old house problems august 2013
TRANSCRIPT
Common Problems in Older HousesOrange County Association Of Realtors August 07, 2013
HomePro New YorkM. Douglas Myerswww.HomeProNY.com 1-800-724-7088
What is an Old House?
Over 10 Years?25 Years?50 Years?100 Years?200 Years?400 Years?
Ageing An Old House
Timber Frame – Roman Times to Today.Balloon Framing – 1880’s – 1950’sPlatform Framing – 1950’s – TodayModern Era – 1960’s - Today
Timber Framing
Balloon Framing
Platform Building
Ageing A House By Its Plumbing
Ageing A House By Its Electrical
Knob and Tube – 1880’s – 1940’sCloth NM Cable – 1940’s – 1960’sPlastic NM Cable – 1960’s – PresentBX or Armored Cable – 1950’s – Present.Fuses – 1880’s – 1960’sBreakers 1950’s - Present
Common Old House Problems
StructureElectricalHeating and Air ConditioningPlumbing
Basement and Crawl SpaceAtticExteriorsEtc.
Common Home Problems
Top 10 Problematic Concerns
Surface Grading and Drainage:
Not correctly installed. This problem is the most frequent in number of occurrences. Water problems in basements are found to be mostly as a result of incorrect grading and drainage.
Poor Ventilation
Insufficient roof vents, blocked soffit ventilation and no air circulation in basement areas are most prevalent. Many basement areas require dehumidifiers. Low insulation levels are often found.
Incorrect Electrical Wiring
Undersized electrical services are the number one concern here.
Additional problems include Old wiring Exposed live wires Open boxes No GFCI or AFCI protection
Roof Damage
Roof leakage or shingles nearing their rated life and caulking on flashing not attended to every year are the biggest culprits.
Heating Systems
Dirty filters, no annual servicing, seized humidifiers, blocked chimneys and unsafe exhaust systems. This could lead to high CO levels.
Old boilers and furnaces
Old buried fuel tanks.
Plumbing
Galvanized pipes and lead soldering could lead to problems, possibly needing correction.
Old and unsafe water heaters
Old septic systems with steel tanks
Dug wells and springs
Poor water quality
Structural Related Problems
As a result of problems in other areas, spillover onto roof structure, floor joists, beams and foundations may occur, requiring serious alterations. Foundation cracking is often present but seldom of a serious nature.
Poor Maintenance
Exterior paint, wiring, plumbing and minor masonry repair.
Landscaping, grading, gutters and leaders.
Cleaning
Miscellaneous
Minor interior items, not affecting the integrity of the house.
Structural Problems
FoundationRoofingFraming
Bowed Foundation Wall
Cracked Foundation Blocks
Failing Block Foundation
Collapsed Block Foundation
Brick Foundation Failure
Improper Block Column
Braced Block Foundation Wall
Braced Block Foundation Wall 2
Braced Block Foundation Wall 3
Deteriorated Foundation Blocks
Amateur Repairs
Floor Framing Rot
Wood Column Rot
Fire Damaged Floor Structure
Split Roof Rafter
Cut rafter improperly supported
Cut rafter properly supported
Cut Floor Joist
Cut Floor Joist For Door
Collapsed Timber Frame
Floor Rot From Leaking Plumbing
Crawl Space Damage
Insect Damage
Powder Post Beetles
Termite Damage
Termite Damage
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter Ant Frass
Termite Control System
Carpenter Ant Damage
Very Large Termite Problem
Electrical Problems
• Undersized services
• 30 and 60 amp services
• 110v services
• Old style wiring
• Knob and Tube
• 2 wire cable
Deteriorated wiring
• Electrical Hazards
• Poor connections
• Missing junction boxes
• Aluminum wiring
• Etc.
Knob and Tube Wiring
Knob and tube wiring with over fusing
Knob and Tube Wiring
Old Fuse Panels
Burned Service Cable
Poor Connections
Over fusing And Double Taps
Double Tapped Circuits
Service Entrance In Contact With Downspout
Improperly Located Bathroom Switch
Knob And Tube In Attic
Knob And Tube Fire Damage
Over fusing
Secure Service Wire
Frayed Electrical Service
Improperly Installed Tandem Breakers
Neutral Wires Used As Hot Wires
Bundled Neutral Wiring
Improperly Located Wiring
Heating And Air Conditioning
• Oil Heat
• Gas Heat
• Electric Heat
Poor Vent Location
Furnace Fire
Back drafting Boiler
Boilers In Trouble
Energy Efficiency
Furnace’s In Trouble
Cracked Furnace Heat Exchanger
Asbestos On Heating Systems
Underground Storage Tanks
Leaking Buried Tank
Evidence Of Buried Fuel Tank
Evidence Of Buried Fuel Tank
Buried Tank Removal
Leaking Above ground Fuel Tank
Plumbing
Corroded gas piping
Frozen Pipes
Water Heater Vent Pipe
Too Many Vents In Chimney
Leaking Drain Line
Improper Drain Line Connection
Cracked Main Sewer Drain
Leaking Shower Drain
Improper Extension Pipe On TPR
Exteriors
Chimneys
Exterior Chimney
Chimney Never Completed
Deteriorating Flue Liner
Chimney In Need Of Rebuilding
Roof Concerns
Asbestos Shingles
Failed Asphalt Shingles
Failed Asphalt Roof
Improper Valley Flashing
Wind Damaged Roofing
Failing Built Up Roofing
Improper Flat Roof Flashing
Failing Paint On Aluminum Siding
Rotting Porch Structure
Rotted Window Sills
Window With Interior Damage
Window With Wall Removed
Drainage and Grade
Downspout misdirecting water
Old Cast Iron Drains
Water Signs In The Basement
Poor Yard Drainage
Failing Retaining Wall
Water Damaged Sheathing
Interior Concerns
Leaking Flashing In The Attic
Rot And Mold In Attic From Poor Ventilation
Broken Window Seals
Improper Electric Eye Location
Proper Electric Eye Location
Missing Insulation
