The Home Inspector

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.