Friday, December 30, 2016

Turning on valves....

Turning on valves

Home inspectors are not allowed to turn valves on that are off. This is true for water and gas. How do you inspect the item if the valve is off you ask? I don't. I can visually inspect the item but if the valve is off I cannot tell you whether or not it will function as intended. Why don't you just turn the valve on? It's just a valve! I don't know why it is off. There may be a leak in the line and it was turned off to protect the property. That is why I ask that all of the utilities be turned on before the inspection. That includes gas and water valves and breakers in the panel boxes.
Story time.... Once there was a home inspector who inspected a house and found that the water to the home was off. The inspection was completed and it was noted that the water was off in the report. The buyer wanted the plumbing inspected. A few days later the inspector was asked to go back and inspect the water system. He was told it was OK to turn the valve on. The homeowner told the realtor everything was fine and there would not be any problems if the inspector turned the water on. So the inspector went back to the home and turned the water valve on. He heard water running upstairs so he went around the house turning off all of the faucets that were on. Next he needed to check the water heater to see if it was full (not a good idea to turn the breaker on for the water heater if it's not full). He heard a drip coming from the front of the basement around the area where the main electric panel was located. He grabbed his camera to take a picture of the leak. The drip was coming from a copper pipe cap. The solder joint was losing the battle. Just as he was taking a second shot of the drip, the cap gave up its fight. Water shot 20 to 30 feet across the basement. Luckily the shut off valve was just a few feet away. As the water pressure dropped, the stream of water flooded the electric panel and most of the basement floor before finally stopping.
Who is at fault? The same thing would have happened to whoever turned the valve on. Who would be responsible had the water line broke in a ceiling on the third floor? There would be drywall damage, flooring damage and maybe even furniture damage. Thinking it's "just a valve" could cost a lot of money because in the end someone has to pay to repair the damage.
That is why home inspectors don't turn valves on that are off.

Driveway- Asphalt vs. Concrete

Driveway- Asphalt vs. Concrete
December 19, 2016

Had a question from a customer on driveways. Concrete or asphalt. Both have their pros and cons. We will discuss asphalt first. From what I have witnessed with asphalt driveways in the winter is that they are the first to get covered in snow but are the first to melt. They hold heat and release the heat to melt the snow and ice off of the driveway. In my opinion they convey a certain sense of elegance and prestige. They are easily damaged by heavy equipment (many companies make you sign a waiver before they will drive any heavy machinery on it releasing them from liability) and The asphalt does not take kindly to roots from trees. Patch jobs always look like a patch job if a repair is needed. If in the future you wish to add on an apron or make the driveway wider, there will always be a seam. Appearance wise you get what you get. A black smooth surface that will fade to a grey color over time. There are many different coatings that can be applied every few years to give it a fresh appearance. Asphalt will not last as long as a concrete drive. That is something to keep in mind when comparing costs.
Concrete will last a lifetime provided it is cared for properly. Concrete has many more options as far as appearance. It can be colored and designs stamped into the surface before it dries. You could have the look of a cobble stone driveway for much less than a real one and a lot less maintenance. Concrete does have control joints. They can be strategically placed for a better appearance. To ensure your driveway melts off as fast or faster than an asphalt drive you can run a series of warm water pipes through the concrete as it is placed. The warm water system can be operated through a variety of devices. Geothermal or an outdoor boiler (the same units used for heating your home and hot water by  using wood).
Maintenance
Asphalt and concrete both require a certain amount of maintenance. Sealing both is important to keep water from penetrating the surface and causing those unsightly cracks. Asphalt will crack into small chunks. If the base material was not compacted correctly you can end up with low spots as the base material and asphalt sink. If concrete has the proper amount of reinforcing materials in it, a soft spot in the base material will not travel through the concrete.
I hope this helps with your decision between the two.