Three photos every inspector should include at the end of the report:
The article recommended that every inspection should include three different photographs of the water meter taken at the end of the inspection after all faucets and water using devices are off. These photos should be time stamped if possible or at least should be taken from different angles to indicate the passing of time. This is to serve two purposes, first to show (assuming that the meter is not running) that you have not left anything running, and second that there are not any hidden leaks present.
[FONT=Calibri]Afterperforming the exterior roof inspection I saw no evidence of possible waterinfiltration on the north side roof line. Prior to entering the finished atticthere were indications of excessive mold odor and we employed our full mask respirator.Located in the rear attic and four other places there was a heavy concentrationof mold above a vent with water spotting on the lower portion. Afterexamination of the area it did not appear to be a standard house mold with miniaturefibrous tentacles, but more along the [/FONT]stachybotrys atra level ofmold (black mold). [FONT=Calibri]The other areas in the attic did have the appearance of standard householdmold. True identification of the mold can only be performed by a qualifiedhygienist by air quality tests and strip testing which was added to the report. A remediator can determine the cause anddetermine the protocol necessary for removal. It was apparent that the causemay be from improperly installed, deteriorating duct connections or poor insulationtubing. A pressure test of the system may reveal the problem. With the multiplestaining around the registers it was apparent that there is a duct problem resulting from heavy concentration of condensation. [/FONT]
This is a photo of a gas (forced air) furnace. The make is Carrier and manufactured in Nov 2003. It is 88,000 BTU mid efficiency draft induced (up flow) furnace. The furnace and all its visible components look to be in good condition.
The article on central home A.C unit describes a number of things a home owner should do to maintain their unit. The exterior unit (condenser) should be properly clean and clear from any debris vegetation or substances. As this may prevent the condenser from dissipating the heat. Inspect condensate drain on unit make sure it is not blocked and the drainage is away from unit and home. Periodically clean or replace air filter for optimal air flow. Covering the unit in the cold season is will also prevent debris, ice other objects from entering the unit.
Picture shows a “RUUD” mid-efficient forced air furnace, fueled by natural gas with an AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) of 80 %. By using its serial numbers and checked at the www.buildingcenter.org , found that it was made in week 11th in 1989. It was however a little tricky to find where the serial numbers of this furnace were, so I went to the RUUD website and found out that the serial numbers were located inside the front top cover of the unit.
Inspecting Furnaces
As a home inspector we must be able to examine and understand how a heating system works. We, as a standard, use a non-invasive and visual examination to inspect a system or a residential dwelling. We are also required to inspect, by using normal operating controls (thermostats), and report in writing on what the energy source and its heating method are. The report should also identify material defects if observed. As an inspector we are not required to fix any faulty system, however we should be able to explain or discuss to our client concerning the heating system that we are inspecting in term of its system, heating method, type or identification, how it operates, how to maintain the system and some common problems that may be found.
after reading article on aluminum wiring . I have reaffirmed my belief that aluminum wiring should only be used for service wire. I would recommend that all aluminum wiring in a house to be replaced and at the least inspected by a professional electrician
This is an HVAC central unit in south florida. Fresh unit inspected. Manufacture time of the unit is August of 2015 as stated on its label and according to the serial number on the tag by the manufacturer Carrier. Installation was clean and the duct work had proper mastic and mastic tape to seal the duct work.
Thermometer was located in the dining room area, normal operating controls seemed optimal. Heating type is warm-air and was operational at time of inspection.
Check on Your HVAC Systems (Before They Check Out on You)
by Fran J. Donegan for The Home Depot
Great consumer (and inspector!) directed article. Provides friendly tips and advice for the maintenance, checkups, repair vs replace dilemma. The best advice is the change of filters every three months for a forced-air system that includes both heating and cooling. Changing the filters keeps microbes, dust and other particles away from spreading via the unit.
This is astandard HVAC unit on a typical home. It was manufactured in 2014 and isexcellent condition.
The airhandler is located in the garage and also checks out good. The system appearsto be well maintained with the filters being changed regularly. There is gooddrainage and no leaks were detected.
Here are a few maintenance tasks you can perform yourself:
For ongoing maintenance, change the filters every threemonths for a forced-air system that includes both heating and cooling. Changethe filters every three months during the heating or cooling season.
