Philippe Heller

Now Serving Temecula and Murrieta

In 2004, we set out to create a home inspection company that "raised the bar". The San Diego Real Estate Inspection Company was one of the first companies to embrace computer-generated inspection reports. These reports are a huge improvement over checkbox style or "binder" reports which some inspectors still use today. We also pioneered the use of online scheduling which offered a whole new level of service for buyers and agents.

Most importantly, we use the latest state-of-the-art test equipment including Thermal Infrared Imaging cameras to provide thorough testing of every house we inspect. If you are not familiar with the use of Infrared Thermal Imaging, you owe it to yourself to learn about it. We identify moisture that other home inspectors can't.

All of our home inspectors are highly trained, prompt and courteous. Our office staff is friendly, knowledgeable and very helpful. As a result, we have become one of the largest independent inspection companies in San Diego.

We now want to offer the same high level of service to buyers in Temecula and Murrieta. Please visit our website to see how we differ from the other inspectors. You can read (and subscribe) to our blog which provides buyers and agents with valuable information; things you should know before making an offer. No one can match our flexibility, service and attention to detail. We look forward to serving you!

Asphalt Shigle Roof

A roof is one of the most expensive components of a home. Hundreds of different materials have been used as roofing material from sticks to plastic, and grass to glass. When you are looking for a home you need to know what type of roofing material is installed, if it was installed correctly, and the current condition. A thorough home inspection will include a detailed evaluation of the roof. A roof in poor condition can be a deal breaker, so here are some things to look for that can give you a heads-up about the condition of a roof.

The majority of the houses we inspect range in age from the 1950's to new. The most common roof material we see in San Diego is the three-tab composite asphalt shingle roof. It is made of oil-impregnated fiberglass material, with an aggregate (which looks like kitty litter) pressed into the surface. The aggregate adds color, but its primary purpose is to protect the shingles from UV exposure. Once the aggregate is worn, the shingle deteriorates rather quickly. The majority of asphalt shingles have a life expectancy of 20 or 30 years.

Before making an offer on a house, take a close look at the roof. If you see worn areas, this indicates that the shingles are nearing the end of their life. You can also do some simple math to estimate the age of the roof. If you are looking at a house built in 1970, the house is 40 years old. Assuming that the house originally had a 20-year asphalt roof, it was most likely replaced in the early 1990's. That means that the current 20-year roof is nearing the end of its 20 year expected life.

Look around the perimeter of the house for evidence that the aggregate is washing off of the roof. If you see piles of gritty material which is the same color as the roof, you'll know that the roof is deteriorating.

Tile Roof

The other most common roof type in San Diego is the tile roof. Authentic Spanish tile roofs are made from baked clay, and the color is solid all the way through. These tiles will last a long time; 50 - 100 years if properly maintained.

A less expensive, but very durable material is the concrete tile. These tiles are more uniform, and are color coated concrete. These come in a variety of shapes and colors. Tiles can be flat, or curved to emulate Spanish tiles. These tiles should last 50 years, however some of these tiles were poorly made and will not last that long. You will notice that some tiles, which should be glazed, are now dull and often have moss or dark staining on them. Some roof contractors will recommend that you replace these tiles.

Prior to the 1990's, many tile roofs were poorly installed without the metal flashings now common on tile roofs. On the older tile roofs, the bottom edge of the lower row of tiles was held up by a small board commonly called a

shadow board, so that the slope of the tile was consistent with those at the the upper rows. (On the upper rows, each tile rests on the top edge of the tile below it.) Without a shadow board, the bottom row of tiles lay at an different angle than the remainder of the roof.

The tar paper was draped over the shadow board. Over time, the paper sagged causing water to "pond". The standing water eventually damages the paper underlayment, which can cause damage to the wood under the paper, and the fascia. To make matters worse, the open end of arched tiles allows the sun to shine in on the paper. The UV rays caused the paper to dry out and shrink. Once the

paper deteriorates, water then pools behind the shadow board causing dry rot.

Newer tile roofs installed after the mid-1990's were installed with a metal flashing at the bottom edge of the roof. This flashing serves several purposes, it holds the bottom row of tiles at the correct angle, it encloses the open end of arched tiles, and it acts as a drip edge to direct water away from the fascia board.

