The 10 Most Frequent House Problems
Recent surveys by U.S. and Canadian home inspectors resulted in a list of the most frequently found problems in the homes they have inspected.
What stood out as the most important finding was that, after a home is built (presumably in a structurally sound manner), keeping water out is the homeowner’s most important - and continually challenging - objective.
See the 10 Most Frequent House Problems at Home Hints eNews
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Leaky Condo Crisis
No building problem has been given greater prominence in the media than that of the Leaky Condo Crisis. Find helpful information and a list of known problematic buildings at My Leaky Condo.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mould in Buildings
The problem of Mould in buildings is a major issue affecting both property value and personal health. There are over 100,000 species of mould existing in virtually every environment. Certain moulds are well known as agents of infection, allergic disease and toxicosis. Toxic mould can become a health risk if it is allowed to grow and multiply inside an environment containing a source of moisture and food. There are predictions that toxic mould claims will approach the scope of asbestos litigation - only time will tell.
The rapid pace of construction throughout the 1990s allowed many homes and buildings to be constructed with details that permit water and moisture to seep into the interior. Once the toxic mould has migrated inside otherwise tightly sealed homes and buildings, it encounters a perfect environment for growth because there are minimal water evaporating drafts and abundant sources of food. Moulds consume cellulose, which is present in such building materials as wood, paper, ceiling tile, drywall and cardboard.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Problems with Polybutelene Piping in Flooring
Some radiant heating under floor systems use polybutelene piping. In a few cases these have failed and caused expensive problems. There are class action settlements involving both residential single family and multi-family dwellings. There are also several active lawsuits going on now. Very few problems are found in Canada and a lot of media hype has blown this problem out of proportion. The biggest problems to date relate to damage to the plastic pipe fittings, not so much the piping itself.
For the Canadian Class action settlement agreement, click here.
More legal info is available here.
