Unsafe Wiring
During a recent home inspection I came across this electrical wiring that was in contact with both a heating duct and the water heater exhaust vent. The wiring against the exhaust vent has the potential of melting, allowing the bare wires to come in contact with the metal vent. This could result in electrocution if someone were to come in contact with the metal vent.
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
Knob and Tube Wiring
Back in the day when homes were first wired for electricity, knob and tube wiring was state of the art. All in all, a pretty good system… prior to the 1930’s. On many of the home inspections I do on older homes, I come across knob and tube wiring that is still live but should be removed and replaced. Unfortunately, over the years, this type of system is prone to problems due to age, damage, improper alterations and deterioration.
Knob and Tube Wiring
As I said, this type of wiring was fairly common in homes prior to the 1930’s. The system was made up of porcelain insulators, (knobs and tubes), wiring with a protective cloth insulative covering, and cloth electricians tape. The knobs were used to route wires through unobstructed areas, and the tubes were used to route wiring through studs and joists.
Knob and Tube wiring did have a few safety features:
The downside of the Knob and Tube system was:
Through the years however, this type of wiring is subject to a variety of problems. Improper alterations made to the original system can pose significant safety issues. From a safety standpoint, unfortunately the electrical system is one of the systems in a home that can have installations that are wrong or dangerous and till work.
Addition of new branches and fixtures to the original system is a common problem. Added lights and outlets require more current. More current blows fuses. The solution: Bigger fuse. Bigger fuse results in increased heat generation in the conductors (wires). This increased heat breaks down the insulation, making it brittle, eventually disintegrating or falling off. The heat generated by ceiling fixtures, and higher temperatures in unvented attics also contribute to the degradation of the insulation of Knob and Tube wiring. It also seems that critters like the chewing on and gathering the insulation for their nests. At a recent home inspection I had entered an attic which had Knob and Tube wiring. I turned around in a cramped area and noticed that I nearly came in contact with bare wires running along an entire wall.
As we became more energy conscious, and homeowners got tired of drafty houses and high heating and cooling costs, homeowners started adding additional insulation to their attics and walls. Refer back to the list of safety features for Knob and Tube wiring. You will see that the first one suspending the conductors in open air dissipates heat. Adding loose, blown or batt insulation over Knob and Tube wiring counteracts the open air heat dissipation. Adding insulation on top of Knob and Tube wiring is a fire hazard.
In conclusion, there seems to be a growing concern amongst homeowners insurance companies with respect to this old wiring. My recommendation when finding Knob and Tube wiring at a home inspection is that the client have a qualified Electrician inspect the wiring for safety and potential replacement.
Home Inspectors, HomePro Home Inspections. Rick Erickson, Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942 http://www.homepro-inspection.com
Home ownership requires constant vigilance. From the foundation to the roof, you need to keep an eye on your home to guard against damage and to protect your investment. Homeowners should be periodically checking many of the same items covered in a Home Inspection.
One of the most common problems that a homeowner needs to watch for is water damage. It is important to be on the lookout for potential water damage inside as well as outside of your home. Inside the home, appliances like washing machines dishwashers and water heaters can be the leading cause of water damage.
You can save yourself a lot of grief and stress if you catch water leaks and damage early. These things don’t heal themselves and ignoring a small leak could cost you a lot of money in repairs.
Water damage signs can be subtle. You may notice a ripple in your wall paper, or a hint of a yellow stain on your ceiling. If you see something like this it is best to investigate as soon as possible. There are a few places that you should keep your eye on with respect to potential water damage. The list below will help you to keep on top of any potential problems.
A careful inspection of your home for signs of potential water damage can save you the time, money and stress that come with having to make major repairs. When you’re confident that your property is protected against costly damage, you can sit back and enjoy the comfort of your home.
Home Inspectors, HomePro Home Inspections. Rick Erickson, Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942 http://www.homepro-inspection.com
This video is showing mold growth and staining in a split level basement ledge of the exterior wall. The basement was finished off about a year ago, with the mold and staining starting within the last two months. The owner pointed out this problem during the home inspection and asked me if I could help to figure out the cause. This wall was the only one in the basement that had this problem. All other areas were dry at the time of the home inspection.
What I had found was on the exterior of the home, the bottom of the siding was right at the top of the block/base plate junction. With all of the rain and driving winds we had had recently, I believe that water was being driven into the joint at the top of the wall, resulting in saturation of the wood. The water was wicking up through the oak shelf, which was attached to the base plate, thus causing the staining and mold growth.
