Mildew or mold? You may as well ask is it good or bad.  Often we as inspectors encounter something that looks kind of fishy even kind of mean and hairy but is it mold?  I would venture that most of us inspectors do not know.  We are not trained lab technicians with an Industrial Hygienist degree or some such suitable moniker.  We are just simple guys and gals trying to do our best.  I know some inspector out there will take exception with this statement and has a suitable degree or certificate that says they know how to test for mildew and mold.  Some companies may even offer this kind of evaluation as an extra fee based service.

However, it is true that most of us are not experts on mildew or mold. Per the Standards of Practice I use (ASHI) it is not in the scope of our inspection to even inspect for Mildew or Mold.  Still stuff like what is shown in the photo below does not look right and at a minimum indicates possible water damage.  We certainly try to make our clients aware of these kind of things and point them in the right direction for further evaluation by qualified others.

Mildew or Mold?

The truth is we can not make our clients follow up on our recommendations.  We hope they do, we want them to but will they?  Will you?

All the best out there!

Tankless Water Heaters Recalled for Repair Due to Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: Power Vent tankless water heaters

Units: About 42,200

Importers: Water Heating Division of Rheem Sales Company Inc., of Montgomery, Ala. and Paloma Industries Inc., of Oxnard, Calif.

Hazard: Components inside the water heater may shift during transit, causing an air filter door switch to operate improperly. If the switch fails and the air filter door is out of place, the water heater could continue to operate and dust and lint could build up, posing a carbon monoxide poisoning hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recall involves indoor models of the Power Vent 199,900 BTUH tankless water heaters. The brands and model numbers included in this recall are listed below and are located on the front of the unit and the rating plate. The water heaters have a cream jacket or gray jacket enclosure with the piping on the top and bottom of the unit. The rating plate is a silver label located the front of the unit, in the lower right hand corner.

Sold by: Retailers nationwide and through plumbing wholesale distributors to plumbers, contractors and consumers from May 2004 through December 2006 for between $800 and $1,300.

Manufactured in: Japan

Remedy: Consumers with the recalled water heaters should stop using them immediately, if the air filter door is not in place. Consumers, who have not already been contacted by an authorized contractor, should immediately contact their installer or Rheem Manufacturing Company to arrange for a free, on-site repair. Consumers are reminded to use the air filter door for these water heaters to avoid a carbon monoxide hazard.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Rheem toll-free at (866) 369-4786 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. CT Saturday and Sunday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.tankless-recall.com

Note: Regardless of the type of water heater that is used, every home should have a CO alarm outside all sleeping areas, and consumers should ensure that their CO alarms have working batteries.

Model of the Power Vent 199,900 BTUH tankless water heater sold under the brand names: Paloma, Rheem, Ruud, Rheem-Ruud and Richmond

Heavy-Duty Indoor Models of the Power Vent 199,900 BTUH tankless water heater sold under the brand names: Paloma, Rheem, Ruud, Rheem-Ruud and Richmond

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

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Send the link for this page to a friend! The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

In the area we inspect in tankless water heaters are still few and far between.  However almost all of the tankless water heaters we have seen during our inspections over the years have been in just this last year so they are coming.  As we have mentioned before as with all products in the home it is a great idea to go the consumer protection website to check on recall and general safety information (see the links in the paragraph above).

All the best out there!

GE Recalls to Inspect and Repair Wall Ovens Due to Fire and Burn Hazards

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: GE®, GE Profile™, Monogram® and Kenmore® Wall Ovens

Units: About 244,000

Manufacturer: GE Consumer & Industrial, of Louisville, Ky.

Hazard: The extreme heat used in the self-clean cycle can escape, if the wall oven door is removed and incorrectly re-attached by the installer or the consumer. This can pose a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: GE is aware of 28 incidents of minor property damage in which adjacent kitchen cabinets have been damaged. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves GE wall ovens sold under the following brand names: GE®, GE Profile™, Monogram® and Kenmore®. The wall ovens were sold in white, black, bisque and stainless steel. The following model and serial numbers can be found inside the oven on the left interior wall. For microwave combination ovens, the serial number can be found on the left interior wall of the microwave.

