Though many homes are currently being constructed using PEX, PVC, and other types of plastic piping for residential water supplies, there is still a great deal of copper plumbing in service. Since the 1960s, copper piping has been the standard for water lines because of its beneficial qualities such as ease of bending, ready availability, and durability. However, ask anyone who has performed many home inspections, and you’ll learn that one common issue with copper pipes is corrosion.
One of the household systems a qualified inspector will check during a home inspection in Philadelphia is the plumbing, and it’s not uncommon to find evidence of corrosion in copper pipes. Corrosion can happen for many reasons. However, no matter its cause, when copper corrosion is discovered during a residential inspection, it must be repaired immediately to prevent further damage to surrounding structures. Keep reading to learn about a few of the common causes of corrosion within the home.
The relative acidity or alkalinity of water is rated using the pH scale. Substances with a low pH are considered acidic, while a high pH means that the substance is more alkaline. Neutral pH is considered 7, but the scale goes from 0 to 14. Water that has a low pH can lead to corrosion in copper pipes because it dissolves the protective copper oxide layer that forms inside the pipes in the presence of alkaline water. That layer of copper oxide protects the pipe and prevents oxidation, and when it isn’t present, corrosion is accelerated. That can lead to an eventual pinhole leak in your plumbing that can wreak havoc on utility bills and surrounding structures.
The water that is in your plumbing has fluctuating levels of dissolved gases, one of which is oxygen. When the temperature of the water is higher, there is usually more oxygen present. How does this impact corrosion? Oxygen must be present for oxidation, or rust, to occur in copper pipes. Therefore, the more oxygen that’s present in the water, the faster rust will develop. Once it begins to coat the inside of the copper piping, it can eat away at the thickness of the pipe walls until they become compromised and more susceptible to leaks or breakage.
Copper is an excellent conductor of electricity, which is why it’s the primary element used in electrical wiring. It’s always ever-present in the household environment in walls, floors, and the ground between the home and the water meter. Those two dynamics can create a problem when copper piping is exposed to electricity or even a weak galvanic field. For example, if lightning strikes the ground near a copper supply line, it could result in immediate corrosion and a pinhole leak. Sometimes people ground appliances to copper pipes, which provide an electrical trickle that can lead to a galvanic reaction and accelerated corrosion over time.
Just as water with a low pH can impact corrosion in copper, high pH water that is full of dissolved solids can also instigate corrosion by a different mechanism. When water is alkaline or hard, which means impregnated with dissolved minerals such as calcium, sulfates, or salts, those substances precipitate out and adhere to the inside lining of the copper pipe. That factor alone doesn’t promote corrosion, but if corrosion-promoting bacteria become embedded in that mineral scale, a phenomenon known as microbiologically induced corrosion can occur.
If a recent home inspection has uncovered corrosion of copper piping in your home, you must first determine the cause of the corrosion and take steps to remedy it immediately. Failure to confront corrosion can be costly in terms of repair expense and inconvenience that results from failed plumbing. To learn more about the causes of corrosion in your home to schedule a residential inspection in Philadelphia, PA, contact Eagle Inspections at (267) 538-2292.
It can be hard to adjust to the cold weather when winter sets in, which is why people make sure they’re prepared by keeping window scrapers handy, buying a nice, sturdy snow shovel, and getting the warm coats and boots out of storage. It’s also important to prepare your home for the winter to keep it both comfortable and free from problems that can wreak havoc during the winter. These tips can help prepare your home for winter.
To keep your home more comfortable this winter, make sure you add insulation as much as possible. This doesn’t have to be an expensive job; you can add insulation simply by sealing cracks around windows and the foundation with caulk. You can help insulate the windows by installing clear plastic and minimize drafts under doors by placing a rolled towel or other draft blocker at the bottom of the door where cold air enters. If your budget allows, add insulation between the walls and in the attic to help prevent heat transfer and keep your home toastier throughout the winter. This will also help save money on your heating bill.
