STRUCTRUCTURAL PEST CHEMICAL TREATMENTS

One of the services that the Structural Pest Control industry has vehemently protected as one that only ‘licensed’ companies can perform is chemical treatments, both soil and wood. This has been strongly backed, right or wrong, by the Structural Pest Control Board, EPA, County Agricultural Commissioner, and of course industry organizations such as the PCOC (Pest Control Operators of California). Applying chemicals is a serious practice and needs to be done in exactly the proper manner to be an effective control method, but more importantly, to be safe to people and the environment as a whole. But, this is where the ‘rub’ comes in. Many pest treatment chemicals are available on the open market at places like home improvement supply stores, hardware stores and garden/agricultural supply outlets. When a consumer purchases these products, many times they either don’t read the instructions on the label or they ignore them. Some how that old failed thinking of “If a little is good, well then a whole bunch is way better!” seems to ‘creep’ in. This is very unfortunate as this allows an excess of foreign chemical substances to be introduced into an environment that never had those materials involved in it’s ‘living’ make up to begin with, and, that excess is not performing any positive pest control action, but is a waste and ‘unbalances’ nature, especially if it washes off the treated area into storm drains and our streams and water sheds.

The Pest Control industry has been crying ‘foul play’ for some time to the regulating agencies because they (the Government Agencies) claim they (the pest control industry) are not applying the chemical treatments properly, or that the environmental issues are caused by the pest control industries activities. The pest control industry claims that it is the homeowner types that are the ones that are over applying and causing the contamination, which probably is mostly true. Of course, agriculture activities also have a hand in this situation. A side line to this issue is that it emboldens the pest control industry to try and convince their customers that they (the pest company) are the only ones who can properly and safely handle and apply wood destroying pest chemicals. Because of this ‘tug of war’, one issue that comes up time after time, especially here in this area due to the large amount of homes that have wood decks, is pest companies telling homeowners that wish to repair their own decks or other damaged portions of their homes that have wood decay problems that they, the homeowner or their Contractor, cannot perform the chemical treatment of the wood areas that are infected but are still structurally sound. This simply is not true. Not only is this a backhanded approach to get work by the pest companies, but the very same type material many of the pest companies would use in an application such as that, the homeowner can purchase at a home center/hardware store. The ingredient in the material has a real scary sounding name: Disodium Octoborate Tetrahydrate. But, really all it is is a borate, which is a natural material and not harmful to the environment when used as directions specify. The material will harm live plants if the treatment some how contacts the green leafy foliage, but it won’t be because the plant is being poisoned, but rather because the borate will dehydrate/dry out the foliage.

Most of the time, homeowners and/or their Contractors will perform the repairs very diligently and completely. However, if they need the pest company to provide a certification for the lending institution involved in a home sale, these people are many times literally harassed or subjected to completely undue delays because the pest companies continually try to find more and more areas that need repair or insist that they need to see the repaired areas before they are ‘closed up’/finished. This is done by making the ‘re-inspection’ and charging for it and not providing the needed certification. At that point, an additional re-inspection (and charge) by the pest company will be needed to get the certification. There is no need for the pest company to ‘see’ the areas of repair before they ‘get closed up’ as they are not ‘rot cops’, they are not guaranteeing the repairs, nor are they responsible for the repairs that are performed. If, at some point in the future it is found that rotten wood was left in place and covered over, the responsibility rests entirely on the shoulders of the person who made the bogus repairs. All that the pest company is certifying is that the property “is free and clear of wood destroying organisms” in the visible and accessible areas as of that date. Any other action is just an attempt to harass the homeowner and/or the Contractor, or to attempt to obtain a lucrative chemical treatment job, all or any of which is totally improper action by the pest company.

The only requirement of a Contractor, besides doing a thorough and proper repair job, is that they must provide a written disclosure to the customer/homeowner that they are going to apply a fungicide (see the Structural Pest Control Act/Laws and Regulations, Section 8556 (A), page 22, Business and Professions Code). Of course, obtaining a Building Permit to perform the repairs is also a necessity.

