Check out the recent Redfin article we were
featured in:
In the picturesque landscapes of Connecticut,
from vibrant cities like Hartford to scenic towns
like Mystic, the real estate market thrives on
details that span centuries of architectural
evolution. Navigating this market, especially the
home inspection phase, becomes a crucial
endeavor for both buyers and sellers. For
buyers, a home inspection can illuminate
potential issues, ensuring they make a well-
informed investment. For sellers, it provides a
transparent platform to address any concerns
and validate their asking price.
This Redfin article is designed to illuminate the
significance of home inspections in Connecticut
and offer invaluable expert insights to
prospective homebuyers and sellers. Let’s
delve into the essential factors you should keep
in mind.
Read the full article here: Connecticut Home
Inspection Guide for Homebuyers and Sellers |
Redfin

According to the National Fire Protection Association, clothes dryers are involved in
approximately 1 in 24 residential structure fires. Dryers account for more than
15,000 home structure fires annually. One in three of those are caused by failure to
keep the dryer and duct clean of lint accumulation. Be sure to keep this duct clean.
This duct should be cleaned and annually, or more often if necessary. Some
chimney sweeps or heating/cooling duct cleaners perform this service.
Dryer exhaust ducts should be independent of all other systems, should convey the
moisture to the outdoors, should terminate on the outside of the building in
accordance with the manufacturers installation instructions and should be
equipped with a backdraft damper.
Transition ducts from the Dryer to the wall duct system should be made flexible
corrugated metal or smooth wall metal pipe is considered the best choice. Plastic
ducts should never be used.
Every dryer should have a screen filter to help keep dryer lint from entering the
vent pipe itself. This filter must be maintained clean at all times and clogging this
screen will result in increased drying time as well be a fire hazard.  Some fabric
softeners, sheet or liquid types, also clog these screens and air flow is reduced even
when the screen "looks" clean. Avoiding these products is recommended and using
more natural alternatives is preferred.

Should Sump Pumps be installed on a Ground Fault Circuit:

 

What is a Ground Fault Circuit?

A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) can help prevent electrocution. If a person’s body starts to receive an electrical shock, the GFCI senses this and cuts off the power before he/she can get injured.

GFCI circuits are generally installed where someone may come in contact with electrical circuits with water or high levels of moisture. They are most often found in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements or even out-of-doors or in the garage where electric power tools might be used.

National Electrical Code Requires GFCI Protection 

General Building Practices require sump pumps to be protected with a GFCI circuit.  Then why do so many inspectors allow a sump pump to be installed without GFCI protection? Many inspectors wrongly allow a sump pump to be installed without GFCI protection because they’re afraid to recommend a GFCI device and have the circuit trip especially during a storm when the sump pump is especially needed and leave you with a flooded basement. I understand their reasoning, however I’d prefer to recommend a qualified electrical contractor make that decision and from a safety standpoint recommend a GFCI device on the sump pump. Nuisance trips can be a problem for your sump pump and if this is the case, I’d prefer recommending having it fixed by a qualified professional rather than leaving it unprotected on a GFCI circuit.

I remember when I recently went back to a home to pick up a radon monitor and unbeknownst to the home owner found 4” of water in the basement where the sump pump wasn’t working. This sump pump wasn’t working during the inspection two days prior, which was identified in our report.   Now, I found myself trudging through 4” of water to retrieve the radon monitor and wondering if there’s something I can do to help this homeowner. I shut off the power to the sump pump in the electrical panel and began troubleshooting the electrical connections and float switch while wading in all this water.  I reenergized the circuit and thankfully the pump began to pump water out of the basement.

Many sump pumps are not installed professionally.  We find sump pumps installed in large open pits without proper sealed lids which can be a safety concern, where someone could easily fall into this open hole injuring themselves, in this situation usually a young child playing in the basement. These open pits can also add to the radon levels in the home as well. It’s not unusual for a float switch  to hang up on a sump pump and happens one of the adults in the home will go into the basement maybe with their 10 year old tagging along to see why the pump isn’t working and they jiggle the float switch and the pump starts running. The next storm the sump pump stops running again, this time the child says I’ll get it mom and runs to the basement to jiggle the float switch and gets into serious trouble when the frayed electrical cord leaks current through the youngster’s body. If the sump pump were installed with a GFCI circuit this Child may still be alive today.

We always recommend a qualified licensed electrical contractor evaluate the circuit for  sump pumps without GFCI protection and consider having a GFCI circuit installed with the shut-off and reset included with a local alarm at the top of the stairs so someone doesn’t  find themselves trudging through 4” of water to shut off the power next time the float switch hangs up.

How do I find a good Home/property inspector?

Most people start interviewing home/property inspectors by asking “how much do you charge?” While
this is important, it’s not the most important question you’ll be asking. It’s important to know what
you’ll be getting for this service and understand the qualifications of your inspector, so you can make an
informed decision.

When you hire a home/property Inspector, you are hiring a consultant to work on your behalf.
Experience, qualifications, communication and interpersonal skills vary widely from inspector to
inspector. Some inspectors specialize in volume and low price and may perform up to three or more
inspections a day, then hand their clients a hand-written checklist at the end. At the other end of the
spectrum are the inspectors who are diligently working for their client and documenting their findings.
Obviously, you would expect the cost and value, of inspections performed by the people at these
opposite ends of the spectrum to be quite different.

Here’s is a good place to start. Ask the following questions:

  • Ask your agent for recommendations. Agents generally work with good inspectors and you’ll
    want to be sure the best people are working hard on your behalf.
  • Besides your license, what credentials and certifications do you have? Look for evidence that the
    inspector considers him/herself a professional and actively purses greater knowledge.
  • How many inspections do you perform in a day and how long do you expect to be present at the
    home you are inspecting for me? If an inspector performs three or more inspections a day, don’t
    expect them to hang around and answer questions for you or to include a lot of detail in your
    report.
  • Are you comfortable with me attending throughout the inspection? If the inspector discourages
    you from attending the inspection, you should be uncomfortable hiring them. The best
    inspectors are excellent teachers and can teach you a great deal about the house, its systems
    and components through the course of the inspection.
  • How long after the inspection should I expect to receive my report? A report handed to you at
    the end of the inspection, simply isn’t going to have much detail. A thorough, detailed report
    can easily take several hours to prepare. And, may depend on whether the inspector is waiting
    for radon and water test results.
  • Do you intend to walk the roof? Under what circumstances do you not walk on the roof during
    an inspection? Some inspectors almost never walk on the roof, while others do whenever it’s
    safe to do so.
  • How much will my inspection cost? What services are included in the basic fee and what
    services cost extra?
home inspection infographic

A home is the biggest purchase most people will ever make, and a home inspection is always recommended before buying a home. It’s important to realize the condition of your investment.
While some little quirks may be nothing to worry about, there may be more serious issues that only a professional home inspector can assess.
Here’s a helpful infographic that shows you what’s covered in a home inspection.

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