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Professional Learning Institute
It Pays To Know!
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Home Inspector
Info - You Don't Get Anywhere Else!
Exclusively For All KY Licensed Home Inspectors
INSIDE: Radon & Granite Countertops,Chinese Drywall, KBHI New Website.
Vol.1 No.3 July 22, 2009 |
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Cooking With Radon?
Have you
heard rumors that fancy stone countertops give off radon?
Dunwrryaboudit, as Tony Soprano
often said.
The short answer?
"Neither
imported nor domestic granite products require radiation testing," the EPA says.
Still, the story has made the rounds
enough that we recently got a sales flyer for a new radon test kit for
granite! That's from the "if you can't
beat 'em, join 'em" school of fear marketing.
Agents, brokers, home inspectors and real estate professionals need to
know better. (Testing for radon is
outside the scope of a home inspection in Kentucky. KRS 198B.706(1)(b) ("the home inspection
report does not address environmental hazards, which shall be listed with
specificity by the board.") But everyone gets questions about granite and radon now. Ignorance is not bliss; knowledge is better.)
As usual, the countertop scare
sprang from a grain of truth. Rumors
mushroomed from a simple fact - about granite.
Stone
in general (which is most of the fancy countertop market) is no more problem
indoors than outdoors. Stone - including
quartz and marble - as a group is no more dangerous than the clay in bricks,
the slate in pool tables, the materials in tiles or concrete. They're all quarried, like granite, but not
hazards.
The urban legend got started because
granite, also used in some
countertops, is among the below grade rock and soil types where radon surface
emissions are higher. (Granite is a
naturally formed igneous rock.) There's
no news there. There's also no news in
the fact that granite, like other rock formations, can contain radium or emit
radiation.
"However, at this time EPA believes
that the existing data is
insufficient to conclude that the types of granite commonly used in countertops
are significantly increasing indoor radon levels,"
the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently reported. EPA is the prime source of radon research and
information. It was the EPA that set the
"action standard" (4 pCi/L) for indoor radon testing and mitigation. In other words, the EPA is the last word on
this.
Furthermore, "at this time, a generally accepted radiation
testing protocol for countertops does not exist," the EPA announcement noted. Don't be fooled.
"EPA will continue to monitor and
analyze the evolving research on radiation and granite countertops and will
update its recommendations as appropriate. There are currently no regulations
concerning granite countertops radon gas or radiation emissions," the EPA web
posting added.
This dust-up does not change the EPA's
long-standing basic radon policy, however: Every home should be tested for radon.
Period. Agents, inspectors and
brokers who say anything else better have one (currently unknown) terrific
excuse, now that the predictable radon lung cancer lawsuits are warming up.
In Kentucky, radon measurement
specialists certified by the National Radon Safety Board (NRSB) or the National
Environmental Health Association (NEHA) are the only professionals qualified to
do radon testing, says the EPA and the Kentucky Department for Public Health. (The author of this article is NRSB
certified.)
"The U.S. Surgeon General and EPA
strongly recommend that all
homes be tested for radon,"
the EPA wrote in its granite countertop posting. "At
EPA's action level of 4 pCi/L, a smoker's risk of lung cancer is about five times
the risk of dying in an auto accident, and if you've never smoked equal to the
risk of dying in an auto accident."
For the full text of the
announcement, go to "www.epa.gov/radon." You might also look over the short
"Position Statement: Granite Countertops and Radon Gas," Science and
Technical Committee of the American Association of Radon Scientists and
Technologists (AARST), August 4, 2008 (a pdf file) ("Direct measurements in a
building of the radon emission from a material, such as granite, is not a
reliable indicator of radon concentrations that will be in the air you
breathe....Testing the air you breathe is the best method to determine your
risk from radon.").
The bottom line? Be wise.
Get homes tested for radon. But
test the indoor air, not the building materials. |
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Chinese Drywall
.
There's more talk about "Chinese drywall" lately than there is
Chinese drywall in Kentucky.
It's such a
drumbeat, it's too easy to skip to "'Made in China' means trouble." Lead painted kid's toys, contaminated
toothpaste, poisonous pet food and unsafe powdered milk for babies all had
"Made in China" labels. Not to mention
our longer history, from the "yellow peril" when Chinese workers arrived in San
Francisco last century to build railroads, to Pearl Harbor.
