Its not often but I do come across lead main water pipes. These pipes are usually found in homes built before 1930. The tell tail sign of the lead water pipe is the bulb that is visible at the connection. Lead pipes are not threaded so they have a bulbous connection. I always recommended that lead pipes be changed out because of the health risks that are associated with lead in drinking water. Lead can cause neurological damage especially in children. If you have a lead water pipe you should replace it. The issue with replacement is that it can be very expensive. Typical replacement costs are $6,000 but can be much higher depending on complexity and distance from the home to the street water connection. At a minimum you should contact your local water authority and have your drinking water tested if you have an older home.
LookSmart is a NJ home inspector who performes new Jersey home inspections in Nothern and Central New Jersey. John Martino is a NJ member of the Independent Home Inspectors of North America.
I was at a radon re-certification class yesterday and they had a speaker from a radon lab in New Jersey called Radiation Data. It is the lab where I also send my radon kits to be analyzed. The topic of radon in granite counter tops in homes was discussed. I really don’t think there should be very much debate at all. Simply, the amount of radon that is released from granite counter tops is very minimal. Yes granite counter tops can release radon however not enough to be of real concern. In my opinion the whole radon released from granite counter tops is way overblown. Another issue is that there is no set methodology for testing in place. So one company may test one way and then another company may have another set of protocols for testing granite. I think the main take home message here is that yes radon is a serious health risk however its the room air that should be tested as a whole and not just the kitchen or the room with the granite. I recommend putting the test as per DEP protocol on the lowest living level and then determining what the radon reading is. if its high then you can remediate. There is really no need to have a separate test for granite. I suspect
It never fails that probably the single most prevalent issue that I find while doing home inspections is the lack of grading away from the home. I can pull up to ten homes and I guarantee eight out of the ten will have grading issues. Homeowners spend a fortune each year on basement water proofing remedies when the vast majority of basement water issues are caused by improperly sloped soil around the home. If your home has a basement water problem your first line of corrective action is to slope the soil away from the home around the entire exterior perimeter. Next make sure gutters and downspouts are not obstructed. Clogged gutters and downspouts can pour water right against the exterior walls of the home, right where you don’t want it. You want downspouts to discharge at least five feet away from the exterior walls of the home. I have inspected homes where the soil is steeply graded toward the house and the sellers wonder why water is getting into the basement. Many of the foundation walls that I see while inspecting homes in NJ are block. Block
Welcome to LookSmart Home Inspections new Blog page. It is here that I hope to share information about New Jersey home inspections with buyers and other NJ home inspectors. I will provide a wealth of information about home inspections and the inspection process. The thing that I most enjoy about being a home inspector is helping people make informed purchasing decisions about what is probably the largest purchase of their lives. The home inspection for me is a communication with the buyer about the issues that exist in the home and also an educational piece as well. My goal is to provide my home inspection clients with very accurate reporting on the problems that exist in the home. I really enjoy being the buyers advocate and take my responsibility to my client very seriously. When I find problems with a home I show and communicate that to my clients in a very down to earth and real way. The overall satisfaction of my clients is my only goal. So thank you for reading my first post. Please click through the pages of my website I think you will find the information on my website informative and timely
Thanks John
