I find that over 70% of the inspections I perform have have  freestanding ranges that are missing this important safety feature.  But  what is so sad is that this device comes free from the manufacturer,  and in most cases the homeowners (sellers) usually go right to it, when I  tell them that if they still have the Installation and/or Owners Manual  the chances are they still have the bracket. And a quick look into the  famous plastic bag with the manual most times reveals the device.

On April 2, 2002 in Los Angeles, 2-year-old Edwin Campos and two of  his young cousins were critically injured when they accidentally tipped  over a kitchen stove and were doused with a pot of scalding water.
 

"In the best case scenario, this boy will have years of reconstructive  surgery," states Peter Grossman, a Los Angeles burn specialist who is  caring for the toddler. Inside Edition reveals many similar accidents  over the years when children have caused stoves to tip and investigates  why these tragedies continue to occur.
Quote from Consumer Affairs  

Manufacturers have, for many years placed WARNINGS clearly on the  range as well as in the Owners Manuals similar to the image above.  However we seem to just not see them. Chances are if you are standing in  front of your oven door and open it, you will see the WARNING at where  the door to your range rests against the range.

Anti-Tip brackets are also shipped with many refrigerators. So also  check yours to be sure that an Anti-Tip bracket was not required by the  manufacturer.

To date I have not found a manufacturer that has stated to me, that  the Anti-Tip bracket installation is "recommended". Actually they go out  of their way to say things like: "A child or adult can tip the range  and be killed" and "Failure to follow these instructions can result in  death or serious burns to children and adults." and even "The floor  anti-tip bracket MUST be installed."

If you have the Anti-Tip bracket, installation is usually very simple  and can be done by most any homeowner with just a couple of hand tools.  However, if you do not then you have two choices:

1. Call the manufacturer of the range and order a replacement.
2. Visit your local hardware store like Lowes or Home Depot.

If you cannot install the device yourself, contact an appliance  repair firm or local handyman to arrange for an installation. The cost  usually ranges (no pun intended) from $50 to $125.

What is Radon? 

Radon comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. 

The release of this radioactive gas enters the air you breathe, causing a potential health risk to you and your family.

Radon gas can be found in just about anywhere. It can get into any  type of building -- homes, offices, and schools -- and build up to high  levels. 

What you should know about Radon 

Radon is a cancer causing radioactive gas. You cannot see radon and  you cannot smell it or taste it, but it may be a problem in your home.  This is because when you breathe air-containing radon, you increase your  risk of getting lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned  that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. 

You should test for radon. Testing is the only way to find out about  your home's radon level. The EPA and the Surgeon General recommend  testing of all homes below the third floor for radon. 

You can fix a radon problem. If you find that you have high radon  levels, there are ways to fix a radon problem. Even very high levels can  be reduced to acceptable levels. 

If you are buying a home. EPA recommends that you obtain the radon  level in the home you are considering buying. An EPA publication "The  Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide" is available through most State Health  Departments or Regional EPA offices listed in your local phone book. EPA  also recommends that you use a certified or state licensed radon tester  to perform the test. If elevated levels are found it is recommended  that these levels be reduced. In most cases, a professional can  accomplish this at reasonable cost or homeowner installed mitigation  system that adheres to the EPA's approved methods for reduction of radon  in a residential structure. 

What are the Risk Factors? 

The EPA, Surgeon General and The Center for Disease Control, have all  agreed that continued exposure to Radon gas can cause lung cancer. 

In fact, their position on the matter is that all homes should be  tested for radon gas exposure, and all homes testing over 4 pCi/L should  be fixed. 

How Does Radon Enter the Home? 

Typically the air pressure inside your home is lower than the pressure in the soil around your home's foundation. 

Due to this difference, your house acts like a vacuum, drawing radon  gas in through foundation cracks and other openings of your home. 

Radon may also be present in well water and can be released into the  air in your home when water is used for showering and other household  uses. 

Potential Entry Points:

1 Cavities inside walls  
2 Cracks in solid floors
3 Construction joints  
4 Cracks in walls  
5 The water supply  
6 Gaps in suspended floors
 7 Gaps around service pipes    

A septic tank performs three essential tasks:

Inside the tank, wastewater slows down long enough for solids to separate:

• Scum (oils, fats, grease) floats to the top. 
• Sludge (heavy solids, grit, food particles) sinks to the bottom. 
• Effluent, the clearer liquid in the middle, flows to the drain field. 

Anaerobic bacteria in the tank break down organic solids. This reduces the volume of sludge and scum but does not eliminate them—they still build up over time.

