Rick, you did a wonderful job making the inspection process understandable, especially during the walk through. Thank you very much!
Inspectors Blog
Damaged Garage Door
In the attached video of a cracked garage door top panel. I come across this defect quite often during home inspections. Improper adjustment of the garage door tracks and/or the drive chain can result in jerking of the door during operation. The jerking can result in flexure at the center of the door when the panel is in the horizontal position. There is a lot of stress at the connection point where the chain drive is connected to the garage door.
If your garage door is flexing or jerking during operation, contact a local Rochester or Southeastern MN contractor specializing in garage door installation.
Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942
So Why Wouldn’t You Cover Your Air Conditioner During The Winter Months?
Yes, there is an air conditioner under there
Some experts argue that some AC covers actually trap moisture inside your air conditioner for long periods of time which could then lead to the rust as well as the exact same icing problem as when it wasn’t covered. Others point out that covers on AC units keep them dry and relatively clean and free from a steady cold wind – which makes them a perfect place for mice, chipmunks and other critters to snuggle in for the winter and chew your air conditioners wires to shreds.
To summarize, here are the pros and cons of covering your AC unit in the winter months:
Pros to covering your air conditioner:
- Keeps your air conditioner coils a little cleaner so it may run a little more efficiently when you use it again
- Prevents heavy debris like sticks, branches and other yard waste from blowing into your AC
- Helps prevent water from directly resting on your coils and freezing, which could be damaging.
- May save on maintenance costs and help lengthen the life of your air conditioner
Cons to covering your air conditioner:
- Could trap in moisture if not doneproperly
- Could provide a tempting spot for small animals to nest during winter months
- Most AC manufacturers don’t specifically recommend covering the outside unit
Air conditioner units are expensive to replace and even repair should something happen to it. If you’re not going to use air conditioner for a good six months or so out of the year it makes logical sense to close it off from the elements, at least a little bit. Covering your ac unit each year may allow it to last and run a little longer.
Here are some options to consider:
Cover Just the Top of your Air Conditioner: A lot of people choose taking the middle ground with an AC cover. They cover the top of their unit with a piece of plywood and secure it using a heavy brick or rock. This prevents most of the snow and ice from entering your AC unit from the top and it still leaves the sides open for plenty of cool air to blow through, eliminating the trapped moisture problem.
Fully Cover Your Air Conditioner: If you fully cover your air conditioner, you’ll want to take a few things into consideration. Using plastic makeshift AC covers out of things like tarps or large plastic bags are not a good idea because they can easily keep moisture stuck inside for a long time. They will also almost certain rip or blow off during a long winter unless you get pretty creative with your fastening.
If you’re going to go with a full cover then you might want to consider using a specially designed air conditioner cover
Rick Erickson, Home Inspector, HomePro Home Inspections, Serving Rochester and Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942
Vinyl Flooring Stains Around A Toilet
The gray, (and sometimes pinkish), stains below the surface of the vinyl flooring around your toilet may indicate water damage. When there are stains around your toilet, there is probably a leak in the wax seal ring that seals the toilet to the plumbing flange at the floor. Continued leaking over a period of time will rot the flooring under your toilet and eventually leak into the ares below.
Try moving the toilet gently fron side to side. Your toilet should not move. If it is loose, you will probably need to have a new wax ring installed.
Sometimes a quick fix can be completed by tightening the nuts at either side of the toilet at the floor. Usually these nuts are located under a small plastic cap. You will need to be very careful in tightenening these nuts. Your toilet is made of porcelain that can break if you over tighten, have uneven pressure, or poor support at the flange. Turn only a quarter turn at a time. When the toilet will no longer move, it is tight enough.
Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942
Eliminating Ice Dams
Ice Dam
Ice dams can be a problem this time of year here in the Rochester area. Snow melts on the roof and freezes at the eaves leaving a dam. Continued melting will pool up behind the dam and has the potential to seep under your shingles, resulting in water damage to both the roof deck, as well as the walls and ceilings. During this home inspection I discovered that most all of the insulation from the roof deck had fallen loose in the partial attic section of this story and a half home. In addition, there was no insulation on the interior knee wall, and very little insulation in the ceiling area. The problem results in heat escape to the roof deck, causing the snow melt.
The recommendation here is to hire an insulation contractor to provide adequate insulation to the affected areas to increase insulation efficiency and eliminate the ice damming.
Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942
Blocked Furnace Venting
The recent heavy snowfall and drifting brings one more thing that Rochester and Southeastern MN homeowners need to keep an eye on. Home owners with High Efficiency, direct vent furnaces and water heaters need to check to see that the venting has not been drifted over with snow or blocked. These systems typically vent through the sill plate of the home, close to ground level through a white PVC piping like in the photo above. Drifting snow has the potential to block these vents, causing your furnace or water heater to not operate. These systems have sensors that will detect blockage which will shut down the system. Simply got out and check to make sure these vents have adequate clearance. If they are blocked, simply clear the snow out of and away from the vents, and you should be good to go. If there are still problems, call your local Rochester heating contractor to resolve the issue.
I was discussing this with a client recently at a home inspection. The client’s Realtor spoke up and said that he learned this lesson last year. Cost him $75 to have someone come and clear the snow away from the venting.
Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942
There’s A Spider In My Electrical Panel
In addition to the spider, I found three wires that were charred due to arcing and overheating in this electrical panel. It goes without saying that this client was very fortunate to have not had an electrical fire.
Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942
Furnace Improvements
The only can of green beans we have in the house.. And they are way past the expiration date. I guess we’ll have to run to the store
Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942
Bowed Basement Wall
When a basement wall starts to crack, and those cracks open up horizontally, it can be a sign that the wall is being pushed inward. Many times the horizontal cracks will line up with the frost line in the outside soil.
It’s no secret that the soil freezes in the winter time here in Southeastern MN. The frost expands the soil and presses against the wall, causing a lateral load. This lateral load can cause the wall to bow inward. Unstable soils, expansive clay, compressible, or improperly compacted soil can be a basement’s worst enemy.
Fortunately it is possible to rescue a bowed basement wall. There are companies in the Rochester area that can install an anchor system that can stabilize and pull bowed walls back into place. After a careful inspection and analysis, these companies can design a system that will resolve the problem for a fraction of the cost of total replacement.
Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942
Dirty Refrigerator Coils
Although kitchen appliances are not included in the standards of practice for the home inspection profession, it is common practice to at least check to see if they are operating properly. Typically on a refrigerator freezer unit that means checking to see that it is colder on one side than the other and that the water and ice dispenser works. Recently I came across a refrigerator/freezer unit that was heavily frosted up in the freezer unit. I took a look underneath the unit and the coils were completely loaded up with lint and dust bunnies. When the coils under a unit are all loaded and dirty up they can not operate efficiently, resulting in higher energy bills.
The answer to this problem is to give your refrigerator/freezer coils a breather. Coils should be cleaned at least once a year. These appliances have a set of coils typically in the back, or on the bottom. These coils circulate refrigerant which is cooled by air passing over them. If the coils and area is plugged then air can not flow smoothly, causing your energy bills to soar. To clean the coils, remove the clip-on cover from the bottom front on the unit and use a coil brush to loosen and remove the built up lint and dust. A vacuum cleaner with a crevice tool can come in handy too. You may need to roll the unit out to get at the back side if everything is not accessible from the front. Be careful not to damage any attached water lines for ice makers. The attached picture shows a coil brush which can be purchased at your favorite Rochester or Southeastern MN hardware or home maintenance store.
Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942