Courtesy of: Robert E. Taylor, Jr. / 298 S. Woodward
Ave. / Birmingham, MI 48009
(248) 644-6300
Asbestos is a word we have become familiar with over the last several
years. It was originally used in homes as an excellent insulator and fire
protector because of its inability to burn. It is most frequently found
as the wrap used to insulate both hot water and steam heat pipes. Some may
recall it being in the gloves used to cook or barbecue. s has been a grave
health concern, for sellers it has been a great financial concern.
What can be done to eliminate this problem? Several resent conversations
and selling experiences have provided me with one remedy. While the absence of
Asbestos is ideal, removal is more of a problem than if it were left alone. It
is when the particles become air born that they pose the greatest threat to health.
An alternative is to wrap the pipes (and the Asbestos) with duct tape. While this
is time consuming, when tightly wrapped house
inspectors seem to have no problem with the presents of Asbestos
in the home. This can eliminate the concern of the buyer and allow a sale to continue
that might otherwise have fallen through.
For more information on Asbestos, look in the yellow pages for properly licensed
contractors or send me a note via E-mail.
I will happily to pass on to you information I have accumulated regarding this
potentially serious sales problem.
U.F.F.I. or Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation. This is
a type of insulation that is put into walls generally after construction
and at a reasonable price. In contrast to normal fiberglass, U.F.F.I. could
reach even hard to reach pockets and provided excellent protection from
outside temperatures. Unfortunately, testing done on U.F.F.I. showed that
it tended to give off formaldehyde gas into the interior of the home. The
testing concluded that exposure to the gas over time produced negative effects
on some people. We also know that over time the "Gas-off" usually
decreases, if it was ever present, and that not all U.F.F.I. was found to
produce formaldehyde gas. We know that homes without U.F.F.I. test positive
for the presents of the gas. Formaldehyde is used in most synthetic fibers,
fiber and particle board and many other items found in all homes. Homes
without U.F.F.I. insulation on average test at .04 parts per million because
of this presence.
U.F.F.I. can be removed from a home by removing either the interior or exterior
walls of the house. The cost can vary. I have seen prices range $10,000 in bids
taken from licensed removal experts. For more information on U.F.F.I. send me
a note via E-mail. I will refer you
to one of the professional testing labs in the area.
Lead Based Paint. In 1996 the Federal Government will require new disclosure
regulations on this issue. They must: Provide purchasers with a lead hazard information
pamphlet; disclose the presence of any known lead-based paint, or paint hazards
and make available to a purchaser any lead hazard evaluation report; allow a purchaser
a 10-day period (unless a mutually agreed period is agreed to) to conduct a risk
assessment or inspection for the presence of lead-based paint. All contracts for
the sale of pre-1978 housing must contain a Lead Warning Statement and a statement
signed by the purchaser that they 1). read the Lead Warning Statement and understand
what it says, 2) received a lead hazard information pamphlet and 3) have a 10-day
opportunity (unless the parties agree to a different time period) before becoming
obligated under the contract to conduct a risk assessment or inspection for the
presence of lead-based paint hazards. Failure to do so can result in penalties
of up to $10,000.000 and damage costs of three times the actual damages incurred
by an individual.
Radon. A scientific definition calls it a naturally occurring
element and is an inert gas, this means it does not combine naturally with
other elements. The only problem is that it is radioactive. Because Radon
is radioactive it is "Cancer Producing." Since it is a gas, the
type of cancer it is most often associated with is lung cancer.
Radon enters the home from the ground through cracks and holes in the foundation.
While Radon seepage into basements is not new it is a new problem. This
has been precipitated by two things: One, our interest and concern about
our environment; two, our efforts to keep our homes air tight for energy
efficiency. In the past there has been little build up of Radon in homes
because they were not well insulated or sealed against either the heat of
summer or the cold of winter. Before we became energy conscious, our drafty
old homes prevented Radon from building up in the house. Because of the
great health risk from Radon, buyers are now requesting that testing be
done before the completion of a sale. The test is not difficult nor is it
expensive. There are testing kits available in many hardware stores that
anyone can do.
For those who come in contact with the problem there are eight radon mitigation
methods. These methods range in costfrom several hundred dollars to about
$3,000:
Natural ventilation.
This simply means opening windows. The major cost comes in the winter from
higher heating bills.
Forced ventilation.
The purchase of fans to do the same thing as natural ventilation.
Heat-recovery ventilation.
This method is similar to the first two except that it uses the heat of
the air leaving the house to heat the air entering the house thus saving
on energy costs.
Covering exposed earth.
Sealing cracks and openings.
This method uses sealants and is popular among do-it-yourselfers.
Drain-tile suction.
This process drains water away from the property and with it the radon gas.
A very expensive procedure.
Sub-slab suction.
A series of pipes is installed beneath the foundation of the house to vent
radon gas away from the foundation. Very expensive.
Block wall ventilation.
Radon is drawn away from within the spaces of concrete blocks before it
can enter the house. Not as expensive as the previous two processes but
still expensive.
Solving a Radon problem does not have to be difficult. My recommendation is to
test prior to a sale when it will be easier to correct the problem without it
becoming a "Sale Killer." Should you need a contractor there is presently
an effort being made to require radon mitigators to be listed with the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). If you have any questions regarding Radon send me a note
via E-mail or call the EPA.
What about EMF's or electromagnetic fields. Over the past several
months you may have heard some people expressing some concern about buying
a house close to overhead power lines and these visible markers of where
high energy electricity is flowing have caused some buyers to express doubts
about buying homes near them. Can they be a problem?
There is evidence that some kind of exposure to electromagnetic fields can
cause serious health problems. However, researchers on both sides of the
issue are presently at a loss to explain whether it is long term exposure
that is the problem, exposure to high doses of EMF's or a combination of
both. While utilities are interested in protecting their customers, they
are uncertain how to do so until they know what to protect you from.
Even worse, the high tension wires in your back yard, while unsightly are
much safer than having the wires buried underground. Furthermore, a child
sitting at a desk playing Nintendo or an adult working at a computer many
receive higher doses of EMF's than they would get sitting in their back
yard under the power lines. Even the frequently discussed threshold of two
milligauss is arbitrary with some whole neighborhoods having higher readings
with no high tension wires present.
So, what do you do? Should you be concerned? I guess the answer is that
you should be informed. If you have a bedroom where the power comes into
the houses you need to know that this is a big source of EMF's. If you have
underground utilities the green boxes in some back yards are transformer
boxes and a big source of EMF's. If you have transformers that you plug
into a wall socket for a cordless phone, game equipment or for a computer
you need to know this is a big source of EMF's.
Should you refuse to buy a house because of these things, or should you be concerned
as a seller? Hard to say. Youmay want to have the property looked at by an expert
or do some research on your own. If you have any questions give me a call. If
you have any questions send me a note via E-mail.
I have the names of several experts on the matter of EMF's including a research
scientist at Oakland University.
©1996 Bob Taylor
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