05 Jan
15 Nov
Pool & Spa Leaks
Leak Detection
by Nick Gromicko and Rob London
Your pool will naturally lose some water to evaporation, some to splash-out and some backwash waste water. You may also gain water from rainfall. A rule of thumb is if you’re routinely adding more than two inches of water to your pool per week, you may have a leak. It is worth spending some time and money to repair.
Pools are meant to be watertight but sealants will deteriorate while other parts of your pool shift and settle or just plain wear out. Pools can leak through any of the fittings or accessories, plumbing, or even right through the shell. It is important to repair leaks, not only to save water, heat, and chemicals, but also to prevent undermining pool structural components and washing away fill dirt.
Leak detection is a highly specialized branch of the Pool & Spa industry. A majority of the leaks discovered by pool turn out to be inexpensive to repair. If you suspect a leak, review the following things before calling for service:
Is the pool leaking only with the equipment on?
This may indicate a pressure-side return leak. With the filter pump on, the plumbing on the pressure side is under pressure. This can open up small drips into spraying gushers. Check the waste or backwash line for water consistently running. One inch of your pool water can equal 500 gallons.
Is the pool leaking only with the equipment off? 
This usually indicates a suction-side leak. With the filter pump on, the plumbing on the suction side is under vacuum. Air can be drawn in through otherwise leaking voids. You may notice air in the pump basket (if you have a clear lid), air bubbling out of the return lines, or air repeatedly built up inside the filter tank. Use tape or a pencil to mark water levels. Is the pump basket lid on tight with a good, lubed o-ring?
Does the pool leak all the time?
This does not rule out leaks in the plumbing, but turns a suspicious eye on the shell of the
pool, looking for cracks in the plaster or tears in the vinyl. Look closely at the tile line and look real closely inside of the skimmer(s). The most common leak is due to a separation between the plastic skimmer and the concrete pool. This is easily fixed with some pool putty. If you see something that looks like a crack, drop some of your pH indicator test dye near it with your pump shut off and water still. See if the dye is sucked into the crack. Under water lights can and do leak as well. Especially the conduit that runs from the light niche to the junction box. Filling the opening of the conduit in the
back of the light niche with putty, silicone, or caulk is a way to fix this problem.
Are there leaks at the equipment pad?
Look closely at the filter, pump, heater, and valves. Check the ground for moisture. Turn the pump on and off looking closely for spraying water when the pump is turned off.
Does the water seem to stabilize at any particular level?
You may be able to close the skimmer valve and allow the water level to drop below the skimmer. If it keeps going, we can rule out the skimmer (although there can always be more than one leak). The underwater light is a common leak source. If the water stabilizes, dye test around this level very carefully. Look for small debris which may have been sucked into the crack or void. This is a good indication of a leak.
Are there any wet areas around the pool?
Take a walk around the pool’s edge and between the pool and the equipment pad. Check for wet soil and eroded areas.
Is your pool equipped with a vinyl liner?
If so, there are special considerations. Look for sinkholes where sand under the liner may
have washed away. Look for tears or separations around all fittings: skimmer, returns, cleaner line, etc. Pay close attention to steps and corners, where the liner may be stretched more than normal. If an animal had the misfortune to fall into your pool you may notice claw marks (tears) just below the water line. Spending time under water with a mask may be required to find a small leak in the liner. When liners become old they may have many pinhole leaks. There can always be more than one leak.
Unsure of your evaporation rate?
Place a bucket of water beside the pool and mark both the water in the bucket and the
pool water level. Wait 24 hours then check the loss of both. If the pool loses more water than the bucket, then you have a leak.
03 Nov
Anti Tip Brackets
THE INSPECTOR’S CORNER
presented by On The Gulf Home Inspection Services
Anti-Tip Brackets for Freestanding Ranges
by Nick Gromicko, Rob London and Kenton Shepard
Anti-tip brackets are metal devices designed to prevent freestanding ranges from tipping. They are normally attached to a rear leg of the range or screwed into the wall behind the range, and are included in all installation kits. A unit that is not equipped with these devices may tip over if enough weight is applied to its open door, such as that from a large Thanksgiving turkey, or even a small child. A falling range can crush, scald, or burn anyone caught beneath.
Bracket Inspection
Inspectors can confirm the presence of anti-tip brackets through the following methods:
- It may be possible to see a wall-mounted bracket by looking over the rear of the range. Floor-mounted brackets are often hidden, although in some models with removable drawers, such as 30-inch electric ranges made by General Electric, the drawers can be removed and a flashlight can be used to search for the bracket. Inspectors should beware that a visual confirmation does not guarantee that the bracket has been properly installed.