For some reason, the siding on this side of the home was not installed low enough to properly overlap the masonry block/plate joint. The siding was installed properly on the remaining exterior walls.
My recommendation to the homeowner was to have a siding contractor extend the siding down so that it properly overlapped the masonry block. I also recommended that the oak shelf be removed, the area inspected for moisture issues, necessary repairs be made.
Home Inspectors, HomePro Home Inspections. Rick Erickson, Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942 http://www.homepro-inspection.com
Indoor flooding
Home fires will make the headlines before water damage, even though water damage is more common and often just as damaging. Water damage typically sees a surge during the first three months of the year. Pipes are most likely to freeze when it’s the coldest outside. Make sure to insulate any exposed pipes to help prevent freezing.
Power outages can cause many problems from food spoilage to basement flooding. Install back-up generators to power all of your home’s critical systems including sump pumps, security and fire alarm systems, and heating systems.
Chimney and furnace fires
While fire presents a year-round risk, certain causes of fire occur more frequently during the winter. Chimneys, boilers and furnaces are particular risks. Approximately 25,000 residential fires begin in a fireplace or chimney every year, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Ice damming is another threat to your home. In the days after a snow or ice storm, ice damming can occur due to melting and re-freeze.
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
Unsafe Electrical Outlet
This is one of those Oh My Gosh… things home inspectors frequently come across that I wanted to share.
Electrical safety is important in a home, especially if you have small children. On a recent home inspection on an older foreclosure, I came across several baseboard duplex outlets looking like the one above. These duplex outlets had been added several years ago when the home electrical was upgraded.
The home was empty, but I suspect that the previous owners had small children as they took the time to install child proof covers over the plug outlets. Even though the previous owner had taken the time to cover the plugs with child proof covers, they left dangerous openings that would allow small fingers access to the electrical connections within the box.
Obviously, this issue could be resolved by simply placing cover plates over the duplex boxes.
Home Inspectors, HomePro Home Inspections. Rick Erickson, Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942 http://www.homepro-inspection.com
Construction projects gone bad… The following pictures were sent to me by a friend that knows I do home inspections. It’s kind of humorous how some things happen in the process of putting a building together. Blame it on the Contractor, blame it in the Architect, blame it on the Project Manager, whatever, these are pretty funny….Enjoy
I hope this one isn't in the snow belt...
Can you really see through that monitor?
At least there is a hand rail
Be careful when you take a right at the top of the stairs
The guy with the level showed up late that day.
Private Balcony
Train tracks under the balcony
Sometimes you just have to work around the streetlights
Limited Access ATM
Lack od a railing is not the only problem here
Hey buddy, can you scoot over a little....
Home Inspector, HomePro Home Inspections. Rick Erickson, Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942 http://www.homepro-inspection.com
Corrugated Dryer Venting Clogged With Lint
If you have had a home inspection by HomePro Home Inspections you know that when I come across flexible, corrugated dryer venting, we discuss the potential for fire hazard. Dryer manufacturers recommend solid metal smooth bore venting to provide for better air flow. Considering how important this subject is, the stakes involved and the frequency of dryer fires in the home, the topic deserves more attention.
Clothes dryer fires account for nearly 16000 fires annually, with 80% of them occurring in residences, resulting in 15 deaths and 300 injuries per year.
New home trends tend to locate laundry room in more hazardous locations away from exterior walls. Locating laundry rooms near the center of the home results in longer vent lengths. Failure to keep these long runs clean is the leading cause for clothes dryer fires. In addition to fires, lint build up will prolong drying times, wasting energy, and contributing to even more lint build up.
Recently I came across a new product called Lint Alert. Lint Alert is a home safety device that measures and displays the back pressure in the dryer exhaust vent. The back pressure in a dryer vent will increase as lint builds up and restricts the airflow. When the backpressure increases to unsafe levels, the lint alert will alarm, letting you know that your dryer vent needs maintenance and cleaning. You can learn more about the Lint Alert at www.lintalert.com
Lint Alert
Home Inspector, HomePro Home Inspections. Rick Erickson, Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942 http://www.homepro-inspection.com
Rick was very helpful and professional! Very easy to talk to. He goes through the home inspection report honestly and thoroughly. Thank you very much! I will definately refer HomePro Home Inspections to others.
Sarah A. Rochester, MN.
Very thorough with attention to detail. I will definitely use HomePro again.
Antonio N, Rochester, MN
You were really thorough in your home inspection, and took the time you needed with us. It was Saturday morning and you could have been watching the clock. I will surely refer you to others and will tell my Realtor how great you were.
Kathy P, Rochester, MN