A monthly newsletter courtesy of BK Home Inspections
In This Issue
Household Tip
Week's Wit
Plants that clean your air
Priority Maintenance
Quotable Quotes
Energy Tips
Fall checklist
Q & A Time
Drain Flies
Contact Info
Call BK for
______________


Fun Time Teaser

 

True or false

A dishwasher uses less energy than hand washing dishes.

See below for the answer.

Household Tip


 

Treat shower doors with water repellent product

Keeping shower doors clean and streak free is a challenge-unless you know the pros' secrets. Start by cleaning any mold, mildew or streaks off the glass with a glass cleaner. Use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser ($1) to get into the cracks in textured glass. Scrape off tough buildup with a razor blade. Dry the doors with a cloth.

Treat the doors with a product like Aquapel ($8; autobodydepot.com) or Rain-X ($5 at auto parts stores and home centers). These glass treatments form an invisible film on the glass to increase water repellency, causing water and soap to bead up and run off the glass. (Squeegee off the water after bathing to keep soap scum from building up again.) Spray or wipe on the glass treatment, then wipe it off with a microfiber cloth. Overspray won't harm surrounding surfaces. The products repel water for six months.

Things To Do This Month

 

1. Replace batteries in smoke and CO detectors.

2. Clean or replace filter in de-humidifier.

3. Check for tree branches touching power lines and roof.

4. Repace batteries in your programmable thermostat if needed. Take a few minutes and go over the settings.

5. Make appointment for a furnace check-up.

6. Repair leaky or sagged gutters.

7. Practice a fire drill.

8. Pull out refrigerator and clean coils

9. Flush water heater.

10. Make sure emergency phone numbers are handy.

Week's Wit

 

No one is listening until you make a mistake.

 

 
Fun time Teaser Answer

 

The answer is True.

If you washed 12 place settings. On average, hand washing used 27 gallons (103 liters) of water, and 2.5 kWh of water-heating energy. The human time it took to wash, rinse, dry, and put away was approximately 80 minutes.

The dishwasher used approximately 4 gallons (15 liters) of water, consumed 1-2 kWh of total energy, and required 15 minutes of human time (loading and unloading the dishwasher). All in all, the dishwashers got the dishes cleaner, in less human time, using less water and energy.

Washing dishes by hand uses much more water than using a dishwasher. Using an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher instead of hand washing will save you annually 5,000 gallons of water, $40-$80 in utility costs, and 230 hours of your time.

 

 
Contact Info
Bob Beisbier
BK Home Inspections LLC
S95 W32855 Hickorywood Tr
Mukwonago, WI 53149
262-993-7755
Certified Master Inspector (CMI)
RHI# 1035-106
ASHI# 212809
InterNACHI #NACHI08082601
DILHR Certified
Infrared Certified
Green Certified
Member WAHI
Member BBB
[email protected] 


 

  
BK News

The best time to learn about the condition and workings of a house is during a pre-purchase home inspection. We will give you valuable information about the home's operating systems. When we are done you will have a clear understanding of the property conditions.

 

Is there an topic that you would like to see discussed? Please let me know and I will add it into next month's newsletter. Thanks!

Sincerely,
Bob Beisbier
BK Home Inspections
Honest, Reliable Service
 
   
Plants that clean your air 

Common house plants such as the Boston fern, English ivy, and spider plant are inexpensive, ecologically sound, aesthetically pleasing ways to filter toxins from your home, particularly during these winter months when you are likely to spend most of your time closed up indoors with the windows shut. A single Boston fern can remove 1,800 micrograms of formaldehyde from the air (nearly the total amount found in the EPA study) in about an hour.
Some plants, of course, are especially good at filtering certain pollutants. The areca palm, for example, is the most effective filter of xylene. Other plants, such as Boston ferns, chrysanthemums, and dwarf date palms, are better at removing formaldehyde.
The Foliage for Clean Air Council, a communications clearinghouse for information on the use of foliage to improve indoor air quality, recommends a minimum of two plants per 100 square feet of floor space in an average home with eight- to ten-foot ceilings. Fill your home with as many plants as you can.
If you're not ready to fill your house with plants, start on a smaller scale by selecting plants that are known to remove the most worrisome pollutants. Four species were particularly efficient in filtering formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, and carbon monoxide. Introducing these plants into your home can significantly reduce the concentration of these chemicals and possibly hundreds of others. Although the calculations of the buildup and dispersion of pollutants in a home are complex, these plants can drastically improve the air you breathe. The actual rates at which the plants clean the air will vary depending on the size of the plant, the temperature, and how polluted the air is, among other things.

