A pretty scary video came from one of the inspectors yesterday, and I thought, “Thank goodness he was there!” He had done an inspection on a house that was vacant, and well, you’ll see what he found. Had he not detected the problem, the owners or the Realtor could have walked into a very dangerous situation, or potentially no home left to walk into at all. It made me think about all the times that home inspectors catch things that might have seriously harmed or killed someone, and how grateful they are to be able to prevent that.
During this time when we all pause to reflect on the things for which we are most thankful, I found a few examples of times we were definitely thankful to be there.
Detecting Gas Leaks Around The House
We are thankful Inspector Luis noticed the slight odor of gas when he was checking the connections. This was a vacant house, so the gas might have been allowed to leak for an indefinite period creating a potentially deadly accident.
At another house, Inspector Brian was checking the gas meter and detected a leak there. Again, he noticed just a slight gassy odor, then #uponcloserinspection noticed tiny bubbles of moisture forming at the fitting, then he checked his gas detector.
If you ever notice that “rotten egg” smell of natural gas around the inside or outside of your home, first, try to locate the source of the smell. Is it coming from a connector near an appliance or fireplace, like the first video, or your meter like the second video? If you can find it, turn off the appliance. If you cannot find the source, or the leak is coming from the meter, leave your home immediately and call your gas provider. Make sure to leave doors open when you exit to provide ventilation.
Detecting Dangerous Carbon Monoxide Build Up
We are thankful that Inspector Brian got a little light-headed to show us this dangerous furnace set up. Especially as we move into winter, make sure your furnace is in proper working condition. The owners of this home were likely having some effects of carbon monoxide poisoning – or soon would have. The flames on the furnace indicate whether it’s burning efficiently – this one isn’t, so much so that it’s switching itself off. They should burn blue and strong, not flickering on and off like this one. And the carbon monoxide level – well, let’s just say the standard says you should evacuate when it gets above 35 PPM, and his meter is reading 287 PPM, so…
CSST Gas Line Identification & Protection
We’re thankful for identifying countless examples of CSST lines in North Texas that are not properly bonded and therefore at risk of damage due to nearby lightning strikes. It’s an issue that has been in the news and causes explosions in homes. The material used in gas lines is known to have this flaw and has strict new codes to protect homes that are fitted with it. You can tell if you have CSST, as in the first video, and the second shows lines that are not properly bonded. There needs to be a separate bonding wire connected either to the rigid gas piping before the CSST, or directly to one of the CSST nuts.
If you’re concerned about safety issues at home, you can have a Home Maintenance Inspection anytime to check for things that may be going wrong. Make sure your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are working, and that you have fire extinguishers handy in the event of a fire. Do a visual inspection of your furnace and if it looks old, dirty, smelly, or in general disrepair, have it serviced just in case.
Wishing you and yours a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
