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

Every now and then I have the fortunate experience of running across rare and unique forms of construction at inspections. Recently, I had the pleasant surprise of coming across a concrete beam and block suspended ceiling at a house I inspected. Most people have never heard of (let alone seen) this type of floor system, and I’d like to describe it so – if nothing else – you can share in my fascination.

Nearly all suspended residential floor systems throughout the U.S. are made of wood, and we have come to view wood floor construction (wood girders, joists, and subfloors) as the norm. In some other countries, though, concrete is a more common building material than wood for many applications. A friend of mine grew up in India and told me he was amazed when he first moved to America and discovered that all the houses were “built of flimsy sticks.” He was used to homes being built with mostly concrete.

Concrete beam and block foundations like the one I recently saw have gained popularity in the United Kingdom and some other Western countries. The system consists of concrete beams in the shape of a T, known simply as T-beams, and the “T” is inverted so that the top side of the T shape is facing down. Concrete blocks are then laid perpendicular to the T-beams, side-by-side between them, on top of the bottom lips of the beams and flush with the tops. The beams bear on the exterior foundation walls and interior support walls, and the concrete blocks are made to be lighter weight than normal so the load isn’t too great for the foundation to support.

There are several benefits to this type of floor structure. As you can imagine, it is very strong. Installation of the system is also relatively simple and is not weather dependent since, unlike wood, the concrete is not very susceptible to water damage. It is also good at resisting damage from water and pests and is suitable for radiant floor systems since the concrete is a good radiator of heat. Unlike wood floors that are prone to bouncing and squeaking, those issues are virtually non-existent with a concrete beam and block floor system.

It’s not likely that the long-standing, traditional construction practices here in America will change any time soon. Still, it’s pretty exciting to occasionally run into oddities that are rare and different. If you’re looking into building a home, you may want to consider the option of a suspended concrete beam and block foundation, provided you can find a contractor who knows enough about the system’s design and installation requirements. In any case, it’s interesting to know about different building practices that are common elsewhere but rarely seen in our own country.

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

All homeowners are aware that they need to maintain their homes and take care of certain “to-do”s each season, but knowing the right time to do each task can be confusing and, at times, overwhelming. I’d like to provide some clarification on the best seasons to check off items on your home maintenance “to-do” list so you can be confident that you’re doing what needs done at the right times of the year.

First, one of the best things you can do is hire a home inspector to perform an annual home maintenance checkup each year. The checkup inspection will provide you with a thorough overview of your home’s major systems and components as well as information on how much longer they are likely to last based on their average life expectancy. Think of this as a general physical exam you would see your family doctor for once a year. Most homeowners are capable of handling a majority of the tasks that need done each season, but thoroughly inspecting the home is a vital job that is beyond the scope of basic homeownership, and nothing can replace a professional inspector for this important maintenance task.

Aside from the annual checkup, there are certain things you should do at least once a year, and which season you do them depends on when it makes the most sense. Some tasks should be done twice a year, and we will review the two seasons that make the most sense for those tasks.

SPRING: Aside from the spring cleaning most people do, spring is an ideal time to clean out your gutters and downspouts, check your roof and its components, have your central air conditioning system serviced by a qualified HVAC technician, check the shut-off valves on your plumbing supply lines, look over your foundation walls for any new cracks, install screens in exterior windows and doors, and clean your kitchen exhaust filter. The winter can be a rough time for your roof, foundation and plumbing system, in particular, due to freezing temperatures that can affect soil and pipes and snow and ice that exert pressure on the roof. Once the cold weather has cleared up, it is a perfect time to make sure there is no new damage to your roof or foundation from the winter and that your plumbing is intact with no leaks and valves that still operate properly. Before the heat of summer comes, having your A/C system serviced is a good idea to ensure it is set to perform optimally before it is frequently used.

SUMMER: When summer rolls around and you will likely be outside more, it is a good idea to check the exterior components of your home. Look over your deck, porches, balconies, and other exterior structures for deterioration. Check your siding to make sure no new holes or deterioration have formed after the heavy rains of spring. If anything needs a facelift, use this time to take care of that maintenance. Since spring brings a lot of rain, it is a good idea to check your foundation and roof once again. If you notice any new damage, contact a qualified contractor immediately for repair. Last but not least, you will want to thoroughly check any children’s play equipment for structural integrity since summer is when the equipment will be used most and the safety of children is of utmost importance.

