Home for the Holidays

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Traditions

Like all cultures around the world, America has a lot of traditions.  These rituals run deep in our culture and are strongly reflected in our holiday movies that we watch at this time of year.  A message that runs through all of them is the need to be at home for the holidays.  Home and family provide us with some of the most stressful times in our year as well as some of the most heartwarming and memorable.

Being home for the holidays means traveling for many as families come together.  This special time may be the only time of the year family members spend time with each other in the same room, and there are lots of opportunities for mishaps. Fortunately, with some planning, most of these can be avoided.

Play it Safe

Here are a few tips, from a home inspector’s point of view, to ensure the memories you make this holiday season will be the ones you intended to make:

  • Fireplace:  If you are going to use your fireplace, make sure it is safe to use, clean and well-maintained.  For decorative or  gas logs, be sure to follow manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Children:  Keep small children away from the hazards of a wood-burning or decorative fireplace. Guests visiting your home may need some fireplace education and supervision.
  • Decorations:  Make sure holiday decorations are placed well away from any heat source.
  • Extension Cords:  Avoid using extension cords, especially on the interior of the home.
  • Cooking:  Clean your range cook-top and oven so they are safe to use.  Keep small children away from the range area while cooking. Click HERE for more information about the anti-tip device that should be installed on your range.
  • Take Care of Yourself:  Don’t over do it.  As you are getting ready for guests, be sure to stay hydrated, take breaks, take deep breaths, ground yourself in the present moment throughout the day, and get as much rest as possible.
  • Alcohol:  Avoid consuming alcohol or other mood-altering substances while setting up your holiday decorations and festivities.
  • Ladders:  Read and follow labels on ladders.  This is one of the most dangerous tools many of us have.
  • Air Conditioning:  DO NOT run the air conditioner when it’s cold outside and hot inside.  Options are to open windows and turn on the central fan, ceiling fans, and free-standing fans. Click HERE for important information to avoid damage to your HVAC system.
  • Windows:  Open your windows to let heat, odors or smoke out of your home.  It is a good idea to leave a living room window cracked open for fresh air with a home that’s full of family.
  • Smoke Detectors:  Make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are in place and operational.

Enjoy

The world comes at all of us at a super fast pace.  Being home for the holidays is a perfect time to slow down, create and savor the moments that make life beautiful.

From all of us at Home Run Inspections, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and Holiday season.

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Home Run Inspections, LLC
Oklahoma:  405-905-9175
Florida:  850-203-3239
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Serving the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Yukon, Piedmont, Bethany, El Reno, Tuttle, Mustang, Moore, Norman, Midwest City, Del City, Choctaw, McCloud, Shawnee, Harrah, Newalla, Jones, and more.

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It’s Time for Daylight Savings!

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It’s time for daylights savings, and accordingly the sun will rise and set earlier.  Correspondingly, the shortened evenings can be a real bummer. This is a great time for some home maintenance. After manually changing your clocks, take care of a few other essential tasks.

  • Put Fresh Batteries in Smoke Alarms/Detectors
    For personal safety, verify your smoke alarms/detectors are working, & give them a fresh set of batteries. Replace expired/outdated smoke alarms/detectors.
  • Reverse & Clean Ceiling Fans
    To save on heating costs, clean the fan blades, & flip the switch on the side to reverse the blades. In the summer, you want the fan’s blade to spin counter-clockwise, which pushes air down. In the winter, it’s better for your fan to spin clockwise, which will pull the cold air up.
  • Service the Heating System & Replace Air Filters
    To verify proper safety & functionality, prevent costly repairs, & extend the life of the heating system, have a licensed HVAC professional service it & replace the air filters. Check air filters monthly, & replace them when they are dirty.
  • Clean the Gutters
    In order to avoid costly repair bills, clean debris from gutters, or hire someone else to do so. Generally, cleaning gutters now will be much easier than if you wait until winter to do so.
  • Restock Your Emergency Kit
    Always be prepared with an emergency kit stocked with non-perishable food, water, important docs, and first-aid supplies in the event of an earthquake, tornado, hurricane, or some other disaster. Replace any outdated items.

Let us know if you have any questions; we’re here for you!

