Jack Gilleland Home Inspection Services

Maybe the Carpenter Put It in That Way.

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:31:08 -0500

When I see obvious problems my mind automatically switches into an investigative mode. I look at things a little differently after seeing certain problems. Of course, there could be many reasons that a certain system in a house would fail, so I start looking to see if there is a larger problem. This picture leaves little to investigate, because I know the history of this 100+ year old house.

If you look closely (or maybe you don't have to) you'll see the door frame is lower on the left than on the right. The major problem is the what is going on with the ceiling. The high point in the ceiling is directly over the door and almost exactly in the middle of the room. After a little measurment and some inspection of the stone foundation it is obvious that the foundation is settling and there is a support in the center of the home that isn't (well at least not at the same rate). The kitchen is on the other side of that door and this next picture show the settling even better.

No that is not some trick with the camera. The outside walls are actually settling that badly. I'll put one more up to demonstate the age of the home. This is the passage toooo the the cellar. That wall on the left is actually the one in the center of the home keeping the house from settling uniformly.

The really dark hole to the right and further down the passage is the actual cellar. The floor slopes down here, starting at about 4' tall to about 6' at the end.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services, Clayton

Clayton, Ohio

Of All the Stupid

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:48:28 -0500

I thought I'd put this in Wordless Wednesday, but I just couldn't help comment on it.

First we all know the ____ runs down hill, Right? Well it seems that the rehabber on this job missed class that day. If you look closely you'll see this one has a catchbasin. What will they think of next. Yes, for those that are wondering that is the drain rising out of the trap to the connection in the wall.

The vent for this is actually in the wall.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services Clayton

Wazzit, Thingy, Whosit, Thinga Mabob, Whatcha Macallit.

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:45:36 -0500

I was talking to my Dad tonight and he said that I had forgotten a few tool names that should be in the title. He suggested that I should be using the one my Grandmother used and frequently. There were twelve kids in the family and all of the boys (7) turned out to be plumbers. All of the tools they had, according to grandma, had the same name, Dohickey. I can very clearly remember her yelling at an uncle of mine, or two, "Get that Dohickey off my table".

Well, they never had a dohickey like this. This is a little more difficult than normal, but I was just thinking how much easier this would have made one of my recent projects. Hope you all have fun withy it, I would have.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services, Clayton

Highest Quality Commercial and Residential Inspections.

Clayton, Ohio

Do You Like Plants?

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:01:01 -0500

I really do like plants. I plant a garden and flowers in the spring. Of course, I stick with the basics.

Let's see there is the beans. I plant them so that they'll grow up the fence.

Then the tomatos. Have to put them in full sun.

Then the melons. I plant 2 kinds.

Then come the beverages. I only can plant one kind.

There are some who like vegetables a little too much. They just don't understand, these greens are eating the house and causing major damage to the exterior of the structure.

They have even decided to come indoors. Yes that is some of the ivy from the exterior that decided there was too much competition outside.

Becareful, they will ruin your home. Be sure to cut back all plants so that they can't take root in the exterior shell of your home.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services, Clayton

Clayton, Ohio

The Animal Under the House.

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Thu, 14 May 2009 23:12:59 -0500

I was reading one of the blog posts from Bellingham, WA, Steve Smith was writing about leaving the door to your crawl space open (see here). When I thought about the animal I encountered the other day. As crawlspaces go it wasn't too bad, if you don't mind cluttered and dirty. Of course, there aren't many pristine crawlspaces around.

I was visually following the duct work when I set my flashlight down to pull myself forward and my hand rested on something that gave a little. Having stepped on things that I shouldn't a few times it really didn't bother me much, because it didn't move. In these REO's you never know what to expect so when I backed-up to get a picture I was relieved to discover that, although it was an animal, I had nothing to fear.

This one was very old and had been in here a while. As you can see it once was a fearsome creature, but it probably was partial to little kids.

Mold was everywhere (evidenced by the markings on the back wall) so I couldn't save the poor creature. I found all that I was truly looking for so I left him in his den and went on about my inspection.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services, Clayton

Clayton, Ohio

Wazzit, Thingy, Whosit, Thinga Mabob, Whatcha Macallit.

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:54:31 -0500

I actually have two of these. One of them I bought about 10 years ago and it has been a good tool, but it is suffering from wear. The second one was given to me by someone who swore not to ever use one again. He also swore that he would never do the kind of job again that makes this tool necessary.

