Preparing Trees for Winter

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In Oklahoma, home owners are often caught off-guard by ice storms.

Keeping your trees well-watered throughout the year makes them stronger during those ice storms and other extreme weather.

While some limb breakage is inevitable during extreme weather, properly pruned trees are an important precaution a homeowner can take toward protecting a property’s value.  Proper pruning protects from heavy snow fall, ice (usually more damaging than snow), and our sometimes-devastating spring storms with high winds.

While there are some pruning chores homeowners can do without endangering themselves or the tree, certified arborists are trained and outfitted for the big jobs.  Maintenance and damage repair on mature tall or spreading trees often require more skill and equipment than most people can handle safely.  The chore is fraught with danger, from electrocution to falls and being struck by heavy limbs.

Some pruning needs to take place when trees are young, which helps develop a stronger branching structure.  Thinning canopies of mature trees also can help reduce breakage, while too much thinning is detrimental.

As a home inspector in Oklahoma, I can tell you that tree branches that are not kept trimmed a recommended 5-10 ft from a home, can and often do cause damage to a homes roof and siding.

Shade trees are more structurally sound and cost-effective to maintain when they are allowed to develop one dominant, central trunk (or leader, as arborists call it).  If a trunk is allowed to develop two equal leaders, that juncture (or crotch) creates a weak spot prime for splitting.

Trees should be pruned so that branches are spaced along the dominant trunk, and they will be stronger than trees with many dominant branches.  Some experts say it’s best if this central leader reaches at least 30 feet high.

Safety First!  Consulting a professional is always recommended if you are tackling a project you have no experience with or are unsure of.

Here are some links to local arborists that can get the job done for you:

Bill Long Arborist
Cross Timber Arborist

Chainsaws flew off the store shelves following the last storm. Below are a couple of links to check out before purchasing one of the most dangerous tools available to the public.

Chainsaw Safety
Osha Quick Card

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French Drains

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As a home inspector in Oklahoma I see these french drains a lot.  I usually find them around homes that are built on a relatively flat lot, or at a point at which water needs to be taken away to avoid intrusion into a home or a feature such as a patio.  You may be surprised to hear this from a Home Inspector, but I am genuinely happy when I get to do an inspection during a heavy rain or just afterwards.  It gives me a better chance of ensuring that I catch any drainage problems the homes property may have that my client should be aware of.

Usually when I see these grates, which come in a variety of shapes and sizes, they are filled with debris.  This is their purpose, to catch debris before it enters into the drain pipe system and leads to a clog.  Best case scenario, the drain pipe takes the water to the street and to a main neighborhood drain, but this is not always the case.  Unfortunately, I often can find no evidence of where the drains lead to.

The bottom line is; french drain systems are like any other drain. In order for them to function properly they need to be kept clear of debris.  If you have drains like these or others, pay attention next time you get some good rainfall and see if they are doing their job.  If they are not, clear away any obstructions that you can gain access to.  Should the problem persist, I recommend you gave the drains cleaned professionally by a plumber using a power-feed drain cleaner.  If you fancy yourself or someone in the family as handy with tools like this, they can be rented at your local big box store for a reasonable fee.

Like any other home maintenance project, the longer you prolong the repair of these drains, the more costly the fix is likely to be.  I’ve seen homes requiring literally thousands of dollars in foundation repair as a result of roof drainage that could have been easily upgraded for less that $50 bucks when the problem first started

 

 

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Know What’s Below. Call 811 Before you Dig

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Experience

Believe you me, as a technician working for the cable and phone companies in Oklahoma for over a decade, we went through roll after roll of underground cable during the spring and the fall. On more than one occasion, in addition to cutting the customer’s own cable line, they had also damaged electrical and gas lines. It’s important to Know What’s Below. Call 811 Before you Dig.

It only takes a few seconds to damage a buried pipeline, but the consequences could last
a lifetime. Digging before having underground utilities marked puts you in serious danger
of injury or even death. There’s an easy way to prevent that – just dial 811! It’s a free
call that can keep you and your neighbors safe.

What’s Below

There is a vast network of pipelines, telecommunication cables and electrical wires buried underground that need to be identified before beginning any digging project, to prevent injury, damage and service outages.
One phone call to 8II from wherever you are will route your call to Okie811 which will
alert owners of pipelines, telecommunication cables and power lines to mark their buried
assets within two full business days of the request.

There’s no charge to you for this service.

You may also submit a locate request ticket online by visiting www.okie 811.org
or by downloading the Okie811 mobile app.

Any home inspector will tell you, whether you’re planting a tree or installing a sprinkler system, always remember to call 811 at least two full business days before you plan to dig to allow all utility line locations to be marked.

