SHOULD I DO THIS?
People are always asking inspectors if they should “do this or do that” and of course we always have an opinion!
This month I’m going to address some of these concerns.
These opinions are MINE and I’m sure some will disagree but after building and inspecting houses for 29 years I have a pretty good feel for what works and what doesn’t…
“Should I install gutters?”: A lot of folks from “up North” can’t believe houses down here don’t have gutters. The reason is we don’t have basements! I don’t believe in gutters because they’re expensive and just something else to maintain and clean out. The only exceptions are if you have erosion problems or pooling water around your foundation or have a pier and beam foundation. If you do install them and have trees around your house, be sure to have screens installed on top to keep out the leaves, unless you ENJOY getting on a ladder a couple times a year to clean them out…
Should I get a tankless water heater?: No. They DO save on gas but the payback period is WAY out there. You’ll never recoup the cost unless you stay in your home a LOT longer than the average person. They are very expensive to buy and install AND they need maintenance because they are very complex. If you want to save money in Texas, spend it on your a.c. The typical water heater in most homes lasts 15 years and gets NO maintenance (yes, you‘re SUPPOSED to drain them occasionally but no one does). We often see them 20-25 years old and most likely they’ve never been touched since the day they were installed ! Another little known issue with tankless units is that there is a short delay before you GET hot water because it takes awhile for them to sense the “need” and then actually start making it! 99.9% of the homes we inspect don’t have one. They are “green” and DO give you unlimited hot water (and don‘t take up much space), which is nice especially if you have a large “garden” tub which a std. water heater will NOT fill.
Should I clean my ducts?: NO, unless you have round metal ducts which very few people have. Cleaning older ducts can actually damage them and you’ll never get all the crud out of them. If you’re not real good about keeping your filter clean, what’s the point? Also, you must clean your COIL too (attached to your furnace), not just the ducts. AND, you need to have the duct system sealed properly or the problem will recur
Check out this great article before you do anything: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/airduct.html
Tags: home maint
