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Ask Paul ! Have an inspection related question? Use the contact box at the bottom of this page and ask a professional home inspector......
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Q: HOW LONG DOES A HOME INSPECTION TAKE? Great question. The quick answer is that there are so many variables that affect the duration of a home inspection that the time of the inspection alone won’t give much meaningful information when it comes to determining the condition of the home. I’ll discuss several of these variables to help give a better understanding of what makes a home inspection take longer. With all of the items listed below, the assumption is that all other things are equal. The House Large houses take more time to inspect than small houses. Old houses take more time to inspect than new houses. Part of the reason is that the house has had time for components to fail, rot, or reach the end of their life expectancy. Used houses typically have many different components that are in different stages of their life expectancy, and it’s the home inspector’s job to let the client know about components that are at the end of their life expectancy. Remodeled / renovated houses take longer to inspect. When new systems are mixed in with old systems, the house gets more complex. This frequently means additional HVAC systems, electrical subpanels, etc. All of these additional components considerably add to the time it takes to inspect a house. Complicated houses take longer to inspect. The more types of roof coverings, siding, windows, floor coverings, etc, the longer the inspection will take. Several small rooms will take significantly more time to inspect than one large room. Attics and crawl spaces add to the inspection time. Multiple attics and/or crawl spaces considerably adds to the inspection time. Tall buildings take more time to inspect than short buildings. This is because it’s more work to access the roof on a tall building. It’s a piece of cake for a home inspector to pull a Little Giant ladder out of their vehicle and hop on the roof. That works great for shorter buildings, or buildings where the upper roof areas can be accessed from the lower roof areas. For example, I recently spent nearly an hour inspecting the roof surfaces at the home pictured below because I used different ladders, and I ended up taking a lot of photos of the roof. Houses with deferred maintenance (aka – “no maintenance”) take a lot longer to inspect. It takes time to document problems, and these problem areas then need to be further inspected to help determine what else might be wrong. Bank owned and short sale properties usually take much longer to inspect because of deferred maintenance. The Inspector One inspector could easily take twice as long as the next inspector to inspect the exact same property. Sometimes, this is a direct reflection of the quality of the inspection. Inspector F might inspect the crawl space by looking in to the opening, inspect the roof from the ground with binoculars, and say the attic was obstructed with personal items and could not be inspected. On that same house, inspector A might inspect the crawl space by crawling through it. Before doing so, the inspector might have to set up a tarp outside the crawl space so as not to make a mess when coming out, go out to their vehicle and change in to some coveralls before going in to the crawl space, spend ten minutes inspecting the crawl space, then clean everything back up. This same inspector might not have any problem moving the seller’s items to gain access to the attic, and would surely walk the roof to inspect it. Just these three items could easily add an hour on to the inspection time.
Some home inspectors produce their inspection reports on-site, which adds a considerable amount of time to the inspection. At least it should. If a home inspector says that producing a report on-site doesn’t add much time to the inspection, they’re probably producing a poorly written inspection report filled with generic disclaimers about everything under the sun, and lots of sentences ending with “for its age” (eg – “The 30 year old roof was in normal condition for its age”). Some home inspectors just talk more. The Client Clients with a lot of questions make the inspection take longer. Especially the ‘why’ questions. Engineers take more time to explain stuff to. They’re usually not satisfied until they can successfully explain a problem back to me. Inspections for first time home buyers take longer than inspections for experienced homeowners. First time home buyers often need to have the basics explained; what a furnace is, how it operates, how to change the furnace filter, etc. Multiple clients at a single inspection will usually make things take longer. For example, I might inspect the roof and find a problem with the chimney before the buyer shows up. Once Mr. Home Buyer arrives, I’ll explain the chimney problem to him. Mrs. Home Buyer arrives an hour later and wants to hear about the chimney, so I take her outside and we discuss the chimney again. Their contractor arrives about halfway through the inspection, so I show him photos of the chimney problem. These all add up. The bottom line Don’t put too much stock in the amount of time that a home inspection takes. The duration of a home inspection is affected by too many variables for a home seller to draw any conclusions. A long home inspection isn’t necessarily bad news. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Q: Why is my ceiling cracking this winter? Q. This winter I noticed that the junction between my vaulted ceiling and wall shows a long crack! One wall looks pretty bad and the opposite wall now has a crack, though it’s not as bad. Also the tape in these joints looks kind of wrinkled. I’ve never seen this before and I’m afraid something structural is happening! March 3rd, 2014
