BEACHSIDE Home Inspection Blog

Surge protectors, also known as surge suppressors or transient-voltage surge suppressors, are devices designed to limit the voltage supplied to an electrical device by shorting to ground any excess voltage above a safe threshold. These electrical devices may be installed in residential and commercial power distribution panels, process control systems, and communications systems. Most commonly, they appear in the form of power strips and whole-house surge protectors. 

Surges and spikes happen for the following reasons:

• lightning. When lightning strikes near a power line, millions of volts of electricity can feed into a building and overload any connected appliances. The only defense against this form of power surge is to unplug sensitive appliances during storms, as typical surge protectors do not provide sufficient protection;
• the operation of high-powered electrical devices, such as vacuum cleaners, refrigerators and air conditioners. These appliances can place large and sudden demands on a building’s electrical system, upsetting the steady flow of electricity to sensitive appliances and electronics throughout the house. Even minor power spikes, if they occur regularly, can damage sensitive components in electronics throughout a building; and
• mechanical failure, such as faulty wiring or downed power lines.

Surge suppression is typically provided by one or more metal-oxide varistors (MOVs), which are two-terminal semiconductors whose function is similar to pressure-sensitive valves, by conducting electricity only when the power level reaches a threshold beyond safe fluctuations. The excess voltage is re-routed to the ground wire, safely dissipating the voltage into the earth. As the MOV only diverts the surge current while leaving the normal current to flow into the appliance, the operation of surge-protected electrical devices should not be interrupted during power spikes or surges. This same principle is employed using gas-discharge arrestors (GDAs), which use an inert gas that ionizes and becomes an effective conductor only at unsafe voltages. Surge suppression may be achieved through the use of either of these designs, which may be accompanied by backup fuses that burn out and close the circuit when excess voltage is not stopped by the surge suppressor.

Inspectors and homeowners may note a few warnings concerning MOVs and GDAs:

• They will eventually fail after repeated surges, which is why high-quality surge protectors incorporate warning lights or alarms to inform homeowners that the suppressor is no longer functional. However, lights and alarms are no guarantee of the functionality of the surge suppressor, so they should be replaced periodically to ensure the safety of sensitive electronics. Failed MOVs that are not disconnected have been known to start fires themselves.
• They will not work if the power or electrical receptacle does not have a ground wire. If the surge or spike is not sent to ground by the surge protector, it will destroy the delicate electronics they were meant to protect. The warranty offered by a surge protector’s manufacturer is only valid if the surge protector is used in a properly grounded outlet.

InterNACHI inspectors may check for a sticker that identifies the unit as a transient-voltage surge suppressor. These units have met the criteria for Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 1449, the UL’s minimum performance standard for surge suppressors. InterNACHI inspectors should be aware of the common misconception that surge suppressors and power strips are the same thing, as many power strips have no ability to protect against power surges. A power strip that’s designed merely for use as an extension cord and which bears a sticker that labels it as a “relocatable power tap” should not be relied upon for protection during power surges.

Due to the electrical sensitivity and expense of computers, it is strongly advised that they are connected to a UL-listed surge protector, which contains the following metrics:

• clamping voltage, which is the smallest voltage that will cause the MOVs to conduct electricity to the ground wire. There are three levels of protection:  330V, 400V and 500V. Lower clamping voltages offer better protection;
• energy absorption, which is a rating in joules used to determine how much energy the suppressor can absorb before it fails. Higher numbers, such as 600 joules or more, indicate better protection; and
• response time, which indicates the amount of time that equipment will be exposed to a power surge before the suppressor kicks in. High-quality suppressors will activate in less than one nanosecond.

BEACHSIDE  Home Inspection is a full service home inspection company located in Brevard Country Florida, serving Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, Satellite Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Melbourne Beach, Melbourne, and Palm Bay.

State’s largest property insurer boosts its cost of rebuilding

By Julie Patel, Sun Sentinel
April 21, 2011

Citizens Property Insurance is calculating the costs of rebuilding homes in a new way, and it’s driving up some policyholders’ premiums.

Insurance agents report mixed results, with some complaining that Citizens is inflating how much it will cost to rebuild a home in some cases.

