Septic Systems

A septic system receives, treats and disposes of unwanted wastewater and solids from a building’s plumbing system. Solids are partially broken down into sludge within a septic tank and are separated from effluent (water) and scum (fat, oil and grease). Effluent regularly exits the tank into a drainfield where it is naturally filtered by bacteria and reentered into the groundwater. Scum and sludge must be pumped periodically and should never enter the drainfield.
When should a septic system be inspected?

• as soon as a house is put on the market. This will enhance the home’s value and avoid any liability issues that might result from a malfunctioning system. It is in the interest of a prospective buyer to insist that the septic system be inspected before they purchase the home if it has not been done recently.
• once per year.

How to locate the septic system:
Since they perform their essential functions underground and out of sight, it is not uncommon for a homeowner to not have any idea where the septic system is located. This is usually not an issue except for when it comes time to inspect or pump the tank!
The following suggestions can be used by inspectors to locate a septic tank if the homeowner does not already know where it is:

• An “as-built” drawing of the house should include the tank’s location. These drawings are often held in local health and zoning agencies. Old systems might not have any such record.
• The previous homeowner can be contacted.
• Newer tanks contain risers that rise visibly above the ground surface.
• A thin metal rod can be inserted into the earth and used to probe a suspected area. It is important to do this gently and only in soft, wet soil to avoid damaging the tank and associated pipes. A shovel can also be used but it requires a bit more work.
• A metal detector can be used if enough tank components are metal.
• A small radio transmitter can be flushed down the toilet and followed with a receiver.
• The greenest grass in a yard is often directly above the septic tank. Snow also melts faster above the tank than the rest of the yard. While these are not foolproof location methods, they have been known to be helpful.

What to look for?

• Find the date that the tank was last pumped. Ultimately, sludge level should determine whether a tank should be pumped, but knowledge of previous pumping dates can be a helpful reference.
• Check the sludge level with a “sludgejudge” or a similar device. Sludge accumulates on the tank bottom and should not occupy more than 1/3 of the tank’s total volume or rise to the level of the baffles.
• The septic tank and drainfield should be far from wells and streams.
• Ensure that the system is large enough for the home that it serves. A four-bedroom home, for instance, typically requires a 1,200-gallon tank. The more occupants living in the home, the larger the tank that is required. Capacity in gallons can be calculated by tank dimensions. For rectangular tanks, length x width x depth in feet x 7.5 = capacity in gallons. For round tanks, 3.14 x radius squared x depth in feet x 7.5 = capacity in gallons.
• Check for liquid waste that has made its way to the ground surface. This condition is unsanitary and indicates that the system is overloaded.Make sure that the tank is watertight so that wastewater does not contaminate groundwater, and groundwater does not flow into the tank and cause it to overfill.
• If riser lids are present, they should be inspected for cracks and made sure they are secure.
• Make sure that the baffles are firmly connected to the tank’s inlet and outlet pipes.
• Drain lines should each receive the same amount of wastewater. They can be examined by opening the distribution box. If the box becomes tipped or clogged, it will disproportionately allocate effluent, and potentially flood sections of the drainfield.

What are baffles?
Baffles are septic tank components that slow wastewater entry sufficiently to ensure the distillation of solids, and prevent their release (as well as the release of scum) into the drainfield. In doing so, they protect the absorptive quality of the soil and prolong the life of the septic system as a whole. They are normally made from the same material as the septic tank — either fiberglass, steel or concrete.
Check the baffles for the following:

• solids covering the baffle. This should be reported immediately, as it indicates overflow.
• erosion from chemicals and water flow.
• evidence of previous overflow.
• sewage level should be several inches below the baffle top. A lower level indicates leakage and a higher level indicates blockage.

Maintenance Tips
Avoid damage to your septic system:

• Only bath tissue can be flushed down the toilet. Tampons, paper towels, cigarette butts and diapers should be put in the trash. Household chemicals such as gasoline, paint, medication, antifreeze and pesticides can damage bacteria in the septic system and should never be flushed or dumped down the sink. Detergents and bleach can enter the plumbing system in moderate amounts.
• Cars should not be driven on or near the drainfield. Their weight can unknowingly damage subterranean piping.
• Only grass should be planted above the septic tank and drainfield. Roots from trees and large shrubs can cause unseen damage.
• No one should ever dig or build on top of the drainfield.
• All water drainage from rainwater, sump pumps, or any surface water should be diverted away from the drainfield. An over-saturated drainfield can retard the water treatment process and cause plumbing fixtures to back up.
• An easy way to prolong a septic system’s life and prevent a very costly replacement is to fix leaky faucets and toilets immediately. Any household water waste should be avoided. Taking shorter showers and not using a garbage disposal are ways to limit water use.

