The last thing any homeowner wants to hear is that they have termites. Just the word “termite” invokes a sense of dread. That is not surprising considering that termites cause an estimated 30 billion dollars in property damage every year. Treating for termites can cost up to 1000 dollars, or more, and repairs to the structure can easily get into the thousands. We are especially vulnerable here in Richmond. We primarily build our homes over crawlspaces that are dark and humid. Crawlspaces can allow termites to turn your structure into a smorgasbord without detection. Preventing termites can be difficult, but preventing them from doing significant damage is really not that hard most home owners. Either check your crawlspace often, or have a professional do it. We do this every single day. It’s not so bad. Heres a quick video on some tips for inspecting for termites in your crawlspace.

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You found the house of your dreams, put in the offer, fought through the negotiations, endured the nerve wracking home inspections and appraisals, and finally got the keys to your brand new home. No more listening to the upstairs neighbors stomp their feet early in the morning, or fighting over parking. Also however, there is no longer a maintenance department when things break. You either call an expensive contractor, or handle things yourself. If you’re anything like me, you’ll procrastinate for 6 months, promise your wife you’ll handle it, rebuff her attempts to call a contractor, and finally decide to tackle the repair yourself. You’re going to need tools though. We got you through the inspection, and we’re here to help afterwards. Here are must have tools for the brand new home owner.

1. 1. A Ladder- Not all repairs are going to be easily in reach. From damaged shingles, to dirty gutters, and changing light fixtures. You are going to eventually need a ladder.  As a homeowner, you want something that can be used for all the different jobs you might encounter, and there is only one ladder that can do it all. The little giant ladders can be flattened and extended for gutters, or roof repairs. It can also be used as an A-frame ladder for changing a light fixture. The 13 foot ladder should be sufficient for most jobs if you have a one floor rancher. I would opt for the 22 foot version if you have a 2 story home, and/or tall ceilings. Check out our in depth blog about choosing a ladder.

2.  An Affordable Tool Kit – You could try to assemble your own kit of basic hand tools, but ain’t nobody got time for that. Craftsman has assembled this kit of wrenches, screw drivers, sockets, pliers, a hammer, a measuring tape and a few other essentials. There isn’t much you won’t be able to tackle with this kit. And, if you actually put your tools back when you’re done with them, which we all know you won’t, the Craftsman quality should last you for many years.

3. A Durable Caulk Gun – Home maintenance is crucial to preventing bigger issues down the road, and arguably, one of the most important home owner maintenance tasks, is caulking. Moisture is undoubtedly the enemies worst enemy, unless of course you count yourself. JK, but not really. From caulking outside around siding penetrations, to inside around the shower, caulk plays a huge roll in stopping hidden moisture damage. There are really cheap guns, but they suck. You’ll end up buying a new one every time you have some caulking to do. This one from Norman has the spout cutter, the seal puncture tool, and the durability to handle your new caulking obsession for a long time.

4. A Painters Multi Tool- Do not underestimate the simplicity of this tool. I am in love with mine. It’s probably one of the only tools that take care of as much as I should. It’s just so good to me, that I feel the need to treat it right. From spreading drywall compound over that hole you made in the wall, to removing and spreading caulk, scraping paint. and even cleaning paint rollers and setting nails. I keep this one in my tool bag no matter what job I am doing.

5. A Torpedo Level- Look, you’re going to be hanging stuff. Don’t be looking all janky when you have the housewarming party with crooked family photos. Get yourself a level.

6. A Stud Finder – Please refrain from placing this tool on your chest and proclaiming that it works – especially if you a cheap, or off brand one. I have three stud finders in my tool box. Two that never seemed to find anything, and one that I trust. You don’t want to hang a big screen TV, or a shelf, or anything really without a good stud finder. Zircon specializes in this area, and will save you a lot of time and headaches.

7. Vise Grips! AKA locking pliers – Vise grips are staple for me. From stripped bolt heads, to odd shaped hardware, doing jobs that require hands, or even in place of an adjustable wrench, this is my absolute favorite tool. Never get one pair. It’s not enough. You will just have to trust me.

