Seymour Indiana home inspector reveals Asbestos

Indiana Home Inspector Tells About Negative Grading

New Albany Home Inspector-Downspout Extensions

Louisville Inspection-Horizontal Cracking

Indiana Home Inspector-Water Heater

Louisville Home Inspector Impressed Me!

A true professional home inspector. Very prompt and ready to get the job done as soon as he stepped out of the truck. Revealed more about my home than I thought possible. Very pleased with services, saved me money, informing me of small problems that could have turned into large problems. Very reasonable price for the service received. Highly recommend to all who are buying or selling a home. You WILL be impressed. April 09, 2009 by: Steve McPike THANK YOU!

New Albany Home Inspector Talks About Knob & Tube Wiring

Types of Mold In Southern Indiana & Louisville area

TYPES OF MOLD

Alternaria-Extremely widespread and common spore, common in soil, dead plants and foodstuff.  It is often found indoors growing on cellulosic materials and as settled dust on carpets, textiles,etc.  Potential opportunistic human pathogen.  Commonly recognized as type I(Hayfever) and type III hypersensitivity pneumontis.

Epicoccum- A common allergen found in plants, soil, grains, textiles, and paper products, secondary invader of damaged plant tissue.   Common cause of type I allergies ( Hayfever, asthma) No cases of infection have been reported in humans or animals.

Basidiospores-  Spores from one of the major groups of fungi that include mushrooms like the shelf fungi, puffballs and common button mushrooms sold in grocery stores.  Most spores produced from this group of fungi have not been found to be allergenic  or toxic.

Penicillium/Aspergillus- This group is considered common to indoor environments, it is widesrpead in the soil and on plants and is also considered a common contaminant of food.  It has a musty odor.  It is commonly being implicated in pulmonary disease in immunocompromised hosts.  It has also been reported to cause skin infections many species produce mycotoxins, which may be associated with disease in humans and other animals.  Toxin production is dependent on the strain  or on the food source on which it grows.  Some of these toxins have been found to be carcinogenic in animal species.  Several toxins are considered potential human carcinogens.

Stachybotrys-  This is a slow growing, dark mold that grows well on cellulosic (paper-containging) building materials.  It can produce a number of different macrocyclic trichothecenes that have been described as being toxic to humans and animals.  Individuals with chronic flu like symptoms, sore throats, headaches, fatigue, dermatitis, itching and burning sensations of the eyes and nose and general malaise.  This mold is rarely found in outdoor samples and it is usually not found in indoor air samples unless the colony is physically disturbed

Eurotium-  Rarely considered a human pathogen, rarely found in the air and is a slow growing fungus that requires low moisture availability.  Common in the natural environment.

Chaetomium-  Common everywhere growing on dung, dead leaves, wood.  Likes cellulose substrates, especially wallboard and wood.  Commonly associated with type I (hay fever and asthma) allergies, uncommonly seen infecting humans but some cases have been reported mostly on immuno compromised persons.  Produces chaetoglobosins and rarely sterigomatocystin

Smuts-  Commonly  found everywhere especially on logs, grasses and weeds.  Smuts don’t normally grow indoors but can occasionally be found on things brought from outside and stored in the house.  Myzomycetes can occasionally grow indoors but need lots of water to be established.  Type I (Hay fever and asthma) allergies,  smuts and myzomycetes are a combined group of organisms because their spores look so similar and cannot be reliably distinquished from each other.

At Certainty Home Inspections, we are EPA mold specialists serving the Southern Indiana and Louisville area.

Book your inspection online today!

Indiana Home Inspector Finds Mold On Basement Window Sills

This Southern Indiana home inspector found mold growing on the window ledge of a basement window sill. Book your mold inspection online today at Certainty Home Inspections

Asbestos & Its Dangers

In Indiana & Kentucky, Asbestos is still a concern for this Indiana Home Inspector! If you have questions on asbestos, don’t hesitate to call us with your questions at 1-866-417-9591 or schedule your home inspection
online today! Certainty Home Inspections performs inspections in Southern Indiana and Louisville

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is the name given to a number of naturally occurring fibrous minerals with high tensile strength, the ability to be woven, and resistance to heat and most chemicals. Because of these properties, asbestos fibers have been used in a wide range of manufactured goods, including roofing shingles, ceiling and floor tiles, paper and cement products, textiles, coatings, and friction products such as automobile clutch, brake and transmission parts. The current federal definition of asbestos is the asbestiform varieties of: chrysotile (serpentine); crocidolite (riebeckite); amosite (cummingtonite/grunerite); anthophyllite; tremolite; and actinolite.
What are the health effects of asbestos exposure?
Exposure to airborne friable asbestos may result in a potential health risk because persons breathing the air may breathe in asbestos fibers. Continued exposure can increase the amount of fibers that remain in the lung. Fibers embedded in lung tissue over time may cause serious lung diseases including: asbestosis, lung cancer, or mesothelioma. Smoking increases the risk of developing illness from asbestos exposure.
Three of the major health effects associated with asbestos exposure include:
• Asbestosis – Asbestosis is a serious, progressive, long-term non-cancer disease of the lungs. It is caused by inhaling asbestos fibers that irritate lung tissues and cause the tissues to scar. The scarring makes it hard for oxygen to get into the blood. Symptoms of asbestosis include shortness of breath and a dry, crackling sound in the lungs while inhaling. There is no effective treatment for asbestosis.
• Lung Cancer – Lung cancer causes the largest number of deaths related to asbestos exposure. People who work in the mining, milling, manufacturing of asbestos, and those who use asbestos and its products are more likely to develop lung cancer than the general population. The most common symptoms of lung cancer are coughing and a change in breathing. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, persistent chest pains, hoarseness, and anemia.
• Mesothelioma – Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is found in the thin lining (membrane) of the lung, chest, abdomen, and heart and almost all cases are linked to exposure to asbestos. This disease may not show up until many years after asbestos exposure. This is why great efforts are being made to prevent school children from being exposed.
Exposure to asbestos increases your risk of developing lung disease. That risk is made worse by smoking. In general, the greater the exposure to asbestos, the greater the chance of developing harmful health effects. Disease symptoms may take several years to develop following exposure. If you are concerned about possible exposure, consult a physician who specializes in lung diseases (pulmonologist).
For more information on these and other health effects of asbestos exposure see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s Web site.
Where Can Asbestos be Found?
Asbestos has been commonly used as an acoustic insulator, thermal insulation, fire proofing and in other building materials. Asbestos fibers are incredibly strong and have properties that make them resistant to heat. Many products are in use today that contain asbestos. Most of these are materials used in heat and acoustic insulation, fire proofing, and roofing and flooring.

Next Page »