A Tip-Top Home Inspection

PLUMBING HEADACHES
There are innumerable things that can go wrong with plumbing systems. With cold weather coming, some simple maintenance on your outside water faucets, aka hose bibbs, can help prevent a huge headache in the spring.
There are two basic types of hose bibbs, the 'freeze-proof' type and the more conventional 'non-freeze proof' type. In climates where it seldom or never gets to temperatures below freezing, the freeze proof bibbs are not necessary but it is not uncommon to see both types used.
If the winters are cold where you live following a few simple steps can help avoid problems when temperatures allow water to begin thawing;
1. Ensure that each of your hose bibbs have a cut-off valve safely inside the heated portion of your house.
2. Locate the valves for hose bibbs and turn them to the off position.
3. Next go outside and turn on your faucets to allow the water to drain from your pipes and handles. Keep the inside valves off and the outside valves on for the entire winter.
4. Once the temperatures are above freezing, reverse the procedure to turn the water back on.
Remember, a split in the pipes will not be evident until the water begins to thaw. Your inspector at A Tip-Top Home Inspection recommends having a second person standing by to turn the inside valve off in the event there is an unseen leak.
Split pipes will need to be repaired or replaced before the water is left on to prevent flooding in your home.
If you have any questions about winterizing your hose bibbs, leave a question in the comments. We will do our best to get the answers you need.

EXTENDING THE LIFE OF YOUR ROOF
Fiberglass and composite shingle deteriorate over time. A good roof covering and expert installation is one way to ensure a longer life for your roof. You can also perform some simple and routine maintenance to extend the life of your roof covering.
Here are a few tips:
Keep surrounding trees trimmed so they do touch the roof. Limbs can rub on the surface causing early wear on the shingles. Branches heavy with snow or ice can fall and hit the house in the winter severely damaging the roof.
Look for missing, out of place, curled or cracked roof components. This can be difficult to do without going on the roof. You can, however, check the general condition of the roof by standing on a ladder in several locations around the roof. Or use binoculars to get a better view! If you see an area of concern, leave further inspection to the professionals. Most Home Inspectors will do a dedicated roof inspection for a reasonable fee. They can make recommendations on what steps you need to take to repair any damages.
Make a habit of cleaning the roof surface, especially the valleys, as well as your gutters and downspouts at least twice a year. A good time is in late spring and again in late autumn after the leaves have fallen. Also, make an immediate inspection after high winds or violent storms.
Just a bit of preventive maintenance can add years to the life of your roof and provide you with peace of mind.

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DRYER VENT SAFETY

Statistics from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) show that over 24,000 house fires and nearly $100 million in property damage annually are related to faulty clothes dryer vent installations. House fires related to clothes dryer vents are much more common than most people believe but luckily are relatively easy to prevent.
During a normal drying cycle, up to a gallon of water may be drawn out of the clothes in the form of water v***r. The purpose of the dryer vent system is to transport this water v***r & the lint that accompanies it, to a safe location outside the home. Lint is very flammable and all it takes is a small spark to ignite it leading to a house fire.
The more lint that fills a clothes dryer vent, the more energy it clothes dryer consumes to try to dry the clothes as the air won’t freely flow through the clogged vent material. This, in turn, causes the drying cycle to be much longer than normal and raises utility bills.
The International Residential Code (IRC) requires that clothes dryer vents be constructed of at least 0.016" thick rigid metal, have smooth interior surfaces, and shall not have sheet metal screws extending into the duct. Sheet metal screws penetrating into the material can allow lint to get caught on the screws and possibly clog the vent over time. Keep in mind, a home inspection is not a code compliance inspection and that the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) is the responsible party for determining/verifying code compliance. The home inspector is using these standards, however, as a reference to help protect his or her client from possible future hazards, such as a house fire.
Dryer ventilation systems should only terminate to the home's exterior and have a proper dampered exterior cover to help prevent water, birds, and insects from entering the duct. The exterior cover should not have a screen since it will cause lint build up and block the vent over time. Venting a clothes dryer into a garage, basement, attic, or anywhere else inside the home can lead to excessively high humidity levels, mold, and an increased fire risk. Also, a clothes dryer ventilation line should terminate to an area of the home's exterior where it cannot be blocked by vegetation, snow, or dirt, and be at least 3 feet from doors and windows. The vent also should not terminate near an air conditioning compressor as the dryer lint can accumulate on the A/C compressor which can prevent proper operation of the A/C system.
With every home inspection, I always recommend that the clothes dryer vent system be thoroughly cleaned at least twice per year as preventative maintenance. A home owner can take apart and clean the dryer vent's interior himself. This is made easier with a vacuum cleaner with a long hose attachment.
Information from: Clothes Dryer Vents: Proper & the Improper by Matthew Steger, ACI

Daylight Savings Time ends November 5. Make this the date to test your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors!
Make sure you detectors are correctly placed and have fresh batteries to warn you that you need to possibly evacuate and call 911.
At Tip-Top Home Inspection, your safety is number one!

Did you know that Radon gas is everywhere? It is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers in the United States. A simple test can be done to assure you are safe from exposure to Radon. Our company has a certified expert available to perform your test today! Call us about pricing and other information.

We are mold and radon certified, too.
Ask us how to make your home a safer place!

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