| Concern |
Dates |
Issues |
| Synthetic Stucco |
1969
may still
be used |
Exterior
Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS), commonly known as synthetic
stucco, is an exterior cladding system composed of an adhesively or
mechanically fastened foam insulation board, reinforcing mesh, a base
coat, and an outer finish coat. Its exterior appearance looks
almost identical to conventional stucco, although conventional stucco
is comprised of multiple layers of cement over a wire mesh
A separate EIFS page has been created to further discuss this building technique. |
| Polybutylene Plumbing |
1978-1995 |
"For thousands of home owners, Polybutylene plumbing has become a recurring nightmare . . ." Ed Bradley - CBS 60 Minutes.
Note: Polybutylene is NOT PVC which stands for PolyVinyl Chloride and is currently used for pipes along with copper.
Polybutylene is a
form of plastic resin that was used extensively in the manufacture of
water supply piping from 1978 until 1995. Due to the low cost of the
material and ease of installation, Polybutylene piping systems were
viewed as "the pipe of the future" and were used as a substitute for
traditional copper piping. It is most commonly found in the "Sun Belt"
where it is believed that oxidants in the public water supplies, such
as chlorine, react with the Polybutylene piping and acetal fittings
causing them to scale and flake and become brittle. Micro-fractures
result, and the basic structural integrity of the system is reduced.
Thus, the system becomes weak and may fail without warning causing
further (in some cases extensive) damage. Courtesy Plumbing Express |
| Aluminum Wiring |
1960-1980 |
Aluminum
Wiring was used for general wiring in homes in the early 60's to
the mid 70's. A discussion of the topic including additional
links can be found on the web site's Home Inspector web page.
Aluminum wiring has been sited for causing home fires which
may occur when their connections become loose. Although most
housing codes forbid the use of aluminum wire by 1980.
Electricians were allowed to use their inventory on hand until it
was depleted. |
| Lead Paint |
Before
1978 |
Paint
used in homes prior to 1960 could have contained lead
concentrations of up to 50% by weight. Lead was removed from
paint by federal law in 1978 (It had been removed in France and many
other countries before 1920). A separate lead paint page explaining the hazards with additional links is included in this web site.
|
| Cardboard Sewer Pipe |
1940-197? |
Coal
Tar Impregnated Wood Fiber Pipe ("Orangeburg" pipe), or Pitch fiber
pipes (the Orangeburg, New York, plant closed in the fall of
1972) were first laid in the 1960’s as a cheap alternative
to clay pipes and over time have been the cause of many blockages.
Orangeburg pipe is actually a kind of tarpaper that's rolled up about
10 layers thick to create a tube. It is bound together with a
special water resistant adhesive and treated under pressure with hot
liquefied coal tar pitch to repel rodents and roots. It is used
as the sewer pipe that runs from the house to the street sewage system
or to your septic tank. The pipework can become porous, allowing water
to leak out. If the pipework leaks it may attract tree or
shrub roots causing further damage. PVC pipes eventually replaced
Pitch fiber pipes. The home owner may know if this pipe has been
changed as eventually they all will fail. I have gone through
this process with a house I owned which was built in '72 but I doubt if
the current owner of the house is aware the sewer pipe had been
replaced. |
| Slab Foundations |
Both
foundations
still in use |
There
are 3 types of foundations and their variants which are used
to support a house; 1) Basement 2) Slab
and 3) Conventional.
Generally in this area due to water table, soil composition
and lack of freeze/frost line there are very few basements. Most
homes constructed are built on "slab on grade" meaning the slab is
actually on top of the earth surface. Older homes usually have
conventional foundations. Conventional foundations provide an
access under the home and its plumbing etc. while a slab does not
readily permit any access. Lastly slab foundations can crack.
