As a follow up on the Safe Practices course I’ve read Hazards of Hydroponic Systems & Hantavirus. I’ve run into several Hydroponic devices & didn’t understand some of their possible hazards. I’ve view poor power connections to the lighting systems & will be more diligent in documenting this going forward. I do recall the musty smell in the home & did not notice any mold growth or rust on hinges as stated in the article.
The Hantavirus is not widely present in the urban areas I work in, but as I do more rural home inspections I’ll be wearing better PPE in the future.
Thanks Dave Dudziak
I inspected a home a few weeks back here in the Fort Worth area. We were having round of heavy rain fall. It was between these rounds of rain I was able to get up on the roof & found the shingle damage as shown in the video.
The roof while still damp & the wind strong I was taking some risk that I was barely comfortable with. I’ll be more cautious the next damp roof I step on. I would not have seen the extent of the damage with out getting on the roof. We later discovered as it began to rain a large leak caused by this roofing issue.
Thanks,
Dave Dudziak
The disposal in this home is installed properly and up to all modern codes. It is dedicated on a 20 amp breaker. it is switched within reach of the sink. and while running water through it and using it to grind up solids it drains properly without leaking.
In this article I learned that these testers are not very reliable. And even they are called testers they can’t actually create an ark so properly functioning breakers may not even trip with these testers. so in conclusion I will wait till these are better developed before I drop a couple hundred dollars on one.
This is a great article that identifies several safety issues in an electrical service panel in a fun, clean, and safe way. The pictures below are from actual inspections, and with the benefit of hindsight the electrical panel probably should not have been opened from a safety standpoint. We do our best to keep everyone safe, and sometimes safety issues aren’t identifiable before opening the panel. Other times the safety threat is more obvious. Other times a threat may seem to exist but upon further investigation it turns out to be a minor annoyance.
Inoperative lighting fixtures at the stairway to the 3rd Floor unit, notice the glowing eyes at the top of the stairs. To my relief “Cujo” turned out to be about 10 inches tall and less than 20 pounds.
The furnace is a forced air unit located in the basement. The furnace is in good condition and is working properly, but is a little dirty. No major rust or corrosion is present in the unit. The filter to the furnace needs to be changed. The furnace should be cleaned, serviced, and certified by a licensed hvac technician.
I chose to read the article titled, “15 tools every homeowner should own.” I was pleasantly surprised to see a couple of items on the tool list. For instance, I wouldn’t have thought to need a respirator/safety mask. I always thought that a mask was to be used in hazardous settings. I would never have thought of my home as a hazardous place to work. Yet it makes sense to have them on hand for various chores around the house (i.e. painting, cutting drywall, wood working, etc.).
The last item on the list I thought, “Well, yeah.” Duct tape. I was raised with the attitude that if you can’t fix it, then “Duct it”. Duct tape has so much versatility that its ridiculous. I wouldn’t have thought to place it on the list because in my house that is a “Hello, Mcfly…” moment.
I also read, “10 easy ways to save energy in your home” thinking that I had that in the bag. There are so many helpful tips that I didn’t think of beginning with change the way you do laundry. We have always done laundry on the medium settings. It makes total sense to run the laundry with a full load. If you think about it, that’s how we run the dish washer. We wouldn’t run a half full dish washer, what a waste of energy.
Then there is the cook smart. We are ones to always use the microwave. Come on, we’re busy and need food done now. But it makes sense to plan ahead when ever you can and prepare your meals. I just never thought about the energy that just the microwave uses. Thank you for opening my eyes. These are definitely useful articles that I for one will be sharing with all of my customers/clients.
Inspecting the home electrical panelboard poses serious risk of injury if not address properly. It is essential inspectors wear the right PPE for the task. Eye protection, boots, gloves, and test equipment must be used to reduce potential injury to the home inspector. Utilizing the right PPE, the home inspector should first determine if the panel is energized. An energized panel can occur for several reasons, either which could cause personal injury. If determined to be energized, abandon attempts to inspect the panelboard further. The inspector then must clearly post a warning tag to alert others to the potential danger, then provided verbal notice of the hazard to the owners and potential buyers ago with annotation of the issue in the home inspection report.
