Home Inspector San Diego – The San Diego Real Estate Inspection Company

Contact Us | 888-494-5150

Archive for January, 2009

Buying a house built in the 1970′s

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

One of the biggest disappointments in the home buying process is getting a home inspection report with tons of stuff you didn’t expect. It is one of the main reasons that buyers back out of a purchase. Often it is not the severity of the items in the report, but the realization that an older home may be different from what you are used to.

In this segment, we will focus on some issues related to buying a house built in the 1970′s. This is not meant to alarm the would be buyer. And it is not an exhaustive comparison of the building codes of thirty years ago compared to today, but rather a general discussion of some of the things that you may find in an inspection report if you are buying a home from that time period. If you are considering purchasing a house built in the 1970′s please know that some of these items may come up.

Houses built in the 1970′s generally have modern components, albeit aged. The heating and electrical systems include many of the health and safety components that you would expect in a modern home. Forced air heating, 100 AMP grounded electrical systems, insulation, and ABS drainlines to name a few.

As with any industry, certain techologies that appeared promising turned out to be less desirable with the clarity of hindsight. The 1970′s were no exception. Three items that may turn up on a home inspection report are:

• Aluminum wiring
• Asbestos (around ducting)
• Lead Paint

During the late 1960′s and 1970′s there was a worldwide shortage of copper – the preferred material for making house wiring. The industry turned to the next best conductor – aluminum. The product was readily

Aluminum wiring

available, less expensive, and performed very well as a conductor. After a few years, however, electrical fires began to occur in homes with aluminum wiring. Was the wire to blame? Not exactly. There is a chemical reaction that occurs when you connect two dissimilar metals together. Corrosion.

When the industry switched to aluminum wires, they didn’t make any changes to the receptacles or light switches being used. Many of these had terminals that were copper or other metals that  reacted with the aluminum wire connected to them. After a few years the corrosion at these connections deteriorated the wires resulting in small gaps, or very thin sections of wire. As the wire’s capacity to carry current decreased, the result was an increase in heat or even arcing which can cause fires.

Aluminum wiring is still allowed on 30 and 40 AMP circuit which are used for electric ovens, AC condensers, clothes dryers, etc. These circuits usually are run directly from the panel to the appliance without any connections along the way.

Your home inspector should check for aluminum wiring on 15 and 20 AMP circuits. If found, the inspector should recommend that a licensed electrician evaluate the entire electrical system of the house, and make the necessary upgrades to decrease fire hazards. For more detailed information, please visit http://www.inspect-ny.com/aluminum/aluminum.htm.

Possible asbestos-wrapped duct

Asbestos was used as a fire retardant. It performs well as an insulating material, too. So it was common practice to use asbestos on the heating system to protect the surrounding wood and insulate the ducts. It was also added to the “popcorn” ceiling texture to make it less flamable. Of course some types of asbestos were found to be a carcinogenic

Another compound that is no longer used is lead. Lead was used in virtually all house paint up until it was banned as an additive in 1978. Typically if the paint is in good condition and not peeling, you can simply paint over it and seal it. If, however, the paint is peeling or flaking, your inspector may recommend testing or at least a professional paint job to seal the paint and reduce the risk of exposire to lead.

One final thought on buying a house from the 1970′s. That was nearly 40 years ago! Just like a car, parts in the house wear out. You should expect that some items will be worn, and your inspector may recommend repair or replacement. These can include roofing, plumbing fixtures, heating and cooling systems, window hardware, appliances, etc. So when buying an older house, take these things in stride.

Philippe Heller
President
The San Diego Real Estate Inspection Co.
www.sdinspections.com
Technorati Profile

Posted in Inspection News | No Comments »

Is Chinese Drywall Making Your House Sick?

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

As if there weren’t enough things to worry about in your home. Now it appears that imported drywall is causing foul odors, damaging copper components, and making people sick. So is this a case of mistaken identity or a true concern?

During the 2004 – 2005 building boom, home builders had trouble obtaining enough drywall for all of the houses they were building. They searched for other sources and sure enough, they found suppliers in China. The price and quantity were right, so it was installed in many homes. But the problems started showing up over the last year or so. Air conditioning units started to fail, plumbing was corroding, and people complained about foul sulfur odors.

When the AC coils were opened the copper tubing inside was black. According to Trane, a manufacturer of AC equipment, the coils looked like they were 20 years old, not two or three. Upon further investigation, the same black scale was found on the copper plumbing and electrical wiring. All of these findings were coupled with that same sulfur smell. (more…)

Tags: chinese drywall
Posted in Health and Safety | No Comments »

Water Heater Safety (Part 2)

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

After you give your water heater a good visual inspection, there are some other very important safety items you need to check. The first is the Seismic Strapping. These are metal belts that strap the water heater to a wall. The seismic strapping holds the water heater upright in the event of an earthquake. The straps are not intended to protect the plumbing, or avoid flooding. Instead they are specifically required to protect the gas lines. During an earthquake, the water heater can move substantially. Even if it does not tip, the somewhat fragile flexible gas line could easily be broken, which could leak gas and cause numerous fires.

