If you want to build a new home, there are things you need to know before you begin. Learn about construction standards and about buying land, so you know your rights.

MPS Supplementing Model Building Codes

The Minimum Property Standards (MPS) establish certain minimum standards for buildings constructed under HUD housing programs. This includes new single-family homes, multi-family housing and healthcare-type facilities.

HUD Minimum Property Standards and How They Supplement the Model Building Codes

Until the mid-1980s, HUD maintained separate Minimum Property Standards for different types of structures. Since that time, HUD has accepted the model building codes, including over 250 referenced standards and local building codes, in lieu of separate and prescriptive HUD standards. However, there is one major area of difference between the MPS and other model building codes — durability requirements. Homes and projects financed by FHA-insured mortgages are the collateral for these loans, and their lack of durability can increase the FHA’s financial risk in the event of default. More specifically, the model codes do not contain any minimum requirements for the durability of items such as doors, windows, gutters and downspouts, painting and wall coverings, kitchen cabinets and carpeting. The MPS includes minimum standards for these, and other items, to ensure that the value of an FHA-insured home is not reduced by the deterioration of these components. [Read more…]

Lightning is the “visible discharge of static electricity within a cloud, between clouds or between the earth and a cloud,” as defined by Underwriters Laboratories. Lightning is unpredictable and a serious threat to buildings and their occupants virtually everywhere.

Facts about lightning:

• Benjamin Franklin invented the first lightning rod in 1752 –- a kite outfitted with a metal key — while waiting impatiently for the completion of a church on top of which he would mount a lightning rod.
• Lightning comes up from the earth –- as well as down from the cloud — from high vertical features such as chimneys and trees.
• A typical lightning bolt carries 50,000 amps, tens of millions of volts, and can reach 50,000° F. “Superbolts” may be 100 times more powerful than typical bolts, and travel much farther, too; one such superbolt went from Waco to Dallas, Texas, after having traveled about 118 miles.
• According to the National Weather Service, of the 34 people killed by lightning in the United States in 2009, all were outside when they were struck. Thus, homes provide a great deal of safety against lightning strikes. Interestingly, the same report indicates that 82% of lightning casualties were male.
• Permanent injuries caused by lightning strikes are predominantly neurological and can include sleep disorders, attention deficits, numbness, dizziness, irritability, fatigue, depression, and an inability to sit for long periods of time.
• Between 2002 and 2005, lightning caused an annual average of $213 million in property damage.

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Happy Holidays

The winter holidays are a time for celebration, and that means more cooking, home decorating, entertaining, and an increased risk of fire and accidents. InterNACHI recommends that you follow these guidelines to help make your holiday season safer and more enjoyable.

Holiday Lighting

• Use caution with holiday decorations and, whenever possible, choose those made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant and non-combustible materials.
• Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials, and do not use candles to decorate Christmas trees.
• Carefully inspect new and previously used light strings, and replace damaged items before plugging lights in. If you have any questions about electrical safety, ask an InterNACHI inspector during your next scheduled inspection. Do not overload extension cords.
• Don’t mount lights in any way that can damage the cord’s wire insulation. To hold lights in place, string them through hooks or insulated staples–don’t use nails or tacks. Never pull or tug lights to remove them.
• Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations.
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
• Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use.
• Make sure all the bulbs work and that there are no frayed wires, broken sockets or loose connections.
• Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground-fault circuit interrupters to avoid potential shocks.
• Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.

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