Barrie Home Inspector

Home Maintenance and Tips for Home Owners

Tag: discharge

Basic Basement Construction

Basements

Basic Basement Construction.  Always check with Barrie Building department and apply for any required permits prior to construction. A basement is an area below the first floor with a minimum height of 6 feet 8 inches. Basements may be created using masonry blocks or poured concrete. Modern homes are typically constructed using forms and poured concrete. Many basements provide added living space, including bedrooms, bath, recreation rooms.

Basement wall damageBasements are typically the area of a structure most at risk for water damage because they are located below grade and surrounded by soil. Soil releases water it has absorbed during rain or when snow melts, and the water can end up in the basement through leaks or cracks.

The roof on your home can collect over 600 gallons per 1000 square feet after 1 inch of rain has fallen. Install and maintain gutters and downspouts so that they route all rainwater and snow melt far enough away from the foundation of the building to ensure that pooling does not occur near the walls of the structure. At least 10 feet from the building is best, and at the point where water leaves the downspout, it should be able to flow freely away from the foundation instead of back toward it, and should not be collecting in pools.

Foundation weeping tiles are actually not tiles but 6 inch diameter plastic pipe with small holes in it. Weeping tile pipe is placed against and level to the bottom of the foundation footing. Once the weeping tile pipe is completely installed, coarse gravel is placed on top and level with the top of the footing.

Newer homes basements are typically protected using a black dimpled product which is attached to perimeter of basement walls. Most home owners think this is a water proofing barrier designed to keep water away from their foundation. The wrap is actually designed to allow water to quickly drain down void, created by the dimples, and enter weeping tile. This prevents any hydraulic water build up against concrete prevent water intrusion.

Sump Pump Installation by Barrie Home InspectorA sump pump is a pump placed in the basement of a home used to pump water from the basement to the outside or drain into the home’s drainage system. Sump pumps usually work in conjunction with a sump pit, which is a hole dug in the basement of a house which collects water during a rainstorm. The pump then pumps the water out of that sump pit.. A sump pump is usually necessary either in cases where the home’s basement is below the water table level, and or when the home is located in a place where flooding is common. In Ontario a sump pump is required by Ontario Building Code and must be installed unless waived by the building official.

Home that are located in areas where a high water table exists typically will have a backup sump pump installed in case of pump failure.  Also a battery back up is sometimes used in case of power failure.   During the home inspection process these are both indicators that a high water table exists and the home owners may have had water issues in their basement.   These are only clues and cannot be the sole evidence used to indicate water issues,  but are a strong indicator that further investigation is required.

Although there are many great books and part time college courses that now teach Home Inspections,  nothing will replace experience and first hand knowledge obtained through building homes and renovation projects over a life time of inspection and construction experience.   Caveat Emptor –  Buyer Beware !

 

For actual inspection pictures of defects please visit the Barrie Home Inspector’s site

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.

Building Basics by Angus Real Estate Agents

Basements, Exterior

Building Basics by Angus Real Estate Agents. If you are building a wall for a home addition, garage or other structure, it is important to be able to read construction drawings to identify all the dimensions for the walls which are given on the floor plan and elevation. The walls are to be laid out the same as on the floor plan, with all measurements followed exactly. The openings for doors and windows must be placed exactly. It is important that the corners be set on the foundation exactly as given on the detail drawing on the foundation plan. Taking measurements from the foundation or floor plan, and transferring those measurements to the foundation, footing or floor slab is the first step in laying out the wall.

Traditional stucco is made of lime, sand, and water. Modern stucco is made of Portland cement, sand, and water. Lime is added to increase the permeability and workability of modern stucco. Sometimes additives such as acrylics and glass fibers are added to improve the structural properties of the plaster. This is usually done with what is considered a one-coat stucco system, as opposed to the traditional three-coat method.  As a building material, stucco is a durable, attractive, and weather-resistant wall covering. It was traditionally used as both an interior and exterior finish applied in one or two thin layers directly over a solid masonry, brick or stone surface. The finish coat usually contained an integral color and was typically textured for appearance.

In the field of human-wildlife conflicts, probably the most common scenario nationwide is the squirrel in the attic.
Most people become aware that an animal is living in their attic when they hear scampering, or scratching noises above the ceiling. A wide variety of animals choose to live in the attics of buildings, from rats and mice, bats and pigeons, raccoon’s, opossums, and of course squirrels. Most of these animals will oftentimes use other areas of the home as well, from the soffits to the wall voids to the space between floors, so the attic is not the only area you’ll find critters.

A plumbing fixture could refer to a receptacle or device that is either permanently or temporarily connected to the water distribution system of the property, and which demands a supply of water.  Or the fixture could discharge waste water, liquid-suspended waste materials or sewage to the drainage system of the property.  The fixture could also require both a water supply connection and a discharge to the drainage system of the property.  Plumbing fixtures include water closets, urinals, bidets, lavatories, sinks, showers, bathtubs and floor drains.

There should be at least 15 inches of space from the center of a water closet, lavatory or bidet to any sidewall, partition, cabinet or any other obstruction. There should be at least 30 inches of space between adjacent fixtures. There should be a space of at least 21 inches in front of the water closet, lavatory or bidet to any wall, fixture or door. This clearance is for comfortable, adequate space for cleaning and use of the fixture.

A septic tank is used to hold wastewater while the wastewater’s solids and liquids separate.  The heavier solids in the wastewater, called sludge, sink to the bottom of the tank.  There it will slowly decompose.  A properly functioning septic tank will remove 75% of the suspended solids, oil and grease from the effluent.  The lighter, floatable material, called scum, rises to the surface and becomes trapped between devices at the tank’s inlet and outlet, either baffles or sanitary tees.  When wastewater enters the tank, it pushes relatively clean effluent, called “the clear zone” that located in the settling area between the scum and the sludge layers, out of the tank.

The Best Barrie Home Inspector provides visial and Thermal Imaging inspections of all major components of your home.  A small investment considering the expense of buying property.  Visit <a href=”http://www.barrie-home-inspector.com”>The Best Barrie Home Inspector’s Site</a> to arrange an inspection.

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