Spring time in Montana - Time for HVAC Filter Maintenance
Part of responsible homeownership includes, of course, regular home maintenance.  And there are some tasks that, if deferred, can lead to a home system that’s inefficient and overworked, this can result in problems and expenses.  Changing the filter of the home’s HVAC system is important for air quality & system efficiency.. It’s simple and inexpensive, and taking care of it at least every three months can mean the difference between optimum comfort and avoidable repairs.
Your HVAC or furnace technician should service your unit once a year. 
Because a furnace/HVAC unit contains moving parts, it’s important that belts are not cracked and dry, ventilation ductwork is not gapped, cracked or rusted, and components, such as coils and fans, are clog-free and adequately lubricated for unimpeded operation.  
​This sort of evaluation is best left to the professional, unless you’ve had the appropriate training.

​How Often Should a Filter Be Changed?

The filter of the unit, especially if it’s an HVAC unit that will tend to get nearly year-round use, should be changed by the homeowner at least every three months, but possibly more often.
Change the filter immediately if:

• The filter is damaged.  A damaged filter won’t work as intended.
• The filter is damp.  A filter affected by moisture intrusion, system condensation, or even high indoor humidity can quickly become moldy and spread airborne mold spores throughout the home via the ventilation system. 
• There is evidence of microbial growth or mold on the filter.  Mold spores already infiltrating the home via the HVAC system are not only bad for the unit itself, but they can pose a health hazard for the family, ranging from an irritated respiratory system to a serious allergic reaction. 

Tips on Changing the Filter

• Turn off the unit before replacing the filter.
• Use the right filter for your unit and make sure it’s not damaged out of the package.
• Follow the directions for your unit to make sure you’re installing the filter properly. For example, many filters use different colors for the front and back (or upstream and downstream flow so that they’re not installed backwards.
• Make sure there aren’t any gaps around the filter frame.  If this is the case, you may have the wrong size filter, or the filter itself may be defective or damaged.
• Use a rag or vacuum to clean up any residual dust before and after you replace the filter.
• Securely replace any levers, gaskets and/or seals.
• Turn the unit on and observe it while it’s operating to make sure the filter stays in place.
• Note the date of filter replacement in a convenient location for the next time you inspect it. 
• A filter that becomes dirty enough to change within a short period of time may indicate a problem with the unit or ventilation system, so monitoring how often the filter requires changing is important information for your technician to have.

Call a technician for servicing if:

• Your unit fails to turn back on.
• The fan is slow or makes excessive noise, or the fins are bent.
• The coils are excessively dusty or clogged.
• You notice moisture intrusion from an unknown source anywhere in the system.

Homeowners who take care of the easy task of changing their HVAC filter can help prevent system downtime and avoidable expenses, as well as keep their families living and breathing comfortably. 

What Can Go Wrong
Most homes have some sort of furnace or heat pump, and many of those homes (especially newer ones) have combined heating, ventilation and air-conditioning or HVAC systems.  Each type uses some type of air filter or screen to prevent larger airborne particles (up to 40 microns) from entering the system and clogging sensitive machinery. 

A system that has a dirty filter can suffer from pressure drop, which can lead to reduced air flow, or “blow-out,”when there is no air infiltration at all.  Any of these conditions can cause the system to work harder to keep the home warm or cool (depending on the season and the setting).  And any mechanical component that has to work harder to run puts undue stress on the whole system, which can lead to premature failure, resulting in a need for repair or replacement. 

A dirty filter that’s exposed to condensation can also become damp, and can lead to mold growth that can be spread throughout the home by the HVAC system. Yuck!
This can lead to serious health consequences, not to mention a compromised unit that will likely require servicing and may require replacement, depending on the severity of the problem.

Types of Filters
Most HVAC and furnace filters are disposable, made of biodegradable paper or similar media, and shaped in cells, screens or fins designed to trap as much airborne debris as possible.  Filters can typically be purchased in economical multi-packs, and there are many types that will fit different models of furnace/HVAC units.  It’s important to use the appropriate filter for your unit; using the wrong filter that doesn’t fit the unit properly can create the same types of problems as having a dirty filter.  Your HVAC installer can show you where the filter goes and how to remove the old one and install a new one.  Your unit may also have an affixed label with directions for easy filter replacement.

