I chose picture from photos on framing I live in an old house built circa 1928 it is in south Florida and is constructed of Dade county pine the framing is balloon style with floor going up to walls which was common practice back then.
Here is an example of a temperature and pressure relief valve. It is rated for 150 psi and 210 degrees Fahrenheit. It has a max heater input of 500,000 BTU/H. There is an issue with the way that this has been piped. As the have used black iron pipe. Which could rust and create a blockage affecting how well the valve can discharge.
Central humidifiers are hard wired into the homes plumbing and forced air systems. They help to add moisture to the heated are that circulates through the furnace. This helps with keeping household wood from drying out. It can also help with dry skin and flus and colds. There are possible issues that could arise with humidifiers. Various airborne diseases and moisture problems can be created. So maintenance is important. A home inspector should look out for rust that could be caused by the humidifier.
This is the thermostat and Lighting mechanism of a 40 Gallon Natural gas hot water tank. The label shows the year, capacity, model, basically all the pertinent information needed. The photo also show the gas valve which is correctly placed ahead of the drip tube. Overall this water heater is in good shape.
Home winterization plays a significant roll in the Northern parts of Northern Alberta. Taking the time to read others material on what they do can also assist one in doing a better job. The material in the house winterization write up in the articles section of the library has given me some ideas that even I didn’t think of. Thanks
The wood and seal around the door is rotten and exposed. The door needs to be resealed. The door needs to be painted to prevent any water from getting behind the structure and causing more damage to the house and wood.
Dryer Vent Safety. The dryer vent needs to cleaned out and make sure it is connected due to fire safety. The lint in a dryer vent is very flammable. The dryer vent should not be turned at a 90 degree angle due to build up of lint.
Located in the center of this image is the TPR valve (temperature/pressure relief valve) which is a safety feature that will open should the temperature or pressure exceed safe levels. This one is improperly plumbed. The exhaust pipe should terminate within 6 inches of the floor.
Plumbing pressure tanks are preferably oriented in a downward hang from the cold water inlet side of the plumbing above the water heater. Alternate orientations of upward and horizontal are acceptable if the tank is properly supported. These tanks assist in mitigating thermal expansion.
this water heater is of mid level quality and is only a few years old. it is raised to the the right height and and has a functioning tpr valve.it has a plastic drain valve not a brass drain valve.
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, its one of the key items specified for home emergency kits because it is water-resistant and extremely sticky.
This picture shows a Rinnai Tankless water heater, which is wall mounted. The pipe is labelled as ‘Gas’, and is made of steel. There is a shut off valve upstream of the drip leg, which sits below the supply piping. This allows for cleanout of the drip leg, once the gas is turned off.
Hot water recirculation systems are innovative plumbing systems that can be very beneficial and energy efficient in many cases. In essence, they consist of piping that keeps hot water recirculating to each fixture. This allows hot water to be almost instantaneous, as opposed to waiting for hot water, while losing water down the drain. There are two types: a dedicated loop, and an integrated loop. Both have a recirculating pump, but the dedicated loop has the pump at the HWH tank, and the integrated loop has the pump at the furthest fixture from the tank. This latter pump has a sensor which keeps it operating between a low and high temperature. Ensuring that hot water is always present, may be particularly advantageous in regions where water is scarce, but may not be advantageous when a home is not resided in, fulltime. But in general, they save time, conserve water, and limit municipal energy waste.
This is a picture of a water heater that is defective. The water heater showed here is a gas fired type. The water heater has significant rust on the top. The amount of rust would be a deficiency and should be noted in the report.
When inspecting a water heater look at the general condition and function by testing water from a fixture. Checking for leaking and any signs of rust. What type of water heater and fuel used. The presence of a TPR valve.
this picture is from an insp of a residential home, the electric water heater does not have sufficient space to work on it nor does it have the proper piping from the trp valve on top that should extend down the the side of the tank with an air gap to a drain
viewed a picture od the gas piping to a gas fired hot water tank and that the gas pipe feeding the hot water heater should have a T coupling with a leg extended down after the gas pipe makes a 90 degree turn to feed the heater for sediment
The attached picture is a 40 gallon water heater. It shows a tpr valve that is properly labeled, has the appropriate extension attached that extends down to within 6 inches of the floor. This water heater also has the correct drain valve installed along with the drain pan. No issues
TPR Valves and Discharge Piping. Safety devices such as TPR valves serve to prevent problems such as hot water becoming superheated or being heated past the boiling point. When this happens the tank may rupture and the water could be exposed to the atmosphere at which time it will expand and turn the water heater into a rocket.
