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On a recent home inspection I viewed a defect to the vinyl siding that seems to be popping up more and more lately. This is a defect that seems to be a no brainer to me, you just have to let common sense rule sometimes. That does not seem to be the case though, as you will see in the pictures provided. Once you view these, you just might say, "Oh, yeah, that is not a good idea. Mine is set up the same way, I need to fix that before my siding gets damaged."
So, what is this particular defect I found during this home inspection? It is an extremely silly defect, that could lead to thousands of dollars in repairs down the road. Take a look at the image below and see if you can figure out what happened here. It is quite obvious, in most peoples' minds.
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So, with all the evidence left behind at the scene of the crime, we should be able to make a fairly sound judgement here.
Exhibit A: We have a grate from a grill laying against the building. Now why would one of these be laying around, unless, well, unless there used to be a grill in this location? We are getting close to solving the mystery here.
Exhibit B: Notice the gas piping coming out of the wall. The only reason to have one of these coming out of the wall, in my opinion, would be to service a gas grill. We are almost there.
Exhibit C: Obviously the melted siding is evidence of some type of damage, and by the other evidence, we can make the connection, that this damage was more than likely caused by a gas grill in the area. In my opinion, mystery solved. Now we just need to see how extensive the damage really is.
Vinyl Siding Can Be Damaged When A Grill Is Too Close
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Now, having an area to do your grilling is really nice, and one of the things that homeowners enjoy doing. However, this should be done in area that will not cause damage to the home, or pose a safety threat to the occupants. Keep your grill an adequate distance from the home, to prevent heat transfer, and avoid damage like we have in the photo above.
There are also indirect damage factors to take into account with this situation. The siding has obviously been damaged. Is it now functioning as it was originally intended? In all honesty, probably not. This area is now prone to water damage, insect infestation, and other possible damage. Just imagine a hard driving rain slamming up against that wall. Do you think the damaged area will totally prevent water from intrusion? Yes, most vinyl siding is designed to let some water in and exit through the weep holes, but this may actually hold water in once it has entered. Now if the water remains in there, we could see other damage surface months down the road.
Lets take a look at what some side effects of this situation could possibly be. Say we do get water intrusion into this wall of the home. Now, since the wall is not functioning properly, water ends up pooling in this area of the wall. This will most likely lead to insulation damage, at a minimum. Once the insulation is completely saturated, we could see damage to studs and framing members in this section of the wall. Visible drywall damage may also be noticed if the situation is not remedied soon enough.
Another factor to consider is the moisture in this area can quickly turn to mold. This mold will remain in the wall cavity and grow on the framing members, the insulation, and the drywall in this area. If left uncontrolled, this mold can spread, working its way throughout this area and can cause very severe damage to the structural integrity of this home.
My best advice to home owners, when you fire up the grill, make sure it is a safe distance from the home to avoid a hazardous situation. If you want to store your grill right next to your home, let it cool down before storing it. Your grill remains quite hot, for quite a while after you are done using it. Even without a flame present, the coals are still emitting heat and can cause damage to your home.
Ian A Niquette
www.squareonehomeinspection.com
Square One Home Inspection proudly serves Green Lake, Fond du Lac, Dodge, Marquette, Columbia, Winnebago, and Waushara Counties. Complete home inspections and Radon testing available.
I don't usually come here to toot my own horn. I usually save that for at home. But I just might this morning. During the winter is our slowest time of the year. That being said, I have done a little website tweaking.
I made quite a few changes to the overall look of the site, and a few minor changes as well.
I really like how it has turned out, but that does not always mean anything. So, I am looking for some constructive criticism to let me know what the public thinks of my new look. Don't hold back folks. Now is your chance to laugh, giggle, point, gang up on the kid, whatever you need to do. I can handle the scrutiny.
In all seriousness, the thing I am most concerned about is the load time of the first page. If anyone could take the time to take a glance, I would appreciate it very much. And if you see something I could do differently, let me know.
Thanks so much.
http://www.squareonehomeinspection.com/
Ian A Niquette
www.squareonehomeinspection.com
Square One Home Inspection proudly serves Green Lake, Fond du Lac, Dodge, Marquette, Columbia, Winnebago, and Waushara Counties. Complete home inspections and Radon testing available.
