ENERGY HOGS

It’s December and winter is upon us once again. Winter with it’s own type of beauty and activities like the holidays, snow, snow skiing and friends over for a visit and maybe a meal culminating in a sit ‘n talk visit session in front of a warm fire or near a warm, burning wood stove. But, with all the good and fun comes the inevitable increased propane gas and electrical bills we will be faced with to pay as we struggle to keep our homes warm and lit up. As winter grinds on and the energy bills keep getting higher and harder to afford, some of us begin to realize that we live in ‘energy hogs’.

Just what is an energy hog? I’m not sure that there is a precise description anywhere as to what exactly is an energy hog home, but my personal opinion is that it is a home structure, usually 15 or more years old, but could just as well have been one built in a rush during the 2000 through 2006 ‘boom years’; homes that were built without close regard to details. Details such as:

· Installation of an energy efficient heating system with air tight duct system
· Proper insulation installation with no gaps and material contact on both
sides
· Building envelope that is ‘tight’ with no gaps, cracks or air leak openings

There are many other energy conserving details, but those are the main ones, and, many homes fall far short in those areas. Older, vintage homes really ‘leak’ conditioned air because when they were built, energy costs were minimal compared to today so energy use was not of much concern. Fortunately, the good news is that making our homes more energy efficient many times is not that difficult to do or expensive.

As I mentioned in my blog message last month, many people think first about expensive projects like changing out all the windows to new dual pane units when far simpler and inexpensive projects actually reap way greater rewards in energy saving. I would suggest starting with examining the inside and out sidewalls to see how airtight they are. Caulking and sealing all the cracks, gaps and openings in the wall coverings will make a big difference in air infiltration. Installing simple, inexpensive foam gaskets behind the wall receptacle and light switch covers actually curbs a lot of air movement. Installing additional insulation properly in the appropriate places will make a home far more comfortable to live in and save far more money spent for energy than replacing windows ever would. Check out the weather stripping at the doors and windows to make sure it is intact and that it is making proper contact with the door or window. If you are in doubt as to what to do or where to start in making your home less of an energy hog, having an energy audit performed on your home would probably be a good investment. The reason an energy audit would be money well spent is that all the energy wasting leaks of your home will be found and brought to your attention, some of which will probably surprise you. The energy audit report will allow you to put together a plan to start turning your home into a comfortable, energy conserving star performer. So, roll up your sleeves and get to work so that you can start saving your hard earned money and live more comfortably in your home.

SAVING MONEY, OR THROWING IT OUT WITH THE WINDOWS?

I’m fortunate that, as both a Home Inspector and a Structural Pest (termite) Inspector, I get to look at all sorts of different homes and structures. Although I can appreciate them all, I think I have sort of a soft spot for older vintage homes and structures. Many times they have all sorts of issues, which makes them more work for me to inspect and prepare the report, but the fact that these vintage buildings have stood the test of time is remarkable and commendable. I admire the quality of the materials used to construct them, especially the lumber and wood materials. We can’t even begin to find that kind of quality material today at the home centers and lumber yards we have to shop at. And then, there’s that incredible architecture of yesteryear that you just have to appreciate.

Many of these vintage homes are in the sections of town that have become somewhat affordable, which makes these older homes attractive to first time home buyers or investors for rentals. As I always invite my clients to accompany me during the inspection and I attempt to give them as much advice and tips as I can, we will almost inevitably get around to what the energy use of the home will be because it was built so long ago before energy was a real cost factor. Most clients zero in on the windows as THE place where they think the house will loose the most heat, and they might be partially right. A home that was built 70, 80 or more years ago most likely will have wonderful, beautiful wood casement windows and/or double hung wood sash windows. A lot of times these windows have been neglected and have areas where they are severely weathered or decaying, missing their putty glazing, have broken sash ropes/weights or are just plain inoperable because they have been painted closed over the years. Because of these issues and the perception that the wood windows are relics and totally inefficient, my clients usually are quick to tell me that they will be replacing all of the windows with dual pane vinyl, aluminum, you name it, new windows. This thought process is bolstered by slick advertising in many venues by window manufacturers and installing contractors. Replacing the wood windows is almost always the absolute worst, wasteful thing to do!