State-backed Citizens is the largest property insurer in the state with more than 1.3 million policies.

Christine Ashburn, a citizens spokeswoman, said the new calculation gives more complete estimates than the ones used earlier. The insurer is only using it for new policies and those with changes in coverage.

That could have big implications for the more than 300,000 homes that Citizens plans to inspect over the next two years. If the insurer decides the policy is based on incorrect building features, the new rebuilding cost calculations could be applied as well.

Citizens officials have not yet said how many policies have been affected so far by the new rebuilding costs, or how many it expects to be.

Tamara Cahill, a Fort Lauderdale homeowner, got a surprise when she applied for a discount from Citizens because she installed a home security system. At first, the insurer gave her $106 off her annual premium.

Then it said her premium would go up 21 percent, to $3,340, when her policy is renewed in May. Citizens changed her policy to add the security system – and recalculated the cost of rebuilding her house as well.

“They’re obviously [looking] for any way to increase” premiums, said Cahill, a single mother who works and attends nursing school.

State law caps annual premium increases for Citizens by 10 percent a year. But they can go up by more if hurricane-proofing discounts are revoked or rebuildings costs change.

Alan Chesler, a partner of Alan James Insurance, said he used the software on about 20 policies and it’s driving premiums up by 17 percent or more.

Dulce Suarez-Resnick, a legislative coordinator for the Latin American Association of Insurance Agents, said she has gotten a lot of complaints from agents and their policyholders.

She said part of the problem may be that the new rebuilding costs give too much weight to policyholders’ neighborhooods, so all homes in an upscale neighborhood get similar boosts in price, regardless of their features.

For instance, her home is in a posh neighborhood of Miramar and appraised at close to $300,000, but Citizens says it would cost about $500,000 to rebuild. “It’s a huge discrepancy,” said Suarez-Resnick. A Citizens representative said it’s working to fix the problem, she said.

One thing Suarez-Resnick said she’s learned: Policyholders should make sure agents fill out all of the house-specific information requested by Citizens. Errors occur if more general information is picked up by default.

Ashburn advised customers to “work with their agent on providing an accurate overview of their property to ensure we have captured the risk characteristics correctly.” She said the insurer will consider a recent appraisal.

“The important point here is that people need to be adequately insured so that if a storm strikes they can re-build,” she said

The appraisals won’t always be accepted. Chesler said the new software bumped up the rebuilding cost for one of this policyholders with a high-end home from $767,000 to $1.2 million. “Citizens refused to accept the appraisal. [The] client canceled the Citizens policy and went with” another company in March, he said.

Rob Crane, an insurance agent with Barkley Insurance Agency in Fort Lauderdale, said rebuilding costs decreased for most of the roughly 150 policies he moved from private insurers to Citizens in the past three months. That’s because many of the private insurers raised their rebuidling cost estimates in recent years by annual inflation rate of 2 percent to 4 percent. Those that didn’t because of the construction slowdown typically have lower rebuilding costs than Citizens, he said.

Crane recently helped Michelle Hitchcock, a policyholder in Fort Lauderdale, get coverage from Citizens after she was dropped by her insurer. Her home was recently reinspected by Citizens and she lost $340 in hurricane discounts and got a higher rebuilding cost of $140,000. Combined, that drove her premium up by $760 to $2,607.

“It seems sad that after 10 years of having my house, it’s such a struggle,” said Hitchcock, a shipyard comptroller.

Every home, like its owner is unique. With any new technologies, there are always trade offs.  Energy-conscious consumers, can benefit from knowing more about energy-efficient windows and the advantages and problems associated with them. Consider an energy survey of your home to understand your current costs and the potential for improvements.

BEACHSIDE  Home Inspection is a full service home inspection company located in Brevard Country Florida, serving Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, Satellite Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Melbourne Beach, Melbourne, and Palm Bay.

Finding a home inspector that works only for the home buyer (or homeowner in the case of pre-sale listing inspections) is essential. A home inspector must have no undisclosed interest in the sale of the property, including generating income for future repair work, kick backs for referrals to tradesmen, or writing ‘soft’ reports to gain favor of agents for future referrals.