Ah yes. I’ve been seeing this from time to time during this brutally cold winter. This cracking cycle is all caused by the weather. Your roof is most likely built with an engineered truss system – where a single unit comprises both the rafter and the ceiling joist and is joined together with webbing and gusset plates. When a newer house shows signs of interior ceiling corner cracking at the top floor in the winter, this can normally be associated with truss uplift. Most roof truss suppliers won't recommend that you fasten the top plates of interior walls to the bottom cord of the trusses because of the possibility of truss uplift. There is some debate about the cause of truss uplift and the actual mechanisms are not fully known, but it is believed to be due to the design of the trusses. Modern trusses are designed to incorporate triangular webs that are built with normal dimensional lumber, held together by metal plates. These triangles create very strong structural components, using the natural properties of the wood while minimizing the overall weight of the individual trusses. Truss uplift is a phenomenon common in newer homes built with roof trusses and is normally due to moisture differential between the bottom chords and the top chords of the trusses. The individual trusses that make up your roof system are constructed from #2 and better structural grade pine, which like all wood will move with humidity and temperature changes. When the weather changes from warm to cool, the trusses react to the colder temperatures and lower humidity. The bottom chords of the truss is buried in heavy insulation (normally at least 15"). In the winter the warm air from the ceiling below and the thickness of the insulation keeps the bottom chord dry, causing them to shrink or contract. While the top chords are absorbing moisture and being kept damp with the humidity in the attic. The dampness of the top chords of the trusses cause them to expand. This differential movement in the top and bottom chord of the trusses causes them to arch up in the center. When the trusses arch up it causes cracks in the ceilings at the center of the building. Since it is one unit tied together, the webbing of the truss will pull the bottom plate of the truss upward as it contracts. This is known as “uplift”, and it only happens to the interior walls of the home. When it pulls up, the drywall on the ceiling comes with it, thus widening the crack. No matter how much insulation you have in your attic, you cannot prevent this uplift from occurring. The trusses will move unless the humidity and temperature of the surrounding environment is completely stabilized, which is not possible. As the trusses dry out with the warm summer air they drop back down closing most of the cracks. This gap will open and close seasonally with changes in exterior temperature and other environmental conditions. This effect may be worse on homes with a wide span between parallel exterior walls. This cracking is upsetting to a homeowner, as most homeowners might assume that there are structural problems with the house. In reality, the ceiling has lifted up, creating a gap at where interior wall framing meets with the ceiling trusses. The truss expansion/arching literally lifts the truss off the interior walls. SOLUTIONS - REPAIRS One solution to an existing condition, the tops of the interior walls should be un-nailed from the trusses, remove the nails from inside the attic and them secure the tops of the interior walls with wood blocks or truss clips. (L shaped metal clips with a long slot on the upper leg) . (See: https://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/stc-stct-dtc_pt.asp) The clips attach to the tops of the interior wall partitions and are then nailed through the slots to the trusses. The nails are not driven tight to allow for movement of the truss. Then take a nail set and drive all the ceiling nails within 16 inches of the corners at the center partitions and all the wall nails within 8 inches of the ceiling through the dry wall. The holes in the drywall should then be patched with dry wall joint compound and the walls and ceilings repainted. Clearly this is a quite involved process and can get complicated after the home is finished. Another possible solution would be to install crown molding around all the second floor ceilings, nailing the trim only to the ceilings. this procedure would cover the cracks and maintain a good looking ceiling corner. Note: The trim is difficult to install on vaulted ceilings. Also, when installing the crown molding in this manner , remember to paint the trim in the winter months so that there is no paint stripe at the bottom of the trim when the trusses lift next winter. PREVENTION When building a new house the framing contractor should secure the interior partitions to the trusses with truss clips. The clips attach to the tops of the interior wall partitions and are then nailed through the slots to the trusses. The nails are not driven tight to allow for movement of the truss. The drywall installer must then install the drywall properly to prevent cracking. They should not screw or nail the drywall to the trusses within 16 inches of an interior wall and within 8 inches of the ceilings on the interior walls. They should fasten the drywall to blocks of wood nailed between the trusses or use metal clips that are attached to the top of the interior walls. Most truss movement occurs over a period of time, this installation technique will allow the drywall to flex near the corners preventing cracking. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Q. An Abandoned Oil Tank in Basement
