Real Estate appraisal and Common Environmental Hazards Found in Homes

Mold is somewhat common when it comes to houses in areas where rainfall every now and then is a common thing. It goes hand in hand to dampness, as most of the times dampness causes mold growth. In homes places where sunlight is rarely shining upon gets mold growth even if there is less dampness. Mold is a fungus; there are thousands of different species of molds. Only a few hundred species are common in residential structures, and only a handful of those are harmful or allergenic for humans.
Appraisers in real estate are not expected to know particularly which type of mold is growing in the house under consideration or whether it is harmful or not. Similarly, they are no expected to take care of the mold itself, rather they just have of identify it and get it reported.
Moreover, one cannot differentiate between a harmful or innocuous mold type just by looking at the color, you will need to be an expert to do that. As an appraiser, when you encounter a mold-like substance, you should note its existence and take photographs. Depending upon the intended use of the appraisal, the client may want to have testing done.
Mold if visible can be taken care of but what if you don’t see any, yet you smell something musty in the dwelling? This makes for a high chance that there is MOLD in the house.

2. Chinese drywall

In the early 2000s, certain types of drywalls were imported from China for their use in the real estate. These drywalls installed in many homes across US by their exoticness and strength, have been identified to contain hazardous materials, including sulfur. Under certain conditions, this drywall will emit sulfur gases, which can cause health problems for building occupants. These gases have also been found to corrode copper and metal surfaces, including appliances, wiring, and air conditioners.
As an appraiser, you might look out for them as they are really easily identified because of the Chinese markings on the back. You must look for a smell like “rotten eggs” is the building to be sure that there is sulfur present in the house.

3. Asbestos

Asbestos was used majorly in the US real estate during 1920s to 1970s. It is a naturally-occurring mineral that consists of thin fibrous crystals. It was widely used as an insulator and in making tiles.
Soon, it was discovered that, asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) were identified of containing cancer causing elements which were considered harmful for human life.
What does this have to do with you, the appraiser? Like other environmental hazards, you are not responsible for testing or identifying asbestos. For example, floor tile that contains asbestos looks just like floor that does not contain asbestos. The same thing can be said for shingle siding; some types contain fiberglass instead of asbestos. However, they cannot be told apart without testing.

4. Lead paint

Do you happen to know someone whose house was built before the 70s? if yes, you need to tell them that the paint they used in their house probably contained lead. Lead is not harmful if in good condition. But when the weather gets too much to handle for the paint and it gets to loosen up by peeling, chipping, cracking, etc. it starts getting dangerous. When you see chipping or peeling paint, can you tell simply by looking at it whether or not it is lead-based? No. It would need to be tested to make a definitive determination.
As an appraiser, you need to identify the paint in the house. You can as the landlord about the date when the house was built or the real estate contractor about the type of paint used. You need to identify the signs of chipping and cracking.

5.  Pesticides

Pests can be trouble! They cam be taken care of, once identified, by the company but what if the pesticides they used on the pests left a lasting effect on the house? Pesticides can both be am indoor and an outdoor hazard.
As an appraiser in real estate, you need to make sure that whether the house was ever infested by pests or rodents and whether proper procedures were followed during their removal. While not an “indoor” hazard, pesticide use around your home can impact health. Maintain your yard and garden to naturally deter pests instead of using pesticides when possible; store firewood away from the home to avoid wood-destroying insects; and follow instructions and where appropriate PPE when using pesticides.
So overall, one must be aware of the hazards discoed above which included Mold, Chinese drywall, asbestos, lead paint, and pesticides. These are just a handful of the environmental hazards you might run into when completing an appraisal inspection.