IT’S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN…

Yep, it definitely is that time of the year again. What the heck am I talking about? Well, it’s fall and winter is on its way. We’ve even had several rain events already, which is good except for construction projects that are under way and can be hampered by the rain. A couple of weeks ago, October 15th to be exact, was the deadline for construction and development projects to have implemented permanent erosion control measures on the property where the projects had denuded the vegetation and/or grading had occurred. Any soil areas that have been disturbed by these projects must have been properly retained, reseeded or hydro mulched by that October 15th date. The law further requires that these erosion control measures (areas requiring this treatment) must be maintained, repaired and kept in working order throughout the period of October 15th to May 15th.

This Grading Ordinance and regulations were enacted by the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors some years ago and there is over sight by the California State Water Resources Control Board, an ‘arm’ of the California Environmental Protection Agency. This ordinance has ‘teeth’ in it if erosion control/mitigation is not adequate or is not performed at all. The Tuolumne County Department of Public Works is tasked with over seeing the ordinance and that the erosion control methods are adequate. But there are other entities also keeping an eye on these areas such as personnel from the Department of Fish and Game and the State Water Resources Control Board. If a landowner or developer does not comply with the ordinance, the County can arrange to have the erosion control work done and then assess the cost to the owner of the property. If the State Water Board or Fish and Game get involved, there is a possibility of huge fines/penalties. Yep, they are serious about the erosion issue!

Even though the above might seem draconian and just one more ‘big brother’ government intrusion, the erosion control practices are just plain common sense and would be practices any rational, caring property owner or developer should be performing as a matter of standard practice anyways. The reason is that the silt from the erosion that is allowed to occur fouls our streams and rivers, which adversely affects fish/aquatic life, wildlife and contaminates our drinking water sources. You can see the consequences are very negative if erosion and water drainage is not properly controlled, which means we all should probably evaluate our own properties to see how water flows onto and off of the yard/property, as we may be part of the problem and not even be aware of it. Water can be very damaging to your home also if it is not properly directed and shed by the exterior building covering systems. So, let’s ‘dive in’ and really give our home and property a good close look and possibly give some serious consideration to making changes and/or repairs that may come to light from our examination.

Let’s start with our homes roof and rain gutter system. Does the roof covering material appear to be in good shape with no debris (tree leaves, etc.) accumulated on its surface? Are the roof rain gutters and downspouts clear of debris and free flowing? Is the water that flows out of the rain gutter downspouts properly directed away from the home? Look at your driveway and the upper portions of your property and see if you can determine if water is flowing onto your property and driveway, and then where does that water flow to from there? You may have to do this portion of your examination during a heavy, prolonged rain event to actually see the water flow in action. Are there rivulets and/or obvious drainage ditches being cut into the soil areas of your property from water run-off from downspouts or hardscapes like patios, walkways and driveways? If so, that is a sure sign of erosion and an area that is in need of slowing down and dispersing the direct water flow, which can be done by installing rocks and proper plants or trees. This is a serious consideration as there is case law that makes you responsible for water that improperly drains off your property and onto your neighbors’ property. Don’t forget to check under your home also for any kind of water collection, as water under a home can sometimes create major adverse issues. There are many other areas that you should probably take a look at, but I can’t line them all out here. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to give me a call and I’ll do my best to help you get through your property water evaluation.

BUYER or SELLER, ARE YOU NAIVELY entering this DEAL?

Buying or selling a piece of property and/or a home is a ‘big deal’ and nothing to take lightly. We all know that, but you would be amazed how many people enter the purchase or selling process in a some what nonchalant manner by allowing a realtor to handle the whole process. This occurs either because the realtor is aggressive and wants to be in control of the whole process, or, as a result of ‘default’ because the client is trusting and/or feels intimidated or has little understanding of how the process actually works. The ‘mountain’ of paper work that ensues at the time of listing a property or making an offer to purchase a property that requires multiple signatures and initials just enforces any feeling of intimidation or uneasiness. This is very unfortunate as the client, buyer or seller, should be fully involved in the process from beginning to end so that they understand completely what they are doing and are happy with the final outcome.

