How To Look at a House
recent blogs
Why should a closet be examined carefully?
It may seem like there’s not much to see in a closet, but some hold dark secrets. They often don’t get repainted along with the rest of the interior, so any roof leak stains will still be visible, while the ceilings of the other rooms have been touched up. There may also be mold or drywall damage. And the baseboard could have termite galleries and...
How do I calculate how many gallons a pool is?
The magic number to remember is 7.5. That’s the number of gallons in a cubic foot of water. So, measuring in feet, LENGTH x WIDTH x AVERAGE DEPTH x 7.5 = the gallons of water in the pool. It gets more complicated for a circular pool: pi (3.14) x RADIUS SQUARED (radius x radius) x AVERAGE DEPTH x 7.5. And an irregularly shaped pool, such as kidney...
Why is the floor of a home required to be above the crown of the road?
Most communities have a requirement that a home be constructed so that the lowest floor of the living area is anywhere from 12-inches to 24-inches above the crown of the adjacent road. This is to prevent flooding problems in severe weather. They sometimes allow an exception when a floor built above the crown of the road would create drainage problems...
How much do I save on my homeowners insurance with secondary water resistance on the roof?
Although secondary water resistance (self-sealing peel-and-stick underlayment installed instead of standard roofing felt when you reroof) will save you up to 8% on the windstorm part of your homeowners insurance policy when it is verified by a wind mitigation inspection report, the return on your investment is typically not that generous. It will...
Do receptacle outlets in an aircraft hangar require Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protection?
All 15-amp and 20-amp 125-volt receptacles in an aircraft hangar are required to be GFCI-protected per NEC 513.12.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Field Guide for Home Inspectors, a quick reference for finding the age of 154 brands of HVAC systems, water heaters, and electrical panels, plus 210 code standards for site-built and manufactured...
What is the HUD-code minimum width of a hallway for a manufactured/mobile home?
Here is HUD's minimum hallway width requirements per CFR 3280.109:
Hallways shall have a minimum horizontal dimension of 28 inches measured from the interior finished surface to the interior finished surface of the opposite wall. When appliances are installed in a laundry area, the measurement shall be from the front of the appliance to the opposite...
What are the HUD-code minimum room sizes for a manufactured/mobile home?
Here are HUD's minimum room size requirements per CFR 3280.109:
(a) Every manufactured home shall have at least one living area with not less than 150 sq. ft. of gross floor area.
(b) Rooms designed for sleeping purposes shall have a minimum gross square foot floor area as follows:
(1) All bedrooms shall have at least 50 sq. ft. of...
What are the HUD-code requirements for building an attached garage for a manufactured/mobile home?
The HUD-code has the following requirements for an attached garage for a manufactured home at 24CFR 3280.212:
(a) When a manufactured home is designed for factory construction with an attached garage or is designed for construction of an attached site-built garage that is not self-supported, the manufacturer must design the manufactured home...
What is the HUD-code minimumum requirement for smoke alarms in a manufacture/mobile home?
A smoke alarm/detector must be installed on any wall in the hallway or living area outside each sleeping room, and also in each sleeping room. Homes with bedroom areas that are separated by any one or a combination of common-use areas such as a kitchen, dining room, living room, or family room (but not a bathroom or utility room) require a smoke alarm...
What is the HUD-code minimum ceiling height in a manufactured/mobile home?
Here’s how minimum ceiling height standards for manufactured homes are stated in the HUD-code at 24CFR 3280.104:
(a) Every habitable room and bathroom shall have a minimum ceiling height of not less than 7 feet, 0 inches for a minimum of 50 percent of the room's floor area. The remaining area may have a ceiling with a minimum height of 5 feet,...
What is the HUD requirement for bedroom emergency egress windows for manufactured/mobile homes?
The HUD-code standard for egress windows for manufactured homes is similar, but not identical, to the code for site-built homes. Every room designed expressly for sleeping must have a window at least 22 inches in the horizontal or vertical smallest dimension and at least 5 square feet in area, with the bottom of the window opening not more than 36...
Is a golf cart garage considered the same as a car garage in the building codes?
Yes. Here’s the definition of a garage in the 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC): “A building or a portion of a building in which one or more self-propelled vehicles can be kept for use, sale, storage, rental, repair, exhibition or demonstration purposes.” And a private garage (as opposed to public one) is defined by the 2018 International Buidling...
How do I determine the age of my air conditioner if the serial number is missing or not legible?
If the data plate on the air conditioner is missing or so faded that it is no longer readable, you already have part of the answer. It’s a least 10 years old. But, if you need a more specific age, here’s four ways to find it:
1) Check building permits. You may be able to get the date of the permit for replacement of the system from your local...
Can I find the age of a heat pump from the serial number?
The year of manufacture is encoded in the serial number on the data plate of most brands of heat pumps, but not all. A few manufacturers require contacting their customer service department with the serial number to get date of manufacture. Go to our article How do I determine the age of my heat pump? for a listing of major brands and how to figure...
Can I find the age of an air conditioner from the serial number?