BOSTON FERN
Nephrolepsis exaltata bostoniensis
Type: Hanging perennial
Main Pollutant Removed: Formaldehyde, at a rate of 1,863 micrograms per hour.
Other Pollutants Removed: Xylene, at a rate of 208 micrograms per hour
Recommended Placement in Home: If you've recently bought new furniture or carpeting, place one or two Boston ferns in each of the appropriate rooms.
Cost: An eight- to ten-inch hanging plant costs $10 to $25.
Care: They are easy to grow in medium to bright light. As with most plants, water them only when the soil feels dry.

ENGLISH IVY
Hedera helix
Type: Hanging perennial.
Main Pollutant Removed: Benzene; the plant removed 90 percent from a sealed chamber.
Other Pollutants Removed: Formaldehyde, at a rate of 1,120 micrograms per hour. Xylene, at a rate of 131 micrograms per hour.
Recommended Placement in Home: These are especially effective in a room that has been freshly painted or carpeted. They're also beneficial in a room that contains plastic equipment or furnishings (computers, printers, fax machines) or ink.
Cost: A five-inch potted plant costs from $5 to $30.
Care: These plants are easy to grow in bright light.

ARECA PALM
Chrysalidocarpus lutescens
Type: Upright perennial.
Main Pollutant Removed: Xylene, at a rate of 654 micrograms per hour.
Other Pollutants Removed: Formaldehyde, at a rate of 938 micrograms per hour.
Recommended Placement in Home: Areca palms can be used effectively in virtually any room, but are especially useful in those that are carpeted or contain freshly varnished furniture.
Cost: A ten-inch potted Areca palm costs $20 to $50.
Care: These plants grow well in the sun. They need year-round warmth, ample humidity, and filtered sunlight.

SPIDER PLANT
Chlorophytum comosum
Type: Trailing perennial.
Main Pollutant Removed: Carbon monoxide; the plant removed over 96 percent of this potentially deadly gas.
Other Pollutants Removed: Xylene, at a rate of 268 micrograms per hour. Formaldehyde, at a rate of 560 micrograms per hour.
Recommended Placement in Home: These are useful in kitchens with gas stoves or in rooms with fireplaces, where carbon monoxide may accumulate.
Cost: A ten-inch hanging spider plant costs between $10 and $15.
Care: They are easy to grow in bright to medium light.

JANET CRAIG/STRIPED DRACAENA
Dracaena deremensis
Type: Upright perennial.
Main Pollutants Removed: Formaldehyde, at a rate of 1,361 micrograms per hour. Xylene, at a rate of l54 micrograms per hour.
Recommended Placement in Home: These are especially effective in newly carpeted or newly furnished rooms.
Cost: An eight- to ten-inch potted Janet Craig costs $15 to $50.
Care: This plant needs bright to medium light, and can reach heights of fifteen feet, although it is best kept smaller.

  

Priority Maintenance for Home Buyers 

1. Install smoke and CO detectors as necessary (usually one on each level of the home, near any sleeping areas). Create a fire escape plan. Install carbon monoxide detectors according the manufacturers recommendations.

2. Make any electrical improvements recommended in the home inspection report.

3. Correct any wood to soil contact to prevent rot and insect damage.

4. Change the locks on all doors and add a dead bolt.

5. Remove or correct trip hazards such as uneven walkways, patios and driveways, loose or torn carpeting and raised flooring.

6. Correct unsafe stairways and landings. Also railings that are loose, missing or too low.

7. Have chimneys inspected and serviced before operating any appliances.

8. Locate and mark the shut-offs for gas, electrical and plumbing systems. Make sure the whole family knows this information.

