Seide Realty » Gainesville FL & Alachua County Real Estate

Energy Star Home Energy Yardstick

Kathleen Seide — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 16:55:12 +0000

Moneypit or Good Investment?

If you have narrowed down your home search to a handful of homes you like it is time to start digging deeper. Have another look at each of the homes and while you are there take a few minutes to do a quick pre-inspection to look for potential problems. Some easy to spot things that show possible problems are: stains on the ceiling, cracks at corners of doors ceiling and walls, water stains or dampness under sinks, cracked or missing grout, cracking in the foundation outside.

There are many more things that are not easy to spot, which is why you should always have a home inspection by a professional once you have a contract.

Energy Star Home Energy Yardstick

One thing that people forget to look at is how energy efficient a home is. If you can get numbers on energy usage from the owners or the public utility try using this tool for figuring out the score for your next home.

The Yardstick compares the home’s energy use to other homes across the country and gives it a score between 1 and 10 – the average house scores a 5 and the most efficient scores a 10.

If you enter year 2010 the tool doesn’t work – you have to use 2009 or earlier.

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Synthetic Stucco

Coleen DeGroff — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 16:20:25 +0000

originally posted on Coleen’s blog

http://haileplantationrealestate.com/category/gainesville-life/

What is Synthetic Stucco and Why Should You Care?

Traditional stucco is made with Portland cement. Synthetic stucco is polymer based and often includes a layer of foam plastic insulation.

There are many stucco homes in Haile Plantation. In fact, stucco homes are a common sight throughout Florida and other parts of the United States.
Many stucco homes, however, are not traditional stucco but are synthetic stucco, also known as EIFS.

What is EIFS? The simplest explanation I could find comes from an article about synthetic stucco on about.com:

“EIFS stands for Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems. The product is also called synthetic stucco, and refers to a multi-layered exterior finish that’s been used in European construction since shortly after World War II, when contractors found it to be a good repair choice for buildings damaged during the war. The majority of repairs to European buildings were to structures constructed of stone, concrete, brick, or other similar, durable materials.”

EIFS was introduced to the United States in 1969 by Dryvit Systems. Prized for its superior insulating properties, cost-effectiveness, and its ability to be designed into a variety of architectural styles, EIFS was primarily used on commercial buildings in the United States until the early 1980’s, when it was introduced into the residential building market.

In addition to Dryvit, EIFS manufacturers now include Acrocrete (BASF), Parex, and Sto.

Insulation and Barrier Systems

Synthetic stucco/EIFS was designed as a “barrier system,” meaning that its success is dependent upon no moisture ever getting into the building envelope. To remain completely moisture free, all construction steps have to be followed, all flashings have to be properly installed, all windows and doors have to be properly caulked, etc. According to the International Risk Management Institute Inc. (IRMI),

“the properties of the product that make it a good insulator (designed to keep air from moving from the inside to the outside) also make it a poor drainer/ventilator (does not allow water that gets in to get back out).”

Water and Wood is a Bad Combination

Mold behind EIFS on wood sheathing - photo courtesy of Dennis Rose, Exterior Design Institute

Problems surfaced in the residential market with synthetic stucco/EIFS because, unlike commercial buildings, residential homes are not framed out with concrete or steel. Instead the synthetic stucco/EIFS cladding is generally applied over plywood framing, and moisture intrusion combined with plywood do not a very healthy pair make. Adverse effects of moisture intrusion into a synthetic stucco home can include accumulation of moisture in the wall cavity, structural damage, mold growth, and termite or carpenter ant infestation.

In the mid-1990’s, 209 EIFS homes in Wilmington, NC were discovered to have chronic moisture problems, resulting in serious mold and structural issues. According to an article on EIFS by Florida Master Home Inspectors,

“the damage was caused by poor construction detailing and practices; principally, the omission or proper installation of flashing in violation of minimum standards of construction set forth in building codes.”

Lawsuits were filed and the EIFS manufacturer, Dryvit Systems, settled with the homeowners. Similar problems with synthetic stucco/EIFS have been reported in Canada as well as throughout the United States including Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

Draining away the Moisture

In 1997 drainable EIFS was introduced into the market by EIFS manufacturers. Drainable EIFS systems give moisture that gets behind the cladding a way to escape, greatly lessening the potential for structural and mold problems in synthetic stucco homes.

Several states have outlawed non-drainable EIFS for home building, including North Carolina, New Jersey, and Oregon.

Despite the introduction of drainable EIFS, many builders continue to use the barrier system type of EIFS. According to Florida Master Home Inspectors, it is estimated that 95% of synthetic stucco homes in the United States are of the barrier EIFS variety.

“From an insurance standpoint, finding coverage for homes built using EIFS can be quite difficult. The product is highly susceptible to moisture and if not properly maintained, homeowners could find themselves with mold issues, which is the primary area of concern for insurance providers,” says Bryan Williams, an insurance advisor with McGriff-Williams Insurance in Gainesville.

