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New Circuit Breakers Prevent House Fires

Thursday, June 23rd, 2011

Various Types of Circuit Breakers

Definition: A Circuit Breaker “Opens” or disconnects an electrical circuit when certain conditions are met. 

History

The first circuit breakers, called fuses,  were developed as a result of house fires. Actually, many current building codes were created to reduce the occurance of fires, or to help prevent death due to fires in residential and commercial structures. 

If you ever lived in an old house built prior to 1950, you may recall  those round fuses that are screwed into the fuse box like a light bulb. A fuse is nothing more than a thin element that burns away if it gets too hot. If too much electricity is demanded from a circuit the sacraficial fuse element melts, and thus terminates the flow of electricity. This prevents the wires in the walls from over-heating and starting a fire. 

There are two main causes for excessive draw of electricity. The most common is having too many electric appliances plugged into one circuit. Think about when a hair dryer is turned on while someone is using a microwave. 

The second is a “short circuit”. This is where a hot energized wire comes into contact with a neutral or ground. This can happen when rodents chew on wires, or a poorly connected wire becomes exposed and touches a pipe or other grounded item. When this happens, there is a sudden excessive draw of electricity which exceeds the amperage rating of the fuse and causes it to burn up. The “blown” fuse would stop the flow of electricity. 

One problem with fuses was that when they blew, you had to buy another one before that circuit could be used again. This was very inconvenient if the homeowner did not have a box of fuses laying around. People did many dumb things to work around this such as wrapping the blown fuse with foil, or sticking a penny into the fuse socket to get the lights back on. The problem is that those work-arounds defeated the protections offered by the fuse. If a short circuit existed the modified fuse offered no protection, and wire could easily over-heat and cause a fire in the walls. 

Cars still use fuses. Older style fuses are cylindrical glass tubes with a thin filament. Newer cars have “blade” style fuses which are colored plastic (to identify amperage rating) and work on the same principals. 

Circuit Breakers

In a modern home there are three basic types of circuit protection; Circuit breakers, Ground fault Circuit Interruptors (GFCI’s), and Arc Fault Circuit Interruptors (AFCI’s). Just like fuses, Circuit breakers are mechanical devices that “break” a circuit if too much current is drawn through it. Circuit breakers are there to protect the house from fire caused by over-heated wires. They are not going to prevent electrocution! A person can be electrocuted with just a few AMP’s, far less than is required to trip a traditional circuit breaker. Remember, a circuit breaker is there to protect the house, and the occupants, from fire. Not electrocution. 

Ground Fault Circuit Interruptors (GFCI’s)

Ground Fault Circuit Interruptors also known as GFCI’s (or GFI’s) were developed to prevent electrocution. These devices monitor the flow of electricity and if it detects too much electricity flowing to a ground, it immediately breaks the circuit. An example would be in a bathroom where someone might be touching a faucet while plugging in a hair dryer or other device. If there is a frayed cord or other exposure to electricity, a person can be electrocuted by having electricity flow through them to the faucet (which is grounded). A circuit breaker would probably not trip in time to save someone, but a GFCI would. 

Please keep in mind that older homes are not required to have GFCI’s where they are now required. The 

Building Code does not demand retrofitting older homes. For safety, your home inspector may recommend upgrading certain receptacles to GFCI receptacles, but a home seller is not required to do this. (Do it for your own safety). To see the location requirements for GFCI’s and the year in which they were mplemented, please see our blog entry on Where and When GFCI’s Were Required. 

Arc Fault Circuit Interruptors

There is a new type of circuit breaker that adds protection from another common cause of house fires. In this case it is not over-heating, but sparking. Frayed wires or poor connections that cause arcs or sparking. Often these sparks are not great enough to cause a curcuit breaker to trip. But sparks from a wire near curtains or atop insulation in the attic can be enough to ignite a fire. 

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AFCI’s have been required on bedroom electrical circuits since 2004. A home inspectors must check for the presence of AFCI’s which are located in the electrical panel. Just like GFCI’s a home seller does not have to retrofit or upgrade the circuit breakers in their house. But you can always have a licensed electrician install AFCI’s for added safety. We highly recommend AFCI’s particularly in houses with older wiring, or where wiring modifications are a cause for concern.

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Tags: Arc Fault, Ground Fault
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Fire Season is Upon Us

Tuesday, June 7th, 2011

Don’t Lose Your House to a Wildfire

As we watch Arizona burn, it brings back vivid memories of the Cedar and Witch Creek fires we had in San Diego. These huge wind-driven fires are so over-whelming that fire fighters cannot possibly defend ever house. Sadly, too many houses are lost. But what makes ita real tragendy is that many houses could be saved with a little preparation.

