Professional Home Inspection Service

The home experts in Binghamton New York

Members of the American Society of Home Inspectors

Question and Answer

Ask the Inspector

Do you have a question about the home you live in or the home you are considering purchasing?  Email us.  We will be glad to help if we can.

Some of our previous Questions and Answers

Q. My builder applied TYVEK house wrap underneath the plywood that is on the exterior walls of my house. I've always seen it on the outside of the plywood, not behind it. He says it will work as well underneath the plywood sheathing. Is this true?

A.  Tyvek and other house wraps were designed as air infiltration/exfiltration barriers. They are intended to prevent air from passing through the myriad small cracks and gaps in house walls, while allowing water vapor to pass through, thus lowering your heat bills. House wrap will perform this function equally well behind the plywood sheathing or on top of the sheathing (directly behind the siding).

However, house wrap has a second very important function. It helps shed the water that sneaks through your siding. It can't do that job if it's buried behind the wood sheathing. Almost all siding types are capable of allowing water entry. They are never fully sealed. The builders of the past knew this and used felt paper to help protect the house from this water entry. Felt paper was very good at shedding water, but wasn't very good at reducing air infiltration, and can result in condensation build up in the walls. House wrap is a superior product that can perform both functions very well if properly installed, directly behind the siding (and on the outside of the sheathing).

Q.  I am shopping for a home and have heard that EIFS type stucco finishes are a serious problem. How do I know if the stucco exterior I'm looking at is this type?

A.  EIFS or Exterior Insulated Finish System can indeed be problematic. It has been involved in class action law suits due to numerous cases of severe moisture damage to the exterior wall framing and sheathing behind this product. In essence, the EIFS stucco finish is applied over a rigid foam board applied to the exterior of the house. It is a very versatile and handsome finish that lends itself to very expensive looking architectural detailing and is becoming increasingly popular.

The problem is that water that enters at openings such as windows, doors, roof terminations, and other such details, due to poor flashings or seals, and then becomes trapped behind the finish, causing chronic soaking of the wood framing and sheathing. Water may enter behind other sidings such as vinyl in the same manner, but typically drains out, thus reducing the incidence of decay. The manufacturers have responded by demanding better attention to flashing details around openings, and in most cases by recommending the installation of an open weave type drainage mat behind the foam board.

To answer your question though, first be aware that very few homes in this area have been built with this product (although you can see many new commercial buildings receiving this finish). Any homes with this finish are likely to be relatively "high end", (EIFS is not inexpensive), and the house must have been built relatively recently. If your home doesn't fall in this category, don't worry.

If the house is recent, identification shouldn't be too difficult.

Since the relatively thin layer of stucco is applied directly over foam, the finish is quite susceptible to minor impact, so dents, scrapes or cuts may be noticeable. A light rap with the knuckles should be enough to detect the slight "give" associated with a product adhered to foam.

You needn't avoid a house with an EIFS finish, but it should be thoroughly and professionally inspected, and well maintained, if serious problems are to be avoided.

Q. Water seems to chronically drip behind the gutters on our new house. Our builder claims that the gutters are properly installed. What can we do to correct this problem?

A. Your builder is probably technically correct. The gutters are correctly installed but the drip edge is likely to have been installed too tight to the fascia. This results in a good appearance but is also likely to result in a slight lifting of the drip edge due to pressure against the fascia and curling of the water down the drop leg of the drip edge and down the fascia behind the well installed gutter.

The drop leg of the drip edge can be pulled out away from the fascia or a strip of flashing added behind the drop leg and into the gutter to prevent the water from slipping behind the gutter.

Q. We were planning on removing the existing vinyl floor in our kitchen and installing new vinyl. We have been told, however, that the vinyl floor has asbestos. Is this true and is it hazardous?

A. It is very likely that it does contain asbestos. Vinyl asbestos tiles, asphalt tiles, some adhesives, and backings of many sheet vinyl floorings contain asbestos. In fact many materials throughout your home are likely to contain asbestos fibers.

The health hazard associated with low levels of asbestos fiber exposure is still an open debate. In any case, it only makes sense to remove such products as thoughtfully and carefully as possible to reduce the release of fibers. Whenever possible, we suggest avoiding the removal of older resilient flooring. If removal is necessary, we recommend that it be professionally done.

Q. We want to have our hardwood floors professionally sanded but some of the boards are cracked. Can the cracked pieces be replaced without a whole new floor installed?

A. It all depends. If the cracks are relatively long cracks close to the edge of the strips of hardwood, it is an indication that the floors are already over sanded and complete replacement is necessary. Replacement of a few damaged pieces or "toothing-in" of flooring at former register locations is readily accomplished and should be virtually invisible if professionally done before sanding and refinishing.

Q. We have a very well built older home with solid masonry exterior walls. We understand that the walls are brick and clay tile blocks. We would like to insulate the walls. How can we do this?

A. No easy or inexpensive solution exists for this condition. Interior surfaces can be firred out with 2 x 2 '5 and dense foam board insulation installed against the walls. One and one half inch foam would provide an R-value roughly equivalent to standard 3 1/2" faced fiberglass insulation. This process involves considerable expense, however, especially when dealing with exterior openings such as windows and doors and may not be cost effective unless major interior remodeling is being contemplated in any case.

Remember that heat rises and the majority of your efforts to reduce heat loss should first concentrate on ceilings and air infiltration problems rather than exterior walls. If these efforts have been made and major remodeling can fit in the budget, then its probably time to insulate those exterior walls.

