Stoffer Inspections, L.C.
You'll do well for your clients to recommend a rehabilitation inspection once they get underway.
Almost 50% of the people who contract for home improvements report a bad experience. Disputes with builders over materials, workmanship, deadlines, and expenses have left many homeowners frustrated and financially strapped.
Homeowners should consult a professional home inspector before, during, and after the job. Hiring an inspector is just like getting a second medical opinion. When a change in construction plans or materials is called for, an inspector will help to determine whether the extra costs and work are necessary and correct.
A typical inspection schedule involves three or four on-site visits:
1. Prior to contract -- to examine the house and review and discuss the contractor's plans and specifications
2. At the halfway point -- to review the work in progress when the framing on a new structure is finished and the mechanical systems (i.e., electrical, heating/AC, etc.) have been installed
3. Upon completion -- to conduct a final and total examination of the work performed and of the house as a whole after the finishing work has been completed and before the final payment is made
4. Optional review -- to determine if any material substitutions are satisfactory and/or if any cost overruns were justified (at any time during the remodeling.)
Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600
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A septic system consists of a tank and a drainfield, or seepage pit. Usually a distribution-pit box is installed between the tank and the drainfield to distribute sewage evenly. The septic tank itself can be made of concrete (considered the most durable), steel (no longer available), or fiberglass, and can hold 500-1500 gallons.
The septic tank separates the solid and liquid wastes so that solids don't flow into the drainfield. Sewage flows through the tank inlet where solids settle to the bottom and form sludge, which is broken down by anaerobic bacteria. Liquid waste lies above the sludge and a layer of scum forms between baffles at the top consisting of buoyant greases and detergents.
A working septic tank should always be filled up to the level of the outlet pump. As the liquid level rises in the tank, it will now through the outlet pipe and into the drainfield. The drainfield consists of perforated pipes buried in gravel filled trenches. The length of the drainfield depends on local building codes and the absorption rate of the soil. Generally, the drainfield must be at least 100 feet from a well or other water sources and the tank should be at least five feet away from the house.
Seepage pits are used where soils drain poorly or when a building site doesn't have enough room for a drainfield The septic tank's output pipe runs into the seepage pit. The pit is lined with a perforated masonry liner or stones that disperse liquid waste to be absorbed by the soil. if properly installed and maintained (which includes professional service every two to four years, depending on the number of people in your family and how heavily the system is used), a septic system should operate efficiently for 20 years or more. Be sure to keep a record of when the septic tank or seepage pit was last pumped out, as well as notes on its present condition. A drainfield that emits odors and is surrounded by soggy soil may have reached the end of its useful life.
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Good ventilation, moisture reduction, sunlight, and cleanliness are ingredients for improving conditions in damp, smelly places. A dehumidifier will help keep moisture out of the air during warmer months, but many dehumidifiers do not work well at temperatures below 65 degrees.
When it is too cold to use a dehumidifier, a small fan can help keep air circulating and will often improve conditions. On fair, dry days in all seasons, open windows and doors in basements and crawl spaces to admit fresh air and light. Ventilating for even a short time on fair winter days can help reduce mustiness.
Moisture seepage through walls often contributes to mustiness even when there is no standing water. To check for seepage, tape squares of aluminum foil to several places on the walls. Leave the foil squares in place for a few days, then remove them and check the backs for moisture. Condensation on the backs of the foil means there is seepage. Seepage can often be reduced by coating the walls with a waterproofing paint such as Drylok or Thoroseal.
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Would your clients pay less for a house if they thought it was haunted? Appraisal specialists say that such rumors usually drive down the value of a house by about 15%. The same is true of houses believed to have been the scene of a particularly grisly crime. The up side? "Stigmatized" houses can be great deals for people who aren't bothered by a home's history.
Dripping Faucets A faucet that drips at a rate of 1 drip per second for a month, you will waste over 200 gallons of water.
Using a Whole-House Fan Use a whole-house fan only when the outside air is not higher in temperature than the interior spaces being ventilated.
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Choosing and recommending a qualified and ethical home inspector is the newest challenge facing buyers and real estate professionals. Using a Certified Member of the American Society of Home Inspectors is one way to ensure you are working with a qualified professional.
ASHI is a non-profit professional society made up of individual, independent home inspectors and is the only international organization which tests and screens inspectors based on technical and professional requirements, and grants membership only to those who meet its demanding criteria. Not every home inspector is truly qualified to perform inspections, and that ASHI membership is therefore the most important prerequisite to look for in selecting a home inspector.