Defensible Space 

Defensible space performs the following functions:

Colorado State University divides defensible space into three categories in the following manner:

Zone 1 – The first 15 feet from a home should be devoid of all flammable vegetation. Firewood and other flammable materials should not be stored in this region.

Zone 2 – This area of fuel reduction should extend from Zone 1 outward to between 75 to 125 feet from the structure. Trees and large shrubs should be no less than 10 feet apart, especially in steep terrain. Trees must also be pruned to a height of 10 feet from the ground, and any “ladder fuels” (vegetation with vertical continuity) removed from the base of the trees. Grass, trees and shrubs in this region should be green and adequately spaced. Pine needles, dead leaves, branches, dead or dying vegetation and other flammable debris on the ground should be removed whenever they appear.

Zone 3 – This region of traditional forest management is of no particular size, although it normally extends to the property limits. More trees are permitted here than in Zone 2, although their health and vigor should be maintained.

Tags: fire prevention, fire proof house
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Water Heater Danger

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

A poorly maintained water heater can be a time bomb – literally!

Water heaters are often taken for granted. Once installed, they sit there and quietly perform their function without much fuss. People usually don’t pay any attention to water heaters until there is trouble. It is critical for your home inspector to check the water heater safety features to prevent serious damage or injury.

Most of the time water heaters fail resulting in a leak. Water leaks can cause ten’s of thousands of dollars of property damage. When your house floods, expect to make a claim against your home-owner’s insurance because the clean up must be done quickly and properly to avoid mold and other problems. But water heaters pose far greater danger than property damage alone.

In worst case scenarios a bad water heater can be deadly. A water heater can poison you, burn you, burn down your house, and even explode. That’s right, explode. Both gas and electric water heaters have safety features to prevent this disaster from happening. But the potential escalates when water heaters are installed poorly, or repairs are done incorrectly. To illustrate this potential danger the TV show MythBusters demostrated that water heaters can explode with catastrophic power.

All water heaters are required to have a Temperature and Pressure (T&P) relief valve installed. This valve is a critical safety component. If the water inside the water heater gets too hot, excessive pressure must be released. The T&P valve is a pressure activated valve which vents the over-heater water and prevents the tank from bursting.

The problems start when water heaters are installed without the T&P valve (which we have seen many times).  Sometimes people cap the T&P valve when they see water dripping from it.  This can be a disastrous mistake.  By capping a T&P valve it is prevented from releasing excess pressure that can be associated with a failure of the water heater.  Typically, a T&P valve will start leaking and the unwitting homeowner or handyman installs a cap on the T&P valve.

Believe it or not we run into modified T&P valves regularly. Here is a picture of a T&P valve that was modified. Whoever did this created a situation that could cause severe injury or death. They installed a spigot into the T&P valve which was turned off. This defeats the whole purpose of the relief valve! If this tank overheats, the pressure will have nowhere to go. Watch the video to see what would happen.

The boiling point of water is 212 degrees F at sea level. When the pressure goes up, so does the boiling point. The water becomes super-heated and the pressure builds. When the pressure builds enough to rupture the tank, the super-heated water instantly turns to steam. This rapid conversion of water into steam causes the violent explosions seen in the video.

If you see water leaking from the T&P valve drain line, do not cap it! Call a licensed plumber to repair your water heater immediately.

Flue Hazard

In addition to the explosion hazard described above, water heaters can release Carbon Monoxide. This can happen

The sections of this water heater flue are improperly installed.

 when the sections of the flue become mis-aligned or separated. The sections of the flue should fit tightly together with the lower sections inserted into the upper sections. The sections should also be connected with three sheet metal screws.  In the picture at right you can see gaps in the flue sections.

Drain Valve

What does the drain valve have to do with safety? Nothing much unless you’re ground zero for a natural disaster. Ice storm, snowstorm, tornado, hurricane, flood, earthquake. These things can cut off your water supply. Then, you have only what you stored for disasters and what’s sitting in your water heater.

But if your water is hard and you merely installed the heater and forgot about it, then the forty-plus-gallons in your heater might as well be on the moon. Mineral sediment buildup can easily clog the cheap, plastic, factory drain valve on most heaters, as can sludge caused by corroding aluminum anodes, which create one thousand times their original volume as corrosion byproduct. This falls into the bottom of the heater, mostly, and it’s not something you want to swallow, even if the drain valve works.
Nearly a century ago, a British doctor did research that showed that aluminum readily leaches into water and once ingested, does serious damage to stomach, intestines and joints.

