July is National Grill Safety Month! We all love a nice summer cookout on the grill, but there are hazards that come along with this summertime staple. According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), an average of 22,100 people end up in the emergency room each year due to grill-related injuries. Over 9,000 fires each year involve gas grills, and 20% of all grill fires were from a grill that was not recently cleaned. *

Make sure you and your friends are safe this summer by following the safety tips below.

• Check your grill for debris and combustibles before using. Remove grease and fat buildups in trays below the grill to prevent ignition. Keep your grates clean as well! We recommend this Grill Rescue cleaning head or this GRILLART brush and scraper for a more budget-friendly option. If you are looking for a cleaning spray, this Goo Gone cleaner and degreaser is a great option as well.
• Keep grills away from homes and decks – the best grilling foundation is concrete. If you do choose to place your grill on decking, we highly recommend getting a deck protector and under grill mat!
• Create a 3-foot safe zone around the grill, keeping children and pets away from the grilling area
• Use long-handled grilling tools to give yourself plenty of space from the heat and flames. We recommend this grilling set if you don’t already have one. 
• Check for gas grill leaks – If the grill doesn’t ignite right away, let gas dissipate for at least 5 minutes before igniting the grill again

Keep these safety tips in mind before your next BBQ to keep you and your guests safe this summer.

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References:

*https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/home-fire-safety/grilling

The post Grilling Safety! appeared first on Home Inspections by US Inspect.

Cooking is Fun – Except When It Starts a Fire

Two of every five home fires start in the kitchen. The sad fact is that most kitchen fires are avoidable. About 1/3 of home cooking fires are caused by inattentive cooks or unattended cook-tops or ovens. The other 2/3 of fires are started because of ignition of food (yes, food catches on fire) or other cooking materials (oils and fats).

Here’s our short list for preventing cooking fires:

• Stay put while cooking – Keep a close eye on the stove when cooking and do not leave unattended
• Clear the cook-top – Keep your stove-top and oven clear of storage and anything that can catch fire – such as oven mitts, towels, food storage, and wooden utensils

  

• Keep the kiddos safe – Children under five face a higher risk of burns associated with hot food and drinks than being burned in a cooking fire
• Monitor the microwave – Microwaves are one of the leading appliances which cause scald burn injuries

Cook with Caution

Not surprisingly, most cooking fires involve the kitchen stove. If you are cooking and a small grease fire begins, there are a few steps you can take to contain the fire and stop it in its tracks:

• If a fire breaks out on the stovetop, slide a lid over the pan to smother the flame and turn off the burner. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
• If a fire breaks out in the oven, turn the oven off and keep the door closed.

When in doubt, get out! If you have any hesitations or doubts about putting out a small fire yourself, get out and call 911. Make sure to close all doors behind you to contain the fire.

Though this year’s theme is cooking safety, it is important to be aware of and prevent house fires in other areas of the home as well.

Heating Equipment – Maintain for No Pain

The leading factor contributing to heating equipment fires also is avoidable – failure to clean creosote and other build-up from solid fuel heating equipment (chimneys). Another major factor in house fires is combustibles which ignite because they’re too close to the heater; 1/2 of home heating fire deaths resulted from fires caused by heating equipment too close to things that can burn.

Here’s our short list for preventing heating equipment fires:

• Chim, chimney, cheree – Hire a chimney sweep to clean your chimney
• Distance combustibles – Keep combustibles (upholstered furniture, clothing, mattresses, bedding) away from heat sources
• Avoid space heaters – Fixed or portable space heaters are involved in about 4 out of 5 heating fire deaths

  

• Cord review – Check all cords for frays or cracks, which can spark and cause fires
• Service the electrics – All electrical components in your home should be serviced and monitored; about half of home electrical fires involved electrical distribution or lighting equipment
• Service the appliances – Other suspects for starting fires include washer, dryer, air conditioning equipment, water heater and range; get an annual service contract to have the equipment checked by a professional.

Bed is for Sleeping, Not Smoking

Most fires caused by cigarettes are related to a person falling asleep while smoking. Sleep-related smoking fires are a factor in almost 1/3 of home smoking material fire deaths. Don’t smoke in bed.

Ever Ready – Smoke Alarms and Escape Plans

Our inspectors report inoperable smoke alarms in dozens of homes every day, even though working smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in home fires by 1/2. Regrettably, almost 60% of reported home fire deaths result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Even with working smoke alarms, accidents happen. Unfortunately, only 1/3 of households have developed and practiced a home fire escape plan, according to the NFPA.  Develop and practice an escape plan.

Recipe For Safety

There are many areas regarding fire safety that require vigilance, including home inspection issues which we report consistently. The good news is that proper prevention and consistently applied home safety techniques can significantly reduce the probability of home fires!

The post Cooking Safety Starts with YOU! appeared first on Home Inspections by US Inspect.

Fire Escape Plan

When is the last time you’ve participated in a fire drill?

As children we practice fire drills frequently in school, but have you ever done this with your personal home? Today’s homes burn faster than ever, leaving you with only minutes to escape after the alarms sound. Having a fire escape plan is crucial to make sure you and your family can escape quickly and safely.

Below are some safety tips to keep in mind when planning your fire escape (and plan):

• Draw a map of your home with all points of exit (including both doors and windows)
• Make sure all doors and windows leading outside open easily, and know at least two ways out of every room
• Establish an outside meeting point at a safe distance away from the home where everyone should meet after an evacuation
• Practice your home fire drill both during the day and at night, at least twice a year
• Have a back-up plan. Practice your drill using alternative ways out (during a real fire, one exit may be blocked)
• Teach children how to escape on their own
• Always close doors behind you (a closed door may slow the spread of fire, smoke, and heat)

Fire escape grids are also available at NFPA.org. 