Internal components like baffles or sanitary tees keep scum and solids from escaping the tank. Many modern systems also include an effluent filter, which greatly reduces the chance of solids clogging the drain field.

For a septic tank to work properly, wastewater must remain in the tank long enough for solids to separate. As sludge and scum build up:

• The effective volume of the tank decreases 
• Retention time drops 
• Solids can wash into the drain field 
• The system can fail, often expensively 

Most systems need pumping every 3–5 years, depending on usage, household size, and tank size. Only a septic inspection can determine actual buildup.

These slow incoming flow and prevent scum or solids from exiting the tank.

Helps keep gas-lifted solids from reaching the outlet.

Traps fine particles before they reach the drain field—one of the biggest improvements in modern septic design.

A properly functioning septic tank:

• Protects your drain field 
• Prevents backups into the home 
• Extends the life of the entire system 
• Reduces costly repairs 

Neglecting maintenance is the #1 cause of septic system failure, usually due to solids migrating into and clogging the drain field.

 WHAT IS POLYBUTYLENE PIPE?

Polybutylene is a plastic water supply piping that hit the market in  the mid to late 1970's and was used in the residential marketplace all  the way through the mid 1990's. Typically it is gray in color and it was  marketed as the pipe of the future. It came in huge rolls and the  upside was how easy it was to install compared to copper pipe. The  polybutylene joints were made with crimp rings instead of the  traditional torch and solder. Plumbers also loved it because they were  the only ones with the tools to install the crimp rings and when there  was an issue it had to be professionally corrected. 

The water damage issues started to appear by the 1980's as many of  the pipes began to fail. When the pipes were opened up the plumbers  found degradation to the interior walls of the pipes and plastic  fittings.

Polybutylene was widely used throughout the country and it is  estimated to have been installed in over 10 million structures country  wide.

The experts are divided on this issue as to why the higher than  normal failure rates. Some have blamed leaving the piping exposed to the  direct sunlight before installation. Others blame the chemical make-up  and over chlorination of the water flowing through them. I believe that  it is more the latter because there are certain municipalities that  suffer damage in nearly every installation, while there are many other  areas in the country where the failures are no more common than that of  homes plumbed with copper, PEX and galvanized piping. 

The real difficulty lies in the fact that you cannot see what is  going on inside the pipes. The polybutylene pipes can look just fine on  the outside one day and the next day either the pipe, the fitting, or  the crimp ring can fail and flood the home. The best recommendation is  to have an plumber who is experienced with polybutylene piping failures  evaluate the system. It would be best if the plumber shut off the water  and cut into a few sections to see if there was obvious deterioration on  the inside walls of the pipe and the fittings. Just because the pipe looks okay on the outside it may not be okay!!! It is best to get it professionally checked out.

PHOTO: This popular internet photo shows the flaking and  scaling of the interior walls of the plastic elbow fitting. This fitting  had not yet failed, but other portions of the system had failed. This  is why we recommend an invasive evaluation to see the conditions of the  interior walls of the pipe and plastic fittings.

We usually think of polybutylene pipe as being plastic and gray in  color. It does come in some other colors, such as blue, white, and  black. Look at the photo to the right. It shows four different pipes  above a water heater.

BLACK GAS PIPE
- This pipe is used for natural gas piping.

COPPER
- Copper is easy to identify due to its color.

POLYBUTYLENE
- Look at the gray piping. This home has both copper crimp rings and  copper fittings. The polybutylene was used for the water softener  upgrade and was only found in this one area as it spliced the added  water softener into the original plumbing system.

 ALUMINUM & PLASTIC - The very first installations  included aluminum crimp rings and plastic fittings. The first failures  were blames on the joints and the aluminum crimp rings were really  suspect.   

 COPPER & PLASTIC - The next phase included the  upgraded copper crimp rings and the same plastic fittings. Failures  still occurred and they then blames the plastic fittings.   

 COPPER & COPPER - The third phase dumped the  plastic fittings in favor of barbed copper fittings and copper crimp  rings. That resolved the leaks at the joints, but failures still  occurred in the piping away from the joints. It was at that point that  the plumbing industry finally admitted that this piping was not the pipe  of the future.    

The final phase of polybutylene piping in residential structures  included manifolds. The piping composition was altered and the  installation process was changed. The smaller pipes no longer were being  installed with joints and crimp rings. Instead, the pipe would leave  from the manifold and run non-stop carefully bending and wearing through  the home to the final plumbing fixture. Each fixture had its own pipe  and the only joints were at the manifold and at the fixture. All  splicing in walls and concealed areas was avoided and the techniques  worked much better. The newer pipe typically had either a fine red or  blue stripe running the length of the pipe. The newer pipe and  techniques worked and they are excluded from the class action  settlements. Public pressure made the manufacturers realize that  polybutylene was a dead horse so the industry dropped it from the  residential market in favor of the newer plastic PEX (They continued to  use it in mobile homes and commercial, just not normal residential).

