{"id":31844,"date":"2019-04-11T16:10:57","date_gmt":"2019-04-11T20:10:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/?p=31844"},"modified":"2019-04-11T21:38:14","modified_gmt":"2019-04-12T01:38:14","slug":"home-inspections-important-for-buyers-and-sellers-to-avoid-problems-like-mold-radon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-important-for-buyers-and-sellers-to-avoid-problems-like-mold-radon\/","title":{"rendered":"Home Inspections Important For Buyers And Sellers To Avoid Problems Like Mold, Radon"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Mike Feeder of Assured Home Inspections conducts inspections throughout the area.
\u00a92019 Saratoga Photographer.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Jill Nagy
\nToday\u2019s home inspectors have access to an array of technological assistants: thermal imaging cameras, radon cans, gas detectors and computer software to help put their findings into an illustrated report.
\nHowever, \u201cthe two things I use most are a flashlight and a screwdriver,\u201d said Mike Feeder of Assured Home Inspections in Hudson Falls. Feeder does inspections in Saratoga County and the North Country. He works out of his home.
\n\u201cI have a home in my office,\u201d said Jolene Lomnes of Informative Home Inspections in South Glens Falls. She meets clients at the inspection site and will travel anywhere within 100 miles or so of the home base.
\nFeeder said he recently did an inspection in Missouri.
\nTypically, home inspectors have a background in construction. They are licensed by the state following a training course and are required to take 12 hours of continuing education a year. They must renew their licenses every two years.
\nAn issue of growing importance is mold or, as the inspectors are required to term it, \u201cmold-like biogrowth\u201d or a \u201cmold-like substance.\u201d Only a licensed mold inspector can say for sure whether it is really mold.
\nLarry McGann of Spire Inspections in Ballston spa compared himself to a family doctor. \u201cIf I see symptoms of something, I refer the client to a contractor,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cMillenials are very afraid of it,\u201d McGann said of the mold issue.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s everywhere,\u201d said Chris Sorell of MLS-Saratoga Home Inspections, especially in attics and basements.
\n\u201cMold can be very dangerous,\u201d Feeder said. Black mold can \u201cliterally turn wood to mush.\u201d Some molds can be toxic to humans and animals.
\nAn inspector who detects a mold-like substance will encourage calling in a licensed mold inspector. Sorell is a mold inspector, but most home inspectors are not.
\nA mold assessor can test and identify the substance, suggest a remediation plan, and estimate the cost, Sorell said. Then, a licensed mold remediator comes in to fix things up, typically applying a biocide that will kill the mold and leave a residue to prevent it from regrowing. After that, the mold assessor returns to certify that the job was done right.
\nThe entire process can cost from $1,200 to $3,600, Feeder estimated.
\nThe difference in cost is significant. Feeder said any defect that will cost $1,500 or more to fix is considered a major defect and it is the responsibility of the seller to repair it. Under $1,500, it is the buyer\u2019s responsibility.
\nRadon is another issue. It is a naturally occurring radioactive gas sometimes found in basements. It cannot be seen or smelled. It is a leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. To detect radon, Sorell leaves a \u201cradon can\u201d filled with charcoal for 48 hours and then checks the results. Some larger companies have machines to do the detection.
\nAs with mold, the cure for radon can be expensive. It usually involves getting below the basement floor to install piping and a fan.
\nThere are individual areas that can involve specific problems. For example, for waterfront property in Queensbury, state law now requires inspection of wells and septic systems. When a house is sold, it must be certified not to pollute the ground or water, Feeder said. If there is pollution, it can be costly to fix, anywhere from $3,500 to $35,000, he estimated.
\nMost home inspections, however, are checking more mundane things: Does the roof leak? Do the heating and air conditioning work? Is the wiring safe? What about the plumbing? Is the building structurally sound? Are there signs of wood-destroying insects?
\nWater intrusion is the most common problem, according to Lomnes. In older homes, McGann said he also looks for lead paint, asbestos, and buried oil tanks.
\n\u201cIf I miss something, it can come back on me,\u201d Sorell said. But he is limited to a visual inspection. \u201cI can\u2019t rip out walls.\u201d
\nSome inspectors have come to rely on thermal imaging cameras to see what is going on inside the walls. McGann dismissed the technology because it requires too much expensive equipment and training. Lomnes said thermal imaging \u201cis certainly helpful but it has its limitations. It is something I am learning to use,\u201d she said.
\nLomnes attaches the lens to her smart phone and takes infrared photographs. It allows her to detect hot or cold spots in the wall. A cold spot may indicate water.
\nMost home inspections are ordered by prospective home buyers. Sometimes, a prospective seller will ask for an inspection. Lomnes recommends periodic inspections, perhaps every five years, especially after major repairs.
\n\u201cHouses change like children grow,\u201d Feeder commented.
\nIn general, an inspection takes an hour or two and cost $500 or less. Inspectors like their clients to be present at the inspection. All of them prepare written reports of their findings.
\n\u201cHome inspections are an important part of the home buying process,\u201d Lomnes said. She noted that some buyers forego an inspection in the hope that it will make their offer more attractive to the seller. But there are many potential hazards with that strategy.
