i just read an article about asbestos because the home i inspected recently has asbestos wrap around the water pipes. I informed the owner and the new buyer of the hazards involved with asbestos and pointed out the asbestos wrap around the pipes. I also informed them that a professional should be consulted before removal.
In this image we can see an S-trap drainage system assembled on a sink’s plumbing system. S-traps are defective and it should be recommended for the home owner to upgrade the plumbing system to a P-trap. P-trap drainage systems function properly.
Using the three-quarter inch pipes versus the half inch pipe.
We can see in this image the large difference between half inch piping and three-quarter inch piping. The three-quarter inch piping has over two times the amount of square inches when compared to a half inch pipe.
All cleanouts should be accessible or reachable without having to remove a permanent portion of the structure. Cleanouts are designed to make the interior of a drainage system accessible for clearing stoppages without inconvenience, dismantling wall or ceiling finishes, or disturbing the sanitary drainage system.
HOW MOLD IS PRODUCE. All that is needed for mold to grow is moisture, oxygen, a food source, and a surface to grow on. Mold spores are commonly found naturally in the air. If spores land on a wet or damp spot indoors and begin growing, they will lead to problems. Molds produce allergens, irritants and, in some cases, potentially toxic substances called mycotoxins.
Cleanouts are an important part of a drainage, waste, ventilation, plumbing system. All cleanouts should be accessible without having to remove permanent materials such as drywall, ceiling tiles, etc. Cleanouts should not be terminated, removed, or have new piping installed in their place.
Hot water tank heater inspections are an important part of the home inspection. Faulty hot water heaters can result in costly damage and potentially deadly injuries. Hot water heater must have proper a tpr valve drainage piping installed to prevent excessive pressure build up.
Type B and Type L Vent Inspection by Nick Gromicko
Type B vents are appropriate for listed, draft-hood equipped, gas-fired appliances, including most domestic heating and hot water systems. They may not be used with any appliance that burns anything other than liquid petroleum or natural gas or any appliance that produces flue gasses that exceed 480 F (249 C).Type L vents are designed for venting approved oil-fired and natural-gas appliances that produce draft hood flue gasses that do not exceed a temperature of 570 F (299 C), or 926 F (299 C). Type L vents should not be used to vent coal- or wood-fired appliances.It is difficult to distinguish between Type B and Type L vents because they are made of like materials. Type L vents generally have a stainless steel inner wall, while Type B vents do not.
The picture attached is an under the kitchen counter shot. The picture includes the waste plumbing including the garbage disposal, P-trap and the dishwasher discharge hose. The high drain loop already installed on the side of the dishwasher. You can see, if you look closely, the Ice maker supply line connected to what looks like the hot water supply. Actually, the supply connections under the sink are reversed. Hot is on the right and cold is on the left side.
The only way to truly inspect the plumbing stack where it comes trough the roof is buy getting on the roof and inspecting it. You can inspect them from the ground or with a drone but a lot of times you cant see the cracks in the rubber boots unless you get on the roof.
It is really important during a inspection to run the water in all the faucets. And check under the cabinets in the basement and in the crawl space for leaks that could lead to major and expensive repairs down the road.
Operated the master and guest lavatory (sink) by running the water simultaneously there was no observable drop in water pressure I also stopped the drains looks to be adequate there were no observable leaks around any of the seals under the sinks
The purpose of an Aging in Place inspector is to make recommendation to a house so an elderly occupant may be able to live in their house for a longer period of time instead of going to a nursing home or Assisted Living an Aging in Place inspector may remark on things like replacing a gas stove with an electric smooth top stove or putting in a seat in the shower
In some applications, sump pumps can be a vital part of the water prevention system. When performing a home inspection, I make it a practice every time to test the operation of the pump when possible.
In the attached picture you can see a discovery I made while inspecting a 2 floor Condominium. Apparently the home owner deemed it necessary to install a home built sump pump in the lower (subterranean) level of his home. After cutting a hole in the concrete slab, he then excavated soil and inserted a plastic laundry basket into the opening. From that, he zip tied a submersible pump into the basket, ran the power cord to a battery backup, and plumbed the whole thing into the sewer system.
Aside from the obvious issues of venting the water into the public sewer system, the battery system was perched directly beside the hole in the concrete. Additionally, the outlet that powered the system was not GFCI protected.
As an aside, a Radon test was performed, and returned levels 2.4 times the recommended level.
Sump Pumps are not rocket science, However should the need arise, the work should be referred to a professional.
Inspection of landscaping irrigation systems is outside the standards of practice for a home inspector in my state, but requested by many home buyers. Properly inspecting this type of system requires a good understanding of the type systems available, as well as the requirements for the system present.
An installed irrigation system should have several components to call it a safe and reliable system. In addition to having a master shutoff for the water supply to the system, it is imperative the system have a proper backflow prevention system in place to prevent contamination of the water supply, as well as having a master drain, capable of emptying the system of water for cold weather.
Most electronic and mechanical systems have a timer system, which I do not manipulate as a a part of my inspection. However, many systems also have a manual on/off control. As these are considered normal operating controls, I am comfortable activating these, and verifying the operation of all attached discharge outlets visible. I note the location of poorly operating, or non-operating heads, as well as the type and serial number of the controller. Additionally, I walk the path of the system to look for obvious leaks of the piping.
This unit is a 50 gallon natural draft natural gas fueled hot water tank. No leaking is noted on inspection. No corrosion noted on inspection of unit. Proper gas piping noted with shut off valve as well as drip-leg located on downstream side of shut off. Unit has sealed combustion chamber. Proper operation of unit is observed through sight glass. No particulates or corrosion noted inside combustion chamber on inspection. TPR valve is in place with no obvious defects noted. Unable to visualize usage of screws in vent piping due to heat tape usage. Draft hood is secure on inspection.
A gas water heater consists of several components. The first one to discuss is the gas feeding the unit. There should be a drip-leg located between the shut off valve and the water heater. You should note if the unit has a sealed combustion chamber or not. You should note the presence of a TPR valve and if it is good condition. Note the condition of the vent connection.
This is a picture of an electric hot water tank. There is no vent required as it does not use any combustible fuels to heat the water. The tank is in good condition with no signs of leaking but I did notice that it is missing the discharge tube for the tpr valve. I would report this and tell the owner and potential buyer that this is a safety issue and needs to be dealt with.
I read about Chinese drywall. U.S. based tests show that Chinese manufactured drywall has high doses of hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, and carbonyl sulfide which cause numerous health issues. Some ways you can tell the drywall is made in China is the strong scent of sulfur (rotten eggs) or any copper wiring that is exposed will be dark in color and corroded. It can only be fixed by totally removing it from the home and starting all over again.
This is a photo of the plumbing for a lavatory located in the master bath, and is the left side of a double vanity. At first glance everything appears to be in order. It has the proper stopper mechanism in place. They are using the proper length and size tail piece, with a good amount of flux being used. The p-trap is in place properly, and they have individual Hot and Cold shut off values. There is also plenty of space for an individual to do maintenance or repairs as needed. This is in great working condition.