Scott Price & The All Star Team
Home Run Inspections, LLC
Licensed, Insured, Certified, Professional, Master Inspectors
OK (405) 905-9175 * FL (850) 203-3239

www.HomeRunInspections.Com – – Schedule Inspections Online 24/7!

We Cover All the BasesServing the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Yukon, Norman, Bethany, El Reno, Tuttle, Mustang, Moore, Piedmont, Midwest City, Del City, Choctaw, McCloud, Shawnee, Harrah, Newalla, Jones, and more.

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Stairs Maintenance

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Stairs Maintenance

Structural Integrity: All stairs must be kept structurally sound. Don’t forget to examine the basement stairs. Check the area where they meet the floor and where they are attached to the floor joists above.

Stair Width and Clearance: Stairways should have a minimum headroom of 6 feet and 8 inches, and width of 3 feet.

Treads and Risers: The riser of a stair is the height of the step. The tread is the step’s depth. Riser heights and tread depths should be as uniform as possible. All treads should be level and secure. As a guide, stairs in new homes must have a maximum riser height of 7-3/4 inches and a minimum tread depth of 10 inches. The maximum difference in height for risers and depth for treads should not exceed 3/8-inch.

Handrails and Guardrails: You can check a railing’s stability and its fastenings by shaking it vigorously. Handrails are normally required to be 34 to 38 inches above the stair nosing on at least one side of all stairways having three or more risers. Guardrails are required on open sides of stairways and should have intermediate rails that do not allow the passage of a sphere 4 inches in diameter.

Lighting: All interior and exterior stairways should have a means to illuminate the stairs, including landings and treads. Interior stairways should have a light located at each landing, except where a light is installed directly over each stairway section. Public stair and hallway lights in multi-family buildings should be operable from centralized controls.

Smoke Detectors: In addition to having them installed in each bedroom or in hallways adjacent to each bedroom, smoke detectors should be installed above stairways and hallways. They should be located on or near the ceiling, near the heads of stairs, and away from corners. Periodically check the operation of all smoke detectors by pushing their test buttons.

#stairs #stairmaintenance #stairsafet

Home Run Inspections, LLC

Oklahoma:  405-905-9175

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We Cover All the Bases!Serving the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Yukon, Norman, Bethany, El Reno, Tuttle, Mustang, Moore, Piedmont, Midwest City, Del City, Choctaw, McCloud, Shawnee, Harrah, Newalla, Jones, and more.

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Gas Wall Heater

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Gas Wall Heater

One of the more common features is a Gas Wall Heater in a bathroom. These units provide a nice and toasty bathroom in the winter, but they present a significant hazard to the resident. These ventless appliances put carbon monoxide flue gases into the room. In addition, these bathrooms rarely had a good ventilation system other than the window which is often either not used, sealed shut, or missing due to later home modifications. This creates a very unsafe situation that should be addressed. A similar type of heater might also be found in a garage or workshop.

Our Home Inspection Report recommends the removal of this type of heater.   An alternative to removing the heater is to have it disconnected from the gas source. Once disconnected, the unit is safe and looks vintage groovy. I’m sure one could find some unique ways to decorate it on Pinterest or some other social media outlet.

Pass or Fail

People often ask me “what are the things that fail a home inspection?”. Well, truth be told, home inspections are not a pass or fail inspection. They are designed to provide the buyer with a detailed report about the condition of the home they are  purchasing. A home is full of Systems. As Home Inspectors, we endeavor to educate buyers about those systems.

If your Home Inspector inspects a classic home for you, built pre-1975, you may come across a lot of outdated but very vintage appliances and systems such as a vintage ventless wall heater. Being the owner of a multi-inspector company since 2015 and doing an average of over 800 inspections per year exposes our inspectors and company to a lot of novel features we need to be able to inspect and provide accurate information on.

Thanks for stopping by our blog. Check back often, and feel free to pass on our information or reach out to us with any questions

Home Run Inspections, LLC

Oklahoma:  405-905-9175

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We Cover All the Bases!

Serving the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Yukon, Piedmont, Bethany, El Reno, Tuttle, Mustang, Moore, Norman, Midwest City, Del City, Choctaw, McCloud, Shawnee, Harrah, Newalla, Jones, and more.