Agents who refer a single inspector are unethical, and in many states it’s against the law. The best agents understand, and are not threatened by, the independence of a professional home inspection and will encourage clients to choose their own home inspector. Many will offer a list (3 – 5) of local inspectors to help clients who simply are intimidated by the inspection process and don’t know where to start. In this case, it is important to ask, if any of the inspectors on the list are what are considered ‘preferred vendors’, which means they may have a financial arrangement with the office.

• If your state requires licensing, make sure you choose only a licensed home inspector. While home inspection licensing does not necessarily ensure a quality inspector, it does provide a gate for inspectors to pass through to ensure a minimum amount of education, insurance, and background check was performed. 
•  Review local home inspector websites, look for their photo or video, and ask to see a sample report; beware the checkbox report with no photos. In addition, unemployed contractors ‘moonlighting’ as inspectors may not be the best choice; stucco contractors don’t necessarily know about electrical, and home builders may not have the same critical eye as a home inspector.
• Verify your inspector is a member of a national home inspector association, which have additional educational requirements, Standards of Practice, and Codes of Ethics.
• Most importantly, the ability to communicate with your home inspector is as important as their qualifications. Have a conversation with your inspector and have him explain the home inspection process and what you can expect. Are you encouraged to be there during the inspection? You should be.

Be empowered with information, and enjoy the inspection process. This is arguably the best opportunity to really understand your home.

You can get a pretty good assessment of the condition of your roof by simply taking a good look at it periodically.  You can take a look safely from the ground using binoculars, but if you use a ladder, exercise extreme caution. Here are a few roof inspection tips for asphalt shingle roofs:

1. Do the shingles lay flat?  They should, otherwise there may be an issue. Common issues include nail pops, torn tabs, curling, impact damage, heaving due to damaged underlayment and age.
2. What’s in your gutters? The gutters are a great place to look when assessing your roof.  Shingles that shed their protective mineral granules which often collect the gutters, indicating roof wear and accelerated deterioration.
3. Are there any moisture stains on interior ceilings or walls? This is a pretty good indication of a current or past leak, which requires immediate attention. Unless corrected, water intrusion only gets worse over time and can cause structural damage, mold and costly repairs.

Consider a professional home inspection of your home to understand its condition and devise a checklist of maintenance activities to protect your investment and ensure your families safety.

BEACHSIDE  Home Inspection is a full service home inspection company located in Brevard Country Florida, serving Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, Satellite Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Melbourne Beach, Melbourne, and Palm Bay.

BEACHSIDE  Home Inspection is a full service home inspection company located in Brevard Country Florida, serving Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, Satellite Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Melbourne Beach, Melbourne, and Palm Bay.

 

Structural Defects in Trees.

 

Trees with structural defects likely to cause failure to all or part of a tree can damage nearby buildings. The following are indications that a tree has a structural defect:

BEACHSIDE  Home Inspection is a full service home inspection company located in Brevard Country Florida, serving Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, Satellite Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Melbourne Beach, Melbourne, and Palm Bay.

Concrete surfaces and structures are found at most homes. Foundations and structure walls consist of concrete slabs and concrete blocks. Exterior masonary is typically used for walkways and quite often driveways. Before actually inspecting the masonry, it can be helpful to take into account some of the conditions that may influence the condition of the building. Sometimes, the cause of a problem can be found by evaluating exterior and environmental factors, such as the climate, terrain and any vegetation around the structure. These conditions can be helpful to understand when the culprit of a visible defect is not readily apparent.

Climate

Different environments have different effects on building materials. Specific climate conditions have their own special concerns and problems. For example, damage from freeze-thaw cycles can be a major issue in a cold-weather climate such as upstate New York that will not be relevant for the arid climate of western Arizona.

Environmental Concerns

Bodies of salt water near the building or climates of extreme humidity may contribute to increased efflorescence.

Acid rain caused by industrial pollution may be the culprit in damage to limestone, sandstone and marble structures.

Nearby excavations can sometimes lower water tables and cause soil problems that eventually lead to foundation issues. Vibrations from major nearby roadways or railways can sometimes cause damage to mortar joints.