Q. We have heard references to a NYSE-STAR home. What is a NYSE-STAR home?

A. The NYSE-STAR program has been developed by New York State utility companies in cooperation with the New York State Builders Association to promote more energy efficient homes. Houses built as a part of the NYSE-STAR program would have higher R-values and tighter air infiltration and exfiltration barriers than are presently required by New York State Energy Codes for new residential construction. Included in a NYSE-STAR home is an independent inspection protocol including blower door testing to ensure that the stringent standards are met. Some pilot project homes have been built in our area and more can be expected. A call to the Southern Tier Home Builders and Remodelers Association offices can put you in touch with builders who are involved in the program.

Q. We are having our kitchen remodeled and disagree as to whether we should have  post-formed or square edge laminated countertops.

A. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. The post formed countertop has the advantage of minimal seams to absorb water or chip or delaminate. However the laminate used for post-forming is typically considerably thinner than that used for square edge work to allow for the sharp bends required. It will therefor be likely to wear out sooner under normal use. There is also much more freedom to conform to unusual jogs and other anomalies in square edge work than with a post-formed type. If the installation is reasonably straightforward however and only normal residential use is expected, post-formed countertops can be an easy, and cost effective solution.

Q.    My builder tells me that wood beams are safer in a fire than steel.  Is this true? 

A.  It has been our observation that, in general, appropriately sized steel beams perform better than wood over the long term, resulting in less structural movement due to shrinkage or deflection of the beam.  We typically find less wall cracks and fewer uneven doors or floors in homes with steel beams.

However, it is generally understood, and some testing has confirmed, that in a fire, a wood beam performs better.  Steel twists and deflects under intense heat, but wood only chars, causing some reduction in overall strength, but not sufficient reduction to result in failure over the same fire exposure period. 

Heat resistance should probably not be your prime consideration, but rather the cost of materials, ease of installation, resistance to deflection and shrinkage, and suitability of the material for the application of desired finishes.  Either material will perform very well if properly treated, installed, and maintained.

Q.  We are going to be building a new house this spring.  What should we have our builder do to prevent any radon problems in our new home?

A. Radon originates in the soil below the house and rises into the house primarily through the basement floor.  Unfortunately, there are no building methods that will guarantee against radon entry, and while a radon removal system would be effective, installing one during construction may be an unnecessary expense.

There is no adequate way to determine if radon is going to be a problem prior to substantial completion of the home, however, there are some steps your builder can take to reduce the likelihood of radon entry and to make radon reduction easier if there does turn out to be a problem.

Gravel should be installed on the ground below any concrete floor as well as polyethylene plastic sheeting to reduce air (and radon) movement through the inevitable cracks in the concrete basement or living space floors.  Any gap between the concrete floor and walls (“french drains”) should be avoided and any cracks in the concrete floor should be sealed with caulk.

If you wish, you can have your builder install a 4” PVC plastic pipe from below the concrete slab to the exterior for future use as part of a radon removal system.  The pipe must exhaust above the roof line and have sufficient room in the attic space or exterior for installation of an in-line fan, if necessary for radon removal.  Such piping without a fan is rarely successful in reducing radon levels, but might make a future system installation easier.

In any case, we recommend testing for radon before any finishes are installed in a basement area to ensure that necessary sealing of the floor and walls can occur for greatest effectiveness of any installed system.

Q.      The concrete foundation of our newly built home is cracked in several locations.  Our builder says that this is normal and won’t cause any problem.  I’m not convinced.  How  can I fix the problem?

 A.      A certain degree of cracking is normal in concrete or block foundation walls.  The masonry shrinks as it cures, often resulting in visible cracks.  If these cracks are ¼ inch or less in width , and show no evidence of corresponding settlement, as observed at the top of the foundation wall, or offset, as viewed from one side of the crack to the other, then it is likely that the cracks are related to shrinkage rather than any significant movement of the foundation.  Even if slight evidence of movement is observed with any of these cracks, initial minor movement is common as the house foundation and adjacent soils settle into position following the construction process.  This is not necessarily serious, nonetheless, monitoring is always wise.  Low quality concrete, poorly designed footers, inadequate soil compaction, and poor drainage are all conditions that could result in serious structural problems.  Record your present observations and date them, so that you can follow-up with new measurements over the next year or two, and determine if any movement is ongoing.  If you suspect that movement is ongoing, based on your observations, you may wish to call in a professional for further evaluation, such as a professional engineer specializing in soils and foundations.

 Q.      I just discovered that my 4 year old fiberglass roof shingles are cracking and need to be replaced.  Aren’t they under warranty, and who should be responsible, the builder or the manufacturer?

A. Prematurely cracking roof shingles are unfortunately quite common.  While there are several different factors involved, and varying degrees of damage, in general the deficiency lies in the design of the shingles as manufactured, and usually is not traced back to a significant problem with the installation.  Modern asphalt-fiberglass shingles are designed to seal down to each other after they are installed, to help prevent blow-off in high winds.  This causes previously separate shingles to function like a continuous membrane.  With the extreme temperature changes that normally occur to roof shingles, resultant expansion and contraction of this continuous membrane tends to tear the shingles apart.  The cracks therefor are usually fully through the shingles, leaving your house susceptible to leakage and damage. 

In some instances only a few shingles are involved, and replacement of these may be sufficient to provide reasonably trouble free further life of the roof.  In more extensive instances, complete replacement will be necessary.  Your recourse should likely be with the manufacturer.  If the shingles are 5 years old or less, many manufacturers will honor their warranties.  You may need to submit a bill of sale, the name of the original installer, submit samples of the defective shingles, etc., but the result is likely to be worth the effort.  If the roof is over 5 years old, most manufacturer warranties cover materials only, not labor, and the shingles are pro-rated, meaning that any refunded amount will be reduced by the life of the original shingles.

Q.    We recently discovered some gray mold or mildew on the walls in our 2^nd floor closets.  Is this hazardous and how do we get rid of it?