8. A Cordless Drill – Ok, I am not going to lie. You don’t NEED a battery powered drill. You COULD get probably get by on screw drivers for most things. But this is absolutely worth it. I would pick a brand that that has multiple tools that run on the same battery. I personally have just about every 20v Dewalt tool. Dewalt is heavy duty and will last forever and take tons of abuse. Most homeowners don’t need that though. You don’t want to go to cheap either, or you’ll just end up buying a new one. I think craftsman is a nice middle of the line brand.

Home Inspection Defect in Brand New Home

Many home buyers are conflicted about whether, or not, they should pay for a home inspection on a brand new home. I think if we found nothing else in this home, the inspection would still be worth every penny.

Blogging Tips For Realtors

Blogging is a necessity for many companies trying to brand themselves, establish themselves as experts, and keep engaged with their clients. For us, blogging has brought us immeasurable success on all fronts. NAR reports that over 90 percent (99 percent for millenials) of home buyers start their search online, and that only 11 percent of Realtors reported having a blog. If I had to guess, even less blog regularly. With these statistics it would be easy for a Realtor to really stand out from the crowd by leveraging the benefits of blogging.

1. Google Juice

When it comes to SEO, content is king. Blogging is a great way for companies to add a ton of google juice to their website. For many local service professionals, this is pretty simple. A home inspector, for example, would want to show up at the top of google results when a consumer searches for “richmond home inspector”. For Realtors though, the competition is tough. Between Zillow, Trulia, and the thousands of other agents in the area, ranking well for a generic keywords can seem impossible. If you’re creative though, you can easily land yourself at the top of a home buyers google search query. For example, if you blogged about “Best Neighborhood Pools in Midlothian” your blog could help you land a buyer searching for neighborhoods with pools. If you blogged about “10 Best Midlothian Neighborhoods with Sidewalks” it isn’t likely that you will have much competition on google with buyers searching for these types of neighborhoods. The key is for your blogs to rank well, and the best way to do that is blog regularly. So, blog regularly, improve your SEO, get found, get more buyers.

2. Grow Your List and Get More Referrals

Referrals are still the number one way home buyers and sellers choose a Realtor, and NAR reports that about 54 percent of buyers, and 64 percent of sellers use a Realtor referred to them. About two thirds of home buyers and sellers are willing to refer the last Realtor they worked. For Realtors who rely on referrals, keeping in touch with past clients is crucial to receiving future referrals. Knowing your audience, and blogging about topics they actually want to read about, provides you a way keep them engaged long after the sale. Consumers today recognize spammy content immediately, and they’re not interested in market statistics, or generic content from a monthly newsletter. Blogs about the community are much more likely to be read. A regular blog about family events in Richmond, a blog about The Best Dog Friendly Restaurants in Midlothian, or even Best Summer Water Activities in Richmond, delivered to your clients email, weekly or monthly, will keep them engaged and increase your chances for referrals! If you’re really saavy you can add a subscribe link your blog and grow your list of contacts. That is money in the bank.

3. Generate Leads

Paying thousands of dollars a month for Zillow leads is certainly one way to do it. If you’re like me though, paying someone else for leads based information you provided seems wrong. Blogging can be a powerful lead generation strategy for Realtors. A well ranked blog with a lead capture form is a sure winner. NAR reports that over 90 percent of home buyers start their search online and 50 percent search for information about the neighborhoods.  Let’s say you’ve been blogging about all the neighborhoods in your area. “Everything You Need to Know about Living in Brandermill” for example. For all the neighborhoods you’re targeting you make a blog listing the schools in that district, the amenities in the neighborhood, the HOA fees, the restaurants and stores nearby, the average sale price in that neighborhood , etc. A home buyer searches for information about Brandermill and clicks on your blog. In the side bar, you have a scrolling lead capture form: “If you would like to see all the homes for sale in this neighborhood, fill out the info below.” They fill out their name, number and email, and you’ve generated a free lead. Cha-Ching.

Mismatched Breaker Brands?

