The Home Inspector

AFCI Breaker Recall

Q: I thought I read somewhere about a recall of AFCI breakers. Do you know the brand and age?

A: The information you are looking for is below.

 

  Manufacturer: Schneider Electric North American Division, of Palatine, Ill.
Hazard: An AFCI is an electrical circuit protection device (circuit breaker) that detects electrical arcs from cracked, broken or damaged electrical insulation and shuts off power to the circuit before the arcing leads to a fire. An electronic component failure inside the AFCIs can cause the devices to not detect an electrical arc. Although the AFCIs will function as regular circuit breakers, they may not detect an arc fault, posing a safety risk to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Schneider Electric is investigating one reported fire during a new home construction that may be related to this problem. No injuries have been reported.
Description: The recalled Square D QO® and Homeline® Arc Fault Interrupter circuit breakers are used with 15- and 20-amp branch circuits. They are required to be installed in bedroom circuits in accordance with the 2002 National Electrical Code. The recalled units were manufactured after March 1, 2004, and have a blue test button. The AFCI circuit breakers have one of the following date codes – CN, DN, EN, FN, GN, HN, or JN – stamped in red on the breaker label located just above the wiring terminal. The recalled units also have one of the following catalog numbers printed on a label on the front of the breaker: QO115AFI, QO115AFIC, QO120AFI, QO120AFIC, QOB115AFI, QOB120AFI, HOM115AFI, HOM115AFIC, HOM120AFI, HOM120AFIC, QO115VHAFI, QO120VHAFI, QOB115VHAFI, or QOB120VHAFI.

Does Your Inspector Open Up the Air Handler?

 

Though sometimes difficult to do, it is important for home inspectors to open up the air handler. For instance, the air handler 'A' coils in the top should have shiny fins. Instead it is clogged with dust, pet hair and possibly, mold. This cooling coil is so dirty in fact, it may need replacement, a costly repair. Replacing filters in a timely fashion saves money and improves air quality. The bottom photograph is an air handler cabinet in a three year old home with a serious mold problem. Mold could actually be seen growing out of ceiling A/C diffusers, suggesting that mold is travelling through ducts as well.

What Are Four Point Inspections?

Q:  I was going to order a home inspection on the house I’m buying, but the seller says he got an insurance inspection last month. Is that the same as a home inspection?

 

A: No. The seller is likely referring to a ‘Four Point Insurance Inspection.’ This is a minimal inspection requested by home insurance carriers to ascertain the condition of the home they are considering for insurance coverage. It does not in any way compare to a full home inspection.

The Four Point Inspection typically includes four major areas of the home; roof, heating and air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical systems. These are the systems in a home that, when inadequate or outdated, have the potential to initiate losses for insurance carriers. Therefore, they are interested in the age, condition and types of equipment installed in the properties they insure.

 

A full home inspection includes the systems above and many more including literally hundreds of items.

Thermal Inspections and the Infrared Camera

 

 

One of the most important uses of thermal cameras is in finding moisture intrusion as seen in the image above. Moisture could be from a roof leak, a plumbing leak or even an air handler condensate drain.

The camera sees moisture as cold spots. Often, the moisture is invisible to the naked eye. I would hesitate to perform a home inspection without a thermal camera. There are other very good thermal images on this site.

Q: I thought I read somewhere about a recall of AFCI breakers. Do you know the brand and age?

A: The information you are looking for is below.

 

  Manufacturer: Schneider Electric North American Division, of Palatine, Ill.
Hazard: An AFCI is an electrical circuit protection device (circuit breaker) that detects electrical arcs from cracked, broken or damaged electrical insulation and shuts off power to the circuit before the arcing leads to a fire. An electronic component failure inside the AFCIs can cause the devices to not detect an electrical arc. Although the AFCIs will function as regular circuit breakers, they may not detect an arc fault, posing a safety risk to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Schneider Electric is investigating one reported fire during a new home construction that may be related to this problem. No injuries have been reported.
Description: The recalled Square D QO® and Homeline® Arc Fault Interrupter circuit breakers are used with 15- and 20-amp branch circuits. They are required to be installed in bedroom circuits in accordance with the 2002 National Electrical Code. The recalled units were manufactured after March 1, 2004, and have a blue test button. The AFCI circuit breakers have one of the following date codes – CN, DN, EN, FN, GN, HN, or JN – stamped in red on the breaker label located just above the wiring terminal. The recalled units also have one of the following catalog numbers printed on a label on the front of the breaker: QO115AFI, QO115AFIC, QO120AFI, QO120AFIC, QOB115AFI, QOB120AFI, HOM115AFI, HOM115AFIC, HOM120AFI, HOM120AFIC, QO115VHAFI, QO120VHAFI, QOB115VHAFI, or QOB120VHAFI.
Sold at: Electrical distributors and retailers sold the AFCIs between March 2004 and September 2004 for between $30 and $130.
Remedy: Installed AFCIs will be replaced free of charge through electrical contractors. Consumers can return uninstalled AFCIs to the retailers or distributor from whom the unit was purchased for a free replacement unit.
Consumer Contact: Consumer should call Schneider Electric toll-free at (877) 202-9046 between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or log on to the company's Website at www.us.squared.com/recallafci

 

Here is another deficiency that could not have been discovered if the home inspector didn't walk the roof. The electric mast flashing was never installed when the home was built in 2005. The roof sheathing has begun to decay. This was in North Port, Florida.