Sound the Alarms – Fire is Fast

Our inspectors report inoperable smoke alarms in dozens of homes every day, even though working smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in home fires by half. Regrettably, almost 60% of reported home fire deaths result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Even with working smoke alarms, fires can happen. Once the alarm sounds, it only takes minutes for thick black smoke to fill your home. Get low and get out ASAP. Unfortunately, only 1/3 of households have developed and practiced a home fire escape plan, according to the NFPA.  Develop and practice an escape plan using the tips above!

What’s That Sound?

It’s so important to have smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in working order, but do you know what their sounds mean?

Smoke Alarms – A continued sound of 3 beeps means smoke or fire is present. Get out of the home immediately and call 911. If you hear a chirp every 30-60 seconds, the battery is low and must be replaced/charged. If chirping continues after the battery has been replaced, the alarm is near the end of its life and needs to be replaced.

Carbon monoxide Alarms – Similar to smoke alarms, if you hear 4 continuous beeps that means carbon monoxide is present in your home. Get out immediately and call 911. A single chirp also means the battery is low and needs to be replaced, and if it continues after the battery has been replaced the unit itself near the end of its life and need to be replaced overall.

The Ever-Present Threat of Burning Flames

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), fire departments responded to 353,100 home fires which caused 11,030 injuries, 2,620 deaths and $7.2 billion in property damage per year on average between 2014-2018.

The top causes of home fires? Cooking accidents, faulty heating equipment, electrical distribution, and cigarette smoking.

Cooking is Fun – Except When It Starts a Fire

Two of every five home fires start in the kitchen. The sad fact is that most kitchen fires are avoidable. About 1/3 of home cooking fires are caused by inattentive cooks or unattended cook-tops or ovens. The other 2/3 of fires are started because of ignition of food (yes, food catches on fire) or other cooking materials (oils and fats).

Here’s our short list for preventing cooking fires:

• Stay put while cooking – Keep a close eye on the stove when cooking and do not leave unattended
• Clear the cook-top – Keep your stove-top and oven clear of storage

  

• Beware little people – Children under five face a higher risk of burns associated with hot food and drinks than being burned in a cooking fire
• Monitor the microwave – Microwaves are one of the leading appliances which cause scald burn injuries

Heating Equipment – Maintain for No Pain

The leading factor contributing to heating equipment fires also is avoidable – failure to clean creosote and other build-up from solid fuel heating equipment (chimneys). Another major factor in house fires is combustibles which ignite because they’re too close to the heater; 1/2 of home heating fire deaths resulted from fires caused by heating equipment too close to things that can burn.

Here’s our short list for preventing heating equipment fires:

• Chim, chimney, cheree – Hire a chimney sweep to clean your chimney
• Distance combustibles – Keep combustibles (upholstered furniture, clothing, mattresses, bedding) away from heat sources
• Avoid space heaters – Fixed or portable space heaters are involved in about 4 out of 5 heating fire deaths

  

• Cord review – Check all cords for frays or cracks, which can spark and cause fires
• Service the electrics – All electrical components in your home should be serviced and monitored; about half of home electrical fires involved electrical distribution or lighting equipment
• Service the appliances – Other suspects for starting fires include washer, dryer, air conditioning equipment, water heater and range; get an annual service contract to have the equipment checked by a professional.

Bed is for Sleeping, Not Smoking

Most fires caused by cigarettes are related to a person falling asleep while smoking. Sleep-related smoking fires are a factor in almost 1/3 of home smoking material fire deaths. Don’t smoke in bed.

Safety First

There are many areas regarding fire safety that require vigilance, including home inspection issues which we report consistently. The good news is that proper prevention and consistently applied home safety techniques can significantly reduce the probability of home fires!

The post Fire Safety – Plan Your Escape appeared first on Home Inspections by US Inspect.

From Inspectors to managers, we couldn’t do it without them! Join us in celebrating our team below:

Courtney Drake – Director of Residential Sales

Courtney has been with US Inspect since 2018 and has over 7 years’ experience leading call center teams to success. With US Inspect, she coaches team members to champion the customer experience and convert leads to sales via a consultative sales approach. Her focus is developing a high performing team and improving processes in order to provide the best customer journey for home-buyers nationwide. Her approach to team success is matched by her dedication to educate and provide a helping hand to all employees at US Inspect. We are lucky to have such a strong voice in the room!

Suzanne Wilson – Regional Manager

Suzanne is our Regional Manager for our Dallas, Ft Worth, Denver, and Colorado Springs teams.

She is a powerful educator inside the industry and excels at relationship development. Her expansive knowledge of the real estate industry provides an advantage when it comes to educating her clients and partners about everyday changes occurring in today’s markets. Suzanne has been with US Inspect since early 2018 and has developed deep market knowledge. Suzanne is a true leader and we are lucky to have her on our team!

Rose Buckley – Market Manager & Home Inspector

Rose comes to US Inspect with several years of education and a teaching background. She has quickly become one of the most recognizable names inside the Home Inspection Industry. Her passion is on display with every educational video posted to social media. Rose’s certifications are extensive as she works hard to provide the best experience to all of her home inspection clients and Real estate professionals. She is always willing to provide guidance to her fellow colleagues and is a true team player. Rose is a pioneer and we all look forward to her bright future leading the way!