After listening to my clients tell me their terminal plans for these wonderful vintage wood windows, I try to lay out a few facts that they most likely have never heard or thought of, as they probably would not have the opinion about the wood windows that they do. The first thing, although probably the least important reason, that I explain is that changing out all the windows with new dual pane windows will have a miniscule difference percentage wise in making the home more energy efficient as compared to other procedures such as installing adequate insulation in the proper locations of the structure. Then I relate to them that these wood windows are very repairable and can be rather easily retrofitted to be nearly as efficient as the new dual pane windows are. If saving money is their goal, I point out that they are shooting themselves in the foot by replacing the windows over refurbishing them as the replacement process will cost way more money usually. And, many times the people that install the new windows don’t do it properly and the new windows become leak sources that allow water to enter the walls resulting in huge problems over time. And finally I explain to my clients what I feel is the most important reason, and that is that the wood windows are part of the vintage homes’ architecture and pleasing esthetics. Installing new windows changes the entire look, feel and charm of the home. If the home has any historical value what so ever, the replacement of the windows will immediately diminish the historical value not to mention the monetary value of the property as well. I also bring up the fact that if they are concerned about sustainability issues, what is more sustainable; refurbishing and getting extended use out of the existing time tested, beautiful wood windows, or, ripping them out, sending them to the landfill/dump and purchasing new windows that come from the whole material and energy consuming manufacturing and transportation process. What do you think?

FYI – SOME TIDBITS YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW

Things always seem like they keep changing, and it doesn’t always seem like it is for the good. In fact, things do keep changing and keeping up with that change can be a difficult task and confusing to sort out whether the change is actually good or bad. Take the recent controversy over increased awareness and enforcement of obtaining a building permit to install a water heater in Tuolumne County. Contractors and homeowners are not happy with the necessity and $110 cost of a permit to install or replace a water heater (The cost for a permit is actually more for a Contractor). However, the head Building Official of Tuolumne County says the $110 permit fee doesn’t even cover the cost to the County to perform the inspection. The Contractors feel that there is no necessity of the permit as installing a water heater is an easy job. I agree that installing a water heater is, for the most part, a pretty easy, basic job. Yet, time after time, deficiencies involving water heater installation and/or lack of water heater safety equipment are things I find during a Home Inspection and what find their way into my report. Obviously, many installers (whether it be a homeowner or Contractor) don’t know the proper safe water heater installation requirements, or they choose to ignore them for whatever reason.

A water heater that ‘runs away’ with it self and over heats the water can actually turn into a dangerous bomb and/or missile due to the steam build up in the tank. Improperly installed water heaters can cause bodily injury in several different ways as well as property damage, which is the reason the Building Departments want the opportunity to inspect the final installation. That really is the basic reasons for building permits in the first place – to have a knowledgeable person/entity have oversight of the construction and repair of the structures that we live and work in to make sure that they are safe. The Building Departments Inspectors make sure that the construction, materials, repairs or methods used meet building ‘code’ standards, which is a minimum level requirement of materials and methods employed. I always have to shake my head in somewhat amused disbelief when a Contractor or handyman says that he/she performs their work to ‘code’ level, like that is a really great accomplishment. What that really means is that they are performing their work to the bare bones minimum level of acceptability, and anything what so ever less would be unacceptable and would not pass code or be safe!

Another furor that has swept through the Construction Industry is the newly adopted requirement that new homes be equipped with a fire sprinkler system. Installation of these systems is expensive and causes the cost of a new home to increase considerably to the purchaser. Not only that, but the current systems available need periodic maintenance, which has to be performed by specialists in the fire sprinkler business and adds additional costs to owning the home. In fact, I’ve heard, but can’t verify for sure, that it was the fire sprinkler industry that was behind and pushed hard to get this shoved into the new home construction requirements. The reason used to make fire sprinkler systems necessary is supposedly to give people time to safely exit a burning home, not necessarily to extinguish the fire. This regulation needs to be repealed and re-thought out. The controversy over required fire sprinkler systems will continue, for sure!

