For most of us, we don’t really think too much about our CO detectors, but they are an important safety item and could mean our lives if it were ever needed.

So ask yourself “where is my CO detector?”. Many people may not know, and some may be surprised that they do not even have one.

When it comes to CO detectors, more is better. Be sure to install CO detectors in every bedroom and about 10 ft from possible sources of CO

If you have cracks in your crawlspace slab, are they serious? Generally speaking not.  Slabs in most crawlspaces are there for moisture control, cleanliness, and convenience. As a home inspector, it is easy to say that more often than not a crawlspace does not even have one to begin with.

Most slabs are non-load bearing. As they crack and move it is usually more inconvenient than anything else. There are times when the slab IS load bearing or when its movement can affect structural items though. Be sure to contact me and I can help you determine if it is an issue or not.

Should the main drain line be 3″ or 4″ PVC? That is actually a very good question. Both 3 inch pipes and 4 inch pipes are used for main drain  lines. So which is better?

It really comes down to being able to vent properly. Whenever water goes down a drain it creates suction. Without proper venting it creates bubbling sinks and toilets. So which pipe size vents better?

First of all, the better drain line size overall is 4″. That is because it can “wet vent”. Basically it means that the pipe is so large that it is hard to put enough water in it to create real suction. So the air and water can pass freely in the pipe. This does not mean that venting is not needed, it is just not as critical and just works better.

A 3″ drain pipe still works though – up to a point. Some say if you have more than 10 drained items (i.e. sinks, toilets, dishwashers, washing machines, showers, etc.) then you would need a 4″ drain. Whether you use that rule of thumb or not, some municipalities require certain drain sizes for certain situations. A 3″ pipe needs to be vented more and can back up slightly easier.

Opening an electric panel is one of the most dangerous parts of a home inspection. Not only because of the obvious live electricity in the panel, but also because it is very likely a panel that hasn’t been opened in a while. So what are some precautions that can be taken to help protect yourself when taking the cover off of a panel?

First, let me say this. Unless you are a qualified, trained professional you should NOT take the cover off of your electric panel. You can injure yourself or others.

Now, if you are a trained professional, then here are some things to look for. First, make sure you can see that the panel is grounded. Then look around and make sure there is no sign of pest or moisture intrusion. Using a drill or screwdriver with an insulated handle helps too. Also, if you are wearing a ring, it’s a good idea to take it off. Finally, if there are 6 screws, take the corner screws off first, as the middle ones make it easier to remove the cover.

Masonite is a fibrous board that was very popular for decades. Masonite is actually a brand name that people use for almost all fibrous board –  kind of like how we say “sheet rock” instead of “gypsum board”, or “Romex” instead of “NM cable”.

Masonite was not a terrible product. In fact, it is still used today. The issues was with installation, improper maintenance, and moisture issues.

If you look at the picture above, you can see that even a small amount of moisture can make it fall apart.

Many times someone asks “I have such-and-such amperage, is that enough power?”. Obviously, everyone want to make sure that their home has enough power, but how much is enough?

Ampacity is the number you typically see on your main breker and represents your total power. Let’s go over these.

200 amps – This level of power is considered by most to be a standard nowadays. While it is more common to see 200 amps in most modern services, it is not a standard – it’s a maximum. ost municipalities require you to have a variance if you go higher than this and is usually considered a commercial service. The vast majority of homes will never exceed this.

150 amps – This is also a common amperage. If you have an average sized home and an average sized family, this will be more power than you will ever use.

100 amps – Some people think that is a bad number, but 100’s of 1,000’s of homes run on that amperage and never run out of power. The average family of four at peak usage almost never exceed 60 amps. So 100 amps is %40 more than you would typically need. You may run into issues with adding pools and spas though, as they take extra power.

60 amps – These services are still common in some areas, but not common overall. Some insurance companies don’t like to see this amperage on homes. If this is your amperage, it will likely be functional, but consider upgrading when possible.

As my client, I want you to be informed and stay informed. That is the reason that I have provided the glossary of home inspection terms below. Found an unfamiliar term? Just enter it below and see the results!

Home Inspection Glossary

As we can see in the picture above, there is definitely some corrosion on this copper pipe. Why is this such a common issue? What can be done to help prevent this?

First, let’s look at what can often cause this issue. Then we will see what we can do to fix/help prevent it.

1: Sulfur. Sulfur water (if you have a well) can really wreak havoc on your plumbing system. The sulfur reacts with the copper and corrodes it – from the inside out. Adding a filtration system to your water can do a lot to help prevent this issue.

