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Archive for the ‘Maintenance’ Category

Testing a Sump Pump

Monday, March 8th, 2010 by welmoed

The house you are considering has a sump pump, but does it work? You might be able to test it yourself fairly easily; if not, you may want to ask the seller to have it tested.

Obviously if the sump pipe is wet, or the ground around the outlet is wet, it has run recently. If the sump crock is open at the top, you can pour a bucket of water in and see if the pump starts up. If you can reach the float, you can raise it, and see if the motor starts running.

If the sump crock is SEALED, you may be able to test it anyway IF IT HAS TWO WIRES rather than just one.

The position of the float turns the pump on and off.

The position of the float turns the pump on and off.

One wire is the float switch, the other goes to the pump itself. By unplugging the switch AND the pump and then plugging the pump directly into the outlet, the pump should come on.

The pump wire is plugged into the float wire.

The pump wire is plugged into the float wire.

Once you have verified that the pump is running, unplug it again and put it back the way you found it. Don’t let the pump run for more than a few seconds if the crock is dry; it could damage the pump.

Ice Dams: Prevention is the Key

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 by welmoed

The Mid-Atlantic region had a “major snow event” last week, and one of the byproducts of all that snow has been a huge ice-dam problem.

How an ice dam works

How an ice dam works

Ice dams can happen any time snow falls on a sloped roof, especially if the gutters are clogged with debris and the attic is poorly insulated. Heat from the interior melts the underside of the snow pack; this water flows down the roof and is stopped by a buildup of ice at the edge. With nowhere to go, the water pools at the edge and rises under the shingles, where it then can flow down through the attic space and into the ceilings and walls of the house.

Heat from the house can get into the attic several ways.

Heat from the house can get into the attic several ways.

Houses with very shallow or non-existent eaves are more likely to experience ice dams, as the edge of the roof is directly above the heated living space. Also, if you have recessed ceiling lights, they may also allow heated air to leak into the attic.

Once you have ice dams, there’s not really much you can do about them.
After the snow melts, though, you will need to do several things to prevent them from happening again.

  • Insulate the attic, especially at the eaves. Any insulation that got wet from a leak must be removed and replaced. The best thing is to insulate the floor of the attic, so heat from the house doesn’t penetrate the attic. This will also reduce your heating bill. Keeping the attic cold during the winter will prevent the snow on the roof melting from the inside out.
  • Keep your gutters clean. Have them inspected and repaired, if necessary. Gutter helmets and other debris guards will not protect against ice dams.
  • Have a roofer install ice and water shield underneath the first few courses of shingles on your roof. This will create a waterproof layer of protection for the lower edge of the roof, so any accumulated water that gets under the shingles can’t penetrate to the sheathing.
A waterproof membrane under the shingles can prevent water damage

A waterproof membrane under the shingles can prevent water damage

What Will Happen to Your House?

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 by welmoed

The History Channel has an excellent series called “Life After People.” There’s a new episode airing tonight that should be of particular interest to homeowners: “Home Wrecked Homes”.

From the HistoryChannel.com website:

Examine the apocalyptic fate of every home in the world. Gas leaks turn suburbs into infernos; a famous castle is toppled by a hidden flaw. Paint causes some high-end homes to explode in flames. Houses fall from the world tallest apartments to the most crowded complexes.

We’ve written before about what happens to houses that aren’t maintained properly, or that have their utilities shut off. It will be interesting to see how this is portrayed in this program!

Save 13%-70% on your Cooling Bill!

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 by Inspector Bob

The Standard Seasonal Efficiency Ratio  (SEER) for Air conditioners only ten years ago was around 10-13.  A top of the line central air conditioner can now hit a SEER of 21, for a Potential savings of 38%. If your unit was not maintained properly, or was an even a lower SEER unit, your savings could be even more.  The savings for heat pumps are similar, but heat pumps don’t have quite as high a SEER as air conditioners, but they also started out lower.  The changes in heating performance are nice, but nowhere as great as the cooling.  Those with gas heating and electric air-conditioning will see the greatest savings in the summer.

Other advances

Multispeed indoor AND outdoor units are much quieter and save more money by matching the compressor and fan speeds to actual need. Additionally they also control humidity much better than single speed units.

There are also better filters (We like the 4” pleated) that work better but do not need to be changed every month and don’t generate Ozone like some of the Electrostatic unit.  UV Lamps in duct work serve to sterilize mold spores and pollen, further reducing potential allergens.

Modern thermostats are now typically programmable for setbacks during off periods and can even cope with larger setbacks without invoking the dreaded Heat-Pump Auxiliary Heat.

Compare the SEER ratings to calculate your energy savings.

