This is what you should learn from your home inspection.

Quite often, our clients ask us what exactly they will learn from a home inspection when buying a house in Nassau or Suffolk County.  Although that list can be a quite extensive, we've narrowed it down for a brief overview.

• First and foremost, is the house structurally sound, and safe to live in?
• What is the age and general condition of the roof?
• Attic and crawlspace condition. This includes insulation coverage and thickness, as well as any water penetration issues, past or present.
• Are the heating and cooling systems operating as designed?
• Are the plumbing fixtures in working order and free of leaks?
• Determine the location of the main water shutoff, determination of piping material; supply, waste and venting.
• What is the location and condition of the electrical service and panels, including breakers?
• Are the kitchen appliances perform as expected?
• Are there any environmental issues in the home; asbestos, mold, radon, or termites?
• Does the seller have maintenance records they are willing to give?

While this list is not exhaustive, it is a good start for new homeowners to understand what a general home inspection should reveal.

A home owners should never hesitate to ask a potential home inspector to explain what information the home inspection is expected to produce. And never feel uncomfortable asking for references. You'll want to learn as much as you can about your home inspection company BEFORE the inspection.

As always, How's My house Home Inspections is available to inspect your home. We inspect homes in all towns throughout Nassau, Suffolk, Brooklyn and Queens

10 things you should know about mold

The question of mold always comes up during a home inspection.  Prospective buyers always have a concern if there is any mold in the house, as was the case this week during a Huntington Home Inspection.  All was well until we inspected the boiler room.  The inside wall showed signs of mold growth...apparently from a previous water tank leak. 

So here are some mold basics.  First off, the key to mold control is moisture control. If mold is a problem in your home, you should clean up the mold promptly, and fix the water problem.  It is important to dry water damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.  Wash mold off of hard surfaces with detergent and water and dry completely.

Ten Things You Should Know About Mold

1. Potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposures include allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory complaints.
2. There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.
3. If mold is a problem in your home or school, you must clean up the mold and eliminate sources of moisture.
4. Fix the source of the water problem or leak to prevent mold growth.
5. Reduce indoor humidity (to 30-60%) to decrease mold growth by: venting bathrooms, dryers, and other moisture-generating sources to the outside; using air conditioners and de-humidifiers; increasing ventilation; and using exhaust fans whenever cooking, dishwashing, and cleaning.
6. Clean and dry any damp or wet building materials and furnishings within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.
7. Clean mold off hard surfaces with water and detergent, and dry completely. Absorbent materials such as ceiling tiles, that are moldy, may need to be replaced.
8. Prevent condensation: Reduce the potential for condensation on cold surfaces (i.e., windows, piping, exterior walls, roof, or floors) by adding insulation.
9. In areas where there is a perpetual moisture problem, do not install carpeting (i.e., by drinking fountains, by classroom sinks, or on concrete floors with leaks or frequent condensation).
10. Molds can be found almost anywhere; they can grow on virtually any substance, providing moisture is present. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods.

Mold is everywhere, but can be controlled to a certain degree. For more information on Mold, download this guide from the EPA.

If you have concerns about Mold, How's My House Home Inspections will perform an evaluation for you.  To schedule a home inspection, call us at 516-732-7595

Its time to check your dryer Vent

Dryer Vent Safety

 

 

All to often we inspect homes that have a nasty surprise stored up in a simple, but much needed vent.  Our latest Bellmore Home Inspection found just that. Lint stuffed up in the vent.  A extremely dangerous condition. 

Clothes dryers evaporate the water from wet clothing by blowing hot air past them while they tumble inside a spinning drum. Heat is provided by an electrical heating element or gas burner. Some heavy garment loads can contain more than a gallon of water which, during the drying process, will become airborne water vapor and leave the dryer and home through an exhaust duct (more commonly known as a dryer vent).

 

A vent that exhausts moist air to the home exterior has a number of requirements:

1. It should be connected. The connection is usually behind the dryer but may be beneath it. Look carefully to make sure it’s actually connected!
2. It should not be restricted. Dryer vents are often made from flexible plastic or metal duct, which may be easily kinked or crushed where they exit the dryer and enter the wall or floor. This is often a problem since dryers tend to be tucked away into small areas with little room to work. Vent hardware is available which is designed to turn 90° in a limited space without restricting the flow of exhaust air. Restrictions should be noted in the inspector's report. Airflow restrictions are a potential fire hazard!
3. One of the reasons that restrictions are a potential fire hazard is that, along with water vapor evaporated out of wet clothes, the exhaust stream carries lint – highly flammable particles of clothing made of cotton and polyester. Lint can accumulate in an exhaust duct, reducing the dryer’s ability to expel heated water vapor, which then accumulates as heat energy within the machine. As the dryer overheats, mechanical failures can trigger sparks, which can cause lint trapped in the dryer vent to burst into flames. This condition can cause the whole house to burst into flames! Fires generally originate within the dryer but spread by escaping through the ventilation duct, incinerating trapped lint, and following its path into the building wall.