Sold at: Home builders and appliance stores nationwide from October 2002 through December 2004 for between $900 and $3,600.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately inspect the oven to make sure they do not have an incorrectly re-attached wall oven door, which will not open into the flat position. If the wall oven door is incorrectly re-attached, consumers should not use the self-clean cycle and call GE for a free repair. Consumers can continue to use normal baking or broiling function in the oven until the oven is repaired.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact GE toll-free at (888) 569-1588 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday ET, or visit the firm�s Web site at www.GEAppliances.com

Lower rack extends without hitting the oven door

Extended lower rack hits oven door

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

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Send the link for this page to a friend! The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

As Home Inspectors we can not keep abreast of all possible product recalls.  Nonetheless, this caught my eye, and may be of interest and/or use to many readers.  For further information about appliances or products please visit the US Consumer Product Safety Commission link under the blogroll area.

All the best out there.

General Electric Recalls Dishwashers Due to Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: GE Dishwashers

Units: About 2.5 million

Manufacturer: GE Consumer & Industrial, of Louisville, Ky.

Hazard: Liquid rinse-aid can leak from its dispenser onto the dishwasher’s internal wiring which can cause an electrical short and overheating, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: GE has received 191 reports of overheated wiring including 56 reports of property damage. There were 12 reports of fires that escaped the dishwasher. Fire damage was limited to the dishwasher or the adjacent area. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall includes GE built-in dishwashers sold under the following brand names: Eterna, GE, GE Profile™, GE Monogram®, Hotpoint®, and Sears-Kenmore. The dishwashers were sold in white, black, almond, bisque and stainless steel. The brand name is printed on the dishwasher’s front control panel. The following model and serial numbers can be found inside the dishwasher tub on the front left side of the dishwasher.

Sold at: Department and appliance stores from September 1997 through December 2001 for about $400.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dishwashers and contact General Electric for a free repair, a $150 rebate towards the purchase of a new GE dishwasher, or a $300 rebate towards the purchase of a new GE Profile or GE Monogram dishwasher.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact General Electric toll-free at (877) 607-6395 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday. Consumers also can visit the firm’s Web site at www.geappliances.com

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

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Send the link for this page to a friend! The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

As Home Inspectors we do not check model #s or try to keep abreast of all possible product recalls.    Nonetheless, this caught my eye, and may be of interest and/or use to many readers.  For further information about appliances or products please visit the US Consumer Product Safety Commission link under the blogroll area.

All the best out there.

The garage fire shield or often referred to as as the firewall in the garage.

Due to the nature of our business we get to talk to our clients on a regular basis about this subject.  What is a a fire shield?.  It is any wall or ceiling that the garage shares with the house that has an approved fire rated Sheetrock that is properly installed.  Now there can be differences as to exactly what that means from town to town so check with your local building department for specific details and or requirements.

The purpose of the Fire Shield is to slow the spread of fire.  However it needs to be intact, common sense will tell you that if you have a fire shield that it cannot have holes or missing areas or it will not work properly.  Any holes or missing Sheetrock or missing fire tape on the joints needs to be repaired or be installed as the case may be.  Bear in mind there are very strict requirements on how this needs to be done.

This is a very common issue in the home that needs corrections, and it turns up frequently on Home inspection reports in need of corrections.  Holes, damaged or missing Sheetrock can occur anywhere in the garage.  In our experience it is most commonly on the back wall of the garage or at the water heater or washer dryers areas where past leaks have damaged the Sheetrock or where plumbing repairs have been performed (sometimes that is on the ceiling below a bathroom area).  If you have damaged or unfinished repairs anywhere in your garage fire shield then we recommend you hire a qualified licensed contractor right away for corrections to protect you and your home.

To learn more about common items that homeowners fail to maintain or that sellers often fail to correct before a home inspection go to www.beattheinspector.com

All the best out there.

This is one of the most common thought that runs through our clients mind when we as inspectors are taking about issues that need correction.  Generally when we are talking about “the air gap” we are referring to the air gap valve at the kitchen sink that is for the dishwasher (see photo below).  However this concern can occur at any sink or at the bathtub.

The purpose of the air gap valve for the dishwasher is to help prevent dirty water from being siphoned into the the dishwasher contaminating the clean dishes.  This is a safety item. Properly installed faucets at all sinks or tubs have a gap between the faucet and the rim of the sink or tub.  If the faucets extend down below the rim there is the potential of the sink water or the tub water (dirty water) being siphoned back into the clean house drinking water.  This was a common design problem/flaw with many old tubs that had a spout down below the rim.

We often see properly installed faucets at the laundry sink, a utility room sink or at the garage sink that has been modified with a hose attachment going down into the laundry sink basin.  Many people seem to find this hose handy for rinsing/cleaning items however it is an unsafe practice and needs to be corrected.   Cleaning products or dirty water from these sinks can be pulled into the house water making you and yours ill.  The fix in these cases is to remove the hose.