Jessie Tarlton – Home Inspector

Jessie earned a bachelor’s degree in communication arts, and a minor in Athletic Coaching from Catawba College. Prior to joining US Inspect, Jessie worked in the medical and education fields. She is passionate about using her background to educate her clients about their prospective home. In her free time, Jessie is an avid runner. She also enjoys scuba diving and going on adventures with her young son.

Sitana Alameen – Sales Coordinator and Quality Assurance Specialist

Sitana has been with US Inspect since March 2018. She serves as the QA Specialist on our team, making sure that every order is complete and not missing anything that could affect the inspection. In her free time, she likes cooking new dishes and going on walks with her little one. Sitana is a great asset to our team!

Kelly Jones – Marketing and Sales Coordinator

Kelly has been with US Inspect for 4 years serving as our marketing and residential sales coordinator. Kelly graduated from Penn State with a double major in Public Relations and International Relations. Before coming to US Inspect, she worked for an appraisal management company as their vendor relations and marketing coordinator. From helping clients on the phone to helping our agents and inspectors with marketing needs, she is always here for us when we need her!

Josie Lane – Residential Sales Coordinator

Josie came to US Inspect with several years of home inspection administration experience behind her, and is always excited to learn new ways to serve US Inspect clients. When not wearing the headset, she prefers to spend her time with her beautiful, growing family, soaking up knowledge to increase her already impressive trivia mind palace, or treading through a creek. However, if a quiet moment can be found, she’s been known to curl up with a thick book and her two aggressively affectionate cats. Josie has just celebrated her five-year anniversary with US Inspect in August of 2022, and will be proud to celebrate many more anniversaries to come. Josie has just celebrated her five-year anniversary with US Inspect in August of 2022, and will be proud to celebrate many more anniversaries to come.

Thank you to all of our women who make this job possible!

Click here to visit our website and schedule today!

The post Women’s History Month with US Inspect appeared first on Home Inspections by US Inspect.

Whatever name is applied, expansive soils are ubiquitous across North America and cause billions of dollars in damage annually. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) estimates that half of all homes in the US are built on expansive soils, and half of those homes will experience some level of expansive soil damage. The ASCE also claims that expansive soils account for more home-related damage each year than floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes combined!

Expansive soils cause enormous amounts of damage, but surprisingly most people have never heard of the phenomenon. In many cases, damage from expansive soils is attributed to poor construction practices or a misconception that all buildings experience some type of “settlement” as they age.

What are Expansive Soils?

Expansive soils contain minerals that are capable of absorbing water. When the minerals absorb water, the soil increases in volume; expansion of 10% is not uncommon. Changes in the soil’s volume exert substantial force on a building’s structure and can cause significant damage.

“Expansive” also is somewhat of a misnomer because potential problems don’t just occur when the soil expands from water absorption – when expansive soils become too dry, they also contract. And as soil shrinks from around a foundation, the structure settles, footings drop, and framing shifts. The evidence of settlement is visible via cracks in drywall and concrete, in doors and windows that aren’t level, and in damage and separations that occur at exterior siding.

Soil Detectives: Tell-Tale Clues

Inspectors and engineers examine structures carefully when they suspect that expansive soils are quietly working their mayhem. Some common clues that indicate expansive soils are present include:

• Cracks at the interior corners of windows and doors or misalignment which makes the windows or doors difficult to open and close.
• Cracks or spread caulk joints between siding and trim, at the corners of the structure, or around the fascia and soffit areas.
• Cracks in concrete driveways, walks and slabs which occur as they heave and sink based on soil conditions (moisture).

Homes with rigid, masonry siding, such as brick and stucco, show evidence of settlement more readily than homes with more forgiving finishes such as vinyl and wood lap, which are more likely to flex with the soil’s movement.

Unfortunate and Expensive Consequences

Unfortunately, “expansive” can often lead directly to “expensive.” The magnitude of damages to structures can be extensive, impair the usefulness of the structure, and detract aesthetically from the home. Maintenance and repair requirements can be exhausting emotionally and financially and, in some extreme cases, expenses can grossly exceed the original cost of the foundation.

Lateral forces exerted by expanding soils can lead to the inward buckling of basement walls, a primary reason many homes in areas with prevalent expansive soils are built with slab-on-grade foundations without basements or crawl spaces.

Minimizing Damage: Control Moisture

Structural damage from expansive soils often can be minimized or avoided altogether by minimizing fluctuations in soil water content around the foundation:

• In areas that are consistently moist, soil should be watered during extended dry periods to maintain a consistent moisture condition.
• Conversely, in typically arid regions, moisture and landscaping should be maintained several feet away from the structure’s foundation.
• Surface drainage and downspout outlets should be maintained a minimum of three feet from the foundation and sprinklers should be positioned away from the home.
• Because tree roots withdraw water from soils, which could cause drying and cracking, trees should be planted no closer than 15 feet from foundations but a distance of greater than 25 feet is optimal.
• Plumbing drain lines and supply lines should be tested on a regular basis to make sure that there are no leaks under the slab or foundation.

What Actions Should You Take?

If cracks in the interior or exterior of the home are discovered during a property assessment, consider the following actions:

• Retain a structural engineer to conduct a more extensive evaluation to determine if the structure is actively moving or has experienced foundation failure.
• Inquire as to whether previous foundation repairs, such as the installation of stabilizing piers, have been performed to determine if a warranty is present. If stabilizing piers are present, the foundation company may take measurements of the slab and compare them to the measurements taken before piers were installed to determine if additional repairs are necessary.
• Carefully consider your clients’ risk tolerance, internal policies and resale considerations

The post Expansive Soils and Their Spoils appeared first on Home Inspections by US Inspect.

