America experienced a residential building boom from 1997 to 2007, with an average of 1.72 million new homes going up each year during that period. This far outpaced the suburban building boom after World War 2, which peaked in 1977 with an average of 1.4 million new homes built.

But we’re learning that there is one key difference between the two new housing booms – the quality of the construction.

The December 2011 issue of Angie’s List members’ magazine featured a piece by the company’s founder, Angie Hicks, wherein she wrote:

“There are more problems with homes built during the 1997 to 2007 housing boom than during any other time period, according to a recent Angie’s List survey of highly rated home inspectors. The sheer volume of houses being built during that time made it difficult for local housing code authorities to enforce proper building methods. Many of those homes today have problems related to hasty construction, poor quality of materials and failure to meet minimum housing code standards.

A recent online poll of members reveal more than half who built a home during the boom discovered their homes were fraught with problems after a contractor completed the job. Poor drywall and carpentry work, structural troubles and plumbing problems were the three most widespread issues reported on the poll. Bad roofing jobs, insufficient insulation, dangerous electrical wiring, and improperly sized heating and cooling systems were other common complaints.”

Why the Quality Suffered

Factors that influence the poorer quality of homes built between 1997 – 2007 include a sharp rise in the cost of buying new land, and the materials and labor to build them. This created a need for home builders to erect the homes to minimum building code standards at the lowest cost per square foot in order to recoup their cost and make a profit.

The need for speedy home building was inspired by consumer access to easier home loans with record-low interest rates. The American public felt this new housing bubble pop during the October 2008 financial crises, though the home builders’ felt the sting in 2007 when the sub-prime mortgage crises greatly reduced the new housing starts. By 2009, new home building slowed to a crawl.

Common shortcuts taken by some new home builders during the boom years included using wood of debatable quality for framing, insufficient drying times for concrete foundations and skimping on insulation. These are issues that typically do not show on the surface of a pretty new home, but rather reveal themselves over the years as bowing walls, cracked foundations and high energy bills to heat and cool the home.

In the Metro St. Louis area, homes built during this time period have a propensity for water leaks around windows, a problem caused by flashing installed incorrectly (also known as reverse flashing – which actually pushes the water into the house), or no flashing at all.

How to Solve the Problem

As too often happens, the problems hidden behind the walls of some new homes reveal themselves long after the contractor has moved on, which makes it difficult to get any help from that contractor, even when it can be proven they were responsible for the issue. Unfortunately, this can leave the solutions in the hands of the homeowner, who too often face regular repair bills atop the monthly payments on a new home.

If you are considering buying a home built from 1997 – 2007, it is wise to invest in a full inspection or evaluation of the home’s construction. Be sure that these are by companies independent of a real estate agent or builder so you receive honest answers.

If you own a home of this vintage and are experiencing problems beyond regular, required maintenance, have the Home Consultants at Mosby Building Arts analyze and solve the problems. Mosby specializes in home evaluations and water management, and because they have worked on correcting issues with homes built during the boom years, have all the resources you need to finally have the home you want. Call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

Water management is a system of keeping unwanted water from invading your home by directing it away from the home. On the home, it’s the roof, flashing, gutters, downspouts, windows and doors that keep water outside. In your yard, it’s about drainage and landscaping to prevent standing water and erosion problems.

The final link in the water management chain is public sewer lines which carry away all the excess water from your home and yard. A sewer backup is a stressful and smelly situation that can cause property damage, so preventing it is the first line of defense, but knowing what to do if it happens is also important.

Don’t Put It Down the Drain

Items that aren’t waste water or biodegradable (like toilet tissue) can become lodged in the lateral line (the underground pipe that connects your home to the main sewer line), creating a dam which forces the waste water back into your home. The following items should never go down any plumbing drain in your home:

• Cooking oil or grease

• Paper towels

• Disposable diapers

• Feminine products

• Swiffer rags

• Cigarette butts

Install a Backwater Prevention Valve

A backwater valve can prevent or greatly reduce the possibility of sewer backup. This fixture is installed in your basement drain that leads out to the lateral line. It works as a one-way system: sewage can go out but cannot come back in. A homeowner is responsible for the installation and maintenance and be sure a qualified plumber installs the right one for your needs.

