Preparing your home for energy efficiency and mold this summer

As spring turns over to summer, the seasonal change can expose weaknesses in your home or introduce all-new issues that arise because of the shift in weather. This is especially true lately, given the prevalence of natural disasters that may have, directly or indirectly, damaged your home, leaving it vulnerable. Here are some helpful considerations to be mindful of when managing your home this summer.

  • Insulation: As temperatures soar outside, there will be the temptation to turn up the air conditioning. But cooling your house all season brings increased energy bills with it. To save yourself some money and improve the energy efficiency of your home, consider improving your property's insulation. Insulating your house can help control your energy demands and can be accomplished in any manner of places, from the walls and ceiling to installing vinyl sliding into your doors or windows.
  • Mold: The rain from summer thunderstorms may pool in your basement or crawl spaces. This combination of water gathering in your home and warm temperatures is the perfect recipe for mold. While not all mold is dangerous, it can quickly become a problem for homeowners depending on what kind it is, especially when it is difficult to see or smell. To avoid mold this summer, make sure to keep your home dry and ensure that your drainage systems are working properly to expel any excess water gathering on your property.

These are just a few pieces of advice to remember when looking to keep your energy bills down and your house clean this summer. To learn more about home insulation or mold testing, schedule an appointment for a home inspection today.

Energy efficiency reducing demand for summer power in New England and Canada

Due to improvements in energy efficiency and conservation methods, summer power demands for New England and northeastern Canada are expected to fall this year. The Northeast Power Coordinating Council, a group that promotes energy reliability in the six New England states and four Canadian provinces, including Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, has announced that there will be an ample amount of electricity to supply the 55 million residents of the region this season.

According to the organization, the area will have the same amount of resources to generate electricity as was available during the peak temperatures of the summer of 2012.

"Hot and muggy weather and continuous use of heavy air conditioning remain the single largest factor affecting peak electricity demand in the summer," council president Edward Schwerdt told reporters.

But while the supply will remain the same, the demand for that power is expected to be 0.3 percent lower this summer compared to last year. This reduction comes in spite of a gradually improving economy, which would normally indicate higher electricity consumption for offices and factories opening for business.

This balance of maintained supply and decreasing demand can be attributed to new power generating methods that have recently been added to the area, including the reopening of the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station in New Brunswick. Additionally, 155 megawatts of wind power production capacity has been installed in New England since last summer (one megawatt can power roughly 1,000 homes). A 660-megawatt transmission line to run between Manhattan and New Jersey, and further transmission lines for New England, are also in the pipeline. 

Maryland residents can also work to reduce their dependence on the power grid this summer. To learn more about how to curb unnecessary electrical consumption on your property, contact a home inspection contractor today. 

Ed Begley Jr. to speak at Mother Earth News Fair on June 1

Hollywood veteran Ed Begley Jr. has long been an advocate for environmentally friendly living, opting to ride his bike or drive his electric car in favor of riding in limos or taking a personal jet. He once made headlines when he rode his bicycle to the Oscars, and has been on many talk shows to promote the green lifestyle. Now, the prolific actor and star of almost 300 films and television shows will be speaking at the Mother Earth News Fair in Pollyallup, Washington, on June 1-2.

This event is an annual gathering of readers and writers who have subscribed to Mother Earth News Magazine – a publication that has been in print for more than 40 years – and share the passion of energy efficiency. Topics the star will be covering include methods for green living that people of all income brackets can look into adopting as well as the benefits of solar energy.

In an interview with Washington news source The News Tribune, Begley explained that it's easy to be more energy efficient without having to break the bank.

"Don't buy the expensive LED. Get the compact fluorescent which are a little more. By month two you've paid for the light bulb and then some. If you want, go for long-term payback — long-term being six to nine months — then get the LED. Maybe you can't afford to buy solar like that wacky Begley does and get into debt. I don't want anybody to do that. But get that light bulb, get that energy-saving thermostat, get that weather stripping," Begley told the source.

To learn more about ways you can lower your impact on the environment, have a licensed contractor conduct a home inspection today.

Before summer starts do a home inspection of your own for this damaging pest

While there is a wide array of structural issues that can be unveiled from a home inspection – from poor insulation that is draining your property's energy efficiency to literal cracks in your house's foundations – there are other problems that a home inspection contractor can discover that may not be having as obvious an impact on your day-to-day life.

