Monthly Archives: February 2012

Does your furnace need duct repairs?

Written on February 25, 2012 by in Active Rain, Energy saving, Heating, insulation, Mechanical systems

You set your thermostat, your furnace comes on, and you feel warm air coming out of the registers.  All must be OK with the system, right?  Maybe not.

The furnace and the thermostat are only two of the elements in the system that heats and controls the warm air in your home. The third is the duct system, and even though it’s delivering warm air to the registers, there’s a pretty good chance that it’s not doing it at peak efficiency throughout the house.  And every bit of warm air you’re losing is causing the furnace to work harder than needed!

Whether you do this yourself or pay a home inspector or, better yet, a licensed HVAC contractor to do it for you, tuning up your duct system begins with a thorough inspection. You may be surprised to find what age and even damage has been done to your duct system over the years. It’s going to mean some effort, but it’s worth it.

 

Look and feel for areas where joints  and fittings may have come loose, or where there may be small gaps.  Also look for areas where support straps are missing, sagging, or otherwise not providing adequate support for the main ducts. This is especially important with flexible ducts, where large sags or kinks in attic ducts can slow air flow.  If there’s an unheated space, ducts that are not insulated will lose a tremendous amount of heat into the surrounding air.

Also inspect the plenum, which is the large sheet metal box attached to the top or bottom of the furnace from which all the ducts originate. You’ll want to check that the plenum is fully sealed all the way around to prevent air leaks, and that all of the ducts are well sealed at their connection points.

Remember, whenever a  furnace has to work unnecessarily hard, due to a lack of a proper tune-up or leaking ductwork, the efficiency that is lost will come directly out of your own pocket.

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Attic Access

Written on February 21, 2012 by in Active Rain, Electrical, Fire safety, insulation, Mechanical systems, Plumbing, Structure

Stephen,  who has been inspecting homes in Central New Jersey since 1998, says he often goes the extra mile when inspecting attics. When necessary, I have taken clothes out of the closet myself or with the help of the home owner or real estate agent.  I usually put an old sheet or towel over the clothes and try to position my step ladder as best as possible so as to gain access thru the scuttle hole.  If there are two access points, I can climb over to the other side and get in that part of the attic anyway.

Gaining access into the attic is always an important  part of the home inspection process. There are many areas of concern, such as, plumbing venting pipes used in conjunction with bathroom exhaust and clothes dryer ducting, flue pipes that are connected to the homes heating system, fire separation walls, type and condition of installed insulation, possible animal infestation, possible mold and mildew, deficient structural conditions, attic ventilation and the possiblity roof leaks.

The most difficult problem I sometimes face is actually squeezing through the scuttle access hole itself, that can be severely undersized especially in older homes.  If I didn’t go in the attic or any other space for that matter, the lack of access is documented in the report . “Photos are always a plus.”

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Aluminum Wiring

Written on February 19, 2012 by in Electrical, Fire safety, Mechanical systems

ALUMINUM WIRING: Aluminum branch wiring, when used for general lighting circuits, can be hazardous because of its tendency to oxidize and its incompatibility with fittings designed for other metals used in the electrical system. Improper connections can cause electrical resistance, which may in turn cause overheating and fires. These single strand aluminum wires, used in many houses built between 1961 and 1978, are not necessarily dangerous however. As long as proper connections are used, and the connections are made without damaging the wire, aluminum wiring is considered safe.

The main factor in determining whether a system is safe is the type of outlets and switches to which the aluminum wire is connected and the workmanship of the installation. Outlets and switches which are designated CO/ALR are considered appropriate for use with aluminum wire. These markings are found at the top or bottom of fixture mounting tabs, located under the plastic wall plates. Where indications are such that this is not the case, a licensed electrician should be called in to make a further evaluation of the system and to make repairs or modifications to the aluminum wiring to insure future safety.

