During the course of a home inspection I remind clients that in order for appliances to operate safely and efficiently, they should be maintained on a regular schedule as recommended by the manufacturer. In the photos above you will see a water heater that I came across at a home inspection. Clearly there are some combustion issues.
Rochester MN Home Inspector Finds Unsafe Wiring
Rochester MN Home Inspector Discusses Dryer Fire Hazards
Home Inspection Uncovers Unsafe “S” Trap
Home Inspection Detects Hazardous Gas
Home Inspection Points Out Improper Vent Termination
Rochester MN Home Inspector Discusses Radon Health Risk
Home Inspectors Discover Serious Water Heater Venting Problem
At a recent home inspection I came across a hot water heater in a utility closet in which the vent flue had become disconnected at the ceiling. In addition to the exhaust and CO venting directly to the closet, you can see that the paper on the adjacent sheetrock is heavily charred from the exhaust heat.
Blocked Furnace Venting Found During Home Inspection
Rochester MN Home Inspector Finds Bees In The Basement
Home Inspection Reveals Damage After The Storm
Home Inspection Uncovers Plugged Soil Stack
Rochester MN Home Inspectors Video On Soil Stack Flashing
Home Inspection Exposes Deteriorated Chimney Cap
After years and years of exposure to the elements, the mortar and wash cap around your tile chimney top can start to crack and deteriorate. These types of defects should be noted by your home inspector at the time of your home inspection.
Cracks in your chimney cap should be caulked or sealed in order to prevent damage form freeze/that cycles during the harsh Rochester MN weather. When water is trapped in the masonry or mortar joints, freezing literally starts to break the chimney apart.
Small cracks can be sealed with masonry caulk, or silicone. The best choice would be a urethane or one part epoxy product.
After inspecting your chimney mortar and cap for cracks and deterioration, clean the cracks with a brush or air spray. Fill the cracks with caulk and/or sealant. Caulk should only be used if the cracks are relatively small. You should inspect your chimney cap at least once a year. If it is too high or dangerous for you to attempt yourself, contact a local Rochester MN chimney contractor to perform an inspection and repairs.
Larger cracks or major chimney repairs should be handled by professional masons or certified chimney sweeps. If the chimney cap is in real bad shape, the long term solution would be to have the cap replaced with poured concrete. The concrete mix used should be formulated to withstand the weather extremes and moisture. Caps should have adequate expansion joints between the concrete and the clay chimney flue tile. This expansion joint should be sealed after the chimney cap is cured. Pre cast chimney caps may also be available in various sizes from you local chimney contractor.