 A.     This is a very complex subject that probably should involve hiring a professional to visit the home and assess the situation more thoroughly than can be done here.  But the 1^st part of dealing with any mold problem is to find the source.  All mold requires moisture to grow.  Since the mold was found in several closets, it is unlikely that the moisture is due to leakage.  We would suspect generally high levels of moisture or excess humidity levels throughout the house.  The house may not feel moist to you, but the levels are high enough that condensation is occurring.  Moisture condenses on cold surfaces, which means exterior walls, where clothes or other stored objects prevent warm air circulation in winter.  We generate significant amounts of moisture just by living in the house, breathing, showering, cooking, watering plants, etc.  We like to add moisture by running whole house or room humidifiers.  We forget to use our bathroom or kitchen ventilators to get rid of excess moisture, or they don’t work right.  We exhaust the clothes dryer into the house, in a misguided attempt to save heat energy.  A wet basement or crawlspace may be contributing excess moisture into the air.  Sometimes the problem can be even more serious.  A gas heated house with a blocked chimney or vent, can dump massive amounts of exhaust gases containing moisture into the interior air, causing wet walls and potential carbon monoxide poisoning.  If mold is appearing on exterior walls in your house, take it seriously. 

The cleanup is usually easy, just use detergent and water.  All mold involves some degree of potential health effects.  Check the EPAs website www.gov/iaq/molds/moldguide.html for great information on safe cleanup.

Q.    We had our home inspected and were told that we have termites.  The cost to treat for them was astronomical.  Can we get rid of them ourselves?

 A.     The short answer is no.  The chemicals necessary to successfully treat for termites are regulated and not suitable for use by non-certified individuals.  Termites live in the ground and migrate into the house to consume the wood.  They remain generally well hidden within the wood and no simple treatment of the wood will remove the colony living in the ground.  You should get more than one estimate however just to make sure that you are getting a reasonable price.

Prevention is far preferable to treatment.  While it may be too late for you, it is a good idea to have the home periodically inspected.  A professional inspection will point out any conditions that are conducive to insect infestation.  Basically, in regard to termites, any wood close to or in contact with the soil and any damp conditions are invitations to termites, and should be corrected.  Especially susceptible are wood framed basement windows, old wood support posts in basements, wood porch posts at grade, wood stored on the soil in crawlspaces, and the wood frames of garage doors.  It can cost considerably less to deal with a small infestation than a large one, so poking around in these areas yourself to see if the wood is being eaten from the inside out might be worth attempting.  There are some photos of termite damage on our website that you can use to identify any infestation that you might suspect.  Go to www.professionalhome.com

Q.   We had ceramic tile installed last year and the contractor had to take out the grout after 3 months around the edges because of cracking, and put tub and tile caulking on, but now that is cracking.  Also my home was built in 1949 and has weep holes in each corner of basement would it be advisable to plug and with what? I get water coming in at spring time once a year for about 3 or 4 days.  Please advise, thank you.

 A.     It is very common, and in fact almost inevitable for tile grout to crack when it is installed in corners or against a tub, due to the very natural movement that occurs as temperatures and moisture levels change.  Caulk is a far better choice for such sensitive locations than grout due to its ability to expand and contract with movement.  It is, however, unusual for caulk to crack so soon after its installation.  Assuming that the cracking is fairly uniform and that no evidence of real movement, (such as tiles that are becoming mis-aligned from one wall to another,) has been observed, the most likely cause is simply poor application of the caulk or a low grade of caulk.  Buy a top line of caulk with good elasticity and good adhesion, and give it another try, per the manufacturer’s instructions.

The second question is a little more complicated.  The question we need to answer first is whether water on the basement floor drains to below the slab through the weep holes or water from below the floor rises up through the weep holes.  This should be monitored.  If the water comes up, seal the holes, if the water drains out, leave them open.  If the holes are larger than ½ inch, seal with mortar, if they are less than ½ inch, seal with caulk.  More importantly, why is there water in your basement in the first place?  While it doesn’t happen too often in your house, there are usually ways to reduce or prevent the water entry that can be accomplished from the exterior, including cleaning or replacing roof gutters, extending gutter downspouts away from the house, replacing or abandoning bad drain tile, and adding soil or re-grading to ensure that the ground slopes away from the house.  Put on a raincoat and hike around the house in the rain to see what’s really going on.

Q.   The family room addition on the rear of my 60 year old house doesn’t stay warm enough in the winter.  We have warm air heat, but it just doesn’t seem to be enough.

 A.    This is a very common problem with several likely reasons and several possible solutions.  Most houses built in the same era as yours were given a fairly compact design.  They were usually two stories and relatively square.  This was efficient construction in many ways, including heat retention.  Less exposed exterior walls and ceilings meant less heat loss and easier heat distribution.  Many houses of that era and older had gravity furnaces; in other words they had no blower to force the heat to extremities, like your addition, but relied on the natural upward flow of warmed air.  Assuming however that your furnace is presently a more modern forced air type, it still takes extra effort to push the heat to an addition, and the addition has more exposed exterior surfaces than the other rooms in your house, increasing the heat loss. 

There are several steps you should take.  Check for sufficient insulation in walls, ceilings, and floors.  Generally speaking more is always better.  Believe it or not modern codes now call for approximately 15 inches of insulation in the attics of new homes.  A high percentage of the heat loss in an older home is actually due to air leaking through windows, doors and other openings or gaps.  Check carefully and better seal or update these units if appropriate.  Also check to make sure that any crawlspace below the addition is well sealed against exterior air entry in winter.

These actions will help you save energy, but the more immediate concern is to simply get more heat into the room.  Most heat ducts have adjustable dampers in them.  If you look at the ducts near the furnace you will see little metal handles or knobs that can be turned to adjust the amount of air that can flow through the ducts.  If you partially close down the ducts feeding your warmest rooms, you will be forcing more warm air into your addition.  If that doesn’t do the trick, you can buy a blower, designed to mount in the duct to the addition, that is wired to work with the main blower, to push more air where you want it.  If all else fails, you may want to add another warm air duct into the addition, and perhaps a return air duct to allow the air in the family room to more easily recirculate to the furnace for reheating.  Take these steps before the next heating season and we predict that you will enjoy your family room a whole lot more.

Q.  I recently bought a house built in 1940 that had a new electrical service installed, but whenever the refrigerator starts up the lights dim.  Should this be happening with a new electrical service?

 A. Visibly dimming lights shouldn’t be happening whether you have a new service or not, but is probably not related to the service.  People often mistakenly believe that a house with a new electrical service has new wiring throughout the house.  Not so.  The service normally only includes the cable that mounts on the outside of the house, the meter box and the distribution panel, or breaker box.  Replacing all the wiring in a house is a much more expensive proposition than replacing the service.  Your problem probably relates to the wiring, not the service.  The wiring providing power to the refrigerator, also serves the lighting, and probably other receptacles in the kitchen.  The wire is too small to provide sufficient current to all the outlets, thus causing the lights to dim.  The usual correction involves splitting the load.  In other words, the electrician will install a second wire from the panel to supply current to some of the outlets presently served by only one wire.  The more important safety issue is whether the inadequate wire size could result in overheating of the wire and a subsequent fire.  Fuses or breakers are designed to prevent overheating of the wiring by cutting off the electricity if too much current is passing through the wire.  Unfortunately, the fuses or breakers are often not the right size or rating to correspond to the wire size, and won’t work when needed.  Have your electrician check the circuit breaker sizes carefully.  This is one of the most common safety defects that inspectors find in electrical panels, and one of the least expensive to correct.

Q.    We’re expecting to have a large party soon, and I am worried about whether our deck will support a large group of people.  What signs of trouble should I look for?

 A.   The potential for disaster is so great with an elevated attached deck, that we would have to recommend a professional inspection.  Even if the deck was well built originally, it has been exposed to the weather for years, and the attachments and fasteners could have degraded in ways that may not be readily visible.  Elevated decks should receive thorough inspections every few years, but here are a few tips that can help you generally assess the health of your deck.  Look for any evidence of decaying wood, either of the framing and posts, or of the decking material that forms the floor.  Poke at any possible soft spots with a screwdriver and replace all deteriorated wood.  Any visible sagging or unevenness in the deck surface should be investigated.  Check the method of attachment of the deck to the house.  At minimum, you should find plenty of lags or bolts from the deck into the house wall and from the deck framing to the posts.  Nails are not sufficient.  If the deck is old enough that wood is decaying, the fasteners may be decaying also.  A representative number should be removed and examined.  Flashing, a metal barrier between the deck and the house wall should be visible from below the deck.  The flashing is intended to keep water from entering the house wall or deteriorating the fasteners.  Stand at the outer rail of the deck and rock back and forth.  The deck should not move with you.  Also, don’t forget the rails.  They should be solid feeling and not loose, and should be sufficiently high and closely spaced to ensure that no one takes a tumble over the rail or a child falls through the rail or becomes stuck.  These are only rudimentary steps.  If you are unsure, hire a professional to thoroughly inspect the deck.

 Q.  I am interested in buying a house that I just found out has a buried oil tank.  The tank is not being used.  Is it still a problem if it isn’t being used?

 A.    Further investigation of a buried oil tank is always warranted.  The typical residential buried tank is susceptible to rust and subsequent leakage.  Oil contamination of the soil is an environmental hazard for which the property owner at the time of discovery can and will be held liable.  Typically, contaminated soil will have to be removed to a secure landfill to prevent further spreading of the spill and the potential contamination of the water supply.  The process of decontamination can obviously involve considerable expense.

In a consumer bulletin the DEC claims that 50% of all buried oil tanks over 20 years old leak.  The actual likelihood of leakage depends heavily on the characteristics of the soil, in particular how wet or poorly drained the ground is in the area of the tank.  A tank can begin leaking in only a few years or can remain sound for many decades.

A tank that is in use can be tested for evidence of leakage.  There are companies that provide this service and several methods of testing.  However, these tests do not predict how much longer a tank will last, so a passed test only means that it hasn’t leaked yet.  A common response to an abandoned buried oil tank is to completely empty the tank, fill it with sand to prevent future collapse and to remove the fill and vent pipes.  You may never know if this has been accomplished on any property that you may buy.  It is always wise to ask about the history of the property, including the existence of any used or unused buried oil tanks. 

The safest approach to a buried oil tank is to insist that the tank be removed prior to closing.  In the process of removal, any contamination of the soil will be discovered.  The contractor removing the tank is required by law to notify the DEC if the soil is contaminated, providing reasonable assurance that the situation will be properly resolved prior to your taking possession.

 Q.  Last year I discovered mildew growing in my attic.  I was told that I needed to ventilate the attic better, so I had a ridge vent installed.  Now the mildew is worse than ever.  What should I do?

 A.   The basic process that is occurring in your house is very common.  We produce large amounts of moisture just living in a home.  In addition, excessive moisture can be generated from less common sources such as wet basements, leaking pipes and blocked natural gas appliance vents.  This warm moisture laden air in your house is rising by a natural process called stack effect, the same force that causes chimneys to vent, and hot air balloons to rise.  The air in the living space of your house finds its way slowly into your attic, where it cools in winter.  Cold air cannot hold as much moisture as warm air, so the moisture condenses onto the coldest surfaces, allowing the growth of mildew and mold. 