Terrain and Vegetation

It may be useful to determine the type of soil around the building, since different types of soil drain moisture in different ways. Poor soil drainage may eventually lead to structural damage.

Proper surface drainage around the house is important. The grade should slope downward and away from the structure.

Ivy and other species that grow on exterior walls can sometimes penetrate and damage mortar joints, and their leaves may make it difficult for porous masonry materials to dry completely after rainfall.

Cracking

Cracking is one of the most common problems observed in masonry, and cracks will often need further analysis to determine what is causing them and what type of corrective action may need to be taken. Like most building materials, masonry expands and contracts due to changes in temperature. Masonry can deform elastically over time in order to accommodate small movements, but any large movements usually cause cracking.

Even during curing, expansion and contraction occur. Water evaporates as concrete block cures, causing the concrete to shrink. Clay brick absorbs moisture as it cures, causing expansion. Joints are built into walls in order to accommodate this movement, and cracking can be the result of improper joints.

Some common causes of cracking in masonry include:

•walls leaning or bulging;
•salt crystals expanding inside the pores of the masonry;
•differential movement of building materials;
•differential foundation settlement;
•iron or steel wall reinforcements corroding;
•expansion and contraction from freeze-thaw cycles or ambient thermal and moisture variations;
•inadequate support over windows and doors; and
•shrinkage from drying, especially in concrete block.

Efflorescence

Excess moisture in masonry may be indicated by a white, staining deposit called efflorescence. This white staining is actually a salt deposit left by water that contained dissolved salts that evaporate after penetrating a masonry structure. Salts can also be present in all kinds of masonry materials, including brick, mortar, concrete block, plaster and stucco.

Efflorescence can be unsightly, and may also be an indicator that excess moisture may be present in the masonry, which can lead to problems. Salt crystals deposited inside the pores of the masonry can sometimes lead to cracking when they expand. Any observed efflorescence should be cleaned off of surfaces.

Steel Lintel Deflection

Lintels are beams that span openings in masonry walls, such as windows and doors. Reinforced masonry, pre-cast concrete and steel angles are all commonly used as lintels, but steel lintels in particular can sometimes cause problems if they are deflecting too much. This is not a structural problem, but too much deflection can often crack the stiff masonry or cause the lintel to rest on a window or door frame and transfer the wall’s load to it, which will lead to problems down the road.

Corrosion

Moisture penetration puts routed cells, collar joints and steel rebar in bond beams at risk for corrosion. Anchors attaching veneer to a support, horizontal joint reinforcement, and ties that hold multi-wythe masonry walls together can each also be susceptible to corrosion. Once corrosion begins, rust is produced, which occupies up to six times the original volume of the steel. The expansion of volume leads to cracking of masonry, and this allows for even more water penetration, perpetuating the cycle.

While corrosion-resistant coating is beneficial for the reinforcing materials, and the alkaline nature of mortar helps prevent corrosion, tight mortar joints and proper flashing are essential for ensuring that water penetration does not lead to problems.

Inadequate Flashing

Flashing is extremely important for controlling and diverting the flow of water away from the masonry, and it is very common to see missing or improperly installed flashing. This will often lead over time to problems from moisture penetration, sometimes requiring costly repair.

While most of the cracking found in masonary is typical shrinkage and settlement cracking, it is essential that all cracks be sealed and monitored over time. If you find that a crack continues to grow or propogate, contact a masonary or structural specialist. At the very least, trip hazards can form, but active cracking can be a sign of a serious structural issue.

BEACHSIDE  Home Inspection is a full service home inspection company located in Brevard Country Florida, serving Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, Satellite Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Melbourne Beach, Melbourne, and Palm Bay.

Cockroaches have a broad, flattened body and a relatively small head that covers their mandibles and other mouthparts. They have six legs, large ocelli (simple eyes), and a pair of long, flexible antennae. Although winged, they are not adept fliers. The best-known varieties are the American cockroach (1.2 inches long), the German and Asian cockroaches (0.59 inches long), the Oriental cockroach (0.98 inches long), and the brown-banded cockroach (0.55 inches long).

