Colorado flooding disaster brings potential for mold outbreak

Unprecedented levels of flooding struck Colorado earlier this month, leaving eight people dead and countless more with damaged, if not destroyed, homes. But, like Hurricane Sandy last year, the danger continues to persist long after the waters have receded, with conditions in the area now ripe for a mold outbreak. 

According to USA Today, the disaster – being described by scientists as a once-every-hundred-years occurrence – wreaked havoc on 2,000 houses and washed out hundreds of miles of roadways, leaving whole communities blocked off from both escape and aid. And while the historic rainfall and flooding has now passed, the waters have left behind untold amounts of flood damage and mold that can pose a continuing health risk to residents.

Dr. Connie Price of Denver Health told local news affiliate NBC 9 News that, while mold typically grows in dark, damp areas like basements, the extent of the flooding means that mold spores "could be growing almost anywhere," ranging from furniture to drywall to ceiling tiles to every possible flooring. As Dr. Price tells the source, the rule of thumb is that if something in your house is wet and has been for more than 48 hours, it needs to be thrown away. If left alone, the material could foster unhealthy levels of mold growth, which can cause respiratory problems for even the healthiest people but can especially harm those already suffering with breathing problems.

While residents in the Virginia area may be unaffected by this particular disaster, mold exposure is a very real threat to any home. Consider scheduling an appointment with local Virginia home inspectors in order to have mold testing performed on your property, to identify and resolve any potential mold outbreak before it can become a health risk.

Experts predict North Atlantic Hurricane Season about to peak

While the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic have all but deemed the worst of Hurricane Season over, the North Atlantic – particularly the East Coast – is gearing up for what could be one of the more tumultuous autumns on record. Typically, from early July until the end of November – and peaking in early October – the Atlantic Seaboard gets battered by a continuous stream of tropical depressions that come up from the warm waters of the Caribbean and clash with the colder temps that have settled over the Mid Atlantic and Northeast. As a result, homeowners on the waterfront have to hunker down and prepare their houses for an onslaught of rough weather that could leave properties severely damaged as a result. 

Although residents are well aware that damaging winds and wet weather can take a rough toll on the exteriors of their homes, there are hidden dangers indoors that come about as a result of moisture that could not only leave them facing thousands of dollars in property damage, but also contending with potential health issues.

When temperatures are cold, many homeowners will lay on extra insulation to their houses that, in many cases, will sacrifice proper ventilation in a given space. As a result, when moisture from outside enters the home, it will have a hard time escaping. When this happens, it is the perfect recipe for mold and mildew, which can produce spores that enter a residents' respiratory system and make breathing troublesome.

Before you start preparing your home for the upcoming fall hurricane season, make sure that you have a Virginia or Maryland home mold inspection visit your property to tell you where you face the biggest threats of toxic mold and what you can do to alleviate it should there already be a presence in your home.

The future of energy efficiency is already here

For many people, the idea of energy efficiency might be some faraway, abstract one – something that the country has been slowly building toward over the last several years, but still a long way off from being fully achieved. But looking at all the available information we may be living in this future of sustainability right now.

Citing data from the U.S. Department of Energy, news outlet Greentech Media breaks down three of the major categories in which Americans are currently seeing the strongest growth in eco-friendly living:

  • LED lights: Energy efficient LED bulbs are moving quickly to overtake incandescent light bulbs, thanks to an annual 25 percent drop in production costs. To date, 20 million LED bulbs have been distributed throughout the country, with 35 percent of all U.S. homes featuring at least one LED light. Analysts believe LEDs could account for 80 percent of all new lighting in the country by 2020.
  • Solar: In 2006, a new solar panel array was installed somewhere in the country every 80 minutes. Now, it occurs every four minutes. This drop has been made possible thanks to a 26.6 decline in prices, making solar panels now priced at 1 percent of their cost from 35 years ago.
  • Wind: In the last 14 years, the electrical output of the average wind turbine has grown by a staggering 260 percent. Last year, wind power accounted for the largest new source of energy capacity in the country, even more so than natural gas. While prices for these turbines have gone up recently, the cost of the energy they generate has dropped to 5 cents for every kilowatt-hour. This is a 90 percent decline from wind power costs in the 1980s. 

Virginia homeowners looking to jump on this bandwagon should make an appointment with local Virginia home inspectors about how efficient their houses already are and how to make them even more environmentally-friendly.

Shaheen-Portman amendment receives ACEEE backing

As the Shaheen-Portman energy efficiency bill continues to mire in back-and-forth debates on the Senate floor, an amendment to the legislation earned backing from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The addition, known as the State Energy Race to the Top Initiative, was ranked by ACEEE as number one in cost-benefit to U.S. taxpayers and second in its ability to potentially save costs for utility customers.