Problems with your roof or gutters will often worsen throughout the winter, so it’s a good idea to check the condition of the roof and gutters before the snow and ice start. Make sure there are no areas where water is sitting on the roof. This can cause issues with ice dams that will almost certainly cause roof leaks. Check for missing or damaged shingles and flashing and get them repaired as needed. In addition, make sure the roof drains water properly to the gutters, which should be clear to allow water to be directed away from the roof and the foundation. This can help you avoid problems with leaking and foundation settling later on.
Overgrown vegetation can cause problems because it can damage your roof and pose a risk of broken windows during severe winter storms. In addition, trees that are near electrical wires increase your risk of power problems during the winter, so to avoid this and property damage from trees and shrubs, keep them properly pruned.
You can also reduce your chances of flooding this winter by turning off outside water sources and making sure sprinkler lines and hoses are drained. It’s also a good idea to insulate exposed pipes to help prevent them from freezing and breaking during especially cold spells. You should also check out crawl spaces and basements for any potential plumbing risks.
There are few things worse than having your furnace go out just when you need it most. Make sure you have an HVAC company inspect and tune up your furnace before winter hits. This will ensure your furnace kicks on as needed and will allow the technician to identify any potential problems that can be repaired before the damage worsens and results in furnace failure.
Another professional service you should take advantage of is an overall home inspection. A quality home inspection in Philadelphia, PA, will identify issues with any of your home’s essential components. They’ll detect problems with the roof, insulation, walls, ceilings, and plumbing and electrical systems. Identifying any issues will make sure repairs can be done before the safety or comfort of your family is compromised this winter. Contact Eagle Inspections today to schedule your home inspection.
If you’re in the process of buying a new house, you should schedule an inspection of the property as soon as possible. This way, you can identify any repairs that need to be taken care of before they get any worse. Although you shouldn’t expect to take care of a lot of repairs after moving into a new house, it’s better to be safe than sorry. However, when searching for a local home inspector, here are a few main qualities to be on the lookout for!
Home inspection services charges can cost you a lot of money. This is why you should look for an inspector with affordable rates, so you won’t have to sacrifice all your savings. To help you do this, you should consider the service charges of a few local inspectors in your area. With your budget in mind, let go of a few inspectors that you know are too expensive and further contact inspectors that suit your spending limits.
The inspector you’re considering working with should be willing to share their credentials with you. This information usually includes their work history, licenses, and certifications, as well as customer testimonials. It’s crucial you work with highly reputable professionals in Philadelphia, to ensure any potential damage in your home is identified.
Also, since you likely don’t want to perform an extensive background check on the home inspector you’re hiring, checking their credentials is one of the best methods for determining whether or not you’re working with trustworthy inspectors.
Finding someone who pays attention to detail on the project they work on is even more crucial during a home inspection. Missing a single crack or hole in the wall, floor, or foundation of your home can be a headache for you down the line. You should keep your eyes open for prospective home inspectors that are attention-driven and take their time. Even if it potentially costs more money for you, it’s a lot more affordable to address damage now than a few months, when it could be sacrificing the safety of you and your family.
Before hiring someone to inspect your home, you should review their success rate on previous projects. Although the contractors you’re considering might not have this information handy, you can easily do your own research by reviewing their websites for before and after photos, as well as contacting their previous clients for their feedback on the contractor’s work.
There are a few main qualities you should be on the lookout for when hiring home inspectors in Philadelphia. Hopefully, this short guide could offer you plenty of help in finding industry-leading professionals in your area. Remember, keep your budget in mind and know that you have plenty of options to choose from. To get a head start on your home inspection in Philadelphia today, contact Eagle Inspections at 267-538-2292 to schedule your free consultation today!
What is Radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas in that air that is in fact, the second leading cause of lung cancer. The radioactive gas results from decay of uranium found in trace amounts in soil, rock and water. Radon is only a threat inside your home, not outside. If radon enters your home or other buildings, it can accumulate to dangerous levels. Since a large amount of our time is spent in our home, this is can pose a serious health risk and is why you should get your home tested!