Sometimes being a home inspector feels I’m part of a boxing match. The buyer VS. seller is the main event. The seller has an electrician in his corner, and the buyer has me. Let’s get ready to rumble.  One of the most things we write up in the electrical panel is mismatched breakers. This is when there is a breaker in the panel that is not listed to be installed in the panel. May times we get slugged with the “two electricians said it was fine” line. I find it very curious that every homeowner has exactly two electricians look at, but I am digressing. Is it a defect or not?

The “Technical” Knock Out

Every electrical panel has, or should have, a diagram and important information about the installation of the panel. Included in that information is almost always information about which kind of breakers can be installed in the panel. Most panels are straight forward-do not install any other types of breakers in this breaker. Here is a photo of a Square D label. If you can’t read it well, it says “Use of other than Square D circuit breakers may adversely affect user safety, impair reliability, and will void the warranty.” This is the knock out punch. It could not be any clearer as to whether or not a defect is present?

Here’s another label that is more inclusive of the types of breakers it allows. It says “Branch CKT BRKR are A-H Murray styles MP, MM & EP; Bryant types BRD, BRO, BAR, BR, GFCB; Westinghouse types QP, QPGF; ITE types EQP, QF.” Although void of the doom and gloom warning, it’s still clear that only certain breakers are allowed in this panel. Even more interesting is that it’s not just brands that are listed, it’s very specific models of those brands. Based on the label, a Siemens type breaker would not be allowed in this panel, as an example.

The NEC states in 110.3  “Equipment must be installed and used in accordance with any instructions included in the listing or labeling requirements”

So What’s the Problem?

The photo to the left shows two different brands of breakers. They obviously have design differences which is a clear implication of the problem. Breakers are connected to the buss bar in an electrical panel, and using a brand not specifically designed for the buss bar can cause loose connections. Loose electrical connections can cause arcing, pitting, and irreparable damage to the panel.

“But is it really a problem?”

Sometimes, its not enough to write up a defect. People want to know if its really going to cause an issue. Honestly, I don’t know. I’m not an electrical engineer. I’m a generalist and I simply go by the label for this particular issue. The good news is that it’s typically an easy fix. If you can find the breakers allowed in the panel, switch them out, and call it a day. If you can’t find an appropriate replacement breaker,  you may have to bite the bullet and replace the panel. Panel replacement can run about $1000 or more. If there are no replacement breakers available, the panel is likely old, and may be due for an upgrade anyway. Paying $1000 to know your panel is safe, is a sound investment in my opinion.

We often talk with potential clients who wonder if they even need to have their brand new home inspected. I totally understand the temptation to skip it. You trust the project manager, the home builder has a good reputation, and everything seems to be on the up on up. There shouldn’t be anything with a new construction home. Right?

You really want to believe that anything significant would have been caught by the county inspector. The project manager assures you it passed the framing inspection, the HVAC,  Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical inspections, and the house was issued a certificate of occupancy.

The houses are built by humans though and humans make mistakes. The county inspectors are overworked, under paid, and have zero liability if they miss anything. Every contractor will blame issues on the contractor before him.

There is a strategy that involves waiting until the 11 month mark of owning the home. Most builder contracts include a 1 year warranty on the home. If you have a professional home inspector perform an inspection at the 11th mark, you can find any issues at that point. There is certainly merit to this plan.

That being said, if there are any significant issues that need to be addressed, then a pre purchase home inspection is your best chance to get them repaired by the builder. There is a lot of leverage in being able to tell the builder that you are not closing until they address the issue. Once you move in, you may find that you are not as much as a priority as when they were waiting for your bank to wire over the funds.

I highly recommend getting a pre-drywall inspection during the construction process, and then a final whole house inspection before you close. An 11 month inspection could be beneficial, but perhaps you could focus on the areas you wouldn’t have noticed issues in like the roof, attic and crawlspace. You will already now if the fridge doesn’t work, or if a breaker has been tripping for example.

While we have found countless defects on brand new homes, we’ve compiled 3 videos of some of the more alarming situations we’ve encountered. Check them out!

Watch this 2 minute video and I’m sure you will want to flush your water heater right after.