2: Chinese Drywall. This one is actually about sulfur too. Back in the early 2,000’s some manufacturers in China shipped drywall with a high sulfur content. As this drywall releases sulfur, it corrodes the pipes. To fix this takes a lot of effort obviously, and removing the drywall is usually the best option. Send a sample of the drywall to a lab for verification.

3: Old Pipes. Yep, sometimes pipes and solder just get old and start to corrode. A Saturday afternoon re-soldering some unions is never a bad idea.

Questions? Contact me!

It happens sometimes. I walk into a home inspection and the electric panel is missing its cover (the technical term is “dead front”).  Many times it is because someone was working in the panel and just neglected to put the cover back on the electric panel. But why is it such a big deal when it is missing?

Obviously it is not the most complex or expensive fix ever, as it only takes a couple of minutes to put back on. But it comes down to safety. There is live electricity in there that could be fatal, and there is very little to protect you without a proper dead front.

On top of that, moisture, pests, dust, and other things can very easily get into and accumulate inside of the panel and cause all sorts of issues.

So always make sure that your electric panel is properly covered.

Many times on a home inspection, a client will asks if their water heater is big enough for them. That is a very good question, but one that has a broad range of necessary information. If you want to know what size water heater is right for you, consider these few points.

First, family size. If you have a 40 gal water heater, that is usually enough for about 3-5 people for average use. The only problem is “average use”. If you have teenagers, they tend to use more water than other demographics, so more water may be needed. If everyone leaves the same time every day and showers are not staggered, again, a bigger tank may be needed.

Now consider the reverse. If there are two people in a home, or even just one, with a 40 gal tank, then that may be too much and they may be wasting energy keeping that much water heated every day.

So what is the right size water heater for you? Only you can answer that. Water heaters come in various sizes, but the most common are: 30 gal, 40 gal, 50 gal, and 75 gal. 40 gal water heaters tend to be the most common by far. So consider your family and usage, and then you will be able to choose the right size water heater for your specific usage.

Curved glass is a rare thing to see nowadays. In fact, it is quickly becoming a niche trade in many areas. Real, quality curved glass is difficult to make, costly, and not in high demand, so not many people are in line to start taking up this trade.

If you have a curved glass window, you may have to call around to several glass shops before you find one that will be able to handle the job. Also, be careful that it is real glass, and not a composite type material. Many of those synthetic materials tend to “yellow” over time.

The stairs pictured above are unusually narrow. It is not uncommon to see stairs that are too narrow on a home inspection, particularly in an older home. That being said (and not trying to bring an older home up to new building code), what are the issues with narrow stairwells?

The first and foremost is safety. If there were ever a fire or another emergency, a narrow stairwell can make it difficult for occupants to be able to escape. Also, because it is awkwardly sized, it makes for a fall hazard at times as well.

The other factor is convenience. Imaging trying to get a dresser, or a couch, or almost any piece of furniture up those stairs. It would be difficult to say the least.

Unfortunately,  making a stairwell larger in an existing home is a very costly endeavor, one that most don’t end up tackling. If you have this situation, consider adding a secondary exterior entrance to the second floor.

Questions? Contact me!

Something that I see far too often on a home inspection are windows and crawlspace vents too close to the grade.

There are several issues with this kind of situation, and here are just a few:

• Moisture intrusion. When windows and vents are close to the ground water can easily get into the home and cause many issues.
• Pest intrusion. Mice, rats, WDI, and anything else you can think of would love to find a window to get into your home. When they are close to the ground, you make it that much easier for them.
• Damage. It is much easier to damage your windows or vents when they are at foot and lawnmower level.

It is a common site on a home inspection to see rust in an electric panel. But how does an electric panel get rusted and how is moisture getting in there?

In the picture above we see rust at the bottom of an electric panel where moisture has gotten in via the service entry point. This is typically where you see the moisture intrusion.

What generally happens is the meter box is on the outside of the house and where the service wire enters meter box should be sealed. When the seal is missing or deteriorated moisture (such as rain, snow, and anything else) gets into the box. Once in there, it only has one way to go – down the other section of the service cable and right into the electric panel.

So be sure that your meter box is properly sealed to prevent this potentially dangerous issue.

In this month’s home inspection picture we see what we in the industry call the “Blue Roof”, which is a humorous term for when someone uses a blue tarp for a temporary roof. Unfortunately, this particular roof appeared to have been there for a while…

Is your deck properly built? Make sure your contractor properly installs and secures every component. Here is a graphic to show you how a deck is properly built. Also, here are a few items to verify:

• Is the ledger board secured to the home using lag bolts?
• Were screws used where necessary?
• Were the post footings poured deep enough?
• Were the joists hung with metal joist hangers?
• Are the baluster spacings close enough?

Taking a moment to verify even these few things could save money, time, (and more importantly) life and safety.