There are three solutions to this problem.  Reduce the amount of moisture produced in your house, prevent the moisture from getting into the attic, and better ventilate the attic.  A home inspector can do a good job of finding the moisture sources and advising you on the means to correct them.  An insulation contractor should be adept at finding the ways in which the living space air sneaks into your attic and sealing them.  These include poorly sealed attic access doors, poorly sealed or improperly ducted ventilators, recessed light fixtures, plumbing and chimney chaseways, and the holes in the framing created to accommodate electrical wiring.  You have attempted to solve the problem using the third method, improving the attic ventilation, but you may need to address the other two.

Also, your attempt to improve the attic ventilation may have been misguided and may be aggravating the problem.  If you only add ventilation at the top of the attic, or in other words the ridge, via a ridge vent, stack effect will actually pull more moisture laden living space air into the attic from the rest of the house.  You need to also improve the soffit ventilation.  Soffit vents are openings on the underside of the overhang of the roof, or eaves.  This will allow exterior air to enter at the low point in the attic, which will then rise and carry the excess moisture in the attic out the ridge vent that you already added.  By balancing the exterior air intake and outflow from the attic, you will be able to achieve significant moisture reduction and help prevent further mold growth.

Q.      I have a persistent moldy odor in the basement.  The basement is bone dry, and I have not been able to find a source.  Could you offer any advice?

 A.  Since you have eliminated the most common source of moldy odors, which is damp conditions and resultant mold growth, we would have to suspect sewer gases.  Sewer pipes are a conducive environment for mold and bacteria growth, which could produce the musty odor you’re experiencing.  Most basements have floor drains, which are often connected to the sewer system, and may be the source.  All drains should have traps in them.  These are U-shaped bends in the piping that hold water.  The water is retained in the trap specifically to prevent sewer gases from entering the house.  Since water isn’t normally flowing to the floor drain in your basement, the water in the trap has probably dried up.  You should add a glass of water to the drain every couple months.  Another common source of sewer gas is a missing bypass plug.  In order to clean-out the sewer drain, a bypass is built-in to allow the cleaning equipment to get past the trap.  The threaded plug may have been removed to allow drainage past a clogged trap, and not replaced.  Install a new plug (and unclog the trap, if necessary).  Also check to see if you have any infrequently used fixtures in the basement such as sinks, showers or toilets, in which the drains have dried out.  Generally, you should be able to see standing water when you look down a drain.  On rare occasions, traps have been improperly omitted during the installation of plumbing fixtures.  Sewer gas is an obnoxious presence in your home.  If adding water to the drains doesn’t do the trick, call in a professional for further evaluation and correction.

Q.    I am interested in buying a rural property that has a septic system.  The house has been vacant for a long time, and I understand that it’s hard to test a system that isn’t being used.  What can I do to protect myself in case the septic system isn’t any good?

 A.     Septic systems are designed to take the waste water from our homes, treat the water, and disperse it into the ground.  The systems are expensive and normally have a limited life of 20-25 years.  Septic systems typically suffer from neglect.  They’re generally out of sight and out of mind, and don’t reach our consciousness until something goes very obviously wrong.  Unfortunately, by the time we know that something is not right, we often have a big expense on our hands. 

It is true that testing the septic system on a vacant house is nowhere near as reliable as testing an occupied house.  The basic concept of dye testing, (which is the most common method of assessing the condition of a septic system for real estate sales), is to run water into the system from a sink or tub, along with dye, to simulate the maximum normal usage that the septic system is likely to experience.  Typical maximum use might be during morning “rush hour”, including a few showers and a load of laundry as your family heads out the door.  This is simulated in a test by running 50 gallons of water per bedroom, and inspecting to see if the system can handle the volume, or if the effluent backs up into the house or shows up in the yard.  If the house has been vacant, water levels in the system may be well below normal, and the test may only be bringing the levels up to low usage levels, not the maximum, and therefore not really taking the measure of the system. 

It still may be wise to do the test.  If the system fails anyway, you will be aware of the failure before buying the house.  But if it passes, you won’t be sure of the test’s validity.  Alternatives include having someone simulate normal usage by running water into the system for several days before the test.  You may also be able to arrange for a portion of the money you are paying for the property to be held in escrow at the time of closing to cover the cost of a new or repaired septic system.  You would then have the system professionally tested after you occupy the house, and if the test results indicate that the system has failed, use that money for repair costs.  In any case, it is smart to also have the tank pumped and inspected after a dye test is performed, for greater assurance.  It is also wise to check with local authorities to determine if the system was installed in compliance with state sanitary codes.

Q.    I have an old flat roof on my garage that has been nothing but trouble.  I have had numerous leaks and patches, but am ready to completely replace it.  What type of roofing do you recommend.

 A.     Flat roofs are always problematic.  Even the smallest hole can result in a huge amount of leakage due to the potential build-up of water.  The condition of the roofing material is usually difficult to assess, because of stone ballast or other cover, and drains easily become clogged, causing excessive ponding.  If you can see your way clear to build a sloped roof above the flat roof, we would recommend it.  The more pitch the better.

If the roof is truly flat with only a slight slope to drains, you are best off with a rubber roof or a more traditional hot tar built-up roof.  A rubber roof is a sheet membrane typically applied over a soft wood-fiber material, specially fastened to prevent cuts or tears.  Rubber works great if there are not a lot of difficult roof penetrations or other adjacent materials that are difficult to seal, and if there is not going to be any significant damaging foot traffic.  The problem with rubber is that if a leak does occur at any point, it will spread through the fiberboard underlayment and convert it to mush very quickly.  We find evidence of leakage in over half of the rubber roofs we inspect.

