January is Radon Action Month

Radon gas is the second leading cause of cancer in the United States. It is estimated that 22,000 people die of lung cancer due to Radon gas per year. Radon gas is present in soil and water, and enters homes through the foundation. You can not see, taste, smell, or feel Radon gas in your home. The only way to know if your home has a Radon problem is to test for it.

Testing is simple. Test kits are available from many government sources, as well as local hardware stores and home centers. Professional testing by Radon professionals is also an option. Regardless of the method of testing or the cost of testing, all homes should be tested for Radon gas.

If your home tests high for Radon gas, it can be fixed. Radon mitigation systems can be installed to remove Radon gas for $800.00-1200.00 for the average home. New homes should be constructed using Radon resistant construction techniques.

Facts about Radon:

• Although some scientists dispute the precise number of deaths due to radon, all the major health organizations (like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Lung Association and the American Medical Association) agree with estimates that radon causes thousands of preventable lung cancer deaths every year. This is especially true among smokers, since the risk to smokers is much greater than to non-smokers.
• Radon testing is easy. You can test your home yourself or hire a qualified radon test company. Either approach takes only a small amount of time and effort.
• There are simple solutions to radon problems in homes. Hundreds of thousands of homeowners have already fixed radon problems in their homes. Most homes can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs; check with one or more qualified mitigators. Call your state radon office for help in identifying qualified mitigation contractors.
• House construction can affect radon levels. However, radon can be a problem in homes of all types: old homes, new homes, drafty homes, insulated homes, homes with basements, and homes without basements. Local geology, construction materials, and how the home was built are among the factors that can affect radon levels in homes.
• High radon levels have been found in every state. Radon problems do vary from area to area, but the only way to know your radon level is to test.
• Although radon gets into some homes through water, it is important to first test the air in the home for radon. If your water comes from a public water supply that uses ground water, call your water supplier. If high radon levels are found and the home has a private well, call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1 800-426-4791 for information on testing your water.
• You will reduce your risk of lung cancer when you reduce radon levels, even if you've lived with a radon problem for a long time.
• A short-term test, followed by a second short-term test can be used to decide whether to fix your home. However, the closer the average of your two short-term tests is to 2.7 pCi/L, the less certain you can be about whether your year-round average is above or below that level. Keep in mind that radon levels below 2.7 pCi/L still pose some risk. Radon levels can be reduced in most homes to 2 pCi/L or below.

For further informaiton:

www.epa.gov/radon

1-800-767-7236 (1-800-SOS-RADON)

Eddie's Story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmOUY2Fc9yU

Please consider having your home tested for Radon.

Radon Action Week

Governor Granholm has declared the week of October 18-24, 2009, to be Radon Action Week in Michigan.

Nearly 1 in 15 homes in the United States would be expected to have an elevated indoor radon level, and in Michigan approximately 1 in 8 homes would be expected to have a radon problem. That number may be higher in Michigan's southern-most counties, from Kalamazoo to Washtenaw counties south.

Radon is a tasteless, odorless, colorless, radioactive gas that is naturally occurring in soil and rock. It enters buildings through openings in the foundation floor or walls (sump openings; crawl spaces; floor/wall joints; cracks; space around plumbing, wiring, or ductwork; etc.).

Radon has no warning symptoms (it does not cause headaches, nausea, fatigue, etc.); the only known health effect is an increased risk of lung cancer!

Any home could have a radon problem. It doesn’t matter whether it’s old or new; energy efficient or drafty; or built over a basement, over a crawlspace, or built slab-on-grade; it could have a problem. All homes should be tested. The only way to know if your home has a radon problem is to test it!

