Sometimes complicated is not as good as simple

Sometimes complicated is not as good as simple - water heater leak pans. Posted: 15 Aug 2015 06:21 PM PDT Everyone knows that it is a good idea to install a leak collection pan under water heater. In fact these pans are required by modern standards whenever the water heater is installed in a location where damage could occur if the tank were to leak. At a recent inspection I found the water heater in the following picture installed behind some removable panels of a cabinet located in the bathroom. With the panels out of the way one can see the plastic liner that has been created to form a pan for the water heater. The white pipe on the right in the picture (that terminates inside this pan) is the drain for the Temperature Pressure Relief Valve (TPRV). In some jurisdictions around the country this pipe is allowed to terminate in the pan but it still must have an air gap. With an air gap, the end of the pipe would never be under water if the pan were to flood. If the end of the pipe was under water the relief valve might not function properly. In Washington State, which follows the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), the TPRV drain cannot terminate at the drain pan and must go to a proper drain receptor or to the exterior of the building at an approved location. Another component of the leak pan is that it should have a drain so that any leaks can be safely drained away. If the pan cannot have a drain, then a high water alarm is recommended. Keep in mind, these pans, even the very unusual high pan in the picture above, would never hold the quantity of water that is in the tank after the water is shut off. If the water is not shut off it would not take very long for a significant leak to flood over the top of the pan. Whoever installed this water heater had a more complicated means of dealing with monitoring for water in the pan. A glass "viewing port" was installed so that it could be viewed while sitting on the toilet. Sometimes complicated is not as good as simple.   By Charles Buell, Real Estate Inspections in Seattle
Sometimes it is the little details that make all the difference - know when to be flashy and when not. Posted: 07 Aug 2015 06:33 AM PDT Today's post is about one such little detail. In this case the risk of its being a "big deal" is small but I have seen similar installations where, over time, considerable damage does occur. This is a typical lead flashing common on houses in the Northwest. Lead Pipe Flashing The flashing is made of lead. It is designed to fit over the pipe and be lapped by the shingles on the plane of the roof. The cap you see on the top is a nice way to finish off the installation and is quite common when the roof portion of the flashing is not quite tall enough to extend to the top of the pipe. When it is tall enough, the excess above the pipe is simply folded inside the pipe. When the top is "counter-flashed" with this type of cap it is designed to lap both the outside of the lead flashing and the inside of the pipe. Without the cap, any water that hit the pipe would run down the pipe behind the lead flashing. Now you might ask, well how much water could that amount to really? If you look at this next picture you can see where the blue arrow points to two water lines that show how water hitting the inside of the cap is still finding its way outside of the metal flashing. The red arrow points to a water line that is clearly running down the pipe and into the roof/house structure. Lead Pipe Flashing In this next picture we can see "why" this is happening. When they installed the nice counter-flashing the piece that is supposed to be inside the pipe got scrunched and no longer directs water inside the pipe. While the blue arrows show where they have been "lucky," the red arrow show where they have not been lucky. Inadequate Lead counter-flashing In our area of the world, where it can rain or drizzle for weeks on end, it actually can result in a fair amount of water getting into the roof/house structure. Sometimes these vent pipes make an immediate right angle below the roof line to move over to where the pipe actually comes up through the house. There are lots of reasons why a plumber might do this. For example if the pipe would end up coming through the roof on the "street side" of the home, they will often run it to the back of the house where the pipe would not show. At any rate, even a half a cup of water a day–or any amount that would not dry in 24 hours would keep ceilings below the leak wet and eventually cause damage to the ceiling. As a Licensed Structural Pest Inspector, this lack of attention to detail is what we would consider a "conducive condition." A condition that if left un-repaired could result in wood decay/rot or promote infestation by wood destroying insects. I have found several damaged ceilings with "unexplained" past/ongoing water damage from improper flashings around pipes. Repairs are a very easy fix, but certainly worth noting. This defect, I might add, could likely not be determined from a ladder at the edge of the roof– and you would have to be pretty lucky with a drone as well–another important reason for the home inspector to walk the roof when it is safe to do so. By Charles Buell, Real Estate Inspections in Seattle

 

 

