Barrie Home Inspector

Home Maintenance and Tips for Home Owners

Month: October 2011

CREA Boosts Annual Resale Housing Forecast

Real Estate

CREA Boosts Annual Resale Housing Forecast.   OTTAWA – February 8, 2011 – The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) has revised its 2011 forecast for home sales activity via the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) Systems of Canadian real estate Boards and Associations, and extended it to 2012.

Sales in the second half of 2010 rebounded faster than CREA had previously expected. “The hand-off going into 2011, together with the highs and lows for sales activity posted in 2010, provided guidance for CREA’s revised forecast,” said Gregory Klump, CREA Chief Economist.

“Home buyers recognize that low mortgage interest rates represent a once in a lifetime opportunity. At the same time, they expect that rates will rise, so they’re doing their homework in order to understand what it could mean in terms of higher mortgage payments down the road before they make an offer,” said Georges Pahud, CREA President. “The housing market and buyer psychology is different now than it was at the beginning of last year, so buyers and sellers would do well to consult their REALTOR® to understand local market trends.”

The upward revision to CREA’s forecast for 2011 reflects recent improvements in the consensus economic outlook and a further expected improvement in consumer confidence. National sales activity is now expected to reach 439,900 units in 2011, representing an annual decline of 1.6 per cent. In 2012, CREA forecasts that national sales activity will rebound by three per cent to 453,300 units, which is roughly on par with the ten year average.

“Recent additional changes to mortgage regulations will further ensure that buyers don’t buy more home than they can afford when interest rates inevitably rise,” said Klump. “The announcement of the new changes to mortgage regulations will likely bring forward some sales into the first quarter that would have otherwise occurred later in the year, particularly in some of Canada’s more expensive housing markets. This is expected to produce a milder version of the volatility in sales activity that we saw last year which resulted from additional transitory factors.”

Three transitory factors contributed to volatility in sales activity last year: changes in mortgage regulations announced last February, the early withdrawal by the Bank of Canada of its conditional commitment to keep interest rates on hold until the second half of 2010, and the introduction of the HST in BC and Ontario during the summer of 2010.

CREA expects that home sales activity will gain traction after dipping in the second quarter as the economic recovery and job growth continue, incomes grow, and consumer confidence further improves. “Even though mortgage interest rates are expected to rise later this year, they will still be within short reach of current levels and remain supportive for housing market activity. Strengthening economic fundamentals will keep the housing market in balance, which will keep home prices stable,” said Klump.

The national average home price is forecast to rise 1.3 per cent in 2011 and 2012, to 3,300 and 7,900 respectively. Average price is expected to rise modestly in most provinces, reflecting the continuation of a healthy balance between supply of, and demand for, homes listed for sale. Although the supply of new listings is expected to trend higher, the expected continuation of sellers’ market conditions in Manitoba is forecast to result in a bigger percentage increase in average price in 2011 and 2012 compared to other provinces.

 

For more information, please contact:

Pierre Leduc, Media relations
The Canadian Real Estate Association
613-237-7111 or 613 884-1460
Email: [email protected]

* Provincial weighted average price for Quebec; does not affect unweighted national average price calculations. Information on Quebec’s weighted average price calculation can be found at:
http://www.fciq.ca/immobilier-economiste.php

About The Canadian Real Estate Association

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is one of Canada’s largest single-industry trade associations, representing more than 100,000 real estate Brokers/agents and salespeople working through more than 100 real estate Boards and Associations.

What is Radon – Is It in Your Home

Home Inspection

What is Radon –  Is It in Your Home
Radon is a gas produced by the radioactive decay of the element radium. Radioactive decay is a natural, spontaneous process in which an atom of one element decays or breaks down to form another element by losing atomic particles (protons, neutrons or electrons). When solid radium decays to form radon gas, it loses two protons and two neutrons. These two protons and two neutrons are called an alpha particle, which is a type of radiation. The elements that produce radiation are referred to as radioactive. Radon itself is radioactive because it also decays, losing an alpha particle and forming the element polonium
Elements that are naturally radioactive include uranium, thorium, carbon and potassium, as well as radon and radium. Uranium is the first element in a long chain of decay that produces radium and radon. Uranium is referred to as the “parent” element, and radium and radon are called “daughters” or “progeny.” Radium and radon also form daughter elements as they decay. The progeny of radon are called radon decay products, or RDPs.