PEX - PEX piping is installed using all of the  techniques of the final phase of polybutylene. The manifold systems and  non-stop bends instead of splices are now the norm. It has not seen the  failures of its predecessor and has proven reliable so far.  

The reason that polybutylene pipe is such a big deal is due to the  huge damage losses from ruptured pipes. This is a very common issue in  many parts of the country. If you are buying a home with polybutylene,  you should call your prospective home insurer and see if they have any  prohibitions against insuring homes with this type of piping in use. It  is not uncommon to learn that you will have higher premiums, restricted  coverage, and some insurers might deem the home uninsurable.

Asbestos is a mineral fiber found in rocks, of naturally occurring  silicate minerals that can be separated into fibers. There are several  kinds of asbestos fibers, all of which are fire resistant and not easily  destroyed or degraded by natural processes. The fibers are strong,  durable, and resistant to heat and fire. They are also long, thin and  flexible, so that they can even be woven into cloth, because of these  qualities, asbestos has been used in thousands of consumer, industrial,  maritime, automotive, scientific and building products. 

The above photo shows a typical asbestos insulated heating pipe  found in older homes. During the twentieth century, some 30 million tons  of asbestos have been used in industrial sites, homes, schools,  shipyards and commercial buildings in the United States. There are  several types of asbestos fibers, of which three have been used for  commercial applications: (1) Chrysotile, or white asbestos, comes mainly  from Canada, and has been very widely used in the US. It is white-gray  in color and found in serpentine rock. (2) Amosite, or brown asbestos,  comes from southern Africa. (3) Crocidolite, or blue asbestos, comes  from southern Africa and Australia. 

Is Asbestos Dangerous?

Asbestos has been shown to cause cancer of the lung and stomach  according to studies of workers and others exposed to asbestos. There is  no level of exposure to asbestos fibers that experts can assure is  completely safe. Some asbestos materials can break into small fibers  which can float in the air and these fibers can be inhaled. The tiny  fibers are so small they can not be seen with the naked eye. They can  pass through the filters of normal vacuum cleaners and get back into the  air. Once inhaled, asbestos fibers can become lodged in tissue for a  long time. After many years cancer or mesothelioma can develop. 

Are All products With Asbestos A Health Risk?

No. A health risk exists only when asbestos fibers are released  from the material or product. Soft, easily crumbled asbestos containing  material has the greatest potential for asbestos release and therefore  has the greatest potential to create health risks. 

Do All People Exposed To Asbestos, Develop Asbestos Related Disease?

No. Most people exposed to small amounts of asbestos do not  develop any related health problems. Health studies of asbestos workers  and others, however, show that the chances of developing some serious  illnesses, included lung cancer, are greater after exposure to asbestos.  

What Are Asbestos-Containing Products?

What is common to many asbestos-containing products is that they  were (are) used to contain heat (i.e. thermal insulation.) This was the  main reason for their use. It is impossible to list all of the products  that have, at one time or another, contained asbestos. One of the most  common products asbestos is found in, is in the insulation material  found on heating pipes and ducts of homes built before 1960. 

Some of the other common asbestos-containing products are  insulating cement, insulating block, asbestos cloth, gaskets, packing  materials, thermal seals, refractory and boiler insulation materials,  transite board, asbestos cement pipe, fireproofing spray, joint  compound, vinyl floor tile, ceiling tile, mastics, adhesives, coatings,  acoustical textures, duct & pipe insulation for heating, ventilation  and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, roofing products, insulated  electrical wire and panels, and brake and clutch assemblies.

How Can I tell If I Have Asbestos In My Home?

People who have frequently worked with asbestos (such as plumbers,  building contractors or heating contractors) often are able to make a  reasonable judgment about whether or not a material contains asbestos on  a visual inspection. Many professional home inspectors also can make a  reasonable visual judgment. To be absolutely certain, an industrial  hygienist would have to make the identification.  

If Asbestos Is Found In My Home, What Should I Do? 

In most cases, asbestos containing materials are best left alone.  When it is necessary to disturb asbestos, you should contact a licensed  asbestos contractor. You can also obtain a copy of Asbestos in the Home  published by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (800-638-2772)  which discusses the situation and makes recommendations. Remember, do  not dust, sweep, or vacuum particles suspected of containing asbestos  fibers.