One thing a client should never relinquish control of to a realtor is the process of finding and hiring the inspectors desired to determine the actual condition of the property and it’s systems. If the realtor engages the various inspectors on your behalf, the inspectors are actually beholden to the realtor who sends inspection after inspection to these inspectors while you are just a person involved in the one ‘deal’. If you find and hire your own inspectors, you are the one setting up a personal relationship with those inspectors after having become aware of exactly what you can expect of that inspector and you have expressed what you expect of that inspector. This relationship is essential if you want that inspector to be fully involved and concerned for your well being both during the inspection but afterwards as well.

Another area of big concern is all that paperwork that I spoke about above. Don’t even begin to think that the paperwork is there for your protection, because it most certainly is not! In fact, much of it ‘boxes you in’ and creates limiting factors or obligations on you. Lets call it what it really is. All of that paperwork is actually a huge binding contract on you. One sneaky thing that has appeared in the paperwork is the requirement that you have to supply your realtor with copies of all reports of inspections made on the property even if you arranged for, paid for and had no intention of providing/sharing that information with anyone else. What a farce! Why should you ever be required to share that information with the realtor when they didn’t pay a cent for it – you paid for it! What happens is, if your deal falls apart, they use those inspections to put together a new deal with another person. Nice, huh? However, if you decide you want the property owner (seller) to fix some things or make a dollar concession to you because of things in the inspection report, then you must provide a copy so that they know exactly what the issue is that you are talking and negotiating about.

GET A LIFT OUT OF THE DUMPS!

I get ‘rocked back on my heels’ every time I pass a empty lot where an old vacant building had stood there in what seemed like just yesterday. The same thing happens to me when I see the dreaded, tracked monster with the big clamshell bucket tearing into the side of a structure and demolishing it. How did that structure get allowed to slide to the point that it was considered so worthless that it had to be torn down and crushed? Worse, how did that structure reach a point that nothing in it was worth saving or reusing? I mean, when that tractor gets through, every bit of material that made up that structure is crushed and useless. What is even more troubling, every bit of the debris is scooped up and hauled off to be dumped in a landfill. What a waste in every respect!

What would be so wrong with ‘deconstructing’ the building if it just can’t be used anymore? Many of the materials in old structures would cost a small fortune today, if you could even find them. The framing lumber of old structures is, for the most part, a quality and grade we just can’t get today. Plumbing, plumbing fixtures, electrical wiring and masonry materials are many times made up of base materials that are expensive to obtain today. Why aren’t we at least salvaging these materials to be used as raw materials for new items? The best plan though, is to remove, intact, things like doors, windows, hardwood floors, cabinetry, trim, wood sidings, wood framing members, etc. so that these items can be reused in their present form.

All of these items have value and that value increases because it doesn’t get destroyed and dumped into a landfill. These materials can be sold to people with restoration or renovation projects of older structures. Even mediocre salvaged materials can be sold to those on a budget or those building ‘rough’ structures. We live and think like there will never be an end to the stacks of goods we have to pick from at the lumber yard and/or home and garden store. But that just isn’t the case. We think that the labor cost to deconstruct, handle and reuse the materials far exceeds their value and the cost to just crush them and dump them, but that just isn’t the case. We need to re-evaluate our thinking of use and waste. What are your thoughts on the subject?

WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD!

Yep, here we find ourselves over half way through the year of 2010, and things are changing faster than we can keep up with them! ‘Big Brother’ (government) has decided once and for all that there is no way that you and I can take care of ourselves and make proper decisions. One new law, regulation or requirement comes one right after another from both the State and Federal Governments. The latest of these ‘wonder regulations’ is the Federal Lead Paint Standards that will require Contractors starting as of last April 22, 2010 that work on any home built before 1978 to be trained and complete an 8 hour U.S. EPA accredited lead safety course and become certified. Of course, besides the cost of the course and transportation to get there, it takes another $300.00 to get the certification as a renovator to be ‘allowed’ to work on a 1978 or older structure that hasn’t been determined not to contain lead. And, the government isn’t kidding as a Contractor found violating this new law is subject to fines up to $37,500.00. ‘Ya think that might run the cost of that little remodel up a tad?

