Florida Home Inspection Blog

Florida Building Code Changes March 15, 2012

Fred Sylvester — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:08:39 +0000

The new Florida Building Code will go into effect March 15, 2012. The code is always in written and named in the rears as this one is called the 2010 Florida Building Code effective in 2012. There are hundreds of changes to both the 2010 Residential Code and the 2010 Building Code . The Residential code is for one and two family dwellings and the Building code is for all other buildings for all intense and purposes.
There are a couple of big changes.

One has to do with the Wind Speed Map. For instance in Lee County, Florida the bulk of the county will go from a 120 MPH to 160 MPH. You say that’s a lot, well it is internal pressure that changes how we design buildings.

Lee County Florida Wind Speed Map

Engineers and architects have to calculate those internal pressures and the way they calculate them has changed with the new code. Those changes in the formulas for all intense in purposes bring the design pressures to where the pressures to the old code were, or where we were before the wind speed map change. So therefore there is really almost no change. It does effect however, how each county will have to deal with the Wind Borne Debris requirements. This will effect the installation of hurricane impact windows, shutters, panels and other wind borne debris protection devices.

Two is the implementation of stricter energy efficiency guidelines, Some of the changes have to do with how we have to add thermal barriers with spray foam insulation. The other impact air conditioning and how we design them. New homes will have to have Programmable thermostats, have the duct system tested with a blower door test and have at least 50% high efficiency lamps. HVAC change outs will have to have duct and vent

2010 Wind Borne Debris Map

testing and the sealing of existing ductwork with a signed affidavit from the installing contractor of that ductwork sealing. There is also changes in the swimming pool pump motor requirements for more high efficiency pump motors. All of these are to the betterment to consumers to help reduce energy consumption and will pay back divides to consumers in the long run.

Realizing that Florida State Building Codes change every two years always be aware that these are the minimum requirements and that you should always consult with your design professionals and building consultants like Accredited Building Consultants Inc. to discuss what is the best fit for your building needs.

For more information on code changes please visit—– Florida_Building_Code Changes

Homes and Buildings in Southwest Florida Climates

Fred Sylvester — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:04:37 +0000

Home Hints n Tips AR-1

Buildings should always be suited to their environment. It is foolish to expect to construct the type of building in Toronto as you do in Miami. Architects and builders design and construct buildings to varying regions, wind loads and snow loads etc. They consider orientation, soil conditions, and other varying factors, yet typically ignored the variance in temperature, humidity, rain, exterior climate and the variances in the interior climate.

Southwest Florida is considered a hot-humid climate, which is defined as a region that would receive more than 20 inches of annual precipitation and where a 67°F or higher, wet bulb temperature for 3000 or more hours during the warmest six consecutive months of the year or a 73°F or higher wet bulb temperature for 1500 or more hours during the warmest six consecutive months of the year.

Postwar changes in the way they design and construct buildings have led to the introduction of thermal insulation, tighter building enclosures and the advent of forced heating and cooling systems. Homes built today are much “tighter” than the homes of yesterday. The introduction of advanced building products has led to homes not being able to breathe or dry out. This has led to the introduction of indoor pollutants and indoor air quality issues. The introduction of lower air changes has led to interior moisture levels rising, causing condensation problems on cold surfaces such as windows and mold on walls.

In today’s environment the construction process should minimize the need for energy and other precious natural resources. Prioritizing is essential. Homes and buildings should be safe, healthy, comfortable and affordable. Homes and buildings should be durable and capable of being maintained easily and without great effort. Homes and buildings should be constructed in a manner that reduces construction waste and operated in a manner that reduces occupancy waste.

Whether you’re selling a new construction or a resale property, reminding your client to take careful consideration regarding site planning, building form, facing for summer and winter sun angles, landscape shading and or room layout will be a major factor in influencing future cost and performance. By bringing attention to this important detail, along with others that will be mentioned in some of our future articles, will make any professional real estate agent look and sound like a seasoned professional.

We will continue to bring this type of valuable information available to you. Our Home Hints n Tips articles will be timely and educational to Realtors and all home and building owners in Southwest Florida. We urge you to share these articles with your clients to help them better understand the art of building science and good maintenance practices.

