The chosen image of sediment trap at a gas furnace shows the proper installation and presence of a sediment trap. This should be located downstream of a shut off valve and at the point nearest the furnace that will allow for any future service
This is a picture of a Temperature Pressure Relief valve that has been capped. Water heaters are required to have a TPR valve. The TPR valve cannot be blocked or it then becomes a explosive device. The TPR valve is designed to release hot steam and water when the tank is over pressure and if it can’t release the pressure, it will blow up.
The library article I read was Hard Water, by Nick Gromicko ( https://www.nachi.org/hard-water.htm ). In this article I learned that minerals such as calcium and magnesium pass through the soil and rock and enters the water, resulting in hard water.
A leaky faucet can cause significant damage under a sink. If left unrepaired, damage can occur to cabinets. A small leak can often cause more damage than a large leak, because small leaks can often go undetected for longer lengths of time.
The article I read was “Dryer Vent Safety”. Dryer vents should not be restricted in any way. If lent is trapped in a dryer vent, a fire potential exists. Dryer vent lengths should not be more than 25 feet with 2.5ft subtracted for each 45 degree turn and 5ft subtracted for every 5ft turn.
This is a picture of a 50 gallon hot water heater. The tank appears to be in good condition with no visible rust. There is a TPR valve installed and the discharge appears to be in code compliance. The picture shows what appears to be staining on the floor surrounding the tank. This however was determined that an oil like substance was the apparent leak, not coming from the water tank.
The furnace is a high efficiency propane unit, approximately 8 years old. It also appears to be regularly maintained having service receipts dating back to its purchase. It has an automatic air filter attached and a relatively new filter installed. The unit seems to be in good working condition and was in the heat cycle upon inspection.
3/4" pipe vs 1/2" pipe, 3/4" pipe is twice as big as 1/2" pipe and thus can carry twice as much volume of water. 3/4" pipe is primarily used to bring water into a home and on long runs reducing to 1/2" branching to fixtures.
I read Bathroom Ventilation Ducts and Fans and learned that all ducts should terminate outside of the building envelope. Microbial growth can be a indication that the fan is not vented properly. Fans are sometimes vented into an attic space and can cause damage due to the condensation.
This picture was taken from a DYI plumber actually charging for services. The S-trap was installed with the drain going straight through the floor, tied into a cleanout fitting in the utility room with the “Y” facing up. Needless to say it did not pass inspection.
TPR Valves and discharge piping. TPR valves can prevent catastrophe from an exploding hot water tank and is essential. To protect a home owner TPR valves must have discharge piping connected and drain to a safe location. Inspection of these is of extreme importance.
This was a common way to install traps in drains that go through a floor rather than a wall and that were not vented. The s-trap is an illegal trap that should not be used. This should be evaluated by a licensed plumbing contractor.
This is a image of a kitchen sink plumbing system. There are signs of leaking at the o-ring there is deterioration, rust and some watermarks. Also there were some water stains on the bottom of the cabinets. The p trap and the other connections appear to be serviceable.
I chose the article polybutylene for inspectors. In this article I learned how polybutylene can fail and that it is no longer manufactured. Also the article talked about how there were lawsuits against the manufacturers. I also leaned of some ways to identify polybutylene piping.
The photo is of the pipes under a sink. The pipes need to have a p trap. In some older homes a s trap may have been found. The use of s traps is no longer permitted. Also inspecting these traps is important since they have slip joints that can become lose and leak.
Toilet Inspections. All toilets need to be flushed when inspecting a house. When a toilet is flushed it should use 1.6 gallons of water. It is important to check the water supply line and the toilets connection to the floor. We want to make sure the supply line doesnt show signs of leaking. Where the toilet connects to the drain we want to make sure that there are no signs of leaks, cracks, or lose connections.
The pic that i picked is of a bathroom water closet and sink. the things that we have to inspect ate checking the water closet for leaks on the bowl also leaking water line and making sure its not leaking around the bottom of the bowl to make sure the wax ring isnt leaking
I’m writing my essay on the bathroom sink trap. you need to make sure the trap is a p trap and not an s trap as s traps can surphan gas because the water that is surpost to be in the trap go out the drain
This is an electric water heater with a missing TPR valve discharge pipe. In my report l marked it as a defect and a potential safety hazard. I recommended that an approved pipe be installed according to modern standards. The TPR valve discharge pipe should terminate not more than 6 above the floor to a waste receptor or to the outdoors.
I have a client (seller) who wants me to inspect his barn so I read the article BARN INSPECTION for some tips. Some of the hazards to look for included:
-exposed nails and splinters that could pose a hazard for animals and humans.
-exposed electrical wires that could possibly be chewed by animals.
-lack of ventilation for animals.
-outdated or insufficient electrical system which could present a fire hazard or possibly trip hazard because of having to run extension cords.
-non-GFCI protected lights and receptacles.
-no fire extinguishers.