As a matter of fact, I have 2 jobs in my home that need to be done that require this tool. Both of them are difficult because of the number of times they require me to use this.

Well, I think I have danced around the name of this without using it all that I can, soooooo have fun.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services, Clayton

Highest Quality Commercial and Residential Inspections.

Clayton, Ohio

Wazzit, Thingy, Whosit, Thinga Mabob, Whatcha Macallit.

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 23:44:51 -0500

This is a tool that many different trades in construction use. It is common for carpenters, plumbers, surveyors and engineers to use this on a regular basis. (see right)

As a matter of fact, one of the largest I have ever seen measured the rotation of the earth by drawing little circles.

They didn't always look like this. The older ones were fancier and all brass or bronze.

The antique on the left has no date associated, or at least I couldn't find one. I do know that it is one of the earliest tools used and it hasn't changed much since they built the pyramids.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services

Clayton, Ohio

Wazzit, Thingy, Whosit, Thinga Mabob, Whatcha Macallit.

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:56:49 -0500

For those of you who just can't wait for the next tool to guess at (both of you) you won't have to wait any longer.

I have a long and a short version of this one. Although, I hate it with a passion it has paid for itself over and over again.

This one is 2 ' long and the end is pretty sharp. The one that is it's taller twin is a little over 4'.

Have fun.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services, Clayton

Highest Quality Commercial and Residential Inspections.

Clayton, Ohio

Some and Summer

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:54:39 -0500

I think Jay did a great job summing up spring "must do" projects. So here is his list again.

Via Jay Markanich (Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC):

Well, spring has sprung in most of the country. I realize some of you have had summer for a while, and others are still getting snow. But it is time for the Spring/Summer Home Maintenance List.

We could call it "Some and Summer." Works for me...

These are in no particular order of importance, and if some item doesn't apply to your house, show the list to your spouse anyway and say, "Wow, look at all the things I had to do to get the house ready for spring and summer. I'm really on top of it!" He/she will be impressed with your due diligence...

Carbon monoxide detector - try the test button

Foundation Drainage - be sure water from downspouts, the garden and any rain properly drains away from the foundation. Ideally your yard and gardens should be graded at least 1" for every 4' away from the house.

Exterior - clean the siding, caulk cracks and gaps that have opened up during the winter, clean the yard of debris and fallen branches, do a safety examination, cut vegetation at least 1' away from the siding, etc. (Note: caulking is a very cheap and effective way of making the home more energy efficient.)

Paint - look for mildewy, peeling or blistering paint. Check for cracks which can be sealed with putty or caulking. Wipe your hand over the paint to see if the powdery chalk comes off. Clean it up, prime it and paint it!

Air conditioner - if you don't have an annual tune-up, check your filter (which you should do monthly) and clean or replace as needed, clean bushes and growth from around the compressor so it can breathe properly and adjust your ducts to send more air pressure to the upper level.

Boiler - surprisingly, now is a good time to have your annual tune-up on a boiler because it is often cheaper now than in the fall and your technician is likely to not be so busy.

Fire - practice your fire escape plan with the family. Check the charge of any fire extinguishers.

Gutters - clean of debris. The helicopters from Maple trees and fuzzy seeds from Oak trees clog gutters as much as leaves do in the fall. Check for loose spikes, seal leaky joints and assure the downspouts are attached to the house.

Water heater - drain a little water from the spigot at the bottom to remove sludge and sediment. The burners need to be checked and perhaps cleaned. Be sure you know what you are doing!

Window and door framing - check for rot and if wood siding is too close to the soil, get the soil off. If you see evidence of termites, like chewed up or powdery wood, call a specialist.

Trees - trim branches that hang over the house or chimney (especially if large or dead), and where they might rub on the roof.

Smoke detectors - test!

Roof - check flashing around the chimney or where shingles abut brick or siding, check the chimney mortar cap for cracking, and check for broken, cracked or missing shingles.

Chimney flue - check for debris, water staining, soot build up. Have the flue swept if the soot build up is 1/8 inch or more.

Garage door - test the mechanism and adjust as needed. The down-force interrupter can be checked with a 2x4 on the garage floor underneath.

Check floor drains in an exterior stair way or inside the house. If evaporated, replace the trap water.