The EPA has given a short reprieve until October 1st of this year before they start enforcing this new law because they came to the realization there just wasn’t enough trainers and facilities to get all of the affected Contractors trained in the short length of time they had originally set out. But, no matter, this is still a tight schedule and a real ‘pain’ for the Contractors involved. And, that brings to mind how anyone can justify the huge amount of time, energy and money it is going to take to get this program and law into action, and, just what will it take to keep the monstrosity going into the future? More government, more laws/rules/regulations and of course way more money. Where will it end?

I’ve taken some classes and done some reading on lead and lead exposure so I know it is nothing to scoff at. Lead can be dangerous to your health, especially infants and children. So I see the underlying reason for such activity required by the law of Contractors working on 1978 and older structures, but does it have to be a law? What about just educating the Contractors and the public about lead and its dangers? Which begs the question; how did all of us that grew up in the years prior to 1978 (and even up until the law is actually fully instituted) ever live? I don’t know about you, but I am sick and tired of this ‘nanny state’ we find ourselves being totally controlled by! What’s your thoughts?

DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO!

Having been involved in most all aspects and activities of Branch 3 Structural Pest Control for over 47 years, I have a pretty good understanding of, and respect for, chemicals used for the control of termites, wood boring beetle and dry rot fungus that may be found feeding on and degrading our wooden structures. Through out the years I’ve seen many compounds, chemicals and practices get suspended, set aside, made illegal and made to be more environmentally acceptable. My whole thought process concerning the chemicals used in WDO (wood destroying organism) control has also changed quite a bit. My thinking in the early years (thanks to self serving employers I worked for) was “Wow, chemicals are great and THE answer, THE ONLY answer to ridding us of these terrible, wood damaging pests”. However, over the years my attitude changed as experience, education and observing the results of misapplied chemical applications and/or use of improper chemical compounds had negative effects on non-target insects, animals, humans and the environment in general.

My feelings now are more like “Let’s avoid using ‘them’ if at all possible”. The problem is, controlling and getting the upper hand on WDO infections/infestations can be difficult to near impossible without employing chemical treatments. Also, we get lulled into a sense of false of security by the chemical manufacturers because of their (the manufacturers) slick advertising and assurances of how utterly safe their products are. The trouble is, we usually don’t find out for many, many years after the products have been in use that there ARE adverse side effects that no one ever knew about, tested for or even imagined could or would occur. With these kinds of possibilities out there, environmentally concerned people fight ‘tooth and nail’ against chemical treatments/applications of any type. These people come unglued if a neighbor has some sort of treatment done on their property, or, God help you if you try to treat their property or get any of that ‘stuff’ anywhere near them!

But, that is where I’m going with this discussion. It’s amazing to me that is their thinking until they have a WDO problem in their home. Suddenly, they start talking in a way different direction! Recently a past client who was experiencing what sounded over the phone as a ‘swarming’ episode in their home by subterranean termites contacted me. This person, besides being extremely stressed over the situation, proclaims to be an almost rabid environmentalist. But suddenly, what with the ‘monster bugs’ eating their home and getting in their face, ‘nuclear’ strength chemicals are OK to be employed to eradicate the intruders! How could this person’s convictions be reversed 180 degrees so quickly? I see this time and again as the calendar flips by, and, I just have to shake my head. These are the same people that give us grief and try to tell us how we need to conduct our lives and lifestyles, push their narrow agenda’s on our various levels of government, and yet, when push comes to shove, they break all their own rules and so-called convictions and embrace the practices of the rest of the world. I’m not sure what the answer is, but I’m pretty sure it can be found somewhere in the middle with a mutual understanding and respect of some kind. But then, what do I know?

ARE YOU AS CONFUSED AS I AM OVER PROPOSITION 16?

