YOUR LAUNDRY AREA — Part 5: Check your dryer flue termination on a regular basis

Posted on February 19, 2012 by russelray

YOUR LAUNDRY AREA
Part 5: Check your dryer flue termination on a regular basis

The dryer vent hood should terminate at an exterior location so that moist, lint-laden air does not cause damage to structural framing or mechanical systems and components. Dryer flues should never terminate in a foundation crawl space (see Figure 1), in the attic (see Figure 2), or in the garage.

Figure 1Figure 2

The vent hood itself often becomes clogged with lint, possibly causing lint to accumulate within the flue. Missing or damaged vent hoods or vent screens at exterior locations (see Figure 3) can allow unwanted wildlife to set up home in the vent flue.

Figure 3

Many wildlife would be quite happy if they found a nice, warm hole full of nice, soft lint.

Wildlife blockage in the flue can also cause lint to accumulate in it, possibly causing a lint fire or a flue fire, or causing the dryer to overheat, resulting in a dryer fire.

All vent hood terminations should include a damper. However, if lint accumulates in the flue, the damper can become stuck open, again allowing unwanted wildlife to use the flue as its home.

Various home improvement stores sell protective devices (see Figure 4) that can be installed over the dryer vent hood to provide better protection against damage and wildlife intrusion.

Figure 4

An accumulation of lint, either in the foundation crawl space (see Figure 1), the attic (see Figure 2), the roof (see Figure 5), or in the flue itself (see Figure 6) typically indicates that the dryer is being used without the manufacturer’s lint screen in place.

Figure 5

Figure 6

Yes, it is inconvenient to clean that darn lint screen each time you dry your clothes, but there’s a reason why it is part of your dryer, and it should not be permanently removed. Keeping that lint screen in place and keeping it clean will lead to faster drying times for your clothes (lower utility expenses) and a longer life expectancy for your dryer; will help prevent lint fires, flue fires, and dryer fires due to overheating; and will prevent lint accumulating in unseen areas like the foundation crawl space and attic, thereby causing other problems.

Little things that take only a minute or so to do can help prevent major expenses or major disasters (property damage or personal injury), so use that lint screen. It’s designed for a purpose, which is to help protect you and your property.

Previous posts in this series:
     » Part 1: Washer water supply and drainage hoses
     » Part 2: Noisy water supply pipes
     » Part 3: Interior washer locations and drain pans
     » Part 4: Keep your dryer flues and connectors short and smooth

YOUR LAUNDRY AREA — Part 4: Keep your dryer flues and connectors short and smooth

Posted on February 17, 2012 by russelray

YOUR LAUNDRY AREA
Part 4: Keep your dryer flues and connectors short and smooth

Moisture damage and fires can result from improper dryer venting.

Dryer lint, when dry, is a highly flammable material, and the dryer flue can become very hot, possibly resulting in lint fires and flue fires.

Dryer lint, when wet, is very absorbent. A distribution of lint in some areas, like the foundation crawl space (see Figure 1) or the attic (see Figure 2) can cause extensive moisture damage very quickly.

Figure 1 Figure 2

Wildlife loves lint, so a lint problem like that shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 encourages wildlife to find a way to move on in.

Since some of our foundation crawl space areas, like around the bathtub, are open to the wall framing, any unwanted wildlife in the foundation crawl space could get into the structural framing, thereby creating a health and safety hazard.

While there should not be any openings from the attic to the living area, wildlife does have a motive (food and warmth) for finding a way in. I remember being young and hearing my parents talk about rats in the walls. Well, now I know how they got there because there are many openings from the attic into the walls.

Although corrugated plastic (see Figure 3) or corrugated metal foil (see
Figure 4) connectors are typically installed from the dryer to the flue, the length of those connectors should be kept as short as possible, and corrugated materials should not be used as the main dryer flue.

Figure 3Figure 4

Corrugated plastic and metal foil are easily damaged (see Figure 5) and can result in lint accumulating in the flue (see Figure 6), possibly resulting in dryer inefficiency (longer drying times); heat damage to the plastic; dryer overheating (shorter life expectancy); and possibly dryer, lint, or flue fires.

Figure 5Figure 6

If the connector from the dryer to the dryer flue is over three feet long, have a shorter, smooth metal section installed instead of using longer, corrugated connectors.

Flues or flue connectors that are too long (see Figure 7 and Figure 8) can result in lint accumulating in the flue or connector because the dryer blower motor is not powerful enough to force moist, lint-laden air through the long flue or connector.

Figure 7

Figure 8

Once lint accumulates in the flue, there is the possibility of the dryer overheating and causing dryer or dryer flue fires. Flues with excessive bends or an excessive number of bends (see Figure 5 and Figure 8) also can result in lint accumulating in the flue, again with the potential for dryer and dryer flue fires.

Vertical flues, especially if they are corrugated materials and run a long distance (see Figure 9) create the same type of problems since moist, lint-laden air is heavier than normal dry air — a fire waiting to happen.

Figure 9

Previous posts in this series:
     » Part 1: Washer water supply and drainage hoses
     » Part 2: Noisy water supply pipes
     » Part 3: Interior washer locations and drain pans

YOUR LAUNDRY AREA — Part 3: Interior washer locations and drain pans

Posted on February 15, 2012 by russelray

YOUR LAUNDRY AREA
Part 3: Interior washer locations and drain pans

YOUR LAUNDRY AREA
» Part 1: Washer water supply and drainage hoses
» Part 2: Noisy water supply pipes

If your washer is located in an area where a leak can cause water damage — such as inside the living area of the house — having a drain pan installed under the washing machine (see Figure below) is a useful idea.

When I was young and living with my wise old grandmother, our washing machine was in the kitchen. Grandma never liked listening to the noisy washing machine so she would always start the washer and then leave to go grocery shopping, pay bills, visit friends and relatives.

I remember coming home from school one day and finding Grandma gone but water all over the kitchen floor. The washing machine drainage hose had started leaking. (Might make a good case for not leaving appliances running when no one is home to keep an eye on them.) It wasn’t a lot of water, just enough to make a mess. I have no doubt that if there had been a drain pan under the washer, there would probably have been much less of a mess.

This is an area where I do practice what I preach, and I have always had a drain pan under my washing machine whenever the laundry area was inside and not in the garage.

In some newer homes with larger laundry rooms, a drain line exists in the floor, but an overflow drain pan is still a good idea.

YOUR LAUNDRY AREA — Part 2: Noisy water supply pipes

Posted on February 14, 2012 by russelray

YOUR LAUNDRY AREA
Part 2: Noisy water supply pipes

YOUR LAUNDRY AREA — Part 1: Washer water supply and drainage hoses

If you notice a banging noise within your walls, the likely cause is a condition called “water hammer.” Although it can occur anywhere you have water shutoff valves (sinks, toilets, etc.), it is most likely to happen when you are using the washing machine or the dishwasher.

It occurs when water shuts off almost instantaneously, causing water at full flow to try to come to an instantaneous stop. If the metal water supply pipes are not secured well within the walls, the pipes will bang against the walls.

Those of you who live in condominiums might tend to think that it’s your noisy neighbors. If your neighbors deny your accusations, take note of when the banging occurs — when using the washer or dishwasher, or turning a sink off after it was been running at full force, are good indications that you have a case of water hammer.

Water hammer can usually be stopped by installing water hammer arrestors to prevent banging. The easiest place to install the water hammer arrestors is at the laundry, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

A licensed plumbing professional can help determine why your pipes are banging, perhaps even where they are banging, and provide you with options to prevent the banging. Most of the time the water hammer arrestors will prevent the banging, but sometimes a wall where the banging is particularly bad might have to be opened up and the pipes secured within them.

YOUR LAUNDRY AREA — Part 1: Washer water supply and drainage hoses

Posted on February 13, 2012 by russelray

YOUR LAUNDRY AREA
Part 1: Washer water supply and drainage hoses

The laundry area is a dangerous area in our homes, but we tend to take it for granted. After all, the only thing we see each time we go to do laundry is a washer and a dryer, and we know exactly what those two appliances do. However, let’s look at the laundry area, the washer, and the dryer in a little more detail.

Although rubber hoses are typically installed as water supply lines for the washer (see Figure 1, yellow arrows), they should not be used on a permanent basis.

Figure 1

Rubber hoses should be used like garden hoses: turn the shutoff valves on to fill the washer and then turn the valves off after using the washer. This is rarely done because the valves are hard to turn on and off, and they are behind the washer where they are difficult to reach.

When left pressurized, rubber hoses will blister (see Figure 2) and burst.

Figure 2

The best thing to do is to replace the rubber water supply lines with metal braid (see Figure 3, yellow arrows).

Figure 3

Another concern at the washer is the drainage hose. A plastic corrugated drain hose typically comes with the washer from the manufacturer (see Figure 1, green arrow). It also should not be used on a permanent basis. Corrugated plastic is easy to damage after installation when the washer is pushed up against the wall, possibly causing a leak that is not noticed until water damage occurs.

The vibration of the washer during the spin cycles also can cause the washer to “walk,” again possibly causing a leak that goes unnoticed until water damage occurs. One more thing: plastic drain lines are subject to greater deterioration from the hot water full of washing chemicals that regularly drain through them.

