Hartman Home Inspections, LLC.

03/24/2019

Home inspectors may suggest a contractor for certain items found during the inspection. Finding the "cheapest fix" might not always be the "best fix". Do your due diligence when finding the proper licensed contractor. This will preserve your investment, and keep your family safe.

Hiring someone to work on your home is an important decision. At DCP, we want to make sure consumers and businesses have all the information they need to be ...

03/22/2019

Please share this with anyone you know who has one of these generators.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled generators and contact a local authorized Honda Power Equipment service dealer to schedule a free repair. Honda is contacting all known purchasers directly.

01/12/2019

Check your basements! You might get lucky.

Seven years after a $125-million class-action settlement over Kitec plumbing, less than $3 million has been paid out. One lawyer involved in the case is urging people with Kitec to file a claim.

01/02/2019

Another example as to why you need CO detectors in all living areas. These people were lucky.

Two people were taken to the hospital after carbon monoxide was detected inside a home in Avon on Wednesday afternoon.

08/01/2018

What you don't know about roof can cost you money. If you're considering replacing your existing roof or perhaps evaluating the roof on a home you're looking to buy, below are a few things you'll want to know about roofing:

There are a number of commonly-used roofing materials, from asphalt shingles to wood shake to slate. The material you decide to use will depend on the style of your home, its location and your budget.

Even the best materials won't create a solid, secure and attractive roof if the installation isn't professional. Be sure to do your due diligence on anyone you consider working on your roof. Always ask about warranties and guarantees they provide. Many roofing material companies have warranties, but they could become voided by an unprofessional install.

Roofing isn't all about shingles. Flashings are the metal pieces that sit under the shingles where one plane of the roof meets another, and around things like vents and chimneys. These help keep rain, snow and other debris out of areas prone to rot or decay.

Where your home is located is another consideration when choosing roofing material. A house along the coastline that gets a constant battering of sea spray needs a more durable roof than one in the middle of an inland housing development.

If you're planning on staying in your home more than two decades, durability is an issue. The average asphalt shingle roof has a statistical lifespan of around 25-30 years. Budget smartly in terms of color, style, and materials.

The pitch or angle of your roof is another determining factor in choosing roofing materials. A flat roof or one with very little pitch may be better suited to using a membrane (also called "rolled") roofing system, rather than shingles. Do keep in mind that the common materials in this style roof have varied statistical life spans. From 5-8 years for rubber rolled roofing, to 10-15 years or more for asphalt and composite types.

Never be afraid to ask questions on the types of materials and remember to do your own research on those doing the installation.

08/01/2018

Vegetation maintenance is important to the health of the exterior of your home as all of those carefully cultivated bushes, flowers and landscaping you work so hard on may have unintended consequences. Not only do plants contain moisture, they also transmit it to the surfaces they touch. If they are too close to the house they can block sunlight and air circulation and dampen the exterior with water v***r, which can lead to mildew, mold, moss and stains. They can also promote Wood Destroying Organisms (Termites, Carpenter Ants) into your home by create a pathway.

It is recommended to trim the plants and shrubs to allow at least a foot of clear space from the walls, so sunlight and air can dry out the moisture. Don’t forget limbs, leaves and other plant materials and debris at the base of the foundation walls, gutters and roof lines.
We recommend using a licensed qualified landscaper or arborist to complete this maintenance task.

You should also observe the grading and drainage near the home. Grading should be pitched away from the home and drainage should move water away from the home. Typically accepted slope is one inch per foot for the first five feet. When adding soil take care to leave at least six inches between the soil and any building materials, as this can lead to wood rot, or insect infestations.

08/01/2018

This is why you need a home inspection.

Home buyers hope their dream home has no major flaws, but sometimes repairs are needed before the move-in date. 

07/21/2018

This is a discussion about the safety of Federal Pacific (FPE) “Stab-Lok” circuit breaker panels and the fact that they may have inherent defects. The result of the defect has linked them to numerous electrical fires.

There is no supporting evidence from any government agency or regulatory authority stating that these panels are unsafe and should be replaced. There has not been a recall by the consumer product safety commission. If you have one of these FPE panels or intend to purchase a home that has one of these FPE panels, Hartman Home Inspections, LLC, recommend that you have the system evaluated by a qualified licensed electrician.

As a Home Inspector, this information puts us in a very difficult situation when we perform a whole house Home Inspection. These FPE breaker panels will perform their intended function when doing a visual inspection. The panel does not initiate an unsafe condition, which leaves us in the precarious position of knowing that a latent problem “may” exist in a breaker panel.

The problem with Federal pacific breaker panels is that some of the double pole 220 volt circuit breakers and some of the single pole 120 volt circuit breakers may not operate as intended if overloaded or shorted. A circuit breakers job is the trip and stop electrical service to the circuit it is protecting. FPE breakers have been found to not do this every time, which has a potential to cause a fire.

Another issue is that these breakers can come loose when removing the panel, and end up not sitting correctly in the panel box, which could lead to arcing, which has a potential to cause a fire.

Aftermarket breakers are available for these panels. Most of these panels are large and had a lot of circuits and the cost of replacing all the breakers is often more than the cost of installing a new panel, and to anyone buying your property at a later stage, it still has a Federal Pacific panel that will be called out by their home inspector as a safety issue.

07/21/2018

Should I get a pre-sale Home Inspection done?

There are several pros to getting your home inspected prior to putting it on the market. A certified home inspector can evaluate about 1,600 items that make up the homes foundation, structure, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems. The reason is to uncover hidden and potentially expensive problems that could affect the value of the home.
It can be nerve wracking for the seller as they wait to hear the good/bad news from the buyers home inspector. With a pre-sale inspection, this situation is mitigated, somewhat, as you will be aware of any issues that the buyers inspector could find. It also gives you time to repair issues that are found, and help increase the value of your return on investment. It shows you did your due diligence in making sure your home is safe and secure for the next owner, and could help with a faster closing.