Indoors - repair caulking around tubs and showers, test GFI outlets, check out the crawl space, check for condensation in the basement, crawl space or collecting on foundation walls. Dry out appropriately.

Kitchen - Clean grease from range hood or ducts, clean the refrigerator coils, clean the disposal with baking soda/vinegar and chase it with lemon peels that you grind up.

Decks - treat with stain or paint. If you use a stain, use one that provides UV resistance in addition to water-proofing. The sun does more damage to decks than rain and snow. Replace loose nails with galvanized deck screws.

Foundation - outdoors - if you are experiencing a drought, be sure to water around the foundation to fill in any gaps created when soil dries out.

Termites - check inside for wet wood, visible mud tunnels, flying termites, frass, etc. This is a good time to check for carpenter ants. The little sugar ants can be controlled with small traps or a sprinkle boric acid in cabinets, under the dishwasher or fridge.

Main Water Shut-off Valve - check to make sure it is limber and not leaking. The same goes for the interior hose shut-off valves.

While I don't pretend this is the most comprehensive list in the world, it is at least a great start! So go and do that voodoo that you do so well! I hope this list helps!

My Recommendation: Regular maintenance is the best way to sustain a home's value. In the long run, it costs about 1% of the home's value annually to keep up its value. That includes maintenance, repairs, remodeling and renovations. So get started - what are you sitting there for?

I Have Questions for Anyone, Everyone and No One.

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:14:33 -0500

I have some questions of anyone, no one and everyone that I can’t answer. I’ve researched these things and, it seems, that no one else has the answers either.

Why does the phone always ring when you’re ready to or have already entered the shower? It never fails, the kids aren’t home, the spouse is working and I’m getting ready for my workday. Oooops theres the phone.
When your busy, you get more calls for work then if your not busy. I know what your saying, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth (or something like that), but this is another one that never fails. Recently, I had to turn a job down (I never do that).
You’ve just finished a great meal and you just want to relax and digest, but somebody says, “Want some desert?”. You couldn’t hold another morsel until you heard those three words. Happens every time.
How’s your headache? Well, I had either forgot about it or it had actually gone away, until whoever it was brought it to your attention. Now it is back with Gusto!
I’m taking a long weekend, well deserved, had a hard but profitable week. Now I’m going to enjoy some of the fruits of my labor. By Wednesday someone will call and ask for a Saturday inspection.
Wow, we’ve had a bunch of storms in the last 6 months that have produced high winds and drenching rains, but no damage. I actually said that. Someone should have rinsed my mouth out with soap. Since then: roof damage, leak in ceiling by fireplace, and blown down 50% of the privacy fence in the backyard.

Did you ever notice this stuff, or is it just me?

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services

Clayton, Ohio

Wazzit, Thingy, Whosit, Thinga Mabob, Whatcha Macallit.

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:00:48 -0500

I use this all the time in rehabbing houses. It makes the job a lot easier and is much less expensive than it's big brother. The only problem I have with it is the noise, so wear your ear muffs and you safety glasses. Oh, one more thing, this tool must be kept clean.

Jack Gilleland

Highest Quality Commercial and Residential Inspections.

Home Inspection Services

Clayton, Ohio.

Wazzit, Thingy, Whosit, Thinga Mabob, Whatcha Macallit.

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:58:55 -0500

This time I thought I'd go back to the more common tools, but not too common. And I know everyone is going to tell me this is a hammer.

That's not exactly what I want. I want to know what kind of hammer this is. Don't tell me it has a wooden handle either everyone can see that. It is commonly used in construction, so a lot of you will know what it is.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services

Clayton, Ohio

Do You Have Gas?

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:03:06 -0500

I know you think that is too personal a problem to share on line, but your probably thinking about the wrong kind of gas.

Testing for a gas leak is sometimes a tricky business. (Are you thinking about a different kind of gas now?) Some gases found in the home can be hard to find and give you different readings depending on what your testing for and where your testing. Why you ask? Well some gases are lighter than air and some are heavier than air.

For example, natural gas is a compound of gases that are combustible. It is made up of, normally depending on the area of the U.S. your in, mostly methane(95%), but it also contains elements of ethane, propane, and carbon dioxide. Methane is lighter than air, so if there isn't much of the other gases (all heavier than air) natural gases (at room temperature) will rise. Therefore, a natural gas leak should be tested for at the pipe or appliance that it services.