Water Heater Shell

We just threw this one in to remind you of something. What you see is NOT the water heater. It’s just the sheetmetal shell that surrounds the tank. How many times have people told us, “It looked just fine, then it started leaking.” On the other hand, if the shell is completely rusted, don’t expect the tank inside it to look much better. And on the other, “other hand,” be aware that water on the floor is not necessarily the end of your water heater. It can come from other places: T&Ps, drain valves, rain down vent pipes, even broken water mains. We’ve seen all of these.

About the author: Philippe Heller is the President of The San Diego Real Estate Inspection Company, one of the largest home inspection companies in San Diego. The company puts safety first, and water heaters are a major inspection item. When choosing a home inspection company be sure to pick one that has your family’s safety in mind. If you have any questions, contact the company at info@sdinspections.com

Tags: Water heater safety
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Asbestos Awareness

Thursday, March 31st, 2011

Asbestos is a mineral fiber that was used in millions of building and construction applications throughout the 20th century. Asbestos was praised for its heat resistance, strength, flexibility and insulating properties.

Many homes and buildings built prior to 1980 have the highest likelihood of containing asbestos, but it still can out there hiding in schools, warehouses, and other buildings of age. It was discovered long after heavy use that asbestos exposure has health damaging qualities. This information was hidden from the public for decades.

By taking simple precautions, you can ensure that asbestos exposure will not occur in your home. Having a professional San Diego home inspector to check your home can be beneficial to property owners looking to keep their homes and properties free and clear of any corrosive materials.

Healthy Tips & Info

A thorough inspection will provide clarity and understanding that your home is safe and in the clear. You will be able to receive specific information concerning the many components that make up your home or building. Technological advances have made the home inspection industry into a valuable process that rapidly study areas of concern in your property.

According to the experts, the general rule of thumb is if the asbestos is in good shape, it’s posing no apparent risk. If it’s in a deteriorated condition, it could be a problem. Normally, asbestos can appear in roof shingles, attic insulation, pipe coverings, joint compounds, electrical wires, furnace cement, fire brick and gaskets. It is recommended for property owners to leave any suspected asbestos alone, as this can takes its fibers airborne. Most of the time, asbestos that is present will not pose any dangers.

If exposed, its fibers can become inhaled and this can lead to the development of many health ailments such as mesothelioma. With limited treatments available, this form of asbestos lung cancer usually receives poor prognosis from physicians due to a long latency period lasting anywhere from 20 to 50 years until it develops. This makes a mesothelioma life span not as positive as one would hope. The medical community is working very hard at methods to improve diagnostics and treatment for this illness and it is improving all the time.

Green Alternatives & Asbestos Removal

The California Department of Environmental Quality assists citizens with information pertaining to the removal and safe disposal of asbestos. Removal in public facilities, homes and workplaces must be undertaken by a licensed asbestos abatement contractor. It is recommended that homeowners not disturb any suspected asbestos materials as this will release its fibers into the air. These types of public programs help protect and promote the physical and environmental health of citizens from asbestos exposure.

State practices are upgrading methods to suit better lighting, heating, cooling systems and environmentally habitable insulation. The need for environmentally sustainable and healthy building materials is growing as well. There are many healthy insulation alternatives that replace the need for asbestos and can reduce energy costs annually such as: cotton fiber, lcynene foam and cellulose.

Cotton fiber is quickly becoming a favorite for home builders and renovators. Made from recycled batted material, it is also treated to be fireproof. A water based spray polyurethane foam, lcynene features no toxic components. If you are a home owner and suspect that asbestos or harmful materials are present, make sure to call a home inspector immediately to determine the proper course of action.

Tags: Asbestos
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Inspecting Garage Doors

Thursday, December 9th, 2010

by Nick Gromicko, Rob London and Kenton Shepard

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Garage doors are large, spring-supported doors. Garage door openers control the opening and closing of garage doors, either through a wall-mounted switch or a radio transmitter. Due to the strain that garage door components and openers regularly endure, they may become defective over time and need to be fixed or replaced. Defective components may create safety hazards as well as functional deficiencies to the garage door assembly. The following facts demonstrate the dangers posed by garage doors:

• Garage doors are typically among the heaviest moving objects in the home and are held under high tension.
• Injuries caused by garage doors account for approximately 20,000 emergency room visits annually, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
• The majority of the injuries caused by garage doors are the result of pinched fingers, although severe injuries and deaths due to entrapment occur as well. Sixty children have been killed since 1982 as a result of garage doors that did not automatically reverse upon contact.

Inspectors cannot fix or adjust any garage door defects they may encounter. They should call out defects in their reports and recommend that the door be examined by a trained garage door technician. The following components should be present during inspections and devoid of defects:

• Manual (emergency) release handle. All garage doors should be equipped with this device, which will detach the door from the door opener when activated. It is vital during emergency situations, such as when a person becomes trapped beneath the door or when a power outage cuts electricity to the door opener. Inspectors should activate the handle to make sure that it works, although they will have to reset the handle if it does not reset automatically. In order for the handle to be accessible and obvious, it must be…

1. colored red;
2. easily distinguishable from rest of the garage opener system; and
3. no more than 6 feet above the standing surface.

