchasers as they weren’t explained as repairs that were typical small problems and that they could easily be fixed.

The benefit of performing a home inspection prior to listing the house is that all parties will become aware of the condition of the house before any negotiation starts.   The element of surprise of a home inspection can be eliminated thus deals will not fall through.

AVOID RENEGOTIATION

During certain economic conditions, when it is a buyers market, it may end up being that a house ends up selling twice.  It definitely takes a lot of work to get a signed agreement of purchase and sale.  No real estate agent would want to waste effort if after the home inspection is conducted, the purchaser uses that as a tool to renegotiate.

A pre-listing inspection allows all parties to know the condition of the house prior to the offer thus eliminating the need for renegotiation. As most real estate agents know, renegotiation is very difficult. Vendors have already mentally sold the house; purchasers are suffering buyers' remorse.  There are many mixed emotions going around and dealing with bruised egos and pride often blurs judgement.

It is therefore an excellent idea for a home owner to pay for an inspection prior to listing their property as they will be further ahead than a homeowner who ends up having to renegotiate.  This step can often help to sell the house faster.

UNREALISTIC VENDORS

A pre-inspection done before the listing can also help the real estate agent handle a vendor who may have unrealistic expectations about the value of their home.  The inspection report makes for excellent ammunition for explaining why top dollar cannot be asked for a home requiring repair.

REPAIRS PRIOR TO SALE

A home inspection may reveal items, which should be repaired or replaced immediately. A pre-inspected listing allows the vendor the opportunity to repair the problem prior to putting the house on the market.

If the inspection occurs after the Agreement of Purchase and Sale, the purchaser could walk, renegotiate, or, depending on the inspection clause, the vendor may have the option to repair. A repair done by an unmotivated vendor may not be the best repair and may not meet the purchasers' expectations. This has caused more than one deal not to close.

PEACE OF MIND FOR PURCHASER

There is no doubt that part of the value of a home inspection is a guided tour of the house for the prospective purchaser. The inspection company can return to do a walk-through with the purchaser, if requested.

REPUTABLE INSPECTION COMPANIES

Pre-inspected listings will only have value if the home inspection company is perceived to be reputable, qualified and properly insured.  Road to Home Inspection is reputable and waiting for your call.

ROAD TO HOME INSPECTION

Welcome to our inaugural issue of our official Road to Home Renovation and Inspection newsletter.  We are proud to be able to send out valuable information to our preferred customers regarding their homes and investment properties.   Dino, the manager/owner of this company has a passion for designing and renovating homes so naturally; this is more than a job for him.  It is a labour of love and in tune with this, he is now inspecting homes as well.  He is an authority in this field and wishes to share his experience, knowledge and expertise with you.It is a known fact that the largest investment you will make in your life is your house. And yet very few people actually possess knowledge or have information pertaining to various aspects of their home.   Our newsletter is here to provide you with information and facts regarding that very special place that you call home sweet home.Your house is a structure made up of a roof, exterior and the internal ‘workings’ of a home which include systems like heating/cooling, plumbing and electrical.  Just like a car or a piece of machinery, these systems can break down or wear out.  An informed homeowner knows what to do to prevent this from happening and thus eliminating the surprise of huge bills.  Maintenance is a key issue here which, when done regularly can save you thousands down the road.   Every major component of a house has a reasonable life cycle or life expectancy.  You should expect to pay 1 percent of the value of the house per year on maintenance.  Translated this could mean at the very minimum of a few thousand dollars per year in repair costs.  This may seem a bit surprising, but it in fact, is true whether the house is expensive or not.

IMPORTANCE OF HOUSE INSPECTION

When buying an existing home, a potential homebuyer must always consider the age of the house they wish to purchase and set realistic expectations as to the life cycle of the components and mechanics of the house.  If, for instance the house of your dreams is 15 years old, you may need to have the roof replaced.  Or, if you are in love with a more vintage style 50 year old home, it may be reasonable to expect to upgrade the plumbing.  The following is a list of life cycles on the most common parts of a home.  (Bear in mind that there are exceptions to all rules)

• Roof- Conventional Asphalt Shingles 12-15 years
• Roof- High Quality Asphalt Shingles 25-30 years
• Gutters and Downspouts 30-30 years
• Exterior Paint 4-6 years
• Interior Paint 5-10 years
• Deck 10-20 years
• Asphalt Driveway Surface 10-20 years
• Conventional Furnace 20-25years
• High Efficiency Furnace 20-30 years
• Air Conditioning Condenser 10-15 years
• Toilet 20-40 years
• Sink 12-20 years
• Faucet 10-15 years
• Windows Depends on maintenance

A good home inspector has knowledge about all of the above and has been qualified by taking industry related courses and obtaining a diploma.  When shopping for a home inspector, always ask for their qualifications.  Dino has completed the Home Inspection course at Seneca College and is a member of the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors.  A home inspection should take between 2-3 hours depending on the age of the house.  Older homes may take a bit longer. A home inspection includes looking at all the major systems of the house including the roof, exterior, structure, electrical, heating, cooling, plumbing, insulation and interior.  A qualified home inspector’s job is to identify any existing major problems that would affect a purchaser’s buying decision.  Home inspectors are limited to doing their inspection visually and can give you significant knowledge of the home.   Call Road to Home for a professional home inspection which will allow you to make that purchase or sale with peace of mind and confidence.