Blog Archives: Agent411
This is a list of issues we commonly observed during home inspections and is intended to help real estate agents quickly identify what is going on and what their client needs to know about it.
Chimney crown cracking is one of the more common observations made when inspecting a home with a chimney. These cracks can cause moisture intrusion and also cause the chimney to deteriorate. Often there is a leak observed at the interior, and often there are damaged brick.
A chimney crown should ideally be made of concrete or metal, but, more often than not, they will be built out of mortar. The problem is that mortar was not meant to be installed in this manner. Because of this, failure is common. When the mortar fails, moisture intrusion is often the result. Since chimneys are places to access, this condition often goes unnoticed and, therefore, will continue uncorrected for a long time. In the picture, you can see where damage had occurred; some repair attempts to seal were made, but the failure continued.
Tending to these failures early is important and may save you lots of money in the long run. This is a good article talking about repairs. Having your chimney inspected before purchasing your home is a good idea and a must if you plan to use the chimney. Some general observations will be made during a home inspection. If you are selling your home, here is some helpful information.
Hey, it’s Josh. Just here to explain why getting an inspection is essential, even on a brand-new build. So this is the second time we’ve been out at this house. The first time we did a pre-drywall inspection, we came out and checked everything that you couldn’t see during the final inspection, right?
Inspection
We look at the foundation, framing, and all that, and we found some cracks in the foundation. Like over here. They’ve got those addressed and fixed. And so they went ahead and finished, and here we are back to do the final just as they’re wrapping up. So they’ve got a handful of things that still need to be done, but they’re pretty close. I think they’re going to close next week, but something’s happened since the last time I was here. And I’m going to show you what it was. So this electrical panel had its initial inspection, its rough-in inspection on 4-27-22. And since then, they’ve recalled these electrical panels.
Recall
I think in June, they announced the recall, and the recall does affect this particular panel. So I double check the model number. You can check it there from the website yourself if you’d like. But they recall this electrical panel. And yet still, it was approved right here yesterday.
So the electrical inspector came out and approved the panel. So everything’s good to go. The only problem is, is it is a recalled electrical panel. And so everything’s not good to go. So even though they’ve got inspection stickers, all that’s done. So we’re not always looking for exactly the same thing.
So I encourage you to get an inspection on any house you buy on any investment you make, like this. Let someone that’s been in this industry for a while. Come out, inspect your home and give you all the information they can find about it. All right. Thanks, guys.
There’s nothing like coming home and warming up next to a roaring fire during the long, cold months of winter, or even chilly evenings in any season. Long commutes to work in the cold and the increasingly short hours of daylight in the fall and winter are made more bearable by the comfort and familiarity of family gatherings by the fire. It may be for this reason that some type of wood-burning enclosure has remained a staple of many households, even though open fire is no longer a necessity for cooking and heating. With this in mind, let’s take a look at one of the more modern options available, the factory-built fireplace.
What is a factory-built fireplace and how does it differ from a masonry fireplace?
The traditional masonry fireplace is based largely on the innovations of Count Rumford, an 18th-century inventor. His applied theories on thermodynamics led to the design of a restricted chimney opening to increase updraft, which allowed fire to burn in an enclosure without smoke filling the room. Rumford’s design quickly achieved wide popularity in London households, and he became something of a celebrity as news of his innovation spread.
Zero Clearance
Factory-built fireplaces are also often called “zero-clearance” fireplaces because of their minuscule safe-clearance requirements. An insulating air blanket is incorporated in the design to keep the outer wall of the fireplace cool, which allows safe installation in very close proximity to wood framing. In general, ½-inch of clearance to combustibles is required around the outside of the firebox enclosure, and 2 inches of clearance are required around the chimney, except where the firestop is installed if a chimney passes through two levels of a house. Different manufacturers may have different suggested clearances, and it is important for installers to note this for proper and safe installation.
Safety and Maintenance
Factory-built fireplaces pass rigorous testing standards established by the Underwriters Laboratories and the American Gas Association. Properly installed, factory-built fireplaces have an excellent safety record. However, as in any situation where an open flame is involved, there are some things to keep in mind in order to avoid any risk of fire hazard.
If the fireplace is installed on top of any combustible material, such as carpet or wood, it must rest on a metal or tile panel that extends the length and width of the appliance.
Any combustible flooring near the fuel opening must be insulated with non-combustible floor protection.
Room air-inlet and outlet grilles must be unobstructed.
The same fire-safety precautions that are used for a traditional fireplace should be observed when a factory-built fireplace is in use.