The State Energy Race to the Top Initiative, initially drafted as a separate bill in June 2013, continues the pursuit of President Barack Obama's nationwide goal of doubling efficient electricity use by 2030 through the promotion of a voluntary program on state and local levels. The idea is to encourage both states and local municipalities to brainstorm ideas for increasing energy productivity, creating new jobs, promoting industrial competitiveness and reducing utility expenses that – if successful – could then earn these parties federal funds to enact these strategies. According to the ACEEE analysis, every dollar invested into Race to the Top would yield $8.40 in saved energy costs.

If Shaheen-Portman is passed, the Race to the Top amendment would halve the amount of wasted power from homes and businesses over the next two decades. Additionally, the initiative would reduce a total amount of carbon dioxide emissions equal to the output of approximately 20 coal-fired plants.

While senators continue to debate on the bill, homeowners in Washington D.C. can begin implementing their own green measures with help from local DC home inspectors. These professionals can evaluate your property for any sources of wasted energy and recommend steps to resolve these problems, reduce your home's carbon footprint and scale back those expensive monthly utility bills.

Green buildings may lead to greater productivity at work

By now, many people are aware of the benefits of energy efficiency: Cheaper utility bills, fewer carbon dioxide emissions and greater equity for homes being put on the market. But a new study from Michigan State University (MSU) reveals that going green may have another, mental perk to it – specifically, that green buildings can reduce stress and promote greater productivity.

According to green news outlet SmartPlanet, the MSU survey studied 263 employees in two groups, one of which worked in conventional offices and the other in a building with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The findings showed that individuals in the latter group reported greater instances of productivity and fewer cases of stress-caused absenteeism.

In comparing and contrasting the mental habits of the two groups of employees, MSU researchers found the following:

  • Average amount of time workers suffered from stress and depression in a month dropped from 20.21 hours to 14.06
  • Employees working in the green buildings felt 2.18 percent more productive while those in the conventional offices felt 0.80 percent less productive in their work environment
  • Fewer cases of employees not going to work because of allergies or sickness led to 1.75 gained work hours for the year
  • Mean hours of employees calling out from work because of stress or depression fell from 0.93 to 0.47 hours per month.

"These preliminary findings indicate that green buildings may positively affect public health," wrote the study's authors.

Although additional funding is needed for the study to continue, the initial results show that the better quality of air, light and ventilation offered by green buildings has a physiological and psychological benefit for people.

Homeowners in Maryland interested in applying these kinds of green sensibilities to their houses are encouraged to meet with Maryland home inspectors for an energy audit, which can help identify and correct sources of potential energy waste around the home.

Home buyers split on energy efficiency

Once a hotly partisan topic in this country, both sides of the aisle now seem to agree on both the importance and practicality of energy efficiency. But as the lifestyle gains more popularity and support among Americans, the subject of owning energy efficient homes of their own has left many potential home buyers split. 

For some, like Ron Afdal of Concord, California, going green not only helps cut down on the utility bills, but also improves the value of the home. Over the years, Afdal has replaced his property's HVAC system with a more efficient model, used fans to cool the building in the summer, installed improved attic insulation, replaced the lighting fixtures with LED bulbs and even used solar panels to generate energy. 

"I'm investing money in the home to increase its value," the retired 73-year-old parole officer told The San Francisco Chronicle, a local news publication. As he explains, Afdal's plan is to pump more equity into the property by "futureproofing" it with green upgrades, then sell it to a growing marketplace of eco-friendly buyers.

But as Julie Rebert, a Zephyr Real Estate agent, tells the source, many buyers aren't necessarily looking for high-end green homes like these. The reason for this is not because buyers don't appreciate environmentally-friendly design, but because the higher cost – or, for still-conventional homes, the expenses required in making such upgrades – can offset the gains made by reduced power bills.

This is what makes a home inspection a more viable and appealing service: It helps identify weak points in a building's energy usage and how these trouble spots can be improved for greater efficiency, without having to call for costly investments and renovations. Homeowners in the Maryland area are encouraged to schedule an appointment with Maryland home inspectors for an energy audit of their own.

Net-zero, energy-efficient house built in Washington, D.C.

Last month, a newly built "Zero Home" in Utah made national headlines for being the country's first residence with power that was generated onsite through completely renewable sources. The project was a great achievement for energy efficiency in America as a whole and looks to inspire similar properties across the country. The ripple effects seem to be happening sooner rather than later, as Washington, D.C., can now claim to have its own net-zero energy house, recently constructed in the Petworth neighborhood.

The Washington Post reports local home builder Tanya Topolewski recently finished development of a net-zero Petworth rowhouse, effectively rebuilding the 90-year-old property from scratch in order to improve efficiency. The highlight of the construction is the installation of new solar panels on the building's roof, which will generate all of the home's power and make the owner's electricity bills a thing of the past.