\nOne buyer she knows of made an \u201caggressive offer\u201d on a house in Hudson Falls. The buyer sweetened the offer by forgoing an inspection and the seller did not provide a property condition disclosure statement. (Such disclosures are also voluntary The alternative is a $500 rebate to the buyer.) Two years later, Lomnes was called in and found that \u201cthe place was full of termites.\u201d
\n\u201cReal estate is a \u2018buyer beware\u2019 situation,\u201d Lomnes warned. The situation can be further confused when inspectors rely upon real estate agents to refer clients to them. They don\u2019t want to kill a sale and lose further referrals.
\n\u201cI want to work for my client, not the Realtor,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Jill Nagy Today\u2019s home inspectors have access to an array of technological assistants: thermal imaging cameras, radon cans, gas detectors and computer software to help put their findings into an illustrated report. However, \u201cthe two things I use most are a flashlight and a screwdriver,\u201d said Mike Feeder of Assured Home Inspections in Hudson […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":196,"featured_media":31845,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\r\nHome Inspections Important For Buyers And Sellers To Avoid Problems Like Mold, Radon - Glens Falls Business Journal<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-important-for-buyers-and-sellers-to-avoid-problems-like-mold-radon\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Home Inspections Important For Buyers And Sellers To Avoid Problems Like Mold, Radon - Glens Falls Business Journal\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Jill Nagy Today\u2019s home inspectors have access to an array of technological assistants: thermal imaging cameras, radon cans, gas detectors and computer software to help put their findings into an illustrated report. However, \u201cthe two things I use most are a flashlight and a screwdriver,\u201d said Mike Feeder of Assured Home Inspections in Hudson […]\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-important-for-buyers-and-sellers-to-avoid-problems-like-mold-radon\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Glens Falls Business Journal\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-04-11T20:10:57+00:00\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-04-12T01:38:14+00:00\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/109\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-hc.jpg\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1518\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1088\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"jessewinters\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"jessewinters\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-important-for-buyers-and-sellers-to-avoid-problems-like-mold-radon\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-important-for-buyers-and-sellers-to-avoid-problems-like-mold-radon\/\",\"name\":\"Home Inspections Important For Buyers And Sellers To Avoid Problems Like Mold, Radon - Glens Falls Business Journal\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2019-04-11T20:10:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-04-12T01:38:14+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/#\/schema\/person\/b937a48daf87d7a8bd713a73b5d6a1ae\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-important-for-buyers-and-sellers-to-avoid-problems-like-mold-radon\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-important-for-buyers-and-sellers-to-avoid-problems-like-mold-radon\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-important-for-buyers-and-sellers-to-avoid-problems-like-mold-radon\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Home Inspections Important For Buyers And Sellers To Avoid Problems Like Mold, Radon\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/\",\"name\":\"Glens Falls Business Journal\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/#\/schema\/person\/b937a48daf87d7a8bd713a73b5d6a1ae\",\"name\":\"jessewinters\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b496e0843f9d888b12500994b6a8562b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b496e0843f9d888b12500994b6a8562b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"jessewinters\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/author\/jessewinters\/\"}]}<\/script>\r\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Home Inspections Important For Buyers And Sellers To Avoid Problems Like Mold, Radon - Glens Falls Business Journal","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-important-for-buyers-and-sellers-to-avoid-problems-like-mold-radon\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Home Inspections Important For Buyers And Sellers To Avoid Problems Like Mold, Radon - Glens Falls Business Journal","og_description":"By Jill Nagy Today\u2019s home inspectors have access to an array of technological assistants: thermal imaging cameras, radon cans, gas detectors and computer software to help put their findings into an illustrated report. However, \u201cthe two things I use most are a flashlight and a screwdriver,\u201d said Mike Feeder of Assured Home Inspections in Hudson […]","og_url":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-important-for-buyers-and-sellers-to-avoid-problems-like-mold-radon\/","og_site_name":"Glens Falls Business Journal","article_published_time":"2019-04-11T20:10:57+00:00","article_modified_time":"2019-04-12T01:38:14+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1518,"height":1088,"url":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/109\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-hc.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"jessewinters","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"jessewinters","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-important-for-buyers-and-sellers-to-avoid-problems-like-mold-radon\/","url":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-important-for-buyers-and-sellers-to-avoid-problems-like-mold-radon\/","name":"Home Inspections Important For Buyers And Sellers To Avoid Problems Like Mold, Radon - Glens Falls Business Journal","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/#website"},"datePublished":"2019-04-11T20:10:57+00:00","dateModified":"2019-04-12T01:38:14+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/#\/schema\/person\/b937a48daf87d7a8bd713a73b5d6a1ae"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-important-for-buyers-and-sellers-to-avoid-problems-like-mold-radon\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-important-for-buyers-and-sellers-to-avoid-problems-like-mold-radon\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2019\/04\/home-inspections-important-for-buyers-and-sellers-to-avoid-problems-like-mold-radon\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Home Inspections Important For Buyers And Sellers To Avoid Problems Like Mold, Radon"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/","name":"Glens Falls Business Journal","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/#\/schema\/person\/b937a48daf87d7a8bd713a73b5d6a1ae","name":"jessewinters","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b496e0843f9d888b12500994b6a8562b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b496e0843f9d888b12500994b6a8562b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"jessewinters"},"url":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/author\/jessewinters\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31844"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/196"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31844"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31844\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31846,"href":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31844\/revisions\/31846"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31845"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31844"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31844"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31844"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}