in this issue >>>

Powerwashing and other fun projects!

Spring Checklist and Jason’s Blog

Tales from the Money Pit (Steve’s house)

Keep wet air out of the crawlspace

41 Issue

Your Quarterly Insight into Preventative Home Maintenance

newsletter “Spring has sprung and the sap is running… to Home

Depot, Karp’s Hardware to the plumbing supply house!

This Spring edition of the Newsletter not

only has a handy Spring Checklist to remind

you to check various items around the

house, but also includes some Spring gar-

den preparation hints. We’ve included

some info about Stonehollow’s expanding

services, and there’s the continuing saga of

my home (yes, still evolving!). And season-

al ideas to help save money & stay safe!

We hope you enjoy this edition & pass your

copy on to others. Recycling saves paper

& ink. We hope you are having an exciting

2013 and that your Winter was not too

tough. As the flowers bloom we always get

very optimistic. And it doesn’t hurt that

real estate is bouncing back and Stone-

hollow has been very busy doing inspec-

tions and lots of environmental testing.

We wish you the best of the new season

and hope you will think of us when you

need any of our services. Best Wishes:

Steve, Matt, Jason, Danny, Jeff & Naoki in

the field, and Sandi & Jaime in the office.

Time to clean screens & skylights ?

Spring...finally, bulbs are popping out of the ground , buds on the

trees, warmer weather… I am sitting on my patio with the dog on my

lap… all 40 pounds of him! He’s listening to the birds & I am just tick-

led to be outside and warm. The wind is blowing lightly and its times

like this that all the work around the house seems worthwhile and re-

warding. So to ruin the moment, my head wanders to the tasks that

need doing… and so the Spring race begins to ready the house for

warm weather & summer barbeques. So lets figure out a plan of attack.

Windows– if your house is like

mine… we rarely wash the win-

dows. But the dirt that builds up

can easily be washed off with

one of those car wash brushes

and a pail of soapy

water. I bought a

brush that connects to

the hose at Costco

that really works

quite well and with a

little effort the exteri-

or sashes look great.

Remember if your

home was built before 1978 it

pays to do a lead test before

you scrape, sand or powerwash

to make sure you are not put-

ting lead into the atmosphere or

your body.

Once rinsed you can wipe them

with a paper towel and make sure

the water is fully and get them

spotless. If your windows are the

tilt in type there’s no need for the

ladder. Anderson

windows have a neat

tool built into their

windows that allows

you to press the side

track and easily tilt in

the window (see pho-

tos).

Free mulch, take

as much as you

want. Have rake

will travel!

The Helpful Home Spring 2013 Edition

Quiz: What are these people celebrating? The

opening of the new Mill River Park in Stamford

P. 1

Protecting your home & keeping basements dry are high on my list for preventative

maintenance. Last issue we discussed keeping gutters and leaders clean and flowing

away from the foundation. This month we are talking interior. Do you have a wet

or damp basement? Do you have a good dehumidifier operating during the warmer

months? Most units will have a humidistat switch that automatically turn on when it

senses the room is too moist. Dehumidifiers can make a remarkable difference if

they are set up to drain themselves into a sink, a drain or a condensate pump. Re-

moving the need for you to empty the water bucket. Remember having a sump

pump won’t do much good if the power is out, unless you have a battery back-up or

a generator. After repeated storms and power outages in our area many have pur-

chased power alternatives to help prevent their basements from flooding. (P.3)

Protecting your home from water (part 2): P.2

Tales From the Money Pit... My house is in the midst of a huge spring project… the biggest of all is the creation of

a hallway for my parents to get to the house without having to climb steps or go out-

side. We were able to carve most of the hall from existing closets and part of the laun-

dry room but due to the width (we needed to accommodate my father in law’s walker),

we needed to look for a way to remove the chimney for the boiler and that precipitated

getting rid of a low efficiency boiler and replacing it with a high efficiency modulating

unit that exhausts out the side of the house with a pvc plastic chimney. I had 20/20 Air out of New Milford install it and what a

strange transformation it was. Almost silently, it is heating the house like a champ and finally we seem to have plenty of hot water

for showers and laundry. As this is being written the flooring guys have installed new hardwood floor, sanded and put down the

first of three coats of polyurethane. Before they arrived I painted the apartment living room and my dad’s office and we installed a

new door and replaced a broken window. With the new floor , the hallway naturally flows from one end of the home to the other

