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

If you live in a rural area, chances are you have a septic system. Septic systems are generally very effective at managing household waste in a safe and environmentally friendly way, but they do need to be properly maintained if you want to avoid very messy and costly repairs. In this article, I’ll go over the basics of how a septic system works as well as some “do”s and “don’t”s if you own one.

A typical septic system consists of a septic tank that the house waste water travels to, a distribution, or “D,” box to distribute the waste water (effluent) after it leaves the tank, and a leachfield where the remaining water leaches out into the soil. In a properly functioning system, waste is broken down naturally and without causing harm to the environment or human health.

The waste that enters into the septic tank from the toilets and drain lines in the house settles into one of three layers. Solids settle at the bottom of the tank and form what’s called the “sludge” layer. Oils, greases and other lighter materials float to the top to form the “scum” layer. Liquid waste remains in the middle “effluent” layer between the sludge and scum. With all the waste that goes into the tank, it’s hard to believe septic tanks don’t need pumped more often, but this is because bacteria naturally eats away at the waste and keeps the level low.

Bacteria is a vital part of the process, and nothing should be done to kill the bacteria that is needed to manage and break down waste in the tank. If your washing machine ultimately drains into your tank, it should be rerouted as the detergent can kill bacteria and render the tank ineffective.

As a general rule, septic tanks should be pumped at least once every three to five years, although this depends on usage, the number of household members, and other factors. If the tank is inspected and either the scum or sludge layer is equal to or greater than one-third the total depth of the tank, pumping should be done. The process for inspecting the tank is relatively simple but poses health risks and should, therefore, only be done by a qualified professional.

It goes without saying, but nothing other than normal human waste should be put into any toilets or drains that will end up in the tank. Most septic system owners are aware of this simple rule, yet many break the rule often. Some diligent homeowners (especially ones who have had issues with their septic systems) put written notices above their toilets to remind family members and guests to not flush foreign objects or other inappropriate items that can obstruct the septic system.

Knowing how your septic system works will enable you to manage and care for it effectively and avoid unnecessary and expensive repairs. Follow the basic rules outlined in this article and schedule periodic inspections of your system and pumping, and you can rest at ease knowing your household waste is effectively and safely managed.

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

Most homeowners know that it’s important to clean the lint trap in their dryer every time they do a load of laundry, but many people don’t know much about the other components that make up their dryer ventilation system.

Beyond the dryer’s lint trap, there is vent piping that leads from the back of the dryer to the exterior of the house and a vent cover mounted on the outside of the house. These components exist so that the exhaust from the dryer has a way of traveling outside while (hopefully) preventing vermin and other items from entering. However, these items are often not installed in a way that promotes maximum safety and energy efficiency.

Dryer vent piping is often flexible. Flexible piping is permitted and is often used because it is easy to work with, but rigid vent piping is preferred. This is because rigid piping is more solid so it is less prone to damage. In addition, rigid piping helps the dryer run more efficiently. The only downside is that rigid piping is a bit more complicated to install, which is why most homeowners opt for the flexible option, especially if they are installing it on their own. The use of flexible vent piping is not a defect, but it is not as good an option as rigid pipe.

A common defect, however, is found with exterior vent covers. Covers designed for bathroom vents are often used for dryers, and these vents contain screens. Screens may help in preventing things from entering from the exterior, but they also tend to trap lint which clogs the cover and can eventually cause obstruction that prevents the dryer exhaust from exiting to the exterior. A proper vent cover for a dryer should not have a screen but should, instead, have a flap (or multiple flaps) that opens when exhaust is forced through and otherwise remains closed. The appropriate term for this type of vent cover is a “louvered” vent cover. This allows for proper and complete exhaust while preventing the entrance of unwanted items from the outdoors.

Check your dryer vent cover to be sure it isn’t screened, and replace it if it is. In addition, consider replacing flexible dryer vent piping with rigid pipe to increase the efficiency of your dryer and lessen the risk of damage to the pipe. These simple tasks, along with continual cleaning of the lint trap, will ensure that your dryer is working as intended and that your family is safer.

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

Many of my clients ask for my advice regarding if and how to negotiate with sellers in repairing any defects uncovered during their home inspection. In reality, this is a question best directed to the real estate agents involved, but I will address some basic thoughts regarding this question for anyone who either isn’t working with a realtor or is also wondering how to negotiate after receiving their home inspection report.

First, I would encourage anyone selling or purchasing a home to find and work with an experienced and knowledgeable real estate agent. Yes, it will cost some money, but realtors exist to provide professional help with a process that is rather complicated and overwhelming for most people who cannot easily navigate through the hurdles of real estate transactions on their own. While I am confident that my brief advice in this article would be echoed by any real estate agent, I encourage you to consult an agent regarding any issues related to this topic and to heed their advice as a priority.

That being said, I will give my “two cents” as a home inspector who witnesses various facets of real estate transacting often. In my experience, it is generally not advisable to demand that sellers make repairs that they have already disclosed in the seller’s disclosure. These are defects that the seller is aware of and has been upfront and honest in disclosing to potential buyers, and their asking price for the home presumably takes these existing defects into account. To demand that sellers repair defects they have fully disclosed is generally inappropriate.