You Might Even Need to Change it More Often 
Check your filter’s condition and change it once a month if:

• You run your unit six months a year to year-round.
• You have pets.  Pet dander can become airborne and circulate through the home’s ventilation system just as typical household dust does.
• You have a large family.  More activity means more household dust, dirt and debris.
• You smoke indoors.
• You or someone in your household suffers from allergies or a respiratory condition.
• You live in a particularly windy area or experience high winds for extended periods, especially if there are no nearby shrubs or trees to provide a natural windbreak.
• You live in an area prone to or having recently experienced any wildfires.  Airborne ash outdoors will eventually find its way indoors.
• You have a fireplace that you occasionally use.
• You live on a working farm or ranch.  Dust and dirt that gets kicked up by outdoor work activity and/or large animals can be pulled into the home’s ventilation system, especially through open windows.
• You have a large garden.  Depending on its size and how often you work it, tilling soil, planting, pulling weeds, using herbicides and pesticides, and even watering mean that dirt, chemicals and condensation can be pulled into your home’s ventilation system.
• There is construction taking place around or near the home.  You may be installing a new roof or a pool, or perhaps a neighbor is building a home or addition.  Even if the activity is only temporary, dust and debris from worksites adjacent to or near the home can be sucked into the home’s ventilation system, and this increased activity can tax your HVAC system.

 InterNACHI inspector Bob Ruby of Home Inspection Solutions can provide more useful tips and reminders during your Annual Home Maintenance Inspection.

Yes we do have bed bugs here in Montana.
Bed bugs are easily spread & can be found not only in hotels & motels in our state but also in apartments and homes.
Early treatment is key to solving bed bug problems, if you suspect bed bugs have a qualified pest control expert conduct a Bed Bug Inspection to find out if you actually have an infestation.
For Bed Bug Inspection & treatment we trust  Custom West Pest Control Missoula

For DIY Non-Chemical Bed Bug Management & Anti-Bed Bug Travel Tips  Checklist visit our PDF Libray

What Are  Bed Bugs?
Bed Bugs are small, flightless, rust-colored parasites that feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals. Homeowners should learn the telltale signs of these pests. 
Adult bed bugs are flat and can be the size of apple seeds, Aprox. 1/4 inch to 3/8 inches long with rust-colored, oval bodies. Newly hatched bed bugs are semi-transparent, light tan in color, and the size of a poppy seed.

Yet, due to their elusive nature, their presence is usually discovered through peripheral clues rather than by seeing the bugs themselves. Some of these signs include small droppings, blood smears, crushed bugs, or the itchy bumps that may result from bites. The bugs may be disturbed while feeding and leave a cluster of bumps, or they may bite in a row, marking the path of a blood vessel. The parasites emit a characteristic musty odor, although the smell is sometimes not present in even severe infestations. The bugs also emit a scent that is picked up by dogs, which has lead to the implementation of dogs for bed bug detection. Properly trained dogs can find bed bugs in wall voids, furniture gaps, and other places that homeowners may overlook.  This helps exterminators to know where they should focus their efforts. 

History and Resurgence
Bed bugs were all but eradicated in the 1950s, but they have re-emerged in a big way. At the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Bed Bug Summit in 2009, researchers decided that the parasite’s revival is more appropriately termed a pandemic rather than an epidemic, noting its rapid spread across large regions and different continents. The United States has seen a 50-fold increase in bed bug infestations over the last five years, according to the National Pest Management Association. The outbreak has affected most parts of North America and Europe, especially in urban areas.  
Researchers believe that bed bugs resurfaced for two reasons:  the termination of the use of the pesticide DDT; and a rise in international travel. DDT, a powerful and dangerous synthetic pesticide, was widely used in agriculture & pest control until a public outcry concerning its safety lead to a U.S.-ban of the chemical in 1972, followed by international bans. This would permit future outbreaks to grow unchecked when travel increased from countries where bed bugs were never subjugated, such as India. 
Urban hubs of international travel, such as New York City, have been hit hardest by the resurgence. The bugs hitch rides from country to country in suitcases and creep into hotel rooms, where other guests are then exposed and unknowingly spread the parasites to movie theatres, cabs, buses, hospitals, their homes, and everywhere in between. In New York City, bed bug reports increased 800% from 2008 to 2009, a year in which the Department of Housing Preservation and Development received 13,152 complaints of bed bug infestations.
For Anti-Bed Bug Travel TipsChecklist visit our PDF Libray

