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

Contact Us | 888-494-5150

Archive for the ‘Health and Safety’ Category

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
Posted in Health and Safety | Comments Off

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
Posted in Health and Safety | No Comments »

Inspecting Garage Doors

Thursday, December 9th, 2010

by Nick Gromicko, Rob London and Kenton Shepard

  Tweet

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

Posted in Health and Safety | No Comments »

Understanding Firewalls

Wednesday, December 8th, 2010

Tweet

Firewalls are one of the most important, yet least understood safety items that a home inspector checks. It is one of the many passive safety features built into a house that is often over-looked during a home inspection. Just like the air bag in your car we hope that it is never needed.

The intent of the firewall between the attached garage and the living space is intended to slow the spread of fire from the garage to the living space. In order to accomplish this several components of a house must be made of fire resistive materials, and all must be working together for the system to work. Drywall used on the garage side of walls shared with living space must have a one hour fire resistive surface. If the garage ceiling is not covered with drywall,

Fire wall to roof

 then the common walls between the garage and living space must be covered all the way up to the underside of the roof sheating. You may see open rafters in the garage which is OK as long as there is no living space above the garage. In this example, if a fire starts in the garage, it cannot easily spread to the living space, or the attic above the living space. It will be contained to the garage.

In the picture below, there are numerous breaches in the firewall which must be addressed to restore the integrity of the firewall. Even though the fire-rated drywall extends up to the roof, a section of drywall was removed by the water heater due to some water damage. This must be patched. Fire could otherwise race up the wall if the water heater caught on fire. Other breaches include a missing switchplate cover at the garage light switch, and large holes in the drywall above the furance where the refrigerant lines pass into the attic. Finally, the fire rated door does not have a functional auto-closing device which is required in California to keep this door closed.

Several breaches observed in this firewall

When the garage is “finished” and no framing members are exposed, the ceiling of the garage should be covered with 5/8 inch thick fire-rated drywall. In one story houses, this is necessary when the attic space over the house and garage are open, and there is no firewall between the space over the garage, and over the house.

Unfortunately many homeowners install pull-down ladders to access the attic space above the garage for storage.

Firewall required at ceiling of garage

 The problem is that most pull down ladders are not fire-rated. They are typically covered with a thin sheet of plywood that would quickly burn in the event of a fire. Homeowners who understand the concept of a firewall often try to remedy this by attaching a piece of drywall to the underside of the pull down ladder. The intent is that when it is in the closed position it should restore the integrity of the firewall ceiling. Most of the time the added weight of the drywall prevents the ladder from closing all the way leaving a gap. This gap will allow fire to get into the attic and is a breach of the firewall.

Note: wood pull-down ladders are acceptacle when a firewall exists in the attic between the areas above the garage and house. Fire-rated pull-down ladders are available.

Another common homeowner mistake is to installed recessed lights in the garage. When doing so, a box must be constructed around the light fixture to maintain the fire-retardancy of the ceiling. This can be done by using fire-rated drywall.

We often see holes cut into the firewall in attics between the garage and living space. These are often done to run

Finally, the door between the garage and living space must be a fire-rated door. In most municipalities in California this door must be fire-rated to resist burn through for 20 minutes. This door can be a solid wood door or a metal door. The doors should have a fire rating tag on the top edge of the door, or at the hinge edge of the door. but these are often removed or painted over. In addition to being fire-rated, this door must close and latch without assistance. This is accomplished with a spring loaded hinge or a gas shock mounted at the top of the door.

About the author: Philippe Heller is the President of The San Diego Real Estate Inspection Company in San Diego, CA. Comments are always welcome! Please visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/sdinspections  

While this post is neither an exhaustive explanation of the building fire code, nor a substitute for a professional evaluation, it should give you a good idea of what home inspectors look for in the garage. If you have specific questions about the requirements for your house, please check with your local building department or a local home inspector.

Tags: Firewall, Garage inspection
Posted in Health and Safety | No Comments »

Update on New Carbon Monoxide Detector Law

Saturday, December 4th, 2010

Our Home Inspectors will start checking for CO detectors

New law requires Carbon Monoxide Detectors

  STAY UP TO DATE ON THIS IMPORTANT NEW LAW BY “LIKING” OUR FACEBOOK PAGE (Click above)

 This is an updated post regarding California Senate Bill 183 which was signed into lawearlier this year. 