What is Mold?

Molds are fungi. Molds grow throughout the natural and built  environment. Tiny particles of mold are present in indoor and outdoor  air. In nature, molds help break down dead materials and can be found  growing on soil, foods, plant matter, and other items. Molds produce  microscopic cells called "spores" which are very tiny and spread easily  through the air. Live spores act like seeds, forming new mold growths  (colonies) when they find the right conditions. 

What does mold need to grow? 

Mold only needs a few simple things to grow and multiply:

• Moisture 
• Nutrients 
• Suitable place to grow

Of these, controlling excess moisture is the key to preventing and stopping indoor mold growth. 

Should I be concerned about mold in my home? 

Mold should not be permitted to grow and multiply indoors. When  this happens, health problems can occur and building materials, goods  and furnishings may be damaged. 

Can mold make me and my family sick?

Mold can affect the health of people who are exposed to it. People  are mainly exposed to mold by breathing spores or other tiny fragments.  People can also be exposed through skin contact with mold contaminants  (for example, by touching moldy surfaces) and by swallowing it.

The type and severity of health effects that mold may produce are  usually difficult to predict. The risks can vary greatly from one  location to another, over time, and from person to person.

What symptoms might I see? 

The most common health problems caused by indoor mold are allergy  symptoms. Although other and more serious problems can occur, people  exposed to mold commonly report problems such as:

• Nasal and sinus congestion 
• Cough 
• Wheeze/breathing difficulties 
• Sore throat 
• Skin and eye irritation 
• Upper respiratory infections (including sinus) 

Are the risks greater for some people? 

There is wide variability in how different people are affected by  indoor mold. However, the long term presence of indoor mold growth may  eventually become unhealthy for anyone. The following types of people  may be affected more severely and sooner than others:

• Infants and children 
• Elderly people 
• Individuals with respiratory conditions or sensitivities such as allergies and asthma 
• Persons having weakened immune systems (for example, people with  HIV infection, chemotherapy patients, organ transplant recipients) 
• Those with special health concerns should consult a medical professional if they feel their health is affected by indoor mold. 

Are some molds more hazardous than others?

Some types of mold can produce chemical compounds (called  mycotoxins) although they do not always do so. Molds that are able to  produce toxins are common. In some circumstances, the toxins produced by  indoor mold may cause health problems. However, all indoor mold growth  is potentially harmful and should be removed promptly, no matter what  types of mold is present or whether it can produce toxins.

How do I tell if I have a mold problem? 

Investigate, don't test. The most practical way to find a mold  problem is by using your eyes to look for mold growth and by using your  nose to locate the source of a suspicious odor. If you see mold or if  there is an earthy or musty smell, you should assume a mold problem  exists. Other clues are signs of excess moisture or the worsening of  allergy-like symptoms.

Look for visible mold growth (may appear cottony, velvety,  granular, or leathery and have varied colors of white, gray, brown,  black, yellow, green). Mold often appears as discoloration, staining, or  fuzzy growth on the surface of building materials or furnishings. When  mold is visible, testing is not recommended. 

Search areas with noticeable mold odors. 

Look for signs of excess moisture or water damage. Look for water  leaks, standing water, water stains, condensation problems. For example,  do you see any watermarks or discoloration on walls, ceilings, carpet,  woodwork or other building materials? 

Search behind and underneath materials (carpet and pad, wallpaper,  vinyl flooring, sink cabinets), furniture, or stored items (especially  things placed near outside walls or on cold floors). Sometimes  destructive techniques may be needed to inspect and clean enclosed  spaces where mold and moisture are hidden; for example, opening up a  wall cavity. 

Should I test for mold? 

We do not recommend testing for mold yourself. Instead, you should  simply assume there is a problem whenever you see mold or smell mold  odors. Testing should never take the place of visual inspection and it  should never use up resources that are needed to correct moisture  problems and remove all visible growth.

Sometimes, mold growth is hidden and difficult to locate. In such  cases, a combination of air (outdoor and indoor air samples) and bulk  (material) samples may help determine the extent of contamination and  where cleaning is needed. However, mold testing is rarely useful for  trying to answer questions about health concerns.

Mold Clean-up and Removal 

To clean up and remove indoor mold growth, follow steps 1-6 as they apply to your home.