The Ever-Present Threat of Burning Flames

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), fire departments responded to 353,100 home fires which caused 11,030 injuries, 2,620 deaths and $7.2 billion in property damage per year on average between 2014-2018.

The top causes of home fires? Cooking accidents, faulty heating equipment, electrical distribution, and cigarette smoking.

Bed is for Sleeping, Not Smoking

Most fires caused by cigarettes are related to a person falling asleep while smoking. Sleep-related smoking fires are a factor in almost 1/3 of home smoking material fire deaths. Don’t smoke in bed.

Sound the Alarms – Smoke Alarms and Escape Plans

Our inspectors report inoperable smoke alarms in dozens of homes every day, even though working smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in home fires by 1/2. Regrettably, almost 60% of reported home fire deaths result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Even with working smoke alarms, accidents happen. Unfortunately, only 1/3 of households have developed and practiced a home fire escape plan, according to the NFPA.  Develop and practice an escape plan.

What’s That Sound?

It’s so important to have smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in working order, but do you know what their sounds mean?

Smoke Alarms – A continued sound of 3 beeps means smoke or fire is present. Get out of the home immediately and call 911. If you hear a chirp every 30-60 seconds, the battery is low and must be replaced/charged. If chirping continues after the battery has been replaced, the alarm is near the end of its life and needs to be replaced.

Carbon monoxide Alarms – Similar to smoke alarms, if you hear 4 continuous beeps that means carbon monoxide is present in your home. Get out immediately and call 911. A single chirp also means the battery is low and needs to be replaced, and if it continues after the battery has been replaced the unit itself near the end of its life and need to be replaced overall.

Cooking is Fun – Except When It Starts a Fire

Two of every five home fires start in the kitchen. The sad fact is that most kitchen fires are avoidable. About 1/3 of home cooking fires are caused by inattentive cooks or unattended cook-tops or ovens. The other 2/3 of fires are started because of ignition of food (yes, food catches on fire) or other cooking materials (oils and fats).

Here’s our short list for preventing cooking fires:

• Stay put while cooking – Keep a close eye on the stove when cooking and do not leave unattended
• Clear the cook-top – Keep your stove-top and oven clear of storage

  

• Beware little people – Children under five face a higher risk of burns associated with hot food and drinks than being burned in a cooking fire
• Monitor the microwave – Microwaves are one of the leading appliances which cause scald burn injuries

Heating Equipment – Maintain for No Pain

The leading factor contributing to heating equipment fires also is avoidable – failure to clean creosote and other build-up from solid fuel heating equipment (chimneys). Another major factor in house fires is combustibles which ignite because they’re too close to the heater; 1/2 of home heating fire deaths resulted from fires caused by heating equipment too close to things that can burn.

Here’s our short list for preventing heating equipment fires:

• Chim, chimney, cheree – Hire a chimney sweep to clean your chimney
• Distance combustibles – Keep combustibles (upholstered furniture, clothing, mattresses, bedding) away from heat sources
• Avoid space heaters – Fixed or portable space heaters are involved in about 4 out of 5 heating fire deaths

  

• Cord review – Check all cords for frays or cracks, which can spark and cause fires
• Service the electrics – All electrical components in your home should be serviced and monitored; about half of home electrical fires involved electrical distribution or lighting equipment
• Service the appliances – Other suspects for starting fires include washer, dryer, air conditioning equipment, water heater and range; get an annual service contract to have the equipment checked by a professional.

Safety First

There are many areas regarding fire safety that require vigilance, including home inspection issues which we report consistently. The good news is that proper prevention and consistently applied home safety techniques can significantly reduce the probability of home fires!

The post Sounds of Fire Safety appeared first on Home Inspections by US Inspect.

Older homes present challenges to home inspectors. Whether or not the home is a designated “landmark,” you must balance your inspection considerations with the time period in which the home was built and contemporary, acceptable building practices. The goal of your inspection is to present the general quality of the home.

Plan to spend extra time on a historic home because you may have to investigate components you haven’t seen before. And, you will want to include special additions to your report to protect your position as a home inspector.

The Inspection

Set aside extra time for the inspection. You’ll likely be learning new things such as unfamiliar construction materials, a variety of electrical systems, environmentally hazardous materials and unique plumbing installations.

A home that is for sale may be externally “beautified” with paint, but years of deterioration and old, insufficient systems can hide underneath. Pay attention to parts of the home that have been exposed to the elements, like the foundation, wall coverings and roof.

As you go through your inspection routine, be prepared to encounter unusual findings. Plan to evaluate your findings in terms of a historic perspective.

• Current codes become less relevant. Safety and structural integrity become the priority.
• Evaluate potential defects in terms of the question, “Is it doing what it is intended to do safely?”
• Many systems will be obsolete. Make note of these items in your findings.

Be alert to environmental items. Indoor and outdoor paint may contain lead. Old insulation and heating system exhaust ducts may contain asbestos. Wear a respirator in attics and crawlspaces. Plus, older items in the home may contain asbestos, e.g., linoleum flooring, exterior siding and older roofing tiles. Lead paint on walls can leach into the soil or flooring over time, creating a toxic health risk for pets and children.

Old foundations may be brick, wood mudsill or none. In these cases, recommend a foundation inspection. On the other hand, it’s possible that the floors in an older home will not pass “the rolling marble test.” Be prepared to uncover some floor sloping that you wouldn’t find in newer homes.

