Anti-Scald Valves or mixing valves are designed to mix cold water with hot water so that a person does not get hot water coming out of a fixture, scalded. Water that is above one hundred and sixty degrees can cause scalding in 0.5 seconds. How the valve works is a special diaphragm or piston device limits the pressure of the hot and old imputs. The only downside is that the amount of hot water from the hot water tank is decreased, which makes the hot water flow slower to the fixture.
The first thing I do when inspecting a gas water heater is to check for gas leaks with my gas detector. If gas is detected I would move out of the house immediately and get in touch with the local gas company ASAP.
When inspecting the toilet / water closet I would look for leaks around the bottom after flushing. If carpet is installed I would first look at it with my infrared camera and follow up with my moisture meeter. If water is present I would enter it into my inspection report.
Here is a picture of an older hot air furnace in an old building with a water problem. The arrow points to an apparent high water mark well above the burner and blower motors. Both motors were working during the inspection (and a nearby sump pump was running almost continuously). While not a defect per se, it was noted that a power or pump failure could cause the furnace to be flooded again and review of the system by a licensed HVAC contractor was recommended as a precaution.
Recommended service . This is a picture of the Crawl space underneath the laundry room .the dryer vent has been previously disconnected and there is a significant lint accumulation. This is a significant fire hazard and should be removed as much as possible.
The article on the TPR valve explains the importance of this safety item. Temperature and pressure are the two factors that can result in a catastrophic event in the home if this item is home owner improved as I call it. I have seen plugged off because the valve leaked. I not only told my client but I informed the seller this is so dangerous it cannot continue . I have seen reduced down piping so the existing pipe laying around could be used. It is important to look at.
Sacrificial rods or anodes are inserted into a hot water tank because of the constant supply of fresh water with lots of corrosion causing properties could damage the interior of the tank. The fact that most tanks are glass lined would still require this rod to absorb the corrosion matter.
Bathroom ventilation fan vents must terminate to the outdoors. If the fan vent should come apart in the attic, or a contractor or home owner by installation terminates the vent in the attic space, then the moist air from the bathroom will cause moisture related problems to the structure of the attic. There could also develop the presence of mold.
50 gallon gas hot water heater properly vented to the outside using the furnace exhaust line to vent. All water lines are properly fitted and the expansion tank is located in the proper location. PRV valve has a air gap and is properly despenced.
Child proofing windows and stairs is very important for safety. The number one hazard for children is falls, about 8,000 youngsters wind up in the hospital due to a fall every day. To avoid falls, use safety gates and window locks. A safety gate is a gate that is temporarily installed in a door or a stairway. It keeps the children from getting through, keeping them safe. A window lock prevents the window from opening by keeping it locked, and is designed to keep children from being able to unlock it themselves.
Re: Inspecting a Deck, Illustrated
This is the best summary I have seen about deck construction. My only critique is there is not really enough specific information about the different possible techniques used to make a water resistant connection between the building and the deck. In my experience, this connection is the weak point in deck construction and the most important place to look for problems.
A back flow preventer on the incoming water line. Back flow preventers ensure that potentially contaminated water does not enter the potable water supply. Normally, water pressure on the supply side will prevent this occurance and allow water to flow to sinks, showers and other fixtures. If the supply pressure is in-adequate, the back flow preventer stops water from flowing back.
This is a picture of the drainage system underneath the bathroom sink of a residential home. It does not have a trap and a drainage system like this will allow gases to enter into the living area. Will recommend repair including the installation of a P-trap.
A septic system receives treats and disposes of unwanted Wastewater and solids from a building’s plumbing system. The septic system should be inspected once a year especially if the house is on the market for sale. The septic system is out of sight and many homeowners are unaware of where they are located on the property.
Ceiling fan are often installed incorrectly by home owners who don’t know that they require specific junction boxes and bracing. This can lead to failure of the fan. Meaning that the fan could fall from the ceiling and potentially be deadly.
Picture of an oil fired hot water boiler. Images shows pressure relief valve with it’s tag. Backflow preventor,
manual draft control and the fused fire shut off in red box above boiler. All piping and ball valves looked to be in good condition, no signs of corrosion. No apparent
leak observed from boiler itself. Flue piping appears to be in good condition with tight joints. There seems to be no service tag to last inspection. Heating equipment should be serviced and inspected at least once in two years. Heating system cycles properly, zones checked for heat. System tested and seems to be in good working condition.
Mechanical draft systems need to be installed per manufacturers installation instructions. Appliance can be mechanically drafted by forced or induced draft methods.
Forced draft systems and all portions of draft induced systems must be under a positive pressure during operations and must not leak exhaust into building.
Natural draft appliances must not have their vent connectors connected to any portion of a mechanical draft system that is operating under positive pressure.
Exterior terminations of mechanical draft systems must be at least 7feet above ground level, and three feet above any forced air intake located within ten feet.
Exceptions; A mechanical draft vent system can terminate at least four feet below, four feet horizontally, or one foot above any door or operable window, gravity air inlet into any building. The vent termination must be at least one foot above ground level.
Upon entering the basement a slight chill was felt. I observed that pipes for hydronic heat are roughed into floor slab but not hooked up and operating. The hydronic heating could be hooked up at a cost of $3,000-$4000. This would make the basement a very comfortable living area. The existing owner has an exercise room so probably prefers it cooler.
Hot water recirculating systems
This morning, like every morning I turned on the hot water in our ensuite lavatory and waited and waited for what seems like forever. Its probably only 30-40 seconds but seems like forever. A lot of cold and even cool water goes down the drain. What a waste . This article talks about a system that circulates the hot water around the house in insulated pipes so its closer to each fixture and less water is wasted waiting for hot water. Sounds like a great time and water saving idea. It cost about $400 to hook up plus the cost to operate the circulation pump. Might be just what I need.
Electric water heater inspection:
Location: garage
Capacity: 40 gallons
There is no drip tube installed. For safety reasons, immediate installation is needed to help minimize the possibility of serious injury.
The pipe fittings at the top of the tank are corroded. There are also signs of rust at the bottom of the tank. Because of the risk of tank rupture, correction and further evaluation by a plumber is recommended.
