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Helpful Information

House for Home Inspection

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas that forms from incomplete combustion of fuels, such as natural or liquefied petroleum gas, oil, wood or coal.

FACTS AND FIGURES

​Carbon monoxide is a tasteless and odorless gas that can kill you if you don’t detect it in time. Unfortunately, the only good way to detect it is with a carbon monoxide detector, and many homes don’t have one installed, or they don’t have enough to effectively cover the whole house. Keep reading while we present you with several current facts and statistics about carbon monoxide.

The 10 Carbon Monoxide Statistics

  1. Carbon monoxide (CO) emissions are on the decline.

  2. Carbon monoxide is the most abundant air pollutant.

  3. More than 60,000 people die from air pollution each year.

  4. Vehicle emissions produce the majority of the carbon monoxide gas.

  5. About 170 people die each year from carbon monoxide produced by consumer products.

  6. Several thousand people visit the emergency rooms each year due to carbon monoxide.

  7. People who are sleeping or drunk may die from carbon monoxide poisoning without symptoms.

  8. Most people do not have a working carbon monoxide detector.

  9. Mechanics and firefighters are at an increased risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

  10. Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of death due to chemical inhalation among workers.

House for Home Inspection

Efflorescence

Is it harmful? NO!

Per the Webster Dictionary, efflorescence is the act or season of flowering; a. blooming forth, to become powdery, wholly or in part, and lose crystalline structure through loss of water of crystallization on exposure to the air. To become covered with a crust of saline particles left by evaporation or by chemical change.

What does this mean to the basement with white powdery efflorescence on the lower walls and on the floor?

It means that a chemical change has taken place in the cement mixture used to pour your basement. As the cement concrete continued to dry out, the saline (salts) in the water crystallized and deposited on the surface of the concrete.

Is it harmful? NO more than table salt.Is it mold or mildew? No. Mold and mildew are living organisms that live off of (eat) plant products (i.e., paper on sheetrock.) Salt is a mineral (rock.)
Best way to get rid of it; wash it with warm soapy water.

However, it will leach through again as time goes on. Use Kilz® and paint over it, however, salts will eventually deteriorate paint too. If the home or building was constructed in a region that has a higher saline content you may see an increased amount of efflorescence in concrete.​

Efflorescence
House for Asbestos Inspection

Asbestos

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Any building or home constructed prior to 1965 may have asbestos in the construction materials, trims, decorative, flooring, or covering materials as well as in insulation of walls, ceilings, attics, pipes or other areas. In many cases the asbestos has been covered up through remodeling or updating materials, equipment, appliances, or with floor, ceiling, and wall coverings.

Home/commercial property inspections are limited to what the inspector can visually see at the time of the inspection.

Inspectors are not experts in asbestos identification, use or removal. Advanced Property Inspection, Inc. encourages its inspectors to attempt to evaluate and identify possible asbestos, or suspected asbestos, then report this to potential buyers or realtors and sellers.Furthermore,

 

Advanced Property Inspection, Inc. strongly urges potential buyers to contact the US Consumer Product Safety Commission for any questions regarding Environmental product questions. Some places to contact for further information follows:Publications Section at info@cpsc.govPublic Affairs, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814 or send an email via CPSC's On-Line Form.

What the inspector can visually see at the time of the inspection
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