Upon receiving your home inspection report as a buyer, you will likely see several defects not listed in the seller’s disclosure, and these defects are typically things that the seller was simply not aware of because most homeowners are not trained to thoroughly evaluate a home the way we inspectors are. Most of the defects on your report will probably be minor, while a couple may be more major. Major defects are concerns that pose more serious concerns, such as safety issues, major structural damage, active leaking, or your ability to insure or legally occupy the home.

Major defects that are uncovered by the inspection but not disclosed by the seller are issues you may wish to address in negotiating with the seller. In general, the several less significant defects are issues you will likely want to plan on taking care of yourself as part of your total investment as the new owner of the home.

Last but not least, you should understand that the main purpose of a home inspection is to provide you with a general and objective overview of the property’s condition so you are better prepared in making your purchasing decision prior to closing. That may, of course, lead to some negotiating, but a home inspection is not meant primarily to be a tool for making demands.

Focus on the “big” issues that arise from your home inspection if and when you attempt to negotiate with sellers, and heed the advice of a trusted real estate agent who is trained to represent and guide you in your home buying journey. Questions pertaining to financial decisions are best directed to realtors or real estate attorneys, whereas questions about defects on your inspection report are best directed to your home inspector.

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

Many homes I inspect have wood-burning fireplaces that have been converted to gas. The choice of many homeowners to convert to gas logs isn’t surprising when you consider how much easier gas fireplaces are to maintain than traditional wood. Of course, nothing beats the authentic look, sound and smell of a real wooden fire, but if you have chosen (or are trying to decide) to convert to gas, there are some key things you should know.

Gas logs come in two varieties: vented and ventless. As their name suggests, vented gas logs are vented, just like real wood fires. This provides a major benefit as well as a major downside. The benefit is that vented gas logs resemble a real wood fire in appearance. The flames dance around the logs in a varied and widespread pattern, similar to what you would see in a traditional wood-burning fireplace, providing a cozy and inviting ambiance. Because they are vented, though, they do not provide much heat as most of the heat goes straight out the chimney. Vented logs require that the fireplace damper be permanently left open, which provides other downsides.

Ventless gas logs are the exact opposite. They do a great job of providing heat, but they do not resemble the look and feel of a real wood fire. Typically, two or three small flames are present and come up through spaces between the logs, touching the logs very little, if at all. You can easily tell that gas logs are ventless by their inauthentic look. Another downside to ventless logs is that they use oxygen from within the home and add moisture to the air. For this reason, they should not be run for long periods and, ideally, only about an hour at a time. It is also advisable to open a window to allow fresh air into the home, which defeats the purpose somewhat of the heating benefit ventless logs provide. The fact that ventless fireplaces deplete oxygen and add moisture has led some municipalities to ban them altogether, and manufacturers have developed sensors for these systems that are designed to shut off the fire if oxygen levels are too low. Of course, these sensors are only effective if they are working properly. In any case, ventless gas logs should only be used for occasional supplemental heating and never as a primary heat source.

If you decide to convert to gas logs, consider what you want most. If you prefer the look and ambiance of a real wood fire above heat, go with vented logs. If your main concern is heat and you aren’t as concerned about the look of your logs and fire, you may wish to go with ventless logs. If you choose ventless, be sure that they are permitted in your area before making the investment, and be diligent in taking safety precautions when running the fireplace.

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

Most garage doors these days are overhead and mechanical. They are typically operated by garage door openers from a button and pose some safety risks that don’t come with older, manually operated doors.

Mechanical (electronic) doors come with two main safety features: “red eye” safety lasers and an auto-reverse feature. The red eyes are the lasers located at the bottom of the door tracks. They detect movement and should cause the garage door to stop and reverse if they sense an obstruction in the path of the lasers. You can easily check their proper function by pushing the button to close the door and then sticking your foot out between the lasers. To be most effective,  red eyes should be 6-8 inches off the ground. The auto-reverse is another safety feature that causes the garage door to stop and reverse automatically if the door physically hits an obstruction that exerts a certain amount of resistance to the downward force of the door. You can check this feature by closing the door and physically exerting force with your hand on the bottom of the door as it’s moving downward.

In some cases, red eyes are missing entirely from door tracks. In other cases, the red eyes are present and working fine but the auto-reverse function requires far too much force before the door stops and/or reverses. The auto-reverse is easily adjusted on most door openers on the back of the opener with a screwdriver, and testing the feature and adjusting the setting as necessary is highly recommended.

These built-in garage door safety features are important, and periodic testing of their proper function should be done by any homeowner who owns mechanically operated garage doors. The safety features are especially important for homes that contain small children, as they can easily be hurt, or even crushed, by garage doors if the safety functions are malfunctioning. Human safety is obviously the biggest concern, but damage to vehicles and other objects is also a possibility when the safety features aren’t working as intended.

If you have mechanical garage doors, ensure that red eye lasers are present at the bottom of the door tracks 6-8 inches off the ground and that the auto-reverse is adjusted to respond to minimal force. Doing so could literally save a life, or at least your car, from unexpected damage.

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