(like it was always there). The best part is my parents haven’t a clue and they will be arriving shortly to a newly configured and

freshly painted and newly resurfaced floors. I’m hoping the reaction will be amazing. As a result of the renovation the laundry room

now smaller is freshly painted with cabinetry mounted for detergents and cleaning supplies, the alarm system had to be reconfigured

with 4 window alarms and two door signals. New trim and shingles installed and a gutter reconfigured. Below is a photo of the new-

ly refinished floor in the apt. The new plastic chimney out the side and a photo of the re-stained deck.

property advice >>>

Spring Home Check List

Spring 2013 Helpful Home Check List:

1. Take a few moments to stretch. Swing

those arms around , bend those knees, get

your body loosened up. Most of us do too

much the first day and can barely move

the next three!

2. Go buy a nice clean pair of yard gloves.

Why take the chance of getting poison ivy from last years residue

(waiting on the gloves) or big blisters from your garden tools . Sur-

round your hands with some well deserved comfort.

3. Clean and sharpen your tools. Don’t be so quick to replace a tool that

just needs a little care. A moment to sharpen a blade might save you

half the effort of doing the job. And a dull tool makes a job much

more dangerous.

4. Lubricate as you go. Opening windows for the season. Get some spray

lube into the tracks, on the sashes or around the wheels.

5. Wrap the garage support post with carpet padding to reduce car dings.

(This one’s a no brainer!)

6. As you clean the gutters add nylon mesh leaf guards to the gutters and

you’ll never have to do this job again!

From page 2: But remember any generator used in a contained

space can give off carbon monoxide and make your family sick or

worse. Make sure generators are located in well ventilated places

where they can give off heat. Last winter we watched several gen-

erators burst into flames because the were over used and run too

long. So back to the water in the basement… have you insulated

your cold water pipes so they do not condense and drip? Well

tanks and water treatment devices can condense and add to the

moisture level in basements and crawlspaces. Contrary to popular

myth having a sump pump is really a good thing as they can han-

dle flooding, leaks and spills. And finally a $15 water alarm can

alert you to a leak or a flood and help save you a big clean-up.

Check list Continued:

7. Place new batteries in the garage

touch pads and remotes in your car.

Don’t wait for the battery to die in a rain

storm.

8. Look at the tire on the wheelbarrow…

does it need air? I have one with a solid

rubber wheel and metal handles, what a

difference that made.

9. Fresh gasoline in the mowers, blowers

and weed-whackers can make quite

quick starting and even running so much

nicer.

10. Clean the lawn furniture before you

sit on them and get sap, mold and gook

on yourself. Gently power washing or

using a car wash brush makes the job go

easier. Use resin cleaner on resin chairs.

11. Take breaks and vary your tasks and

if you use any herbicides, pesticides or

strong chemicals be sure to frequently

wash your hands and make sure there is

plenty of ventilation.

12. Drink fluids and stay hydrated. Dress

in layers and monitor yourself. Enjoy

spring for all its optimism but pace your-

self.

Surprising things to know about Stonehollow and our inspections:

On every inspection we look carefully at the HVAC equipment, checking for condi-tions, cleanliness, maintenance needs, safety and service needs. A/C units are run when temps allow safe operation. All full Home Inspections receive a certi-fied Pest & Wood Destroying Insect In-spection from Steve who has a State of CT Supervisory Pest Control License.

P. 3

Spring Checklist Continued: P.4

13. Check the hoses for leaks, bad ends and replace the hardware as needed. Don’t drink from newer hoses

as many contaminate the water with the plastic materials they are made from. Read labels on new hose

packages.

14. If you have a pool, pond or hot tub, make sure gates are self latching and self closing on good springs.

Make sure the pool area is completely enclosed with good fencing and that doors from the home to the pool

area chime to let you know someone has entered. CT and New York have statutes that cover pools and the

responsibility of the owners to provide a barrier to keep animals and kids out is critically important.

15. Make sure pets have licenses and collars with name, address, and phone info. Spring is a natural time for

dogs and cats to wander off and having identification may save you hours of searching for them.

For more tips and solid advice on home preventative maintenance visit our web site at

www.stonehollow.com or give us a call. (203-327-6824) or email us at steve@stonehollow.com.

Warm Weather Grows Mold...Closing vents to crawlspaces will reduce musty

smells and keep basements fresher! 7 Things you can do to avoid problems …

1. Close up exterior vents to the crawlspace. Use a piece of rigid Styrofoam insulation cut to size and foam it into position with

expanding foam.

2. Insulate inside the crawlspace with rigid foam insulation on all walls. This saves heat loss in winter as well.

3. Insulate both hot and cold water pipes. (No need to insulate waste lines) This will lower hot water heating costs.

4. Make sure heating systems in crawlspaces and basements have fresh air, or enough conditioned air for them to work

properly. Ask your HVAC contractor if there is enough air for the unit before you close things up. You may need to add a “fan in

the can“ (fresh air just for the heating system) from outside.

5. Ventilate the crawl to the living space or the basement. When we bring warm moist air into crawlspaces from outside it often

condenses on cooler building materials and the moisture promotes mold growth and musty odors. Venting into conditioned air

does not cause this problem.

6. Run a dehumidifier in the basement with openings into the crawl so it dries both areas. Drain water from humidifier regularly or

pipe into a condensate pump, sump pump, sink or a floor drain.

7. Insulate well tanks, water treatment tanks and any areas you spot condensation.

Water Testing—Should you test regularly? Summer is the best time to make sure your water is clean. Obviously more water is consumed in the warmer months and bad

water often tastes good. Yes water that is clean and pure should not have a taste and many homeowners who have told us their

water tasted great ended up with bacteria and problems with water quality. Testing your home every two to three years will pro-

tect your family and give you peace of mind. Arsenic, Radon, Voc’s, Lead, Uranium, and Pesticides can easily be tested for.

Questions? Call us if you have a home issue, or concern. We are happy to help!

Please call our Client Hotlines:

203-327-6824 Stamford 203–304-9140 Newtown

Need advice on a project, or a name of a

reliable contractor… we are happy to try

to help you with a good referral. Re-

member any contractor you choose to

hire should have insurance, should be

registered with the State of CT, if the

home was built before 1978 the contrac-

tor should have taken the national lead

safe practices course and should have a

certificate to prove they passed the

course. Having General liability insur-

ance and workman’s comp. will protect

you in case something breaks or a work-

man gets hurt. Make sure if a permit is

required for a particular job the permit is

pulled from the local municipality and

that the permit is closed out before you

make a final payment. Contractors are

required by State Law to write contracts

for the work they are to do. Contracts

spell out what will be done, the level of

quality or budget for certain items, pay-

ment schedules and time limitations.

Having a contract also places you under

the protection of the Department of Con-

sumer Protection. Don’t put yourself in

limbo or get ripped off with a hand-

shake and a friendly description of how

beautiful the finished product will be.

Get a contract and know that in CT you

have 3 working days to cancel that con-

tract if you get cold feet. Do your best to

look at a contractors latest work and get

testimonials from their client’s. Beware

of web based testimonials as they may

not be legitimate. When it comes to a

down payment... Don’t pay everything

up front… or you may never see some of

these guys, or your money again!

Asbestos—What do you do? We are told asbestos causes cancer and lung

diseases but what are the current attitudes

toward certain home products and how dan-

gerous are they? Many homes have asbestos

pipe wrap on the plumbing. This material is

often in damaged condition and easily can

become airborne (Friable) The biggest dan-

ger with all asbestos is getting it into your

lungs.. With plumbing we recommend proper

removal and disposal with an EPA approved

contractor. With floor tiles and floor tile

adhesive unless badly damaged or popping

up or crumbling we recommend encapsulat-

ing the material under plywood and carpet.

With asbestos millboard (sheet goods usually

gray) found on boiler room or garage entry

doors we recommend they remain unless

cracked or damaged. If the asbestos is on the

ducts or on a piece of heating equipment we

recommend removal or replacement of the

equipment. Asbestos on a boiler makes that

boiler probably more than 60 years old.

