Dangerous Water Heater

How Not To Fix A Leaking Drum Trap

Not sure how to fix a leaking drum trap?  Well, neither was this guy.  He did however find a way to direct the leak to a drain, in the basement shower below. Some string, a funnel and some old garden hose and we’re good.

During  home inspections I frequently come abross several unique ways to stop leaks from coating with silicone or epoxy, hanging buckets under them and such.  It’s really best to have the leak properly resolved.  Who wants to be exposed to whatever is leaking out of this thing.

Special thanks go out to Trent Martin over at Mr Rooter Plumbing for sharing this photo.

Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942

Water Heater Corrosion

Most water heaters last 10 to 15 years. Wet spots on the floor or rust on your tank may signal that you have a problem.  Lots of rust flakes in the combustion chamber will also indicate the water heater is near the end of its useful life.  Other signs that the hot water heater is at the end of life is when the water smells like rotten eggs or, when the heater is heating, sounds like there are marbles rolling around inside the tank. When any of these signs are noted, the tank is usually between 10 and 15 years old and ready for replacement. It is best to replace a heater before it leaks and avoid any water damage.

When installing a new heater install a catch pan under the heater, if possible, with a drain line to the exterior of the house or a floor drain. If a leak develops and you have a catch pan and drain, the water will be diverted and discharged of properly. Metal or plastic drain pans are inexpensive and well worth the protection they provide in the event of a leak.

Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942

Washing Machine Hoses

Failure of washing machine water hoses is one of the leading causes of residential water leaks and damage.  Your standard rubber hoses have a typical life of up to 5 years. 

There are however, better grades of hoses available that will minimize or eliminate potential for leaks, bursting and water damage. Changing and installation of new hoses is simple and can be done in 15-30 minutes. 

The most common, and much safer hose are the ones with the braided stainless steel covering.  These hoses can be purchased at many hardware stores and are much stronger and resistant to bursting.  These hoses are going to cost you ar0und $30 for the set.  There is a one brand of the braided hoses that goes for about $50 for the set and has a 20 year guarantee.  

Take the time to complete a full inspection of your water hoses.  Replace them if they show any signs of wear or deterioration.  Upgrading your washer hoses is well worth the effort and the peace of mind that you protected against sudden bursting of an old water hose.

1- Remove the old caulk with a scrapper or razor blade and then clean the area with any good household cleaner. It is very important to have the caulking area squeaky clean. The caulk won’t adhere to a dirty surface.

2- Wipe down the cleaned area with denatured alcohol before applying the new caulk. The alcohol does a good job of removing any soap or chemical residue allowing the caulk to really adhere to the surface and seal it.

3- The type of caulk used is important. I prefer the silicone type caulks over the latex or water based products.  They can be purchased in caulk tubes or a smaller, handy squeeze tube.  I like the squeeze tubes because they can be sealed with a cap and are less prove to drying out and being wasted if you don’t use it all at once.

(4) The secret of having the job look like a professional installation is to not apply excess caulk.  This takes some practice, but a steady squeeze and rate of application will give you great results.  Sometimes if I don’t get a spot just right, I wet my finger and gently blend the caulk across the entire length of the bead.

(5) Let the caulk dry per manufacturers recommendations before using the tub or shower and then call all your friends to come over and see the great job you did.  Be sure to take pictures!

Home Inspectors, HomePro Home Inspections. Rick Erickson, Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942 http://www.homepro-inspection.com

Main Water Shutoff Valve

Main water valve location and identification – For you and your family members, knowing the location of the main water valve is one of the most important things you should know.  Everyone in your home should know where the main valve is and how to shut it off in case of an emergency.  Another important point is that the valve should turn easily so that anyone could turn the water off.  During the course of my home inspections I tag the valve for easy identification. Many times people know where the valve is located but, when a water problem develops, they don’t remember which valve is the main valve. The tag will identify the valve and could save thousands in the event of a water leak.