What To Do About a Sewer Backup

If the sewer backs up into your basement or yard, your first call should be to your local sewer district. They will inspect the public sewer line, and if it’s blocked they will fix it. If it’s inside your home, they will instruct you to contact a plumber. It’s important to call the sewer district first so you are spending money wisely on the proper solution by the correct specialist.

Most homeowner’s policies do not pay for sewer backups unless a special sewer backup rider is purchased, so consider contacting your insurance agent to obtain more information about this extra level of protection.

For help with sewer backup prevention or correcting the damage caused by such, work with the water management experts at Mosby Building Arts. They will help you strengthen all the systems in your home needed to keep you dry and give you peace of mind. Call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

The roof, gutters and downspouts remove water off your home, but where that run-off water goes is an equally important part of water management around your home.

Water that consistently remains on the surface of your yard after a heavy rain is known as standing or ponding water. If this happens regularly near the foundation of your home, the concern is that this water will work its way into your home. Ponding further out in the yard can become a mosquito magnet. Standing water is a home maintenance problem that needs to be solved.

Because of gravity, water always flows down hill. In a perfect world, every house would be built atop a hill so all water would roll away. In the real world, you should work on keeping all waste water a minimum of 10 feet away from the foundation your home and clear up reoccurring wet spots in the yard. There are several options for accomplishing this.

Drainage Systems

Next to the home, downspouts need to extend 10 feet from the home. Because this is a tripping hazard and can be unsightly, bury them underground, and use PVC pipe, which is sturdier and less prone to clogging than the typical black corrugated piping.

Out in the yard, you can install a French drain system, which is perforated pipe surrounded by gravel installed in an 8-10” underground trench. Or the ground can be regarded to create a swale (a shallow drainage ditch) or mound that carries water to a designated collection area.

Sump pump exhaust points need to be at least 10 feet away from your house. Any closer, and waste water goes back to the foundation, causing the sump to keep pumping same water over and over again.

With any of these options, it is an important safety precaution to check with all utility companies about underground lines before digging. And please be a responsible neighbor by insuring the water moving away from your house does not become your neighbor’s problem.

Landscaping

Next to the home, maintain 6” of visible foundation at all times for proper drainage. Keep an eye on the height and slope of mulch as it’s reapplied every year. If it gets too high it will change the water flow next to the house (possibly causing water to go over the foundation or seep into siding and damage it) and provides easier access for termites to do their damage.

Out in the yard, some wet spots can be turned into a rain garden with plantings that can handle constantly wet roots. In the Midwest, trees such as willow, bald cypress and river birch, and indigenous prairie plants like black-eyed susans or purple cone flowers can prosper in these areas. But know that no tree or plant can thrive in a pond, so underlying drainage issues will still have to be addressed before converting a ponding area into a garden.

From roof to curb, water is the biggest and most constant enemy of your home, so is an important issue that requires accurate and long-lasting solutions. Mosby Building Arts specializes in water management for the Metropolitan St. Louis area. Mosby Home Consultants are deeply experienced in analyzing the root cause of residential water problems and solving them right the first time with assistance of the Mosby production team.

To dry up the standing water problems in your yard, call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

Gutters and downspouts are the water management workhorse of your home. They work in tandem with the roof, flashing and siding to whisk water away from your home, and if you notice a leak inside the home, the first thing to check is the gutter system.

Gutters also contribute to the exterior design of your home, so much care should go into the selection of new guttering so it looks as good as it works. Here’s a primer on what to consider when it’s time to for new gutters.