Whatever the time of year, be safe –
call 811 before you dig!

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Summer Home Maintenance Checklist

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Maintaining Your Home

When spring fades and summer sets in Oklahoma City, it’s a great time get outside and assess the exterior space of your home. Here is a summer home maintenance checklist to get you started.  Home inspectors will tell you, it does not take much time, but the pay off can be large as you address issues with your homes exterior that could lead to costly damage and repairs.

  • Check kids’ playground equipment.
  • Check your wood deck or concrete patio for deterioration.
  • Check the nightlights at the top and bottom of all stairways.
  • Check the exterior siding.
  • Check all window and door locks.
  • Check your home for water leaks.
  • Check the water hoses on the clothes washer, refrigerator, icemaker and dishwasher for cracks and bubbles.
  • Check lawn watering equipment and make sure it is not spraying against masonry walls.
  • Check all exterior lighting.
  • Check guttering and downspouts

 

 

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Flood Zones

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Flood Zones

Check with local authorities to determine if your home is in a flood-risk zone. If it is, check with local building officials. Higher standards than those set by national agencies have been adopted by many communities. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Flood Insurance Program have established and defined five major flood-risk zones and created special flood-resistance requirements for each.

For a flood map, visit www.nachi.org/go/femamaps.

Improperly designed grading and drainage may aggravate flood hazards to buildings and cause runoff, soil erosion and sedimentation in the zones of lower flood risk, according to the Interflood Zone and the Non-Regulated Flood Plain.

In these locations, local agencies may regulate building elevations above street or sewer levels.

In the next higher risk zones, the Special Flood Hazard Areas and the Non-Velocity Coastal Flood Areas (both Zone A), the elevation of the lowest floor and its structural members above the base flood elevation is required.

In the zone of highest flood risk, the Coastal High Hazard Areas (Velocity Zone, Zone V), additional structural requirements apply.

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Preventing Moisture Intrusion

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PREVENTING MOISTURE INTRUSION

Monitor the Exterior 

Planters:  Check any planting beds adjacent to the foundation of your house because planters are built in a way that traps water, which may infiltrate hidden areas of your home. The structure around the planting beds acts like a dam and traps water. Flower planters should never be installed up against a house’s exterior wall.

Puddles:  Puddles and areas of standing water are not good. The ground surface beneath decks, porches and other parts of a house that are supported by posts or cantilevered structures should be checked, especially if you have a sprinkler system. The ground should not have any low-lying areas but should be sloped so that water will not collect and puddle there. Settled backfill allows water to collect next to the foundation wall and penetrate the house’s foundation. 

Gutters & Downspouts:  Downspouts may need adjustment. Water from the roof reaches the ground through gutters and downspouts or by flowing directly off roof edges. Because downspouts create concentrated sources of water in the landscape, where they discharge is important. Downspouts should not discharge where water will flow directly onto or over a walkway, driveway or stairs. The downspouts on a hillside home should discharge on the downhill-side of the building. The force of water leaving a downspout is sometimes great enough to damage the adjacent ground, so some protection at grade, such as a splash block or a paved drainage chute, is needed. In urban areas, it is better to drain downspouts to an underground storm water drainage system, if there is one, or underground to discharge at a lower grade away from buildings. Water that flows directly off a roof lacking gutters and downspouts can cause damage below. Accordingly, some provision in the landscaping may be needed, such as a gravel bed or paved drainage way

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Retaining Walls

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Retaining Walls

If possible, weep holes and related drains should be assessed following a heavy rain to make sure they are working properly. If they are not discharging water, the drains should be cleaned out and observed again in the next rain. Retaining walls more than 2 feet high should be backed with drainage material, such as gravel. There should be drains at the bottom of the drainage material that should discharge the water either at the end of the wall or through pipes. These drains and the drainage material behind the wall relieve the pressure of groundwater on the wall. Failure to drain could be remedied by excavating behind the wall, replacing the drainage material and damaged drainage piping, and backfilling. In all but the driest climates, improper drainage of water from behind a retaining wall can cause the wall to fail.

Look for movement in your retaining walls. Bowing (vertical bulges), sweeping (horizontal bulges), and cracking in retaining walls can be caused by water pressure (or hydrostatic pressure). Bulging can also be a result of inadequate strength to resist the load of the earth behind the wall. Bowing and sweeping failures may be correctable if found early enough and if the cause is poor drainage. 