Termites, for example, may be feasting on your home right now, but if you don't know how to detect the signs of an infestation, you might not think to call an exterminator before it's too late. Here is a list of tell-tale indicators that your house is being inhabited by wood-eating pests.

  • Buckling – If there appears to be paint buckling in a wall or your ceiling, there is a chance that termites have started building a nest within the wall, and that it may be growing. Another indicator is if you notice tiny holes in the plaster near a subtle bulge – a whole colony of these bugs could be living beneath.
  • Mud tunnels – Termites will create paths for themselves from a subterranean nest – these bugs prefer living in moist, muddy areas – to a food source, like your back deck, for instance. These can be broken open and inspected for live termites, though if the tunnel is dried out, it is likely the termites have moved on.
  • Piles of wings – One part of these pest's development involves them shedding their wings. If you notice a buildup of wings near a window or a light source in your house, a swarm may have already arrived.

Cover all your bases and have not only an exterminator come by your house, but have a home inspection contractor stop in to look for any other deficiencies.

Sales of previously owned properties are up in April

A recent report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) indicated that home sales were up markedly during the month of April compared to March. The number of properties sold over that period rose to 4.97 million from 4.94 million, showing that the busy spring buying season is still under way.

However, the study indicates that sales are still not meeting their true potential, as housing stock across the nation continues to be constrained with supply failing to meet demand. 

"The robust housing market recovery is occurring in spite of tight access to credit and limited inventory.  Without these frictions, existing-home sales easily would be well above the 5-million unit pace," Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said in the company's press release.

The group looks at closings on single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops when gathering data for the study, noting trends that could indicate a shift from a seller's market to a buyer's, as well as yearly and monthly changes on the national scene. It appears that there were 10 percent more homes sold during April 2013 than during the same period the year before when only 4.93 million closings.

Resale activity in particular was especially robust over the period, as the number of new homes entering the market continues to lag behind already occupied properties.

If you are considering purchasing a previously owned house, make sure you conduct a home inspection before signing to ensure that you aren't making an ill-informed investment into a residence that will only cost you more money in the long run.

Tornadoes remind coastal residents of damaging Superstorm Sandy

With the recent string of devastating tornadoes sweeping through the Midwest – with one recent storm even taking the lives of at least 51 individuals after slamming into an Oklahoma elementary school – Maryland residents are likely remembering the devastation that they felt at the hands of Superstorm Sandy back in October 2012. Millions of dollars of property was damaged during this devastating weather event – especially residents who lived along the coast.

When disaster strikes, the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) steps in to help home and business owners recuperate after the storm. In many cases, those affected by the storm will benefit from some kind of government aid to help foot the bill for repair costs. Before checks are written, however, FEMA will conduct a home inspection on the property to help figure out what repairs they will help to finance.

If disaster strikes again, here are a few things homeowners should expect when FEMA officials come by to conduct a home inspection:

  • Generally, it will take roughly 10 days for officials to contact you and schedule an inspection after you reach out for federal aid
  • The property you are registering must be a primary residence, so don't expect to see any aid if this is for a vacation house
  • Scam artists may pose as officials, so make sure anyone who comes to your home is driving a market vehicle and has proper FEMA identification. 

Before summer officially gets started here along the coast, contact a licensed home inspector to make sure your place is structurally sound should disaster strike.

Annual EE Global Forum begins in Washington, D.C.

Today is the first day of the Sixth Annual Energy Efficiency Global Forum in Washington, D.C. – a yearly gathering of manufacturers and advocacy groups aimed at enhancing the discussion on environmentally friendly practices. Sponsored in part by the U.S. Department of Energy, this year's conference features a host of industry leaders and a special plea to congress by many of the country's most prolific business leaders to continue efforts to enforce energy efficiency on a federal level. 

Representatives from the Alliance to Save Energy (the Alliance), the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), the Business Roundtable (BRT), the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for 21st Century Energy (the Chamber) all penned letters to the Senate, House of Representatives and President Barack Obama on Monday in conjunction with the beginning of this economic forum.