The year of manufacture is encoded in the serial number on the data plate of most brands of air conditioners, but not all. A few manufacturers require contacting their customer service department with the serial number to get date of manufacture. Go to our article How do I determine the age of my air conditioner? for a listing of major brands and...
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Gas Water Heaters
Here’s links to a collection of our blog posts about GAS WATER HEATERS:
• Are water heaters required to be raised off the floor?
• Where are gas water heaters not allowed to be installed?
• When was a gas water heater first required to be elevated 18 inches above a garage floor?
• Can I leave a gas water heater in place when...
What is short cycling of an air conditioner or heat pump?
Short cycling of an air conditioner or heat pump is when the system turns on and off too frequently. A normal operating cycle is 15 to 20 minutes, then off for around 10 minutes. If the system turns off after just a few seconds or minutes, something is wrong. Because the life of the system is measured in on/off cylces, short cycling reduces the lifespan—besides...
Is a home inspector required to determine the age of a water heater?
The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) states in their Standards of Practice that a home inspector “is not required to measure the capacity, temperature, age, life expectancy or adequacy of the water heater.” The Standards of Practice of the other national home inspector group, American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI)...
Is a home inspector required to check for a wobbly toilet?
The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) states in their Standards of Practice that a home inspector is required to report “as to the need for correction toilets that were damaged, had loose connections to the floor, were leaking, or had tank components that did not operate." The Standards of Practice of the other national...
How much will a category 5 hurricane damage a mobile home?
"Almost complete destruction of all mobile homes will occur, regardless of age or construction,” according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. A category 5 storm has sustained winds of 157 mph and higher.
Links to the expected damage for other category hurricanes: 1, 2, 3, 4.
To learn about the four variables that determine the...
How much will a category 4 hurricane damage a mobile home?
"Nearly all older (pre-1994) mobile homes will be destroyed. A high percentage of newer mobile homes also will be destroyed,” according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. A category 4 storm has sustained winds of 130 to 156 mph.
Links to the expected damage for other category hurricanes: 1, 2, 3, 5.
To learn about the four variables...
How much will a category 3 hurricane damage a mobile home?
"Nearly all older (pre-1994) mobile homes will be destroyed. Most newer mobile homes will sustain severe damage with potential for complete roof failure and wall collapse," according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. A category 3 storm has sustainedwinds of 111 to 129 mph.
Links to the expected damage for other category hurricanes: 1, 2, 4, 5.
How much will a category 2 hurricane damage a mobile home?
"Older (mainly pre-1994 construction) mobile homes have a very high chance of being destroyed and the flying debris generated can shred nearby mobile homes. Newer mobile homes can also be destroyed,” according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. A category 2 storm has sustained winds of 96 to 110 mph.
Links to the expected damage for...
How much will a category 1 hurricane damage a mobile home?
"Older (mainly pre-1994 construction) mobile homes could be destroyed, especially if they are not anchored properly as they tend to shift or roll off their foundations. Newer mobile homes that are anchored properly can sustain damage involving the removal of shingle or metal roof coverings, and loss of vinyl siding, as well as damage to carports,...
What causes the powdery crust on CPVC pipe connections at the water heater?
The powdery crust is efflorescence--which is the residual minerals that water leaves behind when it dries up. A very slow leak, one that evaporated at about the same rate that it leached out, created the flaking white powder crust on the CPVC pipe, shown above, at the cold water supply to a water heater.
Although we have only seen this phenomenon...
Can water pipe be run across the ground in a crawl space?
No. Plumbing codes require that water supply pipes be protected from damage and secured in place at regular intervals. The maximum spacing of securing devices is specified by code based on the size and type of pipe. This means that the pipe must either be secured to a stable surface of the crawl space or buried underground. Water pipe that runs on...
What is the minimum size of a bedroom in a manufactured/mobile home per HUD?
All mobile/manufactured home bedrooms must have a minimum of 50 square feet of floor area, except that bedrooms designed for two or more people require minimum of 70 square feet, according to the HUD Code at 3280.109. Also “every room designed for sleeping purposes shall have accessible clothes hanging space with a minimum inside depth of 22 inches...
Does a room need a closet to be legally called a bedroom?
A closet is not required by the building code for bedrooms. However, it is expected by most home buyers that a room should have a closet to be called a bedroom. Bedroom closets are something of a modern invention. Homes built prior to 1930 often did not have a closet in all the bedrooms, and clothes were stored in furniture, such as a chifferobe or...
BEDROOMS
A bedroom is where people spend a third of their day unconscious and in the dark, so building codes have expanded to make them safer to occupy. Here's a collection of links with answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we get about bedrooms.
• What are code requirements for bedrooms?
• What is the minimum ceiling height in...
CLOSETS
Here’s links with answers to some of the questions we often get about closets:
• What are the code requirements for light fixtures in a closet?
• When were electrical panels banned from installation in closets?
• Does a need a closet to be legally called a bedroom?
• Is a bare bulb light in a closet alright?
• Are lights...
Here's the 30 most recent of over 3,000 home inspection blog entries. You can also use the Blog Index link above, or search box below, to find the article with the info you need. Also, our Blog Archive lists all the articles, including a reposting and updating of earlier blogs from mcgarryandmadsen.com dating back to 2011.
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