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Your Guide to Carbon Monoxide Safety

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In your home, one of the greatest threats to your health and safety is carbon monoxide (or CO) poisoning. It’s a gas with no smell, color, or taste that can kill you in concentrated amounts. 

CO is produced whenever fuel burns and is most commonly associated with cooking and heating appliances in the home. Another dangerous source of carbon monoxide is vehicle emissions. 

There are two different levels of poisoning:

  1. Consistent low to medium concentration
  2. Sudden high concentration

Gas Detector - Carbon Monoxide SafetIf you have a slight carbon monoxide leak, it can cause a myriad of symptoms including:

 

  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Dizziness
  • Blurred vision
  • Agitation
  • Fatigue
  • Weakness
  • Chest Pain
  • Difficulty breathing

 

However, if you are experiencing high levels of carbon monoxide poisoning, you may experience the above symptoms, plus confusion, lack of coordination, and loss of consciousness.

The most frightening part about high concentrations of CO is that the victims struggle to save themselves. Over 400 people die from it every year in America according to the CDC.

But education, early detection, and prevention can save lives. That’s why today, we are discussing carbon monoxide safety.

Your Home Inspection

During a  home inspection, we comb through the entire house, checking every major component’s form, function, and safety. Along with the plumbing and electricity, we also check your fuel-burning appliances. 

Gas burning appliances like your water heater, furnace, and kitchen stove are all subject to analysis. Every home is different. For instance, if there is a boiler in a bedroom closet, the door should close by itself and be weather-sealed for maximum protection from CO poisoning. 

Checking for CO

When we inspect a residential property, we use a combustible gas detector to test the carbon monoxide levels around all accessible gas piping. We take our time to check every joint in the pipes to be as thorough as possible. 

The exhaust vents are also meticulously inspected for leaks, gaps, or damage in your attic. 

Finally, we check the vents outside that connect to the dryer, furnace, and kitchen stove. If these are blocked or covered, it will restrict airflow and prevent carbon monoxide from leaving the building. No matter how sealed the pipes are, the gas could build and back up into your house if it has no way to escape.  

Your inspector will report their findings to you in the home inspection report and offer their recommendations to keep you safe.

Don’t Forget the Chimney

Please note that a home inspection does not include a chimney inspection. This is a service that you will need to schedule separately. 

A chimney inspection is crucial for carbon monoxide safety. According to the National Safety Council, you should have your chimney checked and cleaned once every year. Dirt in the chimney can reduce the chimney’s ventilation and increase the chance of carbon monoxide poisoning.  

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

According to InterNACHI, all of your alarms should plug into an electrical outlet and have a battery backup system in case of a power outage. It’s crucial to have a power backup because CO leaks are more common during blackouts.

The carbon monoxide detector should be placed outside of every bedroom, but over three feet from a bathroom door if it has a tub or shower. 

The reason for this is simple. No one wants to needlessly panic over a false alarm in their birthday suit. Steamy or humid air coming from your hot shower or bathtub has a high chance of tripping the detector.

Skip the hallways if you have a gas-burning appliance in your bedroom. Put the carbon monoxide detector inside of your room instead. 

Home Inspection Service in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Brooksville

Your inspector is an incredible ally who is always in pursuit of your best interest. 

Their duty is to detect code violations, safety hazards, and major repairs. We protect you from health risks and financial crises associated with residential and commercial properties. 

Your health and safety are too important to cut corners and rush this process. Missing a gas leak is not acceptable. Call on a trusted inspection service that won’t put you at risk. Schedule an inspection with Divinity Inspection Service today!

 

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The Dangers of Asbestos

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Asbestos is a natural silicate mineral that produces a silk-like fibrous crystal. This fiber can be spun into yarn or added to other materials to increase its durability.

We have used asbestos in the construction of a variety of materials since ancient times. Even excavated pieces of pottery from the stone age contain asbestos!

As human civilization developed, the use of asbestos grew. They weren’t just using it in pots, but also weaved it into fabrics. The Romans built with it, the Egyptians wrapped their mummies in it, and medieval knights wore clothes made of it inside of their armor.

When Were the Dangers of Asbestos Addressed?

danger sign - dangers of asbestosThe tradition of crafting with asbestos has persisted for thousands of years, even to this day.

It wasn’t until the middle of the 20th century when people realized the genuine dangers of asbestos and the lung damage it caused. This stirred up a controversy surrounding the material, and a legal war began that has gone on for over 50 years.

Manufacturers would not let go of the material. After all, asbestos resists corrosion, fire, and electricity unlike anything else. It is also an excellent insulator for both heat and sound. 

