Observing the slight or moderate findings of the underside, intake, or DWV lines, one should practice the principles learned. By staying within the guidelines given, s/he will be able to perform an outstanding inspection.
There are certain pre-requisitions that defaults, failures and must fall in. The 25 Scopes of Practice keeps you in the lane that you should operate in. Noting and reporting only what you see, will protect you from all the lawsuits or bad references that you may get. Practice the practice.
I read the article, Inspecting Pipes in Exterior Walls and Pipe Insulation
by Nick Gromicko and Ben Gromicko. I love how they start this one off, there’s two things you need to know. Pipes in exterior walls need insulated.
Hot and cold supply lines need insulated. Enough said! LOL
The Type B and Type L Vent Inspection article discusses the characteristics of both vent types. B vents are used for draft-hood equipped, gas-fired appliances that produce flue gases up to 480 F. Clearance from combustibles is generally 1 2 inches. B vents may not be used for wood-burning, oil-fired, or coal-fired appliances/equipment. Type L vents are used for oil-fired and gas appliances that produce flue gasses up to 570 F. L vents may not be used for wood-burning or coal-fired appliances/equipment. Both are double walled and require chimney caps. L vent inner wall is stainless steel where B vent is not. The types are difficult to distinguish by appearance, but both should be inspected in same manner for defects.
At the time of this inspection, the home was vacant and the plumbing systems had not been used for an unknown period of time. Please be aware that, because of the inactivity of the plumbing system, some defects may not become apparent until normal usage is resumed.
Active water drips and/or leaks were observed at the water heater. Proper repair or replacement by a licensed plumber is recommended.
water closet serving master bathroom upon inspection was a Glacier Bay, dual flush, high efficiency (1.1 gpf), close-coupled style, with elongated seat. Shut off valve was present with a secondary bidet seat attachment. Flush capacity was adequate. no signs of leaking could be observed.
At the time of this inspection, the home was vacant and the plumbing systems had not been used for an unknown period of time. Please be aware that, because of the inactivity of the plumbing system, some defects may not become apparent until normal usage is resumed.
Active water drips and/or leaks were observed at the water heater. Proper repair or replacement by a licensed plumber is recommended.
“Plumbing Terms” One of the most important aspects of being a knowledgeable and respected home inspector is to familiarize yourself with the basic proper terminology so you can properly convey to the homeowner the potential violations you may find in their home.
When inspecting the water heater it is important to note the type of water heater it is, gas or electric. There should be a gas shutoff valve the piping before the drip leg so you can shut off the gas and cleanup the drip leg.
Ventilating the plumbing drain system is crucial to the proper function of the system. A vent stack should go through the roof of the house to the outside air and protrude at least 6 inches through the roof. Venting is important to the proper draining and anti-siphoning of the plumbing system. Smaller auto vents can be used in kitchen islands when needed.
sberini
(Steve Berini, CMI® 347652 Home Inspector Licence)
10873
As you notice from this image that there are no shut off taps on this under the sink water tap installation. This is a potential dangerous situation if the pipes break then there is no immediate way to turn off the water at this location. The only way to control the water would be to locate the main water shut off valve for the whole house. By the time you found the valve a whole lot of water could have caused damage to the cabinet or surrounding flooring.
sberini
(Steve Berini, CMI® 347652 Home Inspector Licence)
10874
It is imperative when inspecting hot water tanks that they must have a TPR valve within the top 6 inches of the water tank. Plus off of the valve must be a discharge pipe made of copper piping in order that the hot steam produced if the TPR valve opens then it will transfer the steam downward and away from potential scalding of the occupants of the residence.
Here you see a clothes washer. You see the discharge hose going into a stand pipe and at the bottom you see a trap. The trap is another thing that keeps your house healthy by keeping the sewer gases from coming into your home. How it works is when water gets in the pipe and is trapped sewer gases. The sewer gases cannot enter the home through the trap because the water acts like a gasket keeping the sewer gas and other airborne bacteria from escaping the septic system.
This is an 80 gallon electric water heater. Is is located in the basement and appears to be functioning at the time of the inspection. The cover was on so the temperature setting was not observable but the water temperature was 115 degrees at the sink in the kitchen. Is is sitting on 3 wood block off the concrete floor. there is no drip pan and I would recommend replacing the wood blocks with a drip pan. The TPR valve has no drain pipe attached this is an incorrect installation and I recommend repair or replacement immediately by a qualified plumber.
The picture that I used was titled " Sediment Trap at Gas-Fired Water Heater Tank". This shows the correct location of a sediment trap in a gas line. This is on the downstream side of the shutoff valve as close to the appliance as possible. It is at a right angle in the pipe. This causes any sediment to fall into the trap.
P-traps and vents help keep sewer gas from entering your home. Sewer gases have odors and bacterial properties that could harm occupants in your home. These gases could make you sick and other issues. So the P-traps and vents keep these gases from leaking in your home. As I said in other essays a healthy home make the people inside healthy. And keeping the sewer gases and water moisture out of your home keeps your home very healthy and safe.
Plumbing vents were terminated under the porch roof addition. Vents should only terminate in open air and not under a soffit or other overhang. And should not be near any air intake. Any roof termination should be 6" above the roof to allow for good flashing and (in cold climates) to prevent covering from snow.
The photo attached is of a water heater. It is a gas water heater, which is indicated by the gas supply line entering at the front of the tank. The temperature pressure relief valve has an adequate extension tube that terminates within six inches from the floor.
A typical water heater has a lifespan of about ten years. The decision on whether or not to replace an older water heater can be influenced by factors like correct installation, usage, construction quality of the water heater, and maintenance and parts replacement.
Here is a picture of a TPR valve on a water tank. It’s purpose is to relief excess pressure within a closed storage tank. It responds to excessive temperatures and discharges scalding water from the tank. The TPR valve is usually set to the max working pressure of the water tank or 150 pounds per square inch (1,035 Kpa), which ever is less. Also the TPR valve is located within the top six inches, where the water is the hottest.
In the pic with a sediment trap in the gallery shows the trap on the side of a fuel-gas appliance. It’s purpose is to trap debris from entering gas controls which can cause hazardous malfunctions. It’s installed downstream of a shut off valve and as close to the inlet of the equipment. Sediment traps cause gas flow to change to change directions at 90 degrees where solids and contaminants in the fuel drop out of the gas flow and into the collection point.
