Inspection Find of the Week

Posted by fdelledonne on January 21, 2019

Each week I will attempt to identify an interesting find from a home inspection conducted the week ending on that week’s Saturday. I am beginning the posts for the week ending January 19, 2019. Each line below shows the week that the interesting finding is from, what the general topic is and a link to a page or two explaining what the find is and why it might be of interest. If the week’s inspections are standard and nothing of unusual note, a week (or two) may be skipped.

The weeks are generally from Sunday through Saturday so the date shown is for the Saturday ending the week.

January 19. Transite – Transite2

January 26. Moisture hidden a wall but found with a thermal imaging camera. Moisture

February 2. The find of the week is a severed joist in the crawl space of a house. Severed Joist

February 9. The find of the week is Knob and Tube wiring in a 99 year old home. Knob and Tube

February 16. The find of the week is moisture in the hardwood flood in a house with a slab foundation. Floor moisture

For February 23. That cow don’t have any down genes. A line from an old, favorite TV show, “Hill Street Blues” A flue pipe from a water heater that expects the hot exhaust from a water heater to move down! It doesn’t work like that. A deadly combination of problems. It was documented as a, “Material Defect” in accordance with the NJ home inspection standards of practice. Dangerous Venting

For the week ending March 2, 2019. Dangerous venting Part 2. Dangerous Venting Part 2

I skipped the 9th and resume here with my find of the week for the week ending March 16. Do you detect a theme? Dangerous Venting Part 3

For the week ending March 23, 2019. A worn roof surface. Worn Roof

Find of the week March 30, 2019. Wrong gauge wire? Mis wired

Find of the week April 6, 2019. When the walls come tumblin’ down. Walls

Find of the week May 11, 2019. Carbon monoxide can kill! Heat Exchange

Find of the week May 18, 2019. Notched beam. Notched beam

Find of the week May 25, 2019. Horizontal crack in the foundation. Horizontal crack

Find of the week June 1, 2019. Multiple gas leaks. Gas leaks

Find of the week June 8, 2019. Unsupported beam splice. Unsupported beam splice

Find of the week June 15, 2019. Asbestos flooring. Asbestos Flooring

Find of the week June 22, 2019. Electricity and water don’t mix. Electricity and water don’t mix

Find of the week for June 28, 2019. Plumbing leaks can lead to microbial growths and mold. Water and Mold Final

For the week ending July 6. Dangerous venting part 4 Involving a water heater. Dangerous Venting Part 4

For the week ending July 13. Let’s make life easy and do the simple (and wrong) fix. Make life easy

For the week ending July 20. More bad venting. Flue reduction

For the week ending July 27. Sagging drain pipes. Sagging pipes

For the week ending August 3. Name that substance. Wet wall

For the week ending August 10. Two for One! Radon & Gas Leak. I couldn’t decide which one was more noteworthy so here are both. Two for one

For the week ending August 17. TERMITES! What is bugging you ?

For the week ending August 31. Oil

For the week of September 7. A potential electrical fire. Electrical

For the week of September 14. Incorrect flue configuration. Incorrect Exhaust Flue

For the week of September 21. A roof structure (Specifically a truss) was modified. Trusses

For the week of September 28. Again, poor venting of a water heater. Water heater

Howell Home Inspection | Monmouth County Home Inspectors

Gallery of Homes – 2019.

Posted by fdelledonne on January 8, 2019

Here is a partial list, in photographic format, of the homes inspected in 2019. The list is in reverse chronological order – most recent inspections at the top of the list.

Inspected 8/20/19. Chadwick Beach, Lavallette

Inspected August 16. Holmdel

Waterfront property on the Navesink. Inspected 8/12.

Inspcted August 9. Morganville, Marlboro Township.

Inspected June 7, 2019. West Long Branch

Inspected April 4. Bay side. Sea Bright.

Inspected Sunday, February 24. Tinton Falls.

Regal Home Inspection Is Infrared Certified!

Thermal Imaging Certified

Posted by fdelledonne on July 9, 2018

Frank J. Delle Donne, owner and inspector at Regal Home Inspections, LLC has become certified by InterNACHI, the largest home inspector association, as a thermal imager. This requires taking and passing classes in Building Science and Thermal Imaging. This service will be rolled out this year as an ancillary service for home inspection clients or clients needing the specific analysis of thermal imaging.

What is thermal imaging? Thermal imaging is the use of specialized cameras that can look at the thermal (Heat and cool) properties of objects. A thermal imaging camera compares the thermal signatures of building surfaces comparing hot (or warmer) areas to cold (or cooler) areas. Then, using the training, a skilled thermographer can interpret the images that may identify moisture or poor insulation for example. In the photos below some examples show how the thermal imaging can identify or confirm electrical issues as well. Not all thermal imaging efforts are to identify issues. As shown below, thermal imaging can be used to confirm the operation of radiant heating in a ceiling or floor. The radiant heat is very subtle and not able to be distinguished with a laser thermometer, for example. But, as shown below, a thermal image can confirm the proper operation of a radiant heat system.

