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High-Performance Buildings

Americans spend most of their time inside buildings. We take for granted the shelter, protection, warmth, coolness, air and light that buildings provide, and rarely give a thought to the systems that deliver these services unless there’s a power interruption or other problem. In addition, few Americans understand the environmental consequences of maintaining indoor comfort levels.

 

Today’s buildings typically use mechanical equipment powered by electricity and fossil fuels for lighting, heating, cooling and maintaining air quality. Last year, buildings in the U.S. consumed more than one-third of the nation’s energy and contributed 36% of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions released into the atmosphere. Fossil fuels burned to generate electricity and condition buildings emit other pollutants that cost citizens and insurance companies millions of dollars in healthcare costs each year. Mining and extraction of fossil fuels also have environmental impacts, and instability in pricing causes concern among both business people and homeowners. Creating buildings that use less energy not only reduces and stabilizes costs, but also reduces environmental impact.

 

The good news is that we have the knowledge and technologies to reduce energy use in our homes and workplaces without compromising comfort and aesthetics. The bad news is that we are not taking full advantage of these advances—buildings are typically designed and operated without considering all their environmental impacts.

 

Whole-Building Design

For decades, researchers and innovative designers and builders have created buildings that treat the environment as a resource, rather than as an obstacle to be overcome. Over the years, building professionals have steadily refined the equipment and design strategies used in these environmentally responsive buildings. This evolutionary process and the resulting body of knowledge have led to the concept of “whole-building” design.

 

In the whole-building approach, designers create a computer model of a structure during the early stages of the design process. Using this model, together with improved communication among the various players in the design/build process, designers can integrate disparate building elements into the most energy-efficient, cost-effective and comfortable building possible. The goal is to minimize the building’s impact on the environment, and, quite often, the results are remarkable, resulting in dramatic savings in energy use without a substantial increase in design or construction costs. As a bonus, these buildings can improve the health, comfort and productivity of their occupants in measurable ways. In commercial buildings, dollar savings from increases in productivity
and reduced absenteeism can dwarf savings from reduced energy use.

 

The DOE High-Performance Buildings Program

Design Approach

Although there’s no concrete definition of a high-performance building, InterNACHI defines it as a building with energy, economic and environmental performance that is substantially better than standard practice. It’s energy-efficient, so it saves money and natural resources. It’s a healthy place to live and work for its occupants, and has relatively low impact on the environment. All this is achieved through a process called whole-building design.

Design Guidelines

Whole-building commercial design considers all building components during the design phase. It integrates all the sub-systems and parts of the building to work together. Because all the pieces must fit together, it is essential that the design team be fully integrated from the beginning of the process. The building design team can include architects, engineers, building occupants and owners, and specialists in areas such as indoor air quality, materials, and energy use.

 

Whole-building design takes into consideration the building structure and systems as a whole, and examines how these systems work best together to save energy and reduce environmental impact. For example, a building that uses extensive daylighting techniques will reduce the amount of heat given off by lighting fixtures, thus allowing for a smaller air-conditioning system. This whole-building philosophy considers site, energy, materials, indoor air quality, acoustics, natural resources, and their interrelation.

 

This approach brings together building design, energy efficiency, and today’s solar technologies to boost your energy savings and make the most of all your building’s elements. It reduces the amount of energy required to operate a building compared to conventional buildings. It improves the comfort of building occupants by using aesthetically pleasing architectural designs to brighten up work areas using sunlight rather than electricity, without causing excess glare.

What are the benefits of whole-building design?

 

Commercial buildings consume 17% of the total energy consumed in the United States. By creating buildings that use less energy and have lower power demands, greater robustness of the buildings (as well as the power grid) is achieved. This reduces the need for fossil fuels and consequential environmental impact.

 

Benefits of whole-building design include:

• reduced energy use by 50% or more;
• reduced maintenance and capital costs;
• reduced environmental impact;
• increased occupant comfort and health; and 
• increased employee productivity.