Compare the SEER ratings to calculate your energy savings.

How much you will actually save will depend on how you live, your thermostat settings,  the age of your equipment and more, but from the chart at left, you can see that the potential savings can be substantial.

As little as 8 years ago, SEER 8 units were still being sold and installed because they were cheap. It was only in 2006 that a minimum allowable SEER was mandated, and that was only 13.

Want to get an idea of what you might save? Take your HIGHEST electric bill and subtract your LOWEST. What is left typically represents your highest cooling cost. Then multiply by the appropriate factor from the table. You may not get that savings every month, but it gets the point across.

Last year, we had our furnace and heat pump units replaced, even though they were just ten years old. Since then, we’ve seen between 30%-50% drops in our electric bills. At this rate, the new system will have paid for itself within five years. Not a bad return on our investment!

Coming Up Next

There have been big changes in Refrigerator and Freezer efficiencies. You may want to unplug that old freezer in the basement after reading what we have learned! Look for that article soon!

The Home Checkup: A Gift of Safety

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 by Inspector Bob

Are you stumped about a gift idea for your parents? They probably don’t need (or want) more things that need dusting, and restrictive diets mean food gifts are problematic. Health issues may make travel gifts impractical. So what can you do?

You can give them (and yourself) the gift of Peace of Mind, with a Home and Safety Maintenance Checkup.

Home Safety shouldn't be left to luck.

Home Safety shouldn't be left to luck.

During  the Maintenance Checkup, we will ask questions about how the systems in the house are working. Are there drainage issues? Have the occupants noticed problems with the roof? How’s the plumbing? Then we go through the house and look at all the systems, noting whether they seem to be working properly, or require maintenance, or are safety hazards.

The Maintenance Checkup can reveal safety issues, such as electrical systems unsuited for home health equipment. It can also identify areas of “deferred maintenance” – things that should have been done over the years but have been put off (such as replacing filters or dealing with a drippy faucet).

A Maintenance Checkup Report is not the same as the Home Inspection we perform for real estate transactions. It focuses mostly on the upkeep of the systems in the house, and the safety of those systems. It can also include a Radon test, if needed, and water testing if the home is on well water.

This certificate will be personalized for your recipient.

This certificate will be personalized for your recipient.

We will send you (or your recipient) a handsome personalized certificate announcing your gift, and will schedule the inspection at their convenience. Reports can be sent to you and/or to the recipient; the choice is yours. Home Checkups start at just $299 for homes up to 2500 square feet, and $100 per additional thousand square feet. Radon and water tests are an additional $150 each. We can perform Home Checkups anywhere within our service area of Central Maryland. Checkups can be done on any type of dwelling, from Assisted Living rental units to single-family homes.

To order your Home Checkup Gift Certificate, contact our office at (301) 208-8289.

Clearing the Fog

Monday, October 26th, 2009 by Inspector Bob

Fogging windows are caused by seal failures, which allow air and moisture to seep in between the panes of glass, where the moisture condenses. Fogging doesn’t affect the structural integrity or the function of the window, but When I do an inspection, I will note if windows are fogged.

Generally, fixing fogged windows means replacing the entire sash, since the windows have factory seals on them. If the windows are new, this should be covered by the warranty. However, on older windows, the replacement can be expensive.

As part of my Continuing Education as an ASHI member, I attended a seminar on a new service to repair fogged windows, which would actually fix the existing window, rather than replacing the sash.

Fogged window before repair

Fogged window before repair

Fogged window after repair

Fogged window after repair

The process involves drilling a small hole in the interior glass and cleaning out the air space between the panes. Tiny vents are then installed which allow moisture to escape the gap without affecting the thermal qualities of the window.

Because the process involves drilling a hole, this method cannot be used on tempered (safety) glass, such as sliding doors, because this would shatter the glass.

If you are planning on selling your home, fogged windows can be seen as a defect by a potential buyer, as well as being unattractive. Clients have asked me how they can fix fogged windows, and until now I have only been able to recommend replacement.

For more information, check out their website at http://www.theglassguru.com.

(Note: I am not affiliated with The Glass Guru in any way, and this post does not imply endorsement of their services.)

Change of Seasons Home Checklist

Thursday, September 24th, 2009 by Inspector Bob

As a Home Inspector, I see houses all year round, and can tell which have been regularly maintained and which haven’t. The change of seasons is a good time to tackle some of those home maintenance chores that keep getting put off. A little attention now can save a lot of money in repairs in the future!

Home Inspection Tip #1: Clean the Gutters and Downspouts

A major cause of structural woes in a house is poorly diverted water. Clogged gutters and downspouts mean rainwater isn’t being carried away from the foundation of the house, which means it has a better chance of infiltrating the basement walls and causing leaks and flooding.

