Child services department abandons building due to mold

Mold is a nasty problem that can afflict both homes and businesses alike. While mold and mildew visibly damage the nice, clean look of any building, some may not realize that this fungus can do a lot more than just paint some ugly-looking splotches over a wall or floor tile. The real danger of these spores is that, if left unattended, they can grow to pose a serious health risk for occupants. Depending on how far it's allowed to fester, removing out-of-control mold can be an expensive and time-consuming process, and one that would temporarily force out a building's tenants to a new house or office. This was the case for the Department of Family and Children Services in Brunswick, Georgia. 

Local Jacksonville news affiliate WJXT reports that the department was forced to temporarily shut down its offices in Cypress Mill Square due to a growing mold problem. 

"It's behind the walls," said the property's owner, Carolyn Oppenheimer, in a phone interview with the source. "You couldn't see it, so they had to go in and remove the affected areas. They removed some sheet rock and some carpet."

Employees are reportedly worried, not just because they don't know what kind of mold it is, but also because some have known – and anonymously relayed to the source – that the building has been hampered by mold for years due to leaks and flooding. When one worker recently requested mold testing for the building, the inspection revealed airborne mold spores, prompting the office to close on June 11.

Homeowners in the Virginia and Maryland area are encouraged to make an appointment with a home inspection contractor. These professionals can conduct mold testing and inspection of your property to determine if you are at risk and, if there is a problem, what can be done to fix it.

Consult a home inspection contractor about radon gas

Many people may believe that home inspection contractors are professionals chosen to analyze energy efficient homes and conduct mold inspection tests, and this is true. A home inspection can help to reduce your utility bills by improving your home's insulation and, consequently, its energy use. Inspectors can also find areas of your property afflicted by mold, which can prove to be a serious health hazard if left unattended for too long. But another function of home inspection testers – that is just as important, if not more so, than the aforementioned – is that they can also check your home for radon gas levels.

As defined by the National Cancer Institute, radon is a radioactive gas that emanates from soil rich in elements like uranium or thorium that decay and subsequently release the gas. Some homes may be built on soil like this. In that event, the radon can seep into a house up from the earth through cracks in the floors, walls or foundation. It is an invisible, odorless and tasteless gas, so there's no discernible way of checking for yourself as to whether or not radon is present in your home. Even more alarming is that radon gas – because it damages cells along the lining of the lungs – is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. The National Cancer Institute reports that radon contributes to between 15,000 and 22,000 lung cancer deaths per year. 

It is imperative that Virginia and Maryland homeowners make an appointment for radon testing at home to check for potentially harmful levels in their house. If radon is discovered, home inspectors can work to quickly and effectively clean out the toxic gas.

Empire State Building saves millions by going green

Taking energy efficiency literally to new heights, the Empire State Building – in the midst of a $550 million retrofit project aimed at improving its energy use – announced in a press release on Monday, June 24, that the initiative has not just been successful in saving millions of dollars, but is actually beating projected savings.

Launched in 2009 by the Empire State Building, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former President Bill Clinton, the program seeks to reduce the landmark's power consumption. The retrofitting being applied to the building involves a series of infrastructure upgrades including new light and window installations, modernized boilers and insulated radiators. Not only have these improvements earned the Empire State Building a LEED Gold certification in 2011, they also saved $2.4 million in energy costs that year and another $2.3 million in 2012. These numbers were 5 percent and 4 percent better (respectively) than initial expectations.

Victor Olgyay of the Rocky Mountain Institute, another partner in the initiative, said he believes that the improvements being seen in a high profile example like the Empire State Building will have a ripple effect in motivating others to make a push toward more eco-friendly facilities.

"Deep retrofits yield significant energy cost savings but their benefits don't stop there," Olgyay wrote in an email. "A growing body of evidence shows that super-efficient buildings boast higher occupancy rates, increased rental and sales prices, better employee retention and decreased risk.

As Crain's New York Business reports, if other commercial buildings were to adopt this business model, New York could reduce its carbon emissions by 4 million tons.

Virginia and Maryland residents can make similar cost-saving upgrades with the help of a home inspection contractor. These professionals can recommend measures to take in reducing your house's energy consumption and, consequently, your utility bills.

This summer, be on the lookout for hidden mold around the house

After Superstorm Sandy drenched parts of the East Coast last fall, the risk for homegrown mold rose considerably. With summer now in full swing, these hot temperatures coupled with standing water collecting in unknown corners of your house create the perfect conditions for mold and mildew – which can be an unsightly blemish at best and a serious health risk at worst. To help prevent and work against this threat, FEMA has issued a list of methods to check for, and curtail the spread of, hidden mold that may be lying around the house. Some helpful tips to remember:

  • Mold is typically found in hard-to-spot areas like ceilings, attics and crawl spaces. Stains and strong musty smells are dead giveaways for mold growth.
  • Mold feeds on cellulose, which can weaken joists and studs on your property, causing significant structural damage to the house.
  • Poor insulation or plumbing can also allow moisture to pool in your house, thereby causing mold. It doesn't take an event as serious as a storm to make it happen.
  • When you find a mold-contaminated area, wear gloves, goggles and other protective clothing to clean or completely remove the afflicted spot.