Inspecting the home electrical panelboard poses serious risk of injury if not address properly. It is essential inspectors wear the right PPE for the task. Eye protection, boots, gloves, and test equipment must be used to reduce potential injury to the home inspector. Utilizing the right PPE, the home inspector should first determine if the panel is energized. An energized panel can occur for several reasons, either which could cause personal injury. If determined to be energized, abandon attempts to inspect the panelboard further. The inspector then must clearly post a warning tag to alert others to the potential danger, then provided verbal notice of the hazard to the owners and potential buyers ago with annotation of the issue in the home inspection report.
[FONT=“Times New Roman”]I have to say. Most Americans have no clue how dangerous aluminum wiring can be. Short of this article serving as a refresher for me, even as a fire inspector, I don’t see a lot about it outside specific circles. Then given the limited period of time it was used (eight years), the hazard is perceived to be minimized when it isn’t. Then, the fact it is still used to run the main power feed to the panelboard, just seems to confuse many on the issue. I explain it this way to folks. Branch circuits are weaved through the fabric of a house and manipulated often throughout a home’s life-span. Aluminum wiring simply cannot standup to this use like copper does. In time, aluminum wiring used in branch circuits will create problems and elevate the possibility of a fire developing.[/FONT]
I chose to inspect my 4 foot step ladder. The ladder is in excellent condition. There are no cracks or breaks in the fiberglass side-rails or metal steps. All fasteners are tight and secure. The spreaders are smooth tight and not damaged in any way. There are no rungs missing, safety feet are sound and unbroken, and all moveable parts operate freely.
I read the article on carpeted bathrooms. I don’t think there should ever be carpet in bathrooms. The amount of issues that can arise because of moisture in the pad far outweighs the little bit of added comfort you get with carpet. I personally have removed carpet pad that had mold and urine in it and it was disgusting. I will say it was amazing how much better the air quality was in the bathroom after the carpet was gone. I also read the article Paying a little extra for an Internachi inspector pays off. I am one that truly believes you get what you pay for. If you want to cut corners and pay less it will usually bite you in the backside in the long run. It is always better to pay a little more to get better trained and more skilled services.
First, from a fire inspector/public educator perspective, nicely done article. Electrical safety is not just a thought, it is essential to daily life. Continuing education is just that continuous…and never ending. It never amazes me how the general public just doesn’t get how dangerous electricity can be if not treated with respect. I get how much we depend on electricity to aid us in our daily lives. My customers often think I just want to get rid of all the space heaters, extension cords, and heating blankets. Not possible. I do however, like to explain how easily these devices can pose problems if not maintained properly. Do not over-look surge protectors or power strips. I find even in residential structures, over-loading or daisy chaining of these items are common as well.
After careful inspection of this gutted walk-in shower, mold was found on and under the plywood flooring. The flooring is to be removed, making sure to use the proper PPE, and a new floor installed. A thorough cleaning to ensure no mold sproes have around is also needed. Also, need to get the hanging live wires tucked away and capped properly.
There are many hazards and dangers for one to consider before entering a crawl space. Using the proper PPE is a must when a crawl space has mold. asbestos or leaking sewage. When in a crawlspace one should be alert to other health risks such as hantavirus, pests and improperly exposed electrical wires. It is also very important to let someone know you are in the crawl space or to have a second person standing watch.
The best way to ensure that you do not have ice dams forming on your roof is to be proactive. Keep your roof cool by not allowing warm air to flow out of your roof or to install metal roofing. Also be sure to have a proper amount of insulation put into you attic. These measures can ensure that you do not have to replace any rotting deck boards or have mold growing in your attic or on the roof deck.
When using this ladder you should ensure that it is fully opened and the spreaders between the two sections are fully extended and locked. The highest standing level on a step ladder is two steps from the top. It has been inspected to ensure that there are not any dents that would jeopardize the structural integrity of the ladder. The rungs are free of grease, oil or any other substance that would make it slippery.