My wife and I would like to let everyone know that our first child, a son, was born this past Monday. He is very, happy, healthy, and strong. We cannot express the deep happiness and love that we feel for our child. We would like to thank everyone that has sent us well wishes, and have been supporting us on our way to this point. Thank you all very much, and we will keep everyone posted, and hopefully we get at least one picture of him on here soon. It has just been a very busy few days, as I am sure most of you know from having experienced this for yourselves.
Thank you all, and welcome to the world my son!!
Ian A Niquette
www.squareonehomeinspection.com
Square One Home Inspection proudly serves Green Lake, Fond du Lac, Dodge, Marquette, Columbia, Winnebago, and Waushara Counties. Complete home inspections and Radon testing available.
It is mid winter, and by now you have paid a few heating bills. The price can be staggering sometimes, can't it? Unfortunately, the price of energy does not seem to be coming down anytime soon. So what can you do to keep that cost under control as a home-owner? You can start by doing a few simple checks and repairs.
These few small items can drastically reduce the heating costs, as well as cooling, associated with your home. The key is to reduce air leakage from the envelope of the home. By reducing the amount of air leakage, you are holding in the warm air longer, thus reducing the need for your furnace to have to heat the air in your home as often. Obviously, if the furnace is not running as often, the cost to heat your home will be less.
Below are five simple items that you can due to reduce your energy costs associated with your home. In addition to these items, having a complete home inspection performed will help you recognized deficiencies in your home. By doing this you can make a game plan to better insulate your home, or make repairs that will save you money on energy costs in the future.
- Perform yearly maintenance on caulk around your window and door openings. These openings are one of the largest spaces for air to exit your home. By keeping these areas sealed, you not only keep water out, but you reduce the amount of air leakage in these areas as well. Put this on your spring or fall home maintenance list to ensure that you have this completed every year. If you are not sure how or where to caulk, hire a professional contractor to perform the work for you.
- Check the weatherstripping around your exterior doors. If the weatherstripping is worn, or missing, you are losing valuable warm air to the exterior of the home. This is another very easy problem to remedy for the average home owner.
- One area that most of do not think about is recessed lighting. Check the seals at the ceiling on these. Chances are, there is quite a draft of air moving directly into your attic. If you feel comfortable, go into the attic, and place your hand around the ceiling penetration of one of these lights. You can probably feel the air rushing into the attic. All this air going into the attic is costing you lots of money every year. Having these lights properly sealed can drastically reduce your energy costs.
- The laundry room can be another area for huge heat loss in our homes. On quite a few home inspections, I find the exhaust vent for the dryer is not properly secured and sealed. Most of the time it is just stuck in the hole and that's it. On a winter day, feel the wall in that area. Very cold most likely. Get the area around this pipe sealed and make sure the pipe is properly secured in place. This will help slow some of the air leakage in this area of your home.
- Last on the list is the drywall itself. Repair any holes in the drywall. Holes in the walls can drain the warm air right out of a room, causing your energy bill to rise. If you do not feel comfortable repairing the wall yourself, hire a professional home improvement contractor to do the work for you. The money you spend on this repair will save you money in the long run on energy costs.
Put the preceding list to use, and I am sure you will see some savings in your energy costs. Remember that performing regular maintenance on these items is the best way to ensure proper performance.
Ian A Niquette
www.squareonehomeinspection.com
Square One Home Inspection proudly serves Green Lake, Fond du Lac, Dodge, Marquette, Columbia, Winnebago, and Waushara Counties. Complete home inspections and Radon testing available.
How long do you spend in the shower? Do you get in there, do your business, and hop out? Or, are you the type to get in their, let the warm water relax you, and just generally hang out in there? We are all different, so our habits are bound to be different as well.
I was recently asked during a home inspection why I had the shower running in the bathroom while I was inspecting the kitchen. This is a practice I have gotten into while performing every home inspection. Not so when I first started out. But you tend to learn things as you progress, and this is one item I have learned from my fellow home inspectors.
Think about it, most home inspectors will run the shower or tub while they are in the bathroom only. Or worse, only while they are looking at the tub or shower stall. So they run the water for maybe two minutes at the most in that scenario. I think most of us can agree that out typical shower lasts longer than two minutes, right?