	Fred Sylvester, of Accredited Building Consultants, is a State of Florida Certified Home Inspector and Commercial Building Inspector with over 35 years of construction experience. Fred specializes in Southwest Florida, including Home Inspections and Commercial Building Inspections in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Naples FL.

Saving Money with a new Pool Pump Motor

Fred Sylvester — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 12:13:05 +0000

Almost impossible to live in the great sunshine state and not have a swimming pool and for all of us citizens that are lucky enough to have one there a new law in town. That law is aimed at reducing energy consumption for swimming pools and spas and it is embedded in Florida’s House Bill 663 and tied to the upcoming 2010 Florida Building Code set to go into effect around the first of 2012.

A Beautiful Cape Coral. Fl Pool

Basically the Governor wants your old one speed pool pump to hit the landfill when it dies ( if it’s still not under warranty). The state will be sure that happens by having the local building departments inspect the pump when you go to have it replaced that is, if your building department requires a permit for replacement. If not, it will be the installers responsibility to choose and install a compliant model pool filter pump or a pool filter pump motor. If your pool pump/motor does stop working be sure to have a licensed, insured and reputable pool contractor install the right pump and replace the controls capable of operating at two speeds. Enforcement on existing pools may vary with each community, this is where the distributors and the industry as a whole must educate each other on the law and encourage compliance. The energy savings will benefit you the consumer as you will see below.

Old Pool Pump Motor

So here is how all of this shakes out in regards to how it will affect your pocketbook. A one horsepower pump cost about $ 150 or more not including installation, while the price of the new required pump will start around $700. Wow, you say, that’s a big of difference in costs but her is the upside. The old pumps cost about $2 a day to operate for eight hours a day, the new pumps will cost about 40 to 50 cents per day to operate a significant savings on a cost per day to operate. This can vary because of varying conditions such as; age, size and condition of your pool, how long you run the pump and how well it works. You can get an idea how much you can save by visiting Florida Power and Lights web site at: http://www.fpl.com, go to “My Home” and hit “Appliance Guide” and then “Pools&Spas”. Select the appliances that fit your pool and the number of hours a day that it runs. Conservatively, you will see soon enough that you can save anywhere between $100 to $200 a year in energy costs, quickly paying for that initial capital outlay. If you think of the big picture with all the swimming pools in Florida think of all that fossil fuel that is not being spent to keep our pools pretty and blue.

Remember always use a licensed, insured contractor for your swimming pool needs. Ask a friend or neighbor for recommendations and/or go to the State of Florida Licensing Portal and type the name of an owner, company or license number or you can call 850-487-1395. Check your contracts to be sure what you are getting and by all means ask for everything in writing.

For more information about this subject go to: http://www.floridapoolpro.com/industry/govtrelations/docs/EnergyChanges5_10.pdf

	Fred Sylvester, of Accredited Building Consultants, is a State of Florida Certified Home Inspector and Commercial Building Inspector with over 35 years of construction experience. Fred specializes in Southwest Florida, including Home Inspections and Commercial Building Inspections in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Naples FL.

Inspecting for Chinese Drywall

Fred Sylvester — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 23:22:11 +0000

Different ways to inspect for the presence of contaminated drywall.

Like anything else in the inspection business there’s always several ways to inspect something. One way or the other doesn’t necessarily make one right or one wrong however with anything due diligence is always a good course to take. Keeping yourself educated, doing research and keeping abreast of all the issues regarding todays housing market makes us better inspectors. Today I’m going to talk about the many ways to inspect for contaminated drywall.

THRESHOLD INSPECTIONS

Black A/C Coil

Black copper pipe

First there is the Florida Department of Health self-assessment guide that can be found on their web site. This self-assessment guide is the “threshold inspection guidelines” that are used by many home inspectors. In this guideline we determine what year the home was built and do a visual examination. In this visual inspection items such as air conditioning evaporator coils, plumbing fixtures, electrical wiring, mirrors and many other metallic

Black Electrical wires

materials in the home are inspected for tarnishing. Tarnishing is caused by the out gassing of the contaminated drywall. Then there is the inspection of small sample pieces of drywall in regards to color. It is found that American-made drywall is very white in color than Chinese drywall which has dark particles embedded in the drywall composition or gypsum core from contaminates. We also enter the attic space and wall cavities using equipment such as a Borescopes we try and look for identifying markings on the back side of the drywall in the home that may give us an indication where the drywall was manufactured.