In addition to the bragging rights that this case affords the developer, it also marks the first time that an old home in Washington D.C. was remodeled into a net-zero building. 

"There are very few net-zero gut rehab projects," Courtney Baker, residential operations manager for the U.S. Green Buildings Council, told the source. "It's a lot easier to build a new home to be more energy-efficient than to fill all the leaks in an old D.C. rowhouse."

Of course, D.C. homeowners don't need to go to such drastic lengths in order to have to their own energy efficient homes. If you live in the area, consider scheduling an appointment with DC home inspectors that can help assess your house's energy needs and what measures can be taken to both improve efficiency and reduce utility expenses.

Washington D.C. among country’s top 10 most energy efficient cities

Although D.C. lawmakers continue to stall and deliberate on the Shaheen-Portman energy efficiency bill, the city itself has ranked highly in a new report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The first-ever ACEEE score card placed Washington D.C. seventh on a list of 34 major American cities for energy efficiency.

USA Today reports that the nearly three dozen major metropolitan areas were ranked based on five specific criteria:

  • Community green initiatives
  • Efficient public transportation methods
  • Energy standards for buildings
  • Local government campaigns
  • Water and energy conservation programs.

Utilizing these parameters, ACEEE scored cities out of a possible 100. Washington, D.C., earned a 56. Boston, which won the top spot on the list, received a score of 77.

The results show that, regardless of legislation debates, major American cities are by and large making some impressive strides toward energy efficiency, and doing so at an increasingly quickened rate.

"Over the past five or so years, cities are rediscovering how important energy efficiency is to their economies," Eric Mackres, the study's lead author, told USA Today.

The eco-friendly improvements of these cities can be attributed to a number of new initiatives, including public disclosure of buildings' energy usage, enforcing more stringent building codes and helping low-income families afford energy-saving retrofits. Other effective programs include implementing more electric vehicle charging stations, adding bike-sharing programs, launching tree-planting projects and promoting "cool roof" modifications that curb the amount of solar heat a house absorbs.

Homeowners in the D.C. area looking to jump on the green bandwagon should consider scheduling an appointment for a home inspection. With an assessment from DC home inspectors, ways in which households may be wasting power can be identified and fixed, leading to fewer carbon emissions and cheaper utility bills.

Connecticut town hosting presentation on importance of home inspections

Clinton, Connecticut is the latest town in the Constitution State to join the Clean Energy Communities pledge. The campaign, which is part of the state's Energize Connecticut program, looks to reduce municipal energy use by 20 percent over the next five years. At the same time, participating towns also hope to increase renewable sources of power by 20 percent by the same 2018 deadline. The initiative has already drawn in over 70 participating cities. Now, representatives from the Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) utility company and Connecticut's Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA) are planning to hold a public presentation on energy efficiency and how to achieve it in the home.

The most popular program on display during this forum will be the Home Energy Solutions project, a home inspection service that promises "to help people save money on their utility bills," according to local news outlet StamfordPlus. The source reports that when homeowners register with the program, specialists will offer efficiency upgrades to their residence, working to insulate hot water pipes, seal air duct leaks and substitute incandescent light bulbs with more eco-friendly LED bulbs. 

Virginia homeowners luckily don't have to relocate to Connecticut in order to take advantage of these energy-saving and cost-cutting services. There are a wealth of qualified Virginia home inspectors that can offer the same kind of energy audit that helps individuals learn just how inefficient their home may be and what measures can be taken to both reduce the building's carbon footprint and the expensive utility bills that go with it.

Bipartisan energy efficiency bill hits delay in Senate

Although last week it was reported that the long-gestating bipartisan Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act was finally poised to enter debate, and possible passage into law, by the Senate, a new report indicates that the legislation may be held up further.

According to The Huffington Post, the energy efficiency initiative, which is typically referred to as the Shaheen-Portman bill – named after it's Senator co-authors – was slated for debate on Thursday, September 12, until Louisiana Republican Senator David Vitter sought to tack an unrelated health care amendment onto the bill. The move drew both swift support and opposition, forcing the senators to delay voting on the measure until the following week.

Although some decried the act as a matter of partisan politics, bill sponsor Senator Jeanne Shaheen was optimistic about the development, noting that she and co-author Senator Rob Portman remain "encouraged by the bipartisan support for our energy efficiency bill."

"Many bipartisan amendments have already been introduced and we're hoping to [have] a robust debate on each of them," Shaheen added in an official statement.

If passed, the Shaheen-Portman bill would implement a series of new building codes, appliance efficiency standards and approved funding for research and development into new energy efficient solutions.

In the meantime, homeowners in Washington D.C. can take efficient steps of their own by making an appointment for a home inspection. By consulting with qualified DC home inspectors, you can identify the ways in which your home may be wasting power and what steps can be taken to resolve these issues, helping to both diminish harmful carbon emissions and cut down on costly utility bills.