Be aware that root cellars and crawlspaces may have been neglected for years. Be prepared to encounter spider nests and creatures like rats, raccoons, possums and skunks that have taken up residence. It is advised to “announce your arrival” with some noise. And be prepared for the unknown—if the home has been empty for years, you may encounter animal carcasses in various states of decay.

Check mortar joints. As in modern homes, they can be secret pathways for water intrusion both inside and outside the house. Mortar can leach away over time, providing excellent pathways for water damage.

Pay special attention to the electrical system. It may be outdated, minimal, mixed from different eras of installation or insufficient for modern use. You may find a variety of fire hazards and makeshift systems. When confronted with these older systems, recommend a specialist inspection by a qualified electrical contractor. The liability connected with electrical systems is high because insufficient wiring and junctions can burn down the home or cause serious or fatal injury. Protect yourself and your clients by passing on this responsibility to an electrical contractor if you encounter unfamiliar findings that appear to be unsafe.

Often, historic homes have “fixes” that have been integrated into the current structure over the years. These fixes could have led to additional defects because poor construction techniques may have been used to “fix” the issues. Concentrate your observations on remediation to electrical, plumbing and siding construction techniques.

You can end up discovering unusual places where the house was restored effectively, like an electrical panel in a stairwell, because it’s the only place to put it.

Be prepared to examine old masonry chimneys. They can present a fire hazard with single-wall flues. Note your findings in your report and include a picture of the flue taken from the top of the chimney.

Check older plumbing for functional flow at fixtures. You may also find unsafe conditions like missing or obsolete traps. Although rare now, if the house is old, double-check for lead pipes. Older copper piping may be joined with lead solder.

In general, be prepared to notice a number of details you won’t see in newer homes. Look carefully and note any unusual findings. Your role is still the same: to report on the condition of the home. You’ll probably just have more unique findings to report.

The Report

As with any inspection, your role is to report the condition of the home. Let clients translate the findings into terms compatible with historical home requirements. State in your report that the inspection does not address historical home requirements.

Your buyer client may be planning to make modernizations and renovations. If the home is designated as a landmark home, mention that in your report. There may be limitations on what kinds of renovations can be performed, but you are not required to advise your client on those limitations.

Protect your position by making recommendations as you normally would. Note all the unique findings in your report. Many systems will be obsolete; be sure to note them in your findings. Take extra photos of unique findings that document your attention to detail.

In the same way that you budget more time for an inspection of a historic or older home, be sure that you budget ample time to create your report. You’ll have many unusual findings and possibly more recommendations than in a report for a modern home.

Be sure to include any recommended further inspections, like foundation or electrical systems, in your report. Limit your liability and serve your client best by knowing your limitations, and when it makes sense to pass along the final analysis to appropriate experts in the trades.

Make sure to remove any boilerplate phrases and paragraphs in your final report that are not consistent with inspections of historic homes.

Details Protect Your Inspection Business

Bring your powers of observation to a historic home. You may be challenged to describe findings that you may have never seen before. Spend the time to thoroughly examine all the areas according to the ASHI Standard of Practice. Then, note all your findings in your report. You owe it to your client to give them all the details.

*This article was written by US Inspect inspector Scott Truax. Scott is licensed in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, and covers a variety of services, including historic and log homes.*

The post The Challenge of Inspecting Historic Homes appeared first on Home Inspections by US Inspect.

Holiday Lighting 

• Use caution with holiday decorations and, whenever possible, choose those made with flame-resistant and non-combustible materials.
• Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials, and do not use candles to decorate Christmas trees.
• Carefully inspect new and previously used light strings, and replace damaged items before plugging lights in. If you have any questions about electrical safety, ask an InterNACHI inspector (that’s us*) during your next scheduled inspection.
• Do not overload extension cords.
• Don’t mount lights in any way that can damage the cord’s wire insulation.  To hold lights in place, string them through hooks or insulated staples–don’t use nails or tacks. Never pull or tug lights to remove them.
• Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations.
• Do not use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted – yikes!
• Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use.
• Make sure all the bulbs work and that there are no frayed wires, broken sockets, or loose connections.
• Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground-fault circuit interrupters to avoid potential shocks.
• Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.

Decorations – Deck the Halls and Check the Halls

• Use only non-combustible and flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. For painted and metal ornaments, be sure they are non-leaded metals.
• Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down.
• In homes with small children take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp and breakable, and keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children.
• Avoid trimmings that resemble candy and food that may tempt a young child to put them in their mouth.

Trees

• When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label “fire-resistant.”

  

• When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches, and when bent between your fingers needles do not break.
• When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces, radiators and portable heaters. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.
• Cut a few inches off the trunk of your tree to expose the fresh wood. This allows for better water absorption and will help to keep your tree from drying out and becoming a fire hazard.
• Be sure to keep the stand filled with water, because heated rooms can dry live trees out rapidly.
• Make sure the base is steady so the tree won’t tip over easily.

Fireplaces

• Before lighting any fire, remove all greens, boughs, papers and other decorations from fireplace area. Check to see that the flue is open.
• Be cautions when using “fire salts,” which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten.
• Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

 Children and Pets – Protect Those You Love

• Poinsettias are known to be poisonous to humans and animals if consumed, so keep them well out of reach.