- Inspectors can firmly grip the upper-rear section of the range and tip the unit. If equipped with an anti-tip bracket, the unit will not tip more than several inches before coming to a halt. The range should be turned off, and all items should be removed from the stovetop before this action can be performed. It is usually easier to detect a bracket by tipping the range than through a visual search. This test can be performed on all models and it can confirm the functionality of a bracket.
If no anti-tip bracket is detected, inspectors should recommend that one be installed.
Clients can contact the dealer or builder who installed their range and request that they install a bracket. For clients who wish to install a bracket themselves, the part can be purchased at most hardware stores or ordered from a manufacturer. General Electric will send their customers an anti-tip bracket for free.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were 143 incidents caused by range tip-overs from 1980 to 2006. Of the 33 incidents that resulted in death, most of those victims were children. A small child may stand on an open range door in order to see what is cooking on the stovetop and accidentally cause the entire unit to fall on top of him, along with whatever hot items may have been cooking on the stovetop. The elderly, too, may be injured while using the range for support while cleaning. InterNACHI inspectors who inspect ovens should never leave the oven door open while he oven is unattended.
In response to this danger, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) created standards in 1991 that require all ranges manufactured after that year to be capable of remaining stable while supporting 250 pounds of weight on their open doors. Manufacturers’ instructions, too, require that anti-tip brackets provided be installed. Despite these warnings, retailer Sears estimated in 1999 that a mere 5% of the gas and electric units they sold were ever equipped with anti-tip brackets. As a result of Sears’ failure to comply with safety regulations, they were sued and subsequently required to secure ranges in nearly 4 million homes, a measure that has been speculated to have cost Sears as much as $500 million.
In summary, ranges are susceptible to tipping if they are not equipped with anti-tip brackets. Inspectors should know how to confirm that these safety devices are present.
28 Oct
Foreclosures
Foreclosures
by Nick Gromicko and Rob London
A foreclosure is a process by which a homeowner loses their property, usually to a lender or local government, for failure to pay agreed-upon taxes, payments or fees.
Common reasons for foreclosures include:
- default on loan repayment. The most common way that residences are foreclosed on is through default on mortgage loans;
- overdue taxes. If a homeowner owes property taxes, the property can be subject to a tax foreclosure and seized by the local government. Genesee County, Michigan, as a notable example, stands to foreclose on 6,600 properties as a result of back-taxes owed from 2007;
- homeowners association (HOA) fees. Many of the 57 million Americans who live in HOAs fail to recognize the power that these organizations wield. In roughly half of the states in the U.S., HOAs are permitted non-judicial foreclosures if owners lapse on their dues. Homeowners in these states have no right to a hearing or to confront their HOA board, or any of the protections usually afforded people to defend themselves against creditors; and
- unpaid contractors’ bills. In June 2010, subcontractors filed suit against a church in Florence, Ohio, to foreclose on the 1,400-seat worship center for unpaid bills.
Foreclosures are becoming the norm in property transactions, as 31% of all residential sales in the first quarter of 2010 were homes in some stage of foreclosure, according to a U.S. Foreclosure Sales Report by RealtyTrac. The number of foreclosures is up slightly compared with 2009, a year in which foreclosures were up 2,500% from 2005. Sixty-four percent of homes sold in Nevada in the first quarter of 2010 were foreclosures — the highest in the nation — followed by California and Arizona. Other states where foreclosures accounted for a third of all home sales were Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon and Rhode Island.
Most mortgage contracts include an acceleration clause, which gives the lender power to demand accelerated repayment if certain agreed-upon terms are violated. If the borrower falls behind on monthly payments or fails to notify the lender of a property transfer, for instance, the lender can demand that the entire debt be paid immediately. If there is no acceleration clause and terms have been violated, the lender may still be able to file suit against the borrower to recoup the debt.
The borrower may contest a foreclosure in court by challenging the validity of the debt. If repossession is imminent, the debtor must seek a temporary restraining order. If the lender feels that foreclosure is not in their best interests (such as if the value of the property is less than its outstanding mortgage), they may renegotiate with the borrower by lowering the interest rate or premium. Although several government incentives promote renegotiation, most lenders are too wary of re-default to consider it as an option.
If attempts to prevent the foreclosure fail, it will proceed in one of the following three fashions:
- judicial foreclosure. Common in Florida, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania, the mortgager files a lawsuit against the borrower to force the sale of the property. Resulting funds first satisfy the mortgage, then any other lien-holders. If any funds are left over, they will go to the borrower. Judicial foreclosures are available in every state;
- non-judicial foreclosure. Common in California and Texas, the mortgager forces the sale of a property without any court supervision. Mortgage holders do not need to file a lawsuit if a “power of sale” clause is included in the mortgage. As the court system has been bypassed, non-judicial foreclosures are faster and cheaper than judicial foreclosures; or
- strict foreclosure. Available in Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont, a suit is brought against the mortgager who is ordered to pay the debt to the mortgage-holder within a specified period of time. If the mortgager fails to pay, the mortgage-holder gains the title to the property, but they are under no legal obligation to re-sell.