Some Precautions:

• Inspectors should not enter the septic tank to look for cracks. Tank interiors are very dirty and entrance should be avoided. If a crack is present, it will likely be at the level of the effluent, which will have drained from the tank through the crack. A strong sign that a crack is present is an effluent level significantly below the level of the tank outlet. A tank with cracks that allow effluent to leak into the surrounding earth is essentially a cesspool and needs to be replaced.
• Above-ground water indicates an overloaded septic system, if this water originates from the tank. Inspectors sometimes use a dye flushed down the toilet to confirm that the water originates from the house and not elsewhere. While this measure can be helpful, it is not an acceptable method to test septic system functionality. Flushed dye that appears in the puddle will confirm a faulty septic system, but dye that does not appear does not ensure a working system. Dye can take days to appear and may be too diluted to see clearly.
• Septic system inspection is outside the scope of general home inspection and requires special training. Laws vary by jurisdiction, and inspectors should know them well before performing this service.
  

Septic System Dangers
Septic systems are designed to handle dangerous waste and can pose serious health hazards to homeowners and inspectors. The following are a list of precautions:

• A professional septic tank pumping service, not an inspector, should remove solid waste.
• No one besides a licensed, equipped professional should enter a tank. Noxious fumes such as methane can cause rapid asphyxiation and death.
• If a septic tank shows signs of weakness, tread with caution! Collapse can be fatal. Beware of tanks with rusting metal, homemade lids, or anything else that appears unstable.

In summary, septic system inspections should be performed on an annual basis to ensure proper function. The septic tank is the most expensive household fixture and its lifespan will be shortened significantly if it is not maintained.

Source: Article written and provided by Nick Gromicko, Rob London and Kenton Shepard from National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI)

Private Water Wells:

If your family gets drinking water from a private well, do you know if your water is safe to drink? What health risks could you and your family face? Approximately 15% of Canadians rely on their own private drinking water supplies. Unlike public drinking water systems serving many people, they do not have experts regularly checking the water’s source and its quality before it is sent to the tap. These households must take special precautions to ensure the protection and maintenance of their drinking water supplies.

 Basic Information

There are three types of private drinking water wells: dug, driven, and drilled. Proper well construction and continued maintenance are keys to the safety of your water supply. Your state water-well contractor licensing agency, local health department, or local water system professional can provide information on well construction. The well should be located so rainwater flows away from it. Rainwater can pick up harmful bacteria and chemicals on the land’s surface. If this water pools near your well, it can seep into it, potentially causing health problems. Water-well drillers and pump-well installers are listed in your local phone directory. The contractor should be bonded and insured. Make certain your ground water contractor is registered or licensed in your province.

To keep your well safe, you must be sure that possible sources of contamination are not close by. Experts 

suggest the following distances as a minimum for protection — farther is better (see graphic on the right): 

• septic tanks:  50 feet;
• livestock yards, silos, septic leach fields:  50 feet;
• petroleum tanks, liquid-tight manure storage and fertilizer storage and handling:  100 feet; and 
• manure stacks:  250 feet.

Many homeowners tend to forget the value of good maintenance until problems reach crisis-levels. That can be expensive. It’s better to maintain your well, find problems early, and correct them to protect your well’s performance. Keep up-to-date records of well installation and repairs, plus pumping and water tests. Such records can help spot changes and possible problems with your water system. If you have problems, ask a local expert to check your well construction and maintenance records. He or she can see if your system is okay or needs work.

Protect your own well area. Be careful about storage and disposal of household and lawn-care chemicals and wastes. Good farmers and gardeners minimize the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Take steps to reduce erosion and prevent surface water runoff. Regularly check underground storage tanks that hold home heating oil, diesel, or gasoline. Make sure your well is protected from the wastes of livestock, pets and wildlife.

Dug Wells

 

Dug wells are holes in the ground dug by shovel or backhoe. Historically, a dug well was excavated below the ground water table until incoming water exceeded the digger’s bailing rate. The well was then lined (cased) with stones, brick, tile, or other material to prevent collapse. It was covered with a cap of wood, stone or concrete. Since it is so difficult to dig beneath the ground water table, dug wells are not very deep. Typically, they are only 10 to 30 feet deep. Being so shallow, dug wells have the highest risk of becoming contaminated.To minimize the likelihood of contamination, your dug well should have certain features. These features help to prevent contaminants from traveling along the outside of the casing, or through the casing and into the well.

Dug Well Construction Features

• The well should be cased with a watertight material (for example, tongue-and-groove pre-cast concrete), and a cement grout or bentonite clay sealant poured along the outside of the casing to the top of the well.
• The well should be covered by a concrete curb and cap that stands about a foot above the ground.
• The land surface around the well should be mounded so that surface water runs away from the well and is not allowed to pond around the outside of the wellhead.
• Ideally, the pump for your well should be inside your home or in a separate pump house, rather than in a pit next to the well.

