Published: March 25, 2011
Plan to conduct a radon test in your home, if you haven’t already. As the second leading cause of lung cancer, concentrated radon gas is nothing to ignore.
Radon test: Levels to look for
Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas that’s emitted as uranium decays in water, soil, and rocks. In the open air, radon gas dissipates harmlessly. Allowed to seep into your home where it builds up, however, and it becomes dangerous.
Excessive radon levels may be found anywhere that your home contacts the ground, such as a first level on a concrete slab or in a basement—especially near sump pumps, cracks in the foundation, and gaps in framing.
If your test results indicate radon gas levels at or above 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter of air), you’ll need to explore options for reducing radon gas. You can view a map of possible radon gas levels in your area.
Home radon test kits
If you are radon testing to evaluate potential risk, a home test kit will do the job, says Brian Hanson, radon specialist at Kansas State University.
Look for test kits online or at home centers and hardware stores, with prices ranging from about $9 to $40. You can also contact your state radon office to find out if they offer a low-cost or free test kit.
Follow instructions carefully for use of the test kit. Typically:
- All doors and windows should be closed for 12 hours prior to testing.
- Place the detector in the lowest livable area of your home and leave it undisturbed for 48 to 96 hours.
- After the appropriate time period, immediately send the detector to its lab, which will deliver the results back to you.
Professional radon test
If you’re in the process of selling your home or want confirmation of radon levels detected by your home test kit, select a professional radon testing service. A testing service ensures that procedures are completed by an impartial professional who’s nationally- or state-trained and certified. To find a qualified company, contact your state radon office.
If testing is done as part of a home inspection, expect to pay an additional $150 above the home inspection cost. If you opt for a radon test separate from the home inspection, you’ll pay about $250 and up.
Counter intelligence
Recently, it’s been noted that some types of granite countertops emit unacceptable levels of radon. You may want to test any areas of your home where stone countertops are present.
With four home renovations to her credit, Jan Soults Walker is a devotee of improvements, products, and trends for the home and garden. For 25 years she’s written for a number of national home shelter publications, and has authored 18 books on home improvement and decorating. Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.
Take steps immediately to reduce radon gas buildup if your home tests high. Knowing the available radon mitigation methods and costs will help you make the best choice.
Reducing radon: Simple strategies
If radon test results indicate that levels in your home are only slightly elevated--less than 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter of air):
- Caulk cracks or gaps in the slab, foundation, or framing--wherever your home contacts soil--to inhibit radon gas infiltration. This step also improves the success of other radon reduction strategies.
- Open exterior crawl space vents to increase air flow and dilute radon buildup.
- Install a heat recovery ventilator (HRV). An HVR introduces fresh, air-conditioned air into homes that are otherwise tightly sealed.
Reducing radon from unsafe levels
If radon levels inside your home test at 4 pCi/L or higher, enlist the services of a professional contractor who is trained in radon mitigation strategies. Contact your state radon office for a list of contractors in your area who are trained and certified in radon reduction techniques. Obtain several bids.
Professional radon mitigation options
Some of the systems used for reducing radon are:
- Soil suction. A special vent fan draws radon from soil beneath your home through pipes that dispel gas into the open. Negative pressure created by the suction further inhibits the buildup of gas. Fans run 24/7, and are usually guaranteed for up to 10 years of continual operation.
- Sub-membrane suction. Considered the most effective strategy for homes with crawl spaces, sub-membrane suction employs a high-density plastic sheet atop the soil. A fan draws radon gas out through vent pipes located beneath the plastic.
- Passive and active ventilation. Ventilating a crawl space or adding additional vents may also reduce radon gas. Opening vents is passive ventilation; adding a fan is active. When employing either of these methods in a colder climate, you may need to add insulation in a crawl space to prevent pipes from freezing.
Costs for radon mitigation
Prices for radon mitigation vary depending on the extent of the work being done, but range between $800 and $2,500. The average cost nationally is $1,200 to $1,400.
As a rule, a house built on a slab or with a basement requires less labor, resulting in the lowest costs for radon reduction. Radon reduction in a house over a crawl space tends to be most expensive since a vapor barrier may be required.
Homes with any combination of slab, crawl space, and/or a basement fall in the middle range for costs.
Another budget consideration: As you ventilate radon gas from your home, energy costs increase—either from releasing air that’s been heated or cooled, or from you operating a fan full-time. Using an HRV to ventilate helps reduce waste.
With four home renovations to her credit, Jan Soults Walker is a devotee of improvements, products, and trends for the home and garden. For 25 years she’s written for a number of national home shelter publications, and has authored 18 books on home improvement and decorating. Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.
Ticket prices have been rolled back to $36 through Sunday, April 10. It looks like a nice days coming up with sunny skies and highs in the low 50’s. All trails are still edge-to-edge. They are operating the Sunapee Express, Sunbowl quad and North Peak triple chair serving 38 trails off those lifts. Don’t forget the sunscreen.