In summary, unpaid taxes, mortgage payments and/or HOA fees can result in a property foreclosure, and the process by which this can take place varies by region and circumstance.
28 Oct
15 Tools Every Homeowner Should Own
15 Tools Every Homeowner Should Own
by Nick Gromicko and Rob London
The following items are essential tools, but this list is by no means exhaustive. Feel free to ask an On The Gulf Home Inspection Services inspector during your next inspection about other tools that you might find useful.
1. Plunger
A clogged sink or toilet is one of the most inconvenient household problems that you will face. With a plunger on hand, however, you can usually remedy these plumbing issues relatively quickly. It is best to have two plungers — one for the sink and one for the toilet.
2. Combination Wrench Set
One end of a combination wrench set is open and the other end is a closed loop. Nuts and bolts are manufactured in standard and metric sizes, and because both varieties are widely used, you’ll need both sets of wrenches. For the most control and leverage, always pull the wrench toward you, instead of pushing on it. Also, avoid over-tightening.
3. Slip-Joint Pliers
Use slip-joint pliers to grab hold of a nail, a nut, a bolt, and much more. These types of pliers are versatile because of the jaws, which feature both flat and curved areas for gripping many types of objects. There is also a built-in slip-joint, which allows the user to quickly adjust the jaw size to suit most tasks.
4. Adjustable Wrench
Adjustable wrenches are somewhat awkward to use and can damage a bolt or nut if they are not handled properly. However, adjustable wrenches are ideal for situations where you need two wrenches of the same size. Screw the jaws all the way closed to avoid damaging the bolt or nut.
5. Caulking Gun
Caulking is the process of sealing up cracks and gaps in various structures and certain types of piping. Caulking can provide noise mitigation and thermal insulation, and control water penetration. Caulk should be applied only to areas that are clean and dry.
6. Flashlight
None of the tools in this list is of any use if you cannot visually inspect the situation. The problem, and solution, are apparent only with a good flashlight. A traditional two-battery flashlight is usually sufficient, as larger flashlights may be too unwieldy.
7. Tape Measure
Measuring house projects requires a tape measure — not a ruler or a yardstick. Tape measures come in many lengths, although 25 feet is best. Measure everything at least twice to ensure accuracy.
8. Hacksaw
A hacksaw is usefu for cutting metal objects, such as pipes, bolts and brackets. 
Hacksaws look thin and flimsy, but they’ll easily cut through even the hardest of metals. Blades are replaceable, so focus your purchase on a quality hacksaw frame.
9. Torpedo Level
Only a level can be used to determine if something, such as a shelf, appliance or picture, is correctly oriented. The torpedo-style level is unique because it not only shows when an object is perfectly horizontal or vertical, but it also has a gauge that shows when an object is at a 45-degree angle. The bubble in the viewfinder must be exactly in the middle — not merely close.
10. Safety Glasses / Goggles
For all tasks involving a hammer or a power tool, you should always wear safety glasses or goggles. They should also be worn while you mix chemicals.
11. Claw Hammer
A good hammer is one of the most important tools you can own. Use it to drive and remove nails, to pry wood loose from the house, and in combination with other tools. They come in a variety of sizes, although a 16-ounce hammer is the best all-purpose choice.
12. Screwdriver Set
It is best to have four screwdrivers: a small and large version of both a flathead and a Phillips-head screwdriver. Electrical screwdrivers are
sometimes convenient, but they’re no substitute. Manual screwdrivers can reach into more places and they are less likely to damage the screw.
13. Wire Cutters
Wire cutters are pliers designed to cut wires and small nails. The side-cutting style (unlike the stronger end-cutting style) is handy, but not strong enough to cut small nails.
14. Respirator / Safety Mask
While paints and other coatings are now manufactured to be less toxic (and lead-free) than in previous decades, most still contain dangerous chemicals, which is why you should wear a mask to avoid accidentally inhaling. A mask should also be worn when working in dusty and dirty environments. Disposable masks usually come in packs of 10 and should be thrown away after use. Full and half-face respirators can be used to prevent the inhalation of very fine particles that ordinary facemasks will not not stop.
15. Duct Tape
This tape is extremely strong and adaptable. Originally, it was widely used to make temporary repairs to many types of military equipment. Today, it’s one of the key items specified for home emergency kits because it is water-resistant and extremely sticky.