InterNACHI believes that house fires caused by dryers are far more common than are generally believed, a fact that can be appreciated upon reviewing statistics from the National Fire Protection Agency. Fires caused by dryers in 2005 were responsible for approximately 13,775 house fires, 418 injuries, 15 deaths, and $196 million in property damage. Most of these incidents occur in residences and are the result of improper lint cleanup and maintenance. Fortunately, these fires are very easy to prevent.

The recommendations outlined below reflect International Residential Code (IRC) SECTION M1502 CLOTHES DRYER EXHAUST guidelines:

M1502.5 Duct construction.
Exhaust ducts shall be constructed of minimum 0.016-inch-thick (0.4 mm) rigid metal ducts, having smooth interior surfaces, with joints running in the direction of air flow. Exhaust ducts shall not be connected with sheet-metal screws or fastening means which extend into the duct.

This means that the flexible, ribbed vents used in the past should no longer be used. They should be noted as a potential fire hazard if observed during an inspection.

M1502.6 Duct length.

The maximum length of a clothes dryer exhaust duct shall not exceed 25 feet (7,620 mm) from the dryer location to the wall or roof termination. The maximum length of the duct shall be reduced 2.5 feet (762 mm) for each 45-degree (0.8 rad) bend, and 5 feet (1,524 mm) for each 90-degree (1.6 rad) bend. The maximum length of the exhaust duct does not include the transition duct.

This means that vents should also be as straight as possible and cannot be longer than 25 feet. Any 90-degree turns in the vent reduce this 25-foot number by 5 feet, since these turns restrict airflow.

A couple of exceptions exist:

1. The IRC will defer to the manufacturer’s instruction, so if the manufacturer’s recommendation permits a longer exhaust vent, that’s acceptable. An inspector probably won’t have the manufacturer’s recommendations, and even if they do, confirming compliance with them exceeds the scope of a General Home Inspection.
2. The IRC will allow large radius bends to be installed to reduce restrictions at turns, but confirming compliance requires performing engineering calculation in accordance with the ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook, which definitely lies beyond the scope of a General Home Inspection!

M1502.2 Duct termination.
Exhaust ducts shall terminate on the outside of the building or shall be in accordance with the dryer manufacturer’s installation instructions. Exhaust ducts shall terminate not less than 3 feet (914 mm) in any direction from openings into buildings. Exhaust duct terminations shall be equipped with a backdraft damper. Screens shall not be installed at the duct termination.

Inspectors will see many dryer vents terminate in crawlspaces or attics where they deposit moisture, which can encourage the growth of mold, wood decay, or other material problems. Sometimes they will terminate just beneath attic ventilators. This is a defective installation. They must terminate at the exterior and away from a door or window! Also, screens may be present at the duct termination and can accumulate lint and should be noted as improper. 

M1502.3 Duct size.
The diameter of the exhaust duct shall be as required by the clothes dryer’s listing and the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

Look for the exhaust duct size on the data plate.

M1502.4 Transition ducts.
Transition ducts shall not be concealed within construction. Flexible transition ducts used to connect the dryer to the exhaust duct system shall be limited to single lengths not to exceed 8 feet (2438 mm), and shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 2158A.

In general, an inspector will not know specific manufacturer’s recommendations or local applicable codes and will not be able to confirm the dryer vent's compliance to them, but will be able to point out issues that may need to be corrected.

by Nick Gromicko, Rob London and Kenton Shepard 

From Dryer Vent Safety - Int'l Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) http://www.nachi.org/dryer-vent-safety.htm#ixzz1z6hEFQ7e

Don't let your appliances fool you...Recall Chek is here!

An important part of every Long Island home inspection we conduct, is to ensure that appliances and major mechanical systems are working properly.  One area that home inspectors have been limited with, is knowing the potential of any past recall items on those systems or appliances.  For a home buyer, that could lead to a potential danger situation. Until now.

How's My House Home inspections is pleased to announce that we are now including a free Recall Check on all of our home inspections.  With the help of the company Recall Chek, we will now be able to provide to our clients important data on appliances and mechanical systems.  Recall Chek is the first consumer appliance reporting system ever created. The benefits of this service are great.

How the process works.
During the home inspection, we will record information from appliances and mechanical equipment. We will then send the information to Recall Chek, which will use the up to date database of any and all recall reports. They will check the reported appliances and mechanicals to see if there are any outstanding recalls. If there are any affected units, a report will be issued including the nature of the recall, where the product was sold, and how to remedy the defect including how to get the item repaired or replaced absolutely FREE.  Additionally, your product information will be kept on hand, so if a recall occurs in the future, you will automatically be notified.  Now that's piece of mind! 

This is another service that How's My House Home Inspections includes in all Long Island Home Inspections. Very few home inspectors offer this type of additional service. If you are looking for a home inspector on Long Island, call us today 516-732-7595. Let us tell you how we can help you.
You don't need to have a home inspection to take advantage of the recall chek service. For a small fee, you can conduct your own recall check.  Simply click on the button below to get started.