Air is light, so there are very few gases that are lighter than air. Here is a list of all but the most obscure:

Methane Ammonia Hydrogen Helium Hafnium Diborane Acetylene Ethylene Hydrogen cyanide Nitrogen Carbon monoxide

Combustion gases contain many elements that are normally lighter than air after being heated. After cooling these gases are heavier than air at room temperature. High efficiency combustion of natural gas produces nitrogen (basically non-flammable), carbon dioxide (basically non-flammable), water vapor and nitrogen oxides and sulfer dioxide (giving that familiar smell). These gases are carried away by the flue (hopefully) which vents to the outside air. If there is a leak in the flue gases could escape into the environment where they stay until vented in someway to the outside. Since carbon dioxide is relatively easy to test for this is the combustion bi-product that is the most indicative of a problem with gases in the home. If there is an abundance of carbon dioxide in your home then there are most likely other combustion by-products (even more dangerous than carbon dioxide) in evidence too.

Luckily, correcting this problem is rather simple. First, get an expert to find where the problem is and correct it and second, air out your home. The EPA says that indoor air is, on the average, much more polluted than outside air. Todays houses are built tight to save energy and ventilation is sometimes ignored in favor of energy and money savings.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services

Clayton, Ohio

Turning a Nice House Into a Piece of Trash

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 14:18:16 -0500

This was my Friday inspection. When I pulled into the drive I was surprised by the general good looks of the house. Since I knew that this was a foreclosure I wondered why it was still in such good shape. Maybe since it was out in the country 3 miles from the nearest small town kept it from the normal destruction.

I did my normal walk around the house, snapping pictures as I went, I noted normal stuff like the roof needed work and eaves needed scraped and painted. It sat on 4+ acres out in the country with 2 reasonably well kept out buildings, so I was moderately impressed with the property in general. This would be a nice quiet place to live, raise a family, etc.

Entering the house I got my first whiff of a problem. Running back to the truck, I got my respirator, rubber gloves and safety glasses to avoid the mold that I knew was present. I am allergic to black mold and I can tell in an instant it's present, eyes begin watering.

Although, tempted to search for the source of the mold, I continue my normal course for the inspection. My trip through begins to reveal more and more evidence that the problem is throughout the house. This house is on a slab, so the normal causes (flooded basement, etc.) don't come into play. Something unusual flooded this house.

In the back hall there was carpet missing and wall damage to 3" up from the floor. I'm focused now, this condition ran through the entire house, except in the furnace room where the entry door was fairly tight to the carpet strip that was outside the door. Water that entered the furnace room under the door was easily handled by the floor drain. Rotating through the home finally led me to the culprit. The laundry room wall was cut open proving that someone had been here recently and found the problem. Unfortunately, they were here much too late to save the home from a devastating flood.

In the next picture you'll see where the wall is cut away exposing the cold water line that had frozen and split spraying toward the outside wall which actually hid the exact location of the problem. The spray hit the outside wall, ran down the plywood sheathing and onto the floor. Then it traveled through the house escaping under the exterior doors and the door to the garage.

The brown coating on the, otherwise, good looking tile is rust from the well in the back yard.

This house could have been saved by the bank that owned it, by hiring someone to winterize it. I was doing this inspection for an investor that was interested in buying this home as soon as possible. During a normal investor inspection I list all of the problems found with pictures to back up my findings. Then I list what must be done to repair/rehab the property. In this case the cost-to-list this house was increased 10 fold due to the flood. Not a single sheet of drywall (on the walls) escaped the flood. The investor thought a new roof and some miscellaneous items and the house would be on the market in 30 days.

He thanked me for saving him thousands of dollars and went looking for another property.

Investors beware, the banks aren't caring for their inventory of homes. Don't be caught, blinded by a seemingly innocent looking home. Get it inspected.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services

Clayton, Ohio

These are the kinds of Investor Services you should be receiving. If your not call me.

Wazzit, Thingy, Whosit, Thinga Mabob, Whatcha Macallit.

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:39:21 -0500

This one is more present day, I didn't want to think that I was only going to post antiques. You should have one of these in the house if you do your own repairs. The item these are used for will need attention in 10 years or so.

Have fun.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services

Clayton, Ohio

Wazzit, Thingy, Whosit, Thinga Mabob, Whatcha Macallit.

