Danger Lurks in Odd Places

By Tom Branch, on March 17th, 2011

I was out showing one of my short sale listings in Little Elm, Texas this evening. After showing the property, I did my usual walk-around to check on the property. As I looked at the front of the house, my eyes drifted to the roof of the neighboring property. It took me a few minutes to digest what I was seeing. It appeared that the chimney flue for the gas hot water heater was missing!

Missing Chimney FlueIt had either been removed or had dropped into the attic. Either way it is a highly dangerous situation. Gas furnaces and hot water heaters produce carbon monoxide (among other things) and the flue usually vents the exhaust gases into the air outside of the home. In this case the gases were being vented into the attic of the home.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and toxic gas. Because it is impossible to see, taste or smell the toxic fumes, CO can kill you before you are aware it is in your home. At lower levels of exposure, CO causes mild effects that are often mistaken for the flu. These symptoms include headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue. The effects of CO exposure can vary greatly from person to person depending on age, overall health and the concentration and length of exposure.”

I attempted to contact the homeowner but nobody was home. I wound up leaving a handwritten note on the front door letting them know about the danger.

It’s a good idea to inspect the outside of your home on a frequent basis. You can often find problems in their early stages. I usually look for termite tubes and fire ant mounds around the foundation line. I also check out the roof for missing or damaged shingles. I’ve added missing flues to my checklist.

Tom Branch, Broker, CDPE, SFR

 

 

 

Photo ©2011 – Imaged2Sell

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Top 12 Easy Fixes Before Home Inspection

By Gina Branch, on March 1st, 2011

Congratulations, you finally have a contract on your house! You have successfully jumped one hurdle, but another big one is headed your way – the home inspection. Some sellers look around and don’t see anything really wrong with their house, so they are quite surprised when they get a huge list of requested repairs as a result of the inspection. 

12 Easy Fixes

Licensed from iStockPhoto

You and I see our houses every day, but an inspector comes in with a fresh set of eyes trained to look for specific things. While some of these items don’t seem like a big deal, an inspector is required to report them if not in proper working condition. A long list like this may send a message to the buyer that your house has not been well-maintained. Here’s a list of easy fixes you should address before putting your house on the market, and especially before the inspection:  

  1. Replace batteries in all smoke detectors.
  2. Replace missing or broken switch and outlet cover plates.
  3. Repair leaky faucets.
  4. Tighten loose doorknobs.
  5. Repair or replace outdoor weather stripping.
  6. Caulk doors and windows at the exterior brick or siding.
  7. Replace damaged or missing window screens.
  8. Replace broken window seals in doors and windows.
  9. Replace burned out light bulbs.
  10. Secure loose hand and stair railings.
  11. Patch holes and cracks in walls and ceilings – then repaint.
  12. Replace heating & A/C filters.

It’s always best to take care of these deferred maintenance items before the house goes on the market. And don’t forget the lawn – curb appeal is extremely important and is the potential buyer’s first impression.

*List provided by The Kissee Home Inspection Team.

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