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Going Green - Waterless Toilets

05-29-09
Preston Sandlin

Most people don't realize it, but it is not washing dishes or taking a shower that uses the most water during the day. It is actually the act of flushing a toilet. Older, less efficient toilets operate by passing over three gallons of water through the plumbing system with each flush. As water resources become more scarce, ways to cut down on some of the water that is literally being "flushed away" are being sought.

One method gradually becoming more popular is the use of a waterless, or composting, toilet. These toilets are rare in cities and suburbs because of the difficulty in securing appropriate building permits, but they are more common in rural areas. Composting toilets convert human waste into compost, which can be utilized as fertilizer once it has been treated.

Waterless composting toilets (also known as biological toilets) are waterless systems which rely on the principles of composting by micro-organisms to decompose human waste, paper and other materials.

In this type of system, chambers or bins are installed below floor level. Extra organic matter such as wood shaving, paper or lawn clippings, are added to create an ideal composting environment. Micro-organisms decompose the collected material, with about three-quarters being converted to carbon dioxide and water vapor. Air drawn through the pile removes these gases and assists the micro-organisms with the decomposition.

Waterless composting toilets do not treat wastewater from showers, sinks and washing machines, an additional system is required for their treatment. A waterless toilet can range in price from as low as $400 to nearly $3,000, depending on the type and features. Many models look like regular toilets and are available in a wide array of colors.

Until the use of waterless toilets becomes more common place, removing and replacing an older toilet with a more efficient one can save the average homeowner 4,000 gallons of water per year. If every older, inefficient toilet was replaced with a WaterSense-labeled toilet, nearly 640 billion gallons of water could be saved each year.

What is a WaterSense toilet? It is a toilet given a label by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifying that it uses 20 percent less water per flush than current federal standards. Typically, a WaterSense toilet uses 50 to 60 percent less water per flush than older models.

The water efficiency of a toilet depends on its age and type. Most toilets installed prior to 1992 are considered inefficient by today's standards, and typically use more than three gallons of water per flush. This means that a leaky, constantly running or simply inefficient toilet is the largest water-waster in a home, since toilets are by far the main source of water use in a home. In fact, flushing toilets accounts for as much as 40 percent of residential indoor water consumption.

WaterSense labeled toilets are not only water-efficient but are also financially efficient. Because they use substantially less water, it is estimated the installation of one toilet could save a family of four more than $90 annually, and $2,000 over the lifetime of the toilet.

Why is there such interest in the amount of water used when flushing a toilet? The U.S. Government Accountability Office reports that water managers in 36 States expect water shortages in the next 10 years, even under normal, non-drought conditions. High efficiency toilets, also HETs, are one way to help preserve our diminishing fresh water supplies.

A few of today's greenest homes use rainwater or grey water for toilet flushing instead of clean drinking water. Grey water is water that has been used for washing dishes, laundering clothes, or bathing. Although this used water may contain grease, food particles, hair, and any number of other impurities, it may still be suitable for reuse. Recycling grey water can help reduce the amount of freshwater needed to supply a household, as well as reduce the amount of freshwater needed to supply a household, s well as reduce the amount of water entering sewer or septic systems. About 65 percent of domestic wastewater is grey water, with bathing and laundry generating the largest quantities.

Until an older toilet is replaced, a water-filled plastic bag, bottle or a brick in the tank can be used to displace water volume. A toilet dam can be also be easily purchased and installed, and works by closing before the tank completely empties.

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Home Inspector Finds Items That Need Maintenance on Charlotte Home

05-27-09
Preston Sandlin
Without a doubt, buying a home can be the largest investment youll ever make. With the average home costing approximately $190,000, many homeowners take great pains to ensure that all cosmetic and structural repairs are attended to. However, the truth is that many expensive repairs could be avoided by simply sticking to a routine maintenance schedule. Routinely checking your home for emerging problems will prevent larger, more expensive problems that leave homeowners scrambling for a quick repair—rather than a cost-effective one. Clearly, regular home maintenance is something you cant afford to ignore. When to Inspect Spring is a good time to begin assessing your home for any damage or repairs that need attending to. A good rule of thumb is to check your home at the same time you change your fire alarm batteries—at the beginning (spring) and end (fall) of daylight savings time. Doing so will ensure that minor repairs dont turn into major expenses. Some components of your home may require less-frequent monitoring (foundation), and some may require more (changing the furnace filter). However, taking a walkthrough of your home twice yearly is a good rule of thumb to begin with. Who Should Inspect If you feel unqualified to asses every crack and unidentified water leak in your home, feel free to hire a handy man. Not only will he be able to spot any problems, but he can also advise on repairs and costs right on the spot. Do you want a thorough evaluation? Hire a home inspector. Do keep in mind, however, that home inspectors cost much more (around $300) and may not necessarily find every problem. In most instances, though, simply paying attention to your home is all it takes to spot any emerging problems. For example, if your toilet runs all the time, chances are it needs to be repaired. Have you noticed that your doors dont shut properly anymore? That could be a sign of foundation settling or warping. Simply making a list of things around your home that seem off can make your inspection process much easier http://www.homeinspectioncarolina.com/ http://www.askthecharlotteinspector.com/
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Charlotte Home Inspector Finds Leaking Roof

05-26-09
Preston Sandlin
Roof leaks are a nuisance for many homeowners. They can be difficult to diagnose - that is a fact. To make matters worse, different weather conditions will produce leaks in different locations. The vast majority of roof coverings operate using the principal of gravity. This can be a big help in locating a leak source. However, horizontal roof boards can trick you. A leak may actually be eight to 10 feet sideways from where you see the wet ceiling or spot in the attic. Finding the source of some leaks is easy. Others will require detective work and possibly a garden hose and an inside spotter. If you dont feel comfortable on a roof, you will have to find an honest roofer to assist you. Sometimes this can be as hard as finding the smallest leak! http://www.askthecharlotteinspector.com/ http://www.homeinspectioncarolina.com/
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Charlotte Home Inspector Asks - Could Your New Home Have Harmful Drywall From China?

