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There’s a difference between a damaged roof and an aged roof. Common roof damage can be the result of a hail occurrence, strong winds, tree branches rubbing against the
The expansion tank located adjacent to or near the water heater heater is to protect the water heater and the pressure relief valve from water pressure emanating from surges in the water source. water heater w/ expansion tank Is an Expansion Tank Required This depends. Some cities, counties or municipalities do require the use of an expansion tank, even if your house is serviced by a private well
We often talk about attic and roof ventilation when inspecting homes. Proper attic and roof ventilation is a delicate balance between air intake and air exhaust. All to often we find attics with too little or short circuited ventilation. During the winter the purpose of attic and roof ventilation is to prevent excessive moisture from some heating systems, and closed house conditions along with preventing ice dams from forming which are created by melting snow and
Regular maintenance will help keep your windows and doors operating smoothly, both newer and older technology windows and doors will develop air leaks over time and require some care and maintenance. For those that are fortunate enough to have newer technology windows (insulated glass), window maintenance prior to winter is relatively straightforward. Ensuring that windows are truly aligned and latched properly will prevent air and/or moisture intrusion. It is not uncommon, over the seasons, that
What you should know about the gas pipe in your home. When inspecting homes we see different types of gas lines used in the interior of the home which include black iron, galvanized steel, brass (containing not more than seventy-five (75) percent copper), copper and CSST (flexible piping). All of these gas pipe types were acceptable at some point in time. However, standards change and now galvanized pipe is not recommended for use as gas pipe due to the possibility of
Do you have tree branches hanging over or touching your roof? Then you need to think about trimming trees and branches. It has been our past experience, over many years, that the lack of trimming trees and proper tree maintenance leads to tree branches overhanging and/or in close proximity to roof lines can be not only a hazard to the roof itself resulting in rubbing of the tree branches against the roof line, wearing
It’s that time of year when temperatures are getting cooler at nights and the leaves are starting to fall. Before long you’ll be raking the yard. I thought it might be a good time talk gutter guard. Gutters and downspouts this time of year will get clogged up with leaves and debris which can lead to all sorts of problems and potential damage. It’s important to maintain clean gutters all year round, but especially through
What should we do to prepare for home heating season before the cold weather creeps down from the north? Well, there’s many thing but today we will concentrate on just a few. So as the cold weather approaches have your
It’s that time of year, so before you light your first fire of the season have your fireplaces inspected. Fireplace maintenance: It’s important to check your fireplaces out to make sure they ready and safe to use. The best thing you can to is to hire a professional chimney sweep to check your fireplaces out. Fireplace maintenance and chimney maintenance is crucial to prevent chimney fires and save lives. Clean chimneys typically don’t catch fire!
Some of you may have heard about the new water heater energy standards that took effect of April 16, 2015. The National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA) was updated and therefore directly impacted the water heater energy factor (EF) on all residential water heating devices and some commercial ones. Any water heaters manufacture prior to that date and still available are not affected by the new rules. How is the water heater energy efficiency factor
Today I’d like to talk about the smoke alarm. I don’t want to tell you how many times we
The large majority of home owners with attached garages use the garage at the main point to enter and exit the home. Garages are typically where today’s family keeps all of their sporting goods and outdoor activity supplies. Therefore, it’s important we talk about garage safety. Garage doors manufactured prior to 1993 may not be equipped with some safety devices and “one in 15 garage doors lack the latest safety features” says Todd Wilkinson, Field
When inspecting homes, we sometimes run across Street Creep No, I’m not talking about the “creepy guy” standing in the street or a reason to call the police. What home inspectors are referring to is a phenomenon where the street actual creeps or moves exerting the force on your driveway and thus potentially damaging your garage and house
Accidents in and around the home happen all the time, which is why today we are talking about ladder safety. Among those injuries, Slips and Falls are the most frequent cause of injuries in the home. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year more than 10 million people suffer injuries on residential properties serious enough to require visits to the emergency room. Residential injuries account for more than 6 million homeowner claims
Fall is rapidly approaching (September 23rd) so it’s a important time to start preparing for the cooler season and freezing winter temps to follow. You can prepare for winter using our home maintenance checklist while taking advantage of the beautiful fall weather with our fall maintenance tips guide. According to the farmers almanac we’re in for a winter full of typical cold with higher than average snowfall. EXTERIOR HOME MAINTENANCE: Caulk and seal areas where
It’s with great excitement and pleasure that your hometown inspection team, Brewer Inspection Services introduces our new mobile friendly
Winter and our prolonged rains are hard on decks and porches which are mostly build out of wooded surfaces including pressure treated, cedar and redwood decking materials. Carefully review all components from top to those areas beneath. Structures sheltered from the sun’s rays have more potential for rot as they are not exposed to the natural drying process of sunlight. Repair/replace any damaged components and properly seal wood to extend it’s useful life.
Summertime is a great opportunity to address exterior home maintenance issues and improvements. Such as siding, paint and caulk. Walk around your home, look for loose and damaged siding, paint and caulk failure. Review exterior devices and fixtures for damage.Remember if it doesn’t look right changes are it’s not. Spending a little time on maintenance can help prevent problems come winter.Review hard surfaces (walks, patio, driveway’s, etc…). Winter freeze/thaw reaps havac on those surfaces. Look
This is the time of year as part of your summertime home maintenance routine that it’s important to have the entire air conditioning
Occasionally when performing home inspections we run across homes with ivy growing up the walls. Thus ensues the conversation of the good verses the bad. Whether your house is built with brick, stone or wood it will likely suffer from being covered with vegetation. Vegetation growing on and against you house can