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Preston Sandlin

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Gastonia Home Inspection Reveals Buried Oil Tank

06-18-09
Preston Sandlin
While performing a home inspection in Gastonia NC, Gastonia home inspector Prestion Sandlin found a buried fuel oil tank. What are the dangers associated with buried oil tanks? Buried oil tanks raise increasing environmental, safety, legal and economic concerns for home owners and home buyers because oil leaks underground or even within buildings can lead to both environmental damage and very costly cleanup operations. Having to install a new above ground indoor oil storage tank involves significant expense, perhaps $2000. to $4000. to remove the old tank and install the new one. Removing or abandoning a buried oil tank is more costly. If an oil tank has leaked the cost to clean up contaminated soils can be very significant, so much so that a property buyer should not complete the purchase before questions about the condition of oil tanks, past or present at the property, and the chances of leaks from buried oil storage tanks have been answered satisfactorily. Home heating oil tanks are excluded from Federal Regulations about oil storage tank reporting and monitoring, but in almost every U.S. state or Canadian province, storage tanks are addressed by state or local DEP/DNR/DEC agencies and regulations. For example, in New York, even residential storage sites must be reported to the state DEC if more than 1100 gallons are stored at a single site. (A few U.S. states specifically exclude the regulation of storage tanks when used for home heating oil.) In any case, should a home heating oil tank causes a release of oil into the environment, at that point the owner of the tank is not exempt from the other provisions of the State or Federal Regulations: the leak needs to be reported (often within two hours of observation), the source of leak/spill would have to be stopped, a site characterization would have to be completed, and appropriate corrective action (cleanup) would have to initiated, and the incident would have to be reported. Above ground oil tanks and clues for the presence of buried oil tanks are not usually examined during a pre-purchase home or building inspection unless specific prior test arrangements have been made. Oil tank inspection, other than casual visual inspection for obvious leaks is not performed by such inspectors. Oil tank tests for leaks, soil tests for oil contamination, soil tests for corrosivity, screening for evidence of prior or abandoned oil storage tanks, as well as oil storage tank removal or abandonment require that you use an appropriate expert. However articles at this website outline easy on-site visual observations that any thoughtful observer can make to spot evidence of a present or previous buried tank and to spot evidence of leaks or other problems with above ground storage tanks. From a previous use, a buried oil tank may be present or may have been present at a property now served by an indoor, above ground oil tank or even by LP or natural gas. So don't assume that because you don't see a tank that none was ever used or present at a property http://www.homeinspectioncarolina.com http://www.askthecharlotteinspector.com/
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Gastonia Home Inspector Finds Termites

06-18-09
Preston Sandlin
Subterranean termites live in underground colonies or in moist secluded areas aboveground that can contain up to 2 million members. They build distinctive “mud tubes” to gain access to food sources and to protect themselves from open air. Termite colonies are organized into castes depending on tasks — workers, soldiers and reproductives. The characteristics of a subterranean termite are dependent on the termite’s role in the colony. Cream-colored Worker subterranean termites are 1/8 to 3/8’s of an inch in length. Soldier subterranean termites are of a similar body length, but are distinguished by their powerful mandibles. Solider termites have cream-colored bodies and brown heads. Reproductive subterranean termites are approximately one inch long. Habits Subterranean termites live underground and build tunnels, referred to as mud tubes, to reach food sources. Like other termite species, they feed on products containing cellulose. Subterranean termites swarm in the spring — groups of reproductive termites go off to start new colonies. Habitat Subterranean termites need contact with the soil to survive and live underground. They can build tunnels through cracks in concrete. Threats Subterranean termites are by far the most destructive species. They can collapse a building entirely, meaning possible financial ruin for a homeowner. The hard, saw-toothed jaws of termites work like shears and are able to bite off extremely small fragments of wood, one piece at a time. Prevention: Avoid water accumulation near your home's foundation. Divert water away with properly functioning downspouts, gutters and splash blocks. Reduce humidity in crawl spaces with proper ventilation. Never bury wood scraps or waste lumber in the yard. Most importantly, eliminate wood contact with the soil. Maintain a one-inch gap between the soil and wood portions of the building.
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Smart Grid Speaks To Charlotte Consumers