A cracked slab cannot be "repaired" (it will always be cracked)
but a number of stabilization processes are available. Although a
home inspector can identify some of the signs of a cracked slab the
expertise belongs to a structural engineer to provide an accurate
assessment. |
| Lead Solder Plumbing |
Before
1980
But, lead solder was
available
after 1980 |
Most
of the lead in household water comes from the plumbing in the house,
not from the local water supply. Corrosive water (soft, acidic, or low
pH) can dissolve lead from the supply pipes, faucets, or, solder and
flux, used to connect copper pipes. Some brass components such as pump
impellers and faucets also contain lead which can corrode and
contaminate water.
Lead solder was still used until the 1980s because it was thought
that the amount of lead that could leach into water from the solder was
negligible.
Homes with plastic drinking water lines should not have problems with
lead contamination from pipes, because fittings are glued together
rather than soldered. For more information on obtaining a lead
testing kit - Clean Water Lead Testing Inc. |
| Two Ply Wiring |
Before 1950 |
Grounded
electrical outlets (two ply wiring provides only a hot and neutral wire
and NO grounding wire) were either not required by code or only
required in locations where water is present such as kitchens and
baths. If you're not sure if your outlets are grounded, check
them. If they're two-pronged, instead of three-pronged, they are
not grounded outlets. Even if you have three-pronged outlets
further check as I have seen where some home owners have changed
the two prong outlets to three prong for ease of use. |
| Exterior Wall Insulation |
This
century |
The following was extracted from Yahoo Answers:
My wife and I bought a lemon of a house a year back. It seems it is
incredible hard, and costly, to keep the house cool in the summer and
warm in the winter. How can you tell if your home has been insulated?
If it has not, is foam insulation the best, or only, option?
Answer:
"First take the covers off the switch/outlet boxes, a lot of
times you can see into the wall around these. It will be a small slit
around the box so the viewing isn't great but it's a place to start.
Some of the electrical boxes you might be able to see pretty good,
others very little. Second: You also could take a few pieces of trim
off around some windows and doors, you should be able see some or
possible create a slightly larger opening to see better but don't go
bigger than what the trim will cover back up. This may work on some of
the doors/windows, depends on the width of the trim and the
framing... Down the road if you plan on siding the home have them
add sytrofoam sheets before putting on the siding."
The infrared camera as described in the Home Inspector web page can be useful in determining the insulation inside a wall and its effectiveness.
|
| Knob and Tube Wiring |
1880-1930 |
Today
you can expect a new home to have at least 200 amp service provided
through an electrical service box containing circuit breakers.
Power is provided by two 120 volt service lines which are combined to provide 240 volt service to the home which is necessary for electric clothes dryer, HVAC etc.
Older homes may have any of the following: 1) Single line
service which prohibits the use of 240 volt appliances, 2)
Fuses instead of circuit breakers, 3) Lack of a grounding
wire as listed above, 4) No ground fault interrupt (GFI) outlets,
5) The service head may have a large thick wire providing service
to the electric meter instead of a pipe or underground service,
6) And in the older homes two single insulated copper wires
(hot and neutral) ran separately within wall or ceiling cavities,
passing through joist and stud drill-holes via protective porcelain
insulating tubes, and supported along their length on nailed-down porcelain knob insulators. A circuit was provided by connecting to both wires. K & T wiring was used from1880 to 1930's when electrification was first provided to residential homes. |
| Septic Tanks |
If
you live in the city your home is connected to the city sewage system
and you pay a utility bill to have your waste water treated. If
you live in the country you have your own sewage treatment system
which is generally referred to as a septic tank. Where is
your septic tank? In the Montgomery application process you are required to submit a plot plan which is kept on record so a call to your county health department
would be a good place to start to locate your septic tank and drainage
fields and see if the installation had a valid permit.
If the city sewage system was installed after a home was built you may be living in a city WITH
a septic tank. I know of some locations in Prattville and
Millbrook where this occurs. So, before you assume you are being
serviced by the city sewage system, it is well worth asking the
question. A separate web page on the subject of septic tanks is available on this web site. |
| The above information has been researched on the Internet with suggestions, corrections and expertise provided by Dwight Leary owner and inspector of Home Check Consultants who is also featured on the Home Inspector web page a part of this site. |