Why you should test!
You cannot tell if your home has radon by simply looking at it. You cannot see, smell or taste radon. In order to know if your home has radon, you need to test. Don’t think because your home was just built it won’t have radon. Any home can have radon, basement or no basement, new or old. Don’t take the chance! Get your home tested today. Contact Eagle Inspections to schedule your test!
Buying a home? Was your house tested when you bought it years ago?
A perfect time to test for radon is before you buy a home. It’s helpful to determine if you home has dangerous levels of radon before you make settlement. Do you currently live in a home that was never tested? You should still test to see if you and your family are at risk.
Where is the test performed and how long does it take?
The equipment will be placed in the basement or the lowest livable level of the house. The EPA requires radon tests regarding real estate transactions are a 48 hour (2 day) test under closed house conditions, 12 hours prior and during the length of the test.
What does closed house conditions mean? 
Prior to testing, all windows and exterior doors must be closed 12 hours prior and remained closed at all times except for normal entry or exit (a few moments) AC (central and wall/window units) may be used as long as it recycles indoor air only. No fans can be used in the same room where the monitoring device is located because of the drafts created. Failure to observe closed-house conditions or tampering with the radon equipment will invalidate the test and further the delay the process. The test will then be extended to a 96 hour (4 day) test.
How it radon measured and when to correct?
The amount of radon in the air is measured in picoCuries per liter (“pCi/L”) The US EPA recommends correcting the problem if your home has an indoor radon level of 4.0 pCi/L or higher. Although, radon levels less than 4.0 pCi/L can still pose a risk. It is typically simple to reduce the radon levels in your home at an affordable cost. A mitigation contractor should be contacted to do so.
Want to learn more about radon?
Getting a home inspection is a vital part of the home buying process. They can let you know if your purchase is worthwhile and provide you with bargaining power to negotiate a lower price. If you are beginning your search for a home inspector, you likely already know how important it is to find the right one. Working with a qualified and experienced inspector can make all the difference. To aid you in your search, look out for these main factors that every great home inspector should have.
Any professional that you are considering working with must be licensed and insured. These are two of the most important things to look for when choosing an inspector. An inspector receives a license after taking a specialized exam that proves they have mastered their necessary skills. Having insurance means that you won’t need to pay for any damages or injuries that occur during the inspection.
As with any job, having the proper knowledge, training, and experience as vital to do excellent work. Ask your prospective inspector how long they have been working in the field and what formal training they have received. You should also ask them what they do to stay up to date on all the latest information in the industry. Talking to the references is another great way to gauge their skill level.
Speaking of references… A top home inspector should also be able to provide you with contact information for a number of prior clients. Call their references and ask them about their experience working with the home inspector. You can also check out online reviews written by past customers. If the inspector has mostly positive reviews, you will know that you have made the right choice. If their past clients have a lot of complaints, it may be in your best interest to keep looking.
This is an excellent bonus to look for. Any inspector with knowledge of the building industry will be a significant asset for you. They will be able to tell you exactly what aspects of the property may raise some concerns. They can also provide valuable insight into the strength and durability of the structure on the whole.
While it is not required that home inspectors be affiliated with any sort of professional group, it is another bonus that is nice to have. As such, it should not be the only factor you consider in your search. But it could be the thing that distinguishes the person who offers better home inspections in Philadelphia, PA, from everybody else. These groups provide their members with certification programs, additional training, and the latest information on industry standards and practices.
Quick and Easily Readable ReportsAfter the inspection is completed, the inspector will send you a report containing the results of the review and all of their findings. Ask them how long it will take to receive the report and how detailed it will be. Receiving the report via email should not take more than 24 hours. If you have any questions, they should be available to sit with you and go through the results to answer your questions and help you fully understand the pros and cons of buying the house.