Warning signs of unsafe aluminum wiring include: unusually warm or warped outlet and switch cover plates, smoke or sparks coming from outlets or switches, strange odors in the area of outlets and switches, periodic flickering of lights, or untraceable problems with plug-in lights and appliances. If any of the above are ever encountered, a licensed electrician should be called in to further evaluate the problem and make repairs as needed. The use of anti-oxidant paste on all exposed portions of aluminum wiring is also recommended as a precaution.

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Post is Undersized

Written on February 17, 2012 by in Active Rain, Beams, Floor structure, Interior walls, Structure

During a recent home inspection in Somerset, New Jersey, I noticed that a temporary hollow post was installed beneath and supporting a Steel I-beam located in the basement. As standard procedure, whenever a large beam is installed whether it be a built up wooden beam or steel I-beam, a solid steel concrete filled post is placed as support for the structural beam.

If you ask me, I think the hollow steel post had been put in temporarily and forgotten about; the hollow post is not rated to for such a heavy load as a house structure.  These steel I-beams were not connected together in anyway. Luckily it appears that the existing concrete posts were installed over solid concrete footings. Since the only thing that is needed is an additional post, the existing footing will be sufficient.  I always advise to install (4) four inch solid steel concrete posts under all types of beams.

I’m wondering how the Somerset County, NJ municipal code official missed this? Quite obvious during the rough framing inspection I would imagine. The house has been like this for quite some time. Luckily there was no structural damage, only the lack of a proper structure support.

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Exterior Gutter System

Written on February 14, 2012 by in Active Rain, exterior drainage systems, exterior walls

Is something missing from this picture, of the roof overhang? While everything looks in good order at the soffit area of this home located in Middlesex County, NJ  there is one element that is missing and should be a concern to every homeowner. The rain water gutter system .

The gutter system’s main purpose is to divert water away from the house.  And having a proper gutter drainage system installed and maintained will also keep water from entering a basement as well as from running down the walls of the house and penetrating  the exterior walls and windows.

While inspecting this home in Middlesex County, New Jersey,  I noticed the water drained down from the roof and spilled directly on the ground at the rear, uphill elevation of the house.  When water is allowed to spill directly on the ground, and it is on the uphill side of the house, it has no where else to go but under the floor slab, continuing it’s down ward path dictated by gravity to the other side of the house.

Water traveling under a house can eventually cause settlement and cracking of a concrete floor slab. Any cracks that may develop can be the source of future insect infestation, as well as an area for dampness to enter, create uneven floors and possible damage to the walls of the home if left unattended.

When water travels up against a house or sideways, it can have a devastating effect too. One of the most common areas of concern that I find regularly is where water splashes against an exterior door. This will almost always rot the door trim and frame and the wall around it.  When gutters are installed and maintained, this doesn’t happen.

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Damaged Dryer Vent

Written on February 12, 2012 by in Active Rain, Dryer appliance, Fire safety, Mechanical systems, Plumbing

A disconnected/and damaged gas dryer duct was found while inspecting a house the other day. The clothes washing appliances were located in  utilty room connected to the main house.  At first, it was a little difficult to see the damage because the duct was pushed behind the dryer appliance.  As soon as I started the gas dryer appliance did the extent of the defect become noticeable.  Lint debris was blowing into the air. 

Since this was a gas dryer, fossil fuel must be combusted along with deadly oderless carbon monoxide gas. And expelled, in this case, into the living space of the home causing a very hazardous condition. The house had only been vacant for a month. The service person that did the installation just didn’t do  a good job. Luckily the duct ruptured when I started the appliance.  Even a small hole in the duct would be very dangerous to anyone living in the house that could cause headaches and also be life threatening. Carbon monoxide is colorless and oderless and it doesn’t take very much to harm an individual. The hole is located where the gas pipe and shut-off valve are situated.

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Attic Access Area

Written on February 9, 2012 by in Energy saving, insulation

For the last fifteen years one of the easiest ways  of insulating attics in Central,  New Jersey  was to  use loose-fill blown insulation – either cellulose or fiberglass.  An improvement over traditional  fiberglass  batt insulation because  batts tend to loosen up from the ceiling joist cavities (after being pushed into place when first installed) developing air spaces . Plus batts cost more to install.  For insulation to be effective, it needs to be installed in a “closed air space”.  Even though fiberglass batts in attics are less easier to install, I still find the installation. What most people do, later on, is to add more insulation going the opposite direction, that makes a big improvement.