Change your filter every ninety days at the least. Persons with respiratory problems should change them every month. Mark the change dates on your calendar or on a label near your air handler. Dusting and vacuuming regularly will help to get dust off of surfaces and air borne, where your air conditioning system can filter it. Therefore, turn on the A/C system or the air handler fan while dusting and vacuuming.

When installing the filter, make sure that you install it in the correct direction to match the air flow. A filter installed backwards won’t work well, if at all.

An arrow on the side of the filter usually directs you as to the correct way to install it. Also make sure you buy the correctly sized filter for your air handler. Buying a year’s supply of filters at one time makes it more convenient to replace them in a timely fashion.

Consumer advocates recommend having your new home inspected by a professional, independent inspector working on your behalf before closing.

 

Here in southwest Florida, few local new home builders have had effective quality control programs in place. New homes often have flaws that are not addressed by the municipal inspection process. Or, municipal inspectors can miss problems. They are often underpaid and overworked.

 

The home in this photograph went through the full municipal home inspection process, but this problem was visible from the road. What is the problem? The black neoprene flashing for the electrical mast is supposed to be integrated within the roof shingles. This flashing was never fully installed. It is leaking. Who wants to buy a new house with a roof leak?

 

All local professional home inspectors can attest to the fact that new homes frequently have significant deficiencies that you will want to have corrected before closing. This is particularly important in a sluggish real estate market like ours. Why? Many ‘new’ homes built on speculation have been finished and empty for over two years. These are particularly vulnerable to emergent problems.

Q: My home inspector identified polybutylene plumbing in the home I am buying, and although she could not find any defects, recommended that it be further evaluated by a plumber and recommended that I inform myself about some lawsuits. Why did she do that?

A: Your home inspector made a recommendation this is becoming increasingly common in the home inspection industry. It is important to remember that the inspector could only view visible plumbing, not plumbing hidden in walls, ceilings and floors. PB (polybutylene) supply plumbing is the subject of several ongoing and active lawsuits alleging pipe and pipe fitting deficiencies.

Between six and ten million homes in the United States are thought to have been completely plumbed with PB plumbing, mostly during the 1970’s and 1980’s though some homes continue to be plumbed using PB. Progressively larger numbers of insurance carriers are beginning to require higher insurance premiums for homes containing PB plumbing. Other carriers will not insure homes with PB plumbing at all. Homes with PB plumbing may sell for less, reflecting the cost of replumbing them.

Before we become alarmed lets clarify what PB plumbing isn’t. It is supply plumbing, not waste plumbing. It is not PEX (cross linked polyethylene) plumbing which is usually bright red or bright blue. It is not PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) plumbing which is usually white, off white or pale yellow color. PB plumbing can be white, silver or black, but is usually a gray color local homes. Many area mobile homes are plumbed with PB as are some houses locally.

Home inspectors are generalists, not specialists. They can identify the apparent presence of PB plumbing and inform their clients of its existence in their prospective home. Therefore, most of them recommend a specialist, a qualified, licensed plumber to confirm that it is PB plumbing and whether or not it is the particular brand that is subject of ongoing lawsuits. Many local plumbing firms are familiar with the removal and rebate process and can be very helpful. Some plumbing contractors specialize in PB removal and replumbing of existing homes which can be challenging due to the fact that these homes are finished and occupied.

Thermal Cameras Find Roof Leaks

 

 

One of the most important uses of thermal cameras is in finding moisture intrusion as seen in the image above. Moisture could be from a roof leak, a plumbing leak or even an air handler condensate drain.

The camera sees moisture as cold spots. Often, the moisture is invisible to the naked eye. I would hesitate to perform a home inspection without a thermal camera. There are other very good thermal images on this site.

AFCI Breaker Recall Information

Q: I thought I read somewhere about a recall of AFCI breakers. Do you know the brand and age?

A: The information you are looking for is below.