The best things to do is to have the corrugated plastic drain line replaced with a solid rubber hose (see Figure 3, green arrow) or a metal braid hose.

Considering the damage that can occur from water, and the knowledge about water that manufacturers obviously possess, one would think that washer manufacturers would want to supply the best connections with their appliances, but common sense does not seem to prevail here.

If you are buying a new washer and dryer, and your installer shows up with the manufacturer’s cheap stuff as discussed here, ask them to upgrade all your connections. In fact, ask them for quality connections during your purchase so that they are sure to bring the connections with them at the time of installation.

Sometimes my x-ray vision fails me

Posted on February 11, 2012 by russelray

Occasionally at a home inspection I find that some walls are not visible, and because my Clients usually expect me to have X-ray vision, I have to tell them that, uh, I don’t. So I warn them that there could be some damage behind whatever is obscuring the wall from sight.

This first picture of a great beer can collection was taken in the very large home gym in a property owned by a professional football player:

I had never seen such a great collection of beer cans in all my life.

I jokingly warned my Clients that perhaps visitors to the gym who did not meet their weightlifting goals for the day got to take out their frustration on the wall, and when the damage got so bad, they simply started stacking beer cans against the wall.

I got a call from my Clients while they were at the final walk-through telling me that my joke was not so funny because that’s exactly what had happened. Behind this wall of beer cans was a wall full of holes. Escrow got delayed for a week while the Seller and Buyer argued over who had caused the damage and who was going to repair it.

The following picture shows a collection of Hot Wheels, still in their original packaging and proudly displayed on the wall.

In that property, there was a huge moisture stain on the wall resulting from a leak in the plumbing upstairs.

And lastly, in the following wall of posters, there were some cracks in the lathe-and-plaster wall which needed to be looked at in more detail to determine what had caused them and whether or not the cause was active or inactive.

Listen to your home inspector when he warns you about areas that are not visible or not accessible and make sure you look at those areas during your final walk-through. Remember to take a copy of your home inspection report with you as a friendly reminder. You want to make sure that you’re 100% happy with the property and that all the potential headaches are either taken care of or headaches that you can accept.

Protecting your home from wind-driven wildland fires

Posted on February 2, 2012 by russelray

“Protecting your home from wind-driven wildland fires using landscaping, vegetation, and home maintenance” is a PDF e-book with 25 pages and over 125 photographs.

I wrote it after some Texas prairie fires decades agoago and updated it after the 1988 Yellowstone fires, the 1991 Oakland Hills fires, the Southern California wildland fires of October 2003 and October 2007, and the Texas fires of 2011.

With warmer weather already here in San Diego, and the type of brush we have on our hillsides, wildland fires are always a possibility. If you or someone you know lives in an area subject to wildland fires (and that’s about 90% of America), please help me distribute this little guide to your family, friends, and business associates.

We can be proactive in using landscaping, vegetation, and regular and easy home maintenance to provide the initial protection for our own homes which then makes it much easier for fire fighters to protect our homes if we are forced to evacuate.

Download a free copy at About Homes.

It’s a large file (3.6 MB), so be patient while it downloads, especially if you’re on dial-up or other slow Internet speeds.

Please distribute it far and wide with my blessings.

Home inspectors don’t control their industry

Posted on January 30, 2012 by russelray

Home inspectors don’t control their industry

I’m not the only home inspector who believes that the home inspection industry is controlled by three groups of people: Realtors, insurance companies, and attorneys. Notice that I did not list home inspectors.

Insurance companies hold sway over the home inspection industry because (1) many states require that home inspectors carry “appropriate” insurance, and (2) most of us who see ourselves as responsible businesspeople and home inspectors carry “appropriate” insurance as a matter of conscience. The most expensive of the “appropriate” insurance is errors and omissions insurance.

In California, there is no licensing for home inspectors, so there are many home inspectors who do not carry errors and omissions insurance since it is quite expensive. Each year when I go to get my policy renewed, I get quotes as high as $17,600 a year and as low as $2,300 a year. The high end is prohibitive and the low end doesn’t cover all contingencies. I pay around $4,400 a year, almost $400 a month.

Insurance companies, then, hold sway over the home inspection industry by the very nature of their high premiums. Insurance companies require us to use a home inspection contract, so if your home inspector does not use a contract, there is a good possibility that s/he is not carrying E&O insurance.

Attorneys hold sway over the home inspection industry because they are only too happy to sue everyone and see who is left standing, i.e., who has the deepest pockets, the most insurance, the best insurance, the insurance that will pay with few questions asked. Those who don’t carry appropriate insurance can be forced out of business because they spend their financial reserves simply responding to a lawsuit. Those who do carry appropriate insurance can be forced out of business because they cannot renew their policy after a lawsuit, or the premiums rise so astronomically that they cannot continue to pay the premiums and thus either leave the industry or fall into the no-insurance category.