Be Aware that all drywall made in China is not contaminated and that there are some American-made drywall that is contaminated.

Lastly but not least in the threshold inspection a smell or odor test is done. Yes, I said a smell test. Believe it or not the unusual odor characteristic of contaminated drywall, if prevalent is an

Made in China

excellent indicator of problematic Chinese drywall. The smell tests are better done with the home having the HVAC system or air-conditioning system turned off for a day or two. These are basically the six items that I consider a threshold inspection. The state of Florida and United States Consumer Product Safety Commission threshold inspection is the same except they do not include color comparison of the gypsum core samples.

Of course with these methods there are false negatives. Owners and sellers can cover up these problems with the equipment replacement, spraying cover up type fragrances, lowering the humidity in the home and a plethora of other cover up type methods. There are also other reasons why tarnishing can happen to metal objects such as well water and Gyp-Crete another building material used in multi story type dwellings and buildings.

Edge Tape Identification

There is one other visual inspection it can be done and it’s called an, “ edge tape identification inspection”. This step can corroborate the findings in the threshold inspection. In this inspection there’s very little damage done to the structure. Simply remove the baseboard from any given area locate where the drywall butt joints are in locate the edge tape. Edge tape is normally applied to sheet rock for shipping purposes because it shipped two sheets together and the edge tape keeps the two sheets connected. Some Chinese drywall is been known to be manufactured with no edge tape, plain white paper edge tape, or clear plastic edge tape. Other Chinese drywall has specific color patterns that are known to be indicators of contaminated drywall.

LABORATORY TESTING- there are of course several testing methods used in laboratory testing. Here are some of the samples:

Air-Sampling: air quality tests are very unreliable and they are only about 50% accurate. The most common gas they look for sulfur dioxide. They also checked for carbon disulifide, carbonyl sulfide and dimethyl sulfide. In may vary from one lab do another.

Measuring sulfur Strontium carbonate: by Field testing or by using hand-held x-ray devices or in a lab environment. Strontium can have false positives and false negatives and is not a reliable indicator. X-ray devices are available on the market, PX-Ray fluoroscopy devices ( XRF). This equipment is typically used in metallurgy and manufacturing of machined tools and parts. Within the last year it has been ruled by a federal judge that this type of testing has become unreliable in the detection of contaminated drywall. This is not to say that this cannot be used as just another tool to be used in the investigation of contaminated drywall but without proper surface preparation can give false negatives and false positives.

Measuring sulfur off-gassing: elemental sulfur and sulfur is prevalent and non-problematic as well as problematic Chinese drywall and is often a false positive which must be supplemented by the visual inspections noted above and fails to distinguish good Chinese drywall from bad. The jury is out on this one some feel that this is useful some feel that it is not.

Carbonate: in the form of calcite and all my can be found in both good and bad drywall American and Chinese.

Organics: problematic Chinese drywall is often gray in color due to larger amounts of organic contaminants. Levels of organic matter cannot be the only factor to distinguish contaminated drywall. If there is corrosion and darker color content in the drywall the conclusion would lean more toward contaminated drywall.

So where does all this leave us. It appears that if we combine field observations and laboratory observations we can come up with a definitive answer to whether or not the structure has contaminated drywall. Studies and procedures developed by Certified Mold & Allergen Free Corporation in conjunction with Biostratigraphy Laborotory and Dr. Gary Rosen Ph.D. have come up with a 12 point assessment procedure leaving the structure with very little damaging impact.

The first five points of the 12 point assessment is laborotory related.

Observations & testing of the reinforcement fibers within the drywall gypsum core
Observation & testing of the fiber type within the gypsum core.
Testing the particulate reaction to acid, the reaction of carbonate in the drywall to strong acid.
Observation of dark particles present in the gypsum core, dark particles are organic contaminants.
Observation of air voids size distribution within the gypsum core. Chinese drywall is denser than American drywall.

Points six through 12 are field related assessments as noted above.