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:42:14 -0500

I'm sure we all know what this is. (Sorry about the size of the picture) No not a Whosit. Okay, if you don't know I'll give you a hint. It is only 2" long by 5/16" wide. And for those smart a...... home inspectors that keep getting it right first post, you need to tell me what its used for. Remember it is smaller than a modern cell phone and curved.

The handle is on top, blade on the side.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services

Clayton, Ohio

Every Tool Man Has Ever Conceived

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:53:34 -0500

Evidently it is true, I have every tool man has ever conceived. How do I know this, you ask? My wife told me so.

Today was the day for The List. The List is a compilation of all possible things that need to be done to the house I live in. I don't say own, because I rent space bartering the rent for handyman work that I perform on weekends. I was down to number 3 (which actually made me feel rather good), the overhead light in the garage doesn't work. With a half smile, enough optimism to start my own club, ladder and a screwdriver I set off to work.

Being this is a florescent fixture I turned the power on at the switch and fiddled with the tubes to see if it could be simply poor contact. Oh well, it couldn't be that easy. So leaving the power on I picked up the trusty electric tester thingy (actually it is a VOM, but I'll use my wifes words) that I keep at the house. It wasn't where it was supposed to be, because one of the kids borrowed it. Putting it back in it's proper place is much too difficult. Finding it in a draw buried under the wrenches I thought I had lost I turned it over and to my surprize the digital screen was a pool of silicone. I found out later that the kids left it on the running engine and it had melted. This meant that I had to get a new one, because when a tool is broken it is always the one you need most.

A trip to the store is in order so I can finish my little project. Inside the house I report my findings to my landlord/wife and this is what she said, "I don't understand why you have to go to the store, You Have Every Tool Ever Conceived By Man".

To make a long and painful story short I did get a new "electric tester thingy" and I did get the light working again. For those curious it was a ballast, which cost more than a new fixture, so I bought a new fixture at my second trip to the store. One trip for the Volt Ohm Meter (VOM) and one for the new fixture after the tester told me the ballast was bad.

All in all, a pretty standard Sunday.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services Clayton

Clayton, Ohio

Some of My Favorite Little Things

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:33:23 -0500

Recently, we were talking about old houses in one of my blogs (http://activerain.com/blogsview/1000894/Farm-Homes-A-Worded-Wednesday) and I thought about how remodels and renovations were done in the older homes. This got me thinking about how they incorporated plumbing into the home.

Most of the homes I've seen lately were in the 80+ years old category. Like many houses of that age they were built with the bathroom somewhere in the backyard. The tub (sorry no showers) was more than likely in the kitchen, because it was close to the wood stove where the water was made hot. Then someone came up with the idea that maybe it would be more convenient to have a bathroom in the house. Believe it or not, this came, in rural areas, after electricity somewhere in the 1930's.

They didn't tear down the house and start over with a plan for the bath or toilet room. One I was in 2 weeks ago still had the "Water Closet" still in the upstairs hall. For those of you that aren't familiar with a "Water Closet" this is a room designated for, well you know....... It contained a bowl, or a hole in the floor with a chair (also having a hole) and either a bucket of water to wash it down or a sliding wooden plate that covered the hole.

When electricity came home (so to speak) pumps entered the house and bathrooms were born.

This victorian design was very popular in the urban areas, but in rural areas this was out of the question. In rural America a bath in the house was a big renovation. In many cases it meant an addition to the home, digging and installing a septic system, and pumping well water into the house.

In a future blog I'll deal with heating and the all mighty electric light.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services

Clayton, Ohio

The Reason Things Are Done This Way. VIII

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:39:14 -0500

Older houses can be a mystery and inspecting them can be an exercise in detective work. I love older homes, but there is a myth about them that should be dispelled.

Let’s create a scenario. Two houses side by side look exactly alike, but one was built in the 30’s (House A) and one was built (let’s say) 2 years ago (House B). Both of the houses were built with the highest craftsmanship and care that money can buy. Which is the better house?

Start the comparisons with the mechanical systems. House A, more than likely had cast iron and galvanized piping for the plumbing system, House B is all plastic. Hands down, plastic is a better media for sewage than cast iron. Galvanized pipe has a problem with water, it corrodes. Plastic doesn’t corrode and it is proven to outlast galvanized pipe. Let’s say they both have gas fired forced air furnaces. House A’s heating is going to cost ½ again the amount to heat than House B. House A has a fuse panel where House B has a breaker panel. House A might even have knob and tube wiring as compared to romex for House B. Are we starting to get the picture?