The truth is,
nobody really knows what the problem is, or even if
it's drywall for sure. Even so, it
sure looks like there's some problem, almost entirely south of here. Inspectors only do visual analysis, of
course. But inspectors in Florida,
Louisiana and Virginia are seeing blackened copper tubing in AC units,
blackened metal switchplates, and blackened ground wires in homes where
occupants complain about itchy eyes, headaches and other health issues they
blame on Chinese drywall.
This
all hit media radar late last year, with lawsuits popping in Florida.
Now,
over
680 Americans in 22 states have reported trouble they believe was caused by
drywall made in China, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
reports. Complaints have been increasing
for months.
A
few of them are in Kentucky (CPSC did not give a count). Two storm-racked coastal states produced 90% of the
complaints -
Florida, with over 500 complaints (75%), and Louisiana, with almost 100
(14%). Throw in Virginia's 23 complaints
(4%) and just at 93% of the problem reports are covered. The other 18 states, including Kentucky,
account for barely 7% (52) of the complaints.
Major
Kentucky vendors, like Home Depot, Lowe's and K&I, tell us all the drywall
they sold in Kentucky was made in America.
Adding
to the suspense, the CPSC acted like FEMA handling New Orleans when the first
drywall complaints came in. The CPSC
only did subjective "walk-through" testing for the first months. The CPSC sent some staff to visit complaint homes.
"While in the homes," the CPSC said, they "consistently experienced some
throat irritation, scratchy eyes, headache and others symptoms that tended to
clear up or dissipate after some time outside the homes." That hardly cleared the air.
Scientific? Not.
But buzz-worthy? You bet. After all, one brief day-part visit is pretty
rapid onset for symptoms like that in any home, whatever caused them. It even led some to wonder if the story meant
the CPSC doubted the problem and gambled, testing it on its own unprotected
employees. (The CPSC later said the
quote wasn't the Commission talking, it was just a "document prepared by
staff." The CPSC itself still has
not spoken.)
Now
it's launched an investigation. Results aren't due until August or September.
One
key problem: Nearly all Chinese drywall
complaints are about homes built in 2006-07, in the surge of construction after
the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005. Florida
and Louisiana homes that were flooded or shattered in storms probably have more
than one source of problems for owners.
Meanwhile,
the CPSC says it is "currently not aware of any definitive test to determine if a
home has a drywall problem." It advises
contacting the homebuilder to ask what materials were used in building the home.
The
complaints
straddle the line between safety issues, which inspectors could report visually, and environmental
hazards,
which Kentucky law says inspectors should not address. For example, degraded copper wiring could
create safety hazards, including smoke alarm sensor failures; flexible gas
connectors also may be vulnerable. On
the other hand, damage to copper tubes or evaporator coils could cause an
environmental hazard such as refrigerant leaks.
But, right now, it's all guesswork.
In
the unlikely case that a Kentucky inspector thought Chinese drywall was a
problem, he'd have to guess too - about whether state law preventing reporting
it because it's an "environmental hazard."
(Since
2004, KRS 198B.706(1)(b) has required the KBHI to issue a regulation that
requires "that a home inspection report include a statement that the home inspection
report does not address environmental hazards." Professional Learning Institute (PLI) alums have been using that phrase for years in their contracts and reports. The law also says "environmental
hazards....shall be listed with specificity by the board." The KBHI never issued the reg or listed any hazards --
though it might be trying to right now - at last. At
Chairman Green's request, PLI submitted a list of environmental hazards to the
board on July 15, blending the hazards from all three SOPs, as we have taught
this law for years. Maybe the board will get the mandated job done now.)
Most
complaints
share three factors. First, a pervasive "chemical odor," some
described as like "rotten eggs." A fair
number of complaints cite itchy or irritated eyes, difficulty breathing persistent
coughs, bloody noses, and headaches. Second, blackening of exposed
copper,
especially in air conditioner evaporator coils, but also electric wiring
(particularly ground wires) and copper pipes.
Third, pitting
and tarnishing of other metal surfaces, like bath light bars, picture frames, and mirrors.
To
date, there have been two
unconfirmed reports of home fires involving Chinese drywall. The Florida State Fire Marshall's Office and
the CPSC are working to run them to ground.
A
rash of lawsuits against home builders has broken out in states other than
Kentucky.
