Checklist For Buying A Home

I had a client who called saying that his bath tub just fallen through the floor in his new home (new to him). Mold had eaten away the floor from the crawlspace up. The seller had placed a few 4x4s under the floor to hold everything up long enough to sell the house and get out of town.

I asked if he had the house inspected before he bought it. He said, “no, was that important?”

Even if you do get a home inspector, look for these things yourself. Some home inspectors don't look for these items. Some never go into the house.

Mold test

The number one problem faced by new homeowners is mold. You read about it in the news. Every week I get a call from an attorney gathering info for a lawsuit against a home seller and their real estate agent. The topic is always mold.

You can get inexpensive mold test kits at http://www.tennesseemold.com

Gutters

The number one cause of mold in a home is improperly installed or damaged gutters. They allow water to pour into the walls. And water causes damaging mold to develop inside the walls. Make sure the gutters are level and aren't bent.

Mud on walls

This goes back to gutters. If the gutters are undersized, excess water pours over the edges of the gutters and onto the ground. This splashes mud against the outside walls. BUT the excess water also seeps into the foundation of the house.

Plants too close

The new owner, of course, can correct this, but did the previous owner allow the plants to trap moisture in the walls? The damage from this moisture may already be there waiting with costly repairs. There should be at least 18 inches between the plants and the outside walls.

Foundation vents

These vents are designed to let air flow through crawlspaces. This house may not have a crawlspace. But if it does, check the vents. Do they open and close? Some builders slop concrete on them and they are permanently open or closed. Potential mold and wood rot problems can result.

Sump pump?

A sump pump is there to remove water from your basement. If there is a sump pump, then there has been excess water in the past. To work, a sump pump needs some water in it anyway. This standing water can lead to mold and termites. Avoid houses with sump pumps.

Yard drainage

Does the yard allow water to flow into the house?

Blown in insulation

Most blown in insulation is cellulose or ground up mold food (wood). Yes that deadly chemical they put in it will stop mold for a few years but not forever. And even the cellulose free insulation sends particles into the air that we can breathe. This is a major problem according to lung surgeons.

Do attic vents work?

Is the attic hot? Just because the attic has vents doesn't mean they work. Motors rust or burn a fuse.

Crusty stuff on basement walls

If you see crusty white stuff on the block in the basement, it means long-term water problems. That white stuff is minerals deposited over time by drying moisture. RUN away FAST!

Water spots on ceiling.

These always hold mold. You only have 48 hours after a leak before mold begins to grow. After that drying won't help.

By all means, hire a home inspector. Don't use a home inspector recommended by the seller or their agent. If an inspector says something bad about a house, they don't get future referrals from the agent. And make sure the inspector goes INSIDE the house.

Sounds stupid but I have been in lawsuits where the inspector did all his work from the yard or even worse, from his car.

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Do Not Buy Flood Damaged Cars

There are many flood damaged cars being sold on the market. Usually, flood damaged cars, SUVs and trucks are placed in salvage yards. Some though, are made spick and span and put into the car market and they will be up for sale. But the problem is, there really are no tell tale signs of flood damage that would give them away. This is because the cars will be restored so they would look almost like new. The damages caused by the flood would be erased or covered. After the changes, the cars will then be sold to unsuspecting buyers who thinks they are getting a good bargain.

Fact is flood damaged cars are being moved by unscrupulous merchants. Consumers can and should protect themselves against being taken advantage of in the auto market. Luckily, there are several things consumers can do to protect themselves from buying flood damaged cars.

The best things a consumer can do to be sure if a car is flood damaged or not is to get the history of the vehicle. You can do this by submitting the vehicle identification number (VIN) of a car to a website which provides vehicle history information. What these websites do is search a nationwide database of car information then gathers research on the car's title, maintenance record, registration, and odometer. You will instantaneously know if the vehicle has been stolen, has had a troubled past, or has had its odometer rolled back through the report that the website will return. Just a little research on a car's history will reveal if it has been salvaged, flooded, rebuilt, or is basically a "lemon."

Prospective car buyers should be aware of flood damaged vehicles being sold on the car market. Why shouldn't you buy flood damaged cars? Well simply because water leaves a lasting damage. Even if the devices and machines requiring electricity will restore it, it will probably fail sooner or later because mold and mildew aren't' easy to remove. And when a car is flood damaged any warranty warrant is voided.

Below are several things you can do to check if a car is flood damaged:

Check for moisture and dirt.

Flood damaged cars usually have moisture trapped and dirt inside the lights. Dampness can also be seen inside the compartment with glovesF, console and trunk so you better inspect these spots. Dirt, which can also be a sign of flood damage, can also accumulate under the hood. Moisture can also accumulate under the seat. Of course, rust is another telltale sign of flood damage.

