At the side of your natural gas meter (if you have one) is a thing that looks like a flying saucer turned on its side. This is the gas pressure regulator. In the event that downstream pressure exceeds a preset level, the regulator maintains constant pressure to your home by […]
Defects in a property
16 posts
Advantages of Flat and low-slope roofing Thermal advantages – They can help keep the interior warmer by absorbing sunlight at a higher rate than slated roofs. Accessibility – They are also more accessible, allowing for easier inspection processes. Economical – Flat roofing, for smaller areas, is generally considered to be […]
Another day, another inspection. This one was a PDI for clients. This house was an energy star “compliant” home. Saving energy from waste water – well partly. Retention of energy was the name of the game. After all, it had a Drain Water Heat Recovery Unit (DWHRU) fitted to […]
I am frequently asked “Why should I hire a Home Inspector to inspect a home when I could just as easily hire a General Contractor?” Well, in Ontario at the time this piece is being written, there is no requirement for Home Inspectors to be regulated in law, so you […]
Required Egress (or How to get out in an emergency) While a Home Inspection is not a code inspection and older homes are built to codes that are maybe not as strict as more modern ones, a Home Inspection, performed by a Professional Home Inspector should be able to alert […]
What is the concern? Recent fires in residential properties have brought to light a possible concern with Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing, otherwise known as CSST. The concern is that lightning, striking on or near a property can cause an electrical arc to puncture the CSST tube and subsequently ignite the […]
I frequently see poured concrete cracks appearing in the foundation walls of homes I am inspecting. The majority of these are typical shrinkage cracks or in older properties small settlement cracks and not considered structural. That said, they ought to be repaired to prevent water intrusion or further deterioration. I am […]
During a home inspection, I will see situations that I will call out as “not safe” or a life-safety issue. More often than not, these un-safe issues surround the electrical installations. The most common of these issues are caused by inexperienced people working on the electrical systems. Generally DIYer’s who […]
Every once in a while I come across an air-conditioning system that does not seem to be working properly. No matter how low the thermostat is set, there doesn’t seem to be any cold air coming out of the registers. Lack of air from the registers can mean a number […]
Mould (or Mold spelled the U.S. way) is the common word for any Fungus that grows on food or damp building materials. It often looks like a stain and comes in a variety of colours. In some cases, however, mould may not be visible but may have a musty odour. […]
If you are the owner of a newer property built between 1995 to 2007 you may know that your house is plumbed, not with copper tubing, but with a plastic piping known collectively as PEX. What you may not be aware of, is that for those years a problem existed […]
Another Class action lawsuit regarding brass fittings on Pex plumbing has arisen, this time it’s against Zurn Pex Inc., and Zurn Industries. Same problem as with the Kitec fittings where the brass fittings suffer from a problem called dezincification. This is where the Zinc leaches out of the brass in […]
Humidity in your home
What is Humidity?
Humidity is a term used for the amount of moisture or water vapour in the air.
Why does concrete crack?
Concrete shrinks as it dries and cures. On average, a concrete slab shrinks 1/16th inch for every ten linear feet. This may not seem much, but what this shrinkage does is produce significant internal stress within the slab.
WHAT IS UFFI? (Pronounced You-Fee)
The full name of UFFI is “Urea-formaldehyde foam insulation” and it was developed in Europe in the 1950s as an improved means of insulating difficult-to-reach cavities in house walls.
What is Knob & Tube Wiring?
Knob and Tube wiring can still be found in many older Century homes right up to those built just before the Second World war. Even today, across North america there are some installations (mainly industrial) that use Knob & Tube wiring.