Are you grossed out? If your water heater is more than a few years old, there is a good chance that there is some sludge build up at the bottom of it. Even though I have always known this as a home inspector, the importance of flushing my water heater still hadn’t quite settled into my head until after I saw the inside of a water heater.

It’s straight nasty. Don’t wait. Don’t wait until the weekend. Don’t put it on your honey do list. Go flush your water heater now.

Owning a home is still considered by many as the pinnacle of prosperity, and the culmination of the American dream. Still, it isn’t with out challenges. With crooked window salesman, dirty Groupons, and DIY failures, home ownership can be like navigating a ship through treacherous  waters. Of all the problems associated with home ownership, none seem to be as nefarious as dealing with home warranty companies. The grievances seem limitless on the web and no company escapes unscathed.

We’ve boiled down the hostility to 4 main reasons, and have solutions for each.

1. The consumer did not read the contract. 

The number one reason people seem to hate their warranty company is because they treated their contract like the Facebook terms of service. They didn’t read it. No one wants to hear it, but the customer is always right, until they’re wrong. A home warranty company isn’t a charity. They only make money by paying out less than the revenue they generated. They have strict rules and coverage, and limits and you need to read the contract and understand it. There is an abundance of home owners annoyed that their claim was denied, or not fully paid for, that simply didn’t understand their coverage. For example, you can’t attempt to repair something and expect a warranty company to come in and save the day. They won’t. Leave it alone. Normal maintenance isn’t covered. Welcome to home ownership.  Some coverage is only available in premium packages that cost more. Secondary repairs are often not covered. If your furnace breaks, and new duct work is needed, they aren’t going to replace the duct work. That is on you. Basically, read your contract and understand what your obligations will be and what your coverage is.

2. The repair time was egregious.

Also on the top of the list for sending a home owner into a fit of fury, is the egregious repair times when a claim is filed. There is no end to the horror stories of one week or longer turnaround times as homeowners huddle around a space heater waiting for the contractor sent by their warranty company. And if you followed step 1 one above, you probably noticed that using your own contractor will void coverage. My recommendation is to use a company that allows you to use your own contractor. It’s always best if you use their approved vendors, but you will want the option to use your own if they give you an outrageous wait time. Residential Warranty Services and Select Home Warranty are two companies that give you that opportunity. Again, read your contract to see what the process is for choosing your own contractor.

3. Preexisting Conditions.

Home warranty companies have a very loose definition of “preexisting condition.” Many consider any item that fails within 30 days of owning the home, or purchasing the warranty as preexisting. If your AC works fine for 29 days and then quits, your warranty company is going to wiggle out of that claim citing their preexisting conditions clause. It’s enough to make some people vomit. Other companies rely on the technician they send out to determine if a system has a known preexisting condition. They may conclude that a defective system should have been noted by the home inspector even though it was working fine at the time of the inspection. There is not a whole lot you can do about preexisting conditions, but you do have options. Some warranty companies have plans that don’t have a preexisting conditions clause, but the seller of the home must have the systems evaluated and have a warranty in place until you take over the home and your warranty starts. AHS allows you to purchase additional coverage that covers undetectable preexisting conditions. Residential Warranty Services has a simpler solution. If you have your home inspected by Certified Inspection Expert, you won’t need to worry about preexisting conditions. It is as simple as that. (Shameless plug) If we inspect your home, and you purchase your warranty from Residential Warranty Services, you won’t need to worry about preexisting condition clauses. You will also get 6 months of additional coverage for free.

4. Multiple Deductibles

It doesn’t matter if you call them deductibles, trade service fees, or service call fees. If you pay more than one for the same repair, you will want to pull your hair out. Even if a company offers low deductibles, they can add up. You shouldn’t be surprised though. Your contract probably clearly states you will need to pay a deductible EACH time a technician comes to your property, regardless of the outcome. The most ridiculous part of this is that you need to use their contractors. If they send out an incompetent contractor who can’t fix your problem, you need to pay the deductible, and you will need to pay it again when they send out another contractor. Some home warranty companies put their money where their mouth is though. The Home Service Club won’t make you pay another deductible for the same repair if its within 30 days for a labor related problem, or 90 days if its a parts related problem. Residential Warranty Services steps up to plate yet again not requiring another deductible for the same repair if its in the same policy period. You can save your money and your hair.

