Mr. Inspector

Home and Commercial Building Inspections

Freeze protection

by

Obviously, the colder it gets and the longer the low temperatures last the more important protection from freezing pipes becomes.
Any time the outdoor temperature drops below freezing then your pipes are in danger of freezing and bursting. On modern homes in North Texas most of the pipes are insulated and protected from freezing and require very little maintenance. I have found this video from Roger Wakefield, a plumber in Dallas who does a good job explaining all you need to know about protecting your pipes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4zyYhAcT7g

Now almost all prevention of frozen pipes involves keeping the temperature warm inside the home, something that is very difficult if the power goes out. If you know or fear you may be without electric power and don’t have an emergency generator then turn your water off outside underground. Again, Roger Wakefield has a video that explains much of what you need. Remember just turning the water off won’t protect pipes from freezing if you don’t get the remaining water out of the house. Unfortunately, modern houses are not designed to self drain so compressed air may be required to expel water sitting in pipes but turning water off at the main valve will help prevent damage if there are leaks once the thaw begins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDCtyWZ9BU4

And if you have frozen pipes this may help you thaw them and dealing with the aftermath.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2uUGjRQtu0

Time to get ready for cold weather

by

The last of 2023 and start of 2024 winter weather has been mild… so far! But according to the best sources the later part of January will not be so kind.

Today is the best day to get outdoors and get ready for cold weather. Temperatures will begin falling with rain and cold in the forecast over the next few days and overnight lows into the low 20’s by January 12th. They will not be record lows but WILL be cold enough to freeze and burst pipes. So take advantage of the mild temperatures toddy to cover all exposed pipes, disconnect hoses and cover outdoor faucets. If you have not had your furnace serviced, get it scheduled! Change the filters, make sure tree limbs are trimmed off of the roof, get those gutters cleaned. Please get ready for the normal winter expectations for North Texas since even in a “normal” winter here we can expect burst pipes, falling tree limbs, and heater failures.

Do you know where to shut off your water in an emergency? Do you know where your water meter key and wrench are without delay?  Be safe my friends!

Time to clean

by

I noticed cotton wood seeds (fuzz) flying through the air in my neighborhood today. Now is a good time to schedule your Spring?Summer HVAC cleaning and maintenance. Watch for fuzz flying in your neighborhood and schedule your cleaning once it is gone. Usually cottonwood fuzz only flys for a week or two each spring. If you clean your unit too early and you have cottonwood trees nearby then your outdoor coil can become clogged and stress your a/c unit over the summer.

6 year old electrocuted

by

What a sad headline and so easily preventable. According to the recent story improper wiring at the dryer receptacle and a faulty breaker took a young life. Someone tampered with wiring without knowing what they were doing and the Federal Pacific breaker failed to do its job and a 6 year old stepping out of the play pool paid the price. Always use a qualified electrician for any wiring. And listen to your home inspector when he tells you to replace that defective Federal Pacific Stablok panel. Electric panels have only one job, to turn off the power when there is a problem. The one in the story didn’t do its job!
See the story here https://www.weatherforddemocrat.com/news/year-old-boy-dies-following-home-electrocution/article_6d94326a-a012-11e9-83df-cb83a8a81680.html

Spring planting

by

With all the warm weather and plants emerging from their winter nap, it follows that we will need to begin watering.

With watering comes the need to use the outdoor faucets (hose bibs) and if proper precautions were not taken there may be hidden damage to your pipes. Make sure when you use your hose bibs for the first time that you check to make sure they don’t leak inside the wall. The frost proof variety of hose bibs turn the water off on the warm in winter side of the wall but if the hose or any attachment was left on the hose bib it can prevent water from draining out of the pipe inside the wall which can then freeze and burst. The easy way to test for damage is to simply attach a hose with a sprayer and on turn the water at the hose bib until water flows freely from the end of the hose then shut off the hose end sprayer to stop the water with pressure still on the hose. Listen and watch for water at the wall surrounding the hose bib. Silence is golden! But if you hear water or see water exiting the wall you have a problem. Turn off the hose bib and relieve the pressure to stop the leak then call your plumber. Unless you are a very experience DIY type, replacing the valve buried deep inside the wall can be a bit tricky and if you are not careful things can go from bad to worse very quickly since it is easy to damage the house pipe inside the wall and cause a leak that requires the entire house water system to remain off until the repair is completed.