ENJOYING & GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR DECK

Many of us that live in the Sierras and foothills are fortunate to live in homes that have decks that allow us to enjoy the outdoors with our family and friends, which many times includes meals and barbecue/grilling. But, as we move into the dog days of summer, our decks may be starting to show the evidence of all that use we been giving them as well as the ‘hammering’ the deck has been taking from the sun. With the warm dry weather we’ve been enjoying, maybe now is the best time to consider sprucing up our decks and readying them for the up coming winter months. The place to start is to take the time to really look at and inspect the deck. Not just from the top, but the underside and the supports of the deck. Take note of any earth to wood contacts (including debris/leaves build-ups) and white growths (fungus), which is the precursor to dry rot. Re-grade (dig/rake) the soil and debris down and away from the wood members of the deck breaking all the earth to wood contacts while providing drainage away from the supports and their concrete piers. Probe the wood with a screwdriver at the point of any white growths or areas that had been in soil/debris contact to determine if the wood is still sound. If the flat bladed screwdriver pushes into the wood, repairs are in order.

Whether your deck is in need of repairs or not, it is usually best to start off with clean and fully visible surfaces. The best way to accomplish this is by power washing all of the deck surfaces. You can rent a power washer, but I recommend that you practice a little on some old lumber or an area under the deck that won’t be seen easily so that you can get ‘the feel’ for how the power washer works. The stream of water that is delivered from the nozzle of the spray wand is strong enough to tear up the surface of the wood if you are not careful. After the power washing, let the deck wood members dry for a couple of days and then take care of any structural repairs that you have identified. Next, go on a search for any of the white growths (fungus), especially on the underside of the deck, and scrape and wire brush them off. Make sure to treat those areas with a fungicide to keep them from growing again in the immediate future. There are different types of fungicides available at home and garden stores, some of which are not so good for the environment. So, be sure to read and follow the label instructions carefully. Now is the time to give the top of the deck some attention. Any nails that have started backing out of the deck planks need to be set back down into the wood or pulled out and replaced with proper deck screws. Check the integrity of the guardrail and re-secure as necessary if it wobbles even slightly. Check the gap between the guardrail pickets and consider installing additional pickets, wire netting or some other type of material if the gaps are greater than 4”, as this can pose a safety issue of falling off the deck to small children.

Now that you’ve broken all the earth to wood contacts, cleaned all of the deck surfaces and made any of the repairs that were necessary, it’s time to dress up and protect your deck. Do not, let me repeat, DO NOT paint your deck. Although the deck will look great right after the paint is applied, over time the paint surface will crack from weather exposure and allow moisture into the wood members, but will not allow the wood to ‘breathe’ and expel the moisture, which will result in dry rot. The best bet is to apply a stain with preservative qualities. Consult your local paint store or home and garden paint department for advice on what product will give you the best protection and long term benefits. Applying the stain with an airless paint sprayer will probably give you the best results and get the material down into all the nooks and crannies, but a paint roller and brush will work also. So, I probably have you pretty worn out about now just thinking about how much work this deck refurbish will be. Yes it will be a bit of a project, but when you’re done the deck will be a clean, safe and inviting place for you, your family and friends will want to spend time on. And, if you need some encouragement to get the project under way, get an estimate or two from Contractors as to what the cost to replace the deck would be. I think that will give you plenty of incentive to maintain the deck you have in good shape! If you have any questions, give me a call (209-533-5044) or drop me an email note ( inspect@mlode.com ) and I’ll do my best to give you the information you need.

KEEP YOUR COOL!

So, here we are heading into the middle of summer and we really haven’t experienced much in the way of hot temperatures so far here in the Sierra foothills. Unusual, but I’m sure that the heat will be upon us soon. Maybe a smart thing to do before the heat sets in is to give the cooling system of your home a little ‘look-see’ and maintenance before you press the system into heavy service. If your home has an evaporative cooler (many times called a ‘swamp cooler’ because of the odor that sometimes comes from the water in the unit) it should have been ‘winterized’, which means it was cleaned, emptied of water and covered. Now you reverse the process, but first you need to inspect the cooler. Look closely at the base of the cooler for signs of rusting, and if you see some, it’s probably time to apply the proper paint-on asphalt type coating to prevent rust through and leakage. Next, look at and check the condition and operation of the water fill valve and float after turning the supply water valve back on. Adjust the float to maintain the water level to the proper height in the cooler base. Then examine the cooler pads and clean or replace them as needed. Turn on the cooler with one cooler pad panel removed to see how the water pump and water dispersion system for the pads operates and to make sure there will be plenty of water spread across the top of the pads to saturate them. At this point you are almost done as all that you have left to do is oil (or grease) the electric motor and fan bearings and check the condition and adjustment of the fan belt.
If your home is equipped with a heat pump and/or forced air HVAC system that includes a condenser unit on the exterior of your home, there is a few things you can, and should, do, but any kind of real service work will most likely have to be performed by a qualified service technician that has the proper tools, equipment and materials such as refrigerant. But what you can do to help the unit work a little easier is to make sure that there is nothing stacked up next to the condenser unit and cut back any foliage that may be growing up against the unit. The condenser needs good airflow to operate efficiently. So, look down inside the unit and see if any debris has accumulated in it, and if so, see if you can vacuum or remove it safely. Don’t mow the lawn with the grass cuttings allowed to discharge at or around the condenser unit as the clippings will get sucked into the unit, and, the mower may pick up a hard object such as a small stone, which could damage the condenser. Make sure you disable the unit before attempting the cleaning by flipping the breaker switch of the disconnect panel box on the wall next to the condenser. Closely look at the case and fins (if any) for physical damage. Also look at the refrigerant lines (if any) to see if they are damaged or crimped. These lines are copper tubing and are most vulnerable where they leave the condenser unit and enter the wall of the house. The larger of the two lines should be cold when the system is on and the line should be insulated with a black foam type material with out cracks, deterioration or bare areas. The smaller tube should be warm it’s entire length. A certified technician should perform any further service or repair.

YOU, H2O AND YOUR $’s

With summer finally upon us, one bill that you get in the mail that will undoubtedly be increasing is your water bill. For many of us this irritating situation occurs due to our summer ritual of watering whatever landscaping we have planted in our yards to keep the foliage alive and healthy. Although water from most of the local water utility providers has been relatively inexpensive up to this point in time, the cost of water has been creeping up over the past few years, and it is poised for a large increase in the near future. Those of us on a financial budget are most likely going to have to rethink how we use water in and around our homes, but especially for watering our yards. Lawns may well become a luxury we just can no longer afford. This thinking may give way to re-evaluating our entire yard and the landscaping/foliage in it as the new water rates will most likely be based on a rather aggressive tiered rate system that is predicated on how much water you use, a lot like the way electrical rates/bills are set up. If this is indeed the way we will have to pay for our water use, many of us will have to look at ways of ‘sculpting’ our yards to hold water on our property in and around the vegetation, installing drip watering systems that are controlled and metered (and sensitive to weather conditions) to provide just ‘enough’ water to plants at the appropriate areas, and possibly even trying to figure out how to capture and utilize rain water run-off from our roofs and paved areas. The days of ‘flood’ hand watering and/or placing a broadcast sprinkler out and just letting it go is probably a thing of the past.