05-15-09
Preston Sandlin

When the demand for housing materials was booming back in 2005, partially due to the increase in demand brought about by Katrina's destruction, construction companies were hard-pressed to meet the demands set by clients. As such, they began to look at more inexpensive options to meet the huge demand for housing while maximizing their profits, with substandard procedures.

There is one particularly insidious danger that threatens the inhabitants of a substandard home. You won't notice its effects until the signs begin to show, and by then the damage would have been done. The nasty smell of rotten eggs, electronic devices suddenly breaking down and constant respiratory problems that comes from nowhere are three signs of a drywall that emits sulfur gas.

Rotten Eggs

The first and probably the most irritating sign of a substandard drywall is the looming smell of rotten eggs or at least the smell of ignited matchstick-heads when you enter your home. The nose usually gets used to these smells, and this is why you need to get inside straight from the outdoors in order for you to pick up the scent. Some home inspectors will simply dismiss this smell as a ‘new home' one if they are not aware of the dangers of sulfur gases permeating your home.

Sudden Electronic Failures

Another sign of substandard drywall is the sudden failure of electronic devices like the TV or the air conditioner. Copper coils corrode very easily in high-sulfur environments, and the most prominent sign of this is when copper is covered by a black-soot. What follows next is a slow but sure process of corrosion that will explain just why electrical appliances suddenly fail to function.

Inexplicable Respiratory Problems

A more long-term sign of high sulfur content is the sudden onset of respiratory problems that seem to be aggravated only when you or your family is inside the house. These respiratory problems range from simple coughs to full-blown lung cancer if exposed to the sulfur long enough, and should be enough to warrant an inspection of the home's interior components.

What can you do?

Even if you experience all the aforementioned problems in your home, only specialists will be able to determine for certain if your drywalls emit toxic levels of sulfur. This is because other problems like mold or radon may be the real cause of your problems, and it would be unwise to jump to the immediate conclusion that your drywalls are the source of your problems.

Another note: if the contractor of your home ordered drywall supplies from Florida or China-based companies, you may especially want to call in a specialist to check your home. A certain company going by the name of Knauf Drywall is the prime suspect when it comes to these substandard drywalls, and in-depth investigations are currently ongoing as to whether or not Knauf Drywalls contain dangerous levels of sulfur.

http://homeinspectioncarolina.com/

http://www.askthecharlotteinspector.com/

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Charlotte Inspector Asks - Are Granite Counter Tops Causing High Radon Levels in Your Charlotte Home?

05-15-09
Preston Sandlin

All granite countertops produce some levels of radiation. Some granite countertops produce negligible levels of radiation, while others have unbelievably high radiation levels. The only real way you will know for certain if your granite countertops are dangerous or not is to have a Radon inspection conducted on all your home's granite countertops and fixtures.

What are the dangers?

Granite countertops and all granite products for that matter, are by law supposed to be screened by experts for acceptable levels of radiation even before they are approved for commercial and private use. The maximum acceptable reading is 4.0 picoCuries per liter of air, which has a cancer threat equivalent to half a pack of cigarettes a day. Any readings that exceed the 4.0 pCi/L mark are considered a significant health threat.

However, there are some lower-quality granite countertops that manage to slip through these inspections. Radon experts then become essential to securing your home's safety, especially if you do not know when and where you got those granite countertops in your home.

When should I have my home inspected?

A granite countertop's radiation levels barely change over time, so a single reading is enough to check whether it is safe for people to work around or not.

This means that you should have your granite countertops inspected at least once, and make sure that whoever is doing the Radon inspection has no vested interests in the company that sold you the granite countertops in the first place. The construction company who sells you the granite countertops would never admit their products emit poisonous radiation, and this is exactly why you need an impartial third party to objectively evaluate the conditions of your granite countertops.

A quick pointer to keep in mind during construction

Be especially wary when the granite countertops are being installed during construction. Granite comes from all over the world, and those that are cheap and inexpensive usually do not pass through the strict Radon inspection requirements that safeguard the individuals hanging around them.

Another red flag for high radiation levels are granite countertops that come in shades of red. Pink, purple, crimson and other varying red countertops have been known to have higher than average levels of Radon, and could prove to be so if not tested properly by a professional in Radon inspection.

How can I have my countertops inspected?

The most common and convenient provide DIY Radon testing kits which are readily available in hardware stores. But there are a few services in Charlotte that specialize in Radon detection, and hiring professionals is the smarter choice as their natural expertise in the field of radon will help you find ways to deal with higher than average levels of Radon.

If your radon levels are high, there are measures like increased air circulation that can help lessen the effects of Radon. You can then keep your granite countertops while assuring the security of you and your family.

http://www.askthecharlotteinspector.com/

http://homeinspectioncarolina.com/

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