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Anti-Tip Bracket for the Free-Standing Range

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People often wonder “what do they look for in a home inspection?”. Well, as home inspectors, we inspect all the major systems of the home. A very important section of any Home Inspection Report is the Appliance section. An easily installed safety device called the anti-tip bracket often shows up in the home inspector’s list of recommendations or deficiencies.

What Is It?

The anti-tip bracket should be installed on all free-standing ranges. All new free-standing ranges come with this device along with instructions on how to install it properly. In fact, we often find it stored in a kitchen drawer! A properly installed anti-tip bracket will prevent the range from tilting forward and tipping over.

Why Have It?

There are many scenarios in which this disaster could take place. One of the most common could occur when pulling a large, heavy meal forward on the oven rack such as a holiday turkey. This added weight could cause the range to tilt forward and tip over, endangering anyone in the immediate area. Other scenarios include a child crawling onto an opened oven door or an elderly person falling forward while trying to lift a cooked dish.

What To Do

As home inspectors, we call out deficiencies like this all the time. We do so because we know the importance of these safety features. Install the anti-tip bracket on your free-standing range immediately if it is missing. You can buy the anti-tip bracket in most hardware stores, but be sure to check your kitchen drawers for it first; it may be lurking there! The anti-tip bracket can be easily installed using items often found in the most basic tool kits:  a pencil, a measuring tape, and a screw driver or power drill. If desired, a handyman or appliance installation & repair professional can get the job done for you.

Contact us if you have questions or if you need to schedule a home inspection; we’re here for you!

Home Run Inspections, LLC

Oklahoma:  405-905-9175

Florida:  850-203-3239

Info@HomeRunInspections.com

We Cover All the Bases!

Serving the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Yukon, Piedmont, Bethany, El Reno, Tuttle, Mustang, Moore, Norman, Midwest City, Del City, Choctaw, McCloud, Shawnee, Harrah, Newalla, Jones, and more.

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Locating Your Water Shut-Off

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When temperatures rise above freezing,  a significant number of water plumbing problems will show themselves.  When or if a plumbing problem does show up in your home, you will need to know where the water shut-off to your home is located. Due to the number of problems this deep freeze is going to cause, it might be a while before you can get that repair done.  It is a good idea to get the phone number handy for a local, reputable plumber just in case.

Hopefully you already have an idea of where the water shut-off is located.  If you had your home inspected by Home Run Inspections LLC, you got that information from your inspector at the end of your inspection and also have that information in your inspection report.  If you cannot locate your inspection report or email with the inspection report link, give us a call, and we can re-send that to you.

Possible Locations

Let’s explore some possible locations.  Fortunately, in many modern homes, it is located on the interior of your home.  Better yet, interior water shut-offs typically require no special tools to operate them. Handles are, in older homes, like that on an exterior hose spigot.  Newer interior valves have a handle that you grab and move about 1/4 turn to the right.

Possible Locations:

  • Street Side Meter Vault
  • Garage
  • Laundry/Utility Room
  • Under the Kitchen Sink
  • Under the Bathroom Sink
  • Hallway Closet
  • Front Bedroom Closet

The valve handle may be readily visible, or it may be behind a wooden or plastic door.  These doors are typically located about 12″ above the floor. Although, I have seen them at eye level when the valve is part of what is called a plumbing manifold.

If you have well water, the shut-off valve will be at the well equipment or you can shut water supply off by turning off power to the well head itself.  This breaker is usually located at the electrical panel which is typically located in the garage or on an exterior wall.  It can be located at the well equipment itself if the equipment is in an exterior structure.

Even if you are fortunate enough to have an interior water shut off that you can access from the comfort of your home without a tool,  your main water shut off is typically streetside at the front of your home.  For a lot of home owners, this is the only water shut off available.  To access this vault, you will need a tool referred to as a church key or water meter vault key.

Tools Needed

The top of this very cool tool looks similar to a flag and is the part that is used to open the lid.  Simply insert and turn. Sometimes you can just lift it off.  Others will require a little finesse to get the mechanism to release the lid.  The U-shaped attachment at the end of the tool. is used to turn the valve at the bottom of the vault.  Fit the attachment on the top of the valve. Then, using the top handles, turn the valve (typically to the right) until you feel a stop.  You should leave a faucet or tub running before going to turn this valve off.  This will allow you to see the meter running at the beginning and then to see it stop when you have successfully closed the valve.

