You might as well start itching and scratching right now. Roll over mold----you can’t begin to compete with household dust----except in the sense that you are part of the makeup of dust. On a recent inspection I had a crawl space that was the first crawl space that I probably should have refused to enter because of excessive “cooties”----“household dust.” For years the central vacuum has been improperly exhausting into the crawl space and from the looks of the crawl space, the unit must have had no filter installed. The predominant component of household dust is: SKIN----human skin. Next comes dust mites and dust mite feces---because human skin is food for these cooties. After these components comes hundreds of other irritants, carcinogens, pathogens, viruses, cigarette byproducts, fabric fibers, sand/soil, plant parts, insect parts, mold spores, pet dander, rodent feces, pollen etc. I would love to know how anyone could ever figure this out, but supposedly, the average human looses between 50,000 and 100,000 skin cells every minute! You can continue to itch and scratch now. I think I need to go take another shower. Charles Buell
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Oh my - good grief -- now i need to go and take a shower just looking at those photos.
Ahhh Charles may I sum this up with one word...NASTY Thanks (I think) for the post...
Charles, you are a brave soul. I think I would have been tempted to inform the owner I'm here to inspect your home not crawl inside your body. Perhaps you should have an add-on "doctor's fee." Take care.
Bob & Carolin----I was there and every time I look at the photos I start to itch and scratch----I didn't think I was going to be able to finish writing the post:)
Gerry---yup pretty nasty---grosser than rats---I think:)
Frank---foreclosure----don't think the "owner" gives a hoot:)
I think I need about 20 showers! That was really gross!
Oh GROSS! I wouldn't have gone in there in a million years! You're a braver man than I..... LOL
Debi
Dagny----all over AR land I can see the "itching-and-scratching." :)
Debi, so far it seems to be pretty unanimous: "Gross"
I love being a home inspector except for dirty crawlspaces (aren't they all) musty attics (aren't they all), dirty smelly bathrooms, moldy kitchen cabinets, filthy carpets, steep,slick roofs, lint covered laundry rooms, musty smelly basements..........
What a job!
One word: ewwwwwww! It's not just itchy and scratchy (weren't they cartoon characters in the 80's?) it's a creepy dirty feeling. You don't get paid enough.
Calvin----it is amazing how many negatives it takes to make a positive:)
Marcy, it is a fact that we do not get paid enough:)
Charles - Surely this crawlspace qualified for hazardous duty pay! Made me sneeze just looking at it.
Thanks Charles. I just lost 200,000 skin cells reading your post!!!
Ewwww! Cooties!!!
John, for sure----but I didn't get any:)
Craig----makes you want to run home and throw away the loofah doesn't it?
And enquiring minds want to know why the "graphic" for this comment is "grosella?" :)
Yuck! This is why you need a home inspection when you purchase a home....even a new home. Who else would have found this? How much is it going to cost to clean up this mess?
Diane, I am sure the crawl space cleaning company is not going to have much fun with this one----but what a job they have anyway----I will keep mine thank you:)
Charles-
I hope you had a mask. I know far too well what that does to lung tissue.
Rich
Hi Rich---absolutely a must. Also, welcome to AR----get that upgrade to Rainmaker----make that blogging work for your SEO. It makes a huge difference. If I can assist you in any way just give me a call.
Charles, I think that combat pay should have been in order!
Charlie - Holy feather dusters! This is one good reason to postpone taking a shower for AFTER cleaning the house.
Now I understand Charles, a bank, not their skin in the game . . .
Didn't anyone tell you at home inspector school that you're supposed to bring a swiffer to the inspections with crawl spaces?
Tony & Darcy, one would think
Carol, good point----I will have to remember that:)
Frank, and yet it IS their skin----what a double standard
Mike, I think I must have had to go answer my cell phone when they taught that:)
That is just plain nasty and I worked in the garbage industry for over 20 years...
I hope you had a great day,
Paul
Looks like the crawl space under Mr. Freeze's house.
Paul, for sure nasty
Jay, for a second I thought I had lowered myself into a winter wonderland
Your description made me want to NOT sleep in my own bed or stay close to my own skin!!
Charlie,
Your crass post grossed out Nutsy
Charles I would have passed on that job, just looking at the photos I am having a hard time breathing.
Barbara, I hear you there---even I start itching and scratching when I look at the photos
Steve---sounds like a job well done
Jennifer----somebody had to do it I guess:)
Hi Charles,
I have always considered this type of filth and careless condition as the potential for making people sick. There is no excuse in this day and age for this and there need not be a politically correct version of filth. It is still filth.
William, all of this stuff in the indoor enviornment has way more to do with people's health than most people can imagine. It is all of this stuff that is more likely to be a contributing factor than mold----although mold gets a lot more media attention. Mold is just one aspect of all of this crud.
All I can think of is, oh my. What a mess. You seem to have a knack for finding all that good stuff, that's why they hire you right?
That is by far, the scariest thing I have seen in a while. Much scarier than any horror movie! GROSS! You are one brave man Charles Buell!
Oh . . .so that's why home inspectors wear respirators! Mystery solved!! ;-)
Ian, we all have to have a knack for something:)
Amy---no----just nuts LOL
Carla, it is kind of a no-brainer isn't it.
Mr Charles,
Your crass post grossed me out and I am back protesting by standing in a pitcher plant.
Nutsy
This story does make me itch! If you don't mind I will bookmark it for next week's newsletter. My clients should love this....LOL.
Nutsy, me thinks you doth not protest enough
Lizette, sorry about that----of course you know you are always welcome to share my stuff:)
I had to go wash my sheets after reading this! Hopefully I washed some of the skin cells away.
Lizette, forget the sheets---if your pillow is 10 years old---1/2 of the pillow by weight is dust mites, their dead bodies and/or feces. How is that for a nasty thought? :)