New York’s IEQ Experts Provide Advice for Coastal Property Managers and Owners

Some of the nation’s most expensive coastal real estate can be found from Cape May in New Jersey to Long Island’s Gold Coast and up to Newport, Rhode Island. Thousands of multimillion dollar coastal homes are situated on this exclusive stretch of beachfront property.
 
Having a full time or vacation home on the coast is a dream come true for many people. An oceanfront or nearby home can also provide lucrative rental income for property owners and investors. However, these same properties come with unique exposure risks and typically require additional preventive maintenance to protect the owner’s investment and the indoor environmental quality of the home.
 
As was shown by the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, many of these properties lie in flood zones and are subject to hurricanes and powerful storms. These weather events can cause land erosion, tidal and storm surges, and flooding that may threaten a building. Extreme wind and rain can also be a concern. Moisture that is able to penetrate a building’s envelop will lead to water damage, mold growth, indoor air quality (IAQ) problems, and even termite infestations in many cases. Water damage caused by flooding may contain raw sewage, microbial pathogens, and even hazardous chemicals.
 
Additional preventive maintenance steps to minimize the corrosive effects of salt that can be carried onto a home or building by seaside wind, spray, and mist is also necessary. These salts coat exterior surfaces accelerating rust on metal objects and the corrosion of other materials. 
 
To help maintain a coastal property and prevent indoor environmental issues from occurring, monthly inspections and a comprehensive annual building checkup are recommended by many experts. These may include:

• Inspecting the interior for signs of leaks, water damage, mold growth, and termites.
• Checking the foundation for signs of erosion and the building’s exterior for corrosion, wind and sun damage, and water infiltration.
• Inspecting the building’s HVAC system for dirt and debris, and signs of corrosion.
• Ensuring large trees remain pruned and that sheds and other objects in the yard are properly secured to prevent damage during high winds.

 
“Seaside homes are subject to harsh weather and environmental conditions,” said Michael Berrevoets, President, VOETS, LLC. “At VOETS, our building science and indoor environmental quality experts provide property assessments and testing services to identify water damage, mold, bacteria, lead, asbestos, chemical contaminants, and other potential environmental quality concerns. These services not only help to ensure a healthy indoor environment for people, they also protect the multimillion dollar investments people have made to own property along the coast.”
 
VOETS also recently sponsored an educational video about beach home maintenance and indoor environmental quality that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/84QlEuqDFDQ
 
To learn more about VOETS and their building science and indoor environmental quality testing, or other consulting and compliance services, please visit www.VOETS.nyc, email michael@VOETS.nyc , or call (212) 860-7450.
 
About Verification, Operations, and Environmental Testing Services (VOETS, LLC)
VOETS, LLC began operations in 2016 with some of the most seasoned professional indoor environmental quality consultants in the nation. They bring a proven track record of identifying and resolving a wide range of building science, industrial hygiene, and construction health and safety issues.  VOETS offers environmental compliance, indoor air quality, mold, asbestos, lead-based paint, Legionella, environmental site assessments (ESAs), training, and industrial hygiene consulting services. The company specializes in field investigations and assessments of commercial, institutional, healthcare, and residential buildings throughout New York City and the tri-state area.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail