Preparing For Your Home Inspection

Congratulations, you accepted an offer on your home. The next step is the home inspection. Since a professional inspector is going to look at many items in your home, you want to make sure that your home will send a specific message. That message should be, “I took good care of this home so your family can enjoy its future”. An all-to-common occurrence happens in the home buying process; the buyers get remorse when they see an item that was not perfectly maintained. So please let them have the peace of mind they are looking for and get all the maintenance items up to date. There are a few simple things that you can do to make sure they feel they made a smart home buying decision by choosing your home.

Priority 1 – Clean and Update Maintenance Items

• Clean all bathrooms
  • Remove all signs of mold in showers.
  • Make sure toilets are secure to the floor, clean and flush.
  • Make sure all drains flow easily, clean if they don’t.
• Clean the kitchen
  • Empty the dishwasher, oven, and any other appliances you don’t normally use. They will be operated.
  • Empty the countertops and sinks.
  • Check for odors from the refrigerator and clean the seals if there is any mold present.
• Clean the carpets
  • We use black lights to find pet stains. If you have pets, please have the carpets professionally cleaned so our test comes up negative.
• Operate all windows
  • Open, close and tilt all windows to check for operation.
• Operate all doors
  • Entry doors should have operating locks with keys.
  • Bedroom and bathroom doors should have operating locks without keys.
  • Check doors for opening, closing, and locking. These should all work freely and easily.
• Furnace, humidifier and air conditioner
  • Put a brand new air filter in your furnace(s) and wipe down the cabinet interior.
  • Change the cartridge for the humidifier and wipe down the inside.
  • GENTLY, hose off the Air Conditioner and make sure the air flow is not blocked.
• Above are some of the items where I have seen time and time again the disappointment and fear in my clients faces when they become aware that proper maintenance was not performed. 

Prepare your home for the inspector.

It’s everyone’s desire that the seller prepare their home for the inspector so that the inspection can proceed smoothly. If personal belongings are blocking access points, we have been asked to come back after the belongings have been moved. There is an extra charge of $250 and up. This makes the transaction very contentious, very quickly. So please check the following list to make sure everything goes smoothy on the first trip.

1. Free access to the crawl-space.
2. Free access to the attic above the house and/or the garage.
3. Free access to the main water shut off valve.
4. Free access to the water heater.
5. Free access to the furnace.
6. Free access to the electric panel and sub-panels.
7. Free access to the outdoor A/C condenser unit.
8. All doors and windows in the home are unobstructed.
9. All sinks, showers, and tubs are unobstructed.
10. The plumbing below the sinks is unobstructed;
11. The garage is unobstructed. If possible, move all stored items to the center of the garage so the walls are
12. exposed.
13. The basement is unobstructed. If possible, move all stored items to the center of the basement so the walls are exposed.
14. The fireplace is unobstructed. Please do not have a fire the day of inspection.
15. The dishwasher, oven, and microwave are free of any dishes so they may be tested.
16. Make sure any animals or pets are caged or gone during the inspection.

Thank you for your consideration.

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Recessed Lighting Basics

Recessed lighting goes by a few different names. Other than Recessed light, there is down-light, can-light, canister-light, and pot-light. Although pot-light is used by our north of the border neighbors in Canada and not-so-much here in the United States.

There are two different types of recessed lighting.

1. Insulation Contact (IC) rated
2. Non-IC rated

IC rated housings must be installed wherever insulation will be in direct contact with the housing. There is an exception to this. The IC-rated lights are not designed to have spray foam insulation in contact. There are special covers that go over the lights to still maintain the air-tight seal that you would get from spray foam insulation but not create a fire hazard for the lights. It is not so easy to inspect these lights to see if they have the proper cover or not.

Non-IC rated lights require that there is no contact with insulation for at least 3 in from insulation. These housings are typically rated up to 150 watts. Recessed lights are usually white in color which makes it easy for us to spot when we are crawling through an attic. They also have big bright warning labels on them as well.
Installing these above areas that require insulation is not a good idea. Your options are to put the insulation snugly around the recessed light and take a chance of catching the home on fire, or leaving a space like what is shown in this photo and have heat loss in that area. The heat loss in this area might not sound so bad, but that heat loss has a pretty good chance of causing moisture to move and the moisture will eventually cause mold to grow in the attic. That will create other problems that nobody wants to deal with either.

Both IC rated and non-IC rated lights come designed for new construction or remodeling applications.

Many of the newer recessed lights have a self-resetting thermal switch for safety. So if you have recessed lights that are turning off and on all the time, either you have the wrong type of recessed fixture installed in insulation, the wrong type/size of a lightbulb, or a combination of the two. In any case, if the thermal switch is activating, something is terribly wrong and you should get this checked by a professional.

Something that is relatively new to Chicagoland is having the return chases in heating ducts sealed tight with regards to recessed lights. This means that any recessed lights installed in those areas also need to be air-tight. This requirement is known as “Chicago Plenum” which requires the housing to be airtight in addition to requiring all wiring to be sealed off and gasketed from the plenum air space. This housing rating must be used on all recessed luminaires installed in air plenums in the City of Chicago as well as nearby municipalities which have adopted the Chicago amendments to the NEC.
When our inspectors are up in the attic, we look for bumps in the insulation where can lights might have been installed. Usually, we can see the type of can light in the attic. We also keep the recessed lights on for a while during the inspection. This helps to see if the thermal switch is activating.

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Inspecting Ductwork in Residential Homes

Flyover of Roof in Chicago Canaryville

Watch on YouTube here: Flyover of Roof in Chicago Canaryville
Via Chicagoland Home Inspectors Videos

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Home Inspectors Chicago

Home Inspectors Chicago

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Discount for Yelpers Who Upload a Photo or Video During the Inspection

Yelp users receive a $75.00 discount on our home inspection service by uploading a photo/video and sharing it on Yelp, Twitter, and Facebook during your home inspection.  Elite Yelpers, contact us via Yelp “Request a Quote” button and let us know you are an elite for additional benefits.
If you do not have a Twitter or Facebook account or don’t feel comfortable posting this information on Twitter or Facebook, we understand.  We would like for you to do it, but that part is not mandatory to receive our discount.

This discount cannot be used with any other coupon or discount.
It must be arranged/applied before or during the inspection.

Here are the steps to get this discount.

1. You must attend the inspection.
2. About an hour into the inspection, you will get an email/text reminder that you agreed to post the picture/video. You can do this at any time during the home inspection while at the property.
3. Go to the Yelp app and search for “home inspectors” and use Northbrook, IL for the location.
4. Click on our Yelp page Chicagoland Home Inspectors, Inc. 707 Skokie Blvd, Northbrook, IL
5. Look for the Add Photo button on the screen.
6. Take a picture/video of your new home, our inspector, or an issue that we found.
7. Write the description – We are performing a home inspection in (Name of Suburb), IL and (first name of the Inspector) is our home inspector.  (You are welcome, and encouraged, to add anything else you wish, but these words will help our Yelp presence.)
8. Click “post” in the upper right corner and you are done.

This can be done only with the Yelp app, or Yelp for mobile and MUST be completed during the home inspection.

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Dryer Transition Duct Information

I have reviewed many home inspection reports and one of the many things that stand out is how some home inspectors report on dryer vent connectors. Recently a picture of a flexible dryer transition duct was posted on a home inspector Facebook page and another home inspector commented, “That’s not allowed”. Since his statement is not at all accurate, I’ve decided to take the time to write what is, and is not, allowed.

The different types of dryer vents 
A. Plastic – Not UL listed for use as a dryer transition duct.
B. Smooth interior 28 gauge metal duct approved as a dryer duct
C. Foil flexible – UL approved as a dryer transition duct, but not recommended by the CPSC.
D. Semi-rigid – UL approved as a dryer transition duct and recommended by the CPSC

Definitions:

1. Dryer Duct – This is the smooth wall section of the duct that runs through the house and passes through the exterior wall.
2. Dryer Transition Duct – This is the flexible section that connects the dryer to the dryer duct.

Dryer Duct Rules: 2015 IRC M1502

M1502.2 Dryer Ducts need to be independent and convey moisture to the exterior.

M1502.3 Dryer ducts exhaust to the exterior, the discharge must have a backdraft damper and be at least 3 feet away from openings.

M1502.4.1 Dryer ducts are to be smooth and made out of metal that is a minimum 27-gauge steel. The dryer duct must be 4″ in diameter.

M1502.4.5.1 Dryer ducts shall be no more than 35 feet from outside terminal to transition duct. Exception: Unless the manufacturer of the dryer specifies differently.  Most dryer manufacturers allow between 60 and 85 feet.  Quite a big difference.

Transition Duct Rules: 2015 IRC M1502

M1502.4.2 Transition ducts shall be a single piece, listed as UL 2158A, not more than 8 feet long, and not concealed within construction.

Some dryer manufacturers and a bunch of home inspectors hate the foil dryer transition ducts. They are UL 2158A Listed for use with gas and electric dryers. Since Underwriters Laboratories does extensive testing and states that these transition ducts are acceptable for use in that fashion. I agree with UL and I don’t have a problem with them. Keep them clean and make sure they are not squished when installed.

Many inspectors like the semi-rigid aluminum ducts better. They state that the foil type gets clogged way too easy. Nobody has any data to back that up. There is Publication 5022 distributed June-2003 and updated Feb-2012 that addresses the dangers of dryer fires which mentions they shouldn’t be used. I do believe that the CPSC is a credible source, but I do not believe they did the same type of testing as is done by UL. Add this to my 36 years in the fire service, and I stand by my opinion that these foil type transition ducts are just fine.

For the record, the semi-rigid transition ducts can also be squished. They do not return to their original shape when the pressure is removed. There are also look-a-like semi-rigid ducts that are not UL listed.

I always believe that the choice of what is acceptable, and not acceptable, belongs to the home buyers. I believe my job is to give as much information as possible to help you make an educated decision.

Chicago Office Website: http://www.TheHomeInspectors.com/

Chicago Office Yelp Page: https://www.yelp.com/biz/chicagoland-home-inspectors-chicago

Northbrook Office Website: http://www.ChicagolandHomeInspectors.net

Northbrook Office Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/chicagoland-home-inspectors-northbrook-2

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWWsanAlMHMiAbez4OE1Gbg

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Lake Forest home inspector finds noisy fan -…

Lake Forest home inspector finds noisy fan – https://youtu.be/MrljRq9f44o

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The Importance of Downspout Extensions

I was doing a home inspection in Glenview when I informed my client about the lack of downspout extensions.  The real estate agent spoke up and stated that the home inspector she uses doesn’t think that is a problem.  I always thought that every home inspector calls out downspouts discharging too close to a house.  Let’s ask the question; is that a big deal?”  Yes, because of the damage it can cause, and no because it is such an easy and inexpensive fix.  Home inspectors usually tell their clients to get the downspouts 4 to 6 feet away from the building.  Here is why we say “4 to 6 feet”.

When houses are first built, a hole needs to be dug out and earth is removed.  This is referred to as the over-dig for the foundation.  The over-dig is the room needed for the construction workers to get the forms in and out so they can make the footings and foundations.

The footing is then poured and allowed to cure (harden).  The foundation is then poured on top of that and eventually the basement floor is poured on top of the footing on the inside of the foundation wall.  Since these three areas are not poured at one single time, there is a cold joint at this location.  Waterproofing professionals refer to this area as the cove.  Drain tile, stone, and the earth are installed on the outside of the foundation.

Here is the problem. The earth never goes back into the over-dig exactly the same way it came out.  We end up with gaps, pockets of air, and avenues where water can easily travel down to the undisturbed earth that the foundation is sitting on.  The water can then pool in this area and cause the earth to weaken.  Weakened earth will cause settling. If the pooling water gets high enough, water then enters the basement.  None of this is good.

If downspout extensions are used to get the water past the over-dig, 95% of the water will not enter the over-dig and pool up next to the foundation.  So let’s install those extensions.  Get the water 4 to 6 feet away from the house and greatly reduce the chances of settlement and water entry into the home.

• Chicagoland Home Inspectors, Inc. Northbrook office – Yelp Page
• Chicagoland Home Inspectors, Inc. Chicago office – Yelp Page

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Fix Sagging or Sticking Doors

Fix tight doors by tightening hinges and jambs—sanding is a last resort.

This post shows you how to fix a sticking door in most cases without removing the door. Get instant results and enjoy a trouble-free door.

Overview

It seems that when a door is difficult to open or close, everyone calls the handyman or carpenter to plane down the doors so they move easily.  Although that will work, there are a few much easier ways to fix it.  Don’t get me wrong, if the cause for the door to stick is the house settling and the jamb is out-of-plumb, then that is the only option.  But usually, it is something much simpler and easier to fix.

Option 1 –Tighten Screws

Since the doors constantly open and close, the screws become loose and the hinges are no longer tight to the jamb.  Tighten these screws by hand (not a power tool) to prevent the screws from being stripped or the wood is damaged.  If the screw turns easily, then you may want to fill the hole with some glue or wood putty before tightening.  If you find a screw or hole that’s already stripped, try these fixes:

1. Replace stripped-jamb screws with 3-in. screws. These long screws run through the jamb and into the framing behind it.
2. If the screw hole is stripped in a solid door, predrill with a 1/8-in.bit and drive in a screw that’s an inch longer than the original.
3. If you have a hollow-core door, reinforce the screw hole. Dip toothpicks, wood splinters or my favorite a golf tee in glue and use them to fill the screw hole. Then drive in the original screw.

Door hinges aren’t truly adjustable. But by driving a long screw through the jamb and into the wall framing, you can pull the hinge and jamb toward the framing and slightly reposition the door. Before you drive a screw, close the door to determine exactly where it rubs against the jamb. If it rubs near the top of the side jamb (which is most common), draw in the upper hinge. If the door rubs at the lower side jamb or head jamb, draw in the bottom hinge. If the door rubs all along the side jamb, draw in all the hinges. Often, you can move the door up to 1/8 in. with this method.

To use this technique, remove a screw near the middle of the hinge (rather than the top or bottom screw). Drive in the 3-in. screw with a drill. When the screw is snug against the hinge, give the screw another quarter turn. Close the door to check the fit. Continue tightening and checking until the door no longer sticks. Keep an eye on the door trim as you tighten—if you begin to create gaps at the trim joints, stop. It’s rare, but you might find that you can’t draw in a hinge at all because the jamb is already tight against the framing or shims.

Fixing a Sagging, Self-closing Door

Doors in older houses sometimes close on their own because they’re out of plumb. If the wall is out of plumb or the house has major settlement issues, you may need to do major work to fix the problem, but if the door slowly moves to the closed position and the wall is still plumb you can usually solve the problem by tweaking the hinges a little.

Check the gap at the top of the door. If it’s wider at the doorknob side, remove the center screw at the top hinge and replace it with a predrilled 3-in. screw angled slightly toward the middle of the jamb. The screw will pull the jamb and door tighter to the framing and hopefully fix the problem.

If the door still creeps closed (but less so), go to the “Kleenex box” shimming technique. Put one shim behind the middle hinge and two shims behind the bottom hinge.

Drill through the jamb

Predrill a 1/8-in. hole and create a recess for the screwhead with a countersink bit. Then drive a 3-in. screw into the wall framing to draw in the jamb.

This is really just another version of the hinge adjustment described above. By driving a long screw through the “latch” side of the jamb (rather than the hinge side), you can often draw in the jamb and give the door a little extra space. Try this only if drawing in the hinges doesn’t work; it leaves you with a large screwhead hole to cover. Countersink the screwhead with a countersink bit (about $8 at home centers). Drive a screw near the middle of the area where the door is rubbing. You may need to add a second screw. Tighten screws gradually and watch the trim to make sure you don’t open joints. Cover the screwheads with wood filler and then sand and paint or stain the filler to match.

Plane the door with a belt sander

If your door still sticks after you’ve tried tightening and driving screws, you’ll have to plane it. Start by scribing the door where it rubs against the side or top of the jamb (Photo 1). A carpenter’s compass is the best tool for this ($3 at home centers). Then remove the door. The best tool for “planing” the door isn’t a plane, but a belt sander. You could also do the job with a hand plane or an electric planer. Belt sander prices start at about $50. Begin with a 50-grit sanding belt. This coarse belt removes wood fast. Keep the sander moving so you don’t grind a hole in one spot. Some older doors have a beveled edge, but don’t accidentally create a bevel if the door didn’t originally have one. When you’re about 1/16 in. away from the scribe line, switch to an 80-grit belt and sand to the line. Finally, use a 120-grit belt to smooth the door’s edge.

If you sand the area around the mortise that holds the door latch, you might end up with a latch that protrudes. Solve this problem by deepening the mortise with a sharp chisel. The belt sander will leave sharp corners on the edge of the door. Round them slightly by making a couple of passes with 120-grit paper.