We will have to re-evaluate our water use in our homes also in order to get a grip on the rising water bill. The very first thing we need to look at, and, should have done so long ago, is that our water system is intact and not leaking. Because plumbing pipes are run in many areas that can be hard to access or are completely hidden, finding leaks can be difficult. One easy method to determine if there even is a leak is to make sure every water faucet, hose bib and water using appliance is turned off and then go look at the water utilities water meter. The meter is located in a ground box usually near the street at the front of your property. Check and record where the needle is pointing and then compare that reading with another reading 15 or more minutes later. If the meter needle has moved, you have a leak and now you need to locate it to fix it. The next thing that probably should be done is to look at and assess all the water using fixtures and appliances in our home and determine what condition they are in and how much water they use. Some things like installing low flow shower heads will be pretty easy and won’t cost very much, while changing out a standard toilet or clothes washing machine for ‘water miser’ type units may involve a lot more work and money, which may also not really pencil out money wise.

One area of excessive water use that surprised me was that needed for dishwashing. I’ve always believed you could do a better job of cleaning the dishes by hand and save water at the same time over using a dishwashing machine. However, according to Green Plumbers, which is the name/trademark of Green Invest Limited of Australia that has an office in Sacramento, California, a new Energy Star qualified dishwasher will not only save energy, but will save nearly 5,000 gallons of water in a year over hand washing dishes. Contact me if you would like other water saving ideas.

DEFENSIBLE SPACE IS SENSIBLE SPACE!

June? Springtime? Are you kidding me? With the ‘official’ start of summer less than three weeks away, I sit here looking out my window at rain falling on my property that looks like a war zone. This was the winter of incredible surprises. With several heavy snowfalls starting with one as early as Thanksgiving and culminating with a late one in April that caught many trees and bushes in full leaf, which resulted in even more broken and downed trees, tree limbs and bushes than had already been damaged from the earlier snows. The other ‘gift’ all of this rain and snow gave us beside all the debris on the ground is lush weed growth. Not only do we have a monumental clean up ahead of us, but we also have to get ready for the fire season that is just around the corner.

I’m sure that you’ve seen the signs along side the road put up by various Fire Departments and agencies that say: “defensible space is sensible space”. Many of us that live here in the foothills and the Sierra’s are at least somewhat familiar with the term ‘defensible space’, as we go through a yearly ritual to obtain defensible space around our homes. In fact, CAL FIRE, which is responsible for much of the fire protection services in this area, sends fire personnel out to inspect our homes/yards to make sure that we do have defensible space around the structures because it is the law, and it is the only way that they will be able to keep our homes from catching fire if a wild fire occurs. For those of you that are not familiar with defensible space, it is basically a 100’ of area around your home that consists of two areas of reduced or no flammable vegetation or debris. The first 30’ out and around your home is to be clear of all flammable ground vegetation and debris. Single, isolated trees or shrubs may be allowed if they are well maintained. The remaining 70’ of the 100’ feet out and around your home is considered the “reduced fuel zone” where more trees and shrubs are allowed, but they need to be thinned and maintained so that they won’t allow a wildfire to spread though them. That is the simple explanation of defensible space, but there is actually much more to it, and really, it is mostly just common sense.

Defensible space actually is a total fire safe mindset that encompasses your entire home and property. Making sure that the accumulated debris has been removed from your roof and rain gutters, making sure that the electric service wires are not rubbing on tree limbs and that the fuse boxes and circuit breaker panels are all installed and maintained per code are just a few of the fire safe considerations. If you have tall trees on your property it is wise to limb them up several feet and remove any vegetation below and out around them, which is referred to as “removing ladder fuels” that allow flames to spread up into the crowns of the trees. This is particularly important if your home is on a hillside. There are many other things that you can do to fire safe your home and property that I don’t have room to list here. For much more information contact your local CAL FIRE office, fire department or Fire Safe Council. You can also get information and tips by visiting www.fire.ca.gov . Get started now…it may be raining today, but those hot summer days are right around the corner with what could be a very active fire season due to all the downed foliage and tall grass/weeds thanks to this very wet winter.

IS YOUR REFRIGERATOR CHILL’IN?