California Senate Bill 183 was signed into law to regulate the installation of Carbon Monoxide detectors. The law is a two-part law that requires an update to the Transfer Disclosure Statements used in a real estate transaction, and puts into law the Carbon Monoxide Poisonng Prevention Act of 2010.

The first part of the new law requires that as of July 1, 2011, Transfer Disclosure Statements (TD forms) include a line item regarding the presence or absence of a Carbon Monoxide detector in the same manner as Smoke Detectors, for all residential units that are sold. This applies to just about all types of occupancies from single family owner-occupied and rentals, to multi-family housing. If the property is being sold, it must now include a CO Detector if the dwelling has gas appliances, fireplaces, and/or attached garages as described below.

The second part of the law enacts the Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2010 which requires that all residential properties, not just those being sold, be equipped with a Carbon Monoxide detector when the property has a fossil fuel burning heater or appliance, fireplace, and/or an attached garage. All single-family homes in structures with 1-4 units (owner or tenant occupied) must be equipped with a detector on or before July 1, 2011.

All other multi-family residential units must be equipped with a detector on or before January 1, 2013, not just those being sold.

For rentals, the Carbon Monoxide detector must be operable at the time the tenant takes possession. A tenant is responsible for notifying the owner or owner’s agent if the tenant becomes aware of an inoperable or deficient carbon monoxide detector within his or her unit. The owner or owner’s agent must correct any reported deficiencies in the carbon monoxide detector and will not be in violation of this section for a deficient or inoperable carbon monoxide detector when he or she has not received notice of the deficiency or inoperability.

The bottom line is that ALL SINGLE FAMILY residential dwelling units as of July 1, 2011 must have a CO detector, even those that are not being sold. All other dewlling units (multi-family, dormatories, hotels, motels, etc) must have CO detectors installed by January 1, 2013.

Carbon Monoxide Detector

Expect to see this new inspection item in your home inspection report. Home inspectors will be required to report on the presence or absence of a working Carbon Monoxide detector just like they report on Smoke Detectors, and water heater strapping.

Home Buyers and Sellers will also see this new requirement on Transfer Disclosure Statements. In addition to Smoke Alarms and strapped water heaters, sellers will be required to disclose the presence or absence of a working Carbon Monoxide detector starting July 1, 2011.

Details of SB 183

This bill requires that Transfer Disclosure Statements (TDS Forms) include a line items for Carbon Monoxide Detectors just like Smoke Detectors. This applies to homes intended for human occupancy that have a fossil fuel (gas or wood) burning appliance, fireplace, and/or an attached garage.

The remedy for failure to install a device is actual damages not to exceed $100, exclusive of any court costs and attorney’s fees. The Bill revises the statutory Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement to require the seller of a one-to-four residential property or manufactured home to make certain disclosures regarding carbon monoxide devices, smoke detectors, and water heaters, and requires the owner of a rental dwelling unit to maintain carbon monoxide devices in the unit (as of January 1, 2013).

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2010

Details: As of July 1, 2011, Carbon Monoxide detectors will be REQUIRED in all houses (1 – 4 units) if they have any of the following:

• Any gas appliances such as a gas stove, gas furnace, gas fireplace, gas water heater, etc.
• A fireplace (even if it only burns wood, pellets, or any other material).
• An attached garage (even if there are no gas appliances in the house!). Cars continue to emit CO even after they are shut off.
• ANY rental dwelling that meets the criteria listed above. Yes this means that if you own a house, condo, or townhouse that you rent to another human being, you are REQUIRED to install Carbon Monoxide detectors.
• As of January 1, 2013, ALL multi-family dwellings including multi-family dwellings that meet the criteria listed above will be required to have Carbon Monoxide detectors. Even those that are not being sold will be required to have them just like smoke detectors.

Be sure the home you are buying or selling is safe. A qualified home inspector will provide the information you need to feel confident about your home buying decision. Don’t compromise when choosing a home inspector. Be sure to ask if they will check for this.

You can read the entire new Carbon Monoxide Bill here.

The San Diego Real Estate Inspection Company feels that Carbon Monoxide detecors are as important, or more, than a traditional smoke detector. We will will add this as an inspection item effective immediately. We want to get this information out to buyers and sellers. Most Carbon Monoxide detectors cost $50 or less.

To keep up with this story and more, please “Like” us on Facebook today!

Tags: Carbon Monoxide Law, CO detector
Posted in Health and Safety, Inspection News | No Comments »

• « Older Entries
• Newer Entries »