• Keep decorations at least 6 inches above a child’s reach.
• Avoid using tinsel. It can fall on the floor and dangerous is consumed by a curios pet or child.
• Keep any ribbons on gifts and tree ornaments shorter than 7 inches. A child could wrap a longer strand of ribbon around their neck and choke.
• Avoid mittens with strings for children. The string can get tangled around the child’s neck and cause them to choke.
• Watch children and pets around space heaters or the fireplace. Do not leave a child or pet unattended.
• Store scissors and any sharp objects that you use to wrap presents out of your child’s reach.
• Inspect wrapped gifts for small decorations, such as candy canes, gingerbread men, and mistletoe berries, all of which are choking hazards.

The post Holiday Home Safety Tips appeared first on Home Inspections by US Inspect.

We’re talking water. Hot water, specifically hydronic central heating systems, otherwise referred to as radiant heating.

Hydro-heat

What’s so important about heat and water? Well, other than the ability to produce relaxing bubble baths or saunas on a crisp autumn day, heat and water comprise a fantastic (and essential) combo for hydronic central heating systems. Hydronic is a word that refers to a very simple concept – heating using heated water.

The Historicity of Hydronics

Like central forced air heating systems, hydronic heating systems have been around forever. Well, at least since mankind was hatched. According to archaeologists, there is evidence of “baked floors” in current day Korea and Manchu from as far back as 5000 BC. Greeks and Romans also used heated surfaces (floors and walls). More “recently,” the French used heated flues in floors and walls in greenhouses in the 1600s and our own American original, Ben Franklin, studied the French and Asian cultures to develop his famous stove. In the first part of the 1900s, noted architect Frank Lloyd Wright dabbled in various forms of radiant heating, developing the Herbert Jacobs house, the first Usonian house with radiant floor heating.

Although copper and steel piping helped adoption of hydronic heating, the innovation of plastics and plastic tubing in the second half of the 20th century transformed radiant heating. Hydronic heating has been widely adopted in Europe, Asia and Nordic countries. Alas, hydronic heating is installed in less than 10% of total residential households in the US, although many pundits expect adoption to increase because hydronic heating is marketed as having higher energy efficiency than forced air heating.

Hydronic Heating: The Basics

Hydronic heating is a central heating system which uses pipes to run hot liquid (usually water) beneath floors, along base board or wall heaters, or via radiators to heat your home. Hydronic systems generally are comprised of four elements:

• Boiler – A big container of hot water.
• Pump – A device which circulates the hot water.
• Thermostat/Manifold – A hub for managing temps and directing the hot water
• Pipes – Tubes which distribute the hot water.

Water generally is the heating medium but there could be another liquid (e.g., antifreeze mix). Hydronic heating generally uses radiant heat transfer vs. convection, which occurs when fluids or gases circulate from one area to another, e.g., forced air heating, which pushes air through ducts and vents.

Double, Double, Boilers and Trouble

Essentially, a boiler is just a big pot of hot water heated with whatever heating source you prefer (e.g., oil, gas, wood).

Boilers generally are produced from cast iron, but other metals, such as steel, are used depending on the configuration of the heat exchanger system. Hydronic boilers heat water to roughly 180F. Heated water is moved by an electrical circulation pump to rooms within the heating zone and then returned to the boiler for reheating and redistribution according to the demands of the thermostat.

Hydronic systems generally use radiators (convectors) to transfer heat into the home’s living spaces. The hydronic water boiler system is a loop – water starts at, and returns to, the boiler. Various radiators are aligned in series – radiators closest to the boiler receive the hottest water so the system includes controls to achieve even heat flow. Radiators often have several adjustments that allow a homeowner to customize how radiators distribute the heat from the boiler.

Steam boilers heat water to 212F (that’s why they’re called “boil-ers”). Steam boilers are placed at the lowest heated level in the home. Steam is circulated by convection, i.e., steam expands and propels itself upward, similar to steam coming out of a boiling tea pot. Steam is directed though insulated pipes to radiators in the rooms above the steam boiler; radiators are less insulated and allow heat to dissipate and radiate. Steam condenses, converts back to water and flows back down to the boiler for reheating. The simplicity of a steam boiler system is stunning.

Steam systems are common in older regions of the US and many are still in service. Because steam systems have few moving parts and are simply designed, they can last decades; it’s not uncommon for a cast iron steam boiler to be functional for 50+ years.

Boiler Safety and Maintenance

A boiler is an intriguing combo of plumbing and heating components. Where there’s heat, water and boiling water, there’s inevitably potential for danger to property, limb and life. During the course of our 3 million (yes, million) residential inspections, we’ve identified and characterized some painful issues related to boiler heating systems.

How’s Your Pressure Relief Valve?

No, not your pressure valve, your boiler’s pressure relief valve. If you’ve watched MythBusters on the Discovery Channel, you likely will have witnessed exploding water heaters due to blocked temperature pressure relief valves. The same condition which can occur in a water heater can also occur in a boiler if the water is heated without relief.

Therefore, our inspectors scrutinize relief valves to search for water discharge to make sure discharge is directed to a safe location; it’s important to make sure the discharge isn’t directed in such a way that boiling water discharges and burns someone near the boiler. If the boiler discharges an excessive amount of water, then either the valve isn’t functioning correctly or there’s a problem with the boiler building up too much pressure internally. Other potential safety concerns are deteriorated or damaged piping and cracking in the boiler unit.

Sending By-products Up the Flue

Along with scalding water, another common danger related to boilers is the control of flue gases produced by the burning of fuel to heat the water. When natural gas or oil is burned, the resulting gas by-products need to be expelled from the home. Our inspectors examine draft hoods, weighted draft flaps, or inducer fans for damage or deterioration. For oil-burning units, by-products are more corrosive; when the mix of oil is not properly maintained, there generally is a lot of soot, which indicates that the unit needs to be tuned. Our inspectors also examine the heat exchanger or firebox for oil burners; there should be no excessive rust or deterioration. Oil burners or spray nozzles should be clean with no excessive rust.