These are just a few of the telltale signs of mold and some of the ways to fight it. One of the best things you can do for your house is to have a home mold inspection conducted at your property. There are qualified, professional contractors on hand to service the Maryland and Virginia area who will be able to discern whether or not you do have a mold problem, the severity of it and what can be done to eliminate it, as well as prevent more mold and mildew growth in the future. 

Manufacturers nationwide ask Obama for more energy efficiency improvements

The push for energy efficiency is not just an eco-friendly initiative, but also one with some noteworthy financial considerations – and businesses are beginning to take notice. On June 14, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) wrote President Obama a letter requesting that the White House invest more into energy efficient federal buildings.

Two years ago, the Obama Administration launched the Better Buildings Challenge to make $2 billion in energy efficiency improvements to commercial and industrial facilities. The program does not use taxpayer dollars, and instead covers the upfront costs of green power upgrades with the money being saved in reducing energy bills. Now, NAM is urging the government to push for further efficiency programs.

The Energy Collective, a community of energy research professionals, reports that the NAM letter suggests additional conservation measures that would bring down the collective costs of federal building utilities, asking for the ultimate goal of allocating another $1 billion toward energy expenses over the next five years – as well as preventing taxpayer money from being used on "unnecessary energy expenditures." While some may find this ambition overly aggressive, an energy audit of governmental agencies in past years has revealed "more than $9 billion in addressable energy efficiency measures," making the federal government a prime and necessary target for these upgrades. 

As NAM blogger Chip Yost writes, the strive for energy efficiency in federal buildings will have a ripple effect that will eventually lead to improvements being made in commercial and private buildings as well.

Virginia and Maryland residents can make their own push for efficiency at home by consulting with a home inspection contractor. These professionals will conduct an energy audit of your property, determining where and how you can make upgrades to reduce your utility costs.

Springfield and Western Massachusetts Electric Co. partner to improve energy efficiency

Recent partnerships between the public and private sectors have demonstrated effectiveness in improving energy consumption and conservation in the United States. One of the latest such developments is the partnering of the Springfield, Massachusetts, town government and Western Massachusetts Electric Co. (WMECo), who have announced a joint goal of reducing the city's electricity costs by 12 percent over the next three years in a bid for energy efficiency.

An agreement was signed on Wednesday, June 19, between Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and David McHale, executive vice president of WMECo's parent company Northeast Utilities. The Republican, a local news publication, reports that the two have outlined a strategy with goals for increasing energy efficiency in schools and municipal buildings – including libraries and fire stations – and reducing electrical consumption by 4 million killowatt-hours, equating to $625,000 in taxpayer savings over the year.

"This is a partnership. As you know, utility costs are budget busters," Mayor Sarno said at a City Hall press conference. "We have already done numerous projects. But the bottom line here is that not only is it good for the environment, energy efficiency, but it's also good for the bottom line of the city budget."

Thus far, seven schools, one firehouse and a library have all been targeted for energy upgrades, but 40 similar projects are expected to follow over the three-year period.

Maryland and Virginia residents are encouraged to contact their representatives about establishing similar energy-saving partnerships. In the meantime, homeowners interested in saving money on utility costs should contact a home inspection contractor. These qualified professionals can perform an energy audit of your property, which will analyze your house's power use and what you can do to reduce it – along with your energy bills.

Obama’s Better Buildings Challenge on pace to meet 2020 energy efficiency goal

In 2011, President Barack Obama and the United States Energy Department launched the Better Buildings Challenge initiative, a new program aimed at improving energy efficiency and reducing utility expenses in both the public and private sectors. The project's ultimate goals are to make American buildings 20 percent greener by 2020, and to double energy productivity by 2030.

More than 110 groups – ranging from schools and local governments to real estate organizations and manufacturing companies, among others – have joined the program. Now, just two years later, the Department of Energy reports that these partners have improved their buildings' energy efficiency by 2.5 percent annually, translating into $58 million in savings, and putting the project on track for its 2020 goal.

"President Obama's Better Buildings Challenge is bringing together private industry and government to integrate energy efficiency into regular business planning and operations, saving millions of dollars by reducing energy waste," said U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, in his first speech at the 2013 Energy Efficiency Global Forum. "The leadership and investments of our Better Buildings Partners are demonstrating the promise of energy efficiency by reducing energy costs, helping to create American jobs and increasing competitiveness in the private sector."