Saturday, April 9 is the 20th Annual Intragalactic Cardboard Sled Race. The most amazing cardboard sleds you have ever seen will be racing down Eggbeater trail and vying to win the most creative design award. Bring the camera or video and join the fun. All entry fees are donated to David's House in Lebanon.
Sunday, April 10 it’s Cares & Shares Day at Mount Sunapee. Anyone who brings five non-perishable food items to the ticket window can ski or ride all day for only $30. Food is donated to local food shelters. Season pass holders and staff are also welcome to bring food.
If you purchase your season pass for next year on or before April 30 you can enjoy big savings on all of our pass products. Plus, if you purchase a Peak Pass by April 30 you receive two free companion tickets that can be used during next season. Where else would you want to make your home mountain? Mount Sunapee has been ranked with the best snow in the East the past five years by SKI Magazine readers.
Mt. Sunapee is planning to close Sunday, April 10. Thank you for making this another great season at Mount Sunapee. See you next year!
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It’s human nature – we put a greater value on things that we already own. This is a well known theory called the “endowment effect” developed by an American economist, Richard Thaler, in 1980. One classic study is done with mugs where Group A, with no mugs, is asked how much they would pay for a mug. The typical answer is $4. Group B is given mugs and then asked how much someone would have to pay for you to part with it. The average response is $8.
I see this happening frequently with sellers when it comes to pricing their homes.
Even though they are shown similar houses sold for less and the competing homes are priced lower, sellers still want to price their house higher. The negative consequences of the endowment effect is that homes take longer to sell, the price ends up “chasing” the market and sellers eventually end up selling for a lower amount than if the house had been initially priced correctly.
Bottom line – sellers should be aware of how the endowment effect impacts their decision-making on price. Don’t go by what you “think” it is worth. Make decisions based on what is actually selling in the market. Give me a call if you need a REALTOR® to help you price your way to a successful sale! Donna Forest, 603-526-4116, email: donna@donnaforest.com, web site: www.donnaforest.com
An exceptional property at an exceptional price! Nicely sited and beautifully landscaped, this home is in the country, yet convenient to the highway, shopping and schools. Many upgraded features throughout. Come take a look--you won't be disappointed! Offered at $298,800. For more information and photos visit www.43RobyRoad.com.
In our modern world, many of us have succumbed to the excesses of capitalism. Giant warehouse stores allow us to buy in bulk; massive chain department stores allow for incredible bargain prices. We drive giant vehicles to haul the stuff around and super-size meals to fuel our shopping frenzy.
As consumers we have expanded the idea of basic needs well beyond necessity. Needs are things that we cannot survive without such as food and shelter. For whatever reason, many of our desires have become needs and the result is too much stuff. In a society where shopping has become a recreational sport, and the acquisition of things a daily ritual, we must be cautious not to acquire too much to clutter up our homes.
While those of us who live in cluttered environments may have developed some numbness, meaning that we no longer consciously notice or see the chaos of clutter, we are still affected at some level. Lack of energy, motivation and low self-esteem are often characteristics that accompany the daunting task of making sense of, or separating from, our clutter.
From the prospective homebuyer’s view, clutter translates into an undesirable home. Cluttered homes often appear smaller. They look darker, and tend to smell from the excess dust. The excess stimuli can be an immediate turn-off because the combined effect suggests that all of the home’s other features will be rundown, decayed and in need of much repair. The converse is also true: homes devoid of clutter and kept clean give the impression of being well maintained and not requiring much work.
As sellers, it is important to understand that when prospective buyers view a home they do so through various lenses. Some will look at a property in terms of its resale value, others will view it as a starter home, and others will view it as their potential home for life.
For those looking at property strictly for investment, clutter can be a good thing. Clutter means that the property doesn’t show well and as such the potential buyer stands a good chance of acquiring it below value. For those looking at a property as a starter home, the clutter only serves to widen the gap between the desired home and the home they must settle for. People looking at a property as their potential permanent home will imagine themselves occupying it. Clutter compromises the ideal image and prospective buyers view the home in terms of cleaning and maintenance.
Properties with clutter translate into increased time on the market and lower values, not only because the clutter decreases the perception of size, air and light, but also because of the perceived level of work involved in maintaining the property. It might behoove sellers to spend a little upfront and hire a professional clutter clearer and/or home stager. This initial cost will be recouped by way of a higher selling price and faster sale.
The Sunapee Community Coffee House encourages professional and amateur musicians to perform in a family style listening room environment where they can offer up their songs and stories to an attentive audience. Original songs are encouraged, but not required. Events are held Friday evenings at 7pm downstairs at the Sunapee Methodist Church, 17 Lower Main Street in Sunapee, NH. There is no admission, but a hat is passed for the musicians. Volunteers are always needed and welcome to sustain the series.
