Better Safe!

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This morning after walking Sparky, I finally got a chance to sit down and look at yesterday’s Washington Post Real Estate section. An important, and for me, timely article about carbon monoxide poisoning caught my attention.

The article, Guard Against Carbon Monoxide, would have been a must read any time. But it came the morning after some clients had a home inspection on a charming old Victorian with a wrap around porch. Unfortunately, the old heating system was found to be improperly venting. This meant bad gasses were allowed to build up, especially in the basement area where a family member of the seller’s is living (we hope she’s moved upstairs by now).

Oh, yes! Home inspection! Fortunately, there was no bidding war, so their contract had an inspection contingency. And their inspector, John Vaughan from At Home Inspections, found a bunch of other concerns that could impact their personal safety, like particularly funky wiring, extensive termite infestation, and an about-to-fall-down front porch. There was more, a lot more, and we’re still negotiating with the seller.

When real estate agents look at houses with their clients, it’s usually pretty easy to spot the obvious cosmetic stuff and some problems with the systems. But there are things about some very charming homes that can injure or even kill you or a household member, and they may not be visible to any but the highly trained eye. Funky wiring can ignite a fire. Unstable porches and decks can collapse, often under the weight of people standing on them. And improperly vented heating systems can build up a colorless, odorless gas that, if you’re lucky will send you to the hospital.

I began to take carbon monoxide very seriously when one of my neighbors shared she had recently lost a brother to carbon monoxide poisoning. He lived in a flat in an very old building in London, and it was in the days before detectors were readily available. They are readily avaiable today at any hardware store, and there are several in my home.

So, when you buy a house, a home inspection is crucial. And before you move in, stop by Home Depot or Strosneider’s and buy a couple of carbon monoxide detectors.

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