And it’s readily available all over the world. 

Since it is a naturally occurring mineral, it isn’t hard to find. Even to this day in Nevada, the mineral is literally scattered across the earth. But I wouldn’t go near it if I were you!

In 1999, the UK banned the material, and many other nations have followed suit. But the United States continues to incorporate it in many areas of construction. 

What Makes Asbestos Dangerous?

The trouble starts when asbestos becomes airborne. Since it’s like cotton candy when you pull it apart, sharp microscopic fibers scatter in the air. These particles of asbestos will float for an extended time, making it easy for large amounts of it to be breathed in. 

Once asbestos enters your lungs, it never leaves. 

No matter how much your body tries to get rid of it, it won’t budge. That’s because it’s hydrophobic and repels mucus that would normally push it up and out of your body. 

Within 10 to 30 years after exposure, your brush with asbestos can come to haunt you as asbestosis or mesothelioma. Over 200 people die per day from asbestos exposure.

Where Can You Find Asbestos in the Home? 

No doubt, you have asbestos somewhere in the building you are sitting in right now. Depending on how long ago they built the property will determine just how much it contains. American homes were constructed with the most asbestos between the 1940s and 1970s before laws cracked down on it.

Unless you have insulation on an antique boiler or pipes, you shouldn’t have asbestos lying around for you to breathe in. Common materials that could contain asbestos include: 

  • Vinyl flooring
  • Linoleum
  • Industrial glues
  • Caulking
  • Glazing
  • Plaster
  • Asphalt shingles
  • Air duct insulation
  • Siding
  • Blown-in insulation
  • Paint 

Undisturbed, most products containing asbestos are likely safe because they seal it within binders that lock it into the material. Particles aren’t in the air and they stay that way…for a while.

But as soon as those materials are damaged, the danger becomes real. 

When asbestos products become brittle, break or crack, you have reason to worry. People who DIY their home improvement projects may sand or saw these materials without realizing that the fibers become a particulate matter that we can breathe in. 

Even professional home renovation become a serious threat to health and safety. When hired contractors underestimate the dangers of asbestos and mishandle these materials, they put everyone nearby at risk.

That’s why it’s always important to have a trained inspector oversee large repairs or home remodeling, especially if it involves removing parts of your walls, ceiling, or floors.  

Safety Precautions

Products that contain asbestos must be handled in a special way that protects the wellbeing of everyone in the vicinity. Repairing damage is easier (and cheaper) than removal. 

Any removed materials must be disposed of properly by an abatement contractor — not dumped in a landfill. 

If asbestos is found in your home or commercial property, your inspector will provide you with a thorough report describing where it is and what damage was found. Further air samples can be taken to test for asbestos levels. 

If there is immediate concern, your inspector will help you understand what steps you should take to correctly address the safety issue. 

Inspection Services in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Land ’O Lakes, New Port Richey, Brooksville, and Wesley Chapel

If you have an extensive renovation project planned, new construction, or need an inspection for a home or commercial property, schedule an inspection with Divinity Inspection Service today!

We offer a large variety of inspections for all your residential and commercial property needs. Our inspectors thoroughly examine your home, apartment building, or business to provide you with a meticulous report that you can depend on!

 

 

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Mold Facts: What You Need to Know About Mold

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Mold is all around us. There is no escaping it. Whether we are indoors or outdoors, it’s growing on surfaces and floating in our air. So what exactly is mold, and why are we concerned when it grows inside a home or business? Today, we will provide you with all the mold facts you need to know!

Mold Facts – The Basics: What is Mold?

Mold is a microorganism belonging to the fungi kingdom, along with mildew and mushrooms. The trait that makes fungi so interesting is that it reproduces asexually and releases spores into the air. 

There are hundreds if not thousands of mold spores floating in the air outdoors and indoors everywhere in the world. Once the floating spores land on a food source, they use their hair-like hyphae to release digestive enzymes and absorb their food through their bodies.

As time goes on, they literally dig down into the surface with roots. This is why it’s so hard to get rid of mold. Much like dandelions, as long as the roots remain, the mold will regrow in the same location.

Since they are too small to spot with the naked eye, you won’t know they are in your home until they have shared your living space for a while. Even when they have grown in clusters large enough to see, they could hide in your HVAC system, attic, around the plumbing, or inside your walls.

Is Mold a Health Concern?

mold factsMost mold is not bad for our health. In fact, we willingly consume mold when we eat bleu cheese and soy sauce or take prescribed penicillin as an antibiotic. 