Land activities around a dug well can also contaminate it. While dug wells have been used as a household water supply source for many years, most are relics of older homes, dug before drilling equipment was readily available, or when drilling was considered too expensive. If you have a dug well on your property and are using it for drinking water, check to make sure it is properly covered and sealed. Another problem relating to the shallowness of a dug well is that it may go dry during a drought when the ground water table drops.

Driven Wells  

  

Like dug wells, driven wells pull water from the water-saturated zone above the bedrock. Driven wells can be deeper than dug wells. They are typically 30 to 50 feet deep and are usually located in areas with thick sand and gravel deposits where the ground water table is within 15 feet of the ground’s surface. In the proper geologic setting, driven wells can be easy and relatively inexpensive to install. Although deeper than dug wells, driven wells are still relatively shallow and have a moderate-to-high risk of contamination from nearby land activities.

Driven Well Construction Features

• Assembled lengths of 2- to 3-inch diameter metal pipes are driven into the ground. A screened “well point” located at the end of the pipe helps drive the pipe through the sand and gravel. The screen allows water to enter the well and filters out sediment.
• The pump for the well is in one of two places: on top of the well, or in the house. An access pit is usually dug around the well down to the frost line, and a water discharge pipe to the house is joined to the well pipe with a fitting.
• The well and pit are capped with the same kind of large-diameter concrete tile used for a dug well. The access pit may be cased with pre-cast concrete.

To minimize this risk, the well cover should be a tight-fitting concrete curb and cap with no cracks, and should sit about a foot above the ground. Slope the ground away from the well so that surface water will not pond around the well. If there’s a pit above the well, either to hold the pump or to access the fitting, you may also be able to pour a grout sealant along the outside of the well pipe. Protecting the water quality requires that you maintain proper well construction and monitor your activities around the well. It is also important to follow the same land-use precautions around the driven well as described under dug wells.

 

Drilled Wells

Drilled wells penetrate about 100 to 400 feet into the bedrock. Where you find bedrock at the surface, it is commonly called ledge. To serve as a water supply, a drilled well must intersect bedrock fractures containing ground water. 

Drilled Well Construction Features

• The casing is usually metal or plastic pipe, 6 inches in diameter, that extends into the bedrock to prevent shallow ground water from entering the well. By law, the casing has to extend at least 18 feet into the ground, with at least 5 feet extending into the bedrock. The casing should also extend a foot or two above the ground’s surface. A sealant, such as cement grout or bentonite clay, should be poured along the outside of the casing to the top of the well. The well should be capped to prevent surface water from entering the well.
• Submersible pumps, located near the bottom of the well, are most commonly used in drilled wells. Wells with a shallow water table may feature a jet pump located inside the home. Pumps require special wiring and electrical service. Well pumps should be installed and serviced by a qualified professional registered with your state.
• Most modern drilled wells incorporate a pitless adapter designed to provide a sanitary seal at the point where the discharge water line leaves the well to enter your home. The device attaches directly to the casing below the frost line, and provides a watertight sub-surface connection, protecting the well from frost and contamination.
• Older drilled wells may lack some of these sanitary features. The well pipe used was often 8, 10 or 12 inches in diameter, and covered with a concrete well cap either at or below the ground’s surface. This outmoded type of construction does not provide the same degree of protection from surface contamination. Also, older wells may not have a pitless adapter to provide a seal at the point of discharge from the well.

Hydrofracting a Drilled Well

Hydrofracting is a process that applies water or air under pressure into your well to open up existing fractures near your well, and can even create new ones. Often, this can increase the yield of your well. This process can be applied to new wells with insufficient yield and to improve the quantity of older wells.

How can I test the quality of my private drinking water supply? 

Consider testing your well for pesticides, organic chemicals, and heavy metals before you use it for the first time. Test private water supplies annually for nitrate and coliform bacteria to detect contamination problems early. Test them more frequently if you suspect a problem. Be aware of activities in your watershed that may affect the water quality of your well, especially if you live in an unsewered area.

What You Can Do...