Check around the house to make sure all heating and coolingvents, baseboard heaters, and radiators are not blocked by furniture.
Air-conditioning systems often have an outdoor componentthat houses the compressor and condenser. This part of the system dumps hot airfrom your house to the outside as part of the cooling cycle. Remove leaves andother debris off of the top of the unit, and maintain a clearance of 2 to 3feet around it.
The heating system is gas forced air with a plenum duct system. All vent connections looked to be in good shape. Ducts had some patches due to recent cleaning. The furnace unit is a Trane XL95 and shows manufactured in 2012. Also shows last maintenance in 2012. Recommend maintenance be completed soon. Filters where clean. System looks to be in great shape.
Research Exercise: Check on Your HVAC Systems (Before They Check Out on You)
This article was informative for your everyday homeowner. Good tips on making sure filters are replaced, vents are not blocked, and keeping the outdoors AC unit clean of debris. I found the information on replacing or repairing interesting since I recently went through that very issue. Furnace went out and got it fixed. Then right in the middle of December it went out again. At that time I decided on getting a new more efficient system. So it’s good to get that info out to people to help them make the decision before the middle of winter.
Here is a gas furnace that when inspected i set my ipad down on the top (shown here) in the picture. When I picked up my Ipad 2 minutes later the case protecting my Ipad was melted on the bottom side that was in contact with the top of the furnace. This was obviously an issue; there was also soot built up on the pvc exhaust pipe-I recommended further evaluation by a licensed heat technician immediately.
The client called me back a week later and couldn’t thank me enough, he stated the heat exchanger was cracked and a new system was needed.
This HVAC system is electric located in a hallway. The unit is manufactured by Rheem it’s a 2008 unit in good condition, air filter is clean. The compressor is located on the side of the property, unit is in satisfactory condition clear of shrubs and trees.
Article on anti-scald valves:
I did an inspection for a friend when i was just starting out; one of those free just for practice inspections. I had informed the home owner his water heater did not have this feature. Taking my advice (sort of) he installed his own Honeywell anti-scald valve. He called me back and said now his water is ice cold and he had turned the valve completely off. I stopped by to take a look for him ( a licensed plumber i am not) and upon closer evaluation I noticed there is is an “in” and an “out” side of the valve, and he had the valve in upside down.
My reports “always” recommends a licensed and qualified technician complete repairs.
[FONT=“Times New Roman”]The* outdoor compressor/condensercabinet.*[/FONT] Itslocation should be in a level open area, free of obstructions for good airflow. The unit should be kept clean with no debris allowed to accumulate on topor at the side louvers.
[FONT=TimesNewRoman]The condenser consists of a copperor aluminum coil of thin wall tubing covered with fins to increase its surfacearea. The function of the condenser is that of a heatexchanger.Outside air is pulled over the condenser fins, transferring heat from thehigh-pressure refrigerant gas inside the condenser to the air. This causes thehigh pressure refrigerant gas to condense to a warm liquid. The condenser finsshould be kept clean, unobstructed, and free of damage.[/FONT]
Furnace
A high efficient furnace rated at AFUE 90+ percent. You can tell it by the 2 PVC pipes attached to the furnace. When you have a high efficient furnace do not forget that it is a condensing style furnace. This means there IS a condensate drain attached to drain the condensate out of the exhaust pipe. Speaking of the exhaust pipe it should have a slope going back to the furnace so that any condensate or rain water can effectively drain out of the system. The condensate drain is trapped so the furnace does not expel flue gas into the living space.
Rebar
Rebar is used to reinforce concrete and grounding (Ufer). While exposed it can be a safety issue. People have been cut, tripped, and impaled by exposed rebar. Safety precautions should be used when the rebar remains exposed by bending over the ends and installing mushroom caps on the ends of vertical standing rebar.
Rebar is also legally used for grounding electrical systems. This is known as a Ufer grounding technique.
[FONT=Calibri]The ground fault circuit interrupter(GFCI), is a monitoring device that compares the amperage of the currentflowing to and from the outlet. The GFCI will trip in 1/40 second after aground fault of only .005 amps is detected, interrupting the flow ofelectricity to the circuit. A GFCI on the first outlet of a circuit willprotect all downstream outlets on the same circuit. [/FONT]
