Austin's Green Resources

J Cline — Tue, 12 May 2009 06:50:50 +0000

As the green movement has taken hold of the nation, Austin has endeavored to stand before the trends. Years ago Austin took the stand to become the most green oriented city in the country, and as a whole a greener Austin is surfacing. To help this along, the local government has created avenues to make it easier for families to achieve a green home goal. Among the options is an unsecured loan intended to update a home’s energy efficiency. the Power Saver^TM Program. The goal of this program is to make it easy for a home owner to update air conditioning, duct work and other area’s of energy concerns. As these improvements are made a home becomes more affordable, and develops better value. The loans hold no sway against the home or the improvements made. The interest rate is kept low, especially in this market, which keeps the payments low. If you desire more information you can find it: Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®-Loan Application for Energy Star Loan The Pedernals Electric Coop has implemented several measure to help their members save on energy costs and improve home value. The first of these is the PEC Home Energy Center, an online tool to help members conserve electricity, save on monthly bills, and reduce carbon emissions. Using the tool can create a clear understanding what improvements need to be made. They also have a rebate program for HVAC improvements.

“…our HVAC Rebate Program. HVAC systems can account for more than 50 percent of a member’s energy consumption, so we provide rebates to those who install energy-efficient units. In 2007, PEC paid more than $548,000 in rebates to members who upgraded their HVAC systems…”

Don’t forget AustinEnergy’s Rebate program. Austin companies and city have really taken the time to create the resources home owners need.

Should a Manufactured Home (Mobile Home) Be Inspected?

Joe Cline — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 04:08:07 +0000

Many people purchase manufactured homes (mobile homes) over traditionally constructed homes but either don’t consider having the home inspected, don’t think one is necessary or don’t think the inspection process is available for a manufactured home, but an inspection by a professional inspector is critical part of purchasing any home. Whether it is a brand new or pre-owned manufactured home, many important safety, and structural and mechanical factors should evaluated before moving in. Some of these are:

Is the home properly secured to the ground such as with tie down straps? Are the straps and anchors correctly installed?
What type of foundation/support is being used under the home and is it proper e.g. concrete block, steel jacks, type of pad used under the piers, etc?
If multi-wide, are the two sides (double wide) mated and secured properly?
Has the roof been joined/installed properly in this area?
Are proper connections made to utilities such as electricity, gas, sewer and water?
Do items such as appliances, outlets, fixtures, heat and air, sinks, toilets etc. work inside the home?
Are there leaks in HVAC duct work, or plumbing underneath the home?
Is the underside floor insulation still in tact?

These and many other safety, functionality and livability factors should be evaluated for a manufactured home. Make sure that you have a professional inspector who is familiar with manufactured homes evaluate your home before you move in. This will help you be more knowledgeable and have peace of mind about the home you are purchasing. Photos of things we see on manufactured home inspections are shown below. Exposed, hanging electrical wiring under the home. Overheating circuit breaker panel. Note charring of bus and burned labels on breaker. Bus temp. measured over 350°. Improperly installed chimney flashing – missing collar – allowing water to come into the house. Termite tunnels on wood skirting in contact with the ground under the home. Disconnected HVAC ductwork and missing under floor insulation and moisture barrier.

For more information contact:

Jerry Schmidt

Professional Building Consultant Inspections, Home and Termite Inspections 512-501-3560 (Austin), 512-942-6071 , 254-421-0612 (Bell County) 888-871-5740 (toll free) sunviewinspections.com, customer_care@sunviewinspections.com TREC 9102, 9437, TPCL 13863

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Austin's Green Resources

Should a Manufactured Home (Mobile Home) Be Inspected?