When the requirement for strapping was first introduced, plumbers used what is known as “plumber’s tape” to secure the water heater. Plumber’s tape is that thin metal strapping that they use to support pipes under a house or in an attic. It is about 3/4 inch wide with holes running down the middle. But due to all the holes, the plumber’s tape easily breaks. Remember that a full water heater can weigh several hundred pounds. Plumber’s tape is no longer considered adequate for strapping a Improper strapping. Plumber’s tape is no longer adequate.water heater (see picture at left).

Poor water heater strapping

Instead you should use a water heater strapping kit that is available at any home improvement store. These kits contain two metal bands with mounting hardware, and when properly installed will reduce the likelihood of your water heater jumping around during an earthquake.

The proper way to install the straps is to use two straps. One at the top 1/3 of the tank, and one at the bottom 1/3 of the tank. A general rule of thumps is to install the straps 9 inches from the top of the tank, and 4 inches above the contols at the bottom of the tank. The straps should be secured to a stud in the wall Water heater strap kitwith a 3 inch lag bolt. Do not use plastic anchors in the drywall. The straps should be looped around the tank. And finally, if the water heater stands more than three inches away from a wall at the back, a supporting brace or block should be used.

Proper Water Heater Strap Illustration

If your water heater is in the garage, it should be placed on a platform that is 18 inches above the ground. This too is a safety precaution against fires. Many of us store items in the garage that give off fumes. These could include gas for a lawn mower, paints and varnishes, and even some cleaning products. There could also be a leak from a gas line from a clothes dryer or even the water heater. Most of these fumes will sink to the ground in a similar way that oil and water separate. The vents in the exterior walls of your garage should allow the fumes to escape. If your water heater was sitting on the floor and enough fumes collected, a fire could easily start when the water heater ignites to heat the water. It happens all too often. If your water heater is in the garage and on the floor, you need to have it raised.

To determine the age of your water heater, you will need to check the serial number on the tank. Newer water heaters will print the date of manufacture, but older units used a date code included in the serial number. Some are easy to desipher; the year and month or year and week are the first four digits of the serial number. For example a tank manufactured in March of 1999 will have 9903 as the first four digits (or 0399 depending on the manufacturer). Other companies use a date code using letters. If you cannot determine the age of your water heater, call a plumber or a Home Inspector to help you determine the age of your water heater.

We recommend replacing older water heaters. Water heaters become less efficient as they age due to sediment that builds in the tank at the bottom. This sediment acts like an insulation layer which causes the water to heat slowly, and requires the burner to stay on longer using more gas. This can also cause over-heating of the surrounding area which is a fire hazard. The other reason to change an older tank is to avoid leaks. In a perfect world, water heaters would fail with only a little drip. Unfortunately water heaters can fail with catastrophic results. Since your plumbing system – and the water heater – are under pressure, failure can send excessive amounts of water pouring into your house. Even if your water heater is in the garage, the force of the water can quickly disolve the drywall, and end up in your house ruining flooring, drywall, and personal items.

And finally, don’t store items up against your water heater. It is particularly important not to store combustible items such as wood, cloth, cleaning supplies, etc. But even non-combustible items can reduce air flow and cause the water heater to over-heat.

Posted in Health and Safety | No Comments »

Infrared Thermal Imaging and home inspections

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

Superman had x-ray vision. Doctors use x-rays and MRI’s to look inside your body. The military and police use infrared to find suspects hiding in the bushes. Each application allows the user to observe things that are not visible to the naked eye and allows them to do a better job. 

A few top notch home inspectors are starting to use Infrared Thermal Imaging Cameras (also know as IR cameras) for the same reasons. With this technology, they are able to detect some problems that are not visible to the naked eye. While it does not give the inspector super-human powers, it does give them an edge on finding anomolies in a house that might not otherwise be discovered. We have been using IR cameras since 2005, and the results are fantastic. Just like smart phones, satellite TV, and MP3 players, the technology is amazingly complex. but using them is fairly simple. So how do we use this technology to do a better inspection? 

First let’s talk about temperature and thermal mass. You can think of thermal mass as the inertia against temperature change. That means items with different thermal mass will change temperature at different rates. In reference to building materials, a dry item will heat up more quickly than an item with more moisture. Dry sheetrock will warm up more quickly than a 2 x 4 piece of wood. Or for the purpose of our discussion, wet areas of sheetrock will change temperature at a different rate than dry sheetrock. The change in temperature is referred to as “Delta T”. So what does all this mean to a home inspection? 

Infrared Cameras “see” in the infrared spectrum, or in other words, it “sees” the heat emitted by items and converts it into an image that humans can see. Since everything has a temperature, the camera is a very effective tool to show us how items are heating or cooling. Even items in your freezer have different temperatures based on their thermal mass. An ice cube has a different thermal mass than a frozen piece of bread, and the bread will heat up more quickly than the ice cube when removed from the freezer. 