Employee productivity and business profitability are linked. Recent studies have shown an increase in employee productivity when buildings are designed with occupants in mind—natural light, comfortable temperatures, and a quiet work environment being their most important issues. Research suggests that a well-designed workplace can increase employee productivity by 20%. Furthermore, studies also show that a pleasant indoor building environment helps attract desirable tenants for building owners, increasing the number of potential renters for a building.

How much does it cost?

 
There is a growing interest today on the part of commercial building owners, facilities managers, architects, engineers, and builders to design and construct the best possible building for the allotted budget. Depending on the aggressiveness of the design, experience has shown that it costs no more than 10% more to build high-performance buildings. Some high-performance buildings cost less to construct. Sometimes, additional costs can be procured using cost-benefit ratios and life-cycle costing. The added cost (if any) of system investment each year is compared to the cost of fuel saved each year. Total energy costs are, on average, about 50% less than those for conventionally designed buildings. In many cases, the right-sizing of mechanical systems through passive solar design offsets the costs for additional windows and controls.

 
1. Will the building look unusual?
Many owners want to make a statement with whole-building design and sustainable features. Many other owners, however, are creating these buildings at little or no additional cost that appear no different from conventional designs.

 

2. Is “whole-building” the same as energy-efficiency?
Energy-efficiency does figure prominently in our designs, but there are many other aspects to design. The whole-building concept looks to integrating all disciplines to meet a set of goals for a building.

 

3. Are these buildings just for large corporations?
Many of the early adopters were municipalities and government agencies that recognized the opportunities for life-cycle cost savings. Anyone can benefit from whole-building design.

 

4. Is there a market demand for whole-building design?
Yes. Corporations, universities, and government agencies are demonstrating that whole-building design can provide better working environments and cost less to operate. Students, employees, and non-profit community groups are all demanding and campaigning for the adoption of low-energy buildings.

 

5. If I decide to “go green,” won’t I have to come up with more money?
Not necessarily. Some prescriptive requirements, such as use of photovoltaics, may initially drive project costs somewhat higher, but several owners have published data demonstrating their success in procuring green buildings for less than the cost of a conventional building. Look around for incentives. These include incentives from local utility companies tied to energy-efficiency, grants for renewable energy installations, and various tax rebate programs.

 

6. Isn’t whole-building design based on fringe technologies?
Most projects have achieved good performance using conventional building systems. In many instances, it is the effective integration of conventional systems, rather than the use of a new technology, that conserves resources and improves environmental quality. New technologies are used only after careful consultation with owners and the design team.

 

7. If it hasn’t been done before, isn’t it hard to do?
Whole-building projects are demonstrating that it’s not hard. For example, the fact that very few commercial buildings employ natural ventilation does not mean that it cannot effectively deliver satisfactory comfort year-round in many climates. In many circumstances, the techniques were used extensively before widespread use of air conditioning.

 

8. How can you get high-quality materials and systems and good environmental performance at the same time?
Removing highly toxic chemicals from a product or designing a fixture to use less water does NOT mean that the product will be less effective or have a shorter life.

 
A high-performance commercial building design strategy requires a clear definition of goals and performance benchmarks from the owner, and an inter-disciplinary design and construction approach. Design criteria should be based on environmental and energy cost/benefit analyses and attention to whole-building and system performance

 

Construction
Building construction is an act of creation than begins long before the first shovel pierces the ground. It begins with a statement of design intent, followed by creation of a performance program. Once these are approved, the process concludes with drawings and specifications, and then, finally, building commissioning during occupancy. Although simplified, below are some general guidelines:

 

Statement of Intent — A good statement of intent will clearly set forth the goals of the project, and current and possible future uses for the building, as well as a description of how building systems are to perform. Clearly defined goals and objectives here will help in the bidding process later on.

 

Performance Program — The performance program is the strategy for implementing the goals established by the statement of intent, such as budget, space planning, integrated building systems, and other specific needs. It will also set performance goals for systems, such as lighting wattage per square foot, and include such amendments as elimination of toxic materials. Several building rating systems exist that can be used to write the performance programs, such as the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or the LEED rating system.