“Safer, Warmer And Healthier Homes” – Changes To Regulations Affecting Landlords

"Safer, Warmer And Healthier Homes" – Changes To Regulations Affecting Landlords Posted: 12 Oct 2015 01:26 PM PDT by Gemma Dale, www.unconditional.co.nz Back in July, the Government announced changes to the law affecting landlords and tenants. Under new regulations, most landlords will be required to ensure that properties under their management meet certain standards, including effective insulation and the provision of smoke alarms. Theoretically, this legislation is good for both landlords and tenants – on the one hand, it ensures that tenants need not feel forced by market circumstances to live in poorly maintained, unsafe homes. On the other, it gives landlords the incentive to improve their properties, and makes said properties far more attractive rental prospects. However, these new regulations come at an interesting time for the letting market, and not everyone believes that the new regulations will have the impact that they should. In order to fully appreciate the potential consequences of these new laws, it is essential that they be viewed within their current context – particularly with reference to the now thriving rental black market. The Legalities Of Renting Those who rent legitimately, and declare their property interests to the government are naturally subject to rules and regulations – more so under the new laws. They are likely to have a degree of insurance protecting themselves, their business, their property, and their tenants. Furthermore, tenants who rent legally have recourse to legitimate avenues of dispute should they run into problems. Under the new laws, tenants will also be assured of a degree of warmth and safety within their homes as well – something any responsible landlord will usually provide as a matter of course. However, these safety measures and assurances must necessarily come at a price – which will usually be added on to the rent. In addition to this, in many areas of New Zealand (Auckland in particular), demand far exceeds supply when it comes to rental accommodation, meaning that landlords have a distinct advantage when it comes to pricing properties and choosing tenants. All too often, those in need of housing are finding that legitimately rented properties have a price tag which they consider extortionate, particularly when much-hated estate agent fees are thrown into the mix. Feeling exploited and priced out of the market, it is perhaps unsurprising that people are increasingly turning their backs on those who make it their legitimate business to rent out properties, and entering a growing 'black market' of sub-letting and surreptitious private tenancy. The Rental Black Market This 'black market' is not just flourishing in New Zealand – it's doing a roaring trade all over the world. The internet facilitates the illegitimate business of those who sub-let spare rooms, and rent out properties on a private basis without registering with the appropriate governmental authorities. With 'couchsurfing' websites like AirBNB in the vanguard, more and more people are choosing to shun estate agents and legally registered landlords in order to take their chances with rooms and properties advertised on the internet. In part, this movement is facilitated by the popular perception of estate agents and professional landlords as money-grabbing and exploitative – an image not aided by the media. Many people feel that they would far rather take their chances with a private and illegitimate landlord with whom they can deal on a face-to-face and equable basis than a professional agency or landlord whom they perceive to be steeped in greed and liable to exploit them at every opportunity. This is an image which the real estate industry really must work upon if the rental black market is to be combated in any serious way. Ethical Reform Of course, the best way in which to change an image is to act in the way you would like to be perceived. The new regulations, it is hoped, may help in some way to challenge the rental black market by giving tenants assurances of safety which they will certainly lack with unregistered landlords. However, it also indicates a degree of ethical thought and moral conduct with which the real estate industry is not usually associated. While some are still concerned that the new regulations are little more than a sop to tenant demands, others have noted that it may provide a welcome change in the general mode of landlord-tenant relations. In social housing, the required improvements must be put in place before next July. All other properties must meet the new governmental regulations by July 2019. The overall impact that this will have upon the rental market  – both legitimate and illegitimate – but it is to be hoped that (assuming that landlords fulfil their obligations correctly) the situation as a whole will improve for everyone. "Gemma (Dale) is a financier turned freelance writer. She is passionate about helping businesses succeed with clever and engaging copy that enlightens and informs the reader. In her limited spare time she also enjoys roller blading, quite often with her energetic spaniel in tow."

 

 

Unconditional.co.nz
Fewest homes for sale nationwide for at least eight years Posted: 30 Sep 2015 04:11 PM PDT Market demand continues to push up prices and fuel high turnover  AUCKLAND, 1 October 2015 – There are now fewer residential properties listed for sale nationwide than at any time since 2006, potentially longer, according to new data released by Realestate.co.nz. The largest New Zealand website dedicated only to property represents over 97% of all agent supplied property listings in the country – more than any other single resource. The data shows that in September there were only 30,988 properties for sale across New Zealand. "Historically, the number of homes for sale tends to be fairly stable, following gradual, long-term trends," says Brendon Skipper, CEO of Realestate.co.nz. "Given that the number of homes for sale when we started keeping records in January 2007 was nearly 43,000, we can safely assume that this is the fewest homes on the market in New Zealand for a much longer time, possibly a decade." Over the last eight years, the number of the homes for sale climbed steadily to a high point of 58,137 in April 2008. It remained consistently near 50,000 for another three years, before starting a slow, steady decline to the present level. "We use a metric we call inventory, a measure of supply and demand that indicates how long it would take, in theory, for all the current properties on the market to be sold at the average rate of sales. In September, inventory nationally dropped to its lowest level since we've started keeping records," says Skipper. "We have only 16.3 weeks of inventory compared to the long-term average of 35 weeks. In our main centres, the situation is even more extreme. In Auckland, the inventory is only 9.6 weeks and in Wellington 11.1 weeks." The current inventory levels across all 19 regions of New Zealand are now below their respective long-term regional averages. More new listings, but properties do not stay on market for long "The fact that inventory is so low may seem surprising, given that we have seen an increase in listings in most regions compared to September last year, especially in Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty. Significantly, these are the three regions with the lowest level of inventory in the country, along with Wellington. The simple truth is that these properties are now spending less time in the market, suggesting that market pressures will remain high while the current rate of turnover continues," says Skipper.   "Low inventory such as this is usually associated with a sellers' market and higher asking prices, as we have seen in recent months." While Realestate.co.nz data for September reveals that the average asking prices in many regions have dropped since August, the longer term trend shows strong increases in asking price. Six regions in the country achieved their highest average asking price in September 2015, with a further seven reaching their record in August. The remaining six regions have all recorded their highest ever average asking price in the last six months. About Realestate.co.nz Realestate.co.nz offers buyers the shortest path to the perfect property. As the official website of the New Zealand real estate industry, Realestate.co.nz is dedicated to property and has the country's most comprehensive selection of real estate listings online. The site presents more than 97% of all residential, commercial and farm properties currently marketed by real estate professionals. Being focussed exclusively on people in need of property, Realestate.co.nz offers superior functionality, including accurate search, school zone data and a mobile app. Source: www.realestate.co.nz blog www.unconditional.co.nz Kind regards, Duane Turner Territory Owner and Inspector Office: 09 811 8018 Mobile: 027 376 4806 duane.turner@abuyerschoice.com www.waitakere.abuyerschoice.com Waitakere & Surrounding Areas