When To Replace Gutters

Indicators that it’s time for new gutters include signs of overflow or clogging during heavy rains, loose or damaged sections, or a deteriorating finish. Whenever you install a new roof or siding is the perfect time to replace gutters as well, because it ensures that your water management system is correctly aligned.

Choosing the Proper Gutter System

The conditions on and around your home will guide you to the proper gutter. The exterior design of your house and the surrounding neighborhood inform the materials and style that look appropriate, while the amount of trees around your home, and the size, shape and pitch of your roof dictate proper gutter size and protection. Desired level of maintenance and your budget are the final factors to narrowing down your options.

Gutter Shapes & Materials

Gutter shape and material is primarily an aesthetic and budget decision. But because these factors affect how they are attached, the structure of your roof and fascia will also play a role. Downspouts need to coordinate with the gutters so also factor into your decision.

Gutter & Downspout Sizes

Proper sizing is crucial for effectively moving water away from your home. Standard sizes are 5” gutters with 2×3” downspouts or 6” gutters with 3×4” downspouts. Correct size is determined by the height and slope of your roof, which affects the speed and amount of water run-off.

Gutter Guards & Protection

Gutter guards and filtering systems reduce both the frequency of gutter cleaning and the potential for water blockage and overflow. Because there are several forms of gutter protection, it is best to understand the types of trees around your home and the shape of your roof to determine which system will work best.

Gutter Installation

The perfect gutter system for your home will ultimately fail if it is installed wrong. There are so many links in the chain of proper water management that skimping on even one facet can lead to water damage down the road. It is very important to work with a company that is deeply knowledgeable and committed to installing it correctly.

Because there are so many considerations when it comes to replacing your gutters and downspouts, it’s a smart idea to work with a firm that understands every aspect of water management, from roof to gutters to moving the water away from your home. The Consultants at Mosby Building Arts will survey your home and its surroundings to guide you to the best gutter system, and the Mosby craftsmen will ensure that it’s done right the first time.

To learn more about gutter replacement and installation, call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

There is much talk about recouping the cost of remodeling projects, and it is true that certain improvements contribute more to resale value when it’s time to sell your home. For instance, kitchen and bathroom remodels historically recoup a considerable percentage of the cost, as do exterior improvements such as new siding and roofing.

What is often overlooked when sharing this important information is the less glamorous improvements that benefit you right now and in the future whether you plan to stay or sell your house. It’s the simple things that mean a lot, and peace of mind is eternally valuable.

There are key home improvement projects that should be done because you are staying in your home for the long term, and if a day eventually comes that you sell it, then they will automatically add overall value to the selling price of the house.

Get the basics right the first time by investing in:

● A Solid Foundation – a weak or compromised foundation eventually affects the entire house, creating a whole host of structural problems. Attend to any foundation problems as soon as they become apparent.

● A Dry Basement – wet basements breed mold which breeds health problems. A water proof basement is healthy, safe for storage, and can be refinished.

● A Solid Structure – when the “bones” of your house are strong, windows and doors open easily and its easier to make modifications like removing walls or adding additional doors and windows.

● A Reliable Roof System with Proper Ventilation & Insulation – when a roof system is done correctly it extends the life of the roofing material, reduces maintenance, helps the HVAC system work efficiently and promotes healthy indoor air quality.

● Efficient Heating, Cooling and Water Heater – vast improvements to HVAC and water heaters makes investing in these new systems a way to lower utility bills, increase comfort and indoor air quality, and help reduce our dependence on natural resources.

● Water and Moisture Management – water is the constant enemy of every house, so make sure you have proper yard drainage and that your roof, flashing, gutters and downspouts are moving water away from the interior of your home.

● Accessibility Improvements – people of all ages and abilities benefit from accessible design ideas like 3 foot wide entries, zero-clearance thresholds, no-slip flooring and task lighting.

