If your family gets drinking water from a private well, do you know if your water is safe to drink? What health risks could you and your family face? Where can you go for help or advice? EPA regulates public water systems; it does not have the authority to regulate private drinking water wells. Approximately 15 percent of Americans rely on their own private drinking water supplies, and these supplies are not subject to EPA standards, although some state and local governments do set rules to protect users of these wells. Unlike public drinking water systems serving many people, they do not have experts regularly checking the waters source and its quality before it is sent to the tap. These households must take special precautions to ensure the protection and maintenance of their drinking water supplies.
Basic Information
There are three types of private drinking water wells: dug, driven, and drilled. Proper well construction and continued maintenance are keys to the safety of your water supply. Your state water-well contractor licensing agency, local health department, or local water system professional can provide information on well construction. The well should be located so rainwater flows away from it. Rainwater can pick up harmful bacteria and chemicals on the lands surface. If this water pools near your well, it can seep into it, potentially causing health problems. Water-well drillers and pump-well installers are listed in your local phone directory. The contractor should be bonded and insured. Make certain your ground water contractor is registered or licensed in your state, if required. If your state does not have a licensing/registration program contact the National Ground Water Association. They have a voluntary certification program for contractors. (In fact, some states use the Associations exams as their test for licensing.) For a list of certified contractors in your state contact the Association at (614) 898-7791 or (800) 551-7379. There is no cost for mailing or faxing the list to you.
To keep your well safe, you must be sure possible sources of contamination are not close by. Experts suggest the following distances as a minimum for protection farther is better:
Many homeowners tend to forget the value of good maintenance until problems reach crisis levels. That can be expensive. Its better to maintain your well, find problems early, and correct them to protect your wells performance. Keep up-to-date records of well installation and repairs plus pumping and water tests. Such records can help spot changes and possible problems with your water system. If you have problems, ask a local expert to check your well construction and maintenance records. He or she can see if your system is okay or needs work.
Protect your own well area. Be careful about storage and disposal of household and lawn care chemicals and wastes. Good farmers and gardeners minimize the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Take steps to reduce erosion and prevent surface water runoff. Regularly check underground storage tanks that hold home heating oil, diesel, or gasoline. Make sure your well is protected from the wastes of livestock, pets, and wildlife.
Courtesy of: Affordable Home Inspections 905-730-9300 www.affordablehomeinspections.ca
Congratualtions to Maelle Ricker who just ecame the first Canadian woman to win Olympic gold on home ground when she claimed victory in the snowboard cross today in snowboard cross
GO CANADA GO!
This is the adjoining wall between two row houses that is in need of immediate repair. Masonary needs repaired, cap added to finished wall, new step flashing and (Can't exactly see from picture) but roof needs replaces (30+ years old)
Courtesy of: Affordable Home Inspections 905-730-9300 www.affordablehomeinspections.ca
Move In Certified:
• The inspection is done already and hosted online at Fetch Report.com
• You can view the reports on any home that you are interested in that is Move-in Certified by typing in the address at www.moveincertified.com
• The inspection is paid for by the seller.
• The report provides a more accurate, third-party view of the condition of the home prior to making an offer.
• A seller inspection eliminates surprise defects.
• Problems are corrected or at least acknowledged prior to making an offer on the home.
• A seller inspection reduces the need for negotiations and 11th-hour renegotiations.
• The report might assist in acquiring financing.
• A seller inspection allows the buyer to sweeten the offer without increasing the offering price by waiving inspections.
Courtesy of: Affordable Home Inspections 905-730-9300 www.affordablehomeinspections.ca
Move In Certified:
•Agents can recommend certified InterNACHI inspectors to inspect the home properly before the buyer's inspector arrives.
• Sellers can schedule the inspections at seller's convenience with little effort on the part of agents.
• Sellers can assist inspectors during the inspections, normally not done during buyer's inspections.
• Sellers can have inspectors correct any misstatements in the reports before they are generated.
• Reports help sellers see their homes through the eyes of a critical, third-party, thus making sellers more realistic about asking price.
• Agents are alerted to any immediate safety issues found, before other agents and potential buyers tour the home.
• Repairs made ahead of time might make homes show better.
• Move-In Certified yard signs attract potential buyers.
• The reports hosted on www.FetchReport.com entice potential buyers to tour MoveInCertified homes.
• You can view the reports on any home that the client is interested in that is Move-in Certified by typing in the address at www.moveincertified.com
• The reports provide third-party, unbiased opinions to offer to potential buyers.
• MoveInCertified reports can be used as marketing tools to help sell the homes.
• Reports might relieve prospective buyer's unfounded suspicions, before they walk away.
• Seller inspections eliminate buyer's remorse that sometimes occurs just after an inspection.
• Seller inspections reduce the need for negotiations and 11th-hour renegotiations.
• Seller inspections relieve the agent of having to hurriedly procure repair estimates or schedule repairs.
• The reports might encourage buyers to waive their inspection contingencies.
• Deals are less likely to fall apart the way they often do when buyer's inspections unexpectedly reveal problems, last minute.
• Reports provide full-disclosure protection from future legal claims.
• Agents can market the property as Move-in Certified in their advertisements
Courtesy of: Affordable Home Inspections 905-730-9300 www.affordablehomeinspections.ca
Southern Ontario's Home Inspection Choice since 1997, with 30 years renovation expertise, 15 year in marketing and as a real estate investor. Use my experience and knowledge
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