Friends who would like to sponsor the music/room rental for a night are greatly appreciated. One night's sponsorship is $25 which covers the heat and lights for the space. In turn the emcee makes an honorable mention of you, or your company on the night of your sponsorship. Your business logo, or personal name will be added to the schedule, and goes on all the posters around the area.
If you enjoy music, come on out on Friday nights and enjoy. Performing this Friday, April 1, is Joel Cage, Acoustic-Rock song stylist. Visit www.sunapeecoffeehouse.org for the schedule of events and information about the performers.
By: Karin Beuerlein If you live in the Northeast, here are maintenance jobs you should complete in spring and summer to prevent costly repairs and keep your home in top condition.
After a long, cold Northeastern winter, spring is an excellent time to get outside and perform a fresh inspection of the whole house, says Steve Gladstone of Stonehollow Home Inspections in Stamford, Conn. Give all your major exterior systems—roof, siding, gutters, drainage—a close examination to make sure they’re working properly and are in good shape.
Key maintenance tasks to perform
• Monitor your gutters and drainage. If debris has accumulated over the winter, you’ll find out when the snow melts and spring rains arrive. Remove any blockages and look for signs of bending, damage, and areas where water has been diverted onto the roof or siding. You can usually make minor gutter repairs yourself for under $50 by adjusting or reattaching brackets, gently hammering out bent areas, and replacing damaged sections of gutter if necessary. This is also a good time to walk around the house and make sure the soil slopes away from the foundation at a rate of at least 6 vertical inches over the first 10 feet. If you have standing water or mushy areas, consider re-grading, adding berms (raised areas), swales (contoured drainage ditches), or installing a French drain (a shallow trench that diverts water away from the house). Try to identify whether your problem is improper sloping or gutter overflow. A home inspector can help you if you’re stumped; inspection services run about $80–$100 per hour. • Inspect your roof and chimney for winter damage. Shingles may need repair after a rough winter. Look for loose chimney bricks and mortar, rotting boards if you have a wooden chimney box, or rust if you have a chimney with metal parts and flashing. Inside the house, check your skylights to make sure there are no stains that indicate water leakage. If you suspect a problem, call a roofing contractor or a chimney sweep certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America for an estimate for repairs. Minor roof repairs run from $100 to $350. • Examine siding for signs of winter damage. Check for loose or rotting boards and replace; inspect the areas where siding meets windows and doors and caulk any gaps. Give your siding an annual cleaning using soap and water, a brush, and a garden hose. Also, make sure your house number hasn’t been damaged or obscured by dirt and is easily visible to emergency personnel. • Schedule your spring air conditioning service. Get ready for the air conditioning season with your spring tune-up. If your system wasn’t running well last season, be sure to tell your contractor, and make sure he performs actual repairs if necessary rather than simply adding refrigerant. Follow your contractor as he works to get an idea of the maintenance checklist he uses and ask questions about what he’s doing. Your contractor’s checklist should include inspecting thermostats and controls, checking the refrigerant level, tightening connections, lubricating moving parts, checking the condensate drain, and cleaning the coils and blower. Expect to pay $50–$100 for a tune-up. Meanwhile, make sure your air filters are changed and vacuum out your floor registers. If duct cleaning is part of your scheduled service, make sure you aren’t charged extra for it. Some contractors may try to convince you to let them apply antifungal/antibacterial chemicals to the interior surfaces of the ducts; this isn’t usually necessary and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says research has not yet confirmed its effectiveness or potential to be harmful. Any chemicals you add to your ducts will likely become airborne, so exercise caution. • Check kids’ outdoor play areas. “Swingsets tend to get funky over the winter,” Gladstone says. “Tighten bolts and make sure things are still properly put together and safe to use.” Make sure no sharp edges or splinters are sticking up, and clean off any mold growth with a household-strength 1:9 solution of bleach and water. • Check your GFCIs. A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protects you from deadly electrical shocks by shutting off the power anytime even a minimal disturbance in current is detected. They’re the electrical outlets with two buttons in the middle (“test” and “reset”) that should be present anywhere water and electricity can mix: kitchens, bathrooms, basements, garages, and the exterior of the house. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends monthly testing, which you’re likely to remember if you incorporate it into your spring routine. To test a GFCI, plug a small appliance (a radio, for example) into each of your GFCIs. Press the test button, which should click and shut off the radio. The reset button should pop out; when you press reset, the radio should come back on. If the radio doesn’t go off when you press the test button, either the GFCI itself has failed and should be replaced, or the outlet is wired incorrectly and should be repaired. If the reset button doesn’t pop out, or if pressing it doesn’t restore power to the radio, the GFCI has failed and should be replaced. These distinctions can help you tell an electrician what the problem is—neither job is one you should attempt yourself if you don’t have ample experience with electrical repair. • Pay a visit to the attic. During a spring rain, check for visible leaks, water stains, discolored insulation, and rotting or moldy joists and roof decking. If detected, call a handyman or roofing contractor for an estimate for repairs. If you have areas of rot or mold exceeding 10 sq. ft., call an indoor air quality inspector or mold remediation company for advice. If you have an attic fan, make sure it’s running properly and that the protective screen hasn’t been blocked by bird nests or debris. • Clean dirty windows. This is a good task for the end of summer, when it’s still nice outside. Clean windows allow more solar energy into the house in the cooler months to come, which will help you save on your heating bill. For streak-free glass, use an eco-friendly solution of one part vinegar to eight parts water, with a few squirts of dish soap; apply to window with a sponge or soft mitt, scrubbing any tough spots. Rinse with clean water and then squeegee the surface dry. Along with these important maintenance tasks, be sure to check out the others cited in the to-do lists following this article. Spending a weekend or two on maintenance can prevent costly repairs and alert you to developing problems. Visit the links listed below for more detailed information on completing tasks or repairs. Karin Beuerlein has covered home improvement and green living topics extensively for HGTV.com, FineLiving.com, and FrontDoor.com. In more than a decade of freelancing, she’s also written for dozens of national and regional publications, including Better Homes & Gardens, The History Channel Magazine, Eating Well, and Chicago Tribune. She and her husband started married life by remodeling the house they were living in. They still have both the marriage and the house, no small feat.
The real estate news isn’t all grim for February. Remember, real estate is very much local! Yesterday the New Hampshire Union Leader reported that homes sales in our Granite State increased 7.4% in February, contrasting sharply with the National Association of REALTORS® announcement the other day that existing home sales had dropped 9.6% nationally. The median selling price of homes did fall 7.5% for the month, however. The New Hampshire Association of Realtors news release pointed out that year-to-date sales for January and February were 5% ahead of last year’s. Seven of the state’s ten counties saw numbers of sales increase in February. NHAR President Tom Riley said, “I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that the housing market appears to be stabilizing.”
So, remember, check with your local REALTOR® for your area’s statistics. Don’t assume that a glum report nationally accurately reflects the activity in your area!
Article by Preston Howard.
At the height of the mortgage boom, required down payments were at an all time low. In June of 2006, the average down payment percentage on the purchase of a single family residence was 4%. If you had good credit and a heartbeat, there were lenders who would provide you with a 100% loan with no documentation outside of your name, address, and Social Security Number. Now, all of that is about to change. Serious talk is being floated around Washington D.C. that the return of the days of a minimum of 10% and an average down payment of 20% is swiftly approaching.
The Obama Administration has called for 10% minimums on Fannie/Freddie loans. Sheila Bair, Chairwoman of the FDIC has stated that she flat out wants 20% down payments. Many banks are already there. An analysis of major metropolitan areas reveals that the current average down payment is at 22%. Much of this is driven by the large commercial banks pushing for higher down payments to stem their losses and discourage delinquencies with borrowers having “more skin in the game.” In addition, this is also a form of pre-emptive planning as housing prices continue to fall. The thought is that lower leverage equals lower risk. This conventional wisdom holds true in the majority of cases as most property owners are less likely to walk away from a property in which they have made a significant investment. However, what happens to the individual who wants the “American dream” but no capital? Their option will most likely be a government agency.
As previously mentioned, Fannie/Freddie will require 10%. That’s half of the new norm, but depending on who you are and your price maximum, that’s still a lot of money. Then, there is the FHA and the VA. They have seen a lot of action over the last 2.5 years. In 2009/2010, 50% of all mortga
These actions have resulted in the financial world of two extremes: those with a 20% down payment who get all of the perks, and those without the capital who get all of the fees. I foresee a great demand for something in the middle to be created. It may take some time to materialize as the methods of filling the void in the past have faltered. Mezzanine financing above 80% CLTV is currently non-existent. Currently, cities are broke so the availability of the Housing Finance Agency’s “silent seconds” is scarce. The private market hasn’t been incentivized to fill the gap, so the void with the need to be filled will remain, and hard money is too expensive. I believe that if the American public was aware and takes a close look at this new reality, protests will ensue, lobbying will occur and something will be done, as the “charges for some, but not for all” mantra can’t continue for too long. Eventually, a product or solution will be produced, as the margin between 3.5% and 20% is too wide, the demand is heavy and the pending increases in Fannie/Freddie costs are too real.
Preston Howard is a mortgage broker and Principal of Rose City Realty, Inc. in Pasadena, CA. Specializing in various facets of real estate finance, he can be reached at howardpr@rosecityrealtyinc.com.