BlogCabin

Is it skill or is it luck?

2007-01-01T20:47:00.000-05:00

Sometimes when you find certain defects during the course of a home inspection, you don't know whether to attribute it to skill or luck. My guess is it's a combination of the two.

Not too long ago, I inspected a home and happened to notice that the laminated flooring near the front door had become slightly delaminated. Not a big deal, right? However, something made me get down on my hands and knees and take a closer look. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that the bottom of the door trim was spongy and wet. And when I opened the adjacent closet door, I smelled a musty odor in the closet. This led me down to the basement and after pulling down the insulation stuffed between the floor joists, I discovered a large, wet area under the door and closet and possibly some mold.

Now I don't know whether this was due to a one-time spill or a leaky door frame (probably the latter) but it definitely got the buyer's attention.

A Day In The Life (Of A Home Inspector)

2006-05-10T14:50:00.000-04:00

Most of the home inspections that I perform for my clients go smoothly and are incident-free. My clients usually attend the inspection, and for about three hours, they get an opportunity to become very well-acquainted with the property that they want to purchase.

Occasionally, things don't always go smoothly. And almost every time they don't, it's because the homeowner is present during the inspection. Usually, this is a recipe for disaster, especially if the homeowner is not well-acquainted with the home inspection process.

"Why are you inspecting the (insert one of the following: attic, plumbing, furnace, wiring, foundation), are you a licensed (insert one of the following: carpenter, plumber, HVAC technician, electrician, structural engineer) ?"

Essentially, what they are really saying is "Who are you to come into my home and pass judgement on it? My house is perfect, there's nothing wrong with it, and this home inspection is a waste of time."

Of course, taking the time to explain the role of a home inspector to the homeowner is the real waste of time, because all the homeowner is trying to do is reduce your credibility with your clients. For my client's benefit, I will take the time to explain how costly it would be to hire a specialist to inspect for each area of their expertise as opposed to a general practitioner (like myself) who has been trained to spot problems in a wide range of areas.

Typically, the rest of the inspection is spent in an adversarial joust with the homeowner as they try to defend the conditions that may be found:

"That foundation crack only leaks in the spring."
"That stain on the ceiling was from the one time that an ice dam formed on the roof."
"There's nothing wrong with the attic ventilation." (same house with the ice dam above)
"The chimney flashing only leaks when the wind blows from the north at 20 mph or more."
"Nobody ever told us we needed a railing on those stairs."
"Polarity, shlamarity, that outlet has always worked just fine."
"We've been using the garbage disposal with our septic system for 20 years."
"The leach field is fine, we just had a new one put in 5 years ago." (same house with garbage disposal above)
And so on.....

For home buyers, my advice is to ask your real estate agent to contact the seller's agent and request that the homeowner not be present during the inspection. This will give you the time to look around freely, ask any questions of the inspector and not feel inhibited by the presence of the homeowner.

For homeowners, my advice is to vacate the premises during a home inspection. What you don't know won't upset you, and you'll have ample opportunity to challenge any findings, if they are even brought to your attention. At worst, you might find out about some conditions of which you weren't even aware.

What Killed Dana Reeve?

2006-03-10T22:07:00.000-05:00

Although it seems like the purpose of this blog is to promote radon testing based upon my previous entries, I can assure you that it is not. However, I am passionate about radon and how uninformed the general public is about it's potential to cause cancer. As most of you know, Dana Reeve, the recent widow of film actor Christopher Reed, died this past week from lung cancer. The news stories that I saw stated that she and her husband were not smokers. However, most of these accounts said that it was a mystery as to how someone could get lung cancer without having smoked or at least being subjected to second hand smoke.

Well, it's not a mystery to me nor should it be to you! Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in people that don't smoke! The U.S. Surgeon General has said it and the EPA has said it. They just do a lousy job of letting everyone know. More than 20,000 deaths in the U.S. each year are attributed to radon. Although we'll never be sure of the exact cause of the lung cancer that killed Dana Reeve, radon is certainly the most likely candidate. Get your home tested for radon. What you don't know can kill you.

www.epa.gov/radon/healthrisks.html

Dear This Old House

2005-12-13T00:13:00.000-05:00

Dear TOH,

Having just received the December issue of TOH magazine, I want to applaud you for your "How It Works" article on carbon monoxide alarms. Most importantly, with this article you've reminded your readers of the danger posed by an invisible, odorless gas that can kill, while providing them with some interesting facts about CO alarms. However, one fact really struck me. In the article, it states that more than 200 deaths occur in the U.S. each year from CO poisoning. As important as this number is, it pales in comparison to the number of deaths caused by another invisible, odorless gas in all of our homes. Radon gas.