 

Drawings and Specifications — These record the design intent. Most design firms use the format created by the Construction Specifiers Institute (CSI). However, keep in mind that for high-performance buildings, you will need to add “integrated systems drawings” and supporting documents that will illustrate how different building components relate to and impact each other. Specifications that accompany the drawings must clearly explain the design intent, especially if a project includes unusual or innovative practices or requirements.

 

Building Commissioning — This is the process of ensuring that building systems, such as air-handling equipment, security systems, and elevators, are designed, installed, functionally tested and capable of being operated and maintained according to the owner’s operational needs. Commissioning begins in the design stage and extends at least one year into the initial occupancy of the building. This process ensures that the building is operating as designed. It also saves building owners money by keeping equipment and building systems compliant with warranties, prevents future excessive repairs, reconfiguration and replacement costs, employee absenteeism due to uncomfortable work environments with poor air quality, and frequent tenant turnover. 

 

In summary, the construction of high-performance buildings has numerous benefits, such as the dramatic reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and energy savings.

Pre-Design
Because all commercial building components must work together successfully long after project completion, it is essential that sufficient time be set aside in the beginning of a project for design team development, goal-setting, and project-planning. A sustainable building can only be accomplished when everyone (the building owner, future occupants, design team) have the same energy and environmental goals for the project from the start. In short, everyone who is affected by this building in a decision-making position should be involved at the project’s beginning. Ultimately, the building owner is responsible for setting the goals and their implementation. It is the design team’s responsibility to translate goals and budget for the project into measurable benchmarks for design, construction, and operations so the project will be successful.

Design
Traditionally, commercial building design choices are based on budget and/or time considerations. Single-building components are added or deleted to meet time or budget constraints without evaluating their impact on total building performance. Yet, basic design goals, such as minimizing energy consumption or maximizing daylight, cannot be done without understanding the impact of interrelations between the parts of the building, including window-glazing systems, the thermal envelope, mechanical system-integration, orientation, and floor-plate proportions. High-performance building design must ensure complete integration to achieve optimal building performance. These interrelations are very complex. As a result, computerized simulation studies are necessary to properly account for interrelationships. Water and resource conservation, along with recycled, reusable and non-toxic, sustainable materials should also be considered in the design stage.

Design Guidelines

Design Approach: Frequently Asked Questions

In 1998, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) began working with the commercial buildings industry to develop a 20-year plan for research and development of energy-efficient commercial buildings. More than 250 people from 150 building organizations worked together to create a technology roadmap report which recommends strategies for making commercial buildings more energy-efficient. The overall goal of the DOE’s High-Performance Buildings Program is better buildings that save energy and provide a quality, comfortable environment for workers. The program targets the building community, especially building owners, engineers and architects. Building professionals are encouraged to submit plans for new commercial buildings to be a part of the High-Performance Building program. To participate, you must start very early in the design phase—before any other work is done—and must anticipate a 70% or more energy cost-reduction.

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Windbreaks

Some of the advantages provided by windbreaks, beyond simple wind mitigation, include the following.