• Door panels. Both sides of the door should be examined for the following:

1. fatigue;
2. cracking and dents. Aluminum doors are especially vulnerable to denting; and
3. separation of materials.

• Warning labels. The following four warning labels should be present on or around garage door assemblies:

1. a spring warning label, attached to the spring assembly;
2. a general warning label, attached to the back of the door panel;
3. a warning label attached to the wall in the vicinity of the wall control button, and;
4. a tension warning label, attached to garage door’s bottom bracket.

• Brackets and roller shafts.

1. Brackets. The garage door opener is connected to the garage door by a bracket that is essential to the function of the door opener system. Placement of the bracket where it attaches to the door is crucial to the operation of its safety features. It should attach 3 to 6 inches from the top of the door. This bracket, as well as all other brackets, should be securely attached to their surfaces.
2. Roller shafts. Roller shafts should be longer on the top and bottom rollers. The top rollers are the most important. Without longer shafts, if one side of the door hangs up, the door may fall out of the opening.

• Door operation. The door’s operation can be tested by raising the door manually, grasping the door’s handles if it has them. Inspectors can make sure that the door:

1. moves freely;
2. does not open or close too quickly; and
3. opens and closes without difficulty.

Note – Inspectors should not operate the door until they have inspected the track mounts and bracing. Doors have been known to fall on people and cars when they were operated with tracks that were not securely attached and supported.

• Extension spring containment cables. Older garage doors may use extension springs to counter-balance the weight of the door. These require a containment cable inside the spring to prevent broken parts from being propelled around the garage if the spring snaps. Most new garages use shaft-mounted torsion springs that do not require containment cables.
• Wall-mounted switch. This device must be present and positioned as high as is practical above the standing surface (at least five feet as measured from the bottom of the switch) so that children do not gain access. In addition, the button must…

1. be mounted in clear view of the garage door; and
2. be mounted away from moving parts.

Important Note – InterNACHI inspectors should always make sure to disable the manual lock on the garage door before activating the switch.

• Automatic reverse system. As of 1991, garage doors are required to be equipped with a mechanism that automatically reverses the door if it comes in contact with an object. It is important that the door reverses direction and opens completely, rather than merely halting. If a garage door fails this test, inspectors should note it in their reports. A dial on the garage door opener controls the amount of pressure required to trigger the door to reverse. This dial can be adjusted by a qualified garage door technician if necessary.Methods for testing the automatic reverse system:

1. This safety feature can be tested by grasping the base of the garage door as it closes and applying upward resistance. Inspectors should use caution while performing this test because they may accidentally damage its components if the door does not reverse course.
2. Some sources recommend placing a 2×4 piece of wood on the ground beneath the door, although there have been instances where this testing method has damaged the door or door opener components.

• Supplemental automatic reverse system. Garage doors manufactured in the U.S. after 1992 must be equipped with photoelectric sensors or a door edge sensor.

1. Photoelectric eyes. These eyes (also known as photoelectric sensors) are located at the base of each side of the garage door and emit and detect beams of light. If this beam is broken, it will cause the door to immediately reverse direction and open. For safety reasons, photo sensors must be installed a maximum of 6 inches above the standing surface.
2. Door edge sensors. This device is a pressure-sensitive strip installed at the base of the garage door. If it senses pressure from an object while the door is closing, it will cause the door to reverse. Door edge sensors are not as common in garage door systems as photoelectric eyes.

Safety Advice for Clients:

• Homeowners should not attempt to adjust or repair springs themselves. The springs are held under extremely high tension and can snap suddenly and forcefully, causing serious or fatal injury.
• No one should stand or walk beneath a garage door while it is in motion. Adults should set an example for children and teach them about garage door safety. Children should not be permitted to operate the garage door opener push button and should be warned against touching any of the door’s moving parts.
• Fingers and hands should be kept away from pulleys, hinges, springs, and the intersection points between door panels. Closing doors can very easily crush body parts that get between them.
• The automatic reversal system may need to be adjusted for cold temperatures, since the flexibility of the springs are affected by temperature. This adjustment can be made from a dial on the garage door opener, which should only be changed only by a trained garage door technician.

In summary, garage doors and their openers can be hazardous if certain components are missing or defective. Take all recommendations for repairs very seriously, particularly if you have children.

This article posted with permission from InterNACHI

Tags: Garage Door Inspection
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