The Water Needle

Water leaks are among the biggest concern for any hydronic radiant system. Some water leaks occur because of age but most water leaks are the result of poor plumbing connections; finding water leaks, particularly dribbles, can be akin to finding a needle in the water  haystack. During home improvement projects, water leaks can occur if flooring installers accidentally drive a nail through a radiant tube, resulting in a watery mess. Naturally, our inspectors always carefully review all visible connections and fittings for signs of water leaks.

Swaddling Clothes

As with forced heat central air systems, insulation can be good or not-so-good. For bottom level flooring, insulation must be installed below the slab to prevent heat from radiating in the wrong direction. Newer hydronic systems allow for radiant heating on second floors, as well as above basements and crawl spaces; therefore, proper insulation is required to keep heated areas separated and heat reflectors are required to direct warmth to the intended places. It is also not uncommon for older boiler systems to have asbestos insulation on the boiler water lines or as parts of the boiler units. Our inspectors examine such materials and comment on their condition or the possible existence of the asbestos-containing materials.

We evaluate newer, high efficiency units differently because there are fewer visible parts. Flue gases also are lower temperature and do not need to be discharged above the roof line but still need to be discharged in an area in which gases do not reenter the home.

The Happiness (or Not) of Hydronics

Hydronic systems represent a smaller percentage of installed central heating systems in the US, which may be baffling given the claimed benefits: precise zone control, the comfort of warm floors, and the comfort of humidity and the peaceful quiet (no fans pushing air). Experts claim that hydronic heating can produce similar levels of heat as traditional systems at 20% to 40% of the operating cost.

However, there’s always the flipside to a coin. One of the major reasons hydronic systems are not ubiquitous are installation and maintenance costs – it’s expensive to install all of the required piping and boilers are expensive to install and expensive to maintain. If there’s a water leak, it can be a nightmare identifying the source of the leak, particularly in older homes with older pipes. It’s an even bigger nightmare if a pipe breaks and, unless the system is properly mixed with anti-freeze, pipes can freeze if electricity dies. Last but not least, costs of maintenance and upkeep for hydronic systems generally are much higher than costs for maintenance of traditional systems.

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Winter is drawing near, and with the cold comes our need for heat.  Fire has been used for heating, whether for camp, cave, castle, hut or home. Thankfully, fire has come a long way from the traditional camp fire. When we use the word fire, particularly in the context of home heating, we’re referring to the various methods used to heat the modern home.

In this edition, we discuss the most popular home heating system – forced air central heating, which generates heat and “forces” warm air via ductwork to various points in a house.

Maybe Not Medieval But Definitely Not Modern

Forced air heating may be the most popular central heating system in North America, but it is not new!  This form of heating has been around since the 1930’s.

There have been innovations over the last 80 years, but the basic concept remains – air is heated and “forced” through a system of ducts and vents into different rooms of a home.

Toasty Trifecta: Heating Source, Forced Air, and Ductwork

A forced air central heating systems is comprised of three components:

• Heating source – the method for generating fire and heat, e.g., furnace
• Distribution method – the method for “forcing” the heat throughout the house, e.g., blower
• Distribution network – the structure which carries the forced hot air, e.g., ductwork

The heating source is the variable part of the system. Even though there are lots of different ways to generate heat, the distribution method and the distribution network generally are similar. Theoretically, you could build a bonfire in your basement to generate and push heat to the rest of your house using forced air, but thankfully there are better ways to harness a heating source in a controlled manner.

Heating Sources

Step one in a forced air central heating system is to harness a heating source. Popular systems include gas furnace, oil furnace, hydro-air, heat pump, and electric furnace.

Gas Furnace

The most common heating system is the gas furnace, which has pipes that deliver gas to an air handler. Gas is attached to a regulator that turns gas flow on when your thermostat gives the signal.

Furnaces that burn natural or propane gas have tubes with small holes which are ignited when heat is required; these tubes are similar to tubes in a gas grill. Burner flames are surrounded by metal which is heated and the heat exchanger transfers heat from the flames to the air. In high efficiency units, there is a secondary heat exchanger which captures heat from the primary heat exchanger and circulates warmer air.

There are three common types of gas piping: black iron, corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST), and copper. Because most states no longer permit copper piping, our professional inspectors generally recommend replacing copper with CSST or black iron.

Regardless of piping type, our inspectors also recommend periodically checking your gas lines for leaks from the gas meter to the gas regulator at the air handler. The easiest method to test for leaks is good ole’ fashioned soap n’ water. Pour or spray soapy water on connections. If there are bubbles– there’s a leak. Gas leaks are very serious – call the gas company or a plumber immediately.

Oil Furnace

Oil burning furnaces work slightly differently than gas furnaces because the fuel is liquid instead of gas. Oil furnaces utilize storage tanks from which oil is pumped to the furnace, run through a filter, sprayed through a nozzle, and ignited into a combustion chamber. The combustion chamber serves a similar function as heat exchangers for gas furnaces.

Regardless of gas or oil, byproducts of burning fuels need to be expelled outside the home. One byproduct is carbon monoxide (CO), which can be dangerous and deadly if not properly expelled from the home.

