Tips from the Home Inspector, Part 2

Something most people forget is the fireplace. Get your fireplace ready by having it inspected. Creosol can build up in the chimney. Creosol is a resin that can build up in the flue. It’s a by- product of burning wood. Make sure that the damper works and make sure the damper seals when it is closed. You would be surprised how may people forget to close them! Remember, nine out of ten people in Atlanta are not from Atlanta. Fireplaces are common in Georgia but not everywhere else.

Something else you may want to do in preparation for the really cold weather is the garden hose spigots. Do not wait for the freeze warning. Get on a mission and turn them all off. Most houses have a spigot shut off valve on each spigot. Look under the sinks, you may find some valves there. Remember what our science teacher told us. Water is the only substance found in nature that expands when it freezes. This can cause pipes to burst in the walls. This can be an expensive repair, especially if you're not at home when it happens. So, close the valve and drain spigots.

Another thing you may want to look at is the grade of the soil around the house. All summer you have been putting down pine straw. It makes the landscape look good. Unfortunately it hides the ground so you don’t know if it has been changing. The grade should always be away from the house. Get a stick and probe around the house. Next to the wall of the foundation it should have the highest soil, as you move away in a perpendicular line from the house the ground should fall. If it’s not happening, call your landscaper and have him check it and if needed, have him build up the grade. This is a particular situation for new houses. The reason new houses have this situation is the ground is excavated to prepare for the foundation and the molds used to pour the foundation. Once the concrete for the foundation cures, the forms are removed and the soil is returned. The problem is the soil is sometimes not recompacted to its original density. This soil will erode a lot quicker than the surrounding soil. This softer soil will erode and create a negative grade toward your house. Don’t worry, the problem is fixable with more dirt.

During the summer some of our feathered friends will have found your home as attractive as you and may have made their nest in your vents. Now that they're gone, remove those nests. Don’t worry, next year they will build new ones. The problem is that these vents are for your bathrooms, dryer and fireplace.

Now is a good time to trim those shrubs away from the house. The shrubs should be at least 12 inches from the house. Shrubs are attractive, but like all plants they give off moisture and cover the house from the sun. This slows the drying process of the house and can cause algae or mold to form. Remember you’re on a mission.

This time of year is also a great time for taking long, hot showers. So if you want to enjoy a longer hot shower, drain off some of the sediment that accumulated at the bottom of your tank. It acts like an insulator. Just follow the manufacturer's instructions. Another way is to turn off the hot water heater, ( before you do that make sure you know how to light the pilot light, ) or have a good friend who does. Consume all the hot water and then connect a hose to the bottom of the tank and open the valve at the tank and let some water out. You do not have to drain the entire tank. The initial surge should remove most of the sediment. Drain a few gallons, check and make sure the water is coming out clear. then close the valve, reignite the pilot and you're ready for your next hot shower.

By now lots of leaves have fallen. Make sure the Air Cooling Compressors are free of leaves and organic debris. These units are designed to shed water. Some organic material will produce acids as they decay and can cause damage to the units. You can cover them, but all that is really needed in our mild winter is keeping them free of debris and they should be ready when the heat comes back.

Thanks so much, George, for sharing your expertise and valuable home maintenance advice with all of us! If you have any questions about winter home maintenance, give George a call at Athenia Home Inspectors, 404-447-4677 or e-mail him at georgefont5@aol.com.

SAFE Home Alpharetta

I asked my trusted Home Inspector, George Font, if he would make a guest appearance on Sweet Home Alpharetta to share some very timely information on winter home maintenance. Thank you, George, for the following valuable contribution!

Its that time of the year, time to get firewood for the fireplace and wake up the old furnace after its summer of hibernation. Now if you’re like most of us, you won’t think a thing about it. It’s kind of a yearly ritual, so not a lot a thought goes into it. However, w!e should take some precautions.

Furnace filters should be checked monthly and maintained as necessary. For the best result, seek HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters. Although more expensive than regular filters, these will help clean the air while your system is running. A good HEPA filter can remove at least 99.97% of airborne particles 0.3 micrometers (µm) in diameter from the air you breathe. This type filter will pick up mold spores, and many air borne allergens. This is the time of year you and your family will spend a lot more time indoors.

For more information goto http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HEPA

If you have a smoke and or Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector, test them now. The process is not very complicated. Most detectors have a self test feature. Follow the manufacturer's suggested testing procedure. It will not take long to do. While you’re at it, replace the batteries. Remember Murphy’s Law!

For more information go to http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pyfff/smkalarm.html.

Carbon Monoxide is a silent killer. It is odorless, tasteless, has no color and kills by robbing your red blood cells of their ability to absorb oxygen. Results are that your organs are gradually suffocated. Your brain is the most sensitive organ to oxygen depravation. So how does that affect you? You start feeling tired and sleepy. Be warned, This does not mean that every time you feel sleepy or tired you have CO poisoning. But to be on the safe side you need to have a CO detector or monitor.

You do not need a security system to install a CO monitor. There are many plug in models available. These are installed on a 110 VAC receptacle and do the job required. Check at Lowes or Home Depot. Make sure you get one that has a battery backup. In the event of a power failure your fireplace may be your best friend. Your fireplace can produce CO emissions in rare occasions or power could be lost to the monitors but not the furnaces. CO monitors are very inexpensive for the work they do and the lives they can save.
When you buy one, follow the manufacturer's recommendation on where best to place them and how to test them.

In our next installment, George will explain creosol and how it builds up in chimneys to create a potentially dangerous situation. Tune in later this week for more Winter Home Maintenance Tips from George, the Home Inspector. George is the owner of Athenia Home Inspectors and is ASHI certified. If you have questions, give him a call at 404-447-4677. He is very patient and never makes you feel dumb when you ask (probably) dumb questions. Believe me, I've had to ask a lot of them! But, I have learned a lot from George over the past couple of years, and so have many home buyers.

George joins me in wishing all of you a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!

Linda