When I find telescoping support posts in a home being used as permanent support, I will always call them out as problematic. Most of the time there have been thrown in place without connecting the top plate to the beam intended to support.
The door is fire rated, and there is a light switch on the inside and outside of the door. There are a few steps from the garage to the habitable living space, and a required hand rail is correctly installed.
I learned that there are several warning labels required for not only the garage door opener, and door, but that there should be one at the actual garage door opener. In most older houses, this warning label is missing, and too often the device is incorrectly installed.
I have often found wood covered walls of various types- Plywood, three quarter inch pine boards or spruce framing lumber attached to the entire interior wall surfaces of a garage. I explain the concern with the separation wall as a fire hazard.
Article: Dryer vent safety. I found a dryer vent terminating in a garage actually running at the time of inspection. The vent was packed with lint. The home owner had installed it himself. I explained the concerns for gas entry the home and the fire hazard.
Just by this picture we can knock a couple things off our check list in a garage inspection. Since this appears to be a automatic garage door opener we expect to see its own electrical receptacle instead of a extension cord. We also see the emergency release handle, and it appears to be around 6 ft in height. The garage has its own light source and more than likely is turning on by a switch. Lastly we see the opener-reinforcement bracket attached to the door’s top section.
Article: Garage Inspection: In this article the inspector talks about how a near-by garage collapsed so he kept his eyes open to the above rafters and payed close attention. My garage has a sealed finished sealing made of drywall, I sometimes forget that open garages allow you to see the rafters easily and need to pay more close attention to that as well.
Safety eyes in the garage shall be no more than six inches high. All outlets shall be GFI protected. The entrance to the home from the garage should be fire rated for twenty minutes. Stairs that are more than four risers should have a graspable hand rail.
Garage door warning label attached to the back of the door panel is to be a general warning. Two warning labels are at the door vicinity at the bottom of the corner bracket. Ignition sources shall be eighteen inches above the floor.
An inspector needs to be knowledgeable about garage doors during an inspection. They should close the door and check the springs for damage. If a spring is broken, operating the door can cause serious injury or death. The inspector should also visually check the doors hinges, brackets and fasteners. If the door has an opener, the door must have an opener-reinforcement bracket that is securely attached to the doors top section. The header bracket of the opener rail must be securely attached to the wall or header using lag bolts or concrete anchors. These are just a few things to check for.
When doing an inspection of a garage door the inspector should do a auto reverse test. By placing a 2 by 4 under the door and activating the garage door it should auto reverse when it touches the board. If it doesn’t then the garage door may need adjustment on the control panel.
The picture shows the garage door operator and the emergency manual release cord. The garage door operated adequately in manual function (door readily raised). Automatic safety features were also tested. Photo eye sensors are located within 6" of the garage floor and were functional. Door was tested for pressure reverse and was functional. Hinges, bolts, and all connectors appeared to be tight and in working order.
The article I read was “Garage Doors & Openers”. Overhead garage doors are usually the heaviest moving object in the home, and held under high tension, can be highly dangerous. Regular inspection, maintenance, and adjustment is needed to provide safe use of the door. Adjustment or repair of the door, beyond typical tightening of bolts or lubrication, should be performed by a qualified contractor (for safety).
The photo is of a newly installed 50 gallon Rheen hot water heater. The home owner was very pleased with the 12 year warranty on the tank. What the home owner didn’t know was that the installer didn’t finish the job. The drain line from the T&P relief valve was not connected to the copper drain line that takes any overflow outside the home
avoiding possible water damage. Recommended that he call back the installer to finish the job.
The article “Water Heater Expansion Tanks” points out that a water expansion tank allows for pressure changes in the hot water side of home’s water system. The article also makes it very clear that an expansion tank is not a substitute for a temperature pressure relief valve.
Someone correct me if I’m wrong but the TPR is SUPPOSED to discharge into a “conspicuous” space so that any discharge is readily visible- isn’t it? I’m in training but that’s what I understood.
Correct me if I’m wrong but the TPR SHOULD discharge in a conspicuous space so any discharge is readily visible.
I’m in training but that’s what I understood to be the principle.
This image is of an older garage door. It is a wooden door that has a newer opener.There are no warning labels. The spring is new and free of any defects. All attachments are tight and the door operates smoothly, both manually and with the door opener. The auto reverse sensors work properly.
Fire containment of an attached garage is necessary because of the risk of ignition of flammable liquids commonly stored in garages.
Door leading from the garage directly to a sleeping room are prohibited, and should be made of solid wood or steel no less than 1 and 3/8 inch thick.
This image shows the fire barrier wall between the home and the garage. There is no drywall at all. This means a fire in the garage will move rapidly into the living quarters of the home. It is recommended that the firewall have a minimum of 1/2 inch drywall covering the wall and ceiling. I recommend this wall be finished with 1/2 inch drywall by a qualified contractor