FALL: The fall requires more maintenance than any other season. As the leaves begin to fall and the winter approaches, there are unfortunately many tasks that need to be done. Fall is the best time to have your gutters and downspouts thoroughly cleaned. I mentioned doing this in the spring as well, but if you opt to only have them cleaned once a year it is ideal to do it in the fall and at the end of the season. To ensure your heating system will function well all winter, it is important to have a qualified HVAC technician service the system and to take measures to prevent frozen pipes; and fall is the perfect time. Along those lines, you will want to have a qualified chimney sweep clean out your chimney and check the damper for proper operation. This is important for any chimney, but especially if you have a wood-burning fireplace. After mowing all summer and using other gas-powered outdoor equipment, you will want to be sure that the fuel for that equipment is used up prior to winter so it doesn’t stay sitting in the equipment all winter long. Any bird nests that have formed in the flue or around the exterior of the house during the warm season should be removed during the fall. Finally, you should take time near the end of the fall season to check your caulking around exterior doors and windows to prevent unwanted heat loss in the winter and replace any door or window screens to aid in energy efficiency.

WINTER: Most home maintenance occurs in the warmer months between spring and autumn, but winter still requires some attention. Since combustion is much more likely to occur during the winter from fireplaces, furnaces, and other heat sources, the beginning of the winter is the perfect time to check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors so you know they are working properly and will help keep your family safe during the cold season. Along those lines, you should ensure that all family members are aware of where gas shut-off valves are located and how to shut them off in case of emergency. Water hoses for appliances like dishwashers, refrigerator icemakers and washing machines should be checked for cracks and deterioration at the beginning of winter, and any damaged hoses should be replaced. If you burn wood during the winter, you will want to make sure that all wood is a good distance away from the house, despite how tempting it is to keep it nearby. Twenty feet or farther from the house is ideal. If you have a generator, you will likely want to test it at the beginning of winter to make sure it will work well if and when you need it most, and unless you have a new house with PEX plumbing and more than adequate insulation you will want to frequently check for plumbing leaks throughout the winter season.

This list is certainly not exhaustive, but doing the tasks listed at the recommended times will help a great deal in maintaining your home, prolonging the useful life of your home’s systems and components, and keeping your family safe. Remember, while you can likely do a lot of the work listed here on your own, nothing can take the place of qualified contractors for servicing and/or repairing certain components of your home, and nothing can act as a substitute for a professional inspector who can thoroughly evaluate your home year after year.

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

Most people don’t think of child-proofing their homes unless they have an infant or toddler of their own. This may seem to make sense, but in reality many homeowners – including those who don’t have small children of their own – are wise to take measures to protect young children from potential hazards in their house.  Grandparents, aunts and uncles, and friends of people with young children may all find themselves in a situation where child-proofing is absolutely necessary. Here are a few quick pointers on how to go about making your home child-friendly.

Most people are familiar with the obvious procedures… receptacle and door knob covers, safety gates, etc. But many people aren’t familiar with what else can be done to make their home safer for children.

Beyond the already mentioned safety guards, you can take many additional, helpful measures. You can install cushioned corner guards on your coffee table, fireplace hearth extension, and other areas with sharp corners in case a child falls or runs into the corners. Securing bookcases into wall studs with appropriate hardware, such as simple L brackets, will prevent the bookcases from falling if a toddler crawls into them and could otherwise tip them over. As a general rule, anything that could be hazardous and is low and within reach of a child should be moved to a higher location that the child can’t access.

If you currently store cleaning products under your kitchen or bathroom sink like most people, you can move them to higher cabinetry or shelving so they are out of reach as they are toxic. I, myself, got ahold of a bottle of lamp oil when I was three years old, drank it and developed pneumonia! Don’t let the same thing happen to a child in your home. Instead, store pots, pans and hand towels in these areas, which are not nearly as likely to cause physical harm. In addition, you can install plastic latches on your cabinet doors that are easily pressed down for adults to open but not so easy for children to access.

To properly child-proof your home, you really need to think like a toddler. Assume that anything at a low level and anything graspable is something that small children WILL be curious about and touch. Keep floors and anything in the lower half of rooms generally clean, free of clutter, and covered when necessary.

One handy safety device that you may not know exists is a child safety toilet lock. A lever attaches to the top of the toilet seat and locks into a mechanism mounted to the toilet tank. Yes, it’s pretty unsightly, but it’s better than having a toddler fall into the toilet or hit their head with the seat.

Be sure, as well, to always close exterior doors so a child can’t crawl outside and fall or get injured in another way. Ensure that all attached exterior areas (porches, decks, balconies, and so forth) have sturdy and properly installed railings and properly spaced spindles to prevent children from falling or getting their head stuck IF, by some chance, they do happen to find their way outside.

Last but not least, be cautious in protecting your children if you have pets. Many pets are great, and even protective, with children and seem to instinctively know that small children are fragile and easily hurt. Still, a simple scratch can hurt a small child quite a bit, and proper precautions and constant supervision are a must when toddlers and animals are together.