Since your picking up on where I’m going I’ll condense the rest. House A is drafty as ……, it has little if no insulation. House A might have a stone foundation. I guess that’s enough.

With all craftsman issues being equal House B is a far superior home than House A.

Like I said, I love old houses, but the reason for this is like a coin collector loves old coins.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services, Clayton

Clayton, Ohio

Other Blogs in this series

1) The Reason Things Are Done This Way

2) The Reason Things Are Done This Way II

3) The Reason Things Are Done This Way III

4) The Reason Things Are Done This Way IV

5) The Reason Things Are Done This Way V

6. The Reason Things Are Done This Way VI

7. The Reason Things Are Done This Way VII

Farm Homes - A Worded Wednesday.

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 23:33:14 -0500

Hope I don't anger the Wordless police out there, but this needs a little explanation. For the last 2 weeks I have been inspecting farms (and some other things but mainly farms). I have collected a few pictures that I wanted to share. These are all Ohio farm homes and they run from the very new to the very old. Hope you enjoy.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services, Clayton

Are You Safe In Your Home? #1

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:09:13 -0500

I've been absent from the Rain much too long. Almost forgot how, well not really. Just suffice to say that I am back to my not so normal self and back in the Rain.

Subject of the day is CO detectors and their placement. According Wikipedia carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and tasteless, yet highly toxic gas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_monoxide). It is formed when combustion (carbon fuel and oxygen) is lacking enough oxygen to produce the, much more preferable, carbon dioxide. Of course, neither is healthy, but the human body is much more tolerant to CO2 (carbon dioxide) than CO (carbon monoxide). That is not the focus of this post.

This is the focus of this post. We all know that CO is dangerous and that it is important to keep the levels as low as possible, but what many don't know is that even having a CO detector may not be enough to keep you safe. CO detectors need to be placed in the most critical areas of the house. A furnace that is creating excess levels of CO is not overly dangerous if it isn't leaking into the ducts that supply warm air to your home. This is true because the CO from combustion will be sent up the chimney, exhausting it into the atmosphere. How do you know your furnace isn't leaking combustion gases into your home? There in lies the problem.

Call an inspector that does indoor air quality testing. They can tell you what if any dangerous gases are in your home and in some cases what quantities and where they are coming from. With this information you can place your new CO detectors in the right spots. If you don’t know a good indoor air quality inspector in your area email me, I’ll give you some to pick from. And for safety’s sake have your furnace tested before the next heating season.

Ask Your Doctor.

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 22:41:26 -0600

Is your doctor a member of the American Medical Association? No they don’t need to belong, but most do. Does that make them all good doctors, in a word, no. How many homebuilders belong to NAHB (National Home Builders Assoc.)? Are all the ones that do good homebuilders, bad homebuilders?

I guess you see where I’m going with this. Not all home inspectors belong to national associations, surprised? I do, but that in itself doesn’t make me a good inspector. What does make a home inspector a good inspector, not the association they belong to or the number of tools they have. Just because the inspector you are researching is licensed in your state doesn’t mean he is the inspector for you either. (Oh, by the way, I’m not going to name the national associations because I don’t want to slight any of them.)

Does your inspector have a track record? In other words will yours be his or her first inspection?

Can you talk to your inspector? If he is constantly spouting codes that mean almost nothing to you then your going to have a tough time communicating with him, and he with you.

Does he seem genuinely concerned for your safety and finances? This is what the inspection is all about. Your inspector is suppose to safe guard you family and you finances. He is there to make sure your home is safe and not the proverbial “Money Pit”.

Does he have the education to perform his job? Look for a resume of sorts, was he flipping burgers or parking cars last week. Has he built a home, has he worked for someone that has built a home, does he know what a home looks like? If he belongs to Active Rain look at his profile, do some research. Your dream of owning a home is effected by this person, don’t slight yourself.

I want you to be able to understand, communicate, and trust your home inspector. If it is possible to meet with them prior to the inspection to hold a short interview do so, maybe at your realtors office.

Don’t choose your home inspector because:

They had a winning smile.

They were the cheapest of all the others.

They belonged to the National Organization of Part Time and Part Educated Home Inspectors, or any other organization.