Virginia State Bat

Did you know that a single little brown bat can catch up to 600 mosquitoes in one hour? Falling creek in Richmond is in my backyard so I wouldn’t mind a few bats. It’s a smorgasbord here. As much as I love bats, most people don’t want them in their home, but it isn’t uncommon for us to find bats roosting in the attics of unsuspecting homeowners.

Depending on the species, bats prefer to call caves or trees “home”, but as we invade and destroy more of their space, it is becoming more common to find them inside homes, culverts, or other buildings. They generally aren’t dangerous, and contrary to popular belief, it is rare for a bat to have rabies. The problem is guano. Guano is bat feces and it causes histoplasmosis-an infection that infects the respiratory system. Guano also smells and attracts cockroaches which is another problem all on its own.

Pile of guano

If you find feces in your attic, you may be wondering if it is from mice or bats. It is actually very easy to identify. During my home inspections, I will grab a small pellet and place it on a hard surface. I then crush it. If it turns to powder with shiny insect parts in it, it is Guano. Guano is also usually in large piles where mice feces are usually more spread out.

Bats can fit into tiny cracks on the outside of your home. When a homeowner finds out they have a bat problem, they may attempt to seal up all the cracks they can find. THIS IS A MISTAKE. If a bat can not find its way out of the attic, it is more likely to fly into your living space. Killing bats is illegal so any poisons are out of the question. Despite what anyone tells you, moth balls and other similar methods have a zero percent effective rate. They don’t work. You will need to call a pest control company that specializes in bat exclusion.

Bat exclusion involves sealing up the cracks in the home, and installing one way devices. The bats will be able to fly out, but will not be able to fly back in. The process should also include clean up and vacuum of any guano which may include replacement of insulation, drywall, or other building materials. However, exclusion should not be done mid May to early August. Female bats give birth during this time and the baby flats can not fly. Permanently separating the mother and pups is inhumane. Aside from the inhumanity of it, baby pups may be difficult if not impossible to find. Consequently, when separated from their mom, they will die leaving you with a foul odor.

Bat exclusion and and clean up should be left to the professionals.

If you live in a town home, you may have noticed that the roofs have different heights, or that they have brick walls above the roof line that may seem purposeless to you. However, these building methods are fire resistant construction techniques designed to slow the spread of a fire from one town home to the next next. We inspect a lot of town homes in Richmond and have become familiar with the fire resistant requirements required in Virginia.

According to the Virginia Code R302.2 each town home is considered a separate building or dwelling. The exterior walls of a single family residence are required to have a 1 hour fire rated wall if the next house is less than 5 feet away according to R302.1. If you live in an inside unit town home, the next house is obviously less than 5 feet away. Since each unit is considered one dwelling, two adjacent town homes would each need their own 1 hour fire rated wall assembly.  There are some exceptions though

• Two adjacent town homes can share a common 2 hour fire rated wall if there are no plumbing, mechanical, duct, or vent installations in the common wall. Electrical installations are allowed in the common wall.
• Two adjacent town homes can also share a common 1 hour fire rated wall if the town homes have a full sprinkler system.

To achieve the required fire rating, builders have used masonry walls, and more recently framed walls with drywall that meet specifications outlined by ASTM E 119. As an inspector performing a visual inspection I can’t verify the walls were built to this standard, but it is important to make sure the fire rated walls are in good condition.

To achieve a continuous fire rated separation R302.2.1 and R302.2.2 outline the requirements for the fire rated walls to extend from the foundation all the way to below the roof sheathing, and a parapet wall to extend at least 30 inches above the roof between the town homes. In the event of a fire that reaches the attic, these requirements will help slow the spread of a fire that goes through the roof of one town home, from igniting the roof of the adjacent town home. As always, there are some exceptions listed in these sections.