Actually, the more I research and learn about this proposition the more it starts becoming clear ‘somebody’ is trying to ‘pull the wool over our eyes’! The barrage of TV ads would have us believe that we just ‘have to’ pass Prop.16 to protect our right to OK the plans by local governments to enter into power generating programs before they actually do so. On the surface this seems like a very reasonable and proper ‘right’ that we should protect. But, when you start drilling down into who is pushing this proposition and who is paying for all of this expensive advertising, you suddenly find there is only one entity really involved….P. G. & E. (Pacific Gas & Electric, the mammoth utility). Why would P. G. & E. be spending buckets of money unless they as an investor owned corporate utility have a lot to gain by doing so to convince us of something?

After receiving my Primary Election Voter Information Guide, I immediately went to the Prop. 16 section and read the ‘pro and con’ arguments. It seemed to me that Prop. 16 is all about P. G. & E. and little to do with you and I. What I was reading in other articles also backed up that supposition. Apparently there are already ‘fail safes’ in place to protect us from poorly contrived energy schemes that local governments might try to institute. Energy is what makes our life ‘run’. We use energy in almost everything we do during our day. When energy gets expensive or the supply is interrupted, it greatly affects our lives in a detrimental way. In my humble opinion, we need to be looking into every possible source of electrical power that is not generated by fossil fuels, not just for environmental reasons, but also for safety (i.e. coal mine disaster, Gulf of Mexico oil platform fire and oil spill, etc.). Keeping power affordable is an important reason too.

It’s getting harder and harder to extract fossil fuels from the Earth, which makes the process way more complicated, dangerous and expensive. We need to be looking at safe, clean forms of energy production. P. G. & E. should be whole-heartedly embracing this rather than just giving ‘lip service’, dragging their feet and making it more difficult for other forms of energy production to come on board. At the beginning of this year the State of California passed a law that requires the utility companies in the State to pay people for the electricity they produce that is over their usage amount. Up to this point, P. G. & E. just ‘took’ the excess – no thank you, no nothing! Yet, as is the case with my solar array system, P. G. & E. receives the electricity right when they need it the most, the middle of the day when demand on the electrical grid is the highest. The utilities should be encouraging this kind of activity, but they aren’t. I’m certainly not planning on receiving a check from P. G. & E. for all the excess power my system is producing any time soon as I understand that they doing everything possible to get the reimbursement law dismantled. So, I guess I understand Prop. 16 better than I originally thought. Which way are you going to vote on it?

MAY IS NATIONAL ELECTRICAL SAFETY MONTH

I don’t know who proclaimed that the month of May is “National Electrical Safety Month”, but I think that it is a pretty good idea to raise the awareness of being safe around electricity. Most all of us have gotten to the point that we just assume that when we switch, dial or plug something in that it’s going to work and we don’t give a passing thought to our safety when doing so. And, for the most part, that probably is true as electrical systems in most of our homes and businesses are pretty safe. But, being a Home Inspector it never ceases to amaze me how some people treat the electrical appliances and systems as I inspect various structures and find things that I just have to shake my head at. So, it is good to get a reminder that uncontrolled electricity is dangerous electricity, and, to keep it controlled we have to follow some rules.

P. G. & E. (Pacific, Gas and Electric), one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States, is based in San Francisco and serves most of the area here in the foothills and the Sierras of Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties. P. G. & E. jumped on the program by sending out a reminder that: “Electrical hazards can result in substantial property damage, serious injuries and even death.” Here are some tips that they offered along with their message:

· Only use appliances and equipment according to the manufacturer’s
instructions
· Replace damaged electrical equipment or have it repaired by a qualified
electrician or a repair center
· Never overload power strips, extension cords and surge suppressors
· Use ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection on all electrical
outlets near water sources such as bathrooms, kitchens, fountains and
swimming pools.
· Only purchase electrical appliances and equipment tested and approved by an
independent testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories
· Keep your body, arms, long handled tools, saws, ladders, pool tools, lumber
and anything that reaches above your head at least 10 feet away from
overhead power lines
· Call 811 before you dig. If you’re planting bushes or trees or just digging
a hole for a fence post, call 811 at least two days ahead of time. It’s a
free service to come to your home and mark the location of their underground
facilities like electric, gas, cable TV and water lines.