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, resulting in more than 21,000 new lung cancers each year (more than 600 of those in Michigan alone!). EPA and the Surgeon General recommend that all homes be tested for Radon. Protect yourself and your loved ones! Test your home for radon today! 1-800-RADON GAS/1-800-723-6642 OR www.michigan.gov/deqradon

An Argument in Favor of Licensing

One argument often brought up in favor of home inspector licensing is that licensing gives the consumer relief from bad home inspectors, because it allows the State to take action against a bad home inspector if licensing regulations are violated. Opposition to that argument often comes from those who are members of professional associations which require certain standards be met or maintained for continued membership or certification. However, this is dependent on enforcement of those standards. Here are a few examples:

Not too long ago, a story was related to me by a client who had recently experienced a bad home inspection, along with a particularly grievous insult after the fact. He had retained a home inspector to conduct an inspection for the fee of $225.00. During the inspection, which he attended, the home inspector failed to note a stain on the ceiling. The client took note, and brought this stain to the inspector's attention. The inspector assured the client that the stain was old, and would be fine. On the assurances of the home inspector, the client proceeded to closing. On final walk-through the day before closing, the client noted that the "old stain" had increased in size significantly, and was now growing mold. The client backed out of the deal. The sellers sued for breach of contract. In the court affidavit, the inspector stated that he had indicated the the stain was damp, and required immediate attention. Based on this false affidavit, the court awarded for the seller in the amount of $25,000.00. Thus, this fellow's home inspection ended up costing him $25,225.00. The client felt he had no recourse. He did not have information about the home inspector's certification, nor information on how to file a complaint. In addition, it was his opinion that the certifying association would take no putative action.

In another case, where the home inspector is certified by the same association, documentation and public information reveal that the home inspector provides bids for work after inspecting residential properties, in direct conflict with that association's code of ethics. What's more, this inspector is married to a real estate agent - information that is not disclosed to potential clients, but may be important for clients to know. While it is widely known that this is happening within the local professional home inspection community, no complaints have been filed, and the practice continues.

In both of these cases, licensing may provide the only means to eliminate unethical behavior. Without proper and effective policing from within, any association can claim to be regulating its members, but in reality they are simply covering up incompetent, unethical, and dangerous practices. Before accepting the claim that an organization does police its membership, proof should be on hand demonstrating that they do in fact do this. Cases should be made public, and the docket should show regular and current activity. Without valid proof, the claim of self-policing is mute, and should not be accepted as an argument against protecting the public through home inspector licensing.

Legislation

Michigan does not currently require home inspectors to be licensed. When looking for a home inspector, be sure to verify what license is being referred to when a home inspector advertises "licensed". Many home inspectors are licensed builders. Michigan recently changed its builder licensing law to require continuing competency training.

Representative Richard LeBlac of Michigan's 18th District introduced House Bill 4162 earlier this year. This bill is currently being held by the Regulatory Reform Committee. Representative Bert Johnson is chair of this committee.

Senator Glenn Anderson or Michigan's 6th District introduced a companion bill, Senate Bill 0355. This bill is also delayed in the Economic Development and Regulatory Reform committee. Senator Alan Sanborn chairs this committee.

The current bills represent 4 years of hard work on the part of Michigan's Legislature and professional home inspectors working to address the question of licensing. These bills are good legislation. They protect the consumer, and assist the inspector in eliminating conflict of interest issues. The single shortcoming is the absence of a prohibition against real estate agents steering home buyers to specific home inspectors.

To show your support for this legislation, contact your State Senator or Representative. To contact the sponsors of these bills, telephone Richard LeBlanc at 517-373-2576 or 888-737-5325. Senator Glenn Anderson can be reached at 517-373-1707 or 866-262-7306. Let them know that you support this legislation, and would like to see it move out of committee.

Professionalism

"Whether a person can be deemed a professional is determined by the degree to which he or she has internalized certain values pertinent to the profession. Although there is some disagreement, four areas appear to be important.

1. Expertise. The professional requires some expertise. This includes specialized knowledge and skills that can be obtained only through training (usually through academic study and experience).
2. Autonomy. The professional claims autonomy. Professionals reserve the right to decide how their function is to be performed and to be free from restrictions.
3. Commitment. Professionals feel a commitment to the discipline. They are more likely to identify with members of their profession in other organizations than with their own organization.
4. Code of ethics. Finally, there is a responsibility to society for the maintenance of professional standards of work. They adhere to professional self-discipline and a code of ethics."
   

Brown & Harvey, An Experiential Approach to Organization Development, 7th Ed.

Licensing

Is it time to license home inspectors in Michigan? Some think so, and legislation has been introduced in both houses of the Michigan Legislature. The current bills are fairly well written, and appear to be the best that have been introduced to date. If you favor this legislation, contact your Representative or Senator in Lansing, and ask them to support this legislation.