July/August 2009

In This Issue

1. The Big "M"
2. Guess Which Mold?
3. Deck Receptacles

The Big “M”

That’s right. We are talking about mold and issues related to mold. Many times we as home inspectors want to call what appears to be mold, mold, when in fact we really don’t know what it is. Imagine you are at a home inspection and the home inspector says, “Hey that is toxic black mold.” All of a sudden your potential buyer is now a definite non-buyer, and the home search process starts all over.  This scenario happens frequently, and it is a sure fire way to sour relationships between realtors and inspectors.

The solution is to educate the inspector, real estate agent and buyer by doing something very simple and unalarming at the time of inspection: we don’t know what the “mold like substance” is unless we get it tested. Period. Without testing, nobody can opine on what it is, and it should be up to the buyer to decide whether or not they want to get it tested. If the buyer declines to have a suspicious substance tested at time of inspection, then like any agreement in the real estate industry, we ask them to sign a waiver stating that they were informed about a potential issue found at the home inspection and they declined to have it tested. This protects both the home inspector and the agent from potential litigation.

So, in closing, if an inspector finds the need to tell the customer that they have mold, it is your duty to ask them how they know for a fact that it is indeed mold without testing –because, without specific testing, they don’t know whether or not it’s really mold. Next month, we will further discuss this issue, specifically that of inspectors, who are not trained to write the eradication protocol and, therefore, not qualified to make a statement in regards to this ever growing issue: telling the customer how to get rid of mold.

Good luck and sell a ton!!

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Guess Which Mold?

Can you identify the type of mold in these photos?

Answer: No - nobody can identify whether or not the suspicious substance is mold or what type of mold without testing it. If an inspector, agent or client suspects mold, it's prudent to have a proper mold test performed. Gold Key performs mold testing using a combination of swab testing and air quality testing that is then analyzed by a professional lab.

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Deck Receptacles

By Nick Gromicko, Rob London and Kenton Shepard

Are exterior receptacles required at decks?  The 2008 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC) describes two requirements for locations of outdoor receptacles in one- and two-family dwellings. The previous edition (2005) includes only one of these requirements, and inspectors should be aware of this change and understand the reason it was made. The NEC also describes how to achieve adequate weather protection for exterior receptacles. 

 
Two Requirements for Locations of Outdoor Receptacles:

1. As of 2005, the NEC required at least one outdoor receptacle in the front and in the rear of the house, not more than 6½ feet from the ground.
2. As of 2008, the NEC added the following requirement:

Balconies, decks and porches that are accessible from inside the dwelling unit shall have at least one receptacle outlet installed within the perimeter of the balcony, deck or porch. The receptacle shall not be located more than 6½ feet (2m) above the balcony, deck or porch surface.

The code offers the following exception to this rule: Balconies, decks or porches with a usable area of less than 20 square feet (1.86 m2) are not required to have a receptacle installed.

Clarifications:

• The 2008 requirement is a supplement, not a replacement, to the requirements in effect in 2005. The 2008 NEC lists them both.
• The newer requirement does not necessarily require installation of additional receptacles in new construction. Depending on the location of the balcony, deck or porch, a single receptacle may comply with both requirements.
• Inspectors should not call out the lack of exterior receptacles as a defect in houses that were built before the code was enacted.  Inspectors can recommend that receptacles be installed as a safety measure.

Reason for the 2008 Code Supplement:

Extension cords are likely to be used to run appliances on large balconies, decks and porches (greater than 20 feet square) if receptacles are not installed at these locations. Extension cords can be dangerous, especially if used outdoors and in wet conditions. The dangers associated with extension cords are…

• structure fires. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that extension cords cause 3,300 electrical fires every year in the United States. Common problems with extension cords that can lead to fires include:
  
1. overloading. This can occur when the wire gauge is not sufficient to carry the electrical load; and
2. short circuits. These occur where the current deviates from its intended path. For instance, if an extension cord becomes frayed, the hot and neutral wires may touch each other and the current would run down the wrong path.
• electrical burns and shocks. These are commonly caused by using old or damaged extension cords with broken or frayed insulation. The insulative sheathing in extension cords may tear away and expose the live wires. Ultraviolet (UV) light, to which extension cords are exposed when they are used outdoors, can hasten this process.
• tripping. Roughly half of the 4,000 injuries caused by extension cords annually in the U.S. are due to lacerations, sprains and contusions from tripping on the cords themselves.

Moisture Protection for Exterior Outlets

• The receptacle’s faceplate must rest securely on the supporting surface to prevent moisture from entering the enclosure. If the receptacle is installed on uneven surfaces, such as stucco, stone or brick, a caulking compound can be used to fill in gaps.
• All 15- and 20-amp, 120/240-volt receptacles installed outdoors must have a weatherproof enclosure. These receptacles must also have a while-in-use cover.
• GFCI protection is required for all exterior receptacles, with the exception of this rare instance, as described by the NEC:
  

GFCI protection isn’t required for a fixed electric receptacle supplied by a dedicated branch circuit, if the receptacle isn’t readily accessible and the equipment or receptacle has ground-fault protection of equipment.

In summary, a recent supplement to the NEC’s requirement for the locations of outdoor receptacles has been added to mitigate the dangers arising from the use of extension cords. Inspectors should note missing deck receptacles as safety issues.

Note:  The content of this article comes from the NEC, not the International Residential Code (IRC), because the IRC does not explicitly address these issues.

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