The home inspector's best training doesn't come from a book, it comes from field experience. Neither warranties nor insurance policies can take the place of the knowledge and experience gained from such hands-on education, and that's what makes a truly qualified home inspector.
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Now that home inspections have become accepted real estate practice in so many parts of the U.S. and Canada, ASHI's concern is to educate buyers about selecting a home inspector who is qualified. Currently, an inspector's membership in ASHI is the most widely accepted indication of qualification.
ASHI's requirements for membership are rigorous, including the performance of at least 250 paid professional home inspections and the successful completion of written exams which test the applicant's knowledge of building systems and components, report writing and the ASHI Standards of Practice, and the diagnosis of house and building defects. Once granted membership, inspectors are expected to continue their education, and are required to earn 40 membership renewal credits every two years in order to keep current with new technology and building practices. Their professional capability is measured against ASHI's national Standards of Practice, which is universally recognized as the benchmark of performance in the home inspection profession. Furthermore, ASHI's strict Code of Ethics protects consumers from potential conflicts of interest by prohibiting inspectors from recommending contractors for repairs, or from doing any of the repairs themselves, in homes which they inspect.
All home inspectors on this list are Certified Members of ASHI and follow the guidelines noted above.
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Preparing For A Home Inspection
Great Plains ASHI home inspectors recommend you and your clients follow this checklist to get the most out of a home inspection.
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These are preventive maintenance tasks you can't afford not to do, projects that save energy and safety-wise ideas for every household.
1. Inspect all ceramic tile grout and repair when needed.
2. Add weather-stripping and caulk to gaps at doors and windows.
3. Replace or wash furnace filters in heating season and clean filter in window air conditioner during summer months.
4. Touch up exterior and interior paint.
5. Upgrade heating system with a setback thermostat
6. Inspect and clean gutters, downspouts, and window wells and repair.
7. Maintain/fertilize/mulch lawn and garden beds.
8. Rake leaves and start a compost pile.
9. Change batteries in smoke alarms with time changes.
10. Check pressure gauge of fire extinguishers and recharge
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Common Problems Found During a Home Inspection
The following problems were cited most in a recent survey of home inspectors:
Improper surface grading and drainage, which is responsible for water penetration of basements and crawlspaces.
Roof leakage, usually caused by old or damaged shingles or improper flashing, which may lead to cosmetic, and sometimes, structural damage.
Plumbing problems (such as old or incompatible piping materials, faulty fixtures, and improperly vented waste lines) that may cause considerable interior damage.
Exterior flaws in windows, doors, and wall surfaces that cause water and air penetration.
Improper electrical wiring, such as insufficient electrical service to the house, inadequate overload protection, and amateur wiring connections.
Heating system problems, such as broken or malfunctioning operation controls, blocked chimneys, and unsafe exhaust disposal.
Poor overall maintenance demonstrated by cracked, peeling, or dirty painted surfaces, for example.
Structural problems involving foundation walls, floor joists, rafters, and window and door headers.
Poor ventilation caused by over-sealing, which results in excessive interior moisture and the rotting or premature failure of both structural and non-structural components.
Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600
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Paying Attention To The Smaller Details
First impressions count, so why not increase the curbside appeal of a home by fixing its minor items. Some typical improvements a home listing can make include:
Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600
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Home sellers should take advantage of having a professional home inspector thoroughly examine their house before putting it up for sale. There are three good reasons inspections can help sell a house:
1. Improvements. A professional pre-listing home inspection discloses major defects in a home's physical or in its electrical, plumbing, heating, or cooling systems. If serious problems are reported, sellers can have them repaired before marketing to prospective buyers. The resulting improvements can increase the homes sales appeal and value.
2. Asking Price. The pre-listing inspection helps the seller set a more realistic asking price. People who have lived quite comfortably for many years in their homes grow accustomed to conditions which may prove unacceptable to potential buyers. A third-party opinion helps to put a home's true condition into a more objective light.
3. Sales Tool. The inspector s written report can be a persuasive sales tool, providing sellers with unbiased documentation of their homes positive features. Buyers may feel more confident in making an offer when they know the present condition of the house inside and out.
Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600
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More than 4,000 deaths result from household fires each year. Recognizing how fires start is the first step to protecting friends, family, and clients.