Looking to sell your home, or know someone who is? Give Hartman Home Inspections a call or go online to book an inspection at www.HHINSPLLC.com

Hartman Home Inspections, LLC. Serving all of Connecticut. We know buying a home is a stressful process, and are here to help you have a better understanding of the home you plan to purchase.

07/21/2018

Before we begin this post, I need to explain a few "electrical" terms. These will not be a "by the book" explanation, but a more "layman's terms" that will be easy to understand. If you have any further questions, please do follow up with a qualified licensed electrician.

Service wiring: This is the electrical wiring coming from the pole to the electrical service box in the home. This wire is stranded wire, meaning there are several smaller wires making one larger wire inside the insulation.

Branch wiring: This is the electrical wiring from the service box, to all your electrical outlets and switches. This wire is typically solid wire, meaning it is one strand of wire under the insulation. The reason its solid is because it is easier to manipulated in tight spaces. Think of it as a paper clip and how easy it is to bend how you like it.

During a recent home inspection, I had observed that the home in question had a new electrical service box with Aluminum Service Wiring.
Although this is a pretty standard practice, as aluminum is cheaper, lighter and easier to manipulate than copper, it created a bit of a stir with the clients father, who was adamant that this was a problem.

I will do my best to provide a bit of history, and then provide a bit of education.

First the super quick history.

Between 1965 to 1973, Utility Grade AA-1350 solid aluminum branch wiring was used in place of copper, due to a serious jump in copper prices as copper was being used for the Vietnam war. After a while, homeowners and electricians noticed that the metal was breaking down. The reason it was breaking down was because, at this time, brass was used for war efforts and steel was used in its place to make service connections.

This use of dissimilar metals caused the aluminum to become overheated during certain electrical conditions, and unfortunately had the potential to cause a fire.

Now for the education.

Modern building practices are using a new AA-8000 series aluminum alloy for both the service and the branch wiring (15-20 amps max breakers), as specified by industry standards, such as the National Electrical Code (NEC) for wiring within a building.
AA-8000 series aluminum alloy is installed with materials and methods as specified by the local electrical utility companies. Also, larger aluminum stranded building wire made with the newer AA-8000 series alloy of aluminum is commonly used for electrical services (e.g. service entrance conductors from the utility connection to the service breaker panel) and for larger branch circuits with higher loads such as those for sub-panels, ranges, clothes dryers and air-conditioning units as specified by local electrical building codes.

So what does this mean? It means that it is perfectly safe to have aluminum service wiring in your home as long as it is done in accordance with the local building codes and the National Electrical Code (NEC).

Again, I am not a qualified licensed electrician, and I do encourage you to discuss this issue with one if you have questions.

04/08/2018

Getting some promotional items together as we hit a few locations this afternoon.

03/31/2018

What to do about mold? Well I came across this article recently that sort of blew my mind a little.

Everyone has been told FOREVER to use bleach to kill mold. As it turns out, that may not be the smartest thing to do, as it gives mold access to moisture.
Most of the bottles of bleach we use in our cleaning products is 90% water. The best we are doing is giving the mold a sexy dye job to help them in their next career as a lifeguard on a Baywatch reboot.

Give the article a serious look over, and do keep in mind that the only way to know for sure what type of biological growth you have, is to have it tested by an independent lab.

Some information on the web still suggests using chlorine bleach to kill mold in your Philadelphia or Cherry Hill home. Here are 9 compelling reasons not to

03/31/2018

Recently, someone asked me about a Pre-Sale home inspection and if its something that is needed. The answer to this is fairly simple. YES!

It would be within your best interest to get your own home inspection prior to putting the home on the market. Buyers should and most likely will get their own inspection done, which is highly encouraged, but buyers who see that an inspection was done prior to being listed will be comforted in knowing the asking price is justified.

Buyers will know that there should be no unusual surprises when their own inspector goes through the home, and your inspection will help build trust with serious buyers to help facilitate the sale of your home. Your home inspection will find the minor issues that can be repaired or even discussed with the buyer, and give the buyer a peace of mind knowing the home has been well maintained.

You, as the seller, will also have a peace of mind knowing that the home was in the best shape it could have been in at the time of the sale.

03/25/2018

A little FYI for you today. Kidde dual smoke detectors have a recall.

03/24/2018

03/13/2018

03/13/2018

So it is that time again. Where every time we change the clocks, we change the batteries in out smoke detectors. Well what about changing your smoke detector? Do you know how old it is? If not, you probably should consider replacing it.

It is recommended that you replace the smoke detector every 10yrs. The reason being is that the sensors can become degraded over time from dust, dirt, and debris floating around it.

Here is another fun little fact. Is your smoke alarm yellowish in color and looks like its in the home of a 3 pack a day smoker? Well that yellowing is actually caused by Bromine, which is added to the plastic as a flame retardant. It causes the plastic to become yellow over time, and it has a chance to also make the resin casing to become brittle. As a safety concern, it would be a good idea to replace this smoke alarm.

03/13/2018

One thing you will hear me say on an inspection is "Statistical Life Expectancy". Meaning that every component in the home has a basic working life to it before it starts to show signs of wear or outright failure. In this picture, the water heater is beginning to leak. The "Statistical Life Expectancy" of a water heater is about 12-15 years, taking in factors of maintenance, quality of the product, and install. As this water heater had a manufacture date of July 2004, making it 14yrs old, it is clearly hitting that benchmark, and is now at the end of its useful life cycle.