The decay of each radioactive element occurs at a very specific rate. How fast an element decays is measured in terms of the element’s “half-life,” or the amount of time for one-half of a given amount of the element to decay. Uranium has a half-life of 4.4 billion years, so a 4.4-billion-year-old rock has only half of the uranium with which it started. The half-life of radon is only 3.8 days.

If a jar were filled with radon, only half of the radon would be left after 3.8 days. But the newly-made daughter products of radon (or RDPs) would also be in the jar, including polonium, bismuth and lead. Polonium is also radioactive. It is this element which is produced by radon in the air and in people’s lungs that can hurt lung tissue and cause lung cancer.
Radioactivity is commonly measured in picocuries (pCi).

Because the level of radioactivity is directly related to the number and type of radioactive atoms present, radon and all other radioactive atoms are measured in picocuries. For instance, a house having 4 picocuries of radon per liter of air (4 pCi/L) has about eight or nine atoms of radon decaying every minute in every liter of air inside the house. A 1,000-square-foot house with 4 pCi/L of radon has nearly 2 million radon atoms decaying inside it every minute.

Radon levels in outdoor air, indoor air, soil air and groundwater can be very different. Outdoor air ranges from less than 0.1 pCi/L to about 30 pCi/L, but it probably averages about 0.2 pCi/L. Radon in indoor air ranges from less than 1 pCi/L to about 3,000 pCi/L, but it probably averages between 1 and 2 pCi/L. Radon in soil air (the air that occupies the pores in soil) ranges from 20 or 30 pCi/L to more than 100,000 pCi/L; most soils in the United States contain between 200 and 2,000 pCi of radon per liter of soil air. The amount of radon dissolved in groundwater ranges from about 100 to nearly 3 million pCi/L. Natural Radiation Exposure

Since the beginning of time, all living creatures have been exposed to radiation. We live in a radioactive world. There are many natural sources of radiation which have been present since the Earth was formed. In the last century, we have added somewhat to this natural background radiation with artificial sources. However, the naturally occurring sources contribute about four to five times more radiation than human-made sources.

The three major sources of naturally occurring radiation are:

• cosmic radiation;
• sources in the earth’s crust, also referred to as terrestrial radiation; and
• sources in the human body, also referred to as internal sources.

Cosmic

The Earth and all living things on it are constantly bombarded by radiation from space, similar to a steady drizzle of rain. Charged particles from the Sun and stars interact with Earth’s atmosphere and magnetic field to produce a shower of radiation, typically beta and gamma radiation. The dose from cosmic radiation varies in different parts of the world due to differences in elevation and to the effects of the Earth’s magnetic field. Cosmic radiation comes from the Sun and outer space, and consists of positively charged particles, as well as gamma radiation. At sea level, the average cosmic radiation dose is about 26 millirems (mrem) per year. At higher elevations, the amount of atmosphere shielding cosmic rays decreases and, thus, the dose increases. The average dose in the United States is approximately 28 mrem per year.

Terrestrial

Radioactive material is also found throughout nature. It is in the soil, water and vegetation. Low levels of uranium, thorium and their decay products are found everywhere. This is called terrestrial radiation. Some of these materials are ingested with food and water, while others, such as radon, are inhaled. The dose from terrestrial sources also varies in different parts of the world. Locations with higher concentrations of uranium and thorium in their soil have higher dose levels.

The major isotopes of concern for terrestrial radiation are uranium and its decay products, such as thorium, radium and radon.

There are natural sources of radiation in the ground, rocks, building materials and potable water supplies. Radon gas is a current health concern. This gas results from the decay of natural uranium in soil. Radon, which emits alpha radiation, rises from the soil under houses and can build up in homes, particularly well-insulated homes. In the United States, the average effective whole-body dose of radon is about 200 mrem per year, while the lungs receive approximately 2,000 mrem per year.