That big, tall box that is stuffed into a corner or a gap in the cabinets in the kitchen. You know, the box that everyone in the family is constantly walking over to and opening the doors, staring into it for a bit, and finally removing things from it. Yeah, that box that turns on and runs periodically all day and all night that’s called a refrigerator and keeps your food cold to preserve it. Well, that box, the refrigerator, just happens to be one of the biggest energy users in your home. And, if that refrigerator is 20 or more years old, it is a major energy user in your home and is very inefficient by today’s standards and especially when compared with new units. Refrigerators seem to run on and on for years and are so expensive to replace, many of us, me included, find it a painful choice to replace a running refrigerator. But, if we knew what that old unit was costing us in electricity each month, the decision to replace it with a new unit would start to look like a no-brainer.

However, if replacing that old refrigerator is just not in the budget, or, if you are concerned about having your refrigerator run as efficiently and economically as possible, there are some things that you can do to achieve those goals. The very first thing to do is also something that won’t cost you anything but your time to perform – cleaning the coils, which are located either at the back or bottom of the refrigerator. Dust and debris accumulate on the coils and prevents them from cooling properly thus making the refrigerator work harder. Once you’ve located the coils, use a vacuum or a coil brush to remove dust balls, pet hair and any other dirt/debris from the coils. It is probably best to consult the owners’ manual to make sure that you know the suggested best method for cleaning the coils. At this point it probably would also be a good time to empty and clean the defrost drain pan (bottom/under the refrigerator). Next, check the door seals to make sure that they are intact and clean. If they are dirty, they can be cleaned with soapy warm water and a soft rag. Check to see if the seals are actually sealing by closing the door on a dollar bill half way inside the refrigerator and then attempt to slide it out. If you can slide the bill out, you should replace the seals. Make sure that you keep the refrigerator a few inches away from the wall and don’t store things on top of it, as you don’t want to restrict the airflow to the cooling coils. Also, did you know that a full refrigerator and freezer uses less electricity that a partially full unit? The refrigerator should be placed away from heat sources such as an oven or placed in direct sunlight.

If you decide that you are going to replace your old refrigerator, here are a few things to keep in mind to buy an energy efficient model. Purchase an Energy Star model as they normally use 20% less energy than other units. You can (and should) check the yellow EnergyGuide label to compare the model’s energy use with similar models and estimate the annual operating costs. Models with top-mounted freezers generally use 10 to 20 percent less energy than bottom-mount models. Purchase an appropriately sized refrigerator. The most energy-efficient models are typically the 16 to 20 cubic foot size. Skip the icemaker and dispenser as automatic icemakers and through-the-door dispensers increase energy use by 14 to 20 percent and can raise the purchase price by $75 to $250. Set the temperature of your new refrigerator to 35 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit, and, minimize the amount of time the fridge door is open. To get more information on Energy Star refrigerators and other appliances, go to www.energystar.gov .

CONNECTING THE DOTS

Have you ever given any thought to the plumbing services connected with your home and their relationship to each other and to your wallet? When you do give a thought to your supply water service or sewer service, is it when the service cost increases? With so many costs increasing today, maybe thinking about and evaluating our water use and what it actually costs us would be a smart thing to do. So, with that being said, let’s start by acknowledging a couple of obvious cost relationships with water and sewer service. First, if you are using well water, you know first hand the direct relationship between the cost of electricity to power the well pump and your use of water. The more water you use the higher your electricity bill becomes. But, just about everyone that is supplied with water from a public or private utility usually expect water to flow from a faucet when turned on and don’t give a thought to the cost to supply that water to that faucet. In fact, it’s been said that the average person in the United States uses between 80 to 100 gallons of water per day, which is a lot of times turning that faucet on and off each day.