A built-up roof is tarred down to the roof deck and therefore doesn’t allow a leak to spread as readily.  This roof consists of layers of roofing felt and hot tar, usually covered with a layer of stone to prevent the deteriorating effects of sunlight.  Twenty five to thirty years of good service can be expected from a well installed built-up roof.

If there is a more substantial slope that is not going to allow any possible ponding, modified bitumin roll roofing, tarred or torched down, may be the best approach.  This is a tough rubberized roll roofing, that is relatively easy to install and performs very well under the right circumstances. 

There are numerous other possible roofing materials or variations on those already mentioned.  The key with all these materials is the quality of the installation, and especially the care taken to ensure that the edges or “flashings” are secure and well sealed.  It is the attention to details that will make the difference. 

Q.    My house has a large amount of old electrical wiring called knob and tube.  Should I replace it, or is it adequate.  The estimates for replacement are quite high.

 A.     Knob-and-tube wiring is indeed an antiquated wiring.  Knob-and-tube wiring dates from the early 1930s and older.  The cloth wrapped hot and neutral wires travel separately and use white porcelain knobs and tubes to secure to and pass through wood members in the house.  You are likely to notice it in the attic or basement, but is likely to be buried in the walls in far greater quantity than what you can see.  Knob-and-tube wiring is generally considered acceptable if in good condition, if it has not had newer wiring spliced onto it to provide additional outlets, and if it has not been buried in insulation.  But rarely is knob-and-tube found to be so pristine.  Modern homeowners have made a great effort to better insulate their houses, undoubtedly burying the old wiring, and have inevitably added more receptacles and light fixtures to their homes, extending the old wiring.  We have also attempted to update our receptacles from the old type with two slots to the newer type with the extra hole for grounding.  We can do this with more modern wiring.  The more recent metal sheathed or plastic sheathed branch circuit wiring consists of three wires, run together in a single cable, to provide a hot wire bringing current to the outlet, a neutral wire to complete the electrical path for the flow of current, and a ground wire to prevent the equipment from posing a shock hazard.  The problem is that the ground wire is missing in knob-and-tube wiring, making proper updating impossible without installing new wire.  In addition, while the copper wiring itself is not likely to deteriorate, the old cloth wrapping does, especially when close to hot lighting fixtures or in hot attics.

Insurance companies typically charge more for fire insurance if your house is known to have knob-and-tube wiring.  They know that there is a significant increased risk associated with wiring that is so antiquated.  We’ve come a long way in our use of electricity in the last seventy years, with greater electricity demands as well as greater safety.  It’s time to bring your wiring up to date.

Q.     My plumber says that I need to have my chimney relined for the gas water heater to vent properly.  Why would this be necessary?

 A.   Your water heater uses the chimney to exhaust the fumes produced when natural gas is burned to heat the water.  These exhaust fumes often contain carbon monoxide, a deadly odorless gas.  Older masonry chimneys can deteriorate, causing debris to block the flue and prevent the exhaust from the water heater from rising up the chimney and out of the house.  If your house is 100 years or older, there is a good chance that the chimney has no liner whatsoever.  The liner is typically a series of 8 to 12 inch diameter clay tile tubes stacked up through the open core of the chimney, which protects the brickwork from the deteriorating effects of the exhaust gasses.  Any unlined chimney, whether used by gas, oil, or wood burning equipment should be lined.  But we suspect that the issue in your case is a different, increasingly common, occurrence, caused by the installation of new modern furnaces.  High efficiency furnaces extract so much heat from the combustion process, that the exhaust is too cool to naturally rise up a chimney, so they are typically designed to exhaust out the side of a house, using a blower to force the exhaust gasses out.  This leaves the water heater, which used to share the chimney with the older furnace, as the only appliance still using the chimney.  Now the water heater alone cannot produce enough heat for a natural draft up the old chimney to work reliably.  Consequently, we need to downsize the chimney flue by relining it, usually with a 3 or 4 inch diameter flexible metal liner.  This is not terribly expensive and well worth the cost.  You can check to see if your gas appliance is drafting properly by holding a small mirror up to the opening in the little hood at the top of the unit where the exhaust is ducted to the chimney.  If the mirror fogs up when the water heater is operating, exhaust is coming out.  Take immediate corrective action.  And make sure your carbon monoxide detector in on the job. 

Q.   My wife and I are having a debate on where added insulation should go in the attic storage areas off the bedrooms in our cape style house.  There is already some insulation in the rafters.

 A.    This can be a somewhat tricky question to answer, combining issues regarding proper ventilation as well as adequate insulation.  In addition, cape style houses, or any homes in which living space is built into what is essentially attic space, with sloped ceilings and kneewalls, are difficult to adequately insulate.  This is due to limited access and limited space available in which to install insulation to modern standards.  There are two basic rules of thumb to remember which can be helpful when deciding where to place insulation.  First, always place the insulation tight to the living space.  This means that it should be applied immediately behind any finished surface in a heated room.  The insulation should not be installed in the roof rafters unless the ceiling finishes are applied directly to the roof rafters.  Unfinished attic storage areas are cold in winter.  There is no advantage in insulating a cold attic from the cold outdoors.  Instead, always insulate the floors, walls, and ceilings that separate the warm interior from the cold attic.  The second rule of thumb just reinforces the first.  You should never be able to see the paper vapor barrier on properly installed fiberglass insulation.  If you can see the paper, the insulation is either installed in the wrong location, or is facing the wrong way.  In order to prevent condensation problems, the vapor barrier should be kept warm.  This means it should be installed tight to the interior finishes of the living space, where you won’t be able to see it.  Now there are two problems to keep in mind while adding or placing insulation.  Cold attic space must be able to breath, to prevent condensation problems.  Outdoor air should be encouraged to enter an attic from a low area such as an overhang, and exit high, such as at the peak. Make sure your added insulation doesn’t block this flow of air.   Also, your added insulation and ventilation will make those attic spaces colder.  Make sure you don’t have any exposed water pipes in those areas that might freeze.      So who won the debate?