There is another important reason to "close" the ends of the tile. Wind driven fires proved devastating even for houses with tile roofs. That is because embers were blown up into the roof through the open ends of the tile. There the embers start roof fires which are very difficult to extinguish. This flashing is often referred to as "bird stop" for its ability to keep birds from nesting under the tiles.

If you are purchasing a house that is 20 years old or more, take the time to look at the roof. You could save yourself a lot of heartache later.

Ever since the first indoor plumbing system was installed, homeowners have had to deal with leaks. Early drain lines were made from metal, often by black smiths, out of lead, steel or brass. Little was

Old toilet

known about hydrolics, venting, or drainage. But indoor plumbing was seen as such an advancement in sanitation that people put up with the poor functionality.

Fresh water delivery systems were next. After all, we needed some way to bring fresh water into the house to wash away the waste and bathe. This introduction of a constant source of water has been the frustration of countless homeowners ever since. Pressurized systems often fail causing major property damage.

Believe it or not, water can be very corrosive. This is especially true in Souther California. Most of our water comes from far away - either the Colorado River or the Sierra Nevada Mountains via hundreds of miles of aquaducts - that are very similar to the aquaducts of ancient Rome. It slowly eats away at our pipes until, with the help of the pressure, a leak develops. If you don't take care of the plumbing system in your house, you will pay a very high price.

30 year old angle stop valve - ready to burst!Old Pressure Regulator

Home inspectors often see plumbing systems and fixtures that are on the brink of failure. In the example here you see an angle stop valve from a 30 year old house. These valves are installed under bathroom and kitchen sinks, and at toilets throughout the house. This one is about as close to failure as you can get without an actual leak occurring. This is the most common item that goes into an inspection report. One slight tap on this valve and water will be pouring into the house. This same corrosion is also frequently observed at the top of water heaters where the water enters the tank, and where it leaves the tank. This is another common source of leaks. Corrosion at the top of water heaters can be easily ignored.

Most water heaters are installed on a platform, and you really have to go out of your way to see the top of the tank. You should do this at least once a year. Most of these visible defects are detectable if you just take the time to look. It's pretty easy to see corrosion or rust. But you have to take the time to look for it. A bigger danger is less obvious. Just like high

Corrosion at Water Heater

blood pressure, excessive water pressure in your plumbing can be hard to detect. But it is very likely to cause damage.

Most fixtures in a house are built to withstand a maximum pressure of about 80 psi. But the street pressure in many neighborhoods in San Diego are up to 120 psi. To maintain a constant pressure in your house, and prevent excessive pressure, most haouses have a pressure regulator installed. This is the bell-shaped device that is typically located at the front exterior wall of your house, or in the garage in newer homes. The regulator allows you to set the pressure, and it maintains that pressure for you. But just like all mechanical devices the regulator can fail. The rubber components inside the regulator deteriorate. When they do, the water pressure in your pipes can spike.When buying a house, it is critical to have your home inspector check the water pressure. And you should check the pressure periodically on your own.

There are usually some signs that indicate that the regulator has failed. If your toilet does not stop filling properly after flushing, the valve may be having trouble due to the high pressure. You may also notice that there is more noise coming from the tank when it is

Old Pressure Regulator

filling after a flush. This is due to the high water pressure. Another sign will be faucets that suddenly start to drip when they did not drip before. Or you may hear a watter happer when the dishwasher or clothes washer turns on and off. This is because thes appliances turn on and off abruptly. High pressure will cause a water hammer when a valve is slammed shut.

Another common source of leaks are those black rubber hoses that came with your old clothes

washer. Remember that these hoses are under pressure 24 hours a day. They are only rated for two years. Most people never change them. You should change these for braided steel washer hoses just to be safe.

Whether you are buying a home, or you just want to avoid a disaster, please take the time to check the plumbing. A home inspector can evaluate your plumbing system for you. There is no substitute for a thorough home inspection. Simple repairs and proactive maintenance can help you avoid costly damage to your home. For more tips, please subscribe to the blog at The San Diego Real Estate Inspection Company.

About the author: Philippe Heller is a home inspector in San Diego, and the president of The San Diego Real Estate Inspection Company. They are one of the largest inspection companies in San Diego, and one of the elite group of inspectors who use Thermal Infrared Imaging at each inspection.