Synthetic stucco homes – Tips for homeowners

Like any other type of home, regular inspection and maintenance of synthetic stucco homes is necessary to protect your investment and to help prevent problems.

There doesn’t seem to be any good way to visibly tell if there are moisture intrusion problems with a synthetic stucco home. By the time there are outward signs indicating moisture intrusion behind EIFS cladding, the damage can be significant.

A thorough inspection of the home’s exterior by a structural engineer or certified EIFS inspector will help the homeowner to determine which type of EIFS system is used on the home, whether there are currently water intrusion problems, and what steps homeowners should take to maintain their home.

The Exterior Design Institute maintains a list of qualified EIFS inspectors by state. at www.exterior-design-inst.com. According to its website,

“The Exterior Design Institute is a non-profit organization founded for the purpose of training and certifying Building Envelope and EIFS Inspectors and Moisture Analysts to promote quality control within the construction industry.”

Repairs to synthetic stucco homes should be performed by contractors well-versed in the use, maintenance, and application of EIFS.

“Reliable contractors have training certificates or qualification certificates from major EIFS manufacturers. Reliable contractors may also hold an EIFSmart certification from AWCI,” says Dennis Rose, a certified EIFS inspector from Ocala and an EIFS Instructor with the Exterior Design Institute.

The EIFSmart contractors national registry lists contractors by state.

Synthetic stucco homes – Tips for homebuyers

Gary W. Jackson, a North Carolina attorney who deals with cases involving construction defects, suggested the following tips for homebuyers considering the purchase of a synthetic stucco home in a 2004 article in REALTOR ® Magazine:

Insist on obtaining all relevant, available information about a stucco home from the seller: o Is the system traditional stucco or is it EIFS? o Have repairs been performed? o Have moisture readings or other inspections been conducted? Obtain an EIFS inspection on the home (in addition to a regular home inspection).

Want to Know More?

More information on homes built with synthetic stucco/EIFS can be obtained by contacting the National Association of Home Builders Research Center at 800-898-2842.

Many thanks to Bryan Williams at McGriff-Williams Insurance (352.371.7977) and Dennis Rose at the Exterior Design Institute (352-629-0837) for contributing to this article.

NOTE to readers: I am not an expert in construction or synthetic stucco or EIFS. This article is a review of industry literature on the topic of synthetic stucco/EIFS homes. Questions about synthetic stucco/EIFS homes should be directed to an industry professional, which is, I repeat, not me.

5 Tips for Buying a New Home – Gainesville FL Homebuyers

Coleen DeGroff — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 18:00:00 +0000

If you are a Gainesville FL home buyer, and you are considering buying a new home, congrats! There are lots of great new home neighborhoods in Gainesville. (Click here to see some new homes for sale)

Buying a new home is exciting!

Not only do you get to pick out what your home will look like (if you purchase it early enough in the construction process), but you also get to pick out all of the finishes you would like. Granite, stainless steel, travertine, marble, cabinet style, bamboo or wood floors, etc etc etc…. LOTS of fun decisions to make when you are planning your new home!

5 Tips for You

As you are making all of the decisions re what you want to go into your new home in Gainesville FL, here are some other things that you may want to consider before signing on the dotted line:

1) Which schools is your new home zoned for?
You may not have kids, so maybe this doesn’t seem like it would be a big deal. However, you are not just buying your new home in Gainesville for yourself…you are also buying it for the family who will eventually buy it from you. Different schools are more desirable than others, and that affects resale values.

If you don’t know which schools your new home will be zoned for, contact the Alachua County School District Zoning Office at 352-955-7700 to find out. School zoning maps used to be posted on their website …. not sure why they are no longer available …. which is another good question you can ask them while you have them on the line.

2) How much money are you required to leave up front?
Some Gainesville builders require leaving a percentage of money up front with them so they can get started building your home, and others will let you put this down payment in an escrow account somewhere until closing. You should know how your money is going to be handled and what the risks are.

3) Who is your real estate agent?
If you answered “I don’t need one, I’m working with the builder’s agent”…..BZZT! Bad answer!

Even when you are purchasing a new home you should have your own real estate agent representing your own interests so that you can get the best deal possible on your home. It’s also really nice to have an agent there to give you opinions on upgrades etc. who is protecting your interests and your pocketbook.

4) How close to “build out” is the new home community where your home is being built?
OK, THIS one comes from personal experience….and not a very good one at that. When you are buying a new home in a neighborhood that is not even close to being finished, ask yourself this question:

“When it’s time to sell my home, who am I going to be competing against?”

Answer?

Your neighbors who are also trying to sell their homes, and the builders who are still building in the development

Why is this a big deal?