Realtors hold sway over the home inspection industry because they have the power to make or break a company through their referrals. Barriers to entry (insurance, etc.) for home inspectors are high because new inspectors who want to succeed immediately have to market to people (Realtors) who do not pay them for their services. While I understand personal referrals and marketing (I’ve been involved in marketing as a vocation, avocation, and business necessity for four decades), the home inspection industry is a rarity in that the majority of us market to Realtors hoping that Realtors will then refer us to their paying Clients. The most interesting of middlemen.

It’s a strange industry,
but those of us who survived the Great Recession
are still here and ready to help!

Do your plant due diligence — Part three

Posted on January 27, 2012 by russelray

Any guesses where the following picture was taken?

If you cheated and said that it was somewhere in San Diego County just because I live in San Diego County, you’re a good cheater, the best.

San Diego’s temperatures define it as a Mediterranean climate. Its rainfall defines it as almost a desert, and many parts of the County actually are a desert. Basically, San Diego is a Mediterranean desert, so almost anything will grow here if you provide it with its basic water needs.

People who move to San Diego often find that they are homesick for the plants, trees, and flowers they had back home. What they wind up doing is landscaping their home so that it looks like “back home.”

Therein lies a problem, though.

San Diego averages about 11 inches of rainfall a year. Most of the water for its three million residents comes from the Colorado River and the San Francisco East Bay Delta. People who plant lush, tropical landscaping in San Diego are impacting the water supply for the whole region, and it’s not going to get better.

When I inspected the property shown in the photograph, I mentioned that the tropical landscaping was inappropriate for a desert climate and specifically recommended that they ask the Seller for copies of the water bill. They might be shocked at how high the water bill was.

Not responsible for advice not taken Several months after close of escrow, my Clients called me wondering if I had broken something during the inspection because the water bill was so high. I didn’t even need to pull up the pictures of the property to remind me of their house. Some memories last a lifetime.

I asked them if they had gotten copies of the water bill like I recommended. They didn’t.

I explained again about their tropical landscaping and told them to call the water company and get the monthly amounts for the previous years. I bet they would be similar. They did. They called me back to apologize for accusing me of breaking something and told me that the water bill had been that high for several years. No surprise to me. That’s mature tropical landscaping.

Moral of this story? It’s always worthwhile to ask the Seller for copies of the gas, water, and electricity bills to determine if you’ll be able to live in the house after you buy it. If the Seller refuses to provide them, you can always (in my experience) get the amounts from the utility companies if you explain to them that you’re thinking of buying the house.

Do your plant due diligence — Part two

Posted on January 26, 2012 by russelray

If you missed Part one, find it here: Do your plant due diligence — Part one.

Whenever I do a home inspection, one of the first things I do is simply walk around the property looking at things. One day I took this picture:

The Client buying that property told me on the phone while scheduling the inspection that he had some concerns about sagging floors. No doubt….

Those lime-green plants in the two small sqaures are cyperus, a plant that needs a lot of water to survive. In order to get that water in San Diego with its Mediterranean desert climate, someone has to water them. They won’t survive on our annual average of eleven inches of rain.

Those two square planters are not planters at all. That’s where one would crawl under the house — plumbers to fix leaks, home inspectors to check out the foundation and plumbing, and children to escape punishment.

I couldn’t get under the house but I was pretty sure that the area in that corner — the kitchen and dining room inside — had floor problems. I was correct. All I could do is tell my Client what I thought was going on because I don’t have the luxury of tearing out the Seller’s plants while doing an inspection.

Moral of the story? Just because you see some dirt doesn’t mean you should plant something there. If you do plant something there, do your plant due diligence to determine how big it gets and how much water it needs.

Join me tomorrow for part three.

Real Estate Solutions by Russel Ray

Unlocking the secrets of your home

Category Archives: My real estate blog

YOUR LAUNDRY AREA — Part 5: Check your dryer flue termination on a regular basis

YOUR LAUNDRY AREA — Part 4: Keep your dryer flues and connectors short and smooth

YOUR LAUNDRY AREA — Part 3: Interior washer locations and drain pans

YOUR LAUNDRY AREA — Part 2: Noisy water supply pipes

YOUR LAUNDRY AREA — Part 1: Washer water supply and drainage hoses

Sometimes my x-ray vision fails me

Protecting your home from wind-driven wildland fires

Home inspectors don’t control their industry

Do your plant due diligence — Part three

Do your plant due diligence — Part two