Whether it is next year or 20 years from now, these projects are timeless because they are immune to trends or personal taste – it’s all about soundness, efficiency and comfort. These improvements create a reliable and valuable house for you and future buyers, as long as they are done right the first time.

Mosby Building Arts is known for award-winning remodeling projects that enhance the lives of Metro St. Louis homeowners, but they also know from over 60 years of experience that form follows function. When the bones and muscles of your home perform at peak capacity, everything atop it has long-lasting value. Make wise home improvements that are done right the first time by calling Mosby at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

Listen to Scott Mosby talk about this topic.

Mosby Building Arts is proud to be a part of the Earthways Green Homes Festival on September 26, 2009, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.  The event is free, so come visit us at Booth #10 (on Grandel Square, just west of Grand Boulevard and across the street from the Sun Theater) and learn what steps you can take to make your home sustainable.

The broad definition of a sustainable home is one that uses its resources efficiently with the capacity to endure.  We at Mosby practice this as “Build it right the first time,” and have adhered to this principal for over 60 years.  When a home works efficiently and properly, home owners benefit from the low-maintenance function and lasting quality, which ultimately saves money.

Consider that the greenest home is one already standing, reusing (or remodeling) what exists is a responsible form of sustainability.  A home that is comfortable, healthy and energy efficient has a positive impact on our resources,  neighborhood and the earth.  Examples of a sustainable home include:

Water Management

A home’s biggest enemy is water because it has the ability to do great damage and is constantly seeking a way to do this by infiltrating the barriers we put up against it.

All surfaces exposed to repeated water leaks will eventually deteriorate, which causes unsafe and unhealthy living conditions.  Keeping the water out is so much more than a good roof; proper flashing and drainage are part of the system that works with the roof to keep water from invading.  If one part of this system breaks down, there will be water leaks that may take awhile to show up, and by then it may have already caused costly damage.  Keeping a home water tight is the key to sustaining it for generations to come.

Venting

Homes need a steady intake and release of air to keep indoor air healthy and dry. Negative impact of faulty air venting includes:

• Too much air escaping through improper venting or sealing allows valuable heating and cooling energy to escape, encouraging wasteful energy bills and feeling uncomfortable.

• A house that is too air-tight will hold in moisture (commonly experienced as humidity) and high water content breeds mold. Moisture can rot wood (both structure and furniture) and create unhealthy breathing conditions. Proper venting maintains the delicate balance of air flow that keeps families safe and healthy.

Energy Efficiency

Heating, cooling and water bills make up about 40% of the cost of running a home, so it is important for these systems to run efficiently to receive maximum benefit from them.

A home energy audit is the surest way to know the level of energy efficiency in a home.  Audits are a series of tests that will measure items such as the rate of air exchange, carbon monoxide levels and air leaks.  The findings will highlight where improvements can be made that will bring about measurable improvement in energy savings, comfort and indoor air quality.

Mosby Building Arts has a Certified Green Professional energy auditor who is registered with the Building Performance Institute, Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Ameren UE to perform the tests that identify problem areas and recommend the changes that will benefit you the most.  Mosby also performs the energy efficiency solutions, so you will have the peace of mind that comes from having experienced professionals handle every aspect of sustainable improvements to your home.

Learn more about the Mosby Home Energy Audit here, and on Saturday, September 26, talk with the Mosby energy auditor at the Earthways Green Homes Festival.  It is a great opportunity to get a head start on improving the comfort, health and performance of your home.

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A St. Louis family has a beautiful deck that connects to a glass atrium indoor pool house one-story below it.

Though the construction was only a few years old, it was showing visible damage in two places.  On the deck, the stone columns had vertical cracks on the surface (shown above), and the rubber tile flooring was warping at the outside edge.

Inside the pool house, the finish on the drywall ceiling was peeling off (shown above).  Suspecting that it was a water leak, the family called in some specialists to find the source and correct the problems.  The cause of the water problem was never correctly identified and any patch work done to the visible damage was only a temporary fix.