Statistics compiled from InterNACHI, the worlds largest Home Inspector Association

Swimming pools should always be happy places. Unfortunately, each year thousands of American families confront swimming pool tragedies, drownings and near-drownings of young children. These tragedies are preventable. These are guidelines for pool barriers that can help prevent most submersion incidents involving young children. This designed for use by owners, purchasers, and builders of residential pools, spas, and hot tubs. These guidelines are not intended as the sole method to minimize pool drowning of young children, just helpful safety tips for safer pools.

Each year, hundreds of young children die and thousands come close to death due to submersion in residential swimming pools. CPSC has estimated that each year about 300 children under 5 years old drown in swimming pools. Hospital emergency room treatment is required for more than 2,000 children under 5 years of age who were submerged in residential pools. CPSC did an extensive study of swimming pool accidents, both fatal drowning's and near-fatal submersions, in California, Arizona and Florida, states in which home swimming pools are very popular and in use during much of the year.

• In California, Arizona and Florida, drowning was the leading cause of accidental death in and around the home for children under the age of 5 years.
• 75 percent of the children involved in swimming pool submersion or drowning accidents were between 1 and 3 years old.
• Boys between 1 and 3 years old were the most likely victims of fatal drownings and near-fatal submersions in residential swimming pools.
• Most of the victims were being supervised by one or both parents when the swimming pool accident occurred.
• Nearly half of the child victims were last seen in the house before the pool accident occurred. In addition, 23 percent of the accident victims were last seen on the porch or patio, or in the yard.
• This means that fully 69 percent of the children who became victims in swimming pool accidents were not expected to be in or at the pool, but were found drowned or submerged in the water.
• 65 percent of the accidents occurred in a pool owned by the victim's immediate family, and 33 percent of the accidents occurred in pools owned by relatives or friends.
• Fewer than 2 percent of the pool accidents were a result of children trespassing on property where they didn't live or belong.
• 77 percent of the swimming pool accident victims had been missing for five minutes or less when they were found in the pool drowned or submerged.

The speed with which swimming pool drownings and submersions can occur is a special concern: by the time a child's absence is noted, the child may have drowned. Anyone who has cared for a toddler knows how fast young children can move. Toddlers are inquisitive and impulsive and lack a realistic sense of danger. These behaviors, coupled with a child's ability to move quickly and unpredictably make swimming pools particularly hazardous for households with young children.

Swimming pool drownings of young children have another particularly insidious feature: these are silent deaths. It is unlikely that splashing or screaming will occur to alert a parent or caregiver that a child is in trouble. The best way to reduce child drownings in residential pools was for pool owners to construct and maintain barriers that would prevent young children from gaining access to pools. However, there are no substitutes for diligent supervision.

Why the Swimming Pool Guidelines Were Developed

Young child can get over a pool barrier if the barrier is too low or if the barrier has handholds or footholds for a child to use when climbing. The guidelines recommend that the top of a pool barrier be at least 48 inches above grade, measured on the side of the barrier which faces away from the swimming pool. Eliminating handholds and footholds and minimizing the size of openings in a barrier's construction.

For a solid barrier no indentations or protrusions should be present, other than normal construction tolerances and masonry joints. For a barrier (fence) made up of horizontal and vertical members if the distance between the tops of the horizontal members is less than 45 inches, the horizontal members should be on the swimming pool side of the fence. The spacing of the vertical members should not exceed 1-3/4 inches. This size is based on the foot width of a young child and is intended to reduce the potential for a child to gain a foothold. If there are any decorative cutouts in the fence, the space within the cutouts should not exceed 1-3/4 inches.

The definition of pool includes spas and hot tubs. The swimming pool barrier guidelines therefore apply to these structures as well as to conventional swimming pools.

How to Prevent a Child from Getting OVER a Pool Barrier

A successful pool barrier prevents a child from getting OVER, UNDER, or THROUGH and keeps the child from gaining access to the pool except when supervising adults are present.

The Swimming Pool Barrier Guidelines

If the distance between the tops of the horizontal members is more than 45 inches, the horizontal members can be on the side of the fence facing away from the pool. The spacing between vertical members should not exceed 4 inches. This size is based on the head breadth and chest depth of a young child and is intended to prevent a child from passing through an opening. Again, if there are any decorative cutouts in the fence, the space within the cutouts should not exceed 1-3/4 inches.