There are other types of failures of retaining walls. Failure by over-turning (leaning from the top) or sliding may be caused by inadequate wall strength. In addition, water behind a wall can create unstable earth, especially in clay soils, and contribute to sliding. Retaining walls also fail due to settlement and heaving. Settlement occurs whenever filled earth below the wall compacts soon after the wall is built, or when wet earth caused by poor drainage dries out and soil consolidates. In cold climates, poor drainage contributes to failure by creating heaving from frozen ground. Both overturning and sliding earth may be stabilized and sometimes corrected if the amount of movement is not extreme. Settling may be corrected on small, low walls of concrete or masonry, and heaving may be controlled by proper drainage. Significant failure of any kind usually requires rebuilding or replacing all or part of a wall. Consult a qualified professional when major repairs or corrections are needed

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Laundry and Utility Rooms

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Laundry and Utility Room

Watch

Watch for leaks and kinks developing at plumbing connections to the washing machine.  Water will overflow from the top or bottom if the machine is overloaded with a load that’s too big. This can also happen when it is resting on an uneven surface.  

Protect

Protect the electrical or natural gas connections to the dryer. In Oklahoma we often see these lines improperly disconnected after former home owners have moved out. Ensure that they are not disturbed or accidentally dislodged from their connections and, if disconnected, that they are properly capped off. 

A gas dryer vent that passes through walls or combustible materials must be made of metal.  The length of a dryer exhaust ensures that its blower will be able to push sufficient air volume to take away the laundry’s damp air and lint. The maximum length of the exhaust hose should not be greater than 25 feet from the dryer to the termination at the wall or roof.  The length can be increased only when the make and model of the dryer are known. 

Inspect

Inspect the dryer venting to make sure it is not clogged or restricted. As home inspectors we see this issue all the time. This will keep the unit unit operating efficiently.  A clogged or restricted vent hose may also lead to an accidental fire caused by the ignition up built-up debris.  

The clothes dryer exhaust poses a different problem than other exhaust systems because the air is damp and carries lint.  Ensure that the vent exhausts to the outside and not to the attic, crawlspace, or attached garage because the wooden structural members of the house could be affected over time.  The exhaust vent’s termination should have a backdraft damper installed to prevent cold air, rain, snow, rodents, and birds from entering the vent.  The vent termination should not have a screen on it, as this can trap lint and other debris and pose a fire hazard.

Furnace Room:  Rooms or closets containing combustion or fuel-burning equipment or appliances should not be located off a bedroom in a single-family residence (and must be in a publicly accessible area in a multi-family buildings)

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Window Maintenance

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Window Maintenance

Condition:  Window frames, sills and sashes should be monitored because the interior condition and hardware of windows change over time. As home inspectors in Oklahoma, we call out window issues at nearly every inspection we do. Frame materials can include plastic, aluminum, steel, wood, plastic-clad wood, and metal-clad (steel or aluminum) wood. Window types include double-hung, single-hung, casement, horizontal sliding, projected out or awning, projected in, and fixed. In addition to these, there are jalousies, which are glass louvers on an aluminum or steel frame. 

At older sashes, the glazing compound or putty around the glass panels should be monitored carefully, since this is a vulnerable part of the window and its repair is time-consuming. Check the panels in steel or aluminum sashes for signs of deterioration, such as hardened sealant. Check metal sashes for weep holes that have been blocked by paint, sealant or dirt. Weep holes are usually easy to clean. Storm windows and doors should be monitored for operation, weathertightness, overall condition, and fit. 

Weatherstripping:  Window and door weatherstripping is generally one of three types: metal; foam plastic; or plastic stripping. Each type should have a good fit. Check the metal for dents, bends and straightness. Check foam plastic for resiliency, and plastic stripping for brittleness and cracks. Make sure the weatherstripping is securely held in place. 

Shutters & Awnings:  Periodically check the shutters’ operation and observe their condition and fit. Shutters close to the ground can be examined from the ground. Shutters out of reach from the ground should be examined from inside the house. 

Monitor the condition of your awnings. The attachment to the exterior wall can become loose. Oftentimes, an attachment device in the mortar joint of a brick wall can be easily pulled or slid outward. Some windows and glazed exterior doors have awnings over them for decoration, sun control, and protection from the weather

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Water Leak Alarms

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Water Leak Alarm

Have you been stung financially from a water disaster in your home.  I have, and it’s no fun.

As a home inspector in Oklahoma City, I often encountered evidence of water-damage. The buyer will then ask how can they can prevent a similar events from happening in the future.   One example that comes to mind is having an additional water heater on a second level of a home, or in the attic.  One inexpensive way I have found is a battery operated water leak alarm.  These simple devices are inexpensive and you can easily place in areas that you have concerns about.

Just google “water leak alarm” and you will see a wide range of inexpensive options.  They are readily available at your local big box store or online.  These devices can be placed next to washing machines, sinks, water heaters, radiators, bathrooms, basements, boats or sump pumps inside garages or sink cabinets.

 

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