The only thing that seems to be certain is that things will fail at either the most inconvenient time (like, right before a party) or when the repair will be most expensive (like, plumbing repairs on weekends).

If anyone had asked us about the water supply to our house yesterday morning, I would have told them it was through a well in our back yard, pumped into a pressure tank, and distributed through the house. And it was working just fine. Had a Home Inspector been doing a report, I’m sure it would have been marked “appears serviceable.”

I did the dishes after dinner without a problem. But just an hour or two later, I turned the faucet in the kitchen to fill a pitcher and… dribble. NOT a good sign.

Bob and I checked for leaks, then worked our way back in the supply lines to the pressure tank and controls. It looked like the pressure valve might have gone bad. In any case, we were without water.

This morning, I called our well pump company (Tri-County Pump Services), and they sent their crew over this afternoon. They quickly determined that the pressure switch was fine; in fact, the pump was operating… It just wasn’t pumping anything. NOT a good sign either. They ended up pulling the pump.

And once we saw the old pump, it became crystal-clear why we weren’t getting any water.

It’s easier to see in this close-up:

See how the ridges of the shaft are almost totally smooth? You can see, higher up on the shaft, just how deep those ridges should be. This pump was installed in 1994, and has been in constant use since then. The average life of a well pump is between 15 and 20 years, so this sits well inside the “anticipated life span”. Its time had come, and it failed without warning.

Yet, a Home Inspector would have no way of predicting when this pump would fail. All they can do is quote statistical data and look for clues. In our case, there were no clues… just sudden failure.

And that’s just the way things happen sometimes. But do they always have to happen on weekends?!?

Before you sign a contract to buy a house next week...

If you’re considering buying a house this week, be aware that finding a qualified Home Inspector might be a challenge!

The best Home Inspectors from around the country will be in Atlanta, GA next week for InspectionWorld, the annual Home Inspector’s conference.

This is an intensive educational conference, with dozens of seminars and classes spread out over the week.

Our office will be closed from Saturday, January 22 through Sunday, January 30. We’ll be checking voice mail and email frequently, and you can always book your own inspection online!

We’re looking forward to coming back armed with all the latest information to provide our clients the best possible Home Inspection experience!

The problem seems to be in the electrical cord, and since sump pumps are used in wet environments, that’s not something you want to see!

Bob at the entrance of the Remodeling Show in Baltimore, MD

One of the fun things about trade shows is seeing what the various vendors bring to attract attention. At the Ford booth, there was an F-350 pickup tricked out by DeWalt with just about any tool and accessory you could want.

The DeWalt Pickup Truck at the Ford booth

I have never seen a truck with internet access.

This truck comes complete with internet access!!

Although Bob liked the plethora of tools and accessories, we had to admit that this truck wouldn’t even fit in our garage!

One of the highlights of the show was visiting the Simpson Strong Tie booth. They had two sample decks built: one with their Strong Tie system, and one without.

The Safe Deck on the left, and the Unsafe Deck on the right

One of the most common failures for decks is at the connection between the house and the deck. To best illustrate this weakness, the company built a deck using unsafe techniques, with the express intention of collapsing it.

The chairs, grill and other accessories are all piled together near the house; if people had been on the deck when it collapsed, they could easily have been crushed and/or burned.

Bob surveys the damage from the deck collapse demostration

Bob feels strongly about deck safety, and was happy to have the chance to meet up with the Executive VP of the North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA), Michael Beaudry.

Bob meets with Michael Beaudry of NADRA

Bob is working hard to forge a partnership with NADRA that will provide Home Inspectors with important information on how to inspect decks, and what the current regulations are.

Stay tuned for more posts on other new products available for the remodeling industry!

The only thing that would slow such a thief down is to not have windows in your garage door. This would prevent them from seeing their target. If you do have windows, you can apply a decorative film that obscures the view inside without reducing the amount of light into the garage.

Water

This gutter is obviously not helping direct water away from the house.

A large percentage of home problems are related to water going where it shouldn’t. Start outside, looking at the house. What does the roof look like, and how old is it? What do the gutters, downspouts and splash blocks look like and where does the water go when it reaches the ground?  Any erosion, moss, stains or other ‘clues’ evident?
Once inside, check for stains on ceilings or walls on the top floor (possible signs of a leaky roof).  Are there any stains or patches underneath bathrooms on the other floors? What does it look like underneath the sinks? When you go into the basement, are there any odors, dampness, rust stains or discolored cardboard boxes on the floor? Does the furnace have any rust stains?

Gas

Evidence of a previous gas fire. Amazingly, a prior Inspector failed to spot this during his inspection.