Home Inspectors, HomePro Home Inspections. Rick Erickson, Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942 http://www.homepro-inspection.com

Potentially frozen hose faucets

Leaving garden hoses connected to external water faucets can result in frozen and possibly split water lines.  At this home inspection in Rochester MN, I came across two hose faucets that had garden hoses attached to them.  These hose faucets are the Anti Freeze/Anti Siphon type and are designed not to freeze…provided you remove the garden hoses.

The acuual shutoff for the valve is approximately 12 inches in the wall, leaving it safely within the heated portion of the home.  These are designed so that once shut off, all of the water from the shutoff valve to the spigot will drain, leaving about a foot of water line with no water in it.  The problem with leaving garden hoses hooked up is that the water is not allowed to properly drain from the hose faucet.  If this freezes, it can result in a split in the pipe between the shutoff valve, and the spigot.  You won’t know there is a problem until spring when things are thawed andyou use the water valve. 

To prevent this problem it is recommended that all garden hoses be removed prior to winter. 

Home Inspectors, HomePro Home Inspections. Rick Erickson, Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942 http://www.homepro-inspection.com

In this video, your Rochester MN home inspector shows  what can happen sometimes when a homeowner has to, or thinks he has to make a quick fix, which then becomes a permanent solution to the problem. The problem is that over time, these types of fixes can result in failure and cause some serious water problems. I recommended to the prospective home owner that he get a plumber into the property to properly plumb the external hose faucet to meet today’s requirements.

Rick Erickson, Home Inspector, HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942. http://www.homepro-inspection.com

In the attached video, the home inspectors show you a loose hose faucet at the rear of a home on a recent home inspection.   What can happen as a result of this hose faucet being loose is that as it moves within the wall it can put stresses on the solder joints. Over time this movement can result in a solder joint cracking and leaking. I have recommended to the homeowner that the hose faucet be re-secured to the house to eliminate the movement. A couple of screws through the slots in the housing should secure the hose faucet adequately to the home.

Rick Erickson, Home Inspector, HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942. http://www.homepro-inspection.com

This problem can occur, when the metal anode rod, (cathodic protection device), combines with a waterborne sulfate reducing bacteria.  The result of this chemical reaction is hydrogen sulfide.  This is where the rotten egg smell comes from.  Although the smell is a little, well maybe a lot, hard to get over, it is not harmful to consume. 

There are a few potential solutions that can resolve this issue.

First, you can try replacing the metal anode rod with a new one.  If your anode rod is magnesium, try using an aluminum one if available.  Aluminum anode rods will produce 30% less current, thus reducing the generation of hydrogen gas.  There will still be enough current to protect the glass liner of your water heater. 

Secondly, determine the source of the sulfate reducing bacteria and eliminate it.  The sulfate reducing bacteria can be introduced into your water heater via soil contaminated water supply lines.  As the supply line flushes out, the contaminant can end up in the bottom of your water heater.  Thorough flushing of your water heater should solve the problem, (unless of course it is re-contaminated).  First, shut off the water supply to your water heater and drain using the drain at the bottom of the unit.  You should get some sediment, etc . You may want to refill and drain again to get rid of any remaining sediment.  Second, add a quarter cup of chlorine bleach per 10 gallons of water and refill your water heater. Open all hot water taps and allow the solution to flow through the pipes until you smell the chlorine exiting from the taps.  Let the solution sit in the water heater for approximately 1 hour.  Again, shut off the water supply and drain the water heater using the drain at the bottom of the unit.  Opening the hot water taps will allow all chlorine solution to drain back to the water heater.  Fill the water heater a third time, flush the hot water lines, and drain again.  Finally, fill your water heater and flush the lines a final time. 

This should do the trick, and the rotten egg smell should be gone.  The hydrogen gas produced by your anode rod, without the presence of the sulfate reducing bacteria is not a problem and will go unnoticed.  If the sulfate reducing bacteria is re-introduced, the smell will return.  If this happens, you should have your water source analyzed to determine if it is the source of the bacteria.

Rick Erickson, Home Inspector, HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942. http://www.homepro-inspection.com