06-03-09
Preston Sandlin
Smart Grid You may have heard recent news stories about investment in an electrical Smart Grid, but wondered, “What’s so smart about it?” Loosely defined, “Smart Grid” is a term used to describe investments and upgrades to the nation’s electrical grid, making it function more efficiently and in a more environmentally-sensitive manner. We all understand the effect the electrical grid has on our household finances, because we come face-to-face with our electric bill each month. But the nation’s electrical grid is much more than a ho-hum utility. The century-old power grid is the largest interconnected machine on Earth – so complex and an integral part of daily life that it has been labeled by some as a separate ecosystem, containing over 300,000 miles of transmission lines. It comes as no surprise that, driven by power usage created by bigger homes and more electronic devices, the demand for electricity has exceeded transmission growth by 25 percent every year since 1982. Summer peak demand is expected to increase by almost 20 percent during the next 10 years. Yet spending on research, development and renewal is among the lowest of all industries, leaving the grid struggling to keep up. The grid is also a major player when it comes to pollution. While transportation of all kinds creates 20 percent of the carbon dioxide we produce, the generation of electricity emits 40 percent, greatly impacting the discussion around global climate change. Grid transformation is seen as one of the key ways to address some of the effects of carbon emissions. And while our electricity system is amazingly reliable- 99.97 percent by industry estimates, power outages and interruptions cost Americans $150 billion each year, or about $500 per man, woman and child. What causes interruptions in electrical service? While storms and other natural occurrences lead to some unavoidable outages, blackouts and brownouts are occurring due to infrastructure concerns—such as lack of automation , slow response time of mechanical situations and lack of “situational awareness” on the part of grid operators. In fact, if the grid was able to improve efficiency by just 5 percent, the energy savings would equate to permanently eliminating the fuel and greenhouse gas emissions from 53 million cars. How can these improvements be accomplished? One means many states are considering is the implementation of “smart grid” techniques labeled real-time pricing. Typically, prices paid for energy consumed during peak periods are established and known to consumers as a day ahead (“day-ahead pricing”) or an hour ahead (“hour-ahead pricing”). Taking advantage of real-time pricing, consumers can then vary their demand in response to actual electric costs, managing their energy costs by shifting usage to a lower-cost period or reducing consumption overall. By communicating with consumers in this way, a smarter grid can reduce some of the need for new infrastructure because load is reduced during peak times. It is hoped that tapping the power of millions of consumers to shed grid-load will slow the need for new infrastructure and provide utilities with time to build in more cost-efficiencies into their plans. Reduction of demand during peak times also helps lower electricity bills, typically by a rate of at least 10 percent or more. One locale taking steps to institute smart grid technology is Miami, Florida. In a program called Energy Smart Miami, plans call for deployment of more than 1,000,000 advance wireless “Smart Meters” to area homes and most businesses in Miami-Dade County. These meters will give Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) customers more information and control over their electricity usage while also providing FPL with information that will enhance system efficiency and reliability. For more home inspection information, please visit our site: http://www.homeinspectioncarolina.com/ http://www.askthecharlotteinspector.com/
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Charlotte Homes Wired For The Future

06-03-09
Preston Sandlin
Wiring For The Future The phrase structured wiring system is entering our lexicon as a way to describe wiring that will efficiently distribute a variety of data signals throughout the home. That sounds complicated but it refers to signals including cable television and phone, as well as Ethernet computer networks. This wiring system differs from previous schematics because of the amount of data it will be required to transmit, as well as the monitoring and control functions it will provide. When some experts describe the technology, they talk about a wiring system that can serve current data needs, as well as expand to serve a family’s needs three to five years down the road or more. How does it work? In actuality, structured wiring operates on a design similar to that of a home’s electrical system. Just as electricity flows into the home and is distributed via a circuit breaker box, external data lines come into the home and are connected to a central control box. The circuit breaker box and the data control box are even roughly the same size. They are often housed in a similar location as well, such as a utility closet. From the data control box, bundles of wires are run through the walls of the house to different rooms. One advantage of this system includes the capability of playing a DVD in one location in the home, but being able to watch it on an unused channel from any room monitor in the house. When it comes to a home computer network, this data configuration can easily accommodate all users in a household. The control box correctly routes data to individual computers, allowing multiple users to share a single broadband connection with no interference. Other functions that might be integrated into a structured wiring system include residential security and home automation systems that can be controlled remotely. Some systems make it possible for homeowners to turn on heating or cooling systems remotely, or pre-heat the oven, all with a push of a button on their cellular device. One green option that may be very attractive to homeowners is the ability to control window shades remotely. When the sun begins to heat up the house, the shades covering the windows on the east side of the home can be programmed to go down to protect the inside environment from the morning sun. Late in the day, those shades can be drawn up to let in natural light and the shades on the other side of the home can be lowered. Monitoring systems are being produced that can be sensitive to the energy consumption for particular electrical outlets, and utilities such as water and gas, allowing homeowners to make changes in their usage to save energy and dollars. Some builders are incorporating structured wiring in new home construction. For existing homeowners, the time to give real consideration to structured wiring is when undertaking a major home renovation, when walls are open and wiring and cabling is easier to install. Even if a homeowner’s current needs don’t include a home computer network, a structured wiring system may be a real selling point when the Home is placed on the market in the future. For more home inspection information, please visit our site: http://www.homeinspectioncarolina.com/ http://www.askthecharlotteinspector.com/
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Program Your Charlotte Home Thermostat Via The Internet

06-03-09
Preston Sandlin
programmable-thermostat How smart is your thermostat? Probably smart enough to let you program temperature settings based on the weather and household activity for the week. But now, there is a thermostat that is smart enough to let you perform these functions via the Internet. A “smart thermostat”, (also known as a digital programmable thermostat) lets you customize temperature settings in real time. The Ecobee Smart Thermostat, currently available for purchase on-line, refines this idea by adding a wireless Internet connection, so you can remotely monitor and control your home temperature from a personalized web portal. And since heating and cooling a home accounts for 70% of a home’s energy consumption, this function can help reduce energy usage and lower utility bills. The Internet interface can be helpful to raise or lower the temperature a few degrees before family members return home from work or school. And it can be even more useful for controlling and monitoring temperatures while the family is away on vacation. The Ecobee Smart Thermostat allows homeowners to program their thermostat easily using its touch screen, or over the Internet, in seconds. It connects to a homeowners’ standard WiFi (wireless network), which provides remote access to their thermostat settings. A ‘wizard’ function acts as a step-by-step guide through the programming process using simple commands. While an Ecobee thermostat is $385, the Ecobee website demonstrates that the device will pay for itself in energy cost savings within 18 months. Please visit our website for more home inspection information: http://www.homeinspectioncarolina.com/ http://www.askthecharlotteinspector.com/
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