Health concerns arise when mold spores accumulate in our homes and businesses. Just one mold organism can send out millions of spores into the air! And a tiny, quarter-inch colony can contain millions of mold organisms.

If you do the math, that’s a lot of airborne microorganisms polluting your indoor air quality!

When breathed in, a high population of spores can trigger asthma and allergies. Symptoms may include:

  • Sneezing
  • Cough
  • Runny Nose
  • Congestion
  • Watery eyes
  • Wheezing
  • Rashes

What Breeds Mold?

Mold needs three things to thrive:

  • Moisture
  • Organic material
  • Oxygen

That means it can grow on practically any surface. Even inorganic substrate can be a reasonable place to settle down and make a family as long as there are organic materials present like dirt, pollen, and dust. 

Especially, in the subtropical climate of the Tampa Bay area, there is plenty of humidity and rain to make spores happy. You might find it growing on the side of your building, your eaves, and sidewalks.

When the integrity of your home is compromised, mold will take advantage of new, moist food sources. 

Detecting Mold

Any condition that allows water to leak inside will become a breeding ground for mold. These conditions include:

  • Oversized HVAC system
  • Improperly installed vents
  • Poor roof ventilation
  • Roof damage
  • Poorly insulated windows
  • Gaps in door frames
  • Sweating pipes
  • Leaking plumbing

Water damage will alert you to areas where fungi will thrive. Addressing this issue as soon as possible will help to mitigate mold growth. There are certain telltale signs an inspector looks for when walking through a home:  

  • Bubbling paint
  • Ceiling stains
  • Musty smells
  • Puddle marks
  • Drip stains
  • Active leaks
  • Humid indoor air

Rotting wood and decaying building materials should be replaced with new ones, and a dehumidifier can help to dry out general moisture from parts of your home that can be salvaged. 

Divinity Mold Test and Mold Inspection Services

If you are buying a new home or commercial property or have mold concerns for your current residential house or business, you need a reliable inspection service to provide you with detailed findings. Well, you’re in luck because Divinity Inspection Service is one of the best inspection companies in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Brooksville, Florida! You can trust our certified inspectors to thoroughly investigate the property and offer you a meticulous report.

When you have a commercial property inspection or home inspection performed, Divinity Inspection service will check for common and not-so-common places where mold might grow. Your inspector will also determine present conditions that could foster future mold growth if left unresolved. 

Under floorboards and inside your walls are just some of the many places mold can hide beyond our reach. If you suspect that the level of mold spores present indoors is extremely high, other inspection services can provide you with useful data. For instance, we can perform a mold test to determine what type of mold is present in the air and the spore count.

For more information about our mold inspection services or to schedule an inspection, you can get in touch with us by clicking here.

 

 

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Why Do You Need a Renovation Inspection?

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Your dream project is finished, and you couldn’t be happier. Everything looks amazing. It’s perfect!

…or is it? 

Without the expertise of a professional inspector, you won’t know for sure. Even if your renovation project was expensive, and you don’t want to spend the extra cash, think again!

Inspector doing renovation inspectionWhen you receive a renovation inspection right away, and problems are found, you can take that report straight to the contractors you hired. A renovation inspection report offers you solid proof that they made an error. 

As long as you have taken the time to choose quality contractors who believe in superior customer service, they will want to make it right without additional charges.

Why should I hire an inspector?

If a contractor builds something, it should be done correctly. Every home improvement project known to mankind has a right way to do it. But many contractors cut corners or rush through important steps. We also need to remember that they are human and can make mistakes too!

Regardless of why something went wrong, when it does you won’t always detect it. If you knew exactly how to do it, you would probably do it yourself, right? 

Skip the DIY Pro

You might consider saving money by calling over your cool uncle or best friend. They DIY everything so why can’t they inspect your project after it’s done?

Skip the “DIY pro inspection”, no matter how good they are.

At the end of the day, their words mean nothing because they aren’t certified.

Authority Means Success

Even if you really trust your cool uncle or best friend, and they find a big problem, their word holds zero authority. The contractor could easily argue with you and refuse to fix their mistakes. 

But a professional inspector’s word is gold, especially if you choose one with a high reputation. As a certified and licensed authority in the field, inspectors are trusted to save lives by evaluating the safety of structures, building components, and major appliances. 

If a contractor tries to fight an inspection report, you can take legal action against them and use the report as evidence.

What is a renovation inspection?

A renovation inspection is a post-remodel or post-repair inspection that professionally assesses the work performed by contractors. It’s performed by an inspector with a meticulous eye for detail who could build the project themselves. 