Q. I was showing a home to a client, and a concern was raised about the abandoned oil tank in the basement. One of the client’s relatives said it was a potential explosion hazard, and it would cost thousands of dollars to have it removed. What do you think? A. Frankly, I haven’t run into many oil tanks. So, I had to do a little research. Here’s what I’ve learned… While the tank isn’t really a safety concern, the consensus is that it should be probably be removed all the same. Even though I haven’t seen the site, I think I can say with a fair amount of confidence that it won’t be a major problem. They got it in the basement somehow, so they should be able to get it back out again the same way. I think your cost may be in the $1000.00 range. Less if there is usable oil that the company can salvage out of the tank. Of course, the specific circumstances involved could make the removal somewhat higher, but the general consensus of my colleagues is in the $600-$1400 range. I would contact any heating oil distributor or oil boiler repair company for information on removal. In Wisconsin, a person who provides or offer to provide supervision of storage tank system installation, removal, testing, lining, cleaning and site assessment must hold a valid credential in the respective specialty! A helpful brochure by the Wisconsin Realtors Association for buyers (and sellers) regarding storage tanks can be found here: WRA - UST See Wisconsin's Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection for storage tank information @ DATCP Storage Tank To look up if a Wisconsin property has had an AST (Above Ground Storage Tank) or UST (Underground Storage Tank) removed you can use this site: WI Storage Tank Database ________________________________________________________________________________________
Q. Should I Be Worried About My Granite Countertops? Q. I’ve been hearing that Granite counter tops might be dangerous. I’m concerned because we just spent a lot money putting some in our new home. I don’t understand it all and just need to know if I should have the granite removed. A. I’ve been reading and hearing about granite too, both positive and negative. It is possible that those in the composite counter top industry have been capitalizing on some research showing that some granite does emit radiation. On the other hand, those in the granite industry are saying that granite is perfectly safe. If you Google this, you are going to find articles that support both sides. I suspect the truth is somewhere in the middle. That is, while granite does have the potential to emit radiation, I suspect that in most cases a counter top is not going to contain enough radon producing materials to affect your exposure levels significantly. Yes, I have heard that if you hold a Geiger counter next to a granite counter top it may go off, but I’ve also been told that if you hold one next to a banana it will go off due to the potassium. Knowing what to believe is hard to discern. The first thing I would suggest is having a radon test conducted in your home. This is something that every homeowner could have done, and it will help you determine whether you have anything to worry about. The test is normally done at the lowest habitable level of your home. A test can also be performed separately on the main level if you are concerned about your building materials producing radon. If your radon test comes back high, then it is more likely that the high levels are coming from the soil gas under your home rather than granite. But, then you will know whether you even have a problem before you proceed. Yes, your beautiful $4000 granite counter top may be a source, and you can have your granite tested very easily, if necessary. However, please don’t rip out your counter top completely based on a bias source on the internet. Also remember that the most likely source for elevated radon levels is soil gasses. So check the air in your home first, if you find that you have elevated levels, have the home mitigated and see if that solves the problem. If not, then you might need to consider taking a closer look at the granite. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Granite Countertops and Radon Readers, For more information on this, read: AARST Granite Position Statement ________________________________________________________________________________________ Q. Too Many Layers of Shingles? Q. We are selling our home, and the buyer’s inspector said our roof has three layers of shingles and said it was a major concern. Now our buyers want us to replace the roof. Why is the number of layers a problem when the roof is not leaking or anything?