A
University of New Orleans toxicologist, Patricia Williams, hired by
homeowner lawyers, reported people were
exposed to a number of chemicals from Chinese drywall, including dissulfide,
sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide. An
independent professor of environmental medicine at NYU and a toxicologist at
USC School of Medicine looked over the report and said such chemical emissions
could cause health problems, but it depended on the intensity and length of
exposure. Go to www.wsjc.com
for more.
In
mid-July, national, publicly traded, home builder Lennar Corp., based in Miami,
said it set
aside $39.8 million to repair 400 Florida homes it built using Chinese drywall. It plans to gut the homes, replacing drywall
and wiring. It also said it knew of no
Chinese drywall in homes it built outside Florida. Lennar is suing too, looking for
reimbursement from subcontractors, insurers and others. Stop the presses!
On
June 22, a Chinese drywall component analysis was triggered when the CPSC sent 14 drywall samples
for EPA ERT (Environmental Protection Agency Emergency Response Team). It should tell us what's in drywall made in
China and in the U.S. (though drywall component standards have been in place
for years, several standard components, such as gypsum and limestone, are
mined, not lab produced). The report
is due August 21, 2009.
The
CPSC also contracted in June for the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to
do
an emission analysis. The study is
focused on sulphur and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) but will pick up other
irritant gases in drywall in Phase I.
That report also is due in August.
Phase
II will look at factors that influence emissions, like temperature, moisture,
paint, joint compound, etc.
Finally,
under a third contract awarded in June, Environmental Health and Engineering
(EHE) will do indoor
air sampling (35
from incident reports, 15 for control).
Sampling is due to be finished in August, with the analysis and
report finished in September.
The
CPSC also installed a Drywall Information Center on its web site recently. Go to www.cpsc.gov/info/drywall. The site includes photos of switch plates,
light fixtures, and evaporator coils that could help inspectors. Homeowners can file complaints on the site.
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It Pays To Know
502-896-2020
Ignorance is NOT bliss. Knowledge is better!
PLI gives you the power. If you learned something from this Breaking News, keep Learning with the Best.
You Don't Get This Anywhere Else!
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| Inspector's View
Here's a PVC furnace exhaust shoved up a larger roof vent by Uncle Bubba, the Master Builder. The inspector waded through a small pond to get to the furnace.
Thanks, Rick!
** Email us one of "your views".
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Calling All Inspectors
There are two home inspector vacancies on the Kentucky Board of Home Inspectors now. Linda Swearingen resigned May 14 and Ralph Wirth resigned last month. A few good inspectors willing to serve would be great. Let us help. If you're interested, email us: pli4u@aol.com.
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KBHI Announces a New Website for Home Inspectors
New Contact Info
Jeff Boler
Administrator
Division of Occupations and Professions
P.O. Box 1360
Frankfort, KY 40602
Office: 502-564-3296, ext. 237
Fax: 502-696-5890
E-mail: jeff.boler@ky.gov
Barbara Rucker
Admin. Section Supervisor
Division of Occupations and Professions
P.O. Box 1360
Frankfort, KY 40602
Office: 502-564-3296, ext. 225
E-mail: barbara.rucker2@ky.gov
Mike Bennett
Board Counsel
Department of Housing, Building, and Construction
101 Sea Hero Road
Frankfort, KY 40601
Office: 502-573-0365
E-mail: mike.bennett@ky.gov
Send regular mail to:
Kentucky Board of Home Inspectors
P.O. Box 1360
Frankfort, KY 40602
Send overnight mail to:
911 Leawood Drive
Frankfort, KY 40601
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Reporting
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We hope you find this helpful Please remember this is an informational and reporting service only. It is not legal, accounting, tax or other professional advice. It is not a substitute for a knowledgeable professional in the appropriate field acquainted with your individual situation. Readers should rely on their own professional advice, rather than any news or publication for their individual decisions.
We're all in this together. PLI stays closely tuned to industry and professional developments, though PLI does not endorse or favor any organization, candidate or contribute to any campaigns. Updates on selected topics may be available. Please call or email.
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©2009 Copyright Professional Learning Instittue4U, LLC; CE-1002. All Rights Reserved. Articles may be reprinted provided acknowledgement is given as "(c) 2009 Professional Learning Institute, Louisville, 502-896-2020" and users notify us with a copy in advance at www.inspecthomes4u@aol.com.502-896-2020
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