Vancouver Condo As most people living in the Lower Mainland now know, buying a condominium can be, to put it mildly, “problematic”. In addition to all the normal considerations taken into account when buying real estate, condos (and some houses) require extra care and attention due to our infamous “leaky condo” problems. The services of an experienced Home Inspector, who’s familiar with construction practices in this region, is your best resource in identifying problem buildings. But before you make an offer to purchase you can prepare yourself with an understanding of the condo basics. What does “leaky condo” really mean? It is a structure in which water has penetrated the outer cladding and become trapped within the building walls, or “envelope”, to such an extent that wood rot, and corrosion have caused significant damage to the walls and structural components as well as, in some cases, to the interior of
Monthly Archives
July 2015
Radon Gas Testing in your Home After cigarette smoking, radon gas exposure is now identified as the second biggest cause of lung cancer. Radon is a radioactive gas found in different concentrations almost everywhere on the planet. Health Canada is recommending that indoor air be tested to determine the levels present in your home. Radon originates underground from the radioactive decay of Uranium and Thorium and can enter homes through basements, crawl spaces or floor slabs. It penetrates through cracks in the foundation, floors, or through openings such as piping and ductwork. The greatest risk of Radon exposure arises in buildings that are air tight, have insufficient ventilation, and have foundation leaks that allow air from the soil to enter. Radon is difficult to test because levels fluctuate considerably over short periods of time. Long term testing, such as 3 months or greater, is more accurate. Typically testing equipment is
PEX class action suit helps Canadian homeowners PEX Water Piping was hailed as the next best thing to flush toilets when it hit Canadian construction markets in the 1980’s. PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) is easy to install and cheaper than copper for hot and cold water piping; it bends around corners, connections are simple to make, and because of its pliable nature many fewer connectors are needed. PEX also handles frost better than other piping and it isn’t affected by the acidic water common in the Lower Mainland. PEX has recently had big problems. The brass connectors that made installation so simple reacted with chemicals in the water. Zinc (a component of brass) in the fittings leached into the pipe in a chemical reaction known as ‘dezincification’. The corrosion this causes on the inside of the pipe creates a blockage of zinc oxide that leads to leaks, restricted water flow and