When exhausts cool, they produce water that contains corrosive acids; therefore, a CO exhaust system must be sloped upward and properly sized to ensure that exhaust doesn’t condense. Normally, small drops of water and acids are diluted above where exhaust exits the flue but if the exhaust is allowed to condense in the flue, it can chomp on the metal and allow exhaust to enter the home. Therefore, if there is rust, especially at the joints or elbows of the furnace exhaust, our inspectors recommend that you retain a contactor to make repairs and determine if the flue is properly sized for the furnace. An exhaust system also needs to be sized properly to allow draft to penetrate exterior air pressure, especially in colder climates.

Our inspectors also generally recommend installing CO detectors in high traffic areas near bedrooms, garages and on each floor of your home. Test the CO detectors every quarter. Our inspectors also recommend checking oil tanks and lines for leaks, changing the oil filter, and cleaning nozzles on a regular basis.

Hydro Air Furnace

A hydro air system is a combo hot air and hot water system. A central hot water boiler (gas or oil) generates heat and pumps water through small diameter tubing to an air handler unit which contains a hot water coil, an air conditioning coil, and a blower. As hot water heats the coils, a blower passes air over the coils and distributes the air via the ductwork.

Hydro air systems generally are smaller and more efficient and because there can be multiple air handlers which can be placed practically anywhere, installation and zoning can be very specific and customized to each house. However, the air isn’t as warm and there is heat loss as water runs from the water heating source to the air handler.

Heat Pump

Heat pumps are common in moderately warm areas. Heat pumps capture heat from the exterior and transfer it to the interior. Captured heat is distributed through copper coils in an air handler and air is blown over the coils to transfer the heat to the rest of the home.

When it is too cold outside to capture enough heat to keep the house warm, heat pumps sputter, raise the white flag, and ask the electric grid for help. For those of us with heat pumps and electric backup, we cringe on cold, blustery days when the thermostat LCD kindly notes that the heat pump is on “emergency heat” i.e., we’re paying out the wazoo!

Electric Furnace

Electric furnaces are common in warmer climates (e.g., southern FL) where heat is required infrequently (because operating electric furnaces is so expensive). However, they’re low maintenance and because they are not used on a long-term regular basis, the systems generally last longer than other heating systems.

The Forcing of “Forced Air:” Distribution Method

Creating fire and identifying your heat source is a very good place to begin if you’re planning a central heating system. However, the magic of “forced air” systems is in the distribution method.

(Historical note: Older central heating systems used gravity, like fireplaces, so it was warm near the heat source and cold further away. “Forced Air” was used as a selling point to indicate even distribution.)

Regardless of heat source, distribution for all air furnaces is similar. We’ll review the heart of the distribution network – the air handler.

The air handler is a metal box which connects the supply and return air ductwork; the air handler also where the burners are located. Like a heart, an air handler ingests cooled air, reheats the air, and blows warmed air throughout the home. The air handler consists of several different sections: return air, blower fan, and a plenum, which connects the ductwork to the home.

The return air component is normally where the air filter is located. Just past the return air connection and the filter is the blower motor; the motor should be sized to deliver air with adequate velocity to the furthest point in the house. The blower motor determines not only the outgoing heat through the vents, but also how much air gets sucked back into the return air vent on the other side of the room. The blower motor, along with the ductwork layout, is integral in circulating the air sufficiently to have even heating and not create hot and cold spots in the home.

The next section of the air handler is where the air blows over the heat exchanger or coils and the heat from the fuel source is transferred to the air and the plenum. The plenum is the connection point for the air handler and the ductwork, and is the beginning of the supply side of system. The plenum often has a flexible connection which serves two purposes – to give some allowances for the ductwork to matchup to the air handler and to act as a damper that reduces noise vibrations from being transmitted through out the ductwork.

Distribution Network

Now you need a way to get the heat from Point A (the heater/blower) to Point B (that frigid room over your garage). That’s where ductwork comes in – you may have noticed shiny metal tubes which look like fragile aluminum foil. It’s not really aluminum foil, it’s very thin sheet metal wrapped around plastic ribs (or very thin plastic wrapped around metal ribs). There’s lots of different types of ductwork, including asbestos panels, fiberboard and wall chases, wood, and sheetrock. If air can pass through it, it can be used as ductwork.

The ductwork may appear to be a relatively basic part of the entire system because the ducts just “sit there.” Don’t be fooled – the design and installation of ductwork are incredibly important to the efficient heating (and cooling) of a house.

The problem with ductwork is that it generally insulates as about as well as aluminum foil, i.e., not well. Warm air bleeds away from the ductwork as the warm air travels from Point A to Points B, C, X, Y and Z – unless ductwork is insulated properly, heat will dissipate into the cold night.

As a general rule, if you can insulate ductwork, it works much better. At the very least, for the spaces in which ductwork is visible – attics, crawlspaces, basement – make sure your insulation is appropriate because even if you’re not (yet) green, why pay good money to let your heat disappear?

We’ve conducted millions of inspections (yes, millions!) and the most common issue we discover during our inspections is ductwork that is disconnected or damaged. If ductwork is in the attic, please do not store items on top of it and do not step on the ductwork.

In crawlspaces and basements, check to make sure that ductwork is connected, especially where the duct meets the vent. Because the floor moves with varying humidity and climate conditions through the year, and because people step on floor vents, the duct-vent boot connection also a common inspection problem.

Over a couple of years, your ductwork collect the same types of dust, hair, pet fur and allergens that fall on your carpet or floors. Although the air filter will capture some of this, some will settle into the ductwork. Ask a professional to clean your ducts periodically and certainly after any big home improvement project.

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