Gas is easy: everything should work and there should be NO ODOR!  If you smell gas
when walking into a home, walk right back out. You might get a brief whiff if you are standing next to a stove or fireplace as it starts to light, but NEVER when first entering a home or even a room.  If you smell gas and you are not standing close to the appliance, there is a dangerous problem. Leave the house immediately and call 911.

Electricity

An outlet with scorch marks can be a red flag for potential electrical system issues.

Repeat after me: “Extension cords, wire nuts and black tape are generally BAD” A $7 electrical outlet tester will tell you a LOT. Is the outlet working? Is it loose in the wall? Does it hold an inserted plug firmly? Has it been painted over? Do all the right lights light up?
Older houses may have a mix of two-wire (ungrounded) and three-wire (grounded) outlets. If it seems like there is a random distribution of grounded and ungrounded outlets, the grounded outlets may not actually be grounded to anything, which constitutes a safety hazard.
A quick look at the electrical panels may also tell some stories.  Fuses are not necessarily a red flag; they are just old and obsolete, and you could be looking at (expensive) upgrades to bring them up to current standards. Rusted panels, or Federal Pacific, Zinsco and Bulldog Pushmatic panels all need to be replaced as they are documented safety hazards, and this is an expensive repair. Messy wiring with lots of loose wires everywhere probably needs some TLC from an electrician.

Heating and Cooling

This furnace had not been maintained and was crusted with layers of dust and corrosion.

It should be working and be REASONABLY current. System efficiencies have gone up a LOT in the last few years, so a 17 year old system will cost you extra each month until you replace it.  Any system more than 17 years old is a candidate for replacement; between 10 and 17 years old and you might want to consider upgrading if you’re planning on staying in the house for five or more years. A system between five and 10 years old just needs to be maintained, and anything under five years old is nice to see.
HOWEVER!!!  If the fuel bills are reasonable, then replacing a SAFE and WORKING 20 year old furnace with a new $9,000 one doesn’t make sense as the payback is probably longer than you will be in the house. Then again, I don’t see many 20-year-old furnaces that are safe, efficient, and in good working condition.

Windows and Doors

Even a tiny gap like the one in this door can add up to huge increases in your heating and cooling bill.

If they work and are draft-free, don’t even think about replacing them. If they have storm windows, all the better. An old TIGHT window is much better and will last much longer than a new, poorly installed, cheap, smaller new vinyl replacement window (not that I’m opinionated at all). DRAFTS are what it is all about, rather than the ‘R’ or ‘U’ factor of the window. A small draft will totally wipe out any savings from a super-duper argon filled low-E triple pane custom vinyl window. Sealing or tightening existing windows is far more cost effective in most cases (Psst… Energy auditors are supposed to tell you about DIY opportunities FIRST before mentioning any upgrades or replacements…I’ve been through the training!).  And if you can see daylight around any outside doors, uhh…no. Weather stripping is MUCH cheaper than a replacement door.

I’ve just shared some secrets with you. If I get to an inspection site before the client does, these are the things I will look at while I am finishing my coffee. I haven’t started the inspection yet, but this “First Pass” has told me where I need to spend more (or less) of my time and given me clues as to what issues I should be looking for.

On July 14, 2010, Bob Sisson was installed as President of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors.

ASHI is the largest and most respected association of Home Inspectors in the country, and is instrumental in setting the standards for home inspections.

Bob is looking forward to a productive term in office, and hopes to increase MAC-ASHI’s visibility and credibility among local home owners and buyers.

Does your house have problem drywall? If so, you'll need to remove it... along with a lot of other stuff.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have issued interim remediation guidelines regarding the issue of problem drywall imported from China, which has been associated with corrosion of metal parts such as pipes and electrical components.

The cause of the corrosion was found to be a high level of hydrogen sulfide.

Based on scientific study of the problem to date, HUD and CPSC recommend consumers remove all possible problem drywall from their homes, and replace electrical components and wiring, gas service piping, fire suppression sprinkler systems, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms. Taking these steps should help eliminate both the source of the problem drywall and corrosion-damaged components that might cause a safety problem in the home.

To read the full text of the remediation guidelines, visit the federal Dryall Information Center website (PDF).

How to Identify Problem Drywall

The affected drywall was installed between 2001 and 2008, with most occurring between 2005 and 2008. The most obvious sign is blackening of copper electrical wiring and/or air conditioning evaporator coils. Chemical analysis may be required to confirm the specific chemical emissions from the drywall.

A full text of the identification process can be obtained from the CPSC website (PDF).

Most of the problem drywall was used in Florida and the Gulf states, during the building boom following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. However, there have been reports of it in Virginia, and on the Eastern Shore.

Now What?

If you suspect your property has been affected by this issue, you should contact the CPSC by calling 800-638-2772, or visit the Drywall Information Center.