Edge tape identification
observations of tarnished metals such as copper
check the drywall thickness
that the drywall have an odor
examination of the drywall core for color
check for brand or labeling on backside
observation of HVAC coils

In conclusion: You would take your lab data and your field observations and come to a conclusion using the 12 point assessment. This would come at a much lower cost per sample that “headspace analysis”. Using this 12 point assessment you would now determine if it’s Chinese drywall are not—-you determine if it’s problematic Chinese drywall are not- and the system is completely nondestructive and easy to interpret.

The downsides are minimal: Biostratigraphy the only laboratory that does it this way however the report is published and open for anyone to use. The turnaround time is 5 to 6 days and not immediate.

I find it many times I’m losing a home inspection because a competitor will include a Chinese drywall inspection for free along with his normal home inspection. If I were a customer I would be very wary of this service for free. To properly perform the six field related assessments noted above will take approximately one to two hours and report writing, photo editing at least one to one and one half hours. Something’s going to give and its more than likely going to be the quality of both inspections.

	Fred Sylvester, of Accredited Building Consultants, is a State of Florida Certified Home Inspector and Commercial Building Inspector with over 35 years of construction experience. Fred specializes in Southwest Florida, including Home Inspections and Commercial Building Inspections in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Naples FL.

Cape Coral – Boat Docks and Canals

Fred Sylvester — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 06:59:33 +0000

One of the reasons I like Cape Coral is the many canals throughout the town. Many homes have their own boat docks and can get to the Gulf right from their back yards. The Cape Coral housing market is affordable, with houses averaging $160,000 and rent averaging around $985. The city is laid out to make it easy to get around, and Fort Myers is right across the Caloosahatchee River over the Cape Coral Bridge or you can get there on Pine Island Road through North Fort Myers in just a few minutes. You can also take Highway 41 to I-75 and go North or South and Naples is just an hour or so away. Cape Coral is a growing city, the streets are safe, and the schools are among the top rated in Florida. Many people come to Cape Coral to spend the Winter, so it does get busy, but traffic is never backed up or hard to manage.

Image by City-Data

Another reason I like Cape Coral so much is there so many places to choose from to eat. Pine Island is a place we can go to fish, picnic, boat and enjoy the many seafood restaurants. Bert’s Bar & Grill serves up fresh seafood caught right off the dock, and the Sandy Hook Fish & Rib House has fish, seafood and of course, ribs. When I’m in the mood for shrimp, the Shrimp Shack has large portions and the best shrimp and sides in the area. Another local favorite is the Bonefish Grill. In Cape Coral there is a wide variety of restaurants to choose from. Chicago Pizza on SE 47th Terrace is a family ran restaurant that has some of the best pizza in the area. If I want something a bit different I can go to Nelly’s Taste of Greece and order some of my favorite Greek foods like gyros and get some of their flaky baklava for dessert.

Cape Coral also has plenty to do. If I want to golf, there are the many courses designed by golf course architect, Gordon G. Lewis, located in and near the city. Two of my favorites are the Queen Golf Course and the Prince Golf Course both located in the Royal Tee Country Club. Any Saturday I can go to the Cape Coral Farmer’s Market on Cape Coral Parkway and take advantage of all the fresh fruits and vegetables that Florida is famous for. The weather in Cape Coral is another thing I like about the area. Temperatures are mild in the Winter and warm in the Summer. Interesting features, real estate, great food, and recreation make Cape Coral another great city in Southwest Florida.

	Fred Sylvester, of Accredited Building Consultants, is a State of Florida Certified Home Inspector and Commercial Building Inspector with over 35 years of construction experience. Fred specializes in Southwest Florida, including Home Inspections and Commercial Building Inspections in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Naples FL.

Fort Myers – Tarpon, Real Estate, and Grouper

Fred Sylvester — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 06:44:52 +0000

I like Fort Myers because of its central location. Commuters can go north on State Road 41 or I-75 and be in Sarasota in about an hour or go south to Naples. Two bridges, the Edison and South Cleveland, make it easy to get to North Fort Myers quickly and easily. Cape Coral is right across the Caloosahatchee River and through North Fort Myers or South on MacGregor Blvd. to the Cape Coral Bridge. Fort Myers is like the rest of Florida - busier in the Winter when the Northern residents return, but it is easy to get around even in the Winter.

