Modern Pressure-Treated Lumber is Corrosive
Unintended Consequences The rule of unintended consequences applies to home construction just as it does to many other aspects of life. By utilizing new technology or new techniques we solve one problem while simultaneously creating another. Using pressure-treated...
6 Reasons to Test Your Home for Radon
1. Safety and Health Long-term exposure to elevated levels of radon causes lung cancer. It is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the second-leading cause overall. It is the #1 environmental cause of lung cancer. Lung cancer has a high mortality rate...
Preventing a Cross Connection in the Dishwasher Drain
At a recent home inspection a real estate agent told me how much he dislikes it when I recommend raising the dishwasher drain line under the kitchen sink. I’ve worked with his clients on several occasions, but in his opinion this is an area where he feels that I’m...
Dangers of Reversed Polarity
Hot, Neutral and Ground When examining the electrical system during a home inspection, inspectors check the polarity of electrical receptacles, or outlets. Testing for reversed polarity can be performed with a small handheld receptacle or outlet tester. Modern...
Dry Basement Ideas from a Home Inspector
Digging a big hole in the ground for a foundation is an open invitation for water intrusion. Some people live with this reality every time it rains. In other cases, basements can stay pretty dry until a 50- or 100-year flood event comes along. Regardless of the age of...
Aging Cast Iron Drain Lines
In New England there are numerous single and multi-family homes that were built at the turn of the twentieth century or earlier. At the time of construction these homes typically used some form of metal piping for the drain lines. Copper, galvanized steel and cast...
Vermiculite / Zonolite Insulation in my Attic
One of the types of attic insulation that I find occasionally in my home inspections is a loose-fill product called vermiculite. It can be gold, light brown or gray in color and bears a resemblance to small piece of popcorn. Up until the early 1990’s much of this...
Ice-Damming Causes and Cures
One of the frequent questions that comes up in a home inspection is “What can I do to minimize or prevent ice-damming on my home?” In northern climates such as that in New England, ice-damming is something that plagues a vast majority of homes during winters when...
Condensate Pumps and Neutralizers
If you have a central air conditioning system or a newer high-efficiency heating system you may have noticed a little box sitting on the floor near the system. The little box usually has one or two plastic pipes going into it and a clear plastic tube that leads to a...
Understanding GFCI and AFCI in Household Wiring
Have you ever opened the door to your electrical panel and noticed that some of the circuit breakers (a.k.a. overcurrent protection devices) have buttons on them with the word “Test”? If so, you are probably looking at either a GFCI or AFCI device. Let’s review how...
