FHA coal in basement

[Mike Garrett RAA]

I have to laugh...when I got married (the first time) I moved in with my new wife and her mother. They lived in a walk-up apartment in Portsmouth, NH. The building was about 100 years old. The heat consisted of two oil burning stoves, one in the kitchen and one in the living room. Every day I had to go to the basement and fill the oil tanks. As I recall each held about 3 gallons of fuel oil. Really stinky stuff!

Now that I think about it I believe the cooking stove also used fuel oil. That tank was a bit larger and only needed to be filled once a week. Wonder if that building is still there? Think it was 191 State Street, Portsmouth, NH.

Holy Crap! I just looked up that address. I was right, the building was built in 1850. It has been converted to condos and the units are in the $300,000 to $400,000 price range. As I remember in 1962/63 we paid less than $200 a month rent. WOW

 

[CANative]

Make them tear the house down immediately.

 

[BRCJR]

Generally, you will have to be or have been a smoker for the coal dust to cause black lung. It, the dust, needs the tar to stick to your lungs and cause them to lose their elasticity.

 

[BNICK]

when I was a child my father would say it is 930 pm, time for bed , but before you go , head to the basement and fill the furnace with coal, my father would get up early 430 am and fill the furnace with coal .

 

[djd09]

How do you know it is coal? Was it tested? Kinda like lead paint. How do I know if there is lead in the paint. From the picture it could be black mold.
Seems to me that appraisers are forced to make judgements in areas where they are not experts.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

I don't think one has to be an expert to identify coal...LOL.

 

[djd09]

I think my expert comment was more directed to lead paint (need certifacation in ohio), and turning on a faucet/flushing a toilet (plumber) and turning on a light (electrician), and head & shoulders view of attic (roofer), and cost estimates on repairs (home renovater) and sniffing gas lines or propane tanks which that will never happen in my career (nose does not work).
If the OP thought it was coal, and besides what the green energy people think, coal is not a hazardous material in a untouch state.
What do you think Terrel the Geologist?
The other interesting stat is the U.S.ofA is the leader in coal production while China is the biggest consumer of the fossil fuel. How's that working for us?

 

[andrew81]

went back to do a completion inspection. (some frayed wiring in the basement and the furnace did not turn on.)

the first visit all the personal items were in the house. the second visit the house was empty and cleaner than most after a move.

they even took out the old workbench, beg boards, shelves, lights, old paint cans, pencil sharpener, and old water heater. (these items are often left in houses of this age)

the pile of coal and window treatments were the only items still in the house.