• Many animals rely on windbreaks. Food, shelter from severe weather, nesting sites, and a means of escape cover are all provided by the vegetation that composes a windbreak. For example, the planting of windbreaks during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s is believed to have allowed the expansion of woodland birds and other creatures, such as Mississippi kites and fox squirrels. Birds, in particular, are known to rely on windbreaks for temporary cover during winter storms. Even large mammals, such as white-tailed deer, use windbreaks for cover, food and fawning. Employ a variety of trees and shrubs in your windbreak to create an abundance of different kinds of nuts, seeds and berries, which will, in turn, attract a diversity of wildlife.
• While any vegetation will increase the appeal of an otherwise barren yard, a uniform, well-maintained windbreak can actually increase property values with their pleasing aesthetics. Also, they allow the homeowner to strategically screen out undesirable sights.
• Windbreaks are effective for noise deflection. Windbreaks reduce the infiltration of traffic noise into a property by absorbing and deflecting it with leaves and large branches. In addition, traffic noises will be replaced with the sounds of rustling leaves or the singing of birds that are drawn to the vegetation.
• Windbreaks assist agriculture. According to the University of Florida’s School of Forest Resources and Conservation, ”a well-designed windbreak located in the direction of a prevailing wind can increase crop yield, reduce soil erosion, influence microclimate around the crops, increase irrigation efficiency, and control the spread of some pathogens.” Erosion, in particular, is a serious threat to farmers.  By clearing trees from the Western regions of Canada and the United States, farmers in the 1930s inadvertently encouraged evaporation and subsequent erosion that were largely responsible for the infamous Dust Bowl. Although rains eventually remedied the situation, farmers learned to place windbreaks around their lands to keep soil moist during droughts.
• Windbreaks provide snow control. A properly placed windbreak will prevent snow drifts in areas such as driveways and building entrances. Valuable time and effort can then be spent on activities other than snow removal.

Windbreaks work either by deflecting the wind up and over a building, thereby forming a protective wind shadow, or by catching it to reduce its speed. And as the windbreak captures the winter wind, so too does the wind chill diminish. For example, if the outside temperature is 12° F (-11° C), a windbreak can reduce a 20-mph wind to 5 mph, and the wind chill will be reduced from -22° F (-30° C) to a more bearable 8° F (-11° C).

The best windbreaks block wind close to the ground by using fast-growing trees and shrubs that have low crowns. Deciduous trees, while they are favored as shade trees during the summer, lose their leaves in cold weather, which makes them less effective than evergreens at stopping the frigid winter wind. The best choices are dense, fat, fast-growing conifers that will mature to a height higher than the roof. These qualities may be found with Norway, white and Colorado blue spruce.

Tips that inspectors can pass on to their clients:

• For maximum protection, plant your windbreak at a distance from your home of three to five times the height of the mature trees. Studies have shown, however, that the effective distance of wind reduction is sometimes as high as 30 times the height of the windbreak, depending on the tree species.
• Do not plant trees too close to the home’s south side, as this will reduce the warmth supplied by the winter sun.
• Arrange windbreaks in multiple rows to increase their effectiveness.
• Do not prune the lower branches of the windbreak, as this will increase the wind speed near the ground.
• Thin the trees and shrubs as they grow to ensure that competition does not jeopardize the health of the windbreak. For instance, you can plant trees 3 feet apart, but then you should remove every second tree when their crowns begin to intersect.
• Incorporate numerous plant species in the windbreak to impede wind from ground level to the treetops. Even non-living yard features, such as walls, fences and raised soils, can be incorporated into a single windbreak.
• Decide which direction the prevailing winds come from in your area so you know where the best places are to plant the windbreak.
• Be careful to not plant large trees too close to the home, as they may fall during a storm, shed leaves or needles on your roof, allow pests to access your roof, or even penetrate your basement walls with their root structure. If you are experiencing any of these conditions, be sure to talk about it with your InterNACHI inspector during your next scheduled inspection.
• Arrange the windbreak in such a way that it will provide a conduit for breezes and desired winds. 

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Wildlife Control at Home

Whether you are a home gardener, enjoy landscaping around your home, or just own your own home, there are times when certain species of wildlife can become a nuisance and cause damage to plants, and even greater economic losses. Wildlife damage can occur throughout the year, but the fall and winter months are times when food supplies and cover may become more limited for many wildlife species, causing them to find your home or landscape an attractive place to call home. Solving wildlife damage problems may seem out of your control.  But most often, you have more control over the problem than you think. It might not be easy, but if you think through the problem and put forth some effort, you can often cut your losses and maybe even eliminate them. If you have concerns or questions about wildlife, you can ask your InterNACHI inspector about them during your next scheduled inspection. InterNACHI members are the best-trained inspectors in the industry. 

