Category Archives: Mechanical systems

FVIR Water Heaters

Written on January 24, 2013 by in Appliances, Hot water heaters, Mechanical systems, Plumbing

Thanks to the improvements in technology residential water heaters are now the FVIR or (Flammable Vapor Ignition-Resistant) type. What the manufacturer has done is to enclose around the burn chamber, essentially sealing the burner access point where flammables may enter. A good indicator that you have a FVIR water heater would be a sealed burner access and a piezo-starter or igniter.

fvir

The principle is that water heaters are now designed to prevent the lower burner from igniting flammable liquids near the water heater. An example of use would be in a garage where gasoline might be stored and spilled.

There are two key elements of these water heaters. A thermal sensor, or cutoff switch (TCO) or a thermal release device (TRD). And a flame arrestor screen located at the bottom of the unit that allows combustion air to enter but does not allow flame out i case of ignition.

If and when a problem happens the water heat shuts down:

For example if the flam arrestor screen becomes clogged by lint or debris the water heater will shut down due to “”inadequate combustion” and there will be no hot water for the home. Also if the water heater is under negative pressure caused by flue venting problems or obstructions, the unit wil shut down due to “inadequate combustion”. And again there will be no hot water.

Lint from clothes dryers must be closely watched to make sure the dryer duct does not become disconnected. This area needs to be kept free of lint debris and appears to be one of the biggest issues. If you canot see the flame through the glass inspection port this is  a problem and should be corrected.

1 Comment - Leave a comment!

When to test air conditioners?

Written on January 1, 2013 by in Air Conditioning, Appliances, Commercial inspections, Mechanical systems
Basically compressors should not be turned on below 50 degrees exterior ambient temperature.  At this  50 degree temperature they can be operated to find out if the “compressor motor” is working, the most expensive component; but how well the air conditioning system is functioning inside the house may yet be unclear.
2012-12-03 12.29.45
IMPORTANT: During normal testing procedures a 15 to 20 degree differential is desired; this is the difference between the supply and the return air registers. So if it’s 75 degrees ambient and the supply air is 58 degrees (desired) a 17 degree difference is noted. The system is operating satisfactory and has been properly tested.  On the other hand, if it’s 50 degrees ambient, a differential temperature cannot be adequately calibrated and the technician will not know how well the system is operating.
Note: When first starting the air conditioning function, let the unit operate for at least 1/2 an hour. When operating the air conditioning, the air temperature will always be a constant number of degrees, even if you raise or lower the thermostat. The desired constant temperature should be very close to 58 degrees.
0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Arc Fault Circuit Breakers (AFCIs)

Written on December 22, 2012 by in Bathrooms, Electrical, Fire safety, Mechanical systems

An Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) is circuit breaker designed to prevent fires by detecting an unintended electrical arc and disconnecting the power before the arc starts a fire. An AFCI must distinguish between a harmless arc that occurs incidental to when switches are operated or snapped, plugs are disconnected from appliances, or an undesirable arc that can occur, for example, in a lamp cord that has a broken conductor in the cord.

Arc faults in a home are one of the leading causes for household fires. The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) estimated that in 2010, in the United States, over 40,000 fires are attributed to home electrical wiring defects. These fires resulted in over 1.5 billion dollars in property damage, in over 400 deaths and over 1,500 injuries that year.

Ordinary conventional circuit breakers only respond to overloads and short circuits. They do not protect against arcing conditions that can produce an instantaneous peak current with temperatures of several thousand degrees.  The circuit breaker reads the averaged heat over the full cycle of current rather than the concentrated heat that occur at the point of the arc.  Even though the arc has occurred, there will be less current drawn than is necessary to trip a conventional breaker. This is the origin of many house fires.

An AFCI is selective so that normal arcs do not cause it to trip. The AFCI circuitry continuously monitors the current and discriminates between normal and unwanted arcing conditions. Once an unwanted arcing condition is detected, the AFCI opens its internal contacts, thus de-energizing the circuit and reducing the potential for a fire to occur. An AFCI should not trip during normal arcing conditions, which can occur when a switch is opened or a plug is pulled from a receptacle.