Home Inspection Tip #2: Service the Sump Pump

Most new homes have a perimeter drainage system which leads to a sump pump in the basement, where the water is pumped out and away from the home. Sump pumps should have their batteries changed every two years and should be replaced every ten years. Sump pump malfunctions can cause basement flooding, so it’s important to know how to keep them healthy! You can download a free sump pump maintenance guide on our website.

Home Inspection Tip #3: Get your Furnace Serviced

You don’t want to wake up on a cold morning to discover your furnace isn’t working properly! Having your furnace cleaned and serviced prior to heating season can help prevent breakdowns during the winter.
Part of furnace maintenance is changing filters. A dirty filter will rob your house of heat and could increase your heating bills dramatically.

Home Inspection Tip #4: Smoke Detector Safety

For 21 years, the International Association of Fire Chiefs has promoted the campaign to “Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery.” Once a year, when you change your clocks, go through the house and change the batteries in all your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. If the units are ten years old, they should be replaced. You can now buy detectors with ten-year non-replaceable batteries; be sure to check the instructions on your unit to see which type it is.

When I inspect a home, I don’t test the smoke detectors. Instead, I recommend that the buyer replace all the units in the house with new ones.

Got a Home Inspection Question?

You can follow us on Twitter @AskTheInspector and post your question. Also, become a fan on Facebook! You can also visit the Inspections By Bob website for much more information.

Replacement Windows: The Inspector's View

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009 by Inspector Bob
Windows let the light in... and perhaps a lot more.

Windows let the light in... and perhaps a lot more.

With the colder months approaching, home improvement companies are advertising their “window replacement specials”, implying that replacing your current windows will result in hundreds of dollars in energy savings. The question is, can you really save that much money by replacing windows? And what do I look for when I see replacement windows during a home inspection?

When I see replacement windows I ask WHY…

There are many reasons for replacing windows, especially in older homes. Since a home inspector usually doesn’t have contact with the home’s current owner, much of what we can report is in the form of questions for the buyer to ask.

Was it lead paint abatement?

Presence of lead paint can prompt window replacement.

Presence of lead paint can prompt window replacement.

In many old houses, the windows and trim were painted with lead paint. Rather than the mess and expense (not to mention health hazard) of stripping and repainting the existing windows, the owner can choose to remove the entire window and replace it, trim and all.

Was it an old wood single pane window that didn’t move easily and was drafty?

Draft prevention may do more to increase the comfort level in a home than adding extra insulation or replacing windows.

Did they fix the OTHER sources of drafts?

Were gaps in the baseboards and around the doors also filled? Are drafts still coming through the outlets? Sometimes such “partial” fixes can speak volumes about the maintenance of a house.

Was this part of a larger renovation?

Was there other work done at the same time, such as a new kitchen, or addition, or other modifications to the home?

Do all the windows match?

Windows should match in style and trim. If one or two don’t, it’s worth asking why. Also, if there were multiple replacements, note whether any were missed (such as false dormer windows or basement windows).

Did they replace the entire window, or just the sashes?

For this replacement, the entire old window was removed. leaving the original rough opening.

For this replacement, the entire old window was removed. leaving the original rough opening.

Full replacement windows required removal of the entire existing window, including sashes, frame and trim, so the new window has the same dimensions as the old one.

Insert replacement window (from Family Handyman magazine)

Insert replacement window (from Family Handyman magazine)

There is also the “insert replacement window”, which is installed in the original window frame. While these can be less expensive, they also have some drawbacks: there is still the possibility of lead paint exposure, and they don’t address any draft issues around the edges of the existing frame. The insert type also reduces the glass area of the window and requires much wider trim to cover up the discrepancy.

Are they “first Generation” vinyl windows that rot in sunlight and crack?

Windows are exposed to the elements, and early vinyl windows were found to be prone to UV damage. It’s important to know when the windows were replaced. Some windows will have a date stamp somewhere on the frame or glass.

Do they work? Are they fogged? Can you still get parts?

All windows need maintenance to function properly.

All windows need maintenance to function properly.

Any window, new or replacement, needs maintenance. For older windows, it may be difficult to find parts to repair them. There are companies which specialize in window repair, but be warned: it can be costly! Replacing a broken sash cord can cost well over $200 per window.

Other issues

Replacement windows can be considered a “property improvement”, which could mean adhering to a building code different from the original window. The biggest issue with is is the use of tempered glass where required. Replacing a window generally doesn’t require a permit because it is a “like for like” issue, but codes may still come into play.


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