Any inspector who is willing to go above and beyond for their clients is sure to be an excellent home inspector and a great person to work with. Post-inspection services include follow-up appointments, additional reports (four-point and wind mitigation), and speaking with an insurance agent to handle any issues.
To learn more about what to look for in a home inspector or to schedule an appointment today, reach out to us at Eagle Inspections.
Your household is a complex machine that consists of many systems working in harmony to provide you with a comfortable, convenient lifestyle. Much like the human body, when one system isn’t functioning optimally, the other components can sometimes suffer. That’s why it’s important that homeowners regularly get inspections of the primary systems in their homes, such as the plumbing, electrical, and roofing, to head off potential problems.
A home inspection can examine the entirety of your house, or it can focus on specific systems that you may want examined. Home inspections in Philadelphia, PA, can provide homeowners with critical information about the function of the systems upon which they rely and forecast potential problems and repairs that are upcoming. In that way, accurate home inspections can help save you money by preventing catastrophic failures in the future. Because of the rigorous nature of home inspections, particularly those for plumbing, some homeowners have no idea what to expect. Keep reading to learn what you can expect from a professional home plumbing inspection.
If you want the best data and honest results from your plumbing inspection, it’s important to find a qualified, reputable inspector to give your home a thorough analysis. That means that you’ll need to mine recommendations from friends, read plenty of reviews, and contact your local Better Business Bureau to find qualified candidates. Once you do, you can hire the inspector and prepare for the inspector’s visit.
While you want your plumbing inspector to get an accurate representation of the state of your plumbing system, you don’t want the task to be overly cumbersome or difficult. If you have anything obstructing your plumbing fixtures, for example, you should move those obstacles so that the inspector can easily and swiftly inspect the plumbing and move on. Also, you may want to have receipts handy for any recent plumbing work that has been performed on your system. That can help your inspector understand the nature of your system and how well it’s been maintained.
When your inspector arrives at your home, take a moment to greet him or her and illustrate the highpoints of your plumbing system. For example, show the inspector where the bathrooms are and point out any outside spigots or water sources that will need review. By doing so, you can expedite the process and make sure that no component of your household plumbing is neglected or left out of the inspection process.
Once you’ve provided the information to the inspector, you can feel free to accompany him or her through the inspection. That way, you’ll have a chance to ask questions, and some inspectors will give you feedback on how to correct problems or meet code so that you can expedite remediation. During the inspection, there are many facets of your plumbing that will be checked. They include tasks such as examining fixtures drains and supply lines as well as checking filters and appliance connections for signs of leakage. Other points of inspection include shut-off valves, clean-outs, traps, sinks, toilets, tubs, water heater, and venting systems. Also, some inspectors will even use a submersible camera that can be snaked through the drains to make sure there are no blockages, areas of root infiltration, or collapsed spots in the subterranean line.
Your inspector should provide you with some feedback immediately after the inspection so that you can start making amendments and upgrades. However, a more detailed list of findings should be forthcoming in a few days. The report should include not only the findings that stemmed from the inspection, but also any recommended actions the homeowner should take to repair the plumbing system or bring it up to code.
A home plumbing inspection can be enlightening and beneficial when it comes to heading off plumbing problems before they occur. To learn more about what to expect during a home plumbing inspection, contact Eagle Inspections at (267) 538-2292.
Successful Realtor Liela Rushton has been in the real estate industry for almost 2 decades. Her experience started with PMC Property Group where she managed and leased apartments for over 10 years. Liela eventually transitioned into selling Real Estate where she joined The Condo Shop Team at Keller Williams Philadelphia. Her personal values and beliefs aligned with the culture at Keller Williams and the family atmosphere at The Condo Shop. She knew right away that Keller Williams Philadelphia was home. The culture, training, profit share, and environment make Keller Williams an amazing place to work which helped Liela to sell over $10M in Real Estate last year.