Smell the car

Mildew can be easily detected by smelling. Mildew often forms on soaked fabrics so sharpen your sense of smell when you're on the lookout for a new vehicle. Also try to detect other smells that could be caused by flood damage like spilled oil or fuel.

Check if components match

Mismatched component could mean that the component are changed hurriedly after the car has been salvaged from a flood. So try to see if the carpet, seats and stereo components looks too new for the car.

Also try to check if the car has been titled several times from different states, which is usually a hint that its owners are trying to erase the questionable and negative history of the car by looking for spots where disclosing defects is not required or is easily evaded. Cars that are titled several times are usually salvaged or totaled.

Test drive

Of course the best way to check the performance of a car is to take it for a test drive. Check the electrical system including all the lights and the sound system.

Ask an expert

Have an expert mechanic or technician check the car. Have a second opinion if you may. Expert mechanics and car technician can detect flood damaged cars easily than ordinary people.

Remember that in buying a vehicle, never ever take a chance. Buying a damaged vehicle can cost you more than your money. It could also bring serious accident even death. If you suspect that someone is selling you a car that has been flood damaged immediately say no then walk away. The dough you will save in buying a flood damaged car will quickly go away by the headache it will bring.

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Tips for Easy Bathroom Mold Removal

Do you ever wonder how to remove mold in your bathroom? Do you know that you may not even need to hire professional mold removal contractor to do this job for you? All you need is these easy cleaning tips to help you get the job done. Follow these three simple steps to make bathroom mold removal a success.



1. Control humidity level of your bathroom

Humidity level is a scale to measure the amount of moisture presents in the air. If your bathroom has a high humidity level, it means that your bathroom holds a high dampness. The higher the humidity level, the better chance of it becoming the breeding ground for mold. Thus regulating the moisture level within your bathroom is crucial in bathroom mold removal to prevent mold growth. Using a good dehumidifier can help to control and regulate the moisture level of your bathroom.



2. Allow good ventilation in your bathroom

Bathrooms that do not have proper air circulation will promote mold growth. Therefore, the next important step in bathroom mold removal is to initiate good ventilation within your bathroom. Open the bathroom window to allow circulation of fresh air and to prevent hot shower steam from being trapped inside the bathroom. You may consider using exhaust fan to help getting air circulated for bathrooms that do not have windows.



3. Keep your bathroom clean and dry

Wash your bathroom regularly and quickly dry the area using blow fan or dehumidifier. Keeping the bathroom clean can prevent mold from spreading. Scrub off the very first sign of mold whenever you clean your bathroom and this stops mold from growing further. Remember that keeping your bathroom as dry as possible is the key of effective bathroom mold removal.





Find more information about indoor mold problem and effective solutions for bathroom mold removal. Tips for finding mold, cleaning and preventing home mold problem. Learn the symptoms of mold and the effective ways to kill mold and stop mold growth.

GOT MOLD WHAT SHOULD I DO

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toxic mold test

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toxic mold test

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The Health Hazards Of A Wet Carpet

Water damage due to flooding and other natural calamities does not only affect one’s home and belongings, but also posts danger to the health of the people in the home. There are several ways to make sure that the home is free from any microorganisms that are considered dangerous to the health.



The danger is also not limited to the kind of water that flooded the house; it is also evident in the amount of water that accumulated in hard-to-reach areas like corners, underneath carpets, and immovable appliances. For places like Ohio, Missouri and Mississippi where floods are evident, it is important to take into consideration the possible consequences of accumulated floodwater.



Carpets in particular can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Aside from that, it can also be the home for mold and mildew that can cause allergies, skin rashes, and asthma. Ingestion of mold can also cause an upset stomach and some allergic reactions. Although there are no recorded long-term effects, exposure to molds and other forms of waterborne bacteria like amoeba is still dangerous.



It is therefore important to make sure that the home is protected from these kinds of threats. It is best to attend to wet carpets immediately since it only takes a few hours before molds start to grow. Carpet cleaning Marysville, Oh style ensures that no water gets trapped and accumulated inside areas that may promote the growth of mold.



The most common thing to do with a wet carpet is to replace the pad underneath. A Marysville carpet cleaning services are only among the many cleaning teams that make sure the carpet is completely cleaned and dried. This may cost the family some money but the cost of carpet cleaning is definitely lower than the cost of dealing with a potential danger to the family’s health.



If the family cannot afford carpet cleaning or replacement, there are other options like drying off the carpet through fans or air conditioning. If the carpet is easy to dry and is not attached to the floor, it is best to take it out and dry it under the sun. There are also other remedies provided by experts for people who live in places that suffer from Marysville water damage. Natural calamities may be inevitable, but there are solutions that can help families deal with them easier.

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