Internal

In addition to cosmic and terrestrial sources, all humans are born with naturally occurring radionuclides, such as Potassium-40, Carbon-14, Lead-210, and other isotopes. The variation in dose from one person to another is not as great as the variation in dose from cosmic and terrestrial sources. The average annual “dose” from internal radioactive material is about 40 mrem.

Ionizing Radiation Exposure to the Public

This chart shows that of the total dose of about 360 millirems per year, natural sources of radiation account for about 82% of all public exposure, while man-made sources account for the remaining 18%.

Government of Canada Radon Guideline
Did you know?
The Canadian guideline for radon is 200 becquerels per cubic meter, If the radon level is found to be high, it can be fixed.
Health Canada collaborated with the Federal Provincial Territorial Radiation Protection Committee (FPTRPC) to review the health risk from exposure to radon. The risk assessment is based on new scientific information and was the subject of broad public consultation. Using the risk assessment and feedback obtained from the public consultation, the Government of Canada is updating its guideline for exposure to radon in indoor air. This updated guideline provides advice that is more broadly applicable and more protective than the previous FPTRPC guideline.
The Minister recommends that
• Remedial measures should be undertaken in a dwelling whenever the average annual radon concentration exceeds 200 Bq/m³ in the normal occupancy area.
• The higher the radon concentration, the sooner remedial measures should be undertaken.
• When remedial action is taken, the radon level should be reduced to a value as low as practicable.
• The construction of new dwellings should employ techniques that will minimize radon entry and will facilitate post-construction radon removal, should this subsequently prove necessary.
• In addition to residential homes, the term “dwelling” in this guideline also applies to public buildings with a high occupancy rate by members of the public such as schools, hospitals, long-term care residences, and correctional facilities. The following settings are excluded from this guideline:
o Uranium mines, which are regulated by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission;
o Other mines (e.g., fluorspar mines), which are regulated by provincial mining authorities; and
o Other workplaces which would be addressed by existing guidelines for naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM). Details are given in theCanadian Guidelines for Management of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) and a copy may be viewed or downloaded.
• The “normal occupancy area” refers to any part of the dwelling where a person is likely to spend several hours (greater than four) per day. This would include a finished basement with a family room, guest room, office or work shop. It would also include a basement apartment. It would exclude an unfinished basement, a crawl space, or any area that is normally closed off and accessed infrequently, e.g., a storage area, cold room, furnace room, or laundry room.
• The aim is to remediate and reduce the radon concentration to less than 200 Bq/m³. If the radon concentration is found to be greater than 600 Bq/m³, the remedial actions are recommended to be completed in less than a year; between 200 Bq/m³ and 600 Bq/m³, the remedial actions should be completed in less than two years.
• “As low as practicable” refers to what can be achieved with conventional radon reduction methods in a cost-effective manner. This is consistent with the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle, whereby reasonable efforts are made to maintain radiation exposures as low as possible, with social and economic factors taken into consideration. In most situations, a final level less than 200 Bq/m³ will be readily achievable. In a small number of cases, it may happen that the application of all reasonable remediation techniques will still leave a residual radon level greater than 200 Bq/m³. It is not the intention of this guideline to recommend excessive or unreasonable remediation costs in order to achieve a marginal increase in benefit. Such situations should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
• This Government of Canada guideline is based on the guidance approved by the FPTRPC. The guideline is based upon current scientific understanding. It will be reviewed and updated as appropriate. Further information on the Federal Provincial Territorial Radiation Protection Committee is available.
Brought to you by the Barrie Home Inspector – Your Radon Specialist for Barrie, Alliston, Orillia, Midland, Penetang, Bradford, Newmarket and Aurora

Reversed Polarity – Home Inspection Findings

Home Inspection

Reversed Polarity – Home Inspection Findings.   Electrical Reversed Polarity Issues:

Everything works just fine, however my home inspector informed me that some of my electrical outlets have reversed polarity and should be rewired. Why is polarity an issue?