I hope this article has provided you with some extra food for thought that you may have not previously known about or considered for child-proofing your home. Feel free to leave any additional insights and helpful tips you may have discovered on your own!

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

In a previous post, I discussed the different types of cracks you may commonly see throughout your home and in foundation walls. In this post, we’ll go over some of the most common options for repairing displaced foundation walls and some of the pros and cons of each option.

It is common for foundation walls to move inward over time as a house settles and experiences pressure. This pressure comes from the freeze/thaw cycle, hydrostatic (water) pressure, expansive clay soils, large tree roots, and other factors. Foundation walls are designed to support load from above, not from the side, and if the pressure from soil is too great for too long, the wall will begin to move inward because it can’t resist the force. As this happens, evidence (such as cracking) will indicate that the wall has moved and may need dealt with to avoid a structural failure. If you notice displacement (bowing, buckling, etc.) of your foundation walls, be sure to deal with it immediately.

At times, a foundation wall is so bad that the only viable solution is to dig around the exterior and replace the wall. Fortunately, though, in many cases the wall can be dealt with from the interior, which saves a lot of work and expense. Some of the most common interior repair options are steel I-beams, helical wall anchors, and carbon fiber strips. Knowing which option to go with requires some basic knowledge of how each option works.

A common steel I-beam option requires that the contractor digs into the concrete floor at the base of the wall, installs I-beams vertically against the wall, and secures them to the floor joist system above. I-beams are in the shape of an “I” – hence their name. Once installed, the dug portions of the floor are refilled with concrete so that the beams become a permanent part of the structure at the foundation and prevent any further inward movement of the wall. A downside to common I-beams is that they are not very visually appealing and take up some space along the wall. If the basement is not finished and the beams are exposed, this isn’t an attractive option to some homeowners. Fortunately, there is an option called “channel steel,” which has a lower profile but still possesses the strength of larger I-beams, and many contractors now use channel steel to ensure a good repair with more visual appeal.

One I-beam system, called the “PowerBrace” system, utilizes large screws at the top of the beams that can be turned periodically over time to exert pressure and eventually force the wall back into proper alignment. The I-beams for this system are installed with an anchor at the base, eliminating the need for digging out portions of the concrete floor.

Helical wall anchors are installed by helicals (large screws) being driven into soil at a depth that is not affected by freezing, temperature changes, moisture, etc. A metal plate and anchor are installed on the interior side of the wall, as well as an earth anchor in the ground. The opposing sides from the soil and wall are connected by a rod and exert pressure in opposing directions. This counteracts hydrostatic pressure and pulls the wall back into alignment and prevents further inward movement; and this system does not take up the space that I-beams do. The installation of helical wall anchors requires some precision planning and load testing. Some exterior excavation may also be required, depending on the method used. In short, it can be a bit complicated, so some contractors do not have the capability of installing them properly.

In more recent years, carbon fiber strips have become very popular as an easier, less obtrusive, and often more cost-effective method for foundation repair. Carbon fiber is one of the strongest materials available (about ten times stronger than steel), and it is extremely good at resisting force. Carbon fiber strips are installed by sanding down the vertical areas where they will be placed, applying a two-part epoxy, and adhering the strips to the wall. If properly installed, they tend to do a good job of preventing the wall from moving any farther inward because as the wall attempts to move inward the carbon fiber resists the pressure and does not stretch. Imagine a rubber band attached flat against your finger versus a piece of metal. As you bend your finger, the rubber band will easily bend with it, but if you attempted to bend your finger with the metal on it, your finger would not move at all. Carbon fiber strips lie flat against the wall and can be painted over after installation, allowing for a non-obtrusive and more visually appealing option. Unfortunately, carbon fiber strips can only be used on walls that have moved inward less than 2 inches and that are generally consistent. Therefore, they are not an option for severely bowed walls or walls with significant and varied cracking. They are also most effective with walls that have moved inward toward the center and are not as effective with walls that have moved inward at the bottom or top. And unlike some of the other options listed here, current carbon fiber options are not capable of forcing a wall back into alignment.

If you have a foundation wall in need of repair, the best option depends on several factors. Is the wall displaced more than 2 inches? Are you concerned with bringing the wall back into alignment, or merely preventing the wall from moving inward any farther? Are you intending to finish over the wall or leave the area exposed and visible? Does the wall’s appearance matter to you if it will remain visible? Is it the top, middle or bottom area of the wall that has moved inward? These questions, and others, will all have an impact on determining the best option for your particular needs, and the qualified contractor you hire to perform the job should be capable of guiding you in your decision.