The Electrical Circuits A home's electrical circuits are designed to safely carry specific electrical loads. If any of the circuits' load is surpassed, fuses or circuit breakers will open and shut off the current. Never try to increase the rated load of a circuit by replacing burnt-out fuses with those allowing higher current levels. If a fuse is not the right size, don't use it. Never place anything other than a fuse in a fuse holder.
If a homeowner experiences frequent fuse replacements or circuit breaker trips, first check the main electrical box to see which section of the house is affected. Once identified, reduce the amount of electricity used in those areas by unplugging a few appliances or moving them to another room. If this doesn't help, have a professional electrician inspect the system to determine the cause of overload or short.
When an appliance will not reach a wall outlet, extension cords are a common temporary solution. But they are not meant to be permanent fixtures. If more outlets are needed, have them installed by a qualified professional. And never run electrical cords under carpets or secure them with nails or staples.
Fires Can Start In Many Ways:
Household fires can start in a number of ways. With a fire-safety checklist, you will recognize some of the more common hazards.
For example:
Flammable liquids such as gasoline, kerosene, and paint thinner can be extremely dangerous and should never be stored on the inside of the house or near sources of heat, especially furnaces, water heaters, and other gas appliances. Keep flammable or volatile materials outside.
Use plastic or metal storage containers, not breakable glass, and keep the lids tightly sealed to prevent escaping flammable vapors.
In the event of a fire, smoke detectors can save lives. For maximum protection, place a smoke alarm an every level and outside each bedroom. Test each detector at least once a month and replace the batteries annually. Whenever vacuuming or dusting, do not forget the vents on the smoke detector where grease, dust, and dirt can build up and possibly cause a malfunction.
Smoke detectors' vents can harbor the sticky webs of spiders. If a spider spins a web through a smoke detector, it will take longer for the detector to work. The webs also trap dust which can cause malfunctioning. The smoke detector may become abnormally sensitive, going off even before the toast begins to burn Or it can clog to the point where it doesn't work at all. Homeowners should run their vacuum cleaners over their smoke detectors month.
Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600
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Most homes have drywall (or sheetrock) attached to studs behind the walls. If you want to hang a heavy object on the wall, the best place to secure it is in a stud. But it is often difficult to find studs!
Here are several ideas:
Tap the walls with a hammer to listen for the difference between hollow and supported areas.
Use a magnetic stud finder to locate the nails in studs.
Use an electronic stud finder, which will measure density within the walls.
Run an electric razor over the walls. As it moves it will sound different when it's in a hollow area from the way it sounds when it passes over a stud.
Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600
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Sleeping rooms and living areas are required to have at least one primary and one secondary means of escape-one door and one window, for example. The requirements for an escape window are the same as those required for emergency exits in the Universal Building Code (UBC). The window must be easy to open without the use of tools and it must have a minimum area of 5.7 square feet, a minimum clear width of 20 inches, a minimum height of 24 inches, and a maximum sill height of 44 inches.
The lack of proper paths of escape are frequently encountered in the basements of older homes. Even if the basement is not used for sleeping purposes, finished basements should have a secondary escape path in case the stairway becomes blocked by smoke or fire. A proper escape window will allow occupants to easily get outside in an emergency situation.
Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600
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Many homeowners want to install a skylight, and many home buyers want to buy a home that already has a skylight. However, many have heard horror stories about how they all leak. What does one need to be concerned with when choosing a home with or considering the installation of a skylight?
Skylights are a beautiful addition to a room when they function properly. with the well-made units we see today, problems mostly arise because of faulty installation. With proper installation, however, they work well.
if a skylight does not have a manufactured or site-built "curb" (an elevated frame) with proper step and counter flashings, there will probably be a horror story, if there already has not been one.
The height of the curb will vary based on the type and slope of the roof. If the roof has a steep slope and the skylight is planned for the south side, the curb can be about 4' high. If it is flat, a curb of 8" is recommended.
Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600
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Good Alternatives to Replacing Windows
When windows are drafty or loose and let energy escape, homeowners have some alternatives to expensive replacement windows. here are some of the steps that can be taken to renovate old windows:
1. Caulking
This is one of the best, simplest, and least expensive ways to improve windows. Windows are drafty because of carcass at the joints of the exterior frame and the house siding. Even if these joints were caulked within the last few years, caulk sometimes pulls away or shrinks and reopens the cracks.
Loose or deteriorated caulk should be removed with an old screwdriver or the corner of a putter knife. Clean the joints of dirt and debris with a small paintbrush, then re-caulk.