The air gap valve for a dishwasher. The are usually silver in color but can be found in other colors as well.

Maytag Recalls Refrigerators Due to Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product.

Name of product: Maytag®, Jenn-Air®, Amana®, Admiral®, Magic Chef®, Performa by Maytag® and Crosley® brand refrigerators

Units: About 1.6 million

Manufacturer: Maytag Corp., of Newton, Iowa

Hazard: An electrical failure in the relay, the component that turns on the refrigerator�s compressor, can cause overheating and pose a serious fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Maytag has received 41 reports of refrigerator relay ignition, including 16 reports of property damage ranging from smoke damage to extensive kitchen damage.

Description: The recall includes certain Maytag®, Jenn-Air®, Amana®, Admiral®, Magic Chef®, Performa by Maytag® and Crosley® brand side by side and top freezer refrigerators. The affected refrigerators were manufactured in black, bisque, white and stainless steel. They have model and serial numbers printed on a label located on the top middle or left upper side of the refrigerator liner and have the following model and serial number combinations:

Refrigerators with freezers on the bottom are not included in this recall.

Sold at: Department and appliance stores and by homebuilders nationwide from January 2001 through January 2004 for between about $350 and $1600.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately contact Maytag to determine if their refrigerator is included in the recall and to schedule a free in-home repair. Consumers should not return the refrigerator to the retailer where it was purchased.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Maytag toll-free at (866) 533-9817 anytime, or visit the firm�s Web site at www.repair.maytag.com

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

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Send the link for this page to a friend! The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

We as home inspectors inspect many aspects of the home and if you attend the inspection we are happy to help you learn a lot about them.  However we do not inspect every thing a person may have in the home and one large item we do not inspect is refrigerators.  Like all products in the home it is a good idea for you to check for any known problems.  We think checking with the manufacture and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission are good places to start.

All the best out there.

Maple Chase Co. Recalls Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Monoxide/Smoke Combo Alarms Due to Alarm Malfunction

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: FireX Branded 10000 Series Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarms and 12000 Series CO/Smoke Combo Alarms

Units: About 280,000

Manufacturer: Maple Chase Company, of Plain City, Ohio

Hazard: The recalled alarms can sound a “double chirp”/fault alarm in the presence of CO, prior to going into full alarm. Upon hearing a double chirp, the Owner’s Manual instructions recommend a consumer take the alarm out of service, which could expose consumers to hazardous levels of CO and suffer injury or death.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recall includes FireX branded 10000 and 12000 series alarms with item numbers: 10000, 12000, 12000C, 12000-6, 12200, 12220, 12400, 12400C manufactured between June 1, 2007 and February 1, 2008. The date code appears on the back of the unit with a four digit year, three digit month followed by the day (ex: 2007JUN1 for June 1, 2007). Units with a manufacture date code prior to June 1, 2007 are not included in this recall.

Sold: Commercial electrical distributors and electrical contractors and builders for installation into new home construction. A limited number of units were sold at Menard’s nationwide from June 2007 through February 2008 for about $20 (10000 series) and $30 (12000 series).

Manufactured in: Mexico

Remedy: Consumers should contact Maple Chase immediately to receive a free comparable replacement alarm and make arrangements to return their recalled alarms. Consumers should not take the alarms out of service until they receive the replacement alarm.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Maple Chase toll-free at (888) 879-3906 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or go to the firm’s Web site at www.firexsafety.com

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

—

Send the link for this page to a friend! The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

As Home Inspectors we do not inspect Carbon Monoxide Detectors but we do recommend our clients install them.  As with all products you should check them out for known problems.  I recommend going to the link above to browse recalled products or join the CPSC’s e-mail subscription list. It may be time very well spent.

All the best

Given the number of bank owned properties we have been inspecting it is no surprise we have been seeing a plethora of broken light switches. Along with broken light switches we are seeing scores of missing outlet and switch covers and missing light bulbs in fixtures.

The problem with missing light bulbs is we can not tell if the fixture is functional or not.  As a result we write it up as a safety issue.   We do not know if there is a problem with the wiring, the switch, the breaker or fuse or with the fixture.  Yes usually it is just a missing bulb, but we just do not know.

If a buyer is buying a bank owned property they may want to bring along a few bulbs and a step ladder it could help resolve some questions.  Testing simple things light light switches can be fairly complicated see our post The hidden secrets behind operating a light switch.

Best of luck out there.