 

  Manufacturer: Schneider Electric North American Division, of Palatine, Ill.
Hazard: An AFCI is an electrical circuit protection device (circuit breaker) that detects electrical arcs from cracked, broken or damaged electrical insulation and shuts off power to the circuit before the arcing leads to a fire. An electronic component failure inside the AFCIs can cause the devices to not detect an electrical arc. Although the AFCIs will function as regular circuit breakers, they may not detect an arc fault, posing a safety risk to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Schneider Electric is investigating one reported fire during a new home construction that may be related to this problem. No injuries have been reported.
Description: The recalled Square D QO® and Homeline® Arc Fault Interrupter circuit breakers are used with 15- and 20-amp branch circuits. They are required to be installed in bedroom circuits in accordance with the 2002 National Electrical Code. The recalled units were manufactured after March 1, 2004, and have a blue test button. The AFCI circuit breakers have one of the following date codes – CN, DN, EN, FN, GN, HN, or JN – stamped in red on the breaker label located just above the wiring terminal. The recalled units also have one of the following catalog numbers printed on a label on the front of the breaker: QO115AFI, QO115AFIC, QO120AFI, QO120AFIC, QOB115AFI, QOB120AFI, HOM115AFI, HOM115AFIC, HOM120AFI, HOM120AFIC, QO115VHAFI, QO120VHAFI, QOB115VHAFI, or QOB120VHAFI.
Sold at: Electrical distributors and retailers sold the AFCIs between March 2004 and September 2004 for between $30 and $130.
Remedy: Installed AFCIs will be replaced free of charge through electrical contractors. Consumers can return uninstalled AFCIs to the retailers or distributor from whom the unit was purchased for a free replacement unit.
Consumer Contact: Consumer should call Schneider Electric toll-free at (877) 202-9046 between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or log on to the company's Website at www.us.squared.com/recallafci

Yet Another Reason to Walk The Roof

 

Here is another deficiency that could not have been discovered if the home inspector didn't walk the roof. The electric mast flashing was never installed when the home was built in 2005. The roof sheathing has begun to decay. This was in North Port, Florida.

How Often Should I Change My A/C Filter?

Change your filter every ninety days at the least. Persons with respiratory problems should change them every month. Mark the change dates on your calendar or on a label near your air handler. Dusting and vacuuming regularly will help to get dust off of surfaces and air borne, where your air conditioning system can filter it. Therefore, turn on the A/C system or the air handler fan while dusting and vacuuming.

When installing the filter, make sure that you install it in the correct direction to match the air flow. A filter installed backwards won’t work well, if at all.

An arrow on the side of the filter usually directs you as to the correct way to install it. Also make sure you buy the correctly sized filter for your air handler. Buying a year’s supply of filters at one time makes it more convenient to replace them in a timely fashion.

New Homes Need to be Inspected

Consumer advocates recommend having your new home inspected by a professional, independent inspector working on your behalf before closing.

 

Here in southwest Florida, few local new home builders have had effective quality control programs in place. New homes often have flaws that are not addressed by the municipal inspection process. Or, municipal inspectors can miss problems. They are often underpaid and overworked.

 

The home in this photograph went through the full municipal home inspection process, but this problem was visible from the road. What is the problem? The black neoprene flashing for the electrical mast is supposed to be integrated within the roof shingles. This flashing was never fully installed. It is leaking. Who wants to buy a new house with a roof leak?

 

All local professional home inspectors can attest to the fact that new homes frequently have significant deficiencies that you will want to have corrected before closing. This is particularly important in a sluggish real estate market like ours. Why? Many ‘new’ homes built on speculation have been finished and empty for over two years. These are particularly vulnerable to emergent problems.

Polybutylene Plumbing Problems

Q: My home inspector identified polybutylene plumbing in the home I am buying, and although she could not find any defects, recommended that it be further evaluated by a plumber and recommended that I inform myself about some lawsuits. Why did she do that?

A: Your home inspector made a recommendation this is becoming increasingly common in the home inspection industry. It is important to remember that the inspector could only view visible plumbing, not plumbing hidden in walls, ceilings and floors. PB (polybutylene) supply plumbing is the subject of several ongoing and active lawsuits alleging pipe and pipe fitting deficiencies.

Between six and ten million homes in the United States are thought to have been completely plumbed with PB plumbing, mostly during the 1970’s and 1980’s though some homes continue to be plumbed using PB. Progressively larger numbers of insurance carriers are beginning to require higher insurance premiums for homes containing PB plumbing. Other carriers will not insure homes with PB plumbing at all. Homes with PB plumbing may sell for less, reflecting the cost of replumbing them.

Before we become alarmed lets clarify what PB plumbing isn’t. It is supply plumbing, not waste plumbing. It is not PEX (cross linked polyethylene) plumbing which is usually bright red or bright blue. It is not PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) plumbing which is usually white, off white or pale yellow color. PB plumbing can be white, silver or black, but is usually a gray color local homes. Many area mobile homes are plumbed with PB as are some houses locally.

Home inspectors are generalists, not specialists. They can identify the apparent presence of PB plumbing and inform their clients of its existence in their prospective home. Therefore, most of them recommend a specialist, a qualified, licensed plumber to confirm that it is PB plumbing and whether or not it is the particular brand that is subject of ongoing lawsuits. Many local plumbing firms are familiar with the removal and rebate process and can be very helpful. Some plumbing contractors specialize in PB removal and replumbing of existing homes which can be challenging due to the fact that these homes are finished and occupied.