Treatment and Prevention
Because bed bugs are adept at hiding almost anywhere, an alarming quantity of possessions, from curtains to books and picture frames, must be discarded or quarantined. Some possessions may be salvaged if they are sealed in special casing or placed in sealed casings long enough for the bed bugs to die, which can take many months. During this time, residents may be forced to move out of the home and into temporary housing. 
If you find bed bugs threatening your housing situation contact your local Health Department for assistance.

Fortunately, the health dangers posed by bed bugs appear to be limited to temporary skin irritation and inflammation, akin to mosquito bites. There are no known cases of disease transmission from bed bugs to humans. However, a small percentage of the population may experience anaphylactic shock.  Measures should be taken to prevent bacterial infection of bites from bed bugs by washing the area with soap and water and applying an antiseptic.
For DIY Non-Chemical Bed Bug Management Checklist visit our PDF Libray

It’s often best for bed bugs to be treated by pest management professionals (PMPs) and not homeowners, as there is risk that an inexperienced person may make the infestation worse. For instance, bug bombs are ineffective and may actually spread the infestation. 
Even chemical sprays designed to kill bed bugs can have the opposite effect, if used improperly, as bed bugs are capable of moving through the penetrations in walls to escape pesticides. PMPs can inspect for bed bugs in their immature stages of development, including their eggs, while homeowners are not trained to do this.. The homeowner not attempt to clean up an infestation until after an evaluation a professional, because cleaning may make it difficult for the PMP to assess the true extent of the infestation.
The following tactics may be useful for confirmation of and temporary relief from the presence of bed bugs:

• Remove bed skirts, as they provide easy access for the bugs to travel from the floor to your bed. If you must have bed skirts, make sure they do not reach the floor.
• Move your bed away from the wall. Bed bugs cannot fly, but they can climb walls in order to fall onto the bed.
• Place furniture legs in tin cans coated with talcum powder, petroleum jelly or a non-evaporative liquid to deter the bugs from climbing. 
• Place a strip of duct tape at the base of furniture with the sticky side out. This tactic can be used to confirm the presence of bed bugs because it will trap them in place.
• Spray cracks and crevices with an insecticide designed to control bed bugs. Follow the label's directions carefully. However, do not treat bedding, towels or clothing with insecticide. 

Homeowners can limit their chances of exposure by purchasing only new furniture, as stowaway bed bugs can hide in older or used chairs and mattresses. Hostels, hotels and motels host many travelers and are breeding grounds for bed bugs, and many hostels ban sleeping bags for this reason. Unfortunately, person-to-person contact is difficult to avoid.
Bed bugs are a growing, serious threat.  Homeowners who suspect that they or their home has been exposed to bed bugs may benefit by learning to recognize and become familiar with these pests because of their potential to infest the home and damage property.
For a Bed Bug Inspection & Treatment we trust  Custom West Pest Control Missoula

For in depth information on this subject visit  https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs
(Intarnachi resources, published by permission)

This Week Our Friend Veteran Appraiser Tom Horn Talks about FHA loan criteria & how to save time & money. We liked his article so much we are sharing with you today.
Tom is a great resource.
Do You Want To Save Your FHA Buyers Money and Time?
By Appraiser Tom Horn - http://birminghamappraisalblog.com/about-tom-horn/


This week I had a situation with an FHA appraisal assignment that I wanted to share with you. The thing that makes this one different from the others is that if it had been handled differently it would have saved the buyers money on a final inspection and they probably could have closed their loan faster.