Of course, this process may be above the scope of what you or any member of your household may be able to accomplish.  In that case, call your local water company, advise them of the problem, and they will have someone come out to shut off the water for you.

Hopefully you have found this article helpful.  If so, be sure and share it with friends and family that may find it helpful as well.  At Home Run Inspections LLC, we understand that owning a home is a big responsibility. We do our best at every inspection to help our clients better understand not only any problems that the home may currently have, but also how to manage problems that will likely occur while they enjoy life in the home they have chosen.

At Home Run Inspections we make it easy to get your inspections done. Schedule your inspection online today!

Home Run Inspections, LLC

Oklahoma:  405-905-9175

Info@HomeRunInspections.com

We Cover All the Bases!

Serving the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Yukon, Piedmont, Bethany, El Reno, Tuttle, Mustang, Moore, Norman, Midwest City, Del City, Choctaw, McCloud, Shawnee, Harrah, Newalla, Jones, and more.

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Frozen Plumbing Pipes

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Protecting your home from frozen plumbing pipes will save you a lot of money, time and trouble. Winter often means freezing temperatures, unless you live in south Florida. A real “cold snap” can mean outdoor temps will remain below freezing for up to 2 weeks. Wind chill can drop temps to as low as 20 below zero in some areas. Vulnerable plumbing (even in homes or buildings that have never experienced problems), can experience frozen plumbing pipes.

Extra precautions should be taken if you are in an older home. This is especially important if you have a crawlspace. Owners of newer homes or buildings must also be careful not to leave a water hoses attached to their exterior faucets.  They should be covered with some form of insulation as well, particularly if they are on the North side of the home.

Precautions to Take: Exterior

There are a few things you can do to reduce the chance of having frozen plumbing pipes:

  • Disconnect  all exterior water hoses attached to faucets and install an insulated cover over it to help protect it. Pre-made exterior spigot covers are generally readily available and cheap at your nearest hardware store. In a pinch, a towel wrapped around the spigot and secured with duct tape or some type of strap.
  • Cover any open crawlspace vents. Vent Covers are inexpensive and easily installed by the home owner.

Precautions to Take: Interior

  • Set you’re faucets to run at a slow drip. It’s not necessary to turn on all the faucets in your home. Focus on the ones closest to exterior walls. Leave these few faucets on during especially bitterly cold weather. Running water, even a small trickle, can make all the difference.
  • Moving water produces a small amount of heat and is harder to freeze than standing water. Leaving a few faucets running will help prevent ice blockages from forming in your plumbing. Running faucets also relieves pressure build up in cold pipes. This helps to keep your pipes from bursting, even if the water inside freezes.
  • If both hot and cold water lines are exposed, leave both slightly running to make sure pressure doesn’t build up in one and not the other.
  • Use a space heater in the garage or other areas where there is plumbing with no heat source, especially plumbing near exterior walls.
  • Lastly, for good measure, open all the cabinet doors where any plumbing is located to get warm air in there. Again, this is especially important on plumbing near exterior walls.

Cold spells can spell “big bucks” for the plumbing professionals.  I’m all for keeping the small business man in business but, there’s no need to spend that money until you have to, right?  So take a few minutes to get a plan in place to reduce your risk of unnecessary repair costs, and share this article with someone you know that should do the same

Home Run Inspections, LLC

Oklahoma:  405-905-9175

Info@HomeRunInspections.com

We Cover All the Bases!

Serving the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Yukon, Piedmont, Bethany, El Reno, Tuttle, Mustang, Moore, Norman, Midwest City, Del City, Choctaw, McCloud, Shawnee, Harrah, Newalla, Jones, and more.

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Dryer Vent

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A home encases a variety of systems.  

These systems, by their very nature and design, require regular maintenance.  At Home Run Inspections, LLC, we do our best to educate our clients about the home and the systems they will need to attend to over time:  where the dryer vent is located, where the breaker panel is located, where the sewer clean out is located, for example.

The Dryer Vent

One of the most utilized and arguably most ignored systems in a home, is the dryer exhaust vent.  Depending upon how many people live in a home, this vent is utilized weekly and often several times weekly (if not daily).As a home inspector in Oklahoma City and completing over 100o inspections personally and overseeing over 4000 as a company, I can confidently tell you most dryer vents we inspect have problems.  We have a long list of potential recommendations based on the training we gain as home inspectors, but more importantly, from experience.  Issues range from the most common, a disconnected exhaust pipe in the attic or crawlspace or a missing dryer exhaust, to the more difficult to identify as in difficult to observe obstructions or incorrect vent discharge point.