Private, individual wells are the responsibility of the homeowner. To help protect your well, here are some steps you can take: Have your water tested periodically. It is recommended that water be tested every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids, and pH levels. If you suspect other contaminants, test for those.  Testing more than once a year may be warranted in special situations if: someone in your household is pregnant or nursing; there are unexplained illnesses in the family; your neighbors find a dangerous contaminant in their water; you note a change in your water's taste, odor, color or clarity; there is a spill of chemicals or fuels into or near your well; or  you replace or repair any part of your well system. Identify potential problems as the first step to safe-guarding your drinking water. The best way to start is to consult a local expert -- someone who knows your area, such as the local health department, agricultural extension agent, a nearby public water system, or a geologist at a local university. Be aware of your surroundings. As you drive around your community, take note of new construction. Check the local newspaper for articles about new construction in your area. Check the paper or call your local planning and zoning commission for announcements about hearings or zoning appeals on development or industrial projects that could possibly affect your water. Attend these hearings, ask questions about how your water source is being protected, and don't be satisfied with general answers.  Ask questions, such as:  "If you build this landfill, what will you do to ensure that my water will be protected?" See how quickly they answer and provide specifics about what plans have been made to specifically address that issue. Identify Potential Problem Sources To start your search for potential problems, begin close to home. Do a survey around your well to discover: Is there livestock nearby? Are pesticides being used on nearby agricultural crops or nurseries? Do you use lawn fertilizers near the well? Is your well downstream from your own or a neighbor's septic system? Is your well located near a road that is frequently salted or sprayed with de-icers during winter months? Do you or your neighbors dispose of household waste or used motor oil in the backyard, even in small amounts? If any of these items apply, it may be best to have your water tested and talk to your local public health department or agricultural extension agent to find ways to change some of the practices which can affect your private well.

In addition to the immediate area around your well, you should be aware of other possible sources of contamination that may already be part of your community or may be moving into your area. Attend any local planning or appeals hearings to find out more about the construction of facilities that may pollute your drinking water. Ask to see the environmental impact statement on the project. See if the issue of underground drinking water sources has been addressed. If not, ask why.

Sump Pumps

Sump pumps are self-activating electrical pumps that protect homes from moisture intrusion. They are usually installed below basement or crawlspace floors to remove rising groundwater and surface runoff before it has a chance to seep into the home. Accumulated water can cause interior damage and encourage the growth of mould, mildew, and fungus. Pumps should be maintained and equipped with all necessary components in order to ensure their reliability.

How a Sump Pump Works 

A pit, known as a sump pit or sump trench, can be dug at the lowest part of the basement floor to capture and contain any flowing water. A sump pump sits at the bottom of this trench (or beside it) and expels excess water through a series of interconnected pipes to a suitable discharge location. The pump can sense water levels through a float that rises and falls with fluctuating water levels in the trench. The sump pump becomes activated and deactivated based on the height of the float, providing a simple, automated way to monitor and deal with variable water levels.

Types of Sump Pumps

• Pedestal sump pumps sit above the water line beside the sump trench and are not designed to get wet. Since they are not contained within the sump pit, they can be accessed easily but are also very noisy. They cost roughly $60 to $200, which is significantly less than other varieties.
• Submersible sump pumps rest underwater at the bottom of the sump pit, and are much quieter than pedestal pumps. Their oil-cooled motors and tight seals protect against water and dust and afford them a long lifespan. They can cost up to $600.
• Water-powered sump pumps are normally used as backups and kick in when the main pump experiences an electrical or mechanical failure.

  

Maintenance

• The pump must be kept clean and free of debris. The inlet screen prevents the passage of dirt and other solid material from entering the pump, but it can become overwhelmed. Cleanings should occur often for pumps that run constantly.
• Inspectors should make sure that the float is not tangled or jammed in one position. A sump pump with a jammed float is useless because it will not sense when it should turn on and shut off.  
• The pump can be tested by pouring water into the pit to make sure it becomes activated and expels the water. The homeowner should seek professional assistance if the pump does not activate.
• Maintenance should take place annually, and when the home is sold.
• When testing the pump, no one should ever reach into the pit. The float can be reached and manipulated with a household item such as a golf club (with a rubber handle) or anything else non-conductive that happens to be lying around. 

Check for the presence of the following:

• A GFCI. There is considerable debate among inspectors concerning whether or not a sump pump should be connected to a GFCI. It is possible that a GFCI can prevent electrocution, but it is extremely unlikely that a sump pump will energize water in the first place. It is much more likely that a GFCI will trip during safe conditions and deactivate the sump pump when it is needed. A sump pump is among the most critical of all household appliances, and its deactivation, especially if the tenants are not home, could allow catastrophic building damage. Codes recommend that appliances in basements and crawlspaces be connected to GFCI’s to reduce the chance of electrical shock, but this advice is often ignored due to these concerns over nuisance tripping.
• An alarm. Sump pumps can burn out, lose power, become clogged or misaligned, or malfunction in a variety of other ways. It is valuable to have a warning device installed that will signal water build-up. These alarms can alert homeowners or neighbours of flooding so that it can be resolved before water damage occurs. Alarms are especially important in residences that are not occupied for long periods of time. Inspectors should keep in mind that, while an alarm can be helpful, it is not a requirement.
  