Liela has a strong work ethic and works constantly! Sometimes 7 days a week! She believes that it’s important to be available to her clients and provide the very best possible client experience. She spends her time prospecting and marketing on social media. She finds many of her clients by marketing on Instagram and Facebook. Liela prides herself on being authentic, a good listener and has a huge heart.
Liela covers Philadelphia and the Suburban areas with a focus on Center City and the Art Museum area. She has a high level of expertise with the condo market in Philadelphia and is knowledgeable in all things Real Estate. She believes it is important to keep educating herself every day and strives to deliver value and the very best experience to all of her clients.
Although Liela is constantly working, she makes time for other things that she loves. These activities help make Liela an amazing Realtor. Four mornings a week starting as early as 6 am, she walks to and from Soul Cycle. That is “her time” and she takes it very seriously. She strongly believes in taking care of yourself first. She also enjoys spending time with her family; especially at the Jersey shore.
Liela always recommends a home inspection and believes this is very important. She always attends because it’s important to be there for her clients and know what exactly is going on, it makes it easier when going through the home inspection report. Liela prefers John Vellucci of Eagle Inspections because he is authentic and honest. He is always responsive to her, he is very thorough and level headed. He knows his stuff! What more can you ask for?
Eagle & Liela! We have worked together with Liela for several years. You meet so many amazing people in real estate and Liela is certainly one of them. In business, it’s about people. It’s about relationships. We, Eagle Inspections are so happy we crossed paths with Liela. Now, go check out Liela on Facebook and Instagram
If you’ve recently put an offer on a house, you must inspect it before you can continue with the closing process and move in. This is not something you can do on your own as not every issue is easily detectable. You must hire a qualified home inspector to go room-to-room and identify any repairs that need to be made. To get started, here’s a basic checklist for your upcoming inspection, beginning with learning how home inspectors do their job.
Buying a home is a big part of the American dream for many people. It’s a huge step to take, but a worthwhile one that will leave your family feeling excited about the future. There’s plenty of options on the market for homebuyers today, including older residences and brand new homes. Regardless of what route you choose to take, accurate home inspections are an absolute must! Home inspections present a chance to carefully check out your new house and make sure everything meets your standards. It’s always in your best interest to complete home inspection before you move in so that you can address anything that needs fixing. Particularly if you’re looking at a newly built home, here’s what you need to keep in mind for new home building inspections in Philadelphia, PA.
Home inspections are necessary before you move into your new place! You and your realtor will walk through the property and take a close look at every nook and cranny. If you observe anything out of the ordinary or something that needs fixing, this is your opportunity to make your concerns known and get everything sorted before you officially move in. You will want to make sure that you hire a home inspector you can trust, as they will be responsible for explaining any warranties, amenities, and maintenance requirements. A good inspector will make the home buying and inspection process smoother and less stressful, and towards this end, our home inspectors take great pride in educating buyers.
When it’s time for your new home inspection, be prepared to read through manuals for all of the new appliances and components of your home. Everything from the water heater to the air conditioner and the fridge may have its own set of instructions, so this is your chance to ask any questions you may have about the operation of these household appliances! This will take time to ensure everything is covered and all your issues are resolved, so make sure you allow for that.
There are no stupid questions, so make sure you ask as many questions as you need. Considering your home is one of the most significant investments you’ll ever make, having a home inspector on hand to help you identify any potential problems is essential and can save you stress and money later.
If you come prepared with a checklist and take notes, you’ll be able to determine a timeline for work to be completed before you move in, and you’ll be ready to maintain your home from the start. Buying new doesn’t mean you won’t have to do any work or upkeep on your home, so it’s worth it to identify anything that needs fixing while your home warranty for labor and materials is still valid. Flipping the lights on and off, starting the appliances, testing the outlets, and running the HVAC system can help you double check that everything is in working order for your new home. If you have any questions, your trusted home inspector will be right by your side.
If you’re excited about your new home and you’re ready to take the next steps with a new home inspection, get in touch with the experts at Eagle Inspections today!