They had an opening that day.

Nice truck or car.

They had a good looking dog as their avatar.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services

Clayton, Ohio

Should I Have A Sprinkler System? Vol. 2

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:27:27 -0600

In my first blog concerning sprinkler systems I tried to dispel some of the myths that have come to seem like truth. Sprinkler systems have come to be known to save lives and property in businesses all over the country and yet they are frowned upon in residential buildings. Looking at the reasons for this could give us a clue to why most homeowners don’t have fire suppression systems.

Cost. Using the building cost of an average 2,000 SF house (National Average 2007) at $103.00 per SF (this can fluctuate greatly according to area and level of quality/luxury) putting the total cost of the home at approximately $206,000. The cost of this average home’s sprinkler system will be from (using high end averages) $3,100 (again this can fluctuate greatly according to area and level of coverage) to $5,100. A study done by the NFPA gave a national average of $ 1.61 per SF.

How Do They Work. They easiest way to explain how sprinkler heads work is to send you to this link, http://www.homefiresprinkler.org/Consumer/ConsWork.html. Note that each sprinkler head has a sensing bulb. The actual possibility of a malfunction is less than that of a modern plumbing system.

How Do They Look. A recessed plate covers most residential sprinkler heads and it looks like this:

Yes this is all you see on the ceiling or wall.

What Do I Need Sprinklers For.

Installing both smoke alarms and a fire sprinkler system reduces the risk of death in a home fire by 82%, relative to having neither (Source, NFPA). Usually a home with a sprinkler system has extinguished the fire before the Fire Department can arrive on the scene. View this telling, eye opening video: http://www.homefiresprinkler.org/Consumer/ConsTimeline.html

If you have any questions concerning home fire sprinklers you can call your local fire department and ask for an educational kit or a list of approved vendors. Home Inspection Services Clayton is not a vendor and has no connection to any vendors of home fire sprinklers. If you already have a system in the Clayton/Englewood/Dayton area we can answer questions about them or lead you to someone whose expertise exceeds ours (Like the Fire Marshall).

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services Clayton

Clayton, Ohio

Sources: USFA (United States Fire Administration), FEMA, NFPA

Should I Have A Sprinkler System? Vol. 1

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:35:15 -0600

What happens if you have a fire in your home? The first thing that happens (hopefully) is your smoke alarms/detectors sound with that annoying alarm that occurs every time I broil meat. The next thing that happens is you evacuate the house or in some cases look for the fire extinguisher and try to handle it yourself. A smoke detector is designed to save lives, but not your home. Don’t get me wrong here I’m not advocating going “detectorless”, quite the contrary, they are a necessary part of a homes safety equipment. I’m just saying your home should have more.

Scenario: You just signed a contract to build your new home and your specifying what is to go into that home. Definitely, you should have sufficient smoke detectors and Carbon Monoxide detectors, but what about a home sprinkler system?

Home Sprinkler System Myths.

When a one sprinkler head is activated, all the sprinklers activate. This is not true. The only sprinkler head that is activated is the one that has sensed the temperature rise. The others will not activate unless they sense the higher temperature.

A sprinkler could accidentally go off, causing severe water damage to a home. This is not true. With 50 years of data to back present information, there is a very remote chance of this happening. In fact, home sprinkler systems are specifically designed to limit this possibility.

Water damage from a sprinkler system will be more extensive than fire damage. This is not true. Sprinkler systems limit the growth of the fire and suppress smoke and heat damage. If the alternative is to let it burn until the fire department arrives the damage in an unsprinkled house is much more costly than a sprinkled house.

Smoking or cooking could set off the sprinklers. This is not true. Sprinkler heads activate at 155 degrees F. Since they are mounted on the ceiling it is almost impossible to activate a sprinkler head by any normal activity. The heads are also covered to prevent accidental damage to the head itself.

These are the usual objections to a home sprinkler system now lets talk money. The average home sprinkler system is less than 1% of the total cost of the house. Depending on the insurance carrier and your location, the savings on your home insurance bill could be as much as 15%.

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection Services

Clayton, Ohio

Sources: Sources: USFA (United States Fire Administration), FEMA, NFPA

Are you throwing money out the window? Yeah, you.

Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection Services Clayton) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:41:44 -0600

For those of you that are confused by R factors and what to put where (with reference to your insulation) this is an excellent blog on that subject. Thanks Ian for putting this together for all of us.