A. Some municipalities have allowed as many as three layers of roofing materials.Others only allow two. You would need to contact your local building department to see what the roofing codes are in your neighborhood. Regardless of the code requirements, whoever installed that third layer did not follow good roofing practices. It is very possible that your roof’s internal structure (joists or trusses) was not designed to carry the load of multiple layers of roofing materials. The maximum allowed in most locations is two layers, but I don’t even like to see that. The excess weight may cause the trusses to bow, crack or even break. Saving a few hundred dollars by not tearing the old roof off only shortens the lifespan of the layer on top. Also, some insurance companies will not cover a home with multiple shingle layers. Anyone replacing the roof on their home should insist on having the current roofing materials removed. This is also an excellent time (and relatively cheap time) to improve the ventilation for the roof, and replace all the flashing materials. Doing so will cost a little bit more, but doing things right in the first place usually pays off in the end. _____________________________________________________________________Q. What can I do about ungrounded, converted outlets? Q. What can I do about two prong outlets that have been converted to three prong outlets but are ungrounded? I was told this is a shock hazard, and I don’t want to rewire my entire home. January 12th, 2014 A. Thanks for the question. This particular problem can be handled a couple of different ways. And each of these solutions should be addressed by a qualified electrical professional. (There may be other issues involved such as knob and tube wiring or solid aluminum wiring, which make this issue more complex.) You already mentioned the best way to solve this problem in your question. That is, rewiring the circuits in question to use a 3-conductor cable (hot, neutral,& ground).This would be considered an upgrade for your electrical system, and would probably be a positive selling point when you are ready to place the home on the market. Another option would be to simply replace the 3-prong ungrounded receptacles with the original type, 2-prong receptacles (AKA Polarized two-slot). One problem with this solution is that you are still living with ungrounded circuits, and may not be able to use certain appliances requiring a 3 prong outlet. (Important Note: The 2-prong to 3-prong adapters found at hardware stores do not provide a ground for your appliance unless they are grounded another way. They simply allow you to plug in a 3-prong plug into a 2-slot receptacle. The appliance may work, but is unprotected. If there is a short, whoever is touching the appliance may become the “ground” which could result in a serious electrical shock. This is the current condition of your receptacles.) There is a third option, which could be a good “compromise” solution. National code states that these outlets can be replaced with GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) receptacles. The receptacles are still not grounded but are supposed to protect against electrocution. This may prove to be a less expensive repair. Note you may want to check your local code to determine that this can be done in your area. Building codes differ from location to location. If you choose this option, each of these outlets should also be labeled “GFCI protected / NO equipment ground”. ________________________________________________________________________________________
Q. Are Home Inspections Necessary for New Construction?
Q. I have a contract on a house that is new construction. It will be completed soon and a friend told me that I should have it inspected before we close on the house. It seems that since everything is new, there would be no reason to spend the money on an inspection? Do home inspectors really do inspections on brand new homes, and if so, what kinds of things could be a problem? January 17th, 2014 A. You would think that a new home would be perfect, and that you need not be concerned about anything. You would also think that after moving in, the home warranty would protect you in regard to anything you might find later that needs to be fixed. But the truth of the matter is, neither of those thoughts prove to be true. Recently I inspected a newly constructed home, valued over $400,000. Here is a real-life example of what I found as I inspected this high-end, brand new home:
And I want to remind you that this was all in just one, high-end, newly constructed home. I’ve heard from other inspectors who have found serious hazards, such as un-finished or disconnected furnace or water heater flues, unfinished chimney flues, wood construction material too close to the flues posing a fire hazard, unconnected waste pipes draining sewage into the crawlspaces or basement. The stories are endless. And this doesn’t even address the possibility of the home having elevated levels of radon gas. Bottom line for you as a new construction buyer…There is no such thing as a perfect house. Homes are built by fallible humans. The municipal inspectors who are supposed to be checking for code, are overworked, and generally don’t spend much time looking at the 10-20 homes they are inspecting every day. And even then, they are looking for code violations, not poor workmanship. In most cases their final inspections are performed prior to turning on the utilities, so inspections of basic electrical, plumbing, and HVAC equipment is impossible. Your best option, even with a warranty, is to identify problems and address them before you close escrow. You have the most power at that time. After all, if the builder doesn’t want to fix those problems now, there are probably 100 other new homes on the market you could be just as happy with. Once you close, and you own the home, you are at the builder’s mercy as to what exactly is covered under their warranty, and what the builder considers normal wear and tear. At a minimum, I would recommend: A whole house inspection, a termite inspection (yes termites can work very fast), and a short term radon test. As a side note: I would also recommend that anyone who is considering purchasing a new home should hire a real estate agent to represent you in the transaction. Not hiring an agent won’t save you any money, nor will hiring one cost you any money (if you are curious how this works, ask your agent). But, it is to your advantage to have an agent who can represent you, look out for your best interests, as well as assist you in negotiations with your builder. ________________________________________________________________________________________
Q. How Do I Repair a Cut Joist? Q. Need some help. My niece recently had a home inspection done to sell her home. The inspector noticed that one floor joist which lined directly up with the plumbing stack had been cut from day one over forty years ago. She bought the house last year and is now moving. The joist was spliced with a overlapping piece and nailed on to the side of the cut joist and not with much overlap, about 18″ on each side. The inspector said it should be fixed before she can sell the house. The cut was about 1/4 to 1/3 from the end which sits on the sill plate of the basement. Does a new joist need to be placed along side the cut one and bolted or should a telepost be added or is there some kind of steel brace that can be added to support the cut joist. Looking for some options. January 26, 2014 A. They make steel plates for that exact purpose. (Simpson Strong Tie). Practically speaking, since it was only one joist, and since there have not been any problems related to this in over forty years, I think it’s safe to say her house isn’t going to fall down over it. If her municipality is requiring it to be fixed in order to sell it, a properly dimensioned steel plate is the right way to go. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Q. Utilities Weren’t Turned On for My Inspection
Q. I’m purchasing a home that is currently owned by a bank. The inspector stated that we had to make sure that the bank had all the utilities turned on. We thought they had but when we got there, there were signs all over saying the home was winterized. My inspector really couldn’t inspect everything. What should we do? January 27th, 2014
However, to understand this scenario better, put yourself into the shoes of the homeowner. Imagine that you owned a home, and you had signs in the home stating that certain appliances may not be operated. It is still your home and no one has the right to violate your wishes regarding your home. And if someone does violate your instructions, and something bad happens, you would hold that person responsible for any damages. For that reason, most Home Inspectors do NOT turn on utilities, nor do they de-winterize homes. In these situations, the seller (in my example, the bank) should have the home de-winterized and the utilities turned on in preparation for the inspection. There are plenty of horror stories about inspectors, Realtors, or their clients turning on a utility with disastrous results. There may be a safety issue, a water leak, or a host of other problems that could occur. Someone who takes it upon themselves to turn on a utility or ignore instructional signs and notes, has opened themselves up to tremendous liability. So that leads to your question… “What should we do?” Typically, it is the property owner’s responsibility to ensure that the home is ready for your inspection. Depending on your real estate contract, the responsibility to have the utilities turned on still falls to the property owner. Once they are turned on, you can ask your inspector to return to complete the inspection, however be aware that there will probably be an return inspection fee. Your inspector’s time is valuable, and your second inspection is taking up one of his time slots. Many buyers successfully negotiate with the sellers to pay this return fee, if it was the seller’s fault that the inspection couldn’t be completed. This depends on your contract, and who was responsible for making sure the utilities were turned on.
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