Volume 3 Number 8
September 2006

In this Issue
Lean Production Techniques May Advance Factory-Built Housing
Examining Hispanic Homeownership
Homeowners: The Last Defense in Preventing Moisture Damage
When Low-Income and Minority Families Buy Their First Home

Homeowners: The Last Defense in Preventing Moisture Damage

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Effective moisture control in the home begins with design and construction decisions that affect the moisture-resistance features of roofs, walls, foundations, and vapor barriers. A well-constructed home makes for a good long-term investment. However, moisture control ultimately depends on the homeowner's understanding of the issues and conscientious management. Not only must the owner recognize moisture problems, but through adequate maintenance, must also prevent them from developing. Too often, homeowners find that they are only minimally prepared for the responsibility of protecting their principal investment.

In June 2005, The Oregonian ran a two-day series about moisture-related problems, warning that "...rot and mold are eating away at the structural components inside a small but growing number of today’s homes and condos. The result is an ugly - and costly - affront to the American Dream." Within 24 hours, more than 100 readers had contacted the paper, asking how to determine whether their own homes had moisture problems.¹

Subprime lending can result in higher rates of foreclosure on home loans and undermine a community’s economic stability.

Recognizing the widespread need for information about preventing moisture damage, HUD and the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) commissioned a best practices and plan review tool for builders and designers, together with a supplemental guide for homeowners titled Moisture-Resistant Homes. The guide combines the latest in technical knowledge with judgment, experience, and a common-sense approach to moisture management. It helps homeowners protect their most valuable investment by looking at the home as an integrated system, illustrating how and where moisture damage occurs, explaining how to recognize moisture damage and, when necessary, how to find the right kind of help.

In many ways, a house is like a living organism, in that it needs a healthy skin, or exterior, to protect its internal structure from the elements. It must be able to breathe - or in this case, to release excess moisture. It also needs a healthy circulatory system; one that can carry water in and out of the house without leaking.

Know How and Where Moisture Damage Happens

Moisture damage in the home is frequently traceable to a lack of maintenance or disrepair. The most frequent trouble spots include:

• Roofing or flashings

• Ice dams

• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems

• Plumbing

• Window and door flashings or seals

• Landscape grade changes

• Standing groundwater or rainwater pools

• Gutters and downspouts

• Soffits and fascias

• Weep holes

• Sump pumps

• Condensation

• Natural disasters

Know What to Look for in Each Room

Savvy homeowners routinely check all systems, looking for clues to excess moisture and impending or existing water damage. In the kitchen, look under and around the sink, behind the refrigerator, beneath the dishwasher and stove, and at exhaust fans and filters. In the bathroom, regularly inspect the plumbing, exhaust fan, toilet, windows, showers, tile surrounds, and tubs. In addition, the water heater, water softener, heating system, cooling system, and other HVAC systems are all potential sources of moisture damage and mold. Areas to inspect in the attic include roof pass-throughs, attic vents, insulation, ductwork, recessed lights, and the walls that connect the attic to the basement. In the laundry room, check for leaks, clogs, or drips in the washing machine and dryer connections, hoses, filters, sinks, and faucets. Basements, whether finished or unfinished, should be cool, dry, and clean. Crawl spaces also need regular inspection. For all of these areas, Moisture-Resistant Homes gives the homeowner specific advice on what to look for and what to do to prevent - and address - problems.

The guide also walks the homeowner through a thorough inspection of the home's exterior, including sidings, wall penetrations, windows and doors, drainage, and the effects of trees. The condition of shingles, flashings, gutters, and roof membranes are all important to the integrity of the home and must be carefully monitored. Although many homeowners cannot safely climb onto the roof, many things can be observed from the ground, from windows, and through binoculars.

Moisture-Resistant Homes concludes with a number of resources that homeowners can use to find more information on moisture control, as well as for advice on hiring a contractor to make needed repairs and improvements.

• Smart Consumer Services (www.smartconsumerservices.org) offers tips for securing a contractor's help.
• The Environmental Protection Agency offers A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home (www.epa.gov/mold/index.html).
• GLE Associates' Mold Site (www.gleassociates.com/mold) offers information about mold for claims professionals, contractors, commercial property owners, and homeowners.
• The Engineered Wood Association (www.apawood.org/bbh_index.cfm) provides construction tips for building moisture-resistant housing.
• Repairing Your Flooded Home (www.redcross.org/static/file_cont333_lang0_150.pdf) is offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross.
• The National Center for Healthy Housing and Enterprise issued Creating a Healthy Home: A Field Guide for Clean-up of Flooded Homes (www.centerforhealthyhousing.org/FloodCleanupGuide_screen_.pdf), a how-to guide for cleaning flood-damaged homes based on research conducted in New Orleans.
• HUD's Healthy Homes program (http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/hhi/index.cfm) links consumers to specific resources on health and safety hazards.
• The Healthy Housing Reference Manual (www.cdc.gov/nceh/publications/books/housing/housing.htm) is a resource offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This article is based on chapter 4 of Moisture-Resistant Homes, with information from The Institute for Business and Home Safety (www.ibhs.org). The report is available as a free download at www.huduser.org/publications/destech/moisturehomes.html. Printed copies are available for a nominal fee from HUD USER by calling 800.245.2691 and selecting option 1.

1. Jeff Manning, "Falling Apart," The Oregonian, 19 June 2005, p. A01; 21 June 2005, p. B04.