The EPA estimates that 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the U.S. each year are caused by elevated levels of radon gas in some of our homes. That number exceeds the combined number of annual deaths caused in homes by falls, electrocution, fires or CO poisoning, yet most homes have code mandated safety features like railings, GFCI outlets and smoke or fire alarms (only 1/3 have CO alarms as per your informative article). In the state of Maine, where I live, one out of every two homes has a radon gas level higher than the EPA recommended mitigation level!

There's a huge disconnect here and our government hasn't done a great job in getting these important words out: Get Tested! It's the only way to find out whether a home has high radon levels. The good news is that if a home has elevated radon levels, it usually can be mitigated to acceptable levels at a reasonable cost.

You folks have an opportunity to perform a great public service by making your readers and viewers more aware of radon gas and how they can get it reduced to acceptable levels, both in new home construction and in existing homes. Please check it out.

Here are some links that I have found useful when explaining radon gas to my home inspection clients:

www.epa.gov/radon
http://www.aarst.org/radon_info.shtml
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/pressreleases/sg01132005.html
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/radon/images/rooftops_psa.mpeg (public service announcement)

Thanks for listening and keep up the great work!

Phil Petroska
Harrison, Maine

Here I Go Again (About Radon)

2005-11-22T12:14:00.000-05:00

Time to get up on my radon pedestal again!

The other day, I ran into another real estate agent who's severely misinformed about radon gas and the potential health effects it can cause. Maybe 10 or 15 years ago, I could understand the distrust of the facts about radon, but not now. We know so much more now than we did then. Radon gas causes lung cancer. Simple. Black and white. Just like the Surgeon General Warning on cigarette packs, on January 13, 2005, the Surgeon General issued the following National Health Advisory:

"Indoor radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and breathing it over prolonged periods can present a significant health risk to families all over the county," Dr. Carmona said. "It's important to know that this threat is completely preventable. Radon can be detected with a simple test and fixed through well-established venting techniques."

For the full advisory text, visit http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/pressreleases/sg01132005.html.

Getting back to my misinformed real estate agent friend, as he stood outside taking a drag from his cigarette, he said, "I just think this radon stuff is a bunch of baloney."

Enough said.

For the facts about radon, visit http://www.epa.gov/radon/.

Got Radon?

2005-08-23T10:58:00.000-04:00

Although I've been offering radon detection services for a number of years, it has not been something that I've actively pushed. However, this past week, I conducted a radon test on a one year old home that resulted in an average reading of 100.2 pCi/L. The EPA recommends that you fix any home that has radon concentrations of 4.0 pCi/L or higher. So you can see that this home has a huge radon problem.

For those of you who don't know, radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that eminates from the soil and seeps into homes through cracks and other openings in basements, crawlspaces and slabs. There is no safe level of radon, but the lower the concentration, the lower the risk. Lung cancer caused by radon is estimated to cause more than 20,000 deaths in the U.S. each year, making it the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. The good news is that most homes with high radon levels can be fixed at a reasonable price.

If you haven't had your home tested for radon, do it now! Kits are available in most hardware stores for less than $25 which includes the cost of analyzing the samples. The only way to determine whether your house has a radon problem is to test. You can't go by neighborhood location, soil types, etc. A house located next to a high radon home could have perfectly normal results, but you have to test to be sure. For more information, visit http://www.epa.gov/iaq/radon/.

I know that from now on, my home inspection clients will be required to sign a waiver agreement acknowledging that I have given them the option to test for radon, in the event that they decline to have testing performed.

This Is Not A Lava Lamp!

2005-08-17T05:31:00.000-04:00

I came across this fixture during a recent inspection.

Sort of reminiscent of a Three Stooges episode, don't you think?

As best as we could determine, the liquid was water that may have entered through a leak in the roof, probably at the plumbing vent. The water gravitated to a low spot on the ceiling where this fixture was located and dripped into the light fixture.

There was no access to the attic, so the exact source of the leak could not be determined.

Who's on your side?

2005-02-17T10:28:00.000-05:00

As the home buying season gets back into full swing, I typically get a number of calls from potential clients who call to get information about home inspections. After explaining the services that I provide and quoting them a price, they usually agree to have me perform their home inspection and we tentatively discuss a date and time. The buyer's next step is to set up a firm appointment with their real estate agent for me to do the inspection. It is after this point that I often never hear from the home buyers again.

Why?

Often it's because the real estate agent has persuaded the home buyer to either not have an inspection done or to use some other inspector that they recommend, usually the latter. The important question that needs to be asked by the home buyer is: whose interests does the real estate agent truly represent? Those of the buyer or those of the seller? In almost all circumstances, unless the buyer has executed a buyer's agency agreement with the real estate agent, that agent legally represents the interests of the seller. This is the case, even if the agent has shown a number of different homes to the prospective buyers that are listed by different agencies.

So now the question is, if the home buyer selects a home inspector recommended by an agent that technically represents the seller, is that in the home buyer's best interests?

I'll leave the answer to that question up to you. For more information on Buyer's Agency, visit http://realtor.com/Basics/AllAbout/Realtors/Represent.asp?poe=realtor.

What's behind the curtain? (or under the cloth?)

2004-11-18T08:07:00.000-05:00

Ready for another home inspection surprise?

A punctured cook top was hiding underneath the neat display of pots and pans. Again, as in the previous post, this defect wasn't disclosed because the seller was renting the house out to a tenant who hadn't yet informed the seller of the problem.

Things aren't always as they seem!

2004-11-15T19:12:00.000-05:00

Think you don't need a home inspection? Here's an example of something you might miss when you view your prospective new home with the real estate agent:

Yes, that is a hole in the tub/shower surround, which was hidden behind the towel in the first picture. Because we make a point of running the shower in every home we inspect and because we were considerate enough to remove the towel so it wouldn't get wet, we were able to uncover this defect that had not been disclosed by the seller. For the record, the seller claims that they were unaware of the defect because the home had been rented to a tenant.

What if the home inspection report reveals problems?

2004-11-14T18:40:00.000-05:00

No house is perfect. If the inspector identifies problems, it doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't buy the house, only that you will know in advance what to expect. A seller may adjust the purchase price or contract terms if major problems are found. If your budget is tight, or if you don't wish to become involved in future repair work, this information will be extremely important to you.

Click for more home inspection information.

Do I have to be present for the home inspection?

2004-11-12T08:34:00.000-05:00

It is not necessary for you to be present for the inspection, but it is strongly recommended. You will be able to observe the inspector and ask questions directly, as you learn about the condition of the home, how its systems work, and how to maintain it. You will also find the written report easier to understand if you've seen the property first-hand through the inspector's eyes.

Click here for more home inspection information.

When do I call in the home inspector?

2004-11-11T17:48:00.000-05:00

A home inspector is typically contacted right after the contract or purchase agreement has been signed, and is often available within a few days. However, before you sign, be sure that there is an inspection clause in the contract, making your purchase obligation contingent upon the findings of a professional home inspection. This clause should specify the terms to which both the buyer and seller are obligated.

Click here for more home inspection information.

Can a home fail inspection?

2004-11-10T18:01:00.000-05:00

No. A professional home inspection is an examination of the current condition of your prospective home. It is not an appraisal, which determines market value, or a municipal inspection, which verifies local code compliance. A home inspector, therefore, will not pass or fail a house, but rather describe its physical condition and indicate what may need repair or replacement.

Click here for more home inspection information.

What does a home inspection cost?

2004-11-07T09:51:00.000-05:00

The inspection fee for a typical one-family house varies geographically, as does the cost of housing. Similarly, within a given area, the inspection fee may vary depending upon the size of the house, particular features of the house, its age, and possible additional services, such as septic, well, or radon testing. It is a good idea to check local prices on your own.

However, do not let cost be a factor in deciding whether or not to have a home inspection, or in the selection of your home inspector. The knowledge gained from an inspection is well worth the cost, and the lowest-priced inspector is not necessarily a bargain. The inspector's qualifications, including his experience, training, and professional affiliations, should be the most important consideration.

For more information, visit http://northcountryhomeinspections.com/home_inspection_faq.htm.

Can't I do my own home inspection?

2004-11-08T19:14:00.000-05:00

Even the most experienced home owner lacks the knowledge and expertise of a professional home inspector who has inspected hundreds, perhaps thousands, of homes in his or her career. An inspector is familiar with the many elements of home construction, their proper installation, and maintenance. He or she understands how the home's systems and components are intended to function together, as well as how and why they fail.

Above all, most buyers find it very difficult to remain completely objective and unemotional about the house they really want, and this may affect their judgment. For the most accurate information, it is best to obtain an impartial third-party opinion by an expert in the field of home inspection.

Click here for more home inspection information.

Should I use an engineer for a home inspection?

2004-11-09T08:15:00.000-05:00

Some people would have you believe that only an engineer is qualified to perform home inspections. In some cases consumers have been led to believe that a home inspection involves engineering analysis and therefore requires the use of a licensed Professional Engineer.

Visual home inspections do not involve engineering analysis, even when performed by PE's. In fact, engineering is an entirely different type of investigation, which entails detailed scientific measurements, tests, calculations, and/or analysis. Such a technically exhaustive analysis involves considerable time and expense, and is only appropriate when visual evidence exists to indicate a problem that warrants further specialized investigation.

In most states a Professional Engineer can simply state that they are a PE, regardless whether the degree was obtained in mechanical, electrical, civil, sanitary, structural or any other discipline of engineering.

Using a home inspector rather than an engineer for a basic home inspection would be like visiting your family doctor or physician rather than a specialist for a general checkup. You don't visit a brain surgeon or heart specialist for a yearly physical. If the general practitioner finds something unusual or something that warrants further analysis, they will refer you to the appropriate specialist.

A good home inspector will recommend either the services of an engineer, disciplined in a particular field, or other specialist when the need for further investigation is warranted.

For more home inspection information, visit http://northcountryhomeinspections.com.

Why do I need a home inspection?

2004-11-06T09:05:00.000-05:00

The purchase of a home is probably the largest single investment you will ever make. You should learn as much as you can about the condition of the property and the need for any major repairs before you buy, so that you can minimize unpleasant surprises and difficulties afterwards.

Of course, a home inspection also points out the positive aspects of a home, as well as the maintenance that will be necessary to keep it in good shape. After the inspection, you will have a much clearer understanding of the property you are about to purchase.

If you are already a home owner, a home inspection may be used to identify problems in the making and to learn preventive measures which might avoid costly future repairs. If you are planning to sell your home, you may wish to have an inspection prior to placing your home on the market. This will give you a better understanding of conditions which may be discovered by the buyer's inspector, and an opportunity to make repairs that will put the house in better selling condition.

For more home inspection information, visit "QUOTA", "Questions U Ought To Ask".

Has your home been invaded by radon?

2004-10-22T15:49:00.000-04:00

As a home inspector, one of the services that I perform for many of my clients is radon testing. However, I am constantly surprised by the number of clients who allow their real estate agent to talk them out of having the testing done. The comments from agents usually follow along the lines of "that neighborhood doesn't have it." Whether the comments stem from ignorance or a desire to not muck up the deal, probably varies from agent to agent. The bottom line is that radon is a very real health problem. Fortunately, in most cases, it is easy and relatively inexpensive to reduce elevated radon levels to an acceptable level.

Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally in the soil and in groundwater. It seeps into homes through the basement, crawlspace, slab or carried by well water. It is only considered a potential health problem when the concentrations are higher than normal. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. and it is why the EPA and the Surgeon General recommend that all homes be tested. Every home in the U.S. has the potential to have elevated levels of radon. The only way to find out is to test the home. The fact that one home has an acceptable radon level is not a predictor for the home next door or down the street.

For more information about radon, visit the U.S. EPA's Radon Home Page or EPA's A Citizen's Guide to Radon. Then get your home tested!

What does a home inspection include?

2004-11-04T10:13:00.000-05:00

The standard home inspector's report will review the condition of the home's heating system, central air conditioning system (temperature permitting), interior plumbing and electrical systems; the roof, attic, and visible insulation; walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors; the foundation, basement, and visible structure.

What is a "Home Inspection"?

2004-11-03T13:48:00.000-05:00

A home inspection is an objective visual examination of the physical structure and systems of a home, from the roof to the foundation. Having a home inspected is like giving it a physical check-up. If problems or symptoms are found, the inspector may recommend further evaluation by a specialist in the area of concern (structural engineer, electrician, HVAC technician, etc.).

What do you mean I have a leak?

2004-10-25T10:08:00.000-04:00

When I perform a home inspection for a buyer, it's quite common that I uncover conditions of which the seller was unaware. Most of the time, these conditions result from poor maintenance but sometimes, it can be from a lack of knowledge or common sense.

Imagine the surprise of one seller when I informed her that the brand new boiler, that she had installed in her garage, was an extreme safety hazard. If one of the cars that she parked in the garage were ever to leak fuel or fumes, the oil burner could easily ignite and blow up the garage and possibly the home.

Related to the above paragraph, one of the more common conditions that I find is the lack of a firewall between the garage and the home. Often this is because the garage was added later and possibly even constructed by the homeowner. In addition, the door between the home and the garage should be an approved fire resistant construction.

Foundation cracks, rafter cracks, rotting sills, plumbing leaks and wiring problems are some of the other types of conditions that I typically find and which the seller is often unaware. The good news is that there is a solution to avoiding these kinds of suprises for the seller.

By having a pre-listing inspection performed on the home, before it is put on the market, the homeowner can avoid the surprises that a typical home inspection uncovers. This gives the homeowner the opportunity to correct any defects or to disclose any pre-existing conditions which can then be reflected in the selling price of the home.

What is it?

2004-10-20T17:36:00.000-04:00

You won't find this setup at the local stove shop! While inspecting a cabin in western Maine for a home inspection client one recent summer, this is the heating system we encountered. The cabin was owned by a Russian immigrant who was an engineer, so I call this a "Russian flue". I thought it was kind of a neat idea but the new owner's insurance company thought otherwise. They made her remove it, probably because of the number of twists and turns involved, as well as the increased surface area for creasote to cool out and accumulate, either in the flue or in the chimney.

Get at least three!

2004-10-19T01:42:00.000-04:00

In the last few weeks, we completed a major update to our home heating system. More importantly, we learned a valuable lesson about dealing with contractors!

When we bought our home seven years ago, it had a 20 year old boiler that made steam to supply the old fashioned cast iron radiators in the home. Unfortunately, only about half of the 12 rooms in the house had radiators. The remaining rooms were unheated. As a stopgap measure, I installed electric baseboard heaters in the previously unheated rooms (mostly bedrooms). It became obvious within the first year, that electric heat and Maine winters, combined with a drafty 100 year old home, were not an optimal combination!

Extending the steam piping to the remaining rooms was considered but didn't seem practical as very few heating contractors have steam heating expertise. My feeling was that the boiler still had a lot of life left in it, so I thought it might be worthwhile to convert it from steam to hot water and install new baseboard units in all the rooms. That combined with using plastic piping (PEX) to connect the baseboard heaters to the boiler, might make it more feasible than any other alternative.

A couple of years ago, we decided to make the change. The first heating contractor came to my house and looked over the old system. I explained my ideas for converting the boiler to hot water and running new baseboard. He looked and he thought. He thought some more and he looked some more. In fact, I don't believe that he ever said a word the whole time that he was at my home. I gave him my notes and asked him to get back to me with a quote. I never heard from him again.

The second contractor brought an engineer with him. He looked at the old boiler, and said it would not be a problem to convert it to hot water. He measured all the rooms, took detailed notes and said he would get back with a quote. After a few months of calling, I finally received a quote of $21,000 to complete the project. I thought that this was quite high, especially since it didn't include a new boiler! However, it was a reputable company and I had no point of comparison since the last heating system that I had purchased was installed over 20 years ago. After making a number of calls to other plumbing and heating contractors, I couldn't find anyone that was even willing to give me a quote on what I wanted to do. I called the second contractor back and told them that we were ready to get started. They said fine. We never heard from them again.

Earlier this year, I happened to mention my problem to a realtor that I work with on occasion. She mentioned that her son was in the plumbing and heating business and that I should give him a call. He was basically a one man operation, doesn't advertise and relies on word of mouth for obtaining jobs. Desperate, but not really sure about this guy, I gave him a call and he came over to check out the boiler and make some measurements. Within a week or so, he came back with his quote of $8400. Trying hard not to act surprised, I told him that I would get back to him. After receiving a previous quote of $21,000, I had serious doubts that the job could be professionally done for $8400! However, he was willing to get to work within a few weeks and he and I were on the same wavelength about what I wanted to do.

The end result was exactly as I had hoped for it to be. We now have heat in all of our rooms. The system runs smoothly, quietly and efficiently. The contractor thoroughly cleaned the boiler, replaced some parts, installed new piping and ran new baseboard throughout the house. His workmanship was top notch and he completed the job in about 3 weeks. My contribution was to remove the old steam piping and come up with creative ways to run the piping and thermostat wires through closets and crawlspace.

The bottom line is that it took a minimum of three interviews to find a contractor that had the time, the willingness and the expertise to do the job at a fair price. In retrospect, I consider myself to be very lucky that the first two contractors didn't really want the business. The lesson I learned is that you may need to explore as many alternatives as you can, to achieve the results that you want.

Welcome!

2004-10-18T21:21:00.000-04:00

This is the inaugural post for BlogCabin. The goal is to publish information and observations that might be of interest to current and prospective homeowners.

Currently, my wife and I are in the midst of renovating our 100 year old home located on Long Lake in Harrison, Maine. We'll keep you informed about the trials and tribulations regarding that, as well as providing some insights that occasionally arise from the home inspection business that I operate.

Stay tuned, and welcome to BlogCabin!