 

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Water Quality

 

When a water supplier takes untreated water from a river or reservoir, the water often contains dirt and tiny pieces of leaves and other organic matter, as well as trace amounts of certain contaminants. When it gets to the treatment plant, water suppliers often add chemicals, called coagulants, to the water. These act on the water as it flows very slowly through tanks so that the dirt and other contaminants form clumps that settle to the bottom. Usually, this water then flows through a filter for removal of the smallest contaminants, such as viruses and Giardia. Most ground water is naturally filtered as it passes through layers of the earth into underground reservoirs known as aquifers. Water that suppliers pump from wells generally contains less organic material than surface water, and may not need to go through any or all of these treatments. The quality of the water will depend on local conditions. The most common drinking water treatment, considered by many to be one of the most important scientific advances of the 20th century, is disinfection. Most water suppliers add chlorine or another disinfectant to kill bacteria and other germs. Water suppliers use other treatments as needed, according to the quality of their source water. For example, systems whose water is contaminated with organic chemicals can treat their water with activated carbon, which adsorbs or attracts the chemicals dissolved in the water.

The EPA has set standards for more than 80 contaminants that may be present in drinking water and pose a risk to human health. The EPA sets these standards to protect the health of everybody, including vulnerable groups like children. The contaminants fall into two groups, according to the health effects that they cause. Your local water supplier will alert you through the local media, direct mail, or other means if there is a potential acute or chronic health effect from compounds in the drinking water. You may want to contact them for additional information specific to your area. Acute effects occur within hours or days of the time that a person consumes a contaminant. People can suffer acute health effects from almost any contaminant if they are exposed to extraordinarily high levels (as in the case of a spill). In drinking water,microbes, such as bacteria and viruses, are the contaminants with the greatest chance of reaching levels high enough to cause acute health effects. Most people’s bodies can fight off these microbial contaminants the way they fight off germs, and these acute contaminants typically don’t have permanent effects. Nonetheless, when high-enough levels occur, they can make people ill, and can be dangerous or deadly for a person whose immune system is already weak due to HIV/AIDS, chemotherapy, steroid use, or another reason. Chronic effects occur after people consume a contaminant at levels over the EPA’s safety standards for many years. The drinking water contaminants that can have chronic effects are chemicals (such as disinfection byproducts, solvents, and pesticides), radionuclides (such as radium), and minerals (such as arsenic). Examples of these chronic effects include cancer, liver and kidney problems, and reproductive difficulties.

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Protect Your Property From Water Damage

Identify and Repair All Leaks and Cracks

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VA Loan Basics

A VA loan is a mortgage loan guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Like FHA loans, VA loans are backed by the federal government in order to protect lenders against default, an assurance that removes barriers to home buying for prospective homeowners when they attempt to get a mortgage. This loan guarantee has its origins in the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (more commonly known as the G.I. Bill), passed by U.S. Congress in 1944 to provide a wide range of benefits for soldiers returning from WWII. Eligibility for VA loans – as well as unemployment compensation, vocational training, and other offerings of the G.I. Bill – have since been made available to veterans of subsequent wars and peacetime service.

VA loans serve two primary purposes:

• to finance loans for eligible veterans in regions where private financing is not available, which are generally rural areas, and small cities and towns far from metropolitan and commuting areas of large cities; and
• to help eligible veterans who lack sufficient funds for a down payment to purchase properties.

VA loans offer eligible veterans a number of benefits that are not available to recipients of conventional loans. Note that not all of the following features are available to those receiving FHA loans. VA loan benefits include:

• 100% financing on purchases and refinances. Loans are available up to $417,000 (as of 2009), although this amount is higher in some areas with a higher cost of living and/or inflated real estate markets, such as Hawaii, Alaska and California;
• no Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). PMI is money paid to a lender to offset losses in the event that the borrower defaults and the lender cannot recover its investment after foreclosure;
• fixed, competitive interest rates;
• the loan is assumable, meaning that borrowers can sell their homes to non-veterans and pass along the benefits of the VA loan to the buyers;
• forbearance, in which the federal government can extend leniency to veterans experiencing temporary financial hardship;
• no prepayment penalty. Penalties are applied to conventional loans when borrowers choose to pay off their mortgages early, which then gives them the option of refinancing at a lower interest rate;
• easy credit and low income standards, compared with conventional loans;
• the builder of a new home is required to give the purchasing veteran a one-year warranty, protecting the borrower against construction that conflicts with VA-approved specifications. Also, the VA will compensate the borrower for correction of structural defects in the home within four years of the loan guarantee if the defects seriously affect livability. An InterNACHI inspector should be hired to inspect for structural defects;
• the borrower may be charged only the fees and other costs that the VA considers appropriate;
• the down payment may be financed. Closing costs and funding fees still apply, however; and
• in California, veterans may be eligible to receive additional benefits from a Cal-Vet Home Loan, such as reusability (you can receive a new Cal-Vet loan whenever you purchase a property as long as you have paid off previous Cal-Vet loans), and earthquake, fire and mudslide protection plans.

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USDA Loans

USDA loans are housing loans that are backed through the Rural Housing Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

• Unlike loans offered by the FHA, USDA loans have no monthly mortgage insurance premium.
• The FHA requires that an applicant invest 3.5% of the purchase price as a down payment, although this fee may be donated by an employer, a blood relative, or a non-profit organization that is approved by HUD.  The USDA does not require a down payment.
• Both the USDA and FHA have similar appraisal requirements.  Both feature mortgage options for a fixed rate mortgage, and repayment terms of 15 years and 30 years.
• FHA loans may be as high as $729,750, while USDA loans are limited to $300,000.

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Termite Control in the Home

Wood-destroying insects and other organisms can cause serious problems in the wooden structural components of a house, and may go undetected for a long period of time.

Subterranean termites are the most damaging insects of wood. Their presence is hard to notice, and damage usually is found before the termites are seen. Prevent infestations because if they occur, they will almost always need professional pest-control service.

 

Signs of Infestation

 

Hire a qualified InterNACHI inspector to inspect for termites or other wood-destroying organisms. Generally, the first sign of infestation is the presence of swarming termites on the window or near indoor light. If they are found inside the house, it almost always means that they have infested. Other signs that may be found are termite wings on window sills or in cobwebs, and shelter tubes, which are tunnels constructed by the termites from soil or wood and debris. Usually, wood damage is not found at first, but when it is found, it definitely reveals a termite infestation. Anywhere wood touches soil is a possible entry into a home for termites. Examine wood which sounds dull or hollow when struck by a screwdriver or hammer. Inspect suspected areas with a sharp, pointed tool, such as an ice pick, to find termite galleries or their damage.

 

Control

 

Control measures include reducing the potential infestation, preventing termite entry, and applying chemicals for remedial treatment.

 

Inspection

 

Inspect thoroughly to determine if there is an infestation, damage, and/or conditions that could invite a termite attack, or the need for remedial control measures. The tools and equipment needed for an inspection include a flashlight, ice pick or sharp-pointed screwdriver, ladder, and protective clothing. Always hire an InterNACHI inspector for your inspection needs, as they are trained by the highest standards in the inspection industry.

 

Outdoors

 

Check the foundation of the house, garage and other buildings for shelter tubes coming from the soil. Look closely around porches, connecting patios, sidewalks, areas near kitchens and bathrooms, and hard-to-see places. Check window and door frames, and where utility services enter the house for termite infestation or wood decay. Also, look behind shrubbery and plants near walls. Pay special attention to areas where earth and wood meet, such as fences, stair carriages and trellises. Open and check any exterior electrical meter or fuse box set into the wall, a common point of infestation.

 

Indoors

 

Carefully check all doors, window facings, baseboards, and hardwood flooring. Discoloration or stains on walls or ceilings may mean that water is leaking and can decay wood, and this can aid termite infestation. It is very important to inspect where plumbing and utility pipes enter the foundation and flooring. Also, examine the attic for shelter tubes, water leakage, and wood damage.