Hang the door back on its hinges to check the fit. Don’t be surprised if you have to remove the door and sand off some more. If there’s a 1/8″ gap between the door and the jamb, you’re ready to paint or stain the sanded edge. You can remove the door or finish it in place. If the top or bottom edges of the door are unfinished, paint or varnish them. A coat of varnish limits shrinking and swelling because it slows moisture movement in and out of wood.

Tips for Removing and Rehanging Doors

I’ve spent much of my carpentry career working alone, and the most important thing I’ve learned about removing doors is to get a helper whenever you can. A second set of hands means less damage to the door, walls and your back. Here are some other tips that save time and trouble:

If you plan to remove the knob and latch, do it before you remove the door. They’re easier to remove when the door is standing upright.

Support the swing end of the door with shims. Just slip them under the door; don’t force them in tight. The shims keep the swing end from dropping as you remove the hinge pins.

Tap pins up and out of the hinge knuckles with a long screw, bolt or screwdriver. My favorite pin pusher is a worn-out 7/32-in. drill bit.

Remove the bottom pin first and the top pin last. Be ready to catch the door as you remove the top pin.

Hinge pins can be stubborn but resist the urge to give them a hard whack. Hard blows go off course and dent woodwork.

If you find that the hinge knuckles won’t slip back together, loosen the screws on one hinge a little. The hinge leaf will move slightly and mesh with its partner. Tighten the screws when the door is in place.

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Maintaining Your Furnace

Annual maintenance and inspections prevent problems.

The furnace in your home controls the temperature and circulates the air to filter out dust and allergens. Annual inspections by HVAC professionals will keep your furnace functioning properly and efficiently by finding issues with tuning and safety features of the unit.

Common problems found include:

1. Heating and cooling can cause the ducts to become loose from expansion and contraction.
2. The circulation fan motor bearings need lubricating.
3. Cleaning is probably the most important thing to do. Getting dirt and debris off of the blower fan and the AC condensing coil is needed to keep the unit working properly.

The following are other “not so obvious” problems  that an annual inspection can find:

1. Loose, damaged, or wrong sized belt. (found on older furnaces)
2. Poor gas/air mixture.  Can be found only with a combustion analyzer
3. Condensate drains not draining.
4. Damaged wires and loose connections.
5. Refrigerant leaks in the Air Conditioning system.

I firmly believe that the best way to keep your furnace working at peak efficiency and ready to go is to have is serviced at the beginning of each season.  The time to do it is before you need it.  Usually, you will get a bunch of coupons in the mail just prior to the heating or cooling season.  This is when you get the best deal for service.  Please check the company’s reputation on Yelp or Google before letting them into your home.

During our inspections, we check the efficiency of the furnace along with a test to see how much carbon monoxide (CO) the unit is producing.  We also check the temperature rise and compare it to the data plate to make sure it is in the acceptable range.  These two test should be done each year when the furnace is serviced.  This will keep your furnace operating safely and as efficiently as possible and to the specifications of the manufacturer.

I Want to Make Sure My Furnace Runs Efficiently and Safely Between my Annual Service.  What Can I Do?

Changing the filter is by far the most important thing you can do.  When the filter gets dirty, it restricts the air flow.  That restriction of the air flow will cause the furnace to overheat.  The high temperature will cause the heat exchanger to fail prematurely.  The following are the problems caused by overheating.

• Restrict airflow, which puts additional strain on the fan motor that after time can make your motor burn out, your system overheats or your equipment fails.
• Force your fan motor to overwork which uses more energy, can cause damage to your system and significantly raise your utility bill.
• Drastically reduce your indoor air quality which can aggravate allergies, asthma and other illnesses.
• Clog ductwork with debris which can decrease your equipment’s lifespan and lead to costly repair or replacement expenses.

How often should I change my furnace filter?

It depends on what type of filter you choose to use.  I like it when my clients purchase the thinner, cheaper filters and change them monthly.  Some filter state that they can last for up to six months.  As long as the airflow is not restricted, then that should be fine.  At a minimum please check your filter on a monthly basis.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us on our Yelp page

https://www.yelp.com/biz/chicagoland-home-inspectors-northbrook-2

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