When you hire an inspector to assess a renovation project, you are buying an ally that will look out for your best interests and ensure that you get exactly what you paid for. With their report in hand, you can feel at ease knowing that your project will be safe and well made.

When should I call the inspector?

It’s always best to consult with your inspector before the project begins. They understand the steps of the process and what they should be present for. They don’t have x-ray vision and may need to check in at certain times for optimum accessibility.

For instance, if you are having electrical work done, you do not want to call the inspector after they have fixed the walls. He or she will want to evaluate as much of the wiring as possible to spot fire hazards.

Effective Teamwork Creates Beautiful Projects

A professional contractor will not be surprised if you want to set up an inspection schedule. They are used to pausing their construction at specific intervals to allow an inspector to check their work.

If they care about their customers and have pride in their craftsmanship, your contractors will want an inspector to catch mistakes and help them to construct your project safely and efficiently. 

Together, we can make your dream renovation project truly perfect.

Divinity Renovation Inspection Service in Tampa Bay, Florida

If you need an inspection performed on your next repair, renovation, or remodeling project, Divinity Inspection Services has the best inspectors for the job. 

Many of our inspectors are also contractors. So when you hire us to inspect your construction projects, we will send an expert of the trade to evaluate any work done and report the issues found.

You can trust us to identify problems that could compromise the integrity of your project and cost your money in repairs down the road. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!

 

 

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Why do I need Commercial Inspection Services?

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Most inspection services in Florida do not offer commercial inspections because it’s not a straightforward task. Commercial inspection services differ extensively from the much more common home inspection. 

Unfortunately, even inspection services that perform commercial inspection services approach them like a more complicated residential inspection. Even though commercial inspections may hold some similarities to a home inspection, the purpose is financial profitability.

Q and A - Why do I need Commercial Inspection Services

The Investigative Process of a Commercial Inspection 

To confirm the condition of the property in question, inspectors evaluate the components of the interior and exterior, including the:

  • Parking lot
  • Landscaping
  • Structure
  • Foundation
  • Walls
  • Roof
  • Doors & Windows
  • HVAC
  • Plumbing
  • Electric

Some commercial inspection services rely on contractors specialized in roofing, construction, or building codes to guide them, but at Divinity Inspection Service, our inspectors are also construction contractors who have a thorough education in these fields. 

However, there is so much more to what a commercial inspector does for their client. The entire history of the building needs to be investigated as well. The inspector must carefully read through many documents such as:

  • Building plans
  • Floor plans
  • Permits
  • Citations
  • Records
  • Studies
  • Surveys
  • Appraisals

Once we sort through all the evidence and data, we use the information to assess the building’s current state. For instance, if there are construction aspects that were not completed with a permit, the inspector will notify you.

Like a detective, the inspector deduces if the property matches the documents provided. Once we confirm this, the inspector moves from the physical aspect of the inspection to a business perspective. 

This part of the commercial inspection process is known as “due diligence,” and it is what starkly separates residential inspectors from those who specialize in commercial properties .

Due diligence requires a high level of expertise provided by the inspector. How much due diligence can be asserted will depend on the age, location, and condition of the property.

What Does a Commercial Inspection Service Do For You?

As commercial inspectors, we help investors to gain authority at the negotiation table with the power of knowledge and documentation. In order to do that, a commercial inspector needs to understand how to convey this information in their final property condition report (PCR) for their client. 

The team at Divinity Inspection Service considers your needs as a commercial property owner and recognizes that it is both a company’s expense and asset that generates income. Having a firm grasp on exactly how much money the property will cost you will help you determine how much money you will make from it.

The report you receive from us will include a meticulous document that outlines the entire property and all of its components, from the roof to the foundation. It will also explain important facts like necessary repairs, construction mistakes, and projects completed without a permit. 

This information is crucial for investors to make profitable decisions and get the most out of them. Without a property condition report, an investor has no foresight or negotiating power. 

Divinity Commercial Inspection Services in Tampa Bay, Florida

Divinity Inspection Service has a complete team of inspectors who can provide you with a wide array of inspections, including both commercial and residential inspections. Our team of licensed contractors is certified by InterNACHI to offer you the best possible report for your unique situation.

We pride ourselves on your full satisfaction. When you need an ally to assist you through huge financial investments, you want an inspector you can trust to look out for your best interests. At Divinity Inspection Service, we use our expertise to shed light on the secrets hidden within every property we inspect so they don’t surprise you.

If you have questions about our commercial inspection services, please contact us!