Of the 15 tools every homeowner should own the most important and versatile is duct tape. This tape is extremely strong and adaptable. Originally, it was widely used to make temporary repairs to many types of military equipment. Today, it’s one of the key items specified for home emergency kits because it is water-resistant and extremely sticky. I like to call it “hundred mile an hour tape.”
This is a Kenmore Elite dishwasher. The unit comes with an energy star rating which is potential good information for the owner or purchaser. It operates off a 120 volt system and a maximum of 9.6 amps. It was operated and performed accordingly. The top rack assembly did seem to be tough to open and close and did have missing rollers from the right side. Upon checking the racks and rolling assembly, I noticed a build up of calcium, dishwashing detergent, and water debris throughout the unit. The seal at the top of the unit does appear to be damaged and will need replacement soon to prevent further damage or water leaks. There was no sign of rust or oxidization damage throughout the unit.
The photos show cracks and foundation problems with in the foundation of a home. These can be caused by poor soils and or improper loads placed upon the foundation.
carpet in bathrooms
Carpet in bathrooms can cause mold. The pad beneath can soak up water causing these problems. I f you find carpet in bathrooms recommend that the carpet be cleaned regularly.
Daylight savings time
Daylight savings time saves energy. Homeowners cannot choose whether to observe DST, but they can reduce their energy consumption by switching to efficient lightning, upgrading outdated HVAC Equipment.
I inspected a whirlpool dishwasher for the inspection portion of this course. The door of the dishwasher had a crack. The damage appeared to only be cosmetic at the time of inspection. The inside of the dishwasher appeared to be rust free at the time of inspection. At the time of inspection the door gasket also appeared to be in serviceable condition. The dishwasher drained properly at the time of inspection. There were no water leaks at the time of inspection. The dishwasher was in serviceable condition at the time of inspection.
at the time of inspection at the time of inspection at the time of inspection
at the time of inspection
Man! Thats too many “at the time of inspection”.
The first article I read for this course was “ENERGY STAR Program Criticized”. The article is about the program is “highly vulnerable to fraud and abuse”. It tells how the Government Accountability Office submitted fake companies and products to the program, and that how fifteen out of twenty of the products admitted were approved. The article also talked about how companies will use the ENERGY STAR label on products that do not qualify. It recommends not relying only on ENERGY STAR ratings, but doing further research. The second article I read was “Ceiling Fan Inspection”. The article discussed the components and common defects. The article told how ceiling fans do not cool the air just circulate it. The article discuses the danger of a falling ceiling fan, why the fan might fall, and how to fix a fan before it falls. The article discussed the difference between indoor and outdoor fans.
Microwave inspection revealed that microwave appears to be working properly when using controls. All parts appear intact. Vent recirculates into kitchen as designed.
Article: Electrical Terms
During an inspection it would be nice to not fumble over your tongue when speaking to an owner or potential buyer about the electrical system of the home. Knowing the difference between voltage, resistance, amps, and power could very well better your ability to perform an adequate inspection, as well as sound more professional during. Being able to tell the difference between alternating current, and direct current is a must. Batteries (direct current) get the energy from a chemical reaction, which some can be charged through Alternating current. I would always recommend taking precaution when dealing with electricity even if your the most experienced electrician on the planet. Accidents happen, and it is always better safe than sorry!
There is minor wind damage on the shingles in several places. There is no sign of major damage such as active leaks. Recommend these areas be monitored and maintained.
Adobe Inspection
Adobe is made of clay and sand mixed with water and straw (or another organic material). It is a weak material for home construction and prone to water damage or cracking. Inspectors should look for substantial cracking, as well as intrusive vegetation, as signs that the adobe has failed.
Aluminum Siding Inspection
Aluminum siding is common but not as popular as it used to be. When inspecting aluminum, you may distinguish it from vinyl by visual inspection or knocking on the siding (aluminum sounds like metal). To distinguish it from steel, use a small magnet, which will stick to steel but not to aluminum. Make sure aluminum siding does not come in contact with the ground.
Starting this course today.
I chose to inspect a kitchen garbage disposal unit for this assignment. It had a rubber insert in place for safety, and was attached to 1 1/2" pvc waste pipe. Water was run into it, and no leaks were apparent at the time of the inspection. The unit was firmly secure and did not vibrate excessively. The motor hummed quietly while running. The unit was operable and does not contain any obvious mechanical or visual defects at this time.
For the reading assignment, I chose to read “Septic System Inspections” and “central vacuum systems”.
Them septic system article stated that they should by inspected annually. There are several methods that can be used to locate the system such as asking the previous owner, looking for the lushest, greenest grass, probing with a thin metal rod, ETC… Nothing other than grass should be planted or built above e septic tank and drained field. Septic system inspections are outside the scope of a home inspection, and a any part of the system not inspected should be disclaimed in the report.
The article on central vacuums covered the advantages and disadvantages of the systems. The pros of having a central vacuum is that they are quiet, hypoallergenic, a good investment and lond lasting. Hey can be retrofitted into older homes as well. The main disadvantage is the cost. They can also become obstructed and lose suction ability.
This dish washer is relatively new, the gaskets are in good shape and spray arms move freely. the interior is clean and the basket slides in and out well.
The operation of the controls worked as they should with all lights worked. The water entered the dish washer and pumped out leaving no extra water in the unit.
The drain did not have a loop under the counter so the sink water could run back into the dishwasher, the drain will need to be fastened to the underside of the counter creating a loop to keep sink water from entering the dish washer.
#1
Garages are a great place to find alterations to structures and handyman add-on’s. I usually find extension cords used a permanent wiring in garages, most of the time they are ungrounded and old extension cords.
The adjoining wall to the home many times has holes through the fire rated drywall compromising the fire rating from the garage to the home.
Many times also there has been storage space used in the roof rafters or suspended from the trusts and there has been little thought about is it safe to add many hundreds of pounds of storage hanging from the rafters.
#2
Keeping your home safe is getting a little harder as the thief’s have greater access to the information on line. When looking at security for your home it is important to understand how easy it is to break into a home using tools that are easy to get.
To start with; it would be a good idea to have a lock smith look at your locks and have them at least replaced with cylinders and new keys as the last owner and friends will likely have a copy of the old keys.
To protecting your home a good idea is adding an alarm system to protect your home from intruders. You could also double lock with 2 styles of locks for example a key pad lock and a key that is bump resistant or proof.
I inspected a built-in dish washer for this course. It’s overall appearance was in great shape. I started it on a cycle and let it go through the cycle, it appeared to function correctly and I did not find any issues with this appliance. While looking at the inside I didn’t notice any rust, hard water deposits, etc. I would say it has a good service life left.
No high loop on dishwasher discharge pipe. The discharge pipe should be mounted as high as possible to the underneath side of the sink cabinet. The purpose of the high loop is to keep dirty water from the sink from flowing backwards into the clean dishwasher.
I read two articles for the Appliance Inspection course. The first article Inspecting the Bathroom Exhaust emphasized the importance of the duct leaving the fan should be straight for the first 2-3 feet. After that, the turning radius should be as large as possible. Also, if exiting out the side of the building, a slight slop down away from the fan is best to carry in condensation away from the fan and toward the vent. The second article was called* Dryer Vent Safety*. The article reminded me of the 25 foot maximum length of the dryer vent along with the subtraction of 2.5 feet for a 45 degree bend and 5.0 feet for a 90 degree bend.