The thermal imaging service will be offered to home inspection clients at a steeply discounted rate or offered as a singular service for home or building owners. For more information call Frank at 908 902 2590.

This photo shows the heat of a light against the background of the cooler ceiling. Building anomalies such as moisture, poor insulation and electrical issues can be photographed in the infrared spectrum to identify issues that are not apparent to the naked eye.

There was a small stain on the kitchen ceiling, approximately 6 inches wide. The thermal image shows (the dark area in the photo) an area approximately 3 feet wide that’s wet from a bathroom leak above the kitchen ceiling.

Visually, an overheating wire can be seen.

The thermal image confirms that the circuit breaker and wire are warmer than the surrounding breakers and wires.

The thermal image camera can detect the heating coils for a radiant heat system. The coils can’t be seen with the naked eye but are in sharp focus with thermal imaging. This image is of the heating coils in the ceiling.

These two photos (above and below this caption) are of the radiant heating coils in the floor of a bathroom.

Rain Water Management – Part 3

Posted by fdelledonne on May 29, 2018

Minimizing and Managing Potential Basement Water Problems

Rain Water Management – Part 3

By Frank J. Delle Donne, Licensed Home Inspector

May 29, 2018

Introduction

In September, 2014 I was inspired to write Part 1 because of what I had observed in my inspections and a call that I received from a client. In December, 2014 I wrote Part 2 because on October 18^,2014 and November 8, 2014 I performed two inspections that I was reminded of prior to writing Part 2.

This past, Memorial Day weekend, if you were in central New Jersey you know how hard it rained on Sunday, May 27. The link below confirms that in the town where I live, over 4 inches of rain fell.

https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=PHI&product=PNS&format=ci&version=1&glossary=1

Based on the amount of water in a couple of buckets I had in my yard, I think the 4+ official inches in this link is low. Regardless, let’s use the official number and do the math. Why am I now writing this? Because over the past couple of days I received a text and a call from home inspection clients saying that they had water in the basement after this weekend’s rains. The lessons and recommendations in the previous parts of this series of articles remains the same. Keep rain water away from your house; Maintain your gutters and downspouts. Have downspout extensions as far from the house as possible. Make sure the soil and pavements slope away from the house. I also recommend maintaining any sump pumps and have battery back up for the sump pumps too.

How much water is in 4.72 inches of rain? For this example we’ll assume a 40 foot by 60 foot house. That’s 2400 square feet of surface area. After the math is done, just coming off the roof is over 7000 gallons of water! If we add in a five foot apron around the house, that’s another 2943 gallons making the total amount of water from this one day’s rain was over 10,000 gallons deposited close to the house.

The consequences of epic rainfalls like this can’t be determined during the course of a 2 – 3 hour home inspection.

Keep your gutters clean and maintain your gutters and downspouts.

Make sure the soil and pavement are sloped away from the house.

Maintain your sump pump systems.

Marlboro Home Inspector | Home Inspection For Mansions | Regal Home INspection NJ

Gallery of Homes – 2018

Posted by fdelledonne on January 25, 2018

2018 was another banner year. Thank you to all of those that hired me! Here are a few examples of some of the homes inspected. They are listed in reverse chronological order.

Inspected October 11, 2018. Howell Township.

Inspected September 23, 2018. Millstone.

Inspected September 22, 2018. Fair Haven, NJ.

Inspected September 11, 2018. Colts Neck.

Inspected September 7, 2018. Colts Neck.

Inspected August 13, 2018. Wall Township.

Inspected April 5, 2018. Condominium unit in the Santander building. Asbury Park.

Inspected March 30, 2018. Townhouse. Aberdeen Township

Inspected March 15, 2018. Condominium. Middletown.

Inspected January 3, 2018. Marlboro. Over 15,000 square feet.

Regal Home Inspections, LLC now an Accredited Business of the BBB

Posted by fdelledonne on December 19, 2017

As of October 25, 2017, Regal Home Inspections, LLC (www.rhinj.com) has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau serving New Jersey. After five years of operation, Regal Homes has earned this distinction through hard work and focused, skilled inspections serving the needs of the home buying clients. You can visit the BBB’s portal for Regal Home Inspections, LLC by clicking on this link:

http://www.bbb.org/new-jersey/business-reviews/home-inspection/regal-home-inspections-llc-in-colts-neck-nj-90182800/

With every inspection Regal Home Inspections, LLC tries to exceed the client’s expectations with a thorough, detailed home inspection visit followed up with an accurate, comprehensive and informative report. And of course, the report has to be delivered in a timely manner.

Gallery of Homes Inspected – 2017

Posted by fdelledonne on January 10, 2017

The following is a photographic list of some of the homes inspected by Regal Home Inspections, LLC in 2017. My apologies but I’ve been so busy I haven’t been able to keep up. Here are a few fall additions to the ones already posted.