These are all great tips from P. G. & E. well worth being reminded of. I’d like to suggest that you take the time to walk around and throughout your home today before it slips your mind and look at all of the wall receptacles, switches and fixtures and take note of any that seem to be damaged. Maybe you could take stock of the condition of your appliances and electric powered tools and have anything that is damaged repaired. Getting shocked by electricity is no fun and hurts, but being electrocuted is very permanent and you would be surprised how little electricity it takes for that to occur! Be safe and do the right thing for you and your families safety and check out your home today!

BUILDING TO ‘CODE’ - WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

Occasionally after uncovering some sort of questionable condition or situation with a portion of the homes’ structure or a system of the home that I’m inspecting, I am informed by the realtor/homeowner/Contractor involved (you fill in the blank) that “It was done to code”. Now, on the surface that seems like a pretty powerful rebuttal to a pesky ‘Ol Home Inspectors’ remark that the issue needs further evaluation by another licensed Contractor in the field of the system that is exhibiting the questionable condition. After all, if it was built/installed ‘to code’ that means it was done to some wonderful, lofty level of detail/construction and closely scrutinized by a local Building Department Official. That’s the image/thought that is conjured up in your mind, right? Besides, who does that ‘know it all’ Home Inspector think he is anyway…. more knowledgeable and above a Building Official? Get real!

Well, let’s do ‘get real’. Code is not a wonderful, lofty level of building construction or system installation. In fact, it actually is at the other end of the spectrum. Doing something to code is comparable to getting a C- or a D grade in school. Code is the very minimum level of a construction detail acceptable – anything less is unacceptable and won’t pass ‘code’ inspection requirements and must be redone/repaired/replaced. So touting that something is built to code is like saying “I build barely acceptable homes”. Another thing that comes up from time to time and sort of goes hand in hand with the code discussion is the statement that a Manufacturers specifications ‘trump’ code regulations. This is a true statement up to a point. In order to install a system or an appliance different from code requirements using the Manufacturers specifications, EVERY detail of the specifications relating to the installation must be complied with.

As a Home Inspector, I am making the inspection from the viewpoint of what things will make the structure and its’ components unsafe to you and your family to live in, and, what is the basic serviceability and durability of the structure and its’ components. Plus, Home Inspectors are not qualified to perform ‘code’ inspections, and, if they have gone through the specialized on-going training and certification to be a ‘Code Inspector’, the inspection they are performing is NOT a ‘Home Inspection’, it is a Compliance Inspection of some sort. Back to built/installed to ‘code’ and Manufacturers spec’s trump code…there is things that trump both believe it or not. And they have been around for a long time. I’m sure that you’ve heard of COMMON SENSE as well as building/doing/installing to a higher level than either code or the Manufacturers Specifications call for. These two actions trump both code and Manufacturers specs tremendously because they bring conditions to a much higher level of quality and safety. You can’t put a price on or buy common sense or a yearning to build/do/install to a higher level than what the bare bones minimum is. A person or business either has that mind set or they don’t. Bottom line: Fixing/repairing things done with no common sense and/or lower work ethics are expensive and wasteful! What level are you looking for and willing to accept as well as feel comfortable with?

AND THE BEAT GOES ON!

My last blog message was titled: “IT JUST NEVER STOPS!” That title and discussion segues perfectly into this blog message and title. I’ve just learned that, besides the 2008 California Energy Code provisions that were just recently mandated, the State has just adopted the first green building standards code in the Nation, which is referred to as the CALGREEN Code. If all goes as the powers to be plan it to, we here in the foothills will be building under those regulations starting January 1, 2011. These two ‘new’ building guidelines really change the way things are to be done from what was in the past. It also marks the start of many more stringent requirements to come involving energy savings, building material pollution and water use/consumption, at least that is my guess. The reason I bring these issues up does not mean that I disagree with them or what the regulations are meant to accomplish. In fact, I can see the value of their being instituted. But what I am concerned about is that you probably don’t know about them, and, won’t be prepared to have to comply with them.

