Sump Pump Selection: What Size, Type & Backup System Do You Need?

Most would-be homeowners aren’t aware of what, exactly, a general home inspection does and doesn’t cover. This is why good home inspectors take time to thoroughly explain the Standards of Practice for home inspections to clients who hire us and to set clear expectations upfront. The Standards of Practice (or “SOP”) define what, at minimum, we are required to inspect and not inspect as part of a home inspection. Virtually all home inspectors go beyond the Standards of Practice to provide a worthwhile inspection, but there are a few things that are specifically excluded… and for good reason.

Asbestos, mold, lead, radon gas and other contaminants are specifically excluded from general home inspections, and clients are occasionally confused as to why. I’d like to provide some clarification as to the reason so you have a thorough understanding and know what to expect.

Each contaminant really deserves its own entire article, but I don’t wish to go that deep so I’ll provide a blanket statement to cover them all. Contaminants that can potentially cause adverse health effects are excluded for several reasons. First, a general home inspection is visual and non-invasive. This means that the inspector is not tearing things apart, opening up walls, snaking or scoping through plumbing lines, etc. If it can’t be seen or accessed with relative ease and safety, it is not required to be inspected – period.

This fact, alone, greatly limits an inspector’s ability to uncover contaminants because they may be hidden behind walls, concealed by layers of paint or finishing materials, and so forth. Second, disclosing a possible contaminant in one location opens up the inspector to additional liability. A client could argue that since the inspector was able to identify old tape around a furnace flue as asbestos, he or she should have also been able to identify the asbestos floor and ceiling tiles in the house. If an inspector reports on a contaminant in one area, it could be argued that he/she should have been able to identify it in other areas as well. So by disclosing a contaminant in one area, the inspector opens him or herself up to additional scrutiny.

In reality, while many contaminants are relatively easy to identify by experienced inspectors, not all are – especially when they are not readily accessible. Furthermore, just because something appears to be a contaminant doesn’t mean it definitely is. Often times, testing is the only way to conclusively determine whether something is, in fact, a contaminant.

Additional liability necessitates additional risk and, therefore, additional expense to make the risk worthwhile. It’s for this reason that home inspectors inspect for contaminants separately and require an additional signed contract and fee for the separate inspection. Some inspectors don’t inspect for contaminants outside the Standards of Practice at all, but those who do should be trained and certified to do so and will generally require that the contaminants be inspected separately.

Having to sign a separate agreement and pay an additional fee may seem excessive, but in reality it is beneficial for both the client and the inspector. It benefits the inspector by providing protection against additional risk (both legally and monetarily), but it also benefits the client because a separate agreement and fee means a thorough and detailed analysis of the contaminant(s) being tested. Rather than being lumped in with the many other systems and components of the home, contaminants are given special and detailed attention.

That being said, inspectors often report on obvious contaminants; but the language used to disclose them in the home inspection report will generally be rather vague for the liability reasons I already discussed. Instead of stating that mold was present, an inspector may write that an area appeared to be covered with “microbial growth.” This is a more safe and all-encompassing term that disclosed the presence of apparent organic matter but doesn’t specifically identify it as mold, mildew, etc. Likewise, the inspector may state that a material “appears” to “possibly” be asbestos in an effort to make the client aware without conclusively stating that the material is, in fact, asbestos. By not stating something as a fact, the inspector can rightfully say they were not presenting it as a fact.

Another issue that makes contaminants especially tricky is that each one poses health risks in different ways, and some are rather time sensitive while others are not. For example, houses built after 1978 are not as likely to have lead based paint as houses built prior to that year, but elevated levels of radon gas can exist in any home whether it’s a hundred years old or brand new. With so many variables, each type of contaminant deserves (and really requires) its own dedicated testing to determine its presence or absence, severity, and the best course of action for possible mitigation/abatement.

In short, a general home inspection does not cover the several types of contaminants that may exist in a home, and this is partially due to increased liability but also the unique nature of each contaminant. Don’t expect your home inspection report to contain information on contaminants, but if you are concerned about any contaminants you can pay to have them tested for separately. Just be sure that whoever completes the inspection(s) is trained and qualified to do so.

*To visit our main website, go to http://www.hillinspections.com

It’s not uncommon for me to come across electrical panels that have some corrosion. This is especially common in older panels or panels located in basements or garages (which encompasses most panels in my area) because these panels are typically more exposed to moisture that can lead to oxidation, and time always takes its toll. Oxidation is the loss of electrons due to a chemical reaction with oxygen; and since electricity is composed of electrons, this translates to higher resistance. Simply put, oxidation leads to corrosion (“rust”) which leads to less electrons and higher resistance. The higher the resistance to the electrical current, the greater the risk for an electrical hazard.