Image byEbyabe

It’s affordable to live in Fort Myers. Houses average $138,000 and rents $837. There are historic neighborhoods along with new developments. The beach is not far from Fort Myers - only a few minutes away on CR 865. I like the Greek gyro at Platka’s which serves any other Greek dish I’m hungry for. I can also hike, fish and enjoy the outdoors in the Estero Bay Preserve State Park just a few minutes east of Fort Myers Beach.

It’s hard to get bored in Ft. Myers. We can visit the home of Thomas Edison and spend the good part of a day exploring the historic downtown district, visiting the antique stores. Sanibel Island is only a short trip away and is one of the most popular resort spots in Lee county. I can book a weekend or plan a longer vacation with their all inclusive deals. If I’m in the mood for boating, there are several marinas where I can rent a boat and cruise the river or take a short trip to the Gulf of Mexico. In the summer I can go tarpon fishing (Fort Myers has one of the largest tarpon migrations of the South in May, June and July) or enter one of the fishing tournaments. When I want to spend the day golfing, the area has over 50 golf courses for me to choose from all in and around Fort Myers.

There’s plenty of places to eat in Fort Myers. If I want seafood, I can go to Randy’s Fishmarket on Highway 41 and have grouper. If I’m more in the mood for Italian, Sasse’s on Evans has authentic Italian fare that is cooked in a woodburning stove. Bonefish Grill is a favorite spot - it is a chain but the service is friendly and the food is great. Grouper and Chips may look a bit rough, but the food there is delicious. Fort Myers is one of the best places in southwest Florida for its location, things to do and places to eat.

	Fred Sylvester, of Accredited Building Consultants, is a State of Florida Certified Home Inspector and Commercial Building Inspector with over 35 years of construction experience. Fred specializes in Southwest Florida, including Home Inspections and Commercial Building Inspections in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Naples FL.

Naples FL – Cuban Food and Barefoot Beaches

Fred Sylvester — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 01:00:45 +0000

Naples has a great location. From elsewhere, take I-75 right into the city, or go East from Naples to Fort Lauderdale. Naples is located on the West coast right below Fort Myers and only a few minutes from the Picayune Strand State Forest. Naples is an upscale city with good schools. Houses average between $677,000 and $1,000,000. Rent for residences averages $820 and vacation homes average $1,272. Naples has beach front housing, and further inland it has several quiet, safe neighborhoods. In the Winter, Naples expands to include the Winter residents (“snowbirds”), but traffic is not a problem.

Image by City-Data

The beaches are another reason Naples is great. We can choose from several clean beaches for a day in the sun and then watch the sun set over the water. Vanderbilt Beach off of CR 962 and Gulfshore Drive is quiet, and I can walk along the beach and enjoy the natural scenery or fish. We can also go fishing off of the Naples Pier and attend the fishing tournaments held throughout the year. Lely Barefoot Beach, just North of the Barefoot Beach Preserve Park, is nice. A bit further North, go to Little Hickory Island and picnic right on the waterfront. All up and down the coast are beaches to visit, but each one has its own personality.

Naples has a big variety of places to eat. Cloyde’s Steak and Lobster House is built over the water and I can watch my steak being cooked on their charcoal-pit. When I’m in the 3rd Street Naples shopping district I can stop by Tommy Bahama’s and get a table on the sidewalk to eat and people watch. Another place to dine outside, especially under the moonlight, is Gordon’s. Gordon’s is located on the Gordon River and we can get a table on the stone terrace and watch the river under the palms. If we want traditional Cuban food, we can go to Fernandez the Bull on South Airport Road. They’ve got Cuban black beans and pork for dinner, but also a good lunch special. The Bha Bha Persian Bistro has some of the best lamb around and the atmosphere is exotic and fun. We can get our fill of seafood at Randy’s Fish Market, North of town – the seafood is caught locally and always fresh. We love Naples for the seafood, great weather most of the year, the beaches, and the location.

	Fred Sylvester, of Accredited Building Consultants, is a State of Florida Certified Home Inspector and Commercial Building Inspector with over 35 years of construction experience. Fred specializes in Southwest Florida, including Home Inspections and Commercial Building Inspections in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Naples FL.