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Prevention Many termite problems can be prevented. The most important thing to do is to deny termites access to food (wood), moisture and shelter. Follow these suggestions: have at least a 2-inch clearance between the house and planter boxes, or soil-filled porches; eliminate all wood-to-soil contact, such as trellises, fence posts, stair casings and door facings (they can be put on masonry blocks or on treated wood); separate shrubbery from the house to help make it easier to inspect the foundation line; use wolmanized wood (pressure-treated wood) so that rain will not rot it; seal openings through the foundation; remove wood scraps and stumps from around the foundation; have at least 12 to 18 inches of clearance between floor beams and the soil underneath.

 

Chemical Treatment

 

Termite treatment often requires specialized equipment. Therefore, it is recommended that you always use the services of a pest control operator because he is familiar with construction principles and practices, has the necessary equipment, and knows about subterranean termites.

 

Exterminating Termites

If you think you have a termite infestation in your house, you need to call a structural pest control company to conduct a professional inspection. To find a company, ask friends or coworkers for recommendations, or check the Yellow Pages. If the inspection finds evidence of drywood termites, you have several options, depending on the degree of infestation. Fumigation and heating of the entire house are the only options that ensure eradication in the entire structure. If the infestation is contained in a small area, local or spot control may be effective. However, hidden infestations in other parts of the structure will not be eradicated.

 

Total (Whole-House) Eradication 

 

For the heat method, pets, plants, and other items that might be damaged by high temperatures must be removed. The house is then covered with tarps, and hot air is blown into the tarp until the inside temperature reaches 140° F to 150° F, and the temperature of the structural timbers reaches 120° F. The time to complete this procedure varies greatly from one structure to another, depending on factors such as the building’s construction and the weather conditions. The procedure may not be practical for structures that cannot be heated evenly.

 

Local or Spot Control

 

Local or spot-control methods include the use of pesticides, electric current, extreme cold, localized heat, microwave energy, or any combination of these methods. Local or spot control also includes the removal and replacement of infested structural timber. These methods are intended to remove or kill termites only within the specific targeted area, leaving open the possibility of other undetected infestations within the structure. These treatments are NOT designed for whole-house eradication. Any pest control company that claims whole-house results with local or spot control methods is guilty of false advertising and should be reported.

 

Local or spot treatment with pesticides involves drilling and injecting pesticides into infested timbers, as well as the topical application of toxic chemicals. The electric-current method involves delivering electric energy to targeted infestations. For the extreme cold method, liquid nitrogen is pumped into wall voids adjacent to suspected infestation sites, reducing the area to -20° F. The localized heat method involves heating infested structural timbers to 120° F. The microwave method kills termites by directing microwaves into termite-infested wood.

 

If you see the following signs in your house, you might have termites:

 
• sawdust-like droppings;
• dirt or mud-like tubes or trails on the structure;
• damaged wood members (like window sills); and 
• swarming winged insects within the structure, especially in the spring or fall.

 

 

 

 

Ant Inspection

Cockroach Inspection 

Sellers can speed their home inspection by following these suggestions. The inspection will go smoother, with fewer concerns to delay closing.

1. Confirm that water, electric and gas service are on, with gas pilot lights burning.
2. Ensure pets won’t hinder the inspection. Ideally, they should be removed from the premises or secured outside. Tell your agent about any pets at home.
3. Replace burned-out light bulbs to avoid a “light is inoperable” report that may suggest an electrical problem.
4. Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and replace dead batteries.
5. Clean or replace dirty HVAC air filters. They should fit securely.
6. Remove stored items, debris and wood from the foundation. These may be cited as “conducive conditions” for termites.
7. Remove items blocking access to HVAC equipment, electric service panels, water heaters, attics and crawlspaces.
8. Unlock areas the inspector must access: attic doors or hatches, electric service panels, closets, fence gates and crawlspaces.
9. Trim tree limbs to 10 feet from the roof, and shrubs from the house, to allow access.
10. Attend to broken or missing items such as doorknobs, locks and latches, windowpanes, screens and locks, gutters, downspouts and chimney caps.

Checking these areas before your home inspection is an investment in selling your property. Your real estate agent will thank you.