• If the elevation of the town homes differ by at least 30 inches, and the walls above the roof line are at least one hour fire rated (which is required) than no parapet is needed.
• No parapet is needed if the roof coverings have a class C fire rating (which most do), and the roof sheathing is fire rated treated plywood for 4 feet from the edge of the fire wall, or if the roof sheathing has 5/8 inch type X drywall applied directly underneath it for 4 feet.
  

  Notice the drywall used under the roof sheathing to meet the fire resistant construction requirements

  

  The brick walls above the roof line of these downtown Richmond homes are parapet walls.

   

   

6 Things Duct Tape Should Never Be Used For

Juan Jimenez-The Richmond Home Inspector

Duct tape is glorious. It is a magnificent creation, and a staple for all house holds. A swathe of it can be employed for a simple repair, or rolls upon rolls can be spent by enterprising adolescents constructing unique prom attire. I dread to imagine a world with no duct tape. However, duct tape isn’t for everything. As a Richmond home inspector, I often find the adhesive fabric applied in inappropriate places that at best will cause more repairs later, and at worse, can be harmful to  your family. Here are things duct tape should never be used for.

1. Gas Appliance Vents

The purpose of your gas appliance vents is to convey the combustion by-products to the exterior of the home. Leakage of combustion by-products such as carbon monoxide can cause illness or even death. Depending on duct tape to ensure these gasses make it to the outside is dangerous. It fails, and most times is installed poorly anyway. If you have a separation in your gas appliance vent, call an HVAC contractor to repair it correctly.

2. Plumbing Pipes

Despite viral videos of duct tape boat repairs, duct tape doesn’t do well with water. The water will eventually make its way out and if its the crawlspace, it could be a long time before you notice the leak. Mean while its rotting your wood, attracting termites, and mold is growing. A whole role of duct tape isn’t going to save you. Just call a qualified plumber.

3. Condensate Drain Lines

Heat pumps and air conditioners are equipped with condensate drain lines. As the warm return air passes by the cold evaporator coil in the air handler, condensation forms and needs to be drained to the exterior of the home. Sometimes the drain lines leak, and duct tape isn’t going to stop it. A qualified HVAC contractor can repair the drain line is a snap. Leave it to the pros.

4. Shower Walls

If you want mold festering in the voids behind your shower, then by all means use duct tape to repair damage in your shower walls.

5. Dryer Vents

Boy scouts collect lint to start fires on their camping trips. If you want to spread fire starter in your crawlspace, attic, or walls, go ahead and use duct tape to secure you dryer vent.

and last but, not least…

Duct tape should never be used for…

Ducts!

6. Ducts

These duct splices are held together by duct tape only. Don’t let the name fool you. Duct tape should never used for ducts, and these splices are destined to fail. Duct splices like this should have a metal sleeve between the two ducts, and the ducts should be secured to the sleeve with clamps.

In the 14 tracked Central Virginia counties, child food insecurity rates range from 6 to 22 percent, with Richmond being the highest. That is almost 1 in 4 kids who are food insecure. In Virginia, almost 10 percent of adults are food insecure. Food insecure basically means that they worry about where there next meal is coming from.

Feedmore is a leader in tackling the hunger problems Virginians face, and it’s our responsibility to help our fellow citizens. Whether you participate in our food drive, your church or school food drive, or you donate directly to a charity, I implore you take action to help fight hunger in Virginia.

In order to better understand this article, take a minute to look closely at photos “A” and “B” below. Based on the photos, try and determine which metal vent is allowed to be installed in your gas appliance venting system. Venting is the process of distributing the poisonous combustion byproducts, such as Carbon Monoxide, to the exterior of the home.

Having trouble picking A or B?

You aren’t alone.  The introduction of flexible gas venting materials has led to some confusion in the home inspection, and HVAC industries. During our routine Richmond home inspections, we often find flexible materials used in the venting system. Some are acceptable, and some are not. It is not always apparent by simply looking at the material, and nearly impossible to make a determination based on a photo. So what do you need to know about flexible vents?

