Selman Home Inspection Company Blog On ActiveRain: February 2012

Home Maintenance Tip - Attic Installed Heating & Cooling Equipment

These days, it is very common for heating and cooling equipment to be installed in the attic space. Installing HVAC systems in the attic has advantages such as leaving more storage space in the living area closets.

When the cooling equipment is installed in the attic space, there should be a condensation pan with a visible drain to the exterior of the home. And the primary condensation drain line should have a P trap and drain to the exterior of the home in a visible location. Rusted condensation pans are prone to leak and may cause damage to the ceilings in your home. The purpose of the condensation drain lines draining to a visible location outside the home is so that you know they are draining. If the drain is not visible and it stops up or the condensation drain is clogged, again, you will be facing costly ceiling or other interior damage. 

It is also important that the condensation drain pan be clean. Attic insulation and other debris in the pan may clog the drain line and cause interior ceiling or other damage.

There are also water detectors and alarms that your HVAC specialist can install on your attic installed cooling equipment to provide advanced warning if there is a potential condensation water leak problem. 

Solving condensation drain problems ahead of time can save you thousands of dollars.

If you have gas heat, it is important to periodically check two main things. First, be sure that the gas exhaust flue is properly vented to the exterior of the home to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Second, be sure that the flexible gas supply line does not enter the heating equipment cabinet. Only a steel gas supply line should pass through the heating appliance cabinet. Flexible gas lines in contact with the cabinet may rupture and create a gas leak. Below is a diagram of the correct gas supply pass through. 

Fixing any of these defects in your heating and cooling system will prevent them from being listed in a home inspection report and more importantly, they protect your property and those you love. 

For more safety and home maintenance tips, I encourage you to take advantage of our online Home Maintenance Guide.

Home Maintenance Tip - Window Glass (Home Safety)

Safety glass and window placement are sometimes overlooked by home builders (yes, even new homes), architects, DIY replacements and replacement window companies. There are important safety guidelines to consider concerning the windows in a house.

Did you know that there are window locations in most homes that require safety glass? There are. Safety glass is etched with a safety glass approval stamp in one of the corners of the glass pane. Safety glass or tempered window glass is important for your families safety. When safety glass or tempered window glass is broken, it will generally shatter into small, dull corner pieces causing less physical damage than normal glass.

Here are a few of the locations which require safety glass according to today's standards:

1. Any window glass in swinging, bi-fold or sliding glass doors.
2. Sidelite glass where the glass is withing 24 inches of the arch of a door.
3. Window glass within 24 inches of an entry door.
4. All window glass larger than 9 square feet.
5. All stairway landing window glass.
6. All glass enclosures for showers and bathtubs.
7. All window glass within 60 inches of a pool or spa.
8. All entry door glass greater than 3 inches.

In addition, today's standards also state that all windows within 18 inches of the floor and all second story windows within 18 inches of the floor are a safety hazard. Especially for children and toddlers who may be prone to fall out of open windows which are to close the the floor.

Keeping you and your family safe is just one of the reasons to hire a professional home inspector whether you are a buyer or a seller. Inspection of the windows is just one of thousands of items your inspector is looking for to help provide a safe place to live for you and those you love.

For more safety and home maintenance tips, I encourage you to take advantage of our online Home Maintenance Guide.

Home Maintenance Tip - Smoke Detectors

It always surprises home inspectors that one of the primary safety items is often overlooked, smoke detectors. These warning devices could save your life or the life of a loved one.

According to Today's Texas Standards of Practice, smoke detectors should be installed near the ceiling in bedrooms and each adjacent hallway. There should also be one at each story of the home, one in the kitchen and one in the garage.

In newer homes, the smoke detectors are interconnected so that if one goes off, they all go off. Often in older homes, they are not interconnected and go off independently. 

Every smoke detector on the market today also has a battery backup. It is important to keep fresh batteries in smoke detectors so that when the electric service fails, your home's smoke detectors are still on the job. Batteries should be replaced at least annually.

Smoke detectors have a test button so that they can be tested insuring they work and that the battery backup is in good shape.

Smoke detectors are not expensive and are easily installed by most homeowners by following the manufacturers instructions. Prices range from about $12 to $30.

Making sure that there is a smoke detector in each bedroom, adjacent hallway and at each story not only protects your family, but will also reduce the number of safety related defects listed in your home inspection report. The cleaner your home inspection report, the less negotiations and headaches there are during the home sales process.

For more safety and home maintenance tips, I encourage you to take advantage of our online Home Maintenance Guide.

Septic System Inspections

Selman Home Inspection provides Septic System Inspection services in Dallas County, Ellis County, Collin County, Tarrant County and surrounding North Texas including all of the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex with a home inspection. A Septic System Inspection is essential to good health, property value, aesthetics and the ecology. If a property has a septic system, lenders will require that it be inspected by a certified, licensed inspector and that a Septic System Inspection report be completed. 

The purpose of a septic system is to dispose of the waste water in such a manner that the soils on the property can disperse it without causing an adverse effect on ground water and, in turn, on public health and the environment. The simple fact is that a neglected septic system or aerobic system will become blocked, it will have an obnoxious order, it will overflow and it will contaminate and pollute. When buying a home, a Septic System Inspection is highly recommended by trusted realtors, brokers and lenders. Selman Home Inspection is certified to perform Texas Septic System Inspections.

How Does A Septic System Work

A septic system receives, treats and disposes of unwanted wastewater and solids from a building’s plumbing system. Solids are partially broken down into sludge within a septic tank and are separated from effluent (water) and scum (fat, oil and grease). Effluent regularly exits the tank into a drain field where it is naturally filtered by bacteria and reentered into the groundwater. Scum and sludge must be pumped periodically and should never enter the drain field. Learn more from our Homeowners Guide To Septic Systems.

When Should A Septic System Be Inspected?

• As soon as a house is put on the market. This enhances the home’s value and helps avoid any liability issues that might result from a malfunctioning septic system. 
• In the interest of a prospective buyer, insist that a Septic System Inspection be performed before purchasing a home.
• A new inspection is needed if prior inspection documentation is not available or more than 6 months old.
• Depending on your county, many are required to be inspected quarterly.

What Is A Septic System Inspector Looking For?

• If available, we would like to find the date that the tank was last pumped. Ultimately, sludge level should determine whether a tank should be pumped, but knowledge of previous pumping dates can be a helpful reference.
• Check the sludge level with a “sludgejudge” or a similar device. Sludge accumulates on the tank bottom and should not occupy more than 1/3 of the tank’s total volume or rise to the level of the baffles.
• The septic tank and drain field should be far from water sources such as wells and streams.
• We perform a calculation to determine if the system is large enough for the home and occupants that it serves. A four-bedroom home, for instance, typically requires a 1,200-gallon tank. The more occupants living in the home, the larger the tank that is required. Capacity in gallons can be calculated by tank dimensions. For rectangular tanks, length x width x depth in feet x 7.5 = capacity in gallons. For round tanks, 3.14 x radius squared x depth in feet x 7.5 = capacity in gallons.
• We check for liquid waste that has made its way to the ground surface known as ponding. This condition is unsanitary and indicates that the system is overloaded. It is important to make sure that the tank is watertight so that wastewater does not contaminate groundwater, and groundwater does not flow into the tank and cause it to overfill.
• If riser lids are present, they should be inspected for cracks and made sure they are secure.
• Make sure that the baffles are firmly connected to the tank’s inlet and outlet pipes when accessible.
• Check that drain lines appear to be receiving the same amount of wastewater.
• Check for solids covering the baffle. This should be reported immediately, as it indicates overflow.
• Check baffles for erosion from chemicals and water flow.
• Check for evidence of previous overflows, repairs or potential system failures.
• Check sewage levels which should be several inches below the baffle top. A lower level indicates leakage and a higher level indicates blockage.

Septic System Dangers

Septic systems are designed to handle dangerous household waste and can pose serious health hazards to homeowners and home inspectors. Septic system inspection, repairs and maintenance should be left to certified, licensed professionals. The following are a few important precautions:

• A professional septic tank pumping service, not an inspector, should remove solid waste.
• No one besides a licensed, equipped professional should enter a tank. Noxious fumes such as methane can cause rapid asphyxiation and death.
• If a septic tank shows signs of weakness, tread with caution! Collapse can be fatal. Beware of tanks with rusting metal, homemade lids, or anything else that appears unstable.

In summary, a Septic System Inspection should be performed on an annual basis to ensure proper function. The septic tank is the most expensive household fixture and its lifespan will be shortened significantly if it is not properly maintained. Knowing the condition of the septic system in a home you intend to buy is important. Understanding the importance of a Texas Septic System Inspection as part of a home inspection is also important.

Home Inspection Maintenance Tips - High Soil Levels

One of the most common defects we find when performing home inspections is called "high soil" conditions. It is also one of the easiest to correct for many homes.

High soil levels are cited as a defect in home inspections when soil, fill material or mulch covers the top 4-6 inches of the foundation perimeter beam. This condition prevents the inspector from observing the foundation in these areas, creates conducive conditions for insects, covers weep holes and may also allow moisture to penetrate the structure between the foundation and first (bottom) row of bricks or siding.

In many cases, the soil, fill material or mulch could simply be raked away from the foundation perimeter beam to expose the top 4-6 inches of the foundation. Not only would this create a better home inspection report, but it is an easy way to eliminate the issues mentioned above.

In extreme cases of high soil, it may be best to hire a landscape specialist. A landscape specialist has the tools and man-power to correct most high soil conditions easily and at very low cost.

Correcting high soil conditions around any home is smart and show that you care about correct home maintenance. If you want to get a cleaner home inspection report, this is one item the homeowner can do to accomplish this goal.

Home Inspection Maintenance Tips - Mechanical Exhaust Vents

Before about 2005, many home builders vented mechanical exhaust vents such as bathroom and utility room vents directly into the attic space. This was an accepted practice for many years. 

Experience and advances in home building have taught home builders that the old practice of venting mechanical vents into the attic space sends the moist, humid air from these areas directly into the attic. Adding moisture to the attic space is now known to create problems over time such as damaged insulation and moisture damaged roof decking not to mention the impacts to a homes efficiency.

In addition, I have inspected many homes were the dryer vent was vented directly into the attic space. So along with moisture, dryer lint (which is highly flammable) was also being added to the attic space.

Today, all mechanical exhaust vents should be vented to the exterior of every home. In most cases, this is not a difficult task to do or have done by a professional. With the availability of flexible vent line materials, it is easier than ever to connect to existing vent ducts and direct them to the exterior of the structure. In many retrofit situations, vent line extensions can be added to allow the vent to reach a soffit vent. In other cases, new vent adapters can be easily installed through the roof deck.

 As a home inspector, I encourage you to check your home or have it checked by a professional to see whether or not the mechanical vents in your home are venting to the exterior either to a soffit, through a wall or through the roof covering. Correcting any errors will improve your homes efficiency, remove potential moisture problems and possibly improve the fire safety. Along with the improvement benefits, when you are ready to sell your home, you can make this one less item noted in the inspection report. The fewer items that are in an inspection report may well improve how soon your home sells.