For a chain link fence the mesh size should not exceed 1-1/4 inches square unless slats, fastened at the top or bottom of the fence, are used to reduce mesh openings to no more than 1-3/4 inches.

For a fence made up of diagonal members (latticework) the maximum opening in the lattice should not exceed 1-3/4 inches.
Aboveground pools should have barriers. The pool structure itself serves as a barrier or a barrier is mounted on top of the pool structure. Then, there are two possible ways to prevent young children from climbing up into an aboveground pool. The steps or ladder can be designed to be secured, locked or removed to prevent access, or the steps or ladder can be surrounded by a barrier such as those described above. For any pool barrier, the maximum clearance at the bottom of the barrier should not exceed 4 inches above grade, when the measurement is done on the side of the barrier facing away from the pool.

If an aboveground pool has a barrier on the top of the pool, the maximum vertical clearance between the top of the pool and the bottom of the barrier should not exceed 4 inches. Preventing a child from getting through a pool barrier can be done by restricting the sizes of openings in a barrier and by using self-closing and self-latching gates.
To prevent a young child from getting through a fence or other barrier, all openings should be small enough so that a 4-inch diameter sphere cannot pass through. This size is based on the head breadth and chest depth of a young child.

Gates

There are two kinds of gates which might be found on a residential property. Both can play a part in the design of a swimming pool barrier.

Pedestrian Gates are the gates people walk through. Swimming pool barriers should be equipped with a gate or gates which restrict access to the pool. A locking device should be included in the gate design. Gates should open out from the pool and should be self closing and self-latching. If a gate is properly designed, even if the gate is not completely latched, a young child pushing on the gate in order to enter the pool area will at least close the gate and may actually engage the latch. When the release mechanism of the self-latching device is less than 54 inches from the bottom of the gate, the release mechanism for the gate should be at least 3 inches below the top of the gate on the side facing the pool. Placing the release mechanism at this height prevents a young child from reaching over the top of a gate and releasing the latch. Also, the gate and barrier should have no opening greater than 1/2 inch within 18 inches of the latch release mechanism. This prevents a young child from reaching through the gate and releasing the latch.

Other gates should be equipped with self-latching devices. The self-latching devices should be installed as described for pedestrian gates.

How to Prevent a Child from Getting UNDER / THROUGH a Pool Barrier

In many homes, doors open directly onto the pool area or onto a patio which leads to the pool. In such cases, the wall of the house is an important part of the pool barrier, and passage through any doors in the house wall should be controlled by security measures. The importance of controlling a young child's movement from house to pool is demonstrated by the statistics obtained during CPSC's study of pool incidents in California, Arizona and Florida. Almost half (46 percent) of the children who became victims of pool accidents were last seen in the house just before they were found in the pool.

All doors which give access to a swimming pool should be equipped with an audible alarm which sounds when the door and/or screen are opened. The alarm should sound for 30 seconds or more within 7 seconds after the door is opened and should be loud, at least 85 decibels, when measured 10 feet away from the alarm mechanism. The alarm sound should be distinct from other sounds in the house, such as the telephone, doorbell and smoke alarm. The alarm should have an automatic reset feature. Because adults will want to pass through house doors in the pool barrier without setting off the alarm, the alarm should have a switch that allows adults to temporarily deactivate the alarm for up to 15 seconds. The deactivation switch could be a touch pad (keypad) or a manual switch, and should be located at least 54 inches above the threshold of the door covered by the alarm. This height was selected based on the reaching ability of young children.

Power safety covers can be installed on pools to serve as security barriers. Power safety covers should conform to the specifications in ASTM F 1346-91. This standard specifies safety performance requirements for pool covers to protect young children from drowning. Self-closing doors with self-latching devices could also be used to safeguard doors which give ready access to a swimming pool.

Indoor Pools

When a pool is located completely within a house, the walls that surround the pool should be equipped to serve as pool safety barriers. Measures recommended above where a house wall serves as part of a safety barrier also apply for all the walls surrounding an indoor pool.