Now, if we run the shower for a longer period of time, we gives those possible leaks some time to show themselves. Some leaks will not be there after two minutes, but rather will reveal themselves after 5 or 10 minutes. Now, the home inspector that shut the water off after a minute or two will not find that leak and could find himself in trouble. Some clients won't care that you only ran the water for two minutes, but why didn't you see that leaking? See where I am going with this?
By taking a bit more time and using a little more water, we increase our chance of finding those possible leaks that could prove to be a problem for someone else down the road. Trust me, my clients and the current homeowners appreciate this method. This method has actually gained me home inspections from sellers that would be buying a new home.
If the water is run for a longer period, you will have a better chance of discovering leaks once you enter the area underneath the shower, basement or crawlspace. The leaks will be much easier to spot, because there should be more water volume, and will stick out a little more than just a small trickle, or worse, nothing at all.
This is a practice that I firmly believe in as a home inspector. So homeowners, please don't get down on that home inspector that the buyer hired because you think he is using too much water. We are just trying to provide the best service we can to our client. Instead, ask him for a card, and book him for your next home inspection.
Ian A Niquette
www.squareonehomeinspection.com
Square One Home Inspection proudly serves Green Lake, Fond du Lac, Dodge, Marquette, Columbia, Winnebago, and Waushara Counties. Complete home inspections and Radon testing available.
Do you have something in your line of work that drives you absolutely bonkers? As a home inspector, there are a few items that I find during routine home inspections that just make me wonder what some people are thinking. I am sure you all know what I am talking about. That one thing that you see at work every day that you know is wrong, but no one says anything about and it never changes. Think about it for a moment, it happens every day. We see something that is not right, maybe dangerous, and do nothing to change the situation.
As a home inspector, my bonkers button lately has been the temperature pressure relief valve(TPRV) for water heater tanks, and their pipe extensions. I guess my problem is more with the extensions than the TPRV itself. At least the TPRV is present during my home inspection. But I can't seem to find an extension for one anywhere. I have looked everywhere, I just can' seem to find one during a home inspection.
I know, I know, most of you are thinking what is this crazy home inspector talking about now. Take a moment to vizualize your water heater. Do you have it in your mind. Do you see the tube coming out the side or the top that looks like it will just run water all over your floor? Yeah, I didn't think so. That is because it has become so commonplace not to have the proper extension on the TPRV. This can be a very dangerous situation if you happen to be near your water heater and this valve needs to release pressure. The water could possibly scald you, or with these being at or near eye level, spray water all over your face, which could result in eye injury or worse.
Take a look at this picture below. This is what I typically find during a home inspection. This is improper installation and could cause the homeowner or occupant bodily harm. This is a picture of the TPRV on a water heater. This is only the valve.
Now, can you imaging standing eye level with that valve as it discharges water at a very high pressure? You probably don't want to be in the way when that comes gushing out. By having the proper extension on the TPRV you can avoid a possibly dangerous situation. It is a very cheap installation as well, which is another reason this bothers me so much. I think to install an extension on your water heater, it will cost you less than $15. Yes, less than $15. Money well spent according to this home inspector.
Now, if we take a look at the next picture, we will see what a proper extension on a water heater looks like. The extension on this water heater is a side mount. That is it, the copper tubing on the right side of the water heater tank.The extension should terminate within 6" of the floor. It also needs to terminate into the open atmosphere, so not into a sealed tank or such. Ideally, this should also terminate in the same room as the water heater. The extension pipe for the TPRV also should not be threaded on the end that will terminate at the floor. This way it cannot be capped off, which would make it useless, and create an even more dangerous situation. The material that the extension can be made from will vary from area to area according to their standard building codes. Your local builders or code officials can give you this information for your particular area.
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Notice the pipe is not capped off, we can even see a hint of corrosion build up on the pipe. Now, if the pressure or temperature inside the tank becomes too great, the valve will open. Instead of the hot water pointing directly at someones eyes or head area, the spray is directed towards the floor. With this set up, injures that could occur if you are nearby during a discharge will be much less extreme than if there was no pipe installed.
This is just one of the situations that drive me bonkers as a home inspector. The next time you need to replace your water heater, and you do it yourself, please get the supplies for the extension as well. For less than $15, you could be avoiding a very serious injury to yourself or others.
I hope you enjoyed my venting about TPRV on your water heater. Come back and check for more home inspection related articles.
