Relative Humidity and Mold on the Florence Oregon Coast

I went to a Home Inspection seminar recently conducted by a licensed home inspector who has 30,000 home inspections under his belt. I learned some great facts that affect homes on the Florence Oregon coast. 1. If wood has an 18-20% moisture content, you get rot. 2. You can rent a machine at Florence Heating that pumps hot air into a space to dry it out. 3. There is a 19 gallon moisture loss in a 1,000 square foot area of exposed soil in 24 hours. 4. A good website to look at is www.advancedenergy.org. Click on "buildings," then "Knowledge Library," then "Crawl Spaces." Their research shows that keeping crawl space vents closed keeps the space drier and therefore less likely to have mold/moisture problems. Great information throughout this site, so tootle around to learn lots of good "stuff." 5. There were only 8 days in the first half of 2009 when the relative humidity in the Florence area did not exceed 80% at some point during the day. There were only 7 days when the dew point i.e. condensation, was not achieved at some point during the day. Moisture condensation can lead to mold, rot and insect infestation. Florence is humid. So don't vent your crawl space. Learn the latest on how to keep your crawl space dry and how to build a home so that the crawl space is sealed properly and kept dry to begin with. Need more information? You can contact Charlie Rouse directly 503-708-3211 or email him at charlierouse@comcast.net

Distressed Properties in Florence, Oregon

There are 15 homes for sale in the Florence multiple listing service that are bank owned, ranging in price from $44,000 to $405,000. The home for $44,000 is a tear down on highway 101 north of town. The home for $404,000 is in the highly desirable south lakes area on a quiet dead end street. It was built as a spec. home, has never been occupied and is very nice with over 3,000 square feet. There's also a condo in Old Town Florence for $148,000 and a condo at Florence's only beachfront resort, Driftwood Shores, for $299,500. There are four short sales. My favorite is a 2006 square foot custom home in Heceta South, one of the beach area's most sought-after neighborhoods because of the large lots and the heavy native vegetation which gives homes great privacy. If you'd like the complete list of foreclosed and short sale homes, contact me at hope@hopemacmanus.net or call my cell at 541-991-7480.

5 Things to do Before Putting your Home on the Market

1. Have a pre-sale home inspection. Be proactive by arranging for a pre-sale home inspection. An inspector will be able to give you a good indication of the trouble areas that will stand out to potential buyers, and you’ll be able to make repairs before open houses begin.

2. Organize and clean. Pare down clutter and pack up your least-used items, such as large blenders and other kitchen tools, out-of-season clothes, toys, and exercise equipment. Store items off-site or in boxes neatly arranged in the garage or basement. Clean the windows, carpets, walls, lighting fixtures, and baseboards to make the house shine.

3. Get replacement estimates. Do you have big-ticket items that are worn our or will need to be replaced soon, such your roof or carpeting? Get estimates on how much it would cost to replace them, even if you don’t plan to do it yourself. The figures will help buyers determine if they can afford the home, and will be handy when negotiations begin.

4. Find your warranties. Gather up the warranties, guarantees, and user manuals for the furnace, washer and dryer, dishwasher, and any other items that will remain with the house.

5. Spruce up the curb appeal. Pretend you’re a buyer and stand outside of your home. As you approach the front door, what is your impression of the property? Do the lawn and bushes look neatly manicured? Is the address clearly visible? Are pretty flowers or plants framing the entrance? Is the walkway free from cracks and impediments?

What to Do About Mold--Is It Really a Problem?

Home buyers and sellers want to know if there is mold in a home. So why not do mold testing? If it were only that simple. Fungal air tests are expensive and inconclusive. Neither the New York City Department of Health nor the Environmental Protection Agency recommend measuring airborne fungal levels. So how DO you know if there's mold: If you see mold or you smell mold you have mold. You do not need to test for it if you see it or smell it. Mold problems are caused by water problems. No water problem, no mold problem. Find the water problem and you will find the mold. Moisture meters can help determine whether a material is wet, even when it appears dry and can therefore help locate a moisture source or reservoir; the moisture meter provides immediate results. Here's where to look for water: high spots--roofs and attics near dormers. Low spots--basement and crawl spaces. The holes--doors, windows, under windows. Plumbing pipes and fixtures, water tanks, toilets, sinks, dishwashers, showers, washers. The cold spots, areas in contact with the outside, especially corners of closets. Mold may grow in hidden spaces like in exterior walls or ceilings or spaces that contain water pipes or air conditioning ducts. Look behind or beneath cabinets, furniture, shelving, appliances fixtures, sinks, cabinets, toilets, behind headboards, bookcases, sofas, dressers, file cabinets, or toilets. Under vinyl wallpaper, mop boards, under carpet or vinyl flooring. If you don't see it or smell it on a surface you probably don't have it. The "white glove test" and common sense are currently the best approach. No dust and dirt--no mold. Clean everything for dust and dirt and everything will be clean of mold. Dry dry dry. A little bit of mold is not a problem. A little bit of residual moisture may be a problem. Find that moisture! For futher information, see www.cdc.gov/mold/ , http://forensic-applications.com/moulds/sok.html and http://forensic-applications.com/index files/page477.htm