Via Ian Niquette (Square One Home Inspection):

          One of the key issues in energy efficiency is the insulation of your home. Proper insulation levels will keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. When properly insulated this will be achieved more efficiently, thus at a lower energy cost for the homeowner.

            There are several vital areas for insulation in your home. We will go over those areas here, and look at each area closely. All of these areas work in conjunction together, to form a proper insulation barrier for your home.

            Before we get started we need to know a little bit about insulation first. What types of insulation do we need, how much insulation do we need. These questions can be answered by your local contractor much better. Different regions have different building practices, so one type of insulation may work great in Wisconsin, but would not work well in Arizona. For this reason, I advise you consult with a professional before installing your own insulation.

            We also need to know the R-value of the insulation we're planning to install. Insulation is labeled and identified by its' R-value. The "R" stands for resistance to flow, specifically heat flow. The higher the number, the greater resistance to heat flow. So, an insulation with an R-value of 6/inch would have less R-value than insulation with an R-value of 9/inch.

            In most regions there are requirements as to what the R-value needs to be in a new home. Say that R-value is R-38. What does that mean? We will need to figure out how much insulation we need to get to R-38. Using the numbers above, we will go with the value of R-9, for the sake of simple math. Divide 38 by and come up with your answer. With these numbers you would need a little over 4 inches of insulation to reach a level of R-38. These numbers vary greatly, depending upon types of insulations, so check with your local contractor or building supply store first.

            Now, we will start at the top of the home first, the attic. An attic needs to be properly insulated to control energy loss. In most attics, the insulation is installed between the ceiling joists. You need to ensure that all areas are fully covered with insulation, while still being careful not to block off any baffles to the soffit area. Doing this will block air flow and may cause other problems. Be very careful with recessed lighting in the attic areas, make sure light cans are fire rated. Also, be very careful to watch for electrical hazards in the attic. If any are found, contact a qualified electrician to make repairs. Once this is complete, with proper R-value attained, we can move down the house.

            Exterior walls also need to be insulated. Most exterior walls are 2x4 built, so we will need an R-value of R-13. If they home is 2X6 framed we will need an R-value of R-19. The exterior wall insulation is one of the areas where the most mistakes are made in home insulation. The insulation needs to be installed in its' poofy state. You do not want to crush this and wedge it into the wall cavity. By compressing the insulation, you are decreasing its' R-value. Make sure you have the correct thickness to the insulation before installation. Make sure all areas around windows and doors are properly insulated before drywall is replaced. You do not want to find out later that you missed some spots, this could be costly.

            Finished basements will also need to be insulated. Most of the time in a basement you will be installing a rigid type of insulation. You will then tape off all the seams, to prevent moisture from wicking into the wood framing for the finished wall. Then in the cavity of the wall frame you will install the fiberglass insulation.

            There are a few other areas of the home that need to be insulated as well. If you have heat ducts that run through an unheated crawl space, or under an unheated porch, these will need to be insulated as well, with the appropriate material. The same will apply to any plumbing pipes running through these areas.

            When installing the insulation follow all manufacturers' guidelines. If you are installing paper backed insulation, remember, the paper always goes towards the warm side of the house. This is a very common installation mistake. While it is a common mistake, it can be very costly, due to trapping moisture and creating humidity in wall cavities.

            Remember, a properly insulated home is a more efficient home. Spending money to properly insulate will save a lot of money on energy costs. This is not only good for your pocket book; it is great for the environment. This can also increase the lifespan of some of the components of your home such as the roof.

Here are some general guidelines regarding R-Values

•·         R-4 ratings will apply to plumbing pipes in unheated areas.

•·         R-7 ratings will apply to heating ducts in unheated areas.

•·         R-13 ratings are used for exterior walls, crawlspace and basement walls if heated.

•·         R-19 is used for 2x6 exterior walls, floors over unheated spaces, such as an entry porch, knee    walls, and roof slopes.

•·         R-30 ratings apply to ceilings below attics in most southern states.

•·         R-38 ratings apply to ceilings below attics in most northern states.

            Good luck in keeping your home properly insulated. This is one of the ways you can really save a lot of money in your energy bills.

Ian Niquette

WI Home Inspector
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. Call today for a free price quote. Available 7 days a week.
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