Inspection News

Inspection Learning Center:

Electrical:

Aluminum Branch Wiring (complete article)
Single strand aluminum wiring has been implcated in house fires....

Aluminum Wiring Connections: AlumiConn connector

FPE Panels, Federal Pacific Stab-Lok Breaker Panels (website)

Fire Awareness (complete article)
Certain areas around the home are at risk for fire and easy to prevent. Routine evaluation and preventive maintenance can lower the risk as well as some good common sense.

Emergency Preparedness:

Emergency Preparation (complete article)
Be prepared now for an emergency.

Energy:

Energy Conservation (complete article)
With the rising cost of energy for your home there are several methods to improve on energy savings.

Environmental:

Carbon Monoxide (complete article)
Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas that can occur in homes and buildings where combustion by-products are generated or allowed to disperse. It is colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-irritating; it is an asphyxiant. As a poison, it can be deadly at high levels. At low concentrations, CO can go undetected and contribute to nagging illnesses. It can compound pre-existing health problems and can go unblamed in premature deaths.

Chinese Drywall (link)

Mold (complete article)
Molds are fungi that can be found both indoors and outdoors. A misconception is all black molds are toxic. Actually some other colored molds are more toxic than the “black mold”.

Home Inspection Information:

Top 10 Deal Killers During the Home Inspection (complete article) Over the years I have witnessed many aspects of a home inspection or the process that can cause stress during the process and lead to a deal falling apart.

What is a Home Inspection (complete article)
A home inspection is a limited visual evaluation of the properties primary structure. An inspector should be following the standards of practice and be a member in good standing of a non profit home inspection trade association such as the National Association of Home Inspectors or the American Society of Home Inspectors.

What is a Prelisting Inspection (complete article)
You may have heard of a Prelisting Inspection, but what is one for exactly.

Preparing for a Home Inspection (complete article)
Preparing for a Home Inspection: Here is a handy checklist to use for your home or pass onto your client.

Plumbing:

Backflow Prevention (complete article)
Areas around your home are subject to cross connections or back sipohnage. This could allow for waste water to become in direct contact with your drinking or potable water.
(EPA Manual)

HVAC:

Air-Source Heat Pumps (complete article)
Learn how an air-source heat pump works.

Ground-Source Geothermal Heat Pumps (complete article)
Learn how an ground-source heat pump works.

Structure:

FRT Plywood, Fire Retardant Treated Plywood (complete article)
Frt plywood was widely used in multi family dwellings in the 1970's...
(PDF Anne Arundel County Notice)

Hurricane Preparedness (complete article)
With the increasing concerns about hurricanes and the recent activity, you should be prepare ahead of time for a potential hurricane landfall or strike.

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FRT Plywood, Fire Retardant Treated Plywood (PDF Anne Arundel County)

Frt plywood was widely used in multi family dwellings in the 1970's and 1980's. Due to defective material, heat and humidity there were many failures documented throughout the country. the failure was apparent by crystallization, a hairy surface and structural deterioration of the wood.

Now many multi family dwellings have modified the need for FRT plywood by the use of sprinklers, fire wall break above the roofline and the use of 5/8" fire rated plywood on the ceiling below the immediate attic space.
(PDF Anne Arundel County)

Backflow Prevention

vacuum-break Areas around your home are subject to cross connections or back siphonage. This could allow for waste water to become in direct contact with your drinking or potable water.
One of the most common areas is your hose bib. A hose bib can collect bacteria or come in contact with chemicals or cleaners. When the pressure on the supply side is reduced from say flushing a toilet the water in the hose can be drawn back into your potable or drinking water thus contaminating not only your drinking water, but there have been cases of communities being contaminated from one source.

An easy inexpensive repair is to install a hose bib vacuum break.

Other common areas around your home can be when a faucet on a tub of sink is below the rim of the basin, allow for dirty water in the basin to come in contact with the potable source. Also a handheld shower spray head that falls into the tub water may allow for a cross connection. A submerge fill valve on your toilet is another common area especially is toilet tank cleaners are being utilized.
Please review the EPA manual link for more details.

(EPA Manual on Backflow Prevention)

The Attic:

W attic ith the attic we evaluate the accessible framing, and the presence and condition of the ventilation and insulation. Residential attic framing methods are typical made from wood including manufactured trusses and site built rafter systems.

The materials can also vary such as the materials used to frame your attic. These can include traditional dimensional lumber such as 2x6’s and 2x10’s to engineered materials such a laminated beams, solid web framing materials (I-Joists) and open web or floor and roof trusses. These all require specific installation methods and each has common concerns with improper use or installation.

Ask us about our free advice on home energy savings, as the attic is one of the leading sources of heat loss in your home.

Also See the Maryland Home Inspection Standards

The Grounds:

The grounds around the house are important as they control the water runoff which could affect the house and the foundation. We will inspect and evaluate the grounds immediate to the house regarding the overall drainage and surface conditions of the soil.

We will aso report on area where the siding is in contact with or goes below the ground or mulch. This condtion puts the walls and floor framing at risk for water and/or wood boring insect damage.

We will report on the walkways, decks and the overall condition of the driveway.

Also See the Maryland Home Inspection Standards

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