The costs to get that utility water to that faucet range from accessing the water source, transporting the water to the water treatment facility, treating the water to government mandated water quality levels, and finally safely pumping/piping the water to your home. Those processes require an expensive infrastructure consisting of, at least here in the Mother Lode foothills, Dams, flumes, conveyance ditches, storage tanks, treatment facilities, pumps, piping, meters, valves, trucks, maintenance equipment along with the personnel to actually make all of this work efficiently everyday, 24 hours a day. I think that you can easily see that getting water to flow from that faucet of yours is not an inexpensive undertaking. So, the more water you use, the more money is expended to get that water delivered to you. But wait, there’s another connection/relationship that we haven’t brought into the equation, and that is the fact that, the more water you use, the more wastewater will be drained into the sewage system. Of course this does not apply for water that you use to water your yard, but on a whole, the more water you use, the more wastewater will go down the drain.

What many people forget about is that conserving water not only saves on water fees, but they will also be saving on sewer and energy costs. Another thing that is hard to understand is how water, sewer and energy fees vary so wildly around the U. S., state to state, city to city and even in the same city. If you looked at studies which show water and sewer rates, city by city, you would probably be thinking the same as me that “This makes no sense!” I was also surprised to find that sewer rates in many areas are 2 to 4 times as much as water rates. Using a lot of hot water will also cost you money, not only for the water used, but also the energy (gas or electricity) to heat that water. So, I think you can see the relationship between water use and your wallet. The more water we use the more the utilities need to work on providing those water, sewer and energy services, which will ultimately result in the rates to provide those services to increase. Are you ready to examine and re-evaluate your water usage now?

PROPANE and PROPANE GAS APPLIANCES

Many of us living here in the Mother Lode/foothills have propane gas fired appliances for our cooking and heating. Propane is actually a petroleum product that is delivered in liquid form but readily turns to a gas when released from the tank it is contained in. Propane is very competitive in cost compared to electricity although its’ cost has been rising some as of late. As a fuel, propane is a very efficient, relatively clean burning fuel that is actually very safe when supply plumbing is properly installed and the appliances using it are properly installed and maintained. Propane appliances are usually so efficient and trouble free that most people use them year after year without giving them even a second thought, let alone any sort of cleaning, service or inspection. This is unfortunate for several reasons, but the most important one is safety.

Now that we are in the midst of ‘Ol Man Winter, many of us are ‘working’ the heck out of our propane gas fired furnace systems and wall heaters if we have them. With the holiday’s just past and a lot of time being spent indoors due to foul weather, our propane gas stoves and ovens are probably getting a good ‘work-out’ also. But, when was the last time you actually serviced and inspected this equipment? This is really important as doing so will help with longevity and performance of the system or appliance, but more so for the safety of you and your family. For all the good things about propane gas, it does have a ‘dark side’. First, propane is an extremely flammable gas…that’s part of the reason it is so efficient and useful. But, the burning process has to be controlled and safe, which means the burning ‘chamber’ must be intact and sealed, and, the gas supply controls operating correctly. Also, the burning of propane gas has one nasty by product, which is Carbon Monoxide (CO), an odorless and tasteless gas. CO can be deadly! Because you can’t taste or smell CO, you really don’t know what is causing you to have a headache, be fatigued, be dizzy, have shortness of breath and finally have nausea which is leading up to brain damage or even death. Propane fired appliances/systems must have sealed burning chambers and be properly vented to the exterior of the building to avoid CO poisoning.

Many propane supply companies have employees that will come to your home and relight the pilot light should it go out, and check your propane appliances for safety. However, the best course of action, especially when it comes to gas fired forced air furnace systems or wall/floor furnaces, is to have the systems cleaned, serviced and thoroughly evaluated at least every ten years (or sooner) by a licensed HVAC (heating and air) Contractor. The reason for this is because the heating system probably has cycled on and off thousands of times during those ten years. Not only can the various components of the heating system wear out, but, more importantly, the heat chamber, or heat exchanger as it is more commonly referred to, may develop cracks over time due to the repeated heating and cooling of the metal surfaces. This allows the by products of the combustion process (CO being one of them) to escape into the interior air that is being conditioned. Every person that enters that home when the defective furnace is running is subject to CO poisoning without even having the slightest hint of the danger!