Performing an IR scan of a house involves a few steps. First, we run all the plumbing in the house. Running the water in upstairs bathrooms is particularly important because shower pans and tubs are a frequent souce of leaks. At the same time we will turn on the furnace. The furance will start to warm up interior surfaces of the house (obviously). But any areas that are wet will not heat up as quickly. When looked at with the IR camera, the wet areas will stand out as a cold spot when compared to the surrounding areas, unable to heat up as quickly as the dry areas due to higher thermal mass. 

Evaluating the home for leaks with an IR Camera is a simple process, but one that most home inspectors do not use (The cameras are very expensive ranging from $6,000 – $12,000). And with many bank-owned homes getting a quick paint job for a fast sale, water stains may be covered up. Evidence of a leak will be overlooked by most home inspectors. But the IR camera can “see” these leaks even through a new paint job. 

Thermal Imaging of a leaking pipe

 In one example, I was inspecting a newer home that had recently been forclosed. The house was about 7 years old and had been very recently painted by the bank. The house appeared to be a cream puff by all standards compared to most of the bank-owned homes we’ve seen. In this case I ran hot water at the sinks IR image of drain leak from a TV mountand tub in the upstairs master bathroom. After a few minutes I scanned the living room below with the IR camera. The hot drain pipes were clearly visible in the wall. After carefully looking at the image I noticed a very small pool of hot water at the base of the pipe. I looked closely at the basboards and still saw nothing. But on very close examination, I found a small amount of water leaking under the baseboard. 

We looked at the wall closely from different angles and noticed that there were six spackled holes in the same pattern as a flat panel TV mounting bracket. Sure enough it appears that the drain line was pierced with one of the mounting bolts. While the bolt was in place, no leak occurred. Now that the house was vacated, and the mount removed, a leak occurred. This is similar to a nail in your tire that does not leak until you remove it. 

Fortunately I found this leak and avoided a lot of damage. This leak was in an area of the living room that with all likelihood would have been covered with furniture. The leak could have gone unnoticed for months. Besides the physical damage, extended exposure to moisture could easily lead to a mold problem. But a simple fix was all that was required to avert disaster. 

Thermal image of over-heated breaker

Plumbing leaks are only one defect that we search for with the IR camera. It is an effective tool to find roof leaks after a recent rain. It can also be used to find missing insulation, open or leaking ducts, and over-heated circuit breakers. So when evaluating which home inspection company to hire, try to find one that uses the latest testing equipment such as Infrared Thermal Imaging. The inspection may be a few dollars more, but it is worth it.

Tags: home inspection, Infrared Thermal Imaging
Posted in On the Job | 1 Comment »

Water Heater Safety (Part 1)

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

Water heaters are often taken for granted. They sit in our garage or utility closet and perform their assigned duty day in and day out. If installed correctly they will operate with little fuss for many years. Most of us rarely give the water heater a second thought, but they have a life cycle just like every other component or appliance in your house.

At the very minimum you should take a careful look at your water heater at least once a year. One of the most common points of failure is at the top of your water heater where it connects to the house plumbing. If the water heater was not installed with proper dielectric connectors, you will get corrosion where the copper plumbing meets the steel tank. Corrosino at water heaterThis area is often difficult to see. A tank can be five feet tall and when properly installed on an 18 inch platform, the top of the tank is 6-1/2 feet off the ground. This area can easily be over looked.

If you see heavy rust in this area, your tank is ready to leak. remember that your plumbing system is under pressure 24 hours a day. It doesn’t take much corrosion to eat through the plumbing. Even a small leak can flood your house. Even if your water heater is in your garage, a leak can find it’s way to the interior of your house. Water often sprays out of a small breach in the plumbing with such force that it quickly destroys the drywall, and get’s inside the walls, and into your house. Just a small amount of water can destroy wood flooring, baseboards, carpeting, furninture, or personal items that are sitting on the floor.

Rusty water heater piping can cause leaks

In addition to looking for corrosion, look for evidence of soot at the exterior of the tank. This can be found around the burner compartment cover at the bottom of your water heater. If you are comfortable doing so, open the cover and look inside the compartment. Be careful of hot parts. If the water heater is on the inner cover will be hot. Once you remove the inner cover look for scale and rust inside the burner compartment. Old, damaged parts in the burner compartment can cause the water heater to remain on and over heat. This is a major cause of house fires.

Proper venting is critical to the safe operation of a water heater. Check the flue. It should be properly aligned with the top of the tank. And the sections of the flue should be well seated. Do not use duct tape on the flue. It can catch fire. An improperly installed flue can allow Carbon Monoxide to leak into your living space.

A general rule of thumb is to proactively replace your water heater when it has reached the end of its warranty period. That usually means that if your water heater is more than 7 years old, it should be replaced before you have problems with it. The price ofa water heater is usually less than your insurance deductable. When in doubt, have your water heater inspected by a licensed plumber. It does not cost much and could save your family from injury, and you home from damage.

Part two of this blog will include information about proper seismic strapping, recalled gas flex lines, and determining the age of your water heater.

Tags: home inspection, House fire, Water heater safety
Posted in Health and Safety | No Comments »

• « Older Entries