Barrie Home Inspector

Home Maintenance and Tips for Home Owners

Month: February 2012

Professional Barrie Home Inspections

Home Inspection, Real Estate

Professional Barrie Home Inspections.  A home inspection is a limited, non-invasive examination of the condition of a home.  Most Real Estate companies now recommend a home inspection.  Home inspections are usually conducted by a home inspector who has the training and certifications to perform such inspections. The inspector prepares and delivers to the client a written report of findings. The client then uses the knowledge gained to make informed decisions about their pending real estate purchase. The home inspector describes the condition of the home at the time of inspection but does not guarantee future condition, efficiency, or life expectancy of systems or components.

Barrie Home InspectorA Home Inspection is a visual inspection of all the components and systems of your home.  The home inspector will operate and find items that are not functioning correctly.  When a problem is found the inspector will include a picture and description of the problem in his report.

The Barrie Home Inspector’s report will include all the pictures of any deficiencies with a detailed description. This will include reviewing condition of heating system, electrical systems, roof, attic, visibleinsulation, windows, doors, foundation and  any visible structure.  The inspection also includes a Free Thermal Imaging Scan.

The home owner should attend the home inspection when ever it is possible.  This is the opportunity to learn where all the shut offs are for furnace, hot water tank, main water shut off, electrical shut, fireplace shut off, and the main water shut  off for the home.  You, as the client,  can take this opportunity to ask questions and you will be shown any deficiencies at the time the inspector finds them, giving you a great opportunity to learn fully about the cause and effect of the deficiency.

Your home inspection report will be put on line to allow you to view the report at your leisure.  At the end of the inspection we present you a slide show of all the pictures taken and review all the deficiencies found. If you attend the inspection this will give you information about every deficiency three times, ensuring you fully understand the nature of any defects.

Barrie Home Inspections has performed over 4,000 building inspections and is highly qualified to inspect your home.  His training includes being recognized as a Certified Building Code Official with the Ontario Building Officials Association and was a Registered Builder with HUDAC.  Barrie Home Inspections was the first company in Simcoe County to perform Thermal Imaging scans as part of the home inspection process.

Home inspection by Barrie Home Inspector

Home Inspection

Home inspection by Barrie Home Inspector. A home inspection is a limited, non-invasive examination of the condition of a home, often in connection with the sale of that home. The inspector prepares and delivers to the client a written report of findings. The client then uses the knowledge and information contained in his home inspection report, to make informed decisions about the home they are purchasing. The home inspector describes the condition of the home at the time of inspection but does not guarantee future condition, efficiency, or life expectancy of systems or components.

A home inspection consists of a visual inspection of your homes major components and fixtures.  The home inspector will operate fixtures and make a note of any deficiencies.  This will all be included in a report detailing all problems found.

Your home inspection report, prepared by the Barrie Home Inspector will include a review of your heating system, electrical system, air conditioner, interior plumbing, roof, attic visible insulation, basement, foundation and any visible structure.  The inspection will also include Free Thermal Imaging scan of home.

When scheduling the home inspection it is recommended you attend the whole home inspection when possible.  This is a good opportunity to learn where all the shut offs are for furnace, hot water tank, main water shut off, electrical shut, fireplace shut off, and the main water shut  off for the home.  You can take this opportunity to ask questions and you will be shown any deficiencies at the time the inspector finds them, giving you a great opportunity to learn fully about the cause and effect of the deficiency.

A picture is worth a thousand words.  This is why we go over your report in a slide show at the end of the inspection.  We also put your report online in a fully descriptive format which gives you a picture of every defect and a brief description of problem and a recommendation on how to fix or deal with the deficiency.

Barrie Home Inspections offers a 100% Money Back Guarantee on every residential and commercial building inspection.  They also offer Free Thermal Imaging scans with every inspection.  As a Certified Building Code Official and a former Registered Builder with Hudac his experience far exceeds that of the competition.  With over 4,000 building inspections the Barrie Home inspector should be your first choice when wanting to protect your investment.

Plumbing Basics for Home Owners

Plumbing

Plumbing Basics for Home Owners.  A vent is a pipe or pipes install to provide a flow or air to or from a drainage system to provide a circulation of air within such system to protect trap seals from siphonage and back-pressure. This has a two fold purpose, one to prevent sewer gases from entering home and also to allow air into system for better drainage.

Direct venting of plumbing fixtures is permitted if a plumbing fixture is close enough (eight feet or less) to the main waste stack pipe (vent), the fixture does not usually require its own plumbing vent piping, and it is considered a direct-vented plumbing fixture.