Caulking compounds are sold at most home centers and hardware stores, generally in ten-ounce cartridges. The caulk is applied with and inexpensive caulking gun. Acrylic-latex caulks, many with silicone additives, do a good job of sealing and are easy to apply.
2. Weather-stripping
Windows with gaps between the sashes and frame can often be sealed from the inside with weather-stripping. Again, a variety of weather-stripping is available at most home centers and hardware stores. One of the most versatile and easiest to apply is V-shaped plastic tape sold in rolls. The self-adhesive tape can be applied to the tops and bottoms of sashes in double-hung windows and in the channels where the sashes slide. V-shaped tape can also be used to weatherstrip casement or hinged windows. The tape is applied with the fins of the V facing outward, so that air pressure against the tape causes the fins to flex open and seal the gaps.
3. Replacement Channels
These are metal liners that can be installed in the channels of old double-hung windows, tightening the sashes and reducing the rattling and air infiltration. Another benefit of replacement channels is that they can supply enough friction to actually hold the sash in place if the window's spring or weight system is broken and won't stay open on its own.
4. Storm Windows
Adding a storm window to a single-glazed (one pane of glass) window can often raise the energy efficiency of the window enough to equal the performance of a new, double-glazed replacement window. High-quality exterior storm windows, with self-storing screens, generally have prefinished aluminum frames and often cost less than half as much as uninstalled replacement windows (about $80 for a typical storm window). Storm windows are also much easier to install than replacement windows - just lay a bead of caulk and screw them in place to the outer window molding. Exterior storm windows are sold at some home centers; dealers are also listed under "Windows" in the Yellow Pages.
Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600
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Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600
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How to Solve a Home's Roof Leaks
You may be surprised to know that approximately 60% of all roof leaks occur at joints, valleys, or projections through the roof, not because of compromises in the roof covering.
Typical leak locations are at chimneys,plumbing vents,roof valleys, dormers, skylights, parapet walls, and the joints where the roof meets a wall - in short, wherever there's a roof penetration or projection, the area is more vulnerable.
Of the remaining reasons for roofing problems, approximately 255 is due to deteriorated roofing material. The remaining 15% is due to improper material applications, poor workmanship, and miscellaneous items.
The remedy for most problem areas is properly installed flashings. Step flashings are typically L-shaped pieces of aluminum used to divert water away from projections. Proper flashings and workmanship should last for the life of the roof covering and beyond.
In most instances, proper flashings are made up of step and counter-step flashings. The first piece in a step flashing is the L-shaped piece mentioned above. The average size is seven inches long and five inches wide. it is bent into the seven-inch length with three inches on one side and two inches on the other. The step flashing is placed with the three-inch side against the shingles and the two-inch side placed vertically against the projection.
The second piece, known as counter flashing covers the vertical portion of the step flashing to deflect water away from the top of the step flashing. At a wall, the siding will act as an appropriate counter flashing. At a chimney, the counter flashing looks like an inverted "L" with the short 3/4" portion being inserted into the brick or masonry joints after the mortar has been cut out.
Skylights should be installed on a curb to allow room for proper flashings and should never be installed level with the roof surface. The height of the curb is dictated by the slope of the roof. Skylights on flat or nearly flat roofs should have a curb of eight inches or more in areas where snow is a concern.
Roofs that do not allow water to drain successfully are prone to premature deterioration and problems at the seams. Ponding is generally not considered acceptable if it does not evaporate within 48 hours of rainfall.
Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600
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Telltale Signs That a House has a Water Leak
Failure to fix a water leak will not only raise water bills, but could also cause serious damage to a home if it's not treated. Besides the obvious dripping faucet and running toilets, look for these other signs that could signify water leakage:
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We've all encountered do-it-yourself (DIY) projects that we all think might be safe and maintenance-friendly. However, one of the most popular DIY projects is dryer venting. Improper venting can be dangerous and expensive!
It is best not to vent a clothes dryer into the attic even if it has ventilation. It's possible for moisture to accumulate, which could cause considerable damage to wood structures and insulation. Also, lint can be a fire hazard if it collects in the duct or is emitted into an enclosed attic space.
Dryers should always have metal ducts running to a separate vent in a roof or wall. Traditionally, vents run about 4 inches in diameter and should not be more than 20 feet long. If there are elbows in the ducts, 10 feet is the maximum length. Please call our office if you have any additional questions about dryer venting.
Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600
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