One thing you can (and should) do yourself to help prolong the service life of your forced air furnace is to change the air filter regularly, which is usually a simple job. If you don’t know where the air filter is located, make sure you get the technician to show you when you get the system serviced. Propane gas is odorized for safety. The smell is like rotten eggs. This allows a person to readily know when there is a gas leak or escape of unburned gas from the equipment. If you don’t know already, make sure that the technician shows you where all of the gas turn off valves are and explains exactly what you should do in an emergency or if you smelled gas in or around your home. If you have propane appliances and/or heating systems in your home, take a few minutes today to evaluate their condition, age and determine when they were last serviced, and then make that call to your HVAC Contractor to keep you and your family safe and healthy.

ARE YOU BEGINNING TO GET MOLDY?

Now that we are getting into winter and the wet weather, it’s probably time to start being on the lookout for moisture intrusion and/or moisture accumulation issues in our homes. Moisture can be very damaging to our home and its’ various systems. But, what can be another negative add-on to moisture is mold. A lot has been made of mold over the past several years due to some high profile lawsuits against builders and insurance companies, so much so, that most insurance companies now have disclaimers in their policies that disavow coverage for mold issues. Although I don’t really know the merits of these legal cases, I do know some were way overblown, as mold is everywhere. You and I are breathing in mold spores right now. There are literally millions of different strains of mold and mildew on this earth. If there was no mold or mildew we would be buried in leaves and other material because it wouldn’t break down, decay and return to the soil as nutrients. Unfortunately, when mold begins to grow in our homes due to leaks or other moisture issues, the mold does what it does best and begins breaking down and decaying the materials that it is flourishing on. Some molds can even make you very ill, especially if you are allergic to them or you have pulmonary issues or a weakened immune system. So, for whatever reason, you don’t want mold to get a foothold in your home.

It takes three things for mold to grow: food (natural nutrients), water (moisture) and habitat (40 – 130 degrees/high humidity). Take any one item away, and mold can’t grow. As our homes are loaded with mold ‘food’ such as sheetrock (the paper exterior covering on it), wood, carpet, textiles, plastics, skin oils, vegetables and grains to name a few, and the temperatures that we are comfortable in are the same that mold flourishes in, we need to concentrate on correcting and/or controlling moisture conditions. Some things that should be on your ‘fix it’ list to keep mold away would be leaky pipes, damp basements, flooding/moisture intrusion, houseplants, refrigerators, damp clothes, humidity, condensation, poor ventilation and spills and leaks of any kind.

So, now it’s time to set aside a part of your day to methodically go through your home and search for any kind of moisture build-up or leaks and to then ‘fix’ them. Take a slow walk around the exterior of your home and check to see if there are any cracks or gaps in the wall siding and trim members that need caulking and/or securing. Look at how the soil slopes at the base of the walls at the foundation. The soil should slope away from the foundation and there should not be any depressions that can hold water. Don’t forget to look up also – is there stains or darkening of the eave wood members? Are the rain gutters cleaned out of debris so that they drain properly and don’t overflow or back up onto the eave wood members? And, talking about looking up, don’t forget to look up in the attic spaces to double check that there is no condensation collecting on the underside of the roof framing due to lack of adequate ventilation.

If your house inspection turns up some mold, by fixing the leak, correcting the humidity or removing the ‘food’ source should control the mold. Fresh air and sunlight will also help kill the mold. For a small area of mold growth, you can mix 2 teaspoons of white distilled vinegar or tree oil with 2 cups of water in a spray bottle, spray the mixture on the mold and do not rinse. Vinegar kills most mold spores, and tea tree oil is a fungicide. However, cleaning mold can be dangerous, so if you have more than 10 square feet of mold, or the mold is black or greenish-black in color, you probably better hire a contractor familiar with mold remediation. To get additional information on mold issues and remediation, try the following resources:

Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov/mold/preventionandcontrol.html ) “Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( www.cdc.gov/mold ) mold information site

National Association of Homebuilders ( www.moldtips.com ) mold resource center