9. Label the circuits in the electrical panel.

10. If there is a septic system, have the tank inspected and pumped if necessary. If the house is on a private water supply (well), set up a regular testing procedure for checking water quality.

11. Check downspout extensions and grading. Make sure the water is carried away from the foundation. Remember, the ground immediately around your home should be dry.

12. Check exhaust fans and maintain regularly. Replace or clean furnace filter quarterly.

13. Create a home maintenance plan and budget for upcoming improvements.  

 

 
Quotable Quotes
1. A day without sunshine is like night.
2. On the other hand, you have different fingers.
3. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
4. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
5. Remember, half the people you know are below average.
6. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.
7. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
8. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trap.
9. Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.  
 Energy Tips
    

thermostat Programmable electronic thermostats make it possible to automate the way your thermostat works and use your home climate systems more efficiently, resulting in lower energy bills. Their timers allow you to warm up your house before you get out of bed in the morning or come home after work, and can be set at different temperatures for different times of the day. If you have a mechanical thermostat, you might consider switching to a programmable electronic model. Look for thermostats that allow you to program daily cycles, weekly schedules, and override default settings.

Maintain Your Heating System

Clean or replace your furnace and air-conditioner filters monthly, and have your complete system checked and serviced annually. A clean and well-maintained unit runs much more safely, efficiently and inexpensively.  

 Appliances 

Household appliances make up a significant portion of electricity costs. Your refrigerator alone can use as much as 15% of your home's total energy. If your refrigerator is 15 years old or more, consider getting a new one. You'll save money in the long run. 

 Fall checklist
  • Check all window and door locks for proper operation
  • Check your home for water leaks
  • Review cooking safety rules with your family
  • Review your fire escape plan with your family
  • Make sure there are working night lights at the top and bottom of all stairs
  • Have a heating professional check your heating system every year
  • Protect your home from frozen pipes
  • Replace your furnace filter
  • Run all gas-powered lawn equipment until the fuel is gone
  • Test your emergency generator
  • Have a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean the flues and check your fireplace damper
  • Remove bird nests from chimney flues and outdoor electrical fixtures
  • Inspect and clean dust from the covers of your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
  • Make sure the caulking around doors and windows is adequate to reduce heat/cooling loss
  • Make sure that the caulking around your bathroom fixtures is adequate to prevent water from seeping into the sub-flooring 
 Question and Answer time 

Bob, I will need to replace some of my old galvanized plumbing. I want to replace it with copper pipe. Anything I need to know? Thanks, Doug

A. Doug, when copper pipe is joined with galvanized steel pipe, protection against the galvanic corrosion is needed. Galvanic corrosion occurs when two different metals come in contact in the presence of an electrolyte, such as water. The more reactive metal at a joint is called the "anode" (galvanized steel pipe), and the less reactive metal is called the "cathode" (copper pipe). Two methods of protecting against galvanic corrosion are using dielectric fittings and brass fittings.



Bob, What's in a energy inspection? Thanks, Rick


A. Rick, To reduce utility bills, the first step is to find out where you are wasting energy. To do this, you need a residential energy inspection-which should be done by a Certified Energy Inspector who has no financial interest in the improvements recommended. BK will examine, measure, and evaluate the factors that affect energy use in your home, e.g., size of the home, efficiency of appliances, insulation, draftiness of rooms, and efficiency of heating and cooling systems (HVAC). The information gathered during the energy audit is analyzed using specialized software to produce a comprehensive Home Energy Tune-up Report. The Report shows which energy-efficiency improvements would reduce energy costs and make the home more comfortable. The analysis takes into account regional variables such as local weather, implementation costs, and fuel prices.

The Report contains estimates of the savings, costs and payback for each energy-efficiency recommendation. It identifies the group of improvements that, if financed, will save more on energy bills than it costs. These are the improvements that everyone can make since they require no out-of-pocket cost when financed.

The detailed Recommendations section enables contractors to provide preliminary cost estimates without a visit to your home. It also explains how to get the best energy savings from these improvements by listing related no-cost low-cost measures that you can take. In most cases, energy efficiency upgrades pay for themselves in a few years through energy savings. Customers with no money to invest can still afford to invest in energy improvements by financing those items whose monthly energy savings are greater than their costs. Customers who want to make a wise investment can implement all recommended upgrades to increase home comfort and value further, and to obtain a good non-taxable return.