Fortunately, the options mentioned are less costly than you might assume. They also don’t typically take much time. In addition, most foundation repair contractors and companies guarantee their work for at least ten years, if not for the entire life of the home. Do your homework to determine the best contractor to hire based on their experience, the method they plan to use, cost and warranty. Armed with the knowledge of this article and a reliable, trustworthy contractor, your foundation repair will likely be less troublesome and costly than you might have assumed.

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

At Hill Property Inspections LLC, we proudly provide all of our home inspection clients with a free, zero deductible 90-day home warranty through a separate company called Residential Warranty Services (RWS). The warranty is good for 90 days from the date of inspection, or 22 days after closing on the property – whichever comes later. We automatically enroll all of our home inspection clients in the warranty, so they do not have to do any tedious paperwork at all. Home inspectors nationwide have started offering similar warranties as a bonus to valued clients in order to provide exceptional customer service and much needed protection.

Recently, I was surprised when a real estate agent told me, “All the other home inspectors I deal with guarantee their work just like you, so your warranty is no different and is not a big selling point.” Upon hearing this, I realized that the agent didn’t understand what a home warranty actually is (since other home inspectors nearby aren’t offering warranties and home inspection companies are legally prohibited from offering them); and if a realtor doesn’t understand the value of this benefit, ordinary home buyers definitely can’t be expected to understand! So, I’d like to take a brief moment to describe home warranties and the importance of hiring a home inspection company that provides them through a partner company so you know you are getting the protection you deserve!

First, a “guarantee” is not at all the same thing as a warranty. Of course, all of us who provide inspection services stand by, and therefore “guarantee,” the findings in our inspection reports. After all, we are legally liable for what we do or do not report at the time of inspection, so our expert opinion is, by nature, “guaranteed.” Standing by our findings, though, does not at all guarantee repair or replacement of any defective components of the inspected property. It simply means that we are confident in our ability to find and recognize defects in a home. There are many safeguards in place to protect inspectors from having to pay to repair defects since any component of a home can unexpectedly fail at any time. No home buyer would expect a home inspector to pay for the repair or replacement of a defective component that was functioning properly at the time of their inspection but developed a problem later.

So what, exactly, is a home warranty? A home warranty is a paid contract that provides additional protection to YOU, the home buyer. Like other warranties, it covers the repair or replacement of components of the home that become defective within a specified timeframe. We’ve all purchased warranties for different items, so most people understand this basic concept. Since warranties must be paid for, someone has to foot the bill; and at HPI we pay for the warranty on behalf of our clients as a courtesy and a gesture of appreciation for their business.

Not everything is protected, or “covered,” by the home warranty, though. The warranty we provide at HPI through RWS does not cover anything listed as a defect in our inspection report since the client knows about the issue(s) before purchasing the property. You could think of these things in insurance terms as “pre-existing conditions.” It also doesn’t cover certain appliances not listed in the warranty or any appliance over ten years old, since they have outlived their normal life expectancy by that point. Nearly everything else – structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, roofing, HVAC, and so forth – is covered and will be corrected by a qualified contractor, completely free of charge, within 72 hours of filing a claim.

Many people opt to purchase an even more comprehensive and longer lasting home warranty. These warranties cover more items and are typically in effect for at least a year, if not longer. If you are selling a home and dealing with a reputable real estate agency, there is a chance you may be covered by the agency during the listing period with a seller’s warranty to protect you in case anything goes wrong while you’re attempting to sell your home. This point raises the importance of doing your research when deciding what agency to use and the value they offer when you’re planning to sell your home. In any case (whether buying or selling), it is wise to be sure that you have a warranty in place to protect your investment.

Home warranties with longer terms often come with a fairly high price tag, as you might imagine. They are typically several hundred dollars, at minimum. If you hire a home inspector who offers a free short-term home warranty through a partner company like we do, you at least have added protection for some length of time and will likely get the warranty without having to pay a dime or do a bit of paperwork. The fact that home warranties are quite costly also tells you how likely it is that something may go wrong and that you may need the protection. Often times, homeowners encounter problems shortly after moving into a new home, so a 90-day home warranty can certainly be a major blessing.

As you can see, all services are NOT created equal. A guarantee of the findings on a home inspection report won’t help you one bit if and when you need an item in your new home repaired or replaced. A free home warranty, on the other hand, provides you with just that, giving you added peace of mind at a stressful time when you’re making a huge, long-term investment. The old phrase “put your money where your mouth is” is something that we inspectors who provide home warranties to our clients actually DO!

Before hiring a home inspector, ask if he or she provides a free home warranty through another company. If you choose to not spend a good amount of money on a longer term home warranty, this is especially important to give you the protection you need upon first taking possession of your new home. Understand that no home inspection company offers an actual warranty and that their “guaranteed” statements are simply findings that the expert inspector had reported at the exact time of inspection and is willing to stand by despite the fact that anything could go wrong with the home at any time.

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