How To Look at a House
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What is the most common cause of a wood deck collapse?
Failure of the ledger connection, where the deck meets the house, is the most common cause of failure of a wood deck. A ledger is the board secured to the wall of the house that the deck joists sit on top of or are connected to the side of. It’s absolutely necessary to use thru-bolts or structural lag screws to secure the ledger board to the wall...
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Wood Decks
Building a wood deck is a common weekend-warrior project. But a deck collapse, even if its just a few feet off the ground, can cause injuries. Here’s some of our articles about how to build a safe deck:
• What is code requirement for receptacle outlets at a porch, deck, or balcony?
• What are the warning signs of a dangerous deck?
• Can...
What is minimum safe length of each plank of a wood deck?
Deck boards should span across at least three joist bays, connected at four joists, to be safely secured. Short deck boards, like the one shown above that spans between only two joists, are dangerous and an indication of non-professional deck construction. To learn more about building a safe deck, see our article What are the warning signs of a dangerous...
Is a home inspector required to inspect washing machines?
The State of Florida’s Standards of Practice specify that household appliances must be inspected, with no exceptions. However both national home inspector associations exempt washing machines from the list of appliances required to be inspected. The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) states “the home inspector is not...
Is a home inspector required to test water for potability (safe for drinking)?
Water testing is not a required part of the Standards of Practice of a home inspection by either of the major national home inspection associations or the State of Florida. The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) standards state that “the home inspector is not required to determine the water quality, potability or reliability...
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Water Meters
Here’s links to answers to the questions we get asked most frequently about water meters:
• Why is my water meter box full of water?
• Can a water meter box (vault) be installed below ground level (grade)?
• The cover plate of my water meter box is broken. Who is responsible to fix it?
• Why is the cover plate of some water meter...
Is a home inspector required to determine whether sewage disposal is public or private?
Both the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and the State of Florida’s Standards of Practice for home inspectors specify that a home inspector is not required to determine whether the home’s sewage disposal system is a public sewer or a private septic tank. The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) states that...
Is a home inspector required to determine whether the water supply is public or private.
The answer to this question depends of which professional Standards of Practice the home inspector abides by. The International Association of Certified Home Inspector’s (InterNACHI) standards specify that “the inspector shall describe whether the water supply is public or private based upon observed evidence.” But both the American Society of Home...
Is a home inspector required to check the ventilation of unfinished spaces, like the attic and crawl space?
The areas of a home that are not heated and cooled living spaces require adequate ventilation to avoid condensation and moisture buildup that can lead to mold, wood rot, and metal corrosion, to name just a few potential problems. The Standards of Practice of the two national home inspector associations require that unfinished spaces be inspected for...
Do home inspectors turn on circuit breakers?
The Standards of Practice of the two major home inspector associations and the State of Florida do not require an inspector to turn on any circuit breakers in a panel that are off at the time of the inspection. The InterNational Association of Certified Home Inspector's (InterNACHI) standard states that “the inspector is not required to operate or...
Can you use an electrical cord and plug for an exterior tankless gas water heater?
Although a cord and plug is supplied by many manufacturers for an interior gas tankless water heater, an exterior cord is not allowed. The required 120-volt electrical must be hard-wired. Here’s the page from Rheem manual with their requirements. Also, a dedicated circuit is recommended and the circuit should not be GFCI or AFCI protected.
•...
When did they start putting HUD plates on manufactured/mobile homes?
Each section of a manufactured home built in the U.S. after June 15th, 1976, is required to have a HUD Certification Label (also called a “HUD tag” or “red tag”) affixed to the exterior wall. It's located near the bottom of one of the short sides of a single-wide home, near the corner, and on the short side of each section of a double or triple-wide....
How do I find previous building permits for a house?
Most building departments now have their older (closed) permits available online. The first thing you need to know is the jurisdiction where the home is located. It could be in an unincorporated area of a county or possibly within city limits. You can usually go to the county or city website, locate the page on the site for the building department...
Can vinyl flooring be used outdoors on a deck, patio, or screen porch?
Although vinyl flooring is water-resistant, it can crack or swell under extreme temperature changes. So a sun room where you can close the windows and control the temperature is okay, but an open area that is at the mercy of outdoor weather—like the screened porch entry for a mobile home shown above—is not suitable for vinyl flooring.
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What is the top of a hanging light fixture called?
It’s called a canopy, and is both decorative and functional. The canopy is usually round and covers the bottom of the electrical box to enclose and protect the wire splices. It should sit snugly up against the ceiling, not like the example shown above. The canopy might also be referred to as a rose or rosette. Sometimes the canopy itself is surrounded...
What is the box marked PowerBlaster in my electrical panel?
PowerBlaster® is an electrical metering device installed for monitoring home power consumption, and can also track power production for homes with solar panels. It is manufactured by Energy Aware Technology Inc., and recognizable from the name on the box installed in the electrical panel and the C.T. coil sensors surrounding each of the two service...
What is GFCI?
GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, and is sometimes shortened to just GFI. It is a device that senses when current has escaped from its defined circuit and is going to ground. Because the route to ground for the wayward electricity may be through a person’s body, especially where water is involved, it cuts off the circuit within a fraction...
What is the difference between NM-cable and NMC-cable?
Both NM-cable and NMC-cable are an assembly of two or more electrical conductors in a flexible non-metallic sheathing, but NM-cable is only approved for dry locations. The sheathing of NMC-cable is corrosion-resistant, so it is rated for installion in dry, damp, wet, or corrosive locations.
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Frequently Asked Questions about NM-cable (Romex®)
Here’s links to a collection of answers to our most-frequently-asked questions about NM-CABLE (ROMEX®):
• What is the maximum spacing requirement for securing NM-cable (nonmetallic-sheathed cable)?
• Is it alright to just put wire nuts on the end of unused or abandoned NM-cable or wiring?
• Can NM-cable (Romex®) be used to make a...
Can NM-cable (Romex®) lay on the ground in a crawl space or unfinished basement?
Exposed NM-cable must be protected from damage, so it is not allowed to run across the ground in a crawl space or unfinished basement. And the photo above is an example of how not to do it.The National Electrical Code [NEC 334.15(C), NEC 300.4(D), and NEC 334.30(B)] allows these installation methods:
1) Where the cable is run at angles with...
What is the HUD code for manufactured/mobile homes?
In response to years of complaints about the shoddy construction of mobile homes all across the country, Congress passed the “National Mobile Home Construction and Safety Standards Act,” and it was enacted into law by president Gerald Ford on August 22nd, 1974. But it did not take effect and begin enforcement until June 15th, 1976. All manufactured...
Can one missing or damaged shingle cause a roof leak?
Although possible that a single missing or damaged roof shingle can cause a roof leak, it’s unlikely unless you can see exposed roofing felt or wood sheathing. But damage in just one spot is like a small hole in a your favorite sweater. Both are made of interwoven pieces that, if not repaired promptly, will eventually unravel and rip open.
...
What is a water trap at the exterior walls of a house?
This is different from the water traps found in plumbing pipes or on a golf course. All the surfaces on the exterior wall of a home should slope away from the wall so that any rain that hits the wall will drain away. Areas that are flat, or—even worse—slope backwards, will allow water to puddle on them or funnel it back into the wall. Wood rot is...
MOISTURE PROBLEMS
Moisture from Florida’s hot, humid, and wet outdoor environment can cause big problems in a house if not controlled. Here’s links to some of our articles about it. Also see the WATER INTRUSION page listings.
• Why do new homes have more moisture and mold problems than older houses?
• What causes raised white lines of residue on a block...
What is rising damp?
"Rising damp" is water being pulled up through porous building materials that are in contact with the ground—like concrete, masonry, or stucco—by capillary action. The wetness can result in mold, wood rot, stained walls, and elevated humidity inside a home. The solution to this problem, which is an especially vexing one in Florida, is a damp proof...
What is a damp proof course (DPC)?
A damp proof course (DPC) is a barrier installed to stop movement of water by capillary action up through walls and floors. It is also now often referred to as a capillary break. Without a damp proof barrier, moisture moving up from the ground into a home—called rising damp—can cause mold, wood rot, and high humidity in a home. The problem of water...
Why are there bald spots of missing insulation in my attic?
Here are four possible reasons for gaps in your attic insulation:
1) Insulation was moved for repair or installation work in attic and not replaced afterwards - Workmen in the attic have to move it for repairs or new installations of cable, plumbing, or electric. Sometimes they do a sloppy job of putting the insulation back, or don’t bother at...
Who pays for a septic tank system inspection?
Like other specialized inspections at the time of a home sale, the cost of the septic inspection is paid by the homebuyer. The only exception would be if the seller agrees to pay for it as part of the sales agreement.
When the contractual inspection period is long enough, a buyer might wait to order the septic inspection until after getting...
Why are there cracks around my windows and doors?
A window or door is essentially a hole in the wall, which makes it a structurally weak area. So when there is any stress in the wall—such as from settlement, uplift, or lateral movement of the soil under the home—the crack that relieves the stress is most likely to occur at the “hole." Also, the window or door has a different rate of thermal expansion...
Where is the water shut-off valve for my refrigerator?
Newer homes have a water connection and shut-off valve at a box inset in the wall behind the refrigerator. But homes that were built before water service to the refrigerator became standard may have the water supply and valve retrofitted under the kitchen sink next to the cold water shut-off valve. It can also be in another room over a water heater...
Here's the 30 most recent of over 2900 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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