Home Maintenance Tips

 Many home owners attempt to install electrical cables and fixtures in their home. While they are permitted to do this the work is required to be inspected.  Most DIY installations are immediately apparent when doing a home inspection.  The most common deficiency is “open grounds” where the positive and neutral wires are reversed.  This could be dangerous for some fixtures which will then have an electrical shock hazard.  In basement renovations this is an immediate indication that no building permit was taken out for project.

Another expensive electrical repair is when a home owner builds a bathroom with the electrical panel installed inside room.  This is not permitted and it will be quite expensive to move either the panel or the bathroom.

Aluminum wiring is considered a negative feature when installed in a home.  Although it is still legal most insurance companies will not insure a home with aluminum wiring.

Unprotected electrical cables are quite common on both the exterior and interior of homes.  Any electrical cable less than 5 feet above ground requires protection from mechanical damage.  Typically conduit or BX cable is used for this requirement.

Your homes plumbing type and condition can be very important to home buyers.  Kitec plumbing was used in many homes in Canada and was the target of a huge class action lawsuit. If you have Kitec plumbing in your home it is almost guaranteed to fail at some point.  Some insurance companies will not insure a home with galvanized plumbing, as it is long past its serviceable life expectancy.  Some older homes still has lead plumbing drains and possibly lead supply lines which have not been upgraded by the municipality.  A lot of older homes will also have sump pits installed but no weeping tile protecting the home.

Any older home has often been renovated a number of times.  Even new homes will typically had an unfinished basement renovated for added living space.  Many inspection deficiencies are located in the basement where someone has added walls, installed plumbing and electrical fixtures without a building permit.   The issue here is that these systems were installed without being inspected and are now mostly hidden.  Items such as using romex cable in steel stud walls without using proper attachments or plumbing fixtures not being properly vented.  Improperly installed electrical cables and fixtures are another big issue with Do it Yourself handyman renovators.

WETT Certified Inspections for wood stoves, fireplaces, fireplace inserts and pellet stoves.   Level One Wett Inspection meets the requirement of your Insurance Company.  We inspect your chimney, firebox, clearances to combustibles and look for any visible buildups of creosote.  Annual chimney cleaning is always recommended and if using as alternative heating source a minimum of 2 cleanings per year is recommended.  WETT Inspection report is issued at the time of inspection.