New Home Inspection Requirements
If you think you’ve seen some pretty odd write-ups lately from inspectors, you’re not imagining things, it’s true!
Starting this past Spring, TREC has req’d inspectors to write up additional items. Some were being written up anyway, except for two: expansion tanks at water heaters and arc fault breakers in living areas.
What ARE these anyway???
Expansion tanks are small 2 gallon air tanks attached to the top of a water heater to allow for thermal expansion of the water in the tank which can harm the plumbing system incl. the water heater itself. Excess pressure will bleed off into the expansion tank instead of into the plumbing system.
As you know, the water heater has a pressure and temp. relief valve but it doesn’t open until the water is at 210 degrees or 150 psi ! Damage can occur long before that threshold is reached!
TREC only makes us write-up this item as a deficiency if it’s missing AND there is a pressure reducing valve at the water meter (because this valve acts as a “check” valve and won’t allow excess pressure in a home’s plumbing system to bleed back into the City water main.)
Arc Fault breakers will trip off if they sense an arc or “short” in and extension cord or the wiring leading to an outlet or switch. Obviously, an arc can cause a fire so that’s why these breakers are now commonly installed in new construction. If the home was built in 2009, they are installed in living areas and if the home was built since about 2003, they will be found in the bedrooms as well. Normal breakers can be replaced with these specialty items BUT some brands they are bigger than the standard type breakers so you’ll need more room in the panel (or a NEW panel).
Courtesy of Precision Inspection 282-0455 since 1983 license #105
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