Q.       I have two vertical cracks in my concrete foundation walls, that are about1/4 inch wide at the top, and taper to almost no gap at the bottom.  Should I do something about these cracks?

 A.                 Foundation cracks should always, at minimum, be monitored for evidence that movement might be ongoing.  It is hard to gauge subtle movement in cracks unless the cracks are patched first.  So grout the cracks with cement and then keep an eye on them.  Vertical cracks in concrete are often due to shrinkage of the concrete as it cures, and are not necessarily indicative of any settling or lateral movement at all.  If there is no visible evidence of previous movement in the walls, such as a significant offset in the concrete from one side of the crack to the other, or visible inward bowing, or visible dropping of the concrete on one side of the crack to the other, or corresponding cracks in the living space finishes above the cracks, it very unlikely that the cracks are structurally significant. 

On the other hand, if any of these signs of significant movement are associated with the cracks, it is wise to have them professionally inspected.  It is also a good idea to make sure that ground water around the house, and especially in the areas of the cracks is being properly controlled.  Freeze pressure from excess water in the soil close to foundation walls is the leading cause of ongoing foundation cracking and movement.  Make sure the ground around the house is sloping well away, and that the gutters and downspouts are directing water well away from the foundation.

Q.     I have two layers of shingles on my roof.  The shingles are over 25 years old and are due.  Can I add a 3^rd  layer?

A.      The quick answer is no.  The International Residential Code recently adopted by New York State, allows a maximum of only two layers of shingles.  While this may or may not be locally enforced, depending on your municipality, it is never wise to install excessive layers of roofing.  Beyond the poor appearance that multiple layers present, the added weight may exceed the design capacity of the roof framing.  In addition, the flashings, typically pieces of bendable metal that are fitted to the shingles and any adjacent structures, and that tie the roofing materials to the roof penetrations, such as upper story walls, chimneys, and plumbing vents, aren’t normally renewed when added layers of shingles are installed.  These old flashings may be deteriorating.  When multiple layers of roof shingles are installed, copious amounts of roofing cement are also usually applied to make up for the lack of new flashings.  To compound the problem, the sheer thickness of roofing materials often causes siding on upper stories to be in direct contact with the shingles, causing constant moisture to seep into the siding, and promoting decay. 

It is far better to start over.  Tearing off the old roof shingles is a messy and expensive job, but a properly installed new roof should provide the peace of mind that comes from knowing that the job has been done right.

Q.        I have been having a problem with soot on the ceilings and walls of my house.  I have had the walls washed and painted twice over the last few years, but the soot has appeared again.  Does this mean that I need a new furnace?

 A.     You should probably hire an inspector to check the various systems in the house, including the furnace, since the soot may be symptomatic of a more serious problem, such as carbon monoxide buildup.  However, the most common cause for soot deposits in residences is actually candles.  You may like the atmosphere provided by candles, but you may also be contaminating the atmosphere in your home.  Time and again we have found candles, especially poorly designed or flickering candles, or those types that are housed in glass jars or other containers, to be the culprits.  We have also in some instances found that idling a car in the attached garage can be a source of unusual amounts of soot.  This is a bad practice due to potential carbon monoxide buildup also.

The pattern of soot on the walls and ceilings can be instructive.  Generally, soot will deposit most where the air is moving against a finished surface.  Wherever heat from any source is rising along the walls, you can expect deposits.  The other interesting observation is that on a wall or ceiling with patchy dark areas, those areas of greater soot buildup are indicative of reduced amounts of insulation behind the surface.  Colder surfaces allow more moisture to condense, causing the dust to adhere to those surfaces.  You may be able to find the areas of missing insulation in your walls or ceilings in this way. 

If candles are popular in your house, we have probably found the problem.  If not, we recommend a professional investigation.

Q.    I am getting conflicting opinions regarding replacing my electrical service to the house.  The panel is a Federal Pacific panel installed when the house was built in 1968 and has circuit breakers rather than fuses.

A.     It is not a surprise that you are getting different opinions.  There are several factors to consider.  Is the panel overcrowded with wires?  Many of the panels of that era are physically quite small and don’t accommodate much, if any, additional wiring.  Are there multiple sub-panels installed along with your main panel?  This is an indication of inadequate space.  Is the service size (or amp rating) adequate for your needs?  Most of the old Federal Pacific circuit breaker service panels in our area are rated for 125 amps.  In most instances this will be sufficient, but if you have built a large addition, or have installed central air conditioning and other 220volt circuits, the panel may not be adequate.  Is there any evidence of damage or deterioration in the panel?  A surprising number of electrical panels have problems with water seepage and corrosion.  This usually occurs as water leaks into the exterior meter box and follows the cable into the breaker box.  If significant corrosion has occurred then replacement will be necessary.  Is the entrance cable in good condition?  The entrance cable is the large wire that delivers the electricity from the wires coming from the pole to your house to the meter box and panel.  This cable has a limited life as the plastic or cloth insulation becomes weather-worn.  If you are starting to see the bare wires through the insulation, water will be able to enter the cable and end up in your panel. 