I often see corrosion on the surface of panel covers or breakers, but a greater concern is corrosion on the lugs (screws) or the conductors themselves. If these metal parts become corroded – and, therefore, cause greater resistance – the wires have decreased capacity for carrying electrons (current), which can lead to arcing, sparks and other fire or shock hazards.

Corrosion on any electrical panel is never a good sign, but it is particularly concerning when the actual lugs or conductors are corroded. You can’t see these parts without removing the panel cover, and this is something you shouldn’t do if you aren’t experienced and competent.

Before removing a cover, we inspectors quickly tap the cover with the back of our hand and/or test the cover with a voltage pen to ensure it is safe to remove. After unscrewing the cover, we carefully pull the cover straight off to avoid accidentally touching the main disconnect or any breakers since we don’t want to accidentally shut off power to the entire house or any circuits. If you’re doing this on your own, though, it’s a good idea to ensure safety by shutting off the main before even removing the panel.

If you see corrosion on any metal components or fairly substantial corrosion on other parts of the panel, you should call a qualified electrician to have your panel professionally evaluated. A good electrician should be able to tell you with relative ease how great of a risk your panel is in its condition and what steps (if any) should be taken to remedy any corrosion problems.

*To visit our main website, go to http://www.hillinspections.com

Before I begin writing about the main topic of this post, I’d like to recognize a good friend of mine who has greatly contributed to my learning and experience over the years. In fact, he is the one who first made me aware of the importance of electrical panels being properly balanced, which I wrote about in the previous post; and from time to time I still give him a call to pick his brain about things I come across that are out of the ordinary but I know he has likely had experience with. His name is Greg Farlee, and he is a contractor from my hometown of Marion, Ohio. He works solo under his own name (Farlee Contracting) and is one of those “seen it all, done it all” contractors who isn’t afraid of anything he comes across in a home… and it is a shame that we no longer live close to each other. If we did, I’d be recommending him often. If you are reading this and happen to live in the central Ohio area, Greg is the guy you should call!

I wrote in an earlier post some time back about how I learned a good bit early on by shadowing a nephew/uncle contracting duo, and Greg was the nephew in that pair (although he now works alone since he and his uncle are both older). If you have the opportunity to learn from others with vast experience, take it and be sure to express your gratitude!

That being said, let’s move on to the matter at hand – well flow testing on your own. Flow tesing isn’t usually necessary when you have a public water supply because a large treatment plant generally supplies safe water at sufficient pressure. When you have a private well things are quite different, and it’s not a bad idea to make sure your water flow/pressure is sufficient for your household and family needs.

Water flow rates are typically measured in gallons per minute (gpm), and different fixtures average different rates depending on their intended function. Typical flow rates for different fixtures and appliances are as follows: Faucets: 2.5 – 3 gpm, Toilets: 2.2 – 5 gpm, Bathtubs: 4 – 8 gpm, Shower Heads: 2.5 – 5 gpm, Dishwashers: 2 – 3 gpm, Washing Machines: 4 – 5 gpm.

While these ranges are typical, many modern units have been designed for greater efficiency and use less water than the averages listed above. Before conducting a simple do-it-yourself well flow test, you should be familiar with the manufacturer’s information regarding each unit’s normal water usage rate. Often times, the rate is listed on the unit.

So how, exactly, can you do this simple test? Well, as always, hiring a certified inspector/tester is the best way to ensure you get accurate results; but there is a simple way to get a rough idea of the well flow on your own. If you have a 5-gallon bucket or jug, pour one gallon of water at a time into the container and mark the container with a marker at the top of each one-gallon water mark so that each gallon is marked and easy to identify for measuring. You can draw marks between each gallon mark as well to represent half gallons and make your measurements more precise. After marking the container, run water from one fixture at a time into the container. Start a stop watch on your wrist watch or smart phone at the exact moment you turn on the water. At one minute exactly, pull the bucket or jug away from the fixture and shut the water off. Check the water level in your container. The level is the amount of water – measured in gallons – that the fixture put out in one minute (the gpm rate).

If you are testing something like a bathtub that may put out more than 5 gallons per minute, you can simply use two 5-gallon containers and immediately swap out the first container with the second when the first fills up.

Your well system is set up so that once the pressurized water in the house has been used (forced through the system by the well pressure tank) the submersible well pump is signaled to pump more water into the house. As a result, the pressure may drop some while you are testing the flow rate since the water takes some time to get from the deep well into your home. The size of your system, distance of piping runs, and horsepower of your pump all effect how long your water can consistently run at one time with the same pressure.