Appraisals done for FHA financing are typically more strict than for conventional loans. Issues that arise usually fall into 3 categories which are safety, soundness, and security. Safety refers to the health, habitability, and sanitary conditions of the property. Any item that would threaten the occupant’s health is included here, such as peeling paint, frayed wiring, or missing handrails.
The second ‘S’ is for soundness, which relates to the structure and structural components of the home. Examples of these include items such as foundation problems or roof leaks. The last ‘S’ is for security. We’re not talking about whether the house is locked up and secure but whether the property will be good collateral for the loan. Is it worth at least what the buyer is borrowing?
Things that can affect whether it will be good collateral usually have to do with its marketability. Some of the things that can affect marketability include whether the home is near high voltage power lines, near railroad tracks, or some other negative influence. If it is then this may keep people from wanting to buy it from the bank if it went into foreclosure.
In my 28+ years as an appraiser I’ve seen all kinds of issues with homes but today I’ll share with you the top 4 things agents can do to save their FHA buyers money and time.

4 Key Areas To Focus On
1) Windows– The biggest issue I see with windows is whether they can be easily opened if it is necessary to exit to the outside. This is the perfect example of a safety issue. If there was a fire in the home and the only way to get outside was through a window could it be opened?
Windows in older homes are usually the ones that are hardest to open because most of the time they are painted shut. I did, however, see something this week I had never seen and that was windows that were nailed shut.
They were impossible to open up and I made it a requirement for the nails to be removed so the windows could open and close. For safety’s sake, they should be able to be opened by a small child in case of an emergency.
2) Paint– I’ve written previous posts on the proper way to address peeling paint in FHA loans so I won’t cover that here except to emphasize that if a house has peeling paint it should be removed and repainted. Over the years I have slowly seen conventional loan requirements also require this, so its a good bet that no matter what loan type a borrower chooses the peeling paint will need to be corrected so why not do it before the home goes on the market? Putting it off until the last minute will only result in the borrower paying more and delaying the loan.
3) Appliances– I get questions from agents about appliances frequently. They are concerned that the home may not pass the FHA appraisal guidelines if an appliance is missing.
One of the main things to keep in mind is that an appliance does not have to be present to pass FHA guidelines. If an appliance is missing, however, there cannot be any exposed wiring or uncapped gas pipes.
If an appliance is present it must work properly. A stove that has burners that do not work or a microwave that will not turn on will either have to be removed or replaced.
4) Utilities– As you might expect, all utilities must be turned on for the appraisal observation. Electricity must be on for the appraiser to check the operation of all of the appliances as well as the heating and cooling system.
If the home has gas it must also be turned on to check things such as the heater, water heater, and the stove if it is gas. The water must be on so that the faucets can be turned on and the toilet can be checked as well.
So to recap, agents can save their clients both time and money by making sure that windows open and close, no peeling paint is present, appliances work if they are present, and that all utilities are on. This will ensure that the appraiser does not have to revisit the property, which extends closing time and increases cost for the additional inspection.
If you liked this post subscribe To Tom Horn by email (or RSS feed). Thanks for visit

Related posts from Tom Horn:

1. Are these FHA required repairs?
2. Photos from the field- FHA repair item or not?
3. FHA Repair Item…or Not?
4. How NOT to dispose of peeling paint for an FHA appraisal
5. FHA loans and messy homes

Missoula Montana & Five Valleys Chapter of InterNACHI
INVITES NEW MEMBERS To Join Our HOME INSPECTOR CHAPTER.
We are an organization of individual Home Inspectors from Missoula and the Bitterroot, Sapphire, Garnet, Rattlesnake & Mission Valleys.
Our goal is to support fellow interNACHI members while promoting & spreading education and excellence in the field of Home Inspection and Reporting.

We hold informational & educational events in the Missoula area. 
Bob Ruby & Dianne Keast, President & Vice-President of Missoula & Five Valleys InterNACHI Chapter
 http://mt.nachi.org/missoulafivevalleys
​homeinspection.montana@gmail.com
(406) 646-6182

Join chapter FB group discussions:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Msla.FiveValleys.NACHI/ 


​
Serving Western Montana
Bob Ruby & Dianne Keast
http://www.homeinspectionsolutions-mt.com​