Well, think about it….how different is your home? Will your new home stand out in any meaningful way from the home that will be for sale next door to yours? Or down the street? Or around the block? What will entice buyers to purchase YOUR home over the others that could be available for sale at the same time?

When it comes to competing against builders in the current market, that gets even more dicey….because if builders are still putting up new homes when you are trying to sell yours, they will be able to offer a LOT more incentives to homebuyers than you can….things like awesome financing packages, or free landscaping, or upgraded features in house like granite/stainless steel/new feature of the day, etc….thrown in for the same price, or pretty darn close, that you are selling your now “old” home for (even though it may only be 2 or 3 years old).

When you are competing against builders, pretty much the only thing you are left to compete against them with is price.

5) How “brand-new” is the new community?

Has the builder just broken ground on the development? Are there just a few homes up, with many more promised homes to follow? How about amenities? Are the pool/playground/basketball courts/tennis courts/etc. that the builder has promised new residents already built?

Here’s why I’m asking:

Click to see New Homes for sale in the MLS system...
I’m not trying to be a buzz-kill here!

Buying a home is an investment in your future, and these are just some things you should be considering before you ultimately make one of the biggest financial decisions of your life.

Ready – Set – Go

Here is a link to homes for sale that were built in 2010 and will be done in 2011.

How To Audit Your Energy Use & Save on Bills

Kathleen Seide — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:00:54 +0000

You may want to make some “green” updates to your home and not know where to start. An energy audit is a great way to find out where your home is leaking energy and focus on the items with the biggest improvements first.

I found a good resource for tips of saving energy, a website called Energy Savers. Here are a few excerpts from their site:

Energy Auditing Tips

Check the insulation levels in your attic, exterior and basement walls, ceilings, floors, and crawl spaces. Visit www.energysavers.gov for instructions on checking your insulation levels.
Check for holes or cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light and plumbing fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets that can leak air into or out of your home.
Check for open fireplace dampers.
Make sure your appliances and heating and cooling systems are properly maintained. Check your owner’s manuals for the recommended maintenance.
Study your family’s lighting needs and use patterns, paying special attention to high-use areas such as the living room, kitchen, and outside lighting. Look for ways to use lighting controls—like occupancy sensors, dimmers, or timers—to reduce lighting energy use, and replace standard (incandescent) light bulbs and fixtures with compact or standard fluorescent lamps.

Formulating Your Plan

After you have identified where your home is losing energy, assign priorities by asking yourself a few important questions:

How much money do you spend on energy?
Where are your greatest energy losses?
How long will it take for an investment in energy efficiency to pay for itself in energy cost savings?
Do the energy-saving measures provide additional benefits that are important to you (for example, increased comfort from installing double-paned, efficient windows)?
How long do you plan to own your current home?
Can you do the job yourself orwill you need to hire a contractor?
What is your budget and how much time do you have to spend on maintenance and repair?

Once you know what to start on decide if you are going to tackle the job yourself, or if you want to hire a contractor or handyman to help you. If you need any recommendations just send us a message.

Is Your A/C Bill Killing Your Summer Fun? Energy Savers Website

Kathleen Seide — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:00:01 +0000

With temperatures on the rise in Gainesville I know a lot of people who are complaining about their utility bills.

I found a good resource for tips of saving energy, a website called Energy Savers. Here are a few excerpts from their site:

Tips to Save Energy Today

Easy low-cost and no-cost ways to save energy.

Install a programmable thermostat to keep your house comfortably warm in the winter and comfortably cool in the summer.
Use compact fluorescent light bulbs with the ENERGY STAR® label.
Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle.
Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.
Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use (TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power).
Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120°F.
Take short showers instead of baths.
Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
Drive sensibly. Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gasoline.
Look for the ENERGY STAR label on home appliances and products. ENERGY STAR products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Visit http://www.energysavers.gov/ for more energy-saving ideas.

“Energy Savers provides homeowners with tips for saving energy and money at home and on the road.”

Seide Realty » Gainesville FL & Alachua County Real Estate

Energy Star Home Energy Yardstick

Energy Star Home Energy Yardstick

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Synthetic Stucco

What is Synthetic Stucco and Why Should You Care?

Insulation and Barrier Systems

Water and Wood is a Bad Combination

Draining away the Moisture

Synthetic stucco homes – Tips for homeowners

Want to Know More?

5 Tips for Buying a New Home – Gainesville FL Homebuyers

Buying a new home is exciting!

5 Tips for You

Why is this a big deal?

Click to see New Homes for sale in the MLS system...I’m not trying to be a buzz-kill here!

Ready – Set – Go

How To Audit Your Energy Use & Save on Bills

Energy Auditing Tips

Formulating Your Plan

Is Your A/C Bill Killing Your Summer Fun? Energy Savers Website

Tips to Save Energy Today

Easy low-cost and no-cost ways to save energy.

Click to see New Homes for sale in the MLS system...
I’m not trying to be a buzz-kill here!