Some flexible vents are not intended to be used for venting gas appliances. They may be used for dryer venting, bathroom or kitchen venting, or other purposes, but not gas appliances. The flexible vent in photo A is not approved for venting gas appliances. It’s intended purpose is for dryers.

Vents that are listed and approved as flexible B-vents for gas appliances can be installed where rigid B-Vents are allowed (with a few installation differences).  The best way to determine this is by looking at the label. Flexible B-vents are listed and labeled as such .

Photo B is if a listed flexible B-vent. One of the biggest differences between photo A and B, is that B has two walls. You can’t see that in the photo, and since home inspections are non invasive, (we don’t take anything apart) its not a method applicable to an inspection. Whenever we see flexible vents installed on a gas appliance, we always check the label to ensure its approved for that purpose. Unlike rigid B-vents flexible B-vents can not be enclosed, and can not be installed through walls, floors or ceilings. Both flexible, and rigid B-vents require 1 inch clearance from combustibles such as drywall. For more detailed installation instructions click here Flexible B-Vent installation

Most home inspectors know that we need to objectively report our findings.  For me this includes not mumbling “what the heck?” under my breath, and being mindful of my body language such as facepalms.  However, when I walked into this bathroom, my tact fled, and my face and palm met with a loud smack.

The first thing you notice, is that this bathroom is brand new. It was originally a laundry room that the owner converted into a bathroom. The first and obvious thing you notice is the service (electrical panel).  Electrical panels can not be installed in bathrooms. The high humidity and moisture associated with a bathroom can cause the electrical components to rust, spark, and potentially start a fire.

As if that were not dangerous enough, look at the water heater.  It’s a gas water heater.  When the bathroom was fitted into this laundry room, the owner, with good intentions, also installed an exhaust fan. The exhaust fans pull the moisture laden air from the bathroom, and distributes it to the exterior of the home. Compounding the problem, the dryer also pulls air from the inside of the home and distributes it to the exterior. The problem is that the gas water heater needs combustion air to burn, and the vent exhausts the combustion by products such as Carbon Monoxide to the exterior of the home. When the exhaust fan, the dryer, and the water heater are all on simultaneously, it is possible that the Carbon Monoxide can be pulled back into the home causing asphyxiation to residents in the home. There are cases of people dying from this exact scenario.

As any good home inspector does, there I was explaining to my client that his particular roof style typically lasts 15-20 years. As the old adage goes, no good deed goes unpunished.  The realtor comes storming out and says “Oh! its not a 25 year roof?” After I explained that it did not appear to be a 25 year roof, she insisted that it must be a 20 year roof. I knew what she was getting at, so again I explained that the typical life span for the roof was 15-20 years.  She then asked “Well who makes a 15 year roof?” It was apparent to me that she wanted her client to believe that the roof would last at a minimum, 20 years.

Most roofing companies label their roofs 20, 25, 35 or even lifetime roofs.  So what happens if your 20 year roof leaks on year 11?

Well lets start with the first two years. Roofing manufacturers do not cover installation defects. If the roof leaks in the first 2 years, the manufacturer will insist it was the fault of the roofer. You probably won’t get a penny from the manufacturer.

From what I can tell, if your roof fails between 2-5 years the manufacturer will cover the repairs/replacement. Yay for you!

On a typical 20 year roof the wind warranty only lasts 5-10 years. Most algae warranties only last 5-10 years. Many manufacturers include a limiter that ambiguously states that if your attic/roof deck is poorly insulated and ventilated, the warranty is only for 10 years. So if your roof leaks at year 11 because of wind; algae, moss, or lichens; or you have a poorly ventilated roof deck. You will get a whopping $0.

Ok. Lets say the manufacturer can’t pin the blame on someone, or something. Their payout is prorated. After year 10 they will only pay 50% of the cost they feel is fair replace your roof. To me, this translates as, We believe the roof is 50% more likely to leak after 10 years. So at year 11, if you manage to get anything at all you will get half of the cost to replace your roof; at year 15, you will only get 25%

There are many more disclaimers and limiters that manufacturers use, but I think you get the point.

A final word to the wise, it is prudent to get a 30+ year roof.