Ian A Niquette
www.squareonehomeinspection.com
Square One Home Inspection proudly serves Green Lake, Fond du Lac, Dodge, Marquette, Columbia, Winnebago, and Waushara Counties. Complete home inspections and Radon testing available.
This is a great blog, as it explains how a home inspection report can and should be used. Very informatinve, and I thank Jim Bushart for doing such an excellent job on the original. Via Jim Bushart (Home Inspection Services of Missouri):
In random order, I present to you seven different ways in which a home inspection report can be used by parties to a real estate transaction for advantage and benefit.
1. Buyers can consider the reported conditions of the home's systems to determine their ability to afford to maintain the property. A home with a 12 year old water heater, an 18 year old furnace and a 25 year old composite shingled roof is going to need some costly investments in the near future.
2. Buyers can sometimes use information regarding undisclosed defects to negotiate the seller's action to repair the defect(s) or adjust the asking price for the home.
3. Sellers can obtain a home inspection and use the report to disclose known defects to potential buyers.
4. Sellers can obtain a home inspection and use the report to identify and correct significant defects that could interfere with a buyer's desire to submit a contract to buy the property.
5. Buyers can use the inspection report as a "punch list" or "to do list" for maintaining the property after purchase.
6. Buyers/Sellers can use the report to communicate to contractors the nature of the defect(s) to obtain estimates for repair or to arrange for repairs or replacements.
7. Buyers can sometimes use the inspection report as a means to withdraw from the contracted agreement to purchase the home when certain types of undisclosed defects are reported.
Buyers and sellers should consider obtaining inspection reports only from professional full-time home inspectors. Inspection reports generated by builders or contractors are often used by them as marketing tools and a means to generate business for maintenance and repairs and do not always represent the actual conditions of the property.
Ian A Niquette
www.squareonehomeinspection.com
Square One Home Inspection proudly serves Green Lake, Fond du Lac, Dodge, Marquette, Columbia, Winnebago, and Waushara Counties. Complete home inspections and Radon testing available.
Yuck. My least favorite appointment during the Fall season has come and gone again. This morning I had to go for my regular dental check up and tooth cleaning.
I really dread going to the dentist. Not that I have ever had a bad experience there, I just don't like people poking around in my mouth. Not on my Top Ten List so to speak.
The check up went well. "Hey Mom, no cavities." No real issues, but I did get a nice grab bag from the office. Toothbrush, floss, toothpaste. Ya know, all the standard items. They did give me a smaller toothbrush to try though, gag reflex, we'll see.
Anyway, what is your least favorite appointment throughout the year?
Ian A Niquette
www.squareonehomeinspection.com
Square One Home Inspection proudly serves Green Lake, Fond du Lac, Dodge, Marquette, Columbia, Winnebago, and Waushara Counties. Complete home inspections and Radon testing available.
When I need to relax, I am usually heading for the outdoors. This is my girl Sage, and I like to spend time relaxing with her, though not as often as I would like. I seem to spend more time trying to catch her than actually riding her. But, that's why I like her so much, she is a free spirit. Enjoy folks.
Ian A Niquette
www.squareonehomeinspection.com
Square One Home Inspection proudly serves Green Lake, Fond du Lac, Dodge, Marquette, Columbia, Winnebago, and Waushara Counties. Complete home inspections and Radon testing available.
I was looking through some home inspection defect photos the other night. I happened to come across a couple of diamonds in the rough. I though I would get some opinions on them from my friends here at AR.
I am wondering what you guys think about this from a realtors standpoint. What would you suggest to the buyer in this situation, and also what would you suggest to the home seller.
This home inspection was from a year or so back, and I just stumbled across the pics again, but they did get me to thinking. I wondered why it hadn't just been repaired before sale, but none of my business.
So, what do you guys think?
Obviously, my report called for the roof to be repaired. I just wonder why this wasn't done before hand. How did the seller let a contractor do this to his home, or did the seller do it himself? Let me know what you think from both sides of the table here guys, I am curious.
Thanks!!
Ian A Niquette
www.squareonehomeinspection.com
Square One Home Inspection proudly serves Green Lake, Fond du Lac, Dodge, Marquette, Columbia, Winnebago, and Waushara Counties. Complete home inspections and Radon testing available.
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Ian Niquette
Markesan,
WI
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Square One Home Inspection
Address: N2707 Welk Rd, Markesan, WI, 53946
Cell Phone: (920) 251-3504
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