The United States spends an average of $400 billion every year to power commercial and industrial facilities, which amounts to half of the country's power consumption and over 40 percent of its carbon emissions, according to Sustainable Industries Magazine. The Better Buildings Challenge aims to both reduce the costs of the nation's energy demands as well as improve its environmental impact. Thousands of partnering facilities have reduced their energy intensity by 10 to 20 percent since the program's inception.

Maryland and Virginia homeowners can work towards more eco-friendly energy efficient homes by consulting with a home inspection contractor to assess the power needs of their property.

How much do we really know about energy efficiency?

Energy efficiency is a very noble and seemingly mutually beneficial goal: It's environmentally conscious while – in the long run – also being financially advantageous for homeowners and businesses. President Barack Obama has said he hopes to double the efficiency of the United States' power consumption by 2030. But how much do we really know about this subject? Is it more eco-friendly to insulate houses to prevent heating leaks, or to put more fuel-efficient cars on the road? Which option is cheaper? Which sees the greater return? The answers to these questions are still hazy, and may be rife with myth and misinformation.

As Brad Plumer, an energy and environmental reporter with the Washington Post, writes, the confusion over these questions is what has motivated a joint MIT-University of California, Berkeley think tank called E2e, which aims to scientifically examine the cost-benefit ratio of energy efficiency.

A 2009 study showed that energy efficient homes and office buildings that have had leaky ducts sealed or older appliances upgraded could save $680 billion in energy costs over a decade and have the environmental impact of taking all of the country's cars off the road. But a more careful look at this too-good-to-be-true data revealed a more complex situation that E2e hopes to better analyze.

"[These] studies can't account for the behavioral changes you might see in responses to efficiency improvements," said Christopher Knittel, one of the project's co-directors. In other words, making utilities cheaper may actually cause energy use to increase, rather than decrease.

While it's not yet known where the biggest returns in green power lie, what is clear is that the battle for energy efficiency starts in the house. Maryland homeowners should meet with home inspection contractors to check their property and determine where the greatest return in power reduction may be.

Vermont governor approves energy efficiency legislation

It is crucial for homeowners and businesses to make strides toward energy efficiency, not solely for their own benefit, but also because the more popular the trend becomes in the public and private sectors, the more likely it is that their politicians will also begin to move in that direction. Vermont is the latest example of this. On June 17, Governor Peter Shumlin signed three bills into law, all with the purpose of improving means to energy efficiency and access to clean energy across the state. The legislation is designed to provide new financing options through the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) to meet state energy goals and make improvements to efficiency programs for homes and businesses to take advantage of. 

"In Vermont we have led the nation with ground-breaking energy efficiency programs that help families and businesses save money while cutting carbon emissions and promoting economic development," said Governor Shumlin, speaking at the second annual Clean Energy Finance Summit at the University of Vermont. "I am proud to sign legislation that will continue our progress on energy efficiency, and create new financing programs for the residential and commercial sectors."

The new law allows VEDA to borrow a maximum of $10 million from the State Treasury to use in establishing new energy efficiency loan programs for eligible businesses. It also allocates $6.5 million from the Vermont Housing Finance Agency to provide efficiency loans for homeowners.

Another component of the legislation involves improving state building energy codes, to design larger facilities and residential developments to become more eco-friendly.

The push for energy change starts at home, though. Maryland and Virginia homeowners interested in saving money on utility costs and reducing their house's power consumption should schedule an appointment for a home inspection to analyze what energy improvements can be made to their property.

Massachusetts police department hampered by mold

Mold growth isn't just an aesthetic issue, it can be a serious health problem that makes living or working around it difficult, if not impossible. In Orange, Massachusetts, the local police department has been forced to shift some officers and workers into a mobile station because of increasingly poor working conditions due to mold growing on the carpets and walls.

As local news affiliate WWLP 22 reports, the Orange Police Department building has been suffering from mold-related health concerns for several years now, stretching all the way back to 2005. Although the initial problem had subsided, dampness brought on by recent weather has caused the issue to resurface.

Since the mold's return, many officers have complained that they have been consequently suffering from allergy-related health problems, including headaches, itchy eyes and scratchy throats. Some, such as the dispatcher who has to typically spend the bulk of the day indoors, have had to move and are now working out of a mobile police station. The department is looking into cleanup methods, but admits it can be a lengthy process.

"It's going to be an ongoing thing," Orange Police Department Chief Robert Haigh told 22News. "You first remove the obvious which is the carpets. Once those are gone if the smell is still here then obviously we have to keep looking. We did some other areas of concern that we're going to be working with in the boiler room as well as the back room."

If you suspect there is mold growing in your home or workplace, make an appointment for mold testing and inspection. Mold is a serious issue that can cause legitimate health problems, and having a contractor conduct an inspection for mold can help assess your situation and what measures can be taken to resolve it.