• A check valve. This device is the same diameter as the discharge pipe into which it fits and is usually a different color. A check valve should be installed in order to prevent pumped water in the discharge line from re-entering the sump pit when the device is turned off. Without this valve, the pump will have to work twice as hard to remove the same column of water, which causes unnecessary strain to the pump components. A check valve can also prevent the rare yet disturbing possibility that a discharge line connected to a stream or pond will back-siphon into the sump pit.
• A backup power source. Power outages are most likely to happen during heavy rains and floods, which are situations when the sump pump is most needed. For this reason, combined with the nuisance-tripping from GFCIs, sump pumps should have a backup power source to rely on. A pump powered by a battery or the home’s water pressure can also be installed as a backup.
• The pit should be large enough for the pump. The sump pit does not need to be constructed from any particular material, as long as it is solid and provides permanent support for the pump. It must, however, be large enough to allow the pump room to work properly. Some homeowners use a 5-gallon bucket as a sump pit, but this is insufficient. For most homes, the sump pit should not be less than 24 inches deep and 18 inches wide. One of the most common reasons why sump pumps fail is that the float gets jammed between the pump and the pit because the pit is too cramped.
• A cover. The sump pit should be covered to prevent water from evaporating into the home & to prevent insects entering the home from the sump pit.

Specialized Sump Pump Systems

There are sump pump systems available that come with backup pumps & power backup built into the system. One such system is the “Triple safe sump pump system”. This system comes with a total of three pumps (two backup pumps) & is available online or at local hardware stores.

To view a video about the Triple safe system, click on the following link & click on the Triple Safe sump pump video at the bottom of the page:
http://thehomeinspectiontoronto.ca/video/ 

Discharge Location

• Water must be discharged at least 20 feet from the building.
• Water should not drain back into the house! Cycling water will place unnecessary strain on the pump and can weaken the structure’s foundation.
• Water should not drain onto a neighbour’s property without their approval.
• Many jurisdictions do not permit pumped water into public sewer systems.
• Pumped water should never drain into a residence’s septic system. Especially during heavy rain, a septic drain field will become saturated and will struggle to handle the normal flow of water from the house. Additional water from the sump pump can damage the septic system.

In summary, sump pumps are used to remove excess water from homes that would otherwise cause property damage. There are multiple types, but they all monitor water levels and ensure that they do not rise higher than predetermined levels. Proper maintenance and inspection will ensure pump efficiency and prolong their lifespan.

10 Easy Ways to SAVE Energy

Here are some helpful tips to save money on your monthly energy 

bills this season.

1. Do a home energy audit. This survey analyzes your home's structure, appliances and insulation, as well as your family's lifestyle. Various companies throughout the GTA can provide home energy audits, with a full report and recommendations about how your family can save energy.
2. Have your heating system inspected regularly - especially if it's natural gas. A preventative maintenance annual tune-up, can help reduce your heating costs by up to five percent.
   The cleaner and more efficient your heating and air conditioning equipment are, the more you'll enjoy energy savings.
3. Install a Programmable Thermostat. Why heat the house when nobody's home? A programmable thermostat can automatically lower and raise your home's air temperature when you're at work or heading to bed for a good nights sleep. For every 1°C (2°F) you lower your thermostat, you save two per cent on your heating bill. A reduction of 3°C (5°F) at night and when you’re away during the day provides optimal savings. If you don’t have a programmable thermostats (source: www.climatechange.gc.ca)
4. Turn on the Humidifier during the heating season. Adding moisture to the air in your home will make it feel warmer. If your furnace doesn't have a built-in humidifier, you can place a portable unit in frequently used areas. Make sure the humidistat settings are appropriate for outdoor temperatures so that condensation doesn’t build up on windows.
5. Close Vents to Guest Rooms. By closing the vents to just one spare bedroom in your house, you'll likely see a difference in your heating bills. But don't put away your welcome mat; you can open the vents when guests stay over. Be sure to monitor closed-off rooms to ensure that moisture doesn't build up in corners or closets.
6. Change or clean your furnace filter once a month. Dust and dirt can quickly clog vital parts, making your furnace run harder and eventually break down.
7. Keep curtains and blinds closed at night to keep cold air out, but open them during the day to let the sun warm the room.
8. Set the fan on your central air conditioner to "on" rather than "auto." This will circulate air continuously, keeping the temperature more even throughout the house and aiding in dehumidification.
9. Don't set the thermostat higher than you actually want it. It won't heat your home any faster, and it will keep your furnace running longer than necessary.
10. Upgrade your heating and air conditioning products to energy star rated units. Units such as [LINK] Carriers Infinity 21 Series [LINK] can help reduce your energy bills (on A/C) by up to 52%.

Checklist for Selling your Home

Making the right first impression is critical, it drives more traffic to the house and helps potential
buyers focus on the overall home and improve your chances of selling – at your price. In many
instances, the potential buyer will know within minutes whether the house meets their needs or
not. This checklist, along with the advice of your Realtor will help focus on the maintenance
issues that can help your home sell quicker and for a better price.