What makes the new Energy Code requirements seem onerous to some is that semi-straight forward and simple furnace and/or A/C unit replacements, although not inexpensive to have done in the first place, will cost considerably more now to do because the entire system must now be tested and verified by a third party. For instance, when changing out a furnace unit, all of the duct system must be tested, and if it is found to leak or be damaged, the system has to be properly repaired or completely replaced. This can add a considerable amount to the cost of the furnace replacement job that no one could have foreseen. Similarly, when a roof covering is in need of replacement, the roof and materials used must conform to the new “Cool Roof” provisions. The cost to do so won’t be less than it used to be that is for sure. All of these provisions are centered on the need of energy savings.

The CalGreen Code is meant to ‘redesign’, reorganize and ‘rethink’ the way construction projects are performed, the type of products used and how the construction waste is disposed of. In the ‘Codes’ own words:
“The purpose of this code is to improve public health, safety and general welfare by enhancing the design and construction of buildings through the use of building concepts having a reduced negative impact, or positive environmental impact and encouraging sustainable construction practices in the following categories:
1. Planning and design.
2. Energy efficiency.
3. Water efficiency and conservation.
4. Material conservation and resource efficiency.
5. Environmental quality.”
Wow! That’s a tall order! Especially when you read some of the requirements in the CalGreen Code. Contractors and developers caught up in the “Well, that’s the way we always did it.” mindset are in for a rude awaking not to mention a steep learning curve.

I think, however, that John and Jane Q. Public are the ones that are really going to be ones affected by this code. Yes, the code requirements are meant to help protect them to a certain degree, but in the end it will be them paying the extra costs to comply with these new code regulations. Do we need the new code regulations….well, yes, but can you and I afford to pay for them? I don’t have an answer for that one. All I can say is that you need to be prepared for this if you plan on building a home or are planning a big remodel project. To learn more, go to: www.bsc.ca.gov and look for the “California Green Building Standards Code”.

IT JUST NEVER STOPS!

One of the things that has been taking up a considerable amount of my time the past year or so is my attending as many of the Board of Director meetings and various Committee meetings of the local water and sewer Utility as I can. You’re probably thinking: “Man, this guy needs to get a life!” Well, that is probably true, but the other side to that subject is my personal realization some time back, that, if we thought the oil shortage and exorbitant price increase in fuel hurt and adversely affected our lives, wait ‘till we see what a shortage of water will do to our way of life! Attending all of those meetings has really enlightened me in how our local Utility goes about supplying us with clean drinking water as well as how they handle the sewage that flows out of our homes. I’ve also learned how drinking water and sewage/waste treatment have become linked in many cases as wastewater that is not properly handled does affect water quality. During the course of attending all of these meetings, I have learned of only some of the myriad of laws, regulations and mandates that the Utility has to comply with that seem to be coming in an unending stream from the State and Federal Government. None of these ‘directives’ are easy or cheap to comply with, and the whole situation is so convoluted and wide ranging that there is no time or place here to even begin to explain it. But, where I’m going with this is how it comes into play for a homeowner or purchaser.

As a homeowner or prospective home purchaser, how are you to know anything about these various directives and whether they have any direct impact on you? About all most people know is the fees you pay the Utility for the services they provide to you. But things are getting interesting now. The State Water Board has begun collecting and cataloging data on wastewater and sewage spills and surfacing occurrences. The State Water Board, in their infinite wisdom, has also ruled that the local Utilities are some how responsible for spills/surfacing that occurs on private property from sewer laterals (pipe) from the home/structure to the sewer main operated by the Utility. Of course, the Utility never installed the sewer lateral, has had no way to maintain it in any fashion over the years, and, has absolutely no idea what condition it is in. To make things worse, the State Water Board through the Central Valley Regional Water District will assess steep fines on the Utility should a spill or surface occur. So the Utilities have had to scramble and many have instituted new regulations and requirements on homeowners so that the Utilities can inspect (usually by video camera in the pipe) the sewer laterals to determine their condition.