Here is a link to a good explanation of hose bibs and frost proof hose bibs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFVSR-7GfkU 

March winds

by

The old nursery rhyme comes to mind over the last weeks; “March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers.” When I was younger and growing up in Dallas I always thought the person who made up that rhyme must not have been from Texas. We tend to be a bit ahead of the curve since we have many flowers that have already made their appearance. But we have had no shortage of March winds, so that part of the rhyme holds true for us this year. As I travel around the metroplex I see many missing shingles, tree limbs down, and other signs of wind damage. If you haven’t checked your property since last weeks high winds, now is a good time just to walk around your house and check out your roof and look for missing or loose shingles, missing or damaged vents and signs of impact damage from large limbs. I personally have several large trees and awoke to find limbs everywhere on my roof and lawn and while cleaning up the mess I was fortunate to escape damage free. My son however lost a dozen or more shingles and will need repairs quickly to prevent more damage from the next rain. Here is hoping you fair well with our changing weather!

Lawn grading and drainage

by

Lawn grading and drainage

So much water with no place to go! Todays thought covers the grading and drainage of the lawn surrounding your home or other building. ALL foundations in North Texas have a propensity to move when surface runoff stands next to the foundation The deeper the foundation, the less susceptible the foundation is to moisture and temperature extremes but even deep foundations can have problems if the lawn and hardscape are not sloped to provide drainage off of the lot. Spring is prime time to discover and plan for drainage corrections. Slogging through mud and trying to move dirt is not advisable in Dallas and surrounding area during the spring when we get most of our rain for the year. But spring is an awesome time for planning. Make plans to step outside and look at all sides of your house and lawn the next time we have a heavy rain. Seeing the actual drainage in action can tell you more in 5 minutes than a whole day with a level and guessing. Notice where the water actually goes and where it just stands. For the health of your foundation, never permit water to run or stand immediately against your foundation. The soil should slope away from your foundation on all sides of the home to promote drainage away from the foundation. If you can visualize your home on top of its own little hill with the soil sloping down hill directing water away from the house, you have the beginnings of a good drainage plan. Even though subsurface drains might be the only feasible answer in some unusual circumstances, I do not recommend such solutions as a rule. ALL subsurface drains will clog and fail in very short order especially so called “French drains” since tree roots and soil will enter the drains and render the drains ineffective. A better solution is surface grading and drainage swales to direct water off of the lot by gravity.

Spring has sprung

by

Spring is upon us in North Texas even if the calendar says we still have more winter. The trees are budding and flowering and the weather has turned even wetter with storms promised tonight as I write. It is a great time to think about preparing your house and lawn for the rest of the year. Several different things come to mind, so many things I might need several days to cover everything on my mind.

For now I’ll mention the trees around your house. Trees are great! I love them! BUT not too close to your house! almost every house I inspect have trees planted too near to the house. A tree should never be planted so near the house that it touches the walls or roof and most importantly the foundation. If you are planting a new tree, it is easy to determine since the information included with the tree will include the mature size to aide in proper placement. If you have your heart set on a particular tree, measure the space you have available before purchasing since crowding big trees into a small space will make for a lot of unhappiness for you, the tree, and your house. If you have a diameter of 30′ listed for  the mature tree size, you need a space at least 15′ away from the house, power lines, and other trees. A good alternative if you have limited space is some of the miniature versions developed for urban lots.

For established trees, the same guidelines apply, give them room! Diligent pruning can keep the branches away from the roof but don’t forget the roots. Large roots will typically extend at least as far as the upper limb canopy and can be disastrous to your foundation. The roots usually don’t damage the foundation directly but can upset the drainage and rob moisture from the soil supporting your foundation. In mid summer a healthy tree can pull so much moisture from the soil that the foundation can move significantly as the soil shrinks. One possible solution is root barriers and root pruning. This involves trenching and cutting the tree roots between the foundation and the tree, so great care and patience is needed for the sake of the tree. An arborist can advise on the best course of action for the tree but they may care more about the tree than your house!

Below are some graphics showing root barrier subterranean cross section and an overhead view of a typical house and root barrier placement. An impervious material, such as pond liner or sheet aluminum is installed vertically in the trench to discourage regrowth of tree roots.

Get READY for the cold!

by

Tonight may well be the coldest night of the year for most of North Texas. If you only do one thing, disconnect those water hoses at the outdoor faucets and wrap the pipes if they are not “frost proof.” While it won’t be the apocalypse, if hoses are left connected the pipes can freeze and burst inside the walls creating a big mess this spring when you begin to use them.

 

Late Freeze

by

Be prepared for a late freeze this weekend. Cover those tender plants, disconnect and protect exterior hose bibs.