Guidelines

An outdoor swimming pool, including an inground, aboveground, or onground pool, hot tub, or spa, should be provided with a barrier which complies with the following:

1. The top of the barrier should be at least 48 inches above grade measured on the side of the barrier which faces away from the swimming pool. The maximum vertical clearance between grade and the bottom of the barrier should be 4 inches measured on the side of the barrier which faces away from the swimming pool. Where the top of the pool structure is above grade, such as an aboveground pool, the barrier may be at ground level, such as the pool structure, or mounted on top of the pool structure. Where the barrier is mounted on top of the pool structure, the maximum vertical clearance between the top of the pool structure and the bottom of the barrier should be 4 inches.

2. Openings in the barrier should not allow passage of a 4-inch diameter sphere.

3. Solid barriers, which do not have openings, such as a masonry or stone wall, should not contain indentations or protrusions except for normal construction tolerances and tooled masonry joints.

4. Where the barrier is composed of horizontal and vertical members and the distance between the tops of the horizontal members is less than 45 inches, the horizontal members should be located on the swimming pool side of the fence. Spacing between vertical members should not exceed 1-3/4 inches in width. Where there are decorative cutouts, spacing within the cutouts should not exceed 1-3/4 inches in width.

5. Where the barrier is composed of horizontal and vertical members and the distance between the tops of the horizontal members is 45 inches or more, spacing between vertical members should not exceed 4 inches. Where there are decorative cutouts, spacing within the cutouts should not exceed 1-3/4 inches in width.

6. Maximum mesh size for chain link fences should not exceed 1-3/4 inch square unless the fence is provided with slats fastened at the top or the bottom which reduce the openings to no more than 1-3/4 inches.

7. Where the barrier is composed of diagonal members, such as a lattice fence, the maximum opening formed by the diagonal members should be no more than 1-3/4 inches.

8. Access gates to the pool should be equipped to accommodate a locking device. Pedestrian access gates should open outward, away from the pool, and should be self-closing and have a self latching device. Gates other than pedestrian access gates should have a self-latching device. Where the release mechanism of the self-latching device is located less than 54 inches from the bottom of the gate.

• The release mechanism should be located on the pool side of the gate at least 3 inches below the top of the gate.
• The gate and barrier should have no opening greater than 1/2 inch within 18 inches of the release mechanism.

9. Where a wall of a dwelling serves as part of the barrier, one of the following should apply:

• All doors with direct access to the pool through that wall should be equipped with an alarm which produces an audible warning when the door and its screen, if present, are opened. The alarm should sound continuously for a minimum of 30 seconds within 7 seconds after the door is opened. The alarm should have a minimum sound pressure rating of 85 dBA at 10 feet and the sound of the alarm should be distinctive from other household sounds, such as smoke alarms, telephones, and door bells. The alarm should automatically reset under all conditions. The alarm should be equipped with manual means, such as touchpads or switches, to temporarily deactivate the alarm for a single opening of the door from either direction. Such deactivation should last for no more than 15 seconds. The deactivation touch pads or switches should be located at least 54 inches above the threshold of the door.
• The pool should be equipped with a power safety cover which complies with ASTM F1346-91.
• Other means of protection, such as self-closing doors with self-latching devices, are acceptable so long as the degree of protection afforded is not less than the protection afforded by the above.

10. Where an aboveground pool structure is used as a barrier or where the barrier is mounted on top of the pool structure, and the means of access is a ladder or steps, then:

• The ladder to the pool or steps should be capable of being secured, locked or removed to prevent access.
• The ladder or steps should be surrounded by a barrier. When the ladder or steps are secured, locked, or removed, any opening created should not allow the passage of a 4-inch diameter sphere.

These guidelines are intended to provide a means of protection against potential drownings of children under 5 years of age by restricting access to residential swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs.

Exemptions

A portable spa with a safety cover which complies with ASTM F1346-91 should be exempt from the guidelines presented in this document. A safety cover has straps with latches to hold the cover down, and attaches it to the sides of the spa. Swimming pools, hot tubs, and non portable spas with safety covers should not be exempt from the provisions of this document.

Even if you home inspector does or does not inspect the pool, please take the necessary steps to protect children from accidental drowning. Check with your local building department to see if there are additional restrictions in your area.

Philippe Heller
President
The San Diego Real Estate Inspection Co.
www.sdinspections.com