This is where you, as the property owner comes in. If the test and/or inspection of the sewer lateral finds that it is cracked/broken, choked with tree roots and/or blocked or choked down by grease and debris, you will be obligated to bring the sewer lateral into compliance and proper operating condition immediately (usually 30 days or so) and at your expense. Repairs such as this may require engineering, heavy equipment, building permits and properly licensed Contractors using specified materials. All of this will cost a pretty penny! I’m telling you all of this because no one else probably will, and, buried, inaccessible pipes and systems such as sewer and septic systems are beyond the scope of a Home Inspection. If you are thinking of purchasing a piece of property with a structure on it, you need to do your due diligence and contact your local Utility that is providing water and sewer service to the property to find out what your obligations are going to be after you have taken title to it. You also may well wish to invest in a video camera test/inspection of the sewer lateral lines by an appropriate Contractor to determine it’s condition prior to the close of escrow so you don’t get any nasty surprises after the close date when you then own it – property and problem. Yes, it just keeps coming, it never stops!

WE HAVE A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE!

Having been a licensed General Contractor in California since 1977 and a licensed Structural Pest (termite) Inspector since 1968 comes with mixed blessings, one of which is a mailbox full of ‘trade’ magazines all month long. These magazines are advertising ‘monsters’, but they do carry current trade info and some times interesting or intriguing articles from time to time. This last month I stumbled across just such an article in one of the magazines that brought up the pitfalls and incredible bad results of poor communication between people and/or companies. I think most of us are aware that if communication between people is not good, unexpected and/or unwanted things may occur as a result. The magazine article gave several real life examples one of which was the following:
“A distributor called a vendor to order two truckloads of pipe. Business suddenly took a downturn, and just before delivery the distributor called to tell the vendor, “Cut the order in half.” Sure enough, when the two trucks arrived, each piece of pipe was cut in half!”

Although the story of the pipe order is amusing in some respects, it also graphically illustrates how a simple breakdown in communication can lead to an expensive, wasteful situation that will be difficult to rectify. But this does lead right into the point that I want to make that has to do with a person wanting to buy or sell a home. There is a lot of details and requirements involved in the process of buying or selling a home, which are heaped on to the participant by the lending institution(s), realtors, tax regulations, County and State governments. With all of the aforementioned, we haven’t even scratched the surface of home and property, all of the systems present and their condition. I think you can see, that with all that is involved in the home sale/purchase process, good communication between all involved is an absolute necessity. But even more important, is an unsolicited willingness of those involved in the process to provide the seller or buyer with full and complete information that allows a total and comfortable understanding of the process and the home/property it self.

One of the ways that those involved with the sales/purchase process have attempted to address the communications situation is through issuing paperwork, which most likely was promoted and prepared by attorneys. As a buyer or seller sits, a realtor slides page after page, document after document in front of the client for signatures and/or initials, which all become binding contracts under the law. Each page is normally accompanied by a brief, minimal verbal description at best, which usually doesn’t even come close to describing the document or the ultimate importance and possible repercussions that signing or initialing it will carry. When a dispute and/or discrepancy arises after the close of escrow, you (the buyer or seller) are quickly ‘re-united’ with the page and/or document with your signature/initials on it, which covers just such a circumstance that is being complained about. That to me is the ultimate in ‘weak’! Why wasn’t the possibility of the situation occurring explained in the beginning, or, even better yet, thought about in the first place and action taken to alleviate it from ever occurring!

The other area of critical communication is, of course, with the Inspectors that you hire to provide you the information you need on the home/property and various systems present on the property. Communication is critical, but just as important is the fact that you must feel comfortable with them so you will be willing and wanting to ask what ever questions you feel you need answers to. This means that you will have to really have checked out your Inspectors before hiring them. If you didn’t hire them (you let the realtor hire them), what sort of rapport do you think you will have with the Inspectors? They don’t work for you; they work for the realtor! When asking your questions of a prospective Inspector prior to hiring them, you find out that you can have a ‘morning’ or an ‘afternoon’ appointment, you know immediately there isn’t going to be very much communication because the Inspector must rush through the inspection in order to drive to and make the next inspection. You know also that you and your deal are not his/her major concern, moving on to make more money is! So, the bottom line is, good, clear unrushed communication. Make sure you protect yourself by hiring only those that you are assured you will get that type of communication from. Having a ‘failure to communicate’ is a total disaster for you after escrow has closed!