Check the major systems

After location and style of the home, the needs of a homebuyer move to the condition of the
basic structure and major mechanical systems. Most buyers are not prepared to spend money
correcting problems in such critical areas. Your own thorough investigation of the following
major items can help determine if any issues exist. The most critical areas to check include:
· Roof structure and covering – look for damage, worn areas and water leaks.
· Foundation, basement, and/or crawl space – any foundation cracks or water leaks should be
repaired
· Central heating and air conditioning systems – these units can be professionally cleaned and
serviced to ensure proper working condition. You can check for signs of rust or black stains
that may indicate a more serious concern
· Electrical system and plumbing systems are not for the layman, but if you have any recurring
issues, have a professional determine and repair those concerns.

Make maintenance improvements
The maintenance improvements listed below are relatively easy and inexpensive to make, yet
they can substantially improve a home's appearance, efficiency and comfort:
· Apply new caulking and weather‐stripping as needed around windows and doors.
· Clean gutters and extensions of debris and leaves to ensure proper drainage
· Re‐grade soil around the house to prevent water pooling at the foundation
· Replace or re‐grout tiles and caulking in the bathrooms to help improve appearance and
reduce the risk of moisture getting behind tiles.
· Ventilate closed basements, cold rooms and crawl spaces, or install a dehumidifier to
prevent musty smells, humidity build‐up, and moisture.
· Wash or Replace dirty filters in the heating and ventilating systems, including furnace, HRV,
humidifier, etc.

Pay attention to details
Fixing even minor items can go a long way toward improving the first impression of your
home. Here are some improvements, which you might consider:
· Repair any leaking faucets / drains and seal around sinks with caulking
· Tighten loose doorknobs – ensure doors close easily and smoothly
· Replace damaged screens or broken panes of glass
· Replace burned‐out light bulbs, and replace broken light fixtures
· Secure loose railings
· Patch small holes in walls and ceilings and repaint / remove or repair wallpaper
· Repair and coat the driveway.

Take safety precautions
Pay attention to items relating to protecting the home and its occupants from danger. The
following are important safety precautions which home buyer's will appreciate, are relatively
easy to implement and shouldn't cost a lot. Moreover, they will keep you safe while selling:
· Install good quality smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
· Ensure adequate outdoor lighting, especially in suburban and
rural locales
· Install 'GFCI' outlets outdoors and in wet locations such as
bath & laundry areas.
· Keep the stairwells tidy and free of debris and obstructions,
and leave plenty of clearance around the garage door,
electrical panel and furnace.
· Keep flammables and combustables away from the furnace
and other utility areas.
· If you have direct entry from the garage to the interior of the home, consider installing a
self‐closing device on the door.

Prepare for the buyer's inspection
More and more purchasers are requesting pre‐purchase inspections. It is a good idea to
assemble in advance the various house records that can be used to
answer questions from the purchaser and their inspector.
· Appliance receipts, service records and warranties
· Information on the age of major components such as 

  the roof
coverings, furnace, air‐conditioner, etc.
· Major component warranties (e.g. roofing, siding, windows,
carpeting, furnace and other appliances
· Heating, water & electric bills from at least the past 12 months

How did your house measure up?
Hopefully, this home seller's checklist has helped you gain a clearer knowledge of your home's overall condition ‐ from a buyer's perspective. Now you can make repairs or improvements that will increase your home's marketability. It just makes good sense! Of course, even if your house is already in optimum condition, a professional home inspection can also be a good marketing tool. At the end of the inspection, the original copy of the inspection report will be given to you. This can then be put on display for all interested parties to view as they are viewing your home. In addition a full copy of the inspection report & a summary will be put online for your realtor to use in the marketing of your home. This will increase your chances of attracting offers that are free of the home inspection condition.

Wet Basements

Wet basements can lead to quite a few headaches, for home purchasers, sellers & realtors. The wrong home inspector can turn a simple, easily fixed leak into a bigger issue or even overlook the issue completely.

The concerns of all stakeholders are totally without merit here as high humidity can produce surface condensation, mildew, mold, fungi, musty odors & an unhealthy living environment.

An independent Home Inspector with the right tools, experience & qualifications can properly evaluate for signs of dampness & water penetration in the home.

Common causes of Wet Basements & Crawl Spaces

The most common cause of a wet basement is quite simply that ground or surface water caused by rain or snow thaw is not properly diverted away from the foundation walls of the home. No water should be permitted to pool next to the foundation walls.

Click on the following link to view a video about Property drainage:

Property Drainage video

Although there are other potential causes of wet
basements such as high water tables, underground
springs & damaged or clogged weeping tiles to name
a few, this article will focus on the most common
causes & practical solutions.

