Dealing With Dirty Laundry At A Home Inspection
Laundry areas can present more problems than just smelly socks! Numerous defects are often found in the laundry area at a home inspection. In today's blog, we'll take a look at some of this "dirty laundry"...
Washer hose bib: If rubber washer hoses are installed, they should be replaced with braided stainless steel hoses. Rubber hoses are prone to bursting and may result in catastrophic water damage. The stainless steel hoses have been proven to be more dependable than the rubber hoses.
Concrete laundry sinks: These older sinks tend to hold bacteria and are a safety hazard if not adequately secured to the wall or floor. Replacement is always suggested.
Washer drain: If a washer drain hose extends into a laundry sink instead of a standpipe, and the sink drain backs up, there is the potential for backflow of contaminated water into the washing machine. A standpipe is easy to install.
Dryer vents: This one can be a fire hazard. Only metallic ducts with a smooth interior should be used as a dryer vent. The maximum length allowable is 25 feet. Many dryer vents I see at home inspections are clogged with lint. Duct cleaning specialists can clean the vent so it is safe to use. A dryer vent penetrating a garage firewall must be at least 26-gauge steel. Dryer vent connectors should be metallic (not the plastic flex!) and be no longer than eight feet.
Gas connectors: A flexible gas connector cannot pass through a wall or partition. Only one gas connector should be used per appliance. A gas connector should never be reused. The maximum length allowed for a gas connector at a dryer is six feet.
Make-up air: When a laundry area is in a closed room, there must be a way to replace the air that the dryer exhausts. A makeup air vent or undercut or louvered door is necessary. If a gas dryer cannot obtain adequate makeup air, a carbon monoxide hazard may occur.
These are just a few issues when dealing with dirty laundry at a home inspection. Steve Stenros is the owner of First Choice Inspections and is a CREIA MCI inspector. Clients receive a FREE lifetime appliance RecallChek with every standard home inspection. Appointments can be obtained by calling 888-335-3040.
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