Wet venting is using a drain from another fixture to supply adequate venting to another fixture, usually a toilet.  The theory for wet venting is that the flow in the wet vent portion of the piping will be low because there will only be one occupant in the bathroom and only one fixture being used.

Stack venting in attic

 

Plumbing smells or noises can be caused by improperly installed drains and vents.  There a many cases where improper glue and venting has resulted in sewer gas entering an unsuspecting homeowners property.  Improper use of glue, loose connections and vents not vented to exterior can all be attributed to work being performed by un-licensed workers.  Always used a trained a licensed plumber when renovating or repairing your homes plumbing system.

There are many different types of choices when it comes to plumbing your home. For water supply, there is PVC, CPVC. PEX, Galvanized Pipe, and copper. Copper and CPVC are the most popular. CPVC is the easiest to install. CPVC tubing is ideal for water supply lines. It’s easy to cut and assemble, using compression of cemented fittings. It’s durable too. Harsh water won’t harm the material, unlike copper, which will erode from acidic water.

 

That “blub blub” or “glug glug” noise you hear from a building drain might mean that there is a problem with the drain system itself, such as a partial drain blockage, a drain venting problem, a drain odor problem, or even a failing septic system.  If a gurgling sound is heard at a sink or shower drain only when a nearby toilet is flushed, or at a sink or shower when a nearby tub is draining, we’d suspect that the building drain-vent system is inadequate.

Many plumbing problems can be fixed by the homeowner and some require the expertise of a licensed trades person.  Any  plumbing supply problem should be dealt with by a professional as the cost of clean up and repair can far outweigh any savings you may incur.

Understanding Your Septic Tank

Plumbing

Understanding Your Septic Tank – Information on the construction, operation and maintenance of your rural homes septic tank system.

Septic TankThe septic tank is buried, watertight container typically made of concrete, fiberglass, or polyethylene. It holds the wastewater long enough to allow solids to settle out, forming sludge, and oil and grease to float to the surface as scum. It also allows partial decompositions of the solid materials. Compartments and a T-shaped outlet in the septic tank prevent the sludge and scum from leaving the tank and traveling into the leach field area.The most common leach field consists of a series of trenches containing perforated pipe surrounded by septic rock, or gravel, and covered with mesh and dirt. The effluent entering the leach field is partially absorbed into the soil and partially evaporated. the leach field should not be driven on or covered by a driveway or patio.

If your home‘s plumbing system does include an on-site septic system, it is incredibly important to be aware of the signs of possible damage, along with the maintenance needed to prevent it. A damaged or clogged septic system can be costly to repair. It can also impose possible health risks for homeowners, tenants and neighbors. A failing septic system could be responsible for releasing wastewater and harmful bacteria and viruses, including E. coli.

There are many different types of septic systems ranging from what are called conventional in-ground systems to sand mounds and from spray irrigation systems to stream discharge systems. There are also seepage pits, cesspools, and homemade systems. This booklet is not intended to cover every situation, but is intended to give the homeowner an understanding of the concept of how a septic system works and a better understanding of a septic inspection.

The in-ground type of septic system uses a series of perforated pipes located below the ground surface. These pipes are placed in a bed of crushed stone or aggregate. The sewage flows over the crushed stone or aggregate into the underlying soil. The condition of this soil determines how well your septic system will operate and how large the absorption area needs to be. If the absorption area is too small and the soil is too tight as with clay soils, the liquid cannot soak into the soil fast enough causing the waste to either back up into the home or emerge at the ground surface. An early sign of waste emerging at the surface is “lush growth.” The saying “that the grass is always greener over the septic tank” isn’t true when it comes to a properly operating septic system.

How often should a septic tank be cleaned or pumped? The frequency for pumping a septic system depends on a number of factors; the average frequency is between two and four years. You can, in some cases, abuse a septic system and neglect to pump it for 10 or 20 years without any apparent problem. This would be like driving your automobile for 50,000 miles without changing the oil. You might get away with it, but you would certainly cause undue wear and tear on the engine. The same is true with a septic system. You may get away with not pumping the system for many years, but you will pay for it in the end by having to replace the absorption area.

When the soil conditions are right, an area of active microorganisms is formed where the waste enters the soil. As the waste slowly percolates through the soil the microorganisms continue to grow and feed on the harmful bacteria and viruses in the septic waste. The underlying soil continues to absorb and filter the waste. Four feet of soil is all that is needed to treat the septic waste in good soil conditions.

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