  

Drain Flies

 

I keep seeing small flies in my house, especially in the basement and bathroom. I spray the ones I see, but they keep coming back. What kind of flies are these, where do they come from, and how do I get rid of them?"

One of the most common pest problems in homes, restaurants, hospitals, schools and offices are flies that breed in or infest drains. In some cases, correct identification of fly species involved can help to locate all fly breeding sources and to choose correct methods of controlling the flying pests. The flies or gnats (as they are sometimes called) are in a group we call small flies.

Most people assume that the gnats seen in their home or business are Fruit Flies but this is not always the case. Sphaerocerid Fly, Fruit Fly, Phorid Fly and Moth Fly are the main culprits that infest and breed in drains. Sphaerocerid flies can be found in manure, damp organic material, drains, rotting fruits and vegetables and garbage. Moth flies (also known as the Drain Fly) breed in drains, sewers, septic tanks and soil that has been contaminated with sewage. Fruit flies like fresh fruits, rotting fruits and vegetables, drains, garbage and damp organic materials. Another name for the Phorid fly is Humpback Fly. Its hump-backed appearance is a key characteristic that helps to differentiate the fly from the fruit fly. Phorids also have brown eyes, instead of the obvious red color of the fruit fly's eyes.
As you can see, the most common breeding and feeding materials are drains and damp, organic materials of some sort. One of the most popular products to use for any type of fly that has invaded your drain lines is Drain Gel. This liquid product is great for elimination and prevention of these pests but a close inspection of the area should be made before purchasing or using the product. Most people see small flies or gnats in their kitchens and bathrooms and quickly assume that the flying pests are emerging from their drains. This is not always the case! Drain Gel is a great product but will be a waste of your time and money if the flies are not breeding in the drains.
To find out if drains are actually your problem area or source of feeding and breeding of small flies, use this simple test for your initial inspection:
Just before bedtime you should thoroughly dry off all bathtubs, sinks or areas around floor drains. Your next step is to place a single strip of tape across the center of each drain, sticky side of tape facing downwards. Do not completely cover the drain opening! There must be open space to allow for an updraft which allows the flies to emerge. Leave the strips of tape in place overnight or (if possible) over a weekend.
If you find flies stuck to the tape, you now know for certain that particular drain does have flies. You can now proceed to elimination of flies in your drain. If you do not find flies stuck to the tape, repeat the tape test for at least 3 or 4 nights so that your test will coincide with any possible breeding cycle.
This tape test is not complicated or expensive but it will help in determining a possible breeding ground for your targeted pest. If you do not find flies stuck to your tape (even after trying the test for several consecutive nights) then you know that there are other possible breeding sources that must be located and treated (or eliminated) in order to rid your home or business of nuisance flies and gnats.

Locating materials that allow these pests to breed is one of the toughest jobs in pest control. It would be simple if the fly infestations were caused by an easily seen pile of garbage or rotting fruit but rarely is this the case. The source is usually something small that has been over looked. Repeated inspections over many days will eventually show you where your problem lies. Many people get frustrated and purchase fly sprays to knock down the flying pests but the flies always return - because the source has not been located. A fly spray will give you temporary relief but the pests will return. (Most of the flies killed by a space spray have laid hundreds of eggs before you spray them!)

Eliminating Drain Flies

Once you have confirmed that drain lines are the source of your problems, you can begin the process of removing the organic materials that cling to the sides of drain lines. These materials can accumulate in any drain pipe and rarely can they be removed with boiling water, standard drain cleaners, bleach, etc.. Drain Gel is a product that was formulated specifically for the job at hand: eliminating the material that is the source for flies, cockroaches and ants and which also cause odors as the materials rot in your drain or sewage lines. Drain Gel will not harm plumbing and is safe for both sewer and septic systems.
The action of Drain Gel can be enhanced by using a foaming agent and applying the foamed material with a professional foamer.


 
Certifications/Memberships
ASHIBBB Home Air Check   Infared CertifiedNACHI