December 11th, 2008 at 10:11 pm

 

 

Recently I was inspecting a new house in Houston, for the home buyer, just prior to closing. I filled the upstairs master bath Whirlpool tub with water and made my usual checks.  When I finished, I opened the drain to make sure that the tub would drain quickly.  When I walked back out into the hallway, outside the master bedroom, I noticed what sounded like someone taking a shower downstairs.  Unfortunately, I was the only one in the house, so it was either haunted or there must be a problem.  Once I made my way downstairs, I realized that water was pouring from the HVAC register and recessed lighting.  Several gallons of water had already drained onto the new hardwood floors of the kitchen and dining room area.  I rushed back up stairs to close the tub drain, but most of the water from the tub but already leaked out.  So I spent the next hour cleaning up water so that the hard wood floors would not be damaged. The problem stemmed from an improperly installed gasket on the bottom of the tub drain. The moral to the story is Houston home inspectors should always carry a mop and bucket in the truck.

 

The ironic thing about this incident is that a prospect called me shortly after I finished cleaning up the water and I could not convince him that even new homes in Houston have problems. He decided to forgo the home inspection. I guess when he hears water running in the house it will be a ghost.

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February 9th, 2008 at 10:16 pm

 

In this video we’re looking at a problem with a kitchen sink drain.  When qualified Houston home inspectors examine the kitchen sink area he/she will check for several items.  These items should also be reviewed by the homeowner. One of the first is the condition of the vegetable sprayer and connecting hose, he will also want to make sure that water to the main faucet shuts off when the vegetable sprayer is used.  The faucet itself will be checked for leaks around the stem, and to make sure that the swing spout doesn’t leak and is easy to turn. He/she will also be checking to make sure that the faucet is tight on the countertop and sink itself is securely attached.

Under the sink, the inspector will want to make sure the plumbing connections are not leaking and a proper P- trap is installed. He/she will also check to make sure the drain is draining water quickly from the sink.  Any water damage to the bottom of the cabinet will also be noted.  Most cabinet bottoms today are manufactured with a very thin particle board, substance.  Even a small water leak under the sink can cause quite a bit of damage in a short period of time.

One of the other items that the inspector will want to check, while looking under the sink, is to make sure that the dishwasher drain line has an air gap, we will talk more about this item in a later post.

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