If you conduct a simple flow test on your own and discover that your water pressure is lower than it should be, consult a reputable well drilling company to evaluate your system and make any necessary alterations. Fixing flow problems is often easier and less costly than you might think since well companies are often contracted with homes and have a vested interest in maintaining their systems.

*To visit our main website, go to http://www.hillinspections.com

In my opinion (and the opinion of many others), electricity is hands-down the most difficult aspect of contruction and building science to fully comprehend, excluding HVAC which most often involves electricity in addition to plumbing or ductwork and complex equipment. It’s why most experienced DIYers don’t tackle big electrical jobs on their own and why electricians charge a lot of money for their expertise.

One often overlooked aspect of electrical panels is balancing. For panels to function well they need to be properly balanced, and fortunately this is easier to determine than you may assume.

A balanced panel is one in which both “hot” legs, or lines, handle a similar amount of amperes (amps). If a panel is unbalanced, one leg is essentially doing more work and taking more wear and tear than the other leg. As a result, the overloaded leg will likely fail or cause a hazard before the other and the panel won’t function optimally.

To determine if your panel is balanced, simply add the total number of amps on each side and compare the two. The majority of the circuits in the panel will be 15 or 20 amps. 15-amp circuits supply lights and other low wattage items. 20-amp circuits typically supply items in kitchens and bathrooms that require more power, like toasters and hair dryers. A few circuits will typically be 240-volt, 2-pole 30, 40 or 50-amp circuits to supply very high wattage appliances like electric dryers, ranges and water heaters.

After adding the total number of amps on each line, compare the two to determine how balanced your electrical panel is. Ideally, they would be nearly identical or within about 10% of each other. At the very most, a difference of up to 25% may be okay, although not ideal. If the difference exceeds this, it would be a good idea to have a qualified electrician move any necessary breakers from the overloaded side to the other side to obtain a balanced panel that will be less of a hazard and hold up for a longer period of time.

*To visit our main website, go to http://www.hillinspections.com

Most home buyers aren’t aware of the fact that the Standards of Practice for home inspectors, which dictate the minimum requirements for what we inspect, do not require the inspection of detached structures, or “outbuildings.” In other words, if the house you are looking to buy has a detached garage, shed, barn, or other outbuilding, chances are your home inspector will not be inspecting it as part of your general home inspection.

Because of this, nearly all home inspectors charge an extra fee for all detached structures. After all, any additional inspecting means additional liability, and the reward should ideally equal or outweigh the potential cost.

Well, just today I had the pleasure of inspecting a property that had two large outbuildings, and I did so completely free of charge. I say I had the “pleasure” because this particular property was previously a saddle shop and the outbuildings were very unique and interesting. In fact, they were downright fun to inspect! I came across an electric boiler in one outbuilding (something I never see), and the other outbuilding contained a furnace that was fueled by a portable gas/oil caddy as opposed to a permanent, in-place tank. The list goes on, but sufficed to say that it was a nice change of pace when I’m used to mostly the “same ol’ same ol’.”

Now, I never charge extra for inspecting detached garages. I figure it isn’t the buyer’s fault that the garage happens to be detached rather than attached; and in reality it is actually easier in many ways to inspect detached garages because there are several rather strict requirements in place for attached garages since they are connected to living space and carry with them several additional requirements. I do, however, normally charge for other detached structures.

My inspection today was so interesting that I didn’t even mind not charging extra for not one, but two, large detached structures. I didn’t realize how substantial each detached structure was prior to inspecting them, but I really didn’t mind the extra work once I arrived and began my process. Yet, after returning home and beginning to write the inspection report, I quickly realized that I was essentially writing three reports in one because each building was essentially a full scale home, equipped with plumbing, electric, heating, attic space, etc.

So there are good reasons for home inspectors charging extra for detached structures. It’s more work and more liability, and those facts essentially demand more compensation. Fortunately for my clients, I do not charge for detached garages, and in cases like today where I wasn’t aware of the size and scope of the detached structures beforehand, the client benefits from an accidental “freebie.” I have to admit, though – despite the fact that I would normally have charged a little extra for outbuildings of this scale, I don’t mind occasionally cutting my losses when the inspection is so unique and interesting. I’m happy to be in a line of work that I greatly enjoy, having the opportunity to see rare features in properties and meet interesting people at every inspection.

If you’re searching for a home inspector, find out if he or she charges for detached structures. But beyond that, dig a little deeper to see if they have a true passion for what they do and if they appreciate the many rewards of our line of work in addition to compensation alone.

*To visit our main website, go to http://www.hillinspections.com