Renovation 4th Edition

by Michael Litchfield

  tile may be installed over ordinary drywall, which

  IN THe BaSemeNT

  deteriorates if it absorbs water. One remedy is

  tearing out the tile and drywall and installing a

  Safety note: Stay out of basements or crawlspaces

  cement-based backer board before retiling.

  if there’s standing water, wet soil, or substandard

  Check tub–wall joints closely. They must be well

  electrical wiring! Metal pipes or ductwork could

  caulked to forestall leaks.

  become energized by a short circuit.

  Use your pocketknife awl to prod gently for

  Dampness can be mitigated by regularly

  damage under lavatory and kitchen sink cabi-

  cleaning gutters and downspouts, as well as grad-

  nets. Rusted-out drainpipes or leaking supply-

  ing the soil around the foundation so it slopes

  pipe connections are easily replaced, but exten-

  The water damage and rot beneath

  away from the house. Musty smells and occa-

  sive water damage to the subfloor or floor joists

  this toilet could have been avoided by

  sional condensation may be reduced by improv-

  replacing a $2 wax gasket.

  can be a major repair.

  ing ventilation. Beyond that, fixes get more com-

  plex and more expensive.

  16

  Chapter 1

  Wetness is often caused by surface water and

  Given the magnitude of the problem, the engi-

  may respond to the previous suggestions. Stronger neered solution may be very expensive.

  remedies include sump pumps, perimeter drains,

  Older foundations of unreinforced concrete

  and engineered solutions. For example, water

  or brick may be adequate beneath single-story

  seeping through an uphill foundation wall may

  houses on flat lots, but long term, you should

  need to be intercepted and rerouted by drain-

  plan to replace them. Unreinforced foundations

  pipes or swale drains farther uphill. Such solu-

  are often poor quality (crumbling) and may have

  tions can be expensive.

  cracks that go all the way through the concrete.

  Cracks range from cosmetic surface lines that Wood structures are most often damaged by

  you can ignore to larger, deeper fissures caused

  sustained moisture below grade, insects, settling

  by water pressure, soil movement, foundation

  of the foundation, or unwise sawcuts into sup-

  failure, or a combination of those causes.

  porting members during earlier remodels.

  In general, a serious crack is any gap that runs

  If you see signs of water damage or rotted sid-

  through the foundation or is at least 1⁄4 in. wide,

  ing, use your pocketknife awl to probe the perim-

  combined with foundation rotation. (In brief,

  eter of the mudsill—and the studs atop it—for rot

  rotation is caused by horizontal soil pressures

  or insect damage. To prevent recurrence of rot,

  that push a foundation wall out of plumb.) Have

  you’ll need to replace damaged sections with

  a structural engineer assess the cause and recom-

  mend a solution.

  Vertical cracks through a foundation that are

  wider at the top may be caused by differential

  Knob-and-Tube

  settlement. For example, a corner of the house

  Wiring

  may be sinking because of drainage problems or

  a second-story addition that’s too heavy for the

  If you see individual wiring secured to ceramic

  original foundation.

  insulators in the basement or attic, that’s knob-

  Horizontal cracks through the foundation

  and-tube wiring. Although outdated, it’s gener-

  wall, just below ground level, may be caused by

  ally acceptable if it’s in good condition and used

  adfreezing, in which damp soil freezes to the top

  only for lighting. To be safe, check with your local

  of a foundation and lifts it. This condition most

  code officials or a licensed electrician—and then

  often occurs in unheated buildings.

  with your prospective insurance company.

  The foundation’s bowing-in along horizontal

  cracks is extremely serious; it’s caused by soil

  movement and strong hydrostatic pressure.

  Knob-and-tube wiring is outdated but often serviceable.

  Reading a House

  17

  eLeCtriCaL Safety near Water

  Kitchen receptacles within 4 ft. of a sink

  and all bathroom receptacles must be

  protected by GFCIs. They’re essential

  protection against electrical shock.

  Note, however, that local codes have the

  final say on what’s acceptable in your

  community.

  treated lumber, improve drainage, slope soil

  away from the house, and so on.

  If you encounter sagging girders or joists, the

  posts and pads supporting them may have failed.

  In this case, upsize the concrete pads beneath the Use a voltage tester to check receptacles. The inductance

  posts and/or replace the posts. In some cases, you tester shown often can detect electrical current nearby—

  such as through a plastic cover or a lamp socket—without

  can shorten joist spans by adding girders and

  actually touching a conductor.

  posts beneath.

  Wooden posts rotting at the bottoms suggest

  that moisture is wicking up from the ground

  In older homes, electrical service is often under-

  through the concrete pad—if there is one.

  size. If your house has only two cables running

  Replace the posts, putting a metal or plastic

  from the utility pole, it has only 120-volt service.

  moisture barrier between