Yes, We are growing! And covering more towns!

Spring Tips– who you gonna call?

Please visit our website for

lots more good information and

useful safety and maintenance

tips for your home.

www.stonehollow.com

We are now 6 inspectors at Stonehollow and able to cover more towns for your home inspection and testing needs. Stephen Gladstone , ACI Jason Horn , ACI Matthew Gladstone, ACI Naoki Hirabayashi, Insp. Danny Land, Insp. Jeff Walsh, Insp.

P.5

Where there is rain there is mold!

Spring showers bring forth flowers and trees. The rain and

higher humidity also encourage the growth of mold and other

fungus. Mold has gotten a lot of press over the years and as

home inspectors we get asked about it frequently. Let’s talk a

bit about cleaning mold.

Step one: is to determine what is causing the moist condi-

tions. Mold growth usually requires at least two factors,

moisture and a source of organic material. Temperature also

has an effect on mold growth, but we must first deal with

moisture. Once the source of the moisture has been deter-

mined, it is important to reduce or eliminate high levels that

will encourage the growth of mold.

Step two: You need to assemble needed items. Most mold

clean up can be accomplished with a general household

cleaner (one that does not contain Ammonia). When the

cause of moisture is from “grey water or waste water leaks”

it will be necessary to clean with a bleach solution to reduce

mold and bacteria growth. Other items needed are disposable

towels, rubber gloves, spray bottles, a respirator with HEPA

cartridge, a commercial grade HEPA-vacuum and a good

dehumidifier.

Step three: Prepare the room. Try to seal off the room to be

treated from the rest of the house in order to contain spores

to one room. This may involve covering doorways and

HVAC ducts/registers with plastic. The use of a dehumidifier

prior to, during and after the cleaning process will help to

reduce moisture and prevent mold growth from returning.

Step four: The actual cleaning. Use solutions in spray bottles

to thoroughly clean any affected areas. If bacterial contami-

nation is suspected, use a bleach solution (1 cup per gallon of

water). Never mix cleaning agents and bleach such as Win-

dex and Clorox . Combining ammonia and bleach can result

in toxic gases that can cause serious injury. When using a

bleach solution allow it to set for 15 minutes to 2 hours. Be

sure to change towels frequently and dispose of used towel in

sealable garbage bags. Rinse surfaces with warm water and

wipe down with a clean towel.

Step five: When surfaces are dry, use a HEPA vacuum to

remove dead mold and spores. Individuals who are allergic

to mold can still have negative reactions to dead material.

Dispose contaminated solutions and cleaning material

properly in sealed bags. Reducing moisture and properly

cleaning affected areas can go a long way in combating an

outbreak of mold. It is very important to pay attention to

areas that collect moisture or where leaks have occurred in

the past. Preventing conducive conditions for mold growth

is always the first step in the prevention of a potential un-

healthy situation. For more information go to: http://

www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/eh/mold/clean.htm

Stonehollow Home Inspection and Environmental Testing Since 1983. Protecting our

Clients for 30 years. Home Inspections, Maintenance Inspections, Contractor Supervision, Thermal Imaging, Environmental Testing

Do You know where the important shut- offs for your home are? Take a minute with

your family & teach them each of these important locations and what to do in an emergency.

The Helpful Home Newsletter is sent to you for free by Stonehollow Fine Home Inspections. Please pass this information on to others to save paper. And download it for free at www.stonehollow.com Copyright 2013 HPN, Inc.

Contact us at 800-356-9611 www.stonehollow.com

154 Overbrook Drive Stamford, CT 203-356-9611

12 Grace Moore Road Sandy Hook , CT 203-304-9140

Coming In The Summer Issue: Summer Home Checklist , Buried Oil Tanks

Readying your home for hot weather.

Termites … what to do when you see them? P.6 Horn on Homes:

Listen! 1490 WGCH am

www.stonehollow.com, & check us out at Facebook ..

Sat mornings 7-9 am and streaming at

www.wgch.com Archived Shows of “Around the

House” with Steve Gladstone! on our web site

Mold & mildew, kill it or clean it? By Jason Horn