Because the visible effects appeared rather minor, it was considered a minor irritation, until the day they were listening to an episode of The KMOX Home Improvement Show with Scott Mosby.  A caller had a question about a pesky, reoccurring water leak, and Scott took them through the process of how the visible problem is only the end of the line of what is most likely a much larger problem hidden behind the walls.

Understanding that Scott and his company, Mosby Building Arts, had valuable experience in detecting and correcting water leak problems, they were motivated to set up an appointment with a Mosby Home Consultant, and get to the bottom of this issue once and for all.

After a thorough inspection of the deck, the pool room and how they connected to one another, it was apparent to the Mosby Consultant that there was a complete lack of proper water management applied during the original construction, and he suspected that there was severe damage hidden under the deck and inside the space connecting the deck to the atrium.

For instance, what was viewed as dirt and stains on the pool room ceiling was actually mold and warping caused by water damage behind the drywall.  The Mosby Consultant was certain that run-off water from the deck was seeping into this ceiling, and that it would require applying proper flashing and water drainage to the deck and repairing all the damage that would be found inside.

The family was relieved to finally have an answer to the mystery, and because Mosby had taken the time to deeply investigate the problem, the homeowners felt they were also the logical choice to correct it.

When the Mosby carpenters began dismantling the exterior framing of the pool room, they found the wood completely soaked and rotted.

Even more horrifying was the framing of the deck walls that were exposed during demolition.  The wood was thoroughly soaked and spongy, and a text book example of how quickly and seriously water can damage structures when left unmanaged.

As the carpenters worked their way into the crawl space between the deck and the ceiling of the atrium, they found the metal supports were severely rusted from constant water exposure.

Flashing was practically non-existent , and the PVC drainage system that was supposed to collect and run-off water from the deck was actually dispersing it into the wooden structure.

The key to this project was repairing all the water damage on the deck and inside the pool room, installing a proper water management system and building a new deck without disturbing the pool room addition below.

After we repaired and replaced the internal workings of the drainage system, we restored the drywall ceiling of the pool room to its original appearance.  The family’s days of patching and re-painting are over.

For the deck itself, we used a water management system that floats ipe wood panels over the rubber membrane of the new deck subfloor.  This allows water to run off into the internal gutter system installed within the newly-built stone wall.  This keeps water from ever touching the wood and stone of the deck while keeping the water away from the pool room.

While the deck and water migration systems were brand new and built to last, the solution is not apparent to the naked eye.  We made sure that the overall look of their home is unaltered, as if there had never been a problem.  Above is a photo during construction, and below is the finished result.  We left the home more water tight and secure than we found it.

In the case of the deck itself, we left it better than we found it, with many material upgrades that improve both the look and function of their outdoor living area.

We rise to the challenge of detecting water problems, enacting the solution and creating quality and peace of mind for the homeowner.  Partnering with Mosby Building Arts to enhance your quality of life is a smart decision.  If you have a reoccurring or mysterious water leak problem that has defied previous repairs, let Mosby be the final call you make to take care of the situation once and for all.  Call our office at 314.909.1800 or contact us here.

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“The Home Improvement Show with Scott Mosby”
Saturday, December 9, 2006, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Topic: Water Damage
Your hosts:
Scott Mosby, KMOX Home Answer Man & Mosby Building Arts president
Rich Layton, Mosby Total Home Solutions manager

We’re taking your calls during the show at 314.436.7900 or toll free at 800.925.1120

The discussion is about how to assess and repair water damage to your home. Below are the photos that Scott & Rich refer to when explaining or answering questions.

Door Frame Water Damage

Water Damage On Floor

Moisture Damage on Wall & Floor

Mold Below the Floor

Caulked Seams

Mold in the Ceiling

Moisture has Caused Rot Behind Siding

A summary of this radio program’s information and answers to listeners questions will be available for review on the Mosby website by clicking here.