1. Identify and Fix the Moisture Problem - the most  important step in solving a mold problem is to identify and correct the  moisture sources that allowed the growth in the first place. Common  indoor moisture sources include:
   • Flooding  
   • Condensation (caused by indoor humidity that is too high or surfaces that are too cold) 
   • Movement through basement walls and slab  
   • Roof leaks  
   • Plumbing leaks  
   • Overflow from tubs, sinks, or toilets  
   • Firewood stored indoors  
   • Humidifier use  
   • Inadequate venting of kitchen and bath humidity  
   • Improper venting of combustion appliances  
   • Failure to vent clothes dryer exhaust outdoors (including electric dryers)  
   • Line drying laundry indoors  
   • House plants - watering them can generate large amounts of moisture 
   • To keep indoor surfaces as dry as possible, try to maintain the  home's relative humidity between 20-40 percent in the winter and less  than 60 percent the rest of the year. You can purchase devices to  measure relative humidity at some home supply stores. Ventilation, air  circulation near cold surfaces, dehumidification, and efforts to  minimize the production of moisture in the home are all very important  in controlling high humidity that frequently causes mold growth in our  cold climate.
      

1. Begin Drying All Wet Materials - as soon as possible,  begin drying any materials that are wet. For severe moisture problems,  use fans and dehumidifiers and move wet items away from walls and off  floors. Check with equipment rental companies or restoration firms to  see if you can rent fans and dehumidifiers.
2. Remove and Dispose of Mold Contaminated Materials - items  which have absorbed moisture (porous materials) and which have mold  growing on them need to be removed, bagged and thrown out. Such  materials may include sheet rock, insulation, plaster, carpet/carpet  pad, ceiling tiles, wood products (other than solid wood), and paper  products. Likewise, any such porous materials that have contacted sewage  should also be bagged and thrown away. Non-porous materials with  surface mold growth may be saved if they are cleaned well and kept dry  (see step 4).
   Take Steps to Protect Yourself - the amount of mold  particles in air can increase greatly when mold is disturbed. Consider  using protective equipment when handling or working around mold  contaminated materials. The following equipment can help minimize  exposure to mold:  
   • Rubber gloves 
   • Eye goggles 
   • Outer clothing (long sleeves and long pants) that can be easily removed in the work area and laundered or discarded 
   • Medium-efficiency or high-efficiency filter dust mask (these  can be found at safety equipment suppliers, hardware stores, or some  other large stores that sell home repair supplies) -- at a minimum, use  an N-95 or equivalent dust mask 
   • Take Steps to Protect Others - plan and perform all work  to minimize the amount of dust generated. The following actions can help  minimize the spread of mold spores:
      
   • Enclose all moldy materials in plastic (bags or sheets) before carrying through the home 
   • Hang plastic sheeting to separate the work area from the rest of the home 
   • Remove outer layer of work clothing in the work area and wash separately or bag 
   • Damp clean the entire work area to pick up settled contaminants in dust

1. Clean Surfaces - surface mold growing on non-porous  materials such as hard plastic, concrete, glass, metal, and solid wood  can usually be cleaned. Cleaning must remove and capture the mold  contamination, because dead spores and mold particles still cause health  problems if they are left in place.  
   • Thoroughly scrub all contaminated surfaces using a stiff  brush, hot water and a non-ammonia soap/detergent or commercial cleaner 
   • Collect excess cleaning liquid with a wet/dry vacuum, mop or sponge 
   • Rinse area with clean water and collect excess rinse water

1. Disinfect Surfaces (if desired) - after cleaning has  removed all visible mold and other soiling from contaminated surfaces, a  disinfectant may be used to kill mold missed by the cleaning. In the  case of sewage contamination, disinfection must be performed. Contact  your home inspector for advice.   Mix 1/4 to 1/2 cup bleach per gallon of water and apply to  surfaces where mold growth was visible before cleaning. The solution can  be applied with a spray bottle, garden sprayer, it can be sponged on,  or applied by other methods.
   Collect any run-off of bleach solution with a wet/ dry vacuum,  sponge or mop. However, do not rinse or wipe the bleach solution off the  areas being treated -- allow it to dry on the surface.
   Always handle bleach with caution. Never mix bleach with ammonia  -- toxic chlorine gas may result. Bleach can irritate the eyes, nose,  throat, and skin. Provide fresh air (for example, open a window or  door). Protect skin and eyes from contact with bleach. Test solution on a  small area before treatment, since bleach is very corrosive and may  damage some materials.
    
2. Remain on Mold Alert - Continue looking for signs of  moisture problems or return of mold growth. Be particularly alert to  moisture in areas of past growth. If mold returns, repeat cleaning steps  and consider using a stronger solution to disinfect the area again.  Regrowth may signal that the material should be removed or that moisture  is not yet controlled.

When can we rebuild? 

Rebuilding and refurnishing must wait until all affected materials  have dried completely. Be patient it takes time to dry out wet building  materials.