AFCIs resemble a (GFCI) (Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter Device) in that they both have a test button although it is important to distinguish between the two. GFCIs are designed to protect against electrical shock of a person, while AFCIs are primarily designed to protect against arcing and fire.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Water Heater Without a Future

Written on December 6, 2012 by in Commercial inspections, Hot water heaters, Mechanical systems, Plumbing

While inspecting a commercial building earlier in the week, here in central New Jersey,  I came across many defects but there was one that stuck out in my mind that I wanted to share. It’s the flue vent connected to multiple hot water heaters that had a huge hole or gap in it.  It’s too bad that the maintenance mechanic, if there was one, didn’t notice this defect sooner. The effects of not noticing this defect is a definite ongoing health hazard to everyine in the building. That’s why it’s so important to have annual inspections in public buildings.

What is happening is that a huge amount of poisoness gas is being dumped into the basement of this building every day. Carbon monoxide causes drouzyness and headaches and can lead to a person dying from overexposure.

Additional, I didn’t have to go too much farther until I noticed the bottom of the hot water heater was leaking. Since this was in the unfinished area of basement if the tank did burst, it would probable cause a minimum of damage. That’s why when visiting a home I alway recommend an emergency drain pan to be installed under the hot water heat appliance, especially if it’s located on the 2nd floor. Additional damage was noted on the bottom of the tank due to rusting that was coming from the inside. The water heater will have to be replaced.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Poor Furnace Installation

Written on November 19, 2012 by in Appliances, Heating, Mechanical systems

During my visits to many homes in the central New Jersey area I get to see appliance installations that sometimes make me want to shake my head in disbelief. During a recent inspection in Kendall Park, NJ I noticed this strange configuration of a furnace sitting on top of a built up wooden platform. I said to myself what a sloppy job. The location of the furnace was within a utility closet located on the 2nd floor. What was also missing was an emergency drain pan. Without a drain pan or tiled floor area with a built in drainage pipe, this installation will eventually lead to disaster. The furnace will someday leak from the evaporator coil built into the enclosure and flow downward into the finsihed ceiling of the livingroom cuasing a huge amount of damage.

Even though the townhouse unit looked quite nice from the exterior, problems existed in the interior due to a lack of quality control and supervision of the builder organization. This problem is a ticking time bomb. It’s not a question if the furnace will someday leak, but whenit will leak.  And it will leak.

 

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Hidden Oil Tanks

Written on July 14, 2012 by in Exterior grounds, Heating, Mechanical systems, Oil tanks, Plumbing

During my home inspections I sometimes find indications of a past used oil tank. Old oil tank fuel lines in the basement are a tell tale sign that an oil tank has been on the property at one time. The questions that remain to be answered are if the tank is still there, if the tank has been removed and is no longer there; and if and when the oil tank was removed or is still in place, was it properly decommissioned?

 

If there are questions that remain as to if and when there were or still is an oil tank on the property that you would like to buy, the best thing you can do for yourself is to have the property scanned for underground metal tanks. The are speciality companies that will come out and do this for a modest service charge. The service person walks the grounds near the house and looks for any indications of a large metal mass. If found, the next step is to probe and actually find the tank using a large metal probing bar. Then finally to outline the perimeter of the hidden tank.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Properly Sealing Ductwork

Written on March 1, 2012 by in Energy saving, Heating, Insulation, Interior walls, Mechanical systems

Not something we talk about at parties, but the fact is leaky ducts are a common problem and a major source of energy loss in a lot of homes.  Homeowners pay dearly to heat and cool their homes.  The air traveling through their home’s forced air delivery system is sometimes partially lost by way of loose connections in the ductwork system.  Unfortunately in many homes a significant amount of that air may escape through duct leaks before it ever reaches the living space.

Finding duct air leaks and then fixing them (as opposed to replacing every duct run in your home) has been an ongoing challenge for the HVAC industry.  First, you can’t fix a leak if you can’t see it, and even if you can, slapping some duct tape on has proved an imperfect and temporary solution.  Never use duct tape on ducts; a UL 101 metalic or similiar tape is always preferred.  Even small holes when added up throughout the system can account for a huge loss of efficiency. The EPA estimates that 10-15% of air volume is lost as it travels through leaky ducts, in homes and in commercial/industrial buildings.

Here’s a  good video regarding the correct sealing process of ducts:

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

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.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

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.”

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

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.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!
« Older Posts