In most cases the basement is below grade where moisture is always present & rain water naturally ends up traveling. This process puts pressure on your walls & since water will always take the path of least resistance, if not handled properly that path could end up leading to your basement.

Things to look for:

• Clogged gutters & downspouts
• Not enough downspouts
• Downspouts that end at the house without a splash pad or extension
• Grading & landscaping slopes sufficiently away from foundation walls
• Rainwater run-off from the adjacent lawns, walkways or driveways 
• Excessive watering of flower beds & shrubbery adjacent to the foundation walls
• Sprinklers directed at the house

Possible Solutions:

It is always recommended that you hire a professional

• Ensure that your gutters & downpipes are secure, without leaks & properly adjusted
• Remove any dirt, leaves & debris from the gutters & downspouts, that could cause them to become clogged
• Add extensions to direct drainage water at least 6 feet away from any foundation walls
• Re-grade the landscape on all side of your home to slope away from the foundation walls, to allow surface water to run away from the house
• Redirect sprinklers away from the foundation walls
• If you have a catch basin keep it clear

Granted these precautions may not correct more serious issues, however they are the most unobtrusive & cost effective methods of keeping your basement dry.So when the next heavy rainstorm hits your area, grab an umbrella & take a walk around your house to see where the surface water is going & what it is doing.

Remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a liter less of water in your basement!

Bed Bugs: The New "House Herpes"

 Bed bugs are small, flightless, rust-colored parasites that feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals.

Bed bugs were diminished to an historical footnote after their near-eradication in the 1950s, but they are re-emerging in a big way. At the EPA’s National Bed Bug Summit in 2009, researchers decided that the parasite’s revival is more appropriately termed a pandemic rather than an epidemic, noting its rapid spread across large regions and different continents. For those afflicted by the bug, humiliated and defeated by its persistence, many prefer to refer to the infestation as “house herpes.” The United States has seen a 50-fold increase in bed bug infestations over the last five years, according to the National Pest Management Association. An entomologist told MSNBC, “It’s like the return of the wooly mammoth,” as many of his peers had previously never seen a single bed bug in their careers. The outbreak has affected most parts of North America and Europe, especially in urban areas. 

Researchers believe bed bugs have roused from a half-century of hibernation for two reasons:  the termination of the use of the pesticide DDT; and a rise in international travel. DDT, a powerful synthetic pesticide, was used widely in agriculture until a public outcry concerning its safety lead to a US-ban of the chemical in 1972, followed by international bans. These laws would permit future outbreaks to grow unchecked, especially when travel increased from countries where similar bed bug laws were never enforced.

Hotbeds of international travel, such as New York City, have hosted the bulk of the carnage. The bugs hitch rides from country to country in suitcases, and creep into hotel rooms where other guests are then exposed and unknowingly spread the parasites to movie theatres, cabs, buses, hospitals, houses, and everywhere in between.

The unpleasantness of a typical rodent or insect extermination is largely the fee charged by the exterminator.  But with bed bugs, this fee is just one piece of a greater nightmare. Because bed bugs are adept at hiding almost anywhere, an alarming quantity of possessions, from curtains to books and picture frames, must be discarded or quarantined. In one posh New York City rental tower, a tenant was forced to part with carpets, bedding, curtains, 20 cashmere sweaters, an Armani suit, a couch, a headboard, a night table, a bedframe, and an exercise bike. Other victims have had to throw away their books unless they were willing to inspect each one, page by page. Some possessions may be salvaged if they are sealed in special casing long enough for the bed bugs to die, which can takes many months. During this time, residents may be forced to move to temporary housing elsewhere.

Fortunately, the health dangers posed by bed bugs seem to be limited to temporary skin irritation and inflammation, similar to mosquito bites. There are no known cases of disease transmission from bed bugs to humans, despite the fact that the parasites seem similar to other parasites that do transmit disease, such as fleas and ticks. Anaphylactic shock, however, may be experienced by a small percentage of the population, and measures should be taken to prevent bacterial infection of bitten areas. 

Adult bed bugs are flat, apple-seed sized with rusty-colored, oval bodies. Newly hatched bed bugs are semi-transparent, light tan in color, and the size of a poppy seed. Yet, due to their elusive nature, their presence is usually discovered through peripheral clues rather than by seeing the bugs themselves. Some of these signs include fecal spots, blood smears, crushed bugs, or the itchy bumps that may result from bites. Bugs may be disturbed while feeding and leave a cluster of bumps, or they may bite in a row, marking the path of a blood vessel. The parasites emit a characteristic musty odor, although the smell is sometimes not present in even severe infestations. The bugs also emit a smell that is detectable by dogs, which has lead to the implementation of dogs in bed bug detection. Properly trained dogs can find bed bugs in wall voids, furniture gaps, and other places that humans may overlook and, in doing so, they focus on the area in which exterminators must spray.

