Chris Livingston

Summer is a great time work on projects around the home that reduce your environmental impact. Even if you are not making big changes, such as replacing old leaky windows or installing ceiling fans, there are still small things that can be done around the house to minimize energy consumption and reduce your carbon footprint. Read on to learn more about how to make simple, sustainable adjustments to your home.

•· Plug household appliances such as computers, printers, televisions and microwaves into a power strip that can be turned off at night. Even when these items are not in use their "standby" consumption can be equivalent to that of a 75 or 100 watt light bulb running continuously.

•· Use the dishwasher. Newer dishwashers typically use only 4 or 5 gallons of water, while washing a sink full of dishes by hand can require up to 15 gallons of water. Not only will you avoid wasting water, you'll also save the energy your water heater would have used on those additional gallons.

•· Adjust your thermostat. A difference of just two degrees you could reduce your household's carbon dioxide emission by 2,000 pounds, in addition to providing significant savings on your utilities bill. In the summer, keep your thermostat at 78° or higher.

•· Keeping household appliances clean and up to date can significantly curb your household's energy consumption. Schedule your heating and cooling system for a checkup every 2 years. Be sure to clean the filter or coils monthly on your air conditioner and refrigerator to ensure they are working efficiently.

•· Prevent leaks. Insulating your water heater and weather-stripping or caulking around windows and doors in your house could save up to 420 lbs of carbon dioxide emissions a month.

•· Switch to Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs. CFLs use significantly less energy and can last up to ten times longer then standard incandescent bulbs. Replace five of the most-used lights in the house with CFLs and enjoy reductions in heat production, energy use, and electricity bills!

Your clients put a great deal of trust in your home inspection referrals. Both you and they expect and deserve quality reporting, qualified inspectors, and professionalism. At Pillar To Post®, we fully understand the importance of the home inspection in the transaction process and have built our reputation on delivering first-rate service to real estate professionals, home buyers and sellers. As North America's foremost home inspection company, Pillar To Post is committed to our role as
leaders in the home inspection industry and to serving as a resource for real estate professionals.

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KNOW THE FACTS AND AVOID COSTLY SURPRISES
WITH A PRE-LISTING HOME INSPECTION.

As a real estate professional, you invest a great deal of time, money, and energy to market your listings. Between advertising, open houses, and meeting with clients, you need to get a good return on that investment. Don't be caught unaware of problems that could seriously undermine your dedicated efforts to sell a home. Having a home inspected before you list is more important than ever in this buyer's market, so make the most of your time and effort by getting a Pillar To Post home inspection prior to listing.

A pre-listing home inspection can uncover previously unknown problems - major and minor - allowing sellers the opportunity to make repairs or replacements as needed. By addressing these issues before the home goes on the market, you can list a home with confidence in its condition and will have a better chance of maximizing its value. Being aware of issues in advance will also allow for disclosure of problems when selling, which can result in cleaner offers and a smoother transaction for both parties.

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•· For more information about home inspection or to schedule a home inspection, click here to find your local Pillar To Post office.

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Your next full Home Inspection booked with Pillar To Post^®

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Radioactive Shock

A remodeling project sparks an alarming discovery - radon

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Ruth Mullen

The Oregonian Staff

It was to be a simple basement remodel, salvaging an extra 350 square feet or so out of a 1927 English cottage in Northeast Portland.

Homeowners Chris and Kathy Berg had permits in hand and a contractor lined up when they decided to check for radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas found in the soil.

What they found derailed their project temporarily: The house had high concentrations of radon, nearly nine times what the Environmental Protection Agency considers safe for residents.

The couple were especially alarmed because their remodel was to include a play area for their 18-month-old son, Caden. Children are more adversely affected by the gas than adults, Kathy says, because they have higher respiratory rates and can take in more of it.

The Bergs' story is a cautionary tale that all of us in the Portland metro area can all learn from.

"We checked two days before the contractor was to start work," says Kathy, an architect, who has lived in the home with her husband for nine years. "We had never heard of it out here, and we were well above the point where you would want to mitigate."

They called in EPA-certified contractor Steve Tucker, who is well-versed in Portland's radon woes.

"The problem is widespread in the metro area," he says, adding that it includes wide swaths of both the Willamette and the Columbia river valleys. East Multnomah County is a radon hot spot, containing some of the highest levels of radon in the metro area, according to Tucker.

Radon is most commonly associated with older homes because it migrates through the soil and into residences through basements and crawl spaces, though elevated levels of radon can be found in buildings of all ages and types, says Tucker. The EPA lists it as the second-leading cause of lung cancer, after smoking. Oregon does not require home inspectors to check for radon, which is why the Bergs didn't know they had a problem.

"We even had elevated levels on the first floor," says Kathy.

As the issue has come to light, however, more home inspectors are starting to include radon checks as part of their services, Tucker says. "It's not unusual to find levels in the 10s, 20s or 30s," he says. "The highest we've found is 190 in the Portland area."

The EPA considers levels of four or higher to be unsafe.

The good news?

No matter what the level, it can be fixed," Tucker says.

A simple test kit purchased online or at the hardware store can tell homeowners whether they have a problem. If they do, the average abatement costs about $1,800 and involves sealing up crawl spaces and other places where the gas can seep into homes.

Radon levels inside the home fluctuate with the weather and are typically higher in the winter because lower barometric pressure helps draw the gas out of the ground. There are also longer-term radon monitors available that read radon levels over the course of several months.

To address the Bergs' problem, Tucker drilled a couple of holes through their basement slab and put in drainage pipes that run up through a wall cavity and connect to an exhaust fan in their attic. Now their radon levels are a much more acceptable 0.3, (average outdoor levels are 0.4) and the family can enjoy their newly completed basement remodel.

"It takes a real weight off your mind," says Kathy.

Link to the original story

RADON TESTING

Problem: Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer and kills thousands in the United States each year.

Expert advice: The U.S. Surgeon General, American Medical Association and American Lung Association, among others, recommend checking your home for radon.

For more information or to schedule testing please visit: www.pillartopost.com/tigard

Serving the home buyer, home seller, homeowner and real estate professionals across North America.

Mention this blog when booking and bring it to your next home inspection to receive $20 off a full home inspection

*Valuable Professional Discount*

$20 OFF!

Your next full Home Inspection booked with Pillar To Post^®

*To be valid, MUST be mentioned when booking appointment & presented with payment*

Only valid at this location. Each office independently owned and operated.

Expires 4/30/08

(503) 682-3053

CCB# 151008

WHY CHOOSE PILLAR TO POST?

• Over 10 years in business having completed thousands of home inspections
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• Also offering multi-unit & apartment complex inspection, pre-listing inspections for smoother transactions, light commercial building inspections, stand-alone Pest & Dry Rot inspections, and Radon and Asbestos sampling.
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