All of our reports tell you about your dryer vent, what it is composed of and where it discharges.  Our home inspectors like to take a picture of the discharge point, along with an up-view of the vent to identify blockages or missing parts.

Most Common Issue

By far, the most common recommendation is to clear blockages.  I’ve read in more than one place that obstructed dryer vents are one of the most common starting points for residential home fires.

One of the cooler aspects about our jobs as home inspectors in Oklahoma City is discovering innovative ways to deal with common home system problems.  These upgrades often come in the form of a new product offered by service companies, but they often may be a resolution created by the home owner.

Innovative Practices

The above photos show an ingenious way to slow the accumulation of lint in the dryer vent pipe.  A common problem for a typical home concerns the vent pipe.  Hot moist air is carried through the cool, unconditioned space(the attic) during the winter.  This can cause build up of lint as condensation on the inside of the pipe.

I’ve also seen a booster fan mechanism that you can insert in the pipe to help move the moist air to the discharge point more quickly and presumably reducing problems.

Which brings us to one of the most important aspects of the dryer vent system; the exhaust vent exterior.

Exhaust Point

This is a point that also often experiences a collection of moist lint over time, and thus an obstruction. This point is often at the roof. It can also be other locations such as an exterior wall, roof soffit, or even the crawlspace.

As you can see, out of sight out of mind does not always end well.  Moisture and lint in the attic or crawlspace is a no-no. Exhausted air should always discharge to the exterior.

Take a look at our Report process for insights on how we really go the extra mile to tell you all about your potential purchase.

Keep us in mind when you or someone you know needs a residential or commercial property inspection. Scheduling is a breeze on our website 24/7 in the Oklahoma City Metro or Florida Panhandle.

We look forward to exceeding your expectations while we Cover all the Bases!

Home Run Inspections, LLC

Oklahoma:  405-905-9175

Info@HomeRunInspections.com

We Cover All the Bases!

Serving the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Yukon, Piedmont, Bethany, El Reno, Tuttle, Mustang, Moore, Norman, Midwest City, Del City, Choctaw, McCloud, Shawnee, Harrah, Newalla, Jones, and more.

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Covering All the Bases

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(termite tubes in a locked exterior mechanical closet)

Oklahoma Standards of Practice

As a licensed home inspector, we follow the State of Oklahoma Standards of Practice.  There is a long list of systems that we inspect and describe at a home inspection.  Covering all the bases includes the big systems you would think of like the roof, plumbing, electrical, and structure.  A good home inspector is a strong sense of curiosity along with an educator’s heart.

There are a lot of things to inspect on homes that are not covered by Oklahoma’s Home Inspector SOPs.  For example, home inspections do not cover (unless contracted to) termites, pool and spa systems, well and septic systems, sewer lines, and in-slab HVAC ducts to name a few.  Home buyers often want and need these systems inspected.  That creates a lot of extra work for the buyer and or their agent to make sure all of these specialists show up at the same time.

(object puncturing sewer line creating an obstruction and waste leak into the yard)

Covering All the Bases

As a business owner in Oklahoma City, I saw early on that it would be a lot easier on customers for our company to incorporate those other inspections into our Home Inspection services offered.  It’s been a challenge as a Home Inspector to learn about all of these other systems. Not only have we completed the course work, but have received hands-on training from the experts.  I believe we have done a great job of becoming the  One-Stop-Shop that makes the home buying process far less complicated.

We now have the equipment to provide all kinds of inspections(cover all the bases) that you may need for your inspection.  These include pool and spa, well and septic, duct and sewer scoping, Indoor Air Quality test, and more.

Home Run Inspections, LLC

Oklahoma:  405-905-9175

Info@HomeRunInspections.com

We Cover All the Bases!

Serving the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Yukon, Piedmont, Bethany, El Reno, Tuttle, Mustang, Moore, Norman, Midwest City, Del City, Choctaw, McCloud, Shawnee, Harrah, Newalla, Jones, and more.

Schedule Your Inspections Online at:

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