Brominated flame or fire retardants (BFRs) include a wide range of chemicals added to household furnishings and products to inhibit their ignition and reduce the chance of fire. In recent years, concern surrounding the toxicity of this class of chemicals has risen due to the widespread accumulation of several types of BFRs in humans and […]
Read More
Biowalls — also referred to as living walls, vertical gardens, green facades, and green walls — are interior or exterior walls that are covered with living vegetation. Biowalls have practical applications for both indoor and outdoor use. Many indoor biowalls are implemented in homes and offices for their natural air-filtration properties, and are used in […]
Read More
Bathroom ventilation systems are designed to exhaust odors and moist air to the home’s exterior. Typical systems consist of a ceiling fan unit connected to a duct that terminates at the roof. Fan Function The fan may be controlled in one of several ways: Most are controlled by a conventional wall switch. A timer switch […]
Read More
Bamboo is a type of hollow grass native to many areas of the world, most notably the Far East and Southeast Asia. It is sometimes thought of as the “poor man’s building material” because of its widespread cultivation and use in tropical climates where much of the world’s poor live. Many of these cultures find […]
Read More
An attached garage is a garage that is physically attached to a house. Fires that begin in attached garages are more likely to spread to living areas than fires that originate in detached garages. For this reason, combined with the multitude of flammable materials commonly found in garages, attached garages should be adequately sealed from […]
Read More
What Is Asbestos? Asbestos is a mineral fiber that can be positively identified only with a special type of microscope. There are several types of asbestos fibers. In the past, asbestos was added to a variety of products to strengthen them and to provide heat insulation and fire resistance. InterNACHI inspectors can supplement their knowledge […]
Read More
A foreclosure is a process by which a homeowner loses their property, usually to a lender or local government, for failure to pay agreed-upon taxes, payments or fees. Common reasons for foreclosures include: default on loan repayment. The most common way that residences are foreclosed on is through default on mortgage loans; overdue taxes. If […]
Read More
Aluminum Wiring Between approximately 1965 and 1973, single-strand (solid) aluminum wiring was sometimes substituted for copper branch-circuit wiring in residential electrical systems due to the sudden escalating price of copper. After a decade of use by homeowners and electricians, inherent weaknesses were discovered in the metal that lead to its disuse as a branch wiring […]
Read More
Mold in the Home Health concerns related to the growth of mold in the home have been featured heavily in the news. Problems ranging from itchy eyes, coughing and sneezing to serious allergic reactions, asthma attacks, and even the possibility of permanent lung damage can all be caused by mold, which can be found growing […]
Read More
Inspection and Repair of Baghouses A baghouse, or fabric collector, is the generic name for an air pollution-control device designed to filter dust and other fine particles from contaminated air in commercial and industrial facilities. Baghouses provide clean air for employees and customers, protect the environment of nearby equipment, and lessen the plant’s contribution to […]
Read More