It is best for bed bugs to be treated by pest management professionals (PMPs), not homeowners, as there is risk that an inexperienced person may spread the infestation further throughout the home. Even chemical sprays designed to kill bed bugs, if used by inexperienced homeowners, may make the infestation worse. PMPs can inspect for bed bugs in their immature stages of development, including their eggs, while homeowners cannot. In addition, prep work performed by a homeowner may make it difficult for the PMP to assess the extent of the infestation.

The following tactics may be useful, however, for temporary relief or confirmation of the presence of bed bugs:

• Remove bed skirts, as they provide easy access for the bugs to travel from the floor to your bed. If you must have bed skirts, make sure they do not reach the floor.
• Move your bed away from the wall. Bed bugs cannot fly, but they can climb walls in order to fall onto the bed.
• Place furniture legs in tin cans coated with talcum powder, petroleum jelly or a non-evaporative liquid, to deter the bugs from climbing.
• Place a strip of duct tape at the base of furniture with the sticky side out. This tactic can be used to confirm the presence of bed bugs because it will trap them in place.
• Spray cracks and crevices with an insecticide designed to control bed bugs. Follow the label's directions carefully. However, do not treat bedding, towels or clothing with insecticide.

Homeowners can limit their chances of bed bug exposure by purchasing only new furniture, as stowaway bugs can hide in older or used chairs and mattresses. Hostels, hotels and motels host many travelers and are obvious breeding grounds for bed bugs, and many hostels ban sleeping bags for this reason. Unfortunately, person-to-person contact is difficult to avoid.

UFFI Insulation

 

Urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) is a thermal
insulation product used mostly during the 1970s and
early 1980s. This expanding foam insulation was mixed
on site and pumped into building cavities in older
buildings that had not been previously insulated.

UFFI was first developed in Europe in the 1950s as an
improved way to insulate hard-to-reach cavities in wood-
frame walls. It could be sprayed into building cavities
through small holes, an improvement over the
conventional process that required walls be removed to
add insulation. It was typically mixed on site using urea-
formaldehyde resin, a foaming agent, and compressed
air. When the mix was injected into the wall, the urea and
formaldehyde bonded to form an insulating plastic foam. UFFI became a valuable thermal insulation product during the energy crisis of the 1970s, when energy-shortage fears led to the exploration for new thermal insulation technologies. It was used in approximately half a million homes in North America.

UFFI was banned in Canada in 1980, and two years later it was banned in the U.S. because of fears concerning off-gassing of the formaldehyde, an irritating and potentially carcinogenic gas. The chemical was added on site during the curing process, and some homeowners, mostly in small, poorly ventilated homes, began complaining about adverse health effects, including respiratory issues. Some houses were sold at a fraction of their market value to compensate for the expense of gutting, cleaning and re-insulating building cavities.

Research during this period, however, began to show that, after installation, the formaldehyde gas dissipated within several days to less than 1 part per million, low enough that there was virtually no health risk. The U.S. Court of Appeals overturned the ruling to ban UFFI in 1983, although the ban remains in effect in Canada. Nevertheless, the insulation is still being installed in Canadian homes, according to the Canadian organization Health Zone. Apparently, it is illegally imported from other countries under the brand name RetroFoam™, although the government has taken actions against the perpetrators. UFFI was never banned in Europe, and it’s still used there today. Any formaldehyde detected in a home is likely to be from other sources, such as pressed-wood products (plywood wall paneling, particleboard, fiberboard), un-vented, fuel-burning appliances, carpet padding, or tobacco smoke.

While UFFI is not the carcinogen it was originally feared to be, it does present issues concerning its value as insulation because it suffers from considerable shrinkage over time, depending on how precisely the product was mixed. Inspectors may see an inch or more of shrinkage on each side of the foam insulation block. These gaps can easily allow thermal drift or even air leakage, seriously reducing its effectiveness. UFFI also deteriorates when it comes into contact with moisture or water. Wet UFFI should be removed by a specialist. Also, a declaration of the presence UFFI may be required as part of a real estate transaction.

UFFI can be inspected for based on the following factors:

• the age of the building. UFFI will probably not be found in buildings constructed after the early 1980s. It was used from about 1975 to 1978 primarily as a retrofit insulation in older buildings;
• patched injection holes on the outside of the building;
• oozing. The insulation sometimes oozes out from cracks and above wall cavities;
• color. UFFI is white or a dull yellow, and may have been darkened over time from exposure to dust and dirt; and
• texture. UFFI is soft and crumbly and will be easily damaged if handled.

In summary, UFFI is an unfairly stigmatized and relatively harmless insulation product that was installed primarily during the 1970s.  Inspectors can allay their clients' fears about its former reputation as a carcinogen, but may want to check its installation for signs of deterioration and ineffectiveness.