But what to do above the the attic access panel, where  about 75 % of the homes that I inspect lack proper insulation. This is one of the most important areas to provide adequate insulation because it can serve as the weakest link in you ceiling insulation system.  That’s an insulation fact.

When using a fiberglass batts to insulate the scuttle hole, it needs to fill the entire space and be in contact with all four sides of the wood frame. When the insulation piece is too small, it doesn’t touch all four sides and allows for heat loss because insulation must be installed in a “closed air space” to be effective.  When I enter the attic during an inspection, either the batts loose inside the frames, they’re too large, too small or missing.

When the fiberglass insulation above the attic access panel doesn’t get installed properly, the home experiences unnecessary heat loss here.  There are a few solutions:  One is to have the panel re-insulated with rigid foam boards that fit the attic scuttle hole snugly.  Another solution I’ve found is to use a fiberglass batt that’s slightly too large glued to multiple pieces of scuttle board. This makes the panel fall down in to place, pulling the insulation down . Using a blue/or grey not so sticky tape where the panel makes contact with the finished opening frame can be done right before it get cold to make sure there is no air escaping upwards, along with the heat in your room.  Don’t forget heat rises.

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I-Beam Joist Flanges

Written on February 8, 2012 by in Floor structure, Structure

Engineered wood I-beam joists were first introduced in the late 1960s and were used mainly in high-end home building. However, today up to half the homes built in the United States now use engineered wooden I-beams.  They are considered an excellent alternative to sawn lumber for floor joists due to their strength and overall stability.

Wood I-beams  consist of a center section constructed out of a layer of Oriented Strand Board (OSB) material that is sandwiched on top and bottom by two wide flange sections made out of finger jointed sawn lumber.

There are cut-out or knock-out holes in the OSB material that can be easily removed for running electrical wires and/or heating ducts. These knock-outs make it convienent for contractors to work with, eliminating excessive drilling/or cutting of holes.

Engineered Wood I-beams have several major advantages. First of all, they usually are much stronger, straighter and stiffer than conventional sawn lumber.  Data indicates that they are 50% stiffer than sawn lumber.  And what I like is that they shrink less.  Consequently with  less deflection and less shrinkage, this translates into better floor construction.

Of particular importance, while the house is under construction, is to Not cut or notch the top and bottom flanges. These flanges are what gives these joists their strength. When a contractor cuts or damages this component part of the I-beam, they may have critically damaged this structural component.  To instigate a proper repair procedure, the manufacturer needs to be contacted. Since these are engineered wood components, only the manufacturer can tell you how to correct a defect.

As you see when you enlarge the photo, the plumbing contractor has notched below the bath tub drain which weaken the joist dramatically. Large holes can be made in the plywood web to a certain extent and the I-beam is not affected.  But stay away from the flanges, as it is taboo to cut or alter them in any way.

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Dryer Duct Cleaning

Written on February 4, 2012 by in Dryer appliance, Fire safety, Mechanical systems, Plumbing

For several years plastic dryer venting has been banned from use with clothes dryer appliances.   However I still see this material being used in some  newer but in mostly older homes. This product is considered a fire safety hazard and should be replaced if you have this material installed in your home.

Today, most households use flexible metal  foil ducting as the connector between the dryer and the exterior discharge.  Much better than it’s plastic counterpart, it has been approved for residential use by fire code officials in most municipalities.

Optimally, the best product is smooth wall aluminum ducting using rigid metal adapters connected to the dryer discharge and the vent. The cost and effort installing is well worth it in the long run.

If it has been more than 3 years since you cleaned your vents, we recommend  doing so. Dryer lint can build up on the sides of the duct, and will greatly reduce the efficiency of your appliance. If the build-up is extreme, your dryer appliance could burn out, or perhaps, even  start a fire.

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