"We all agree that no one wants to waste energy, but this isn't really about us, it is really about Congress and the White House advancing efficiency in a way that benefits Americans," said Alliance President Kateri Callahan in a press release. "The time is now. Let's start talking, let's start acting and let's show how efficiency works."

The letter to Congress urged elected officials to approve energy efficient legislation in a timely manner to guarantee that advances to these practices don't lose momentum in years to come. The President's letter pressured Obama to not lose sight of the environment in shaping his policies as a leader.

You can make your home more energy efficient by looking into a home inspection, which can highlight what areas of your house are your biggest energy-wasters and how to resolve these issues.

When selling a house, beat the home inspector to the punch

Spring and summer are notoriously the busiest seasons for home sales, and before any wise buyer signs the lease on a new property, they'll probably hire a home inspection contractor to come make sure that this investment is a wise one. In many cases, the home inspection can make or break a sales process, as these professionals are trained to uncover issues – no matter how minor – that could turn a buyer off to the property. However, to make the potential list of deficiencies uncovered during an inspection shorter, homeowners can be proactive about addressing the obvious problems that are most common in most homes before the inspector comes to check it out.

For examples, the water heater in a house should always be placed at least 18 inches off the ground, but many homeowners don't bother because the weight and shape of this device makes installation more difficult at such heights. The home inspector will be sure to point this out, so measure the space between your heater and the ground before showing your home.

Another easy fix is closing off needlessly exposed wiring. In many areas of your house, wires will be left uncovered because of home improvement projects that weren't properly completed. Simply cover up your tracks, and this is one less check on the home inspector's list.

Always be proactive, and make sure to contact a home inspection contractor before your buyer does to guarantee you get the asking price you desire when selling your home.

New “living building” breaks ground along the Potomac in Maryland

The state of Maryland has long been a leader on a national scale when it comes to implementing environmentally friendly and energy efficient practices into the day-to-day lives of the residents who call this area home. Now, the Alice Ferguson Foundation, a group dedicated to helping promote sustainable technologies, has partnered up with local officials in Prince George's County to build the region's first "Living Building."

Designed to be one of the most energy efficient structures in the world, the new Potomac Watershed Study Center is envisioned as a net-zero water, net-zero electricity and carbon neutral facility that will help researchers explore the latest environmentally friendly technologies.

"Prince George's County has a wide range of many wonderful points of interest and the addition of the 'Living Building,' one of few in the world, adds to the rich legacy of the Alice Ferguson Foundation and is certainly a proud and historic achievement for our county and country," Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker, III told The Associated Press in a story on the new construction. Baker attended the groundbreaking along with Maryland Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown back in late April.

This new structure is the Ferguson Foundation's response to the International Living Future Foundation's Living Building Challenge, which encourages environmentally conscious institutions to construct buildings that have virtually no impact on their surroundings and actually contribute to bettering the world for future generations.

While you may not be in a position to construct a net-zero property of your own, there are still steps you can take to increase your home's energy efficiency. Request a home inspection from a licensed contractor today to learn which areas of your home may be contributing the most to your waste.

California state government issues tips on summertime energy efficiency

With summer just around the corner, homeowners residing in the Mid-Atlantic states can anticipate significantly higher electric bills this season as they amp up their air conditioners in an attempt to stay cool while indoors. However, there are ways to escape the heat this summer without consuming too much power.

The state of California – an area that experiences its fair share of extreme summer weather – has issued a set of tips for homeowners to follow this year that will help them keep utility costs in check when the temperatures rise. 

Some of these tips include:

Closing your drapes and shades – Windows are the site of some of the most heat gain a home can experience. It may not seem like much, but by keeping your window treatments drawn throughout the day, you'll be able to keep the thermal energy out that makes those hot summer days so unbearable.

Improving your insulation – Make sure your windows are sealed tight using tape and extra caulking to guarantee that the cold air you have doesn't escape.

Minimizing hot water consumption – When you wash your clothes, opt for a cold cycle instead of the standard hot water wash. This will reduce the pressure you put on your water heater and knock down your washer's power consumption by an estimated 63 percent on average.

If you schedule a home inspection before the summer, a contractor can identify where your home's biggest energy-wasters are located and what you can do to make your property more efficient.