Chinese drywall began showing up in houses built or renovated during 2003 or later. It is a nationwide problem and there are numerous web sites dealing with it: just “google” Chinese drywall. Basically, the problem is caused by various compounds in the drywall which, especially in high humidity, emit vapors that act a lot like sulfuric acid.
There is no specific test at this writing that can identify this stuff. Some of the signs are a sulfurous (rotten egg) smell, blackened bath or kitchen fixtures, corroded electrical wiring or sockets, and dry, burning eyes.
Some of these symptoms may have other causes, but if there were drywall renovations or the house was constructed after 2002 and some or all symptoms are present, I suggest you look elsewhere. The only remedy is removal of the drywall and deteriorated components. Meantime, you could find no one wants to insure the structure.
Mold and mildew problems occur in just about every house and not just in Florida. It becomes an issue when the fungus is out of control. If the house has had the electricity shut off, or the air conditioner’s temperature control is turned way up to save money while the house is being sold, or there has been a leak in windows or roof, there is a greater risk of serious mildew problems.
- Black, powdery-looking stains under the sinks in bath and kitchen, around baseboards, sometimes ceilings and walls, are bad signs.
- In some cases, removal of insulation and drywall is necessary and must be done by a licensed professional. Your real estate agent may be knowledgeable enough to tell whether the infestation is serious. A decent home inspector ought to know, too. Not only is a serious infestation downright dangerous, it will impact insurance coverage (more here on mold and mildew).
Insects are a concern down here. Termites may show up at any time and you need the assurance of a very recent inspection if you are buying.
Roofs are of two basic shapes: hipped and gabled.
GABLED ROOF
Flat roofs on single family dwellings are not common down here.
HIPPED ROOF (house in foreclosure)
Of the two common shapes, the hipped roof offers less wind resistance and may carry a lower insurance premium, all things being otherwise equal, than would a gabled roof.
Whatever the shape of the roof, they all need to be well ventilated. Look at the soffit to ensure it is unobstructed (because that’s where the ventilation intake usually is) and that the attic area has adequate exhaust vents, usually ridge vents along the high points of the roof.
Roof coverings are asphalt shingles, tile, or metal. Be wary of a roof covered with three-tab shingles with mismatched patches. Ditto for tiled roofs with non-matching tiles. There may be absolutely nothing wrong (this is, after all, south Florida, the land of make do), but you should be alert for water stains on interior walls or ceilings. Newly painted rooms should raise suspicion, especially if the rest of the house hasn’t been repainted. Unless you are an expert roofer and just somehow “know”, someone is going to have to get into the attic and inspect the underside of the roof deck as well as walk on the roof looking for bad spots.
If there is a problem here, such that the entire surface needs to be re-shingled, be aware that the replacement roof will entail removal of everything above the roof deck and probably replacement of parts of the deck itself. Once in awhile, the underlying trusses may be damaged, too. Just putting on another layer of shingles (as might be done elsewhere) is almost never acceptable to the building inspector, nor should it be to you.
Be sure to get references on roofing contractors and estimates from three or four of them. Unfortunately, this business has more than its fair share of shady operators. You could try asking in the building department which contractors have the lowest failure rate upon inspection. If they won’t talk to you, ask around the neighborhood. If it’s like my neighborhood, about half will have had their roofs replaced since 2003 0r ’04. Hurricane Charley just ate up older roofs.
A metal roof is the most expensive type of roof and, properly installed, the most durable. It will reduce your utility bills more and stand up to storms better than the other two. It will also garner the highest discount in insurance premiums; again, “all things being otherwise equal.”
Wells and septic systems are common. I think if the well and septic are properly maintained, they are probably cheaper than the Cape Coral water and sewer charges on a monthly basis and certainly less when you consider the hefty up-front cost (see “Lots”). When looking for a house, you need to be aware of some possibly unique issues that might change the picture some.
- In Cape Coral, when is the water and sewer extension going to reach your property? It won’t matter if that house has the best well and septic system in the world. It will be replaced and you will be out $20,000 or more for the privilege of paying the City for services you had been getting for a lot less money. That this dismal situation will not make you happy is basically your problem. All they care about is your money.
- Has the septic tank been pumped in living memory? Ask for proof. In Cape Coral, people swear (in good faith, I think) that they’ve never had a problem. Good for them. Faith is a wonderful thing. I suspect this attitude persists outside of Cape Coral, too. Septic tanks need to be pumped at least every 8-10 years in addition to having a treatment (to encourage bacterial growth) added every month or so. Pumping them is not all that expensive, but will vary with the size of the tank. Get two or three estimates over the ‘phone or insist the seller have the tank pumped (which is customary almost anywhere else) and provide a receipt.
- If the seller doesn’t know where the tank is, that might be a clue as to his interest. They can be in the yard or up next to the house.
- There is no meter to tell you the tank is clogged. It will let you know by regurgitating its contents inside your house. Usually late one night. Or, while you’re out running an errand. This will not be one of your brighter moments.
- Clogged leach fields may cause you to have to pump the tank more often. Common causes are age (plus the fact that the older fields were not especially well designed) and planting trees or shrubs in the leach field whose roots have penetrated and clogged it (grass is OK). Be certain you know the location of the leach field; it is usually in the front yard or, in the case of a three-plus lot site, it could be in the side yard.
- Low-lying areas are especially prone to clogging caused by saturation from accumulated water that can’t quickly drain. The excess water may then back up into your septic tank filling it up. This is not good (see “regurgitation” above).
Wells should be drilled to a depth of 125′ or more (at least in Cape Coral). You can check this with whatever jurisdiction (city or county) that was responsible for the permit. Your real estate agent can give you that information. Be aware that the well pump will not be that deep, and if it is located at around 75 feet, you may need to lower it and possibly replace it at the same time.
- The code currently calls for a 6-inch in diameter well shaft.Older houses (like mine) have a 4-inch shaft. This may mean drilling a new, wider shaft if the water table drops, as opposed to just going a bit deeper, a less expensive proposition. You will need a permit for this.
- You should inquire as to the age of the well pump: 8-10 years old, and it’s on borrowed time. Also if the pump, regardless of age, has been idle for a number of months it may fail. There will be no warning. One day, you just won’t have water. Well pumps need to run 15-30 minutes a week to reduce this probability. Take this into account when you’re thinking about moving the pump or well deeper.
Salt water intrusion is another concern for the well system. This occurs when the underground aquifer into which your well is drilled is infiltrated by salt water. It happens when the water pressure in the aquifer drops enough to allow the gulf’s waters to replace the fresh water. Drought and too many wells into the aquifer are the usual causes.
Your options are all fairly costly here and it might be best to move on to another choice. Unless, of course, the City of Cape Coral has your area in its sights to extend the sewer and water project to you. Then that $20,000+ it will cost you might not look so onerous if you really, really like the house. Have the water tested to determine your options:
- You can pay to have someone bring drinking water to your house at least for a while, but be aware that the brackish water, if used untreated, is going to eat up appliances that use it and may be too brackish to water your yard.
- A whole house reverse osmosis system can theoretically solve both these problems at a cost of several thousand dollars (provided you irrigate with the treated water and not directly from the well). Several local water-related businesses sell them. Only a water test by someone qualified to do it can tell you what will work and what won’t.
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