Assuming that these conditions listed above were not found, you probably don’t need to replace the panel.  However, there are a couple more considerations.  Federal-Pacific service panels, while very common locally, have a poor reputation in the industry, primarily due to potential loose contacts and the alleged failure of some Federal-Pacific breakers to trip under excessive loads.  Opinions vary widely regarding the degree of concern associated with these panels.  If evidence of loose breakers or overheating or scorching in the panel were observed, we would certainly recommend replacement.  The other issue is that many of the panels from this era are called split bar panels and do not have a single main breaker.  In order to turn off all the power into the house, you must turn off multiple breakers.  It was acceptable at that time to have up to six of these “main breakers.”  They should be grouped together in a section labeled “Mains”.  New panels have a single main breaker that assures that you will not exceed the rating of the incoming entrance cable or panel.

We probably haven’t made your decision much easier, but we have given you some issues to consider.  Upgrading your electrical service is not terribly expensive, usually coming in under $1,000.  If any of the deficiencies we mentioned are found, we would recommend making the investment.

Q.                I have a well for my water supply and run out of water fairly often.  Also, sometimes when it rains the water gets cloudy.  I can’t afford a new well.  Can I put in a larger tank to increase the supply.

A.                 Yes, but it is not a simple process.  Increasing the size of your tank alone will not do the trick.  The tank is mostly full of air.  It is called a pressure tank.  Its purpose is to even out the flow of water as the pump turns on and off.  Without the tank of compressed air, the pressure would fluctuate rapidly, and cause the pump to wear out prematurely.  Increasing the size of the pressure tank would only increase the amount of air without much effect on the amount of water.  However, a separate tank could be installed for water storage purposes.  This tank would be fed by the pump in the well, using a float valve to maintain the water level in the tank, and a separate pump inside the house to pressurize the water for the rest of the house.  A three hundred gallon tank would probably be sufficient for normal household use.  You should consult with a well driller to determine if this type of system would work for you.  The well will still need to have a minimum recovery rate, and the prospect that this rate can be sustained.  You didn’t indicate whether the amount of available water has decreased over the years.  In many areas of our community, increasing development and added wells have put added stress on the available water supplies and have lowered the aquifers to below the depth of older wells.  If this is the case a new or extended well will be necessary. 

You mentioned that the water gets cloudy when it rains.  This is very troubling, because it means that potentially contaminated surface water is mixing in with the ground water.  There are many possible reasons for this, but it usually happens because surface water is ponding around the top of the well and either seeping through a poorly sealed well head or seeping down along the outside of the well casing.  The head of the well should be well sealed and high and dry.  Have this further investigated, and have the water sampled when it is cloudy and tested for coliform bacteria at a local lab.  In the meantime bottled water might be appropriate. 

Q.                I am thinking of replacing the old wood windows on my 80 year old house with new vinyl windows, but I’m concerned about losing some of the historic character of the house.  Is there any alternative?

A.                 Anytime we replace an old house part with a new one, we will be reducing the historic nature of the house, but not necessarily its historic appearance.  New vinyl windows are vastly improved products over the initial offerings, with numerous options that provide a much closer imitation of old styles.  In addition, wood replacement windows are available if you prefer, built in custom sizes to install in the same manner as vinyl replacement windows, in existing window openings.  Higher end vinyl or wood replacement windows, of course, will cost considerably more.

There are some considerations to be made however before replacing your windows.  The first question is whether it is really necessary to replace the old windows at all.  If the old windows are not decayed or falling apart, they may be refurbishable.  Sash cords can be replaced, wood stops adjusted, glazing compound replaced, all surfaces repainted and lubricated, and storm windows applied.  It would be very hard to justify replacing well maintained old wood windows and storms with newer windows if energy savings was the only reason.  The cost of the new windows is so high that it would take many years to get your money back.  On the other hand, if the old windows are beyond repair, or the ease of washing newer tilt out windows is important to you, then by all means upgrade the windows.  The other consideration to make is whether the old window frames and casings that remain when you install replacement windows are in good enough condition.  If they are decayed, (and this can often be hidden behind aluminum wrapping on older houses), you would probably be better off replacing the entire window.  This is a more involved and expensive process, affecting your siding, and interior and exterior trim, but once accomplished should mean decades of good service. 

Q.                I have an older house with a masonry fireplace.  I have been told that the flue is unlined, and that I shouldn’t use the fireplace.  While I sometimes have a problem, especially on windy days, with occasional smoke in the house, the fireplace has worked fine.  Is relining the chimney critical?  It’s very expensive.

A.                 The vast majority of masonry fireplace chimneys have a clay tile liner.  The liner is a very durable clay cylinder designed to endure the stresses of temperature and moisture that flues are exposed to as smoke and water vapor escape from the fireplace.  Without a liner the less durable bricks and mortar are exposed to these stresses and will deteriorate.  Crumbling mortar and brick could clog the flue.  In addition, the added line of defense provided by the liner is critical to protect the house in case of a chimney fire.  Not only is a liner necessary, the integrity of the liner is also critical.  Any cracks in the liner could cause the liner to fail during a chimney fire.  It is certainly possible that with light use, you can get away without the liner, but you are putting your home and family at risk. 

Modern fireplace, woodstove, and chimney design is moving away from masonry and clay tile liners.  Masonry does not work as well as the insulated metal chimneys and woodstoves commonly installed today.  Older systems were not designed with efficiency in mind.  Modern efficient units have lower stack temperatures, resulting in poor draft in cold masonry chimneys. 

The smoke entry problem that you occasionally experience is probably due to improper design.  There are many potential design flaws that could lead to this condition, but by far the most common is that the chimney is not tall enough.  The rule of thumb is that the top of the chimney should be a minimum of 2 foot above any portion of roof that comes within 10 foot of the chimney.  This is usually roughly discernable by looking from the ground at the nearby roof.  A steeper roof requires a taller chimney. 

Whatever fireplace or chimney design you have, it is necessary to have the unit regularly inspected and the flue cleaned to prevent the creosote build-up that could result in a dangerous ch