Polarity can be confusing. Within 120-volt household circuits, if the polarity is correct, the black wire is the hot wire and the white wire is neutral wire (grounded conductor). If the polarity is reversed the white wire is hot and the black wire becomes the neutral.

Some appliances have only two prongs and no ground (U-shaped) prong. Polarized appliances have a wide (neutral) blade and a narrow (hot) blade. This configuration fits with (grounded) receptacles with the same configuration. Problems occur when do-it-yourself homeowners forget that the brass screws on an outlet are for hot (black) wires and the silver screws are for the white(neutral) wires and the green screw is for the (ground) green wire

Polarity Matters:

With some appliances polarity doesn’t matter as with a clock for example. However with a lamp socket the electricity is intended to flow from the button on the bottom of the light bulb ( black hot wire) through the filament and back through the threaded collar (white neutral wire) to the neutral at the distribution panel box. If there is no bulb in the socket and the switch is on there is a greater chance of touching the threaded portion of the socket (or bulb) than the button on the bottom. If the polarity is reversed this threaded portion becomes the hot (live) side of the circuit and there is greater risk of electrical shock.

Polarity matters with appliances that have switches. When the appliance is plugged in the power should only go as far as the switch. If the polarity is reversed the power goes through the entire appliance and then back to the switch. If a loose wire in the appliance comes in contact with the outside case, the entire appliance becomes potentially “hot” electrically speaking and the risk of shock exists even though the appliance is not turned on.

For safety sake:

To keep yourself and family safe, if your home inspector indicates a reversed polarity situation have a qualified electrician check the wiring and make sure that this issue is resolved.

Radon–Characteristics

Home Inspection

Radon-222:

•    is a gas;
•    is odorless;
•    is tasteless;
•    is invisible;
•    mixes with air;
•    is chemically inert (or non-reactive);
•    is found everywhere;
•    decays by alpha-particle emission; and
•    has a half-life of 3.8 days.

Radon Decay Products, or RDPs:

•    are solids, called daughters or progeny;
•    are chemically active;
•    are electrically charged;
•    can attach to air particles and cling to surfaces;
•    have a ratio of progeny-to-radon gas ranging from 0.3 to 0.7 ER (equilibrium ratio),
averaging 0.5 ER;
•    are short-lived (from 0.2 milliseconds to 26.8 minutes);
•    include Polonium-218, 214 and 210, which are alpha-particle emitters, and
these alpha-particle emissions can cause physical cellular damage, such as lung cancer.

Risk Assessment Facts

•    The EPA’s indoor radon program promotes voluntary public actions to reduce the risks from indoor radon.   The EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General recommend that people perform a simple home test using kits which are now widely available in stores.  If high levels of radon are confirmed, it is recommended that those high levels be mitigated or reduced using straightforward techniques.
•    The EPA recently completed an updated assessment of their estimates of lung cancer risks from indoor radon, based on the NAS’s 1999 report on radon titled “The Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR) VI.” This report is the most comprehensive review of scientific data gathered on radon, and builds on and updates their previous findings. The NAS concluded that homeowners should still test and, if necessary, mitigate their exposure to elevated radon levels in their homes.
•    Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is colorless, odorless and tasteless.  It’s naturally produced from the radioactive decay of uranium that’s present in soil, rock and groundwater. It emits ionizing radiation during its radioactive decay, changing into several radioactive isotopes known as radon decay products or RDPs.
•    Radon gets into the indoor air primarily from soil under building structures.  Radon is a known human lung carcinogen and is the largest source of radiation exposure and risk to the general public.  Most inhaled radon is rapidly exhaled, but the inhaled decay products readily deposit in the lung tissue where they irradiate sensitive cells in the airways, increasing the risk of lung cancer.
•    The NAS BEIR VI Report confirmed the EPA’s long-held position that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, and a serious public health problem. The NAS estimates that radon causes about 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year. The report found that even very small exposures to radon can result in lung cancer.  They concluded that no evidence exists that shows a threshold of exposure below which radon levels are harmless. The report also found that many smokers exposed to radon face a substantially greater risk of getting lung cancer compared to those who have never smoked. This is because of the synergistic relationship between radon and cigarette smoking.

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