Facts and Figures

• The world’s heaviest cockroach is the Australian giant burrowing cockroach, which can weigh more than 30 grams and reach 3½ inches in length.
• While cockroaches could withstand six to 15 times as much radiation exposure as humans, the popular belief that they will “inherit the Earth” in the wake of nuclear war is largely undeserved; other insects, such as fruit flies, have even better resistance against radiation than cockroaches.
• While it has been known for some time that cockroaches and termites are related, it wasn’t until 2007 that it was proven that termites are a kind of “social cockroach,” having actually evolved from cockroaches. Similarities include specialized casings that enclose their eggs, perforations in the internal parts of their heads, and similarities among their young. There are significant differences between these pests, however; termites pose a greater danger to wood, and they form huge, complex societies, while cockroaches are solitary, generalized insects with few special adaptations.
• Some species of cockroaches can survive for months without food and subsist on nothing but the glue on the back of a postage stamp, and even their own feces. Experiments have revealed that they can go without air for 45 minutes and recover after being submerged under water for half an hour.
• Cockroaches are prolific breeders and can produce several thousand offspring in a year, once they become established in a home. They are normally introduced on clothing, shopping bags and furniture, and they can also simply wander in from the outdoors.

Cockroaches are known to spread diseases such as salmonella, food poisoning and dysentery, primarily through contact with their feces and defensive secretions. They also transport dangerous microbes, a particular problem in hospitals. Their skin, which is discarded through periodic molting, can become airborne and trigger severe asthmatic reactions in prone individuals. Incredibly, cockroaches have even been found to be second only to house dust as the worst allergen affecting people, according to the University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture. Besides these physical ailments, cockroaches emit an unpleasant odor during swarming and mating, and they can keep a building’s occupants awake at night with their incessant hissing and, in the case of some cockroach species, chirping.

InterNACHI inspectors should not be surprised to find evidence of cockroaches in messy buildings, as the insects thrive in dirty environments. No buildings are completely immune to cockroach infestation, however, as they will be attracted to even the smallest amounts of food deposits. They prefer to feed on decaying grease, sugar and other organic matter, as well as inanimate, starchy food sources such as glue, wallpaper and even book bindings. Pepper-like specs in kitchen cupboards are an indication of cockroach infestation, as is the observation of adult cockroaches or their egg sacs in hard-to-reach locations, such as cracks and crevices in kitchen cabinets, drains, and behind dishwashers and refrigerators. The entire kitchen area should be inspected, especially under sinks, in cabinet hinge areas, drawers, refrigeration gaskets, dishwashers, stoves and other cooking appliances. Also check crawlspaces, bathrooms and other dark, moist areas where food sources may be present.

Tips that inspectors can pass on to homeowners:

• Place boric acid in areas of cockroach activity. Boric acid can maintain an infestation once under control, but pyrethrin should be used first and the whole structure bug-bombed. 
• Pyrethrin should be used first, and after the population is under control place boric acid wherever needed.
• Place bait stations containing hydramethylnon or fipronil in areas of termite activity. At night, homeowners can sneak into the kitchen and turn on the lights. If cockroaches scurry for cover, observe where they run and position traps accordingly.
• Keep all food in sealed containers, use trash cans that have tight-fitting lids, and do not leave pet food out overnight.
• Clean the kitchen regularly, and wipe moisture from the kitchen sink before going to bed at night. 
• Vacuum frequently.
• Repair dripping taps and leaky pipes, broken roof tiles, and any other condition that might allow moisture to enter areas where cockroaches can establish harborage.
• Seal off all entry points into the house, such as cracks around baseboards, pipes, windows, cabinets, doors and crevices in bathrooms with copper mesh or steel wool and caulk or putty.
• Keep lights on at night. Although it will consume additional electricity, cockroaches will avoid lit areas. For the same reason, restaurant owners sometimes leave lights on around dumpsters.
• If cockroach infestation persists, contact a qualified exterminator.

BEACHSIDE Home Inspection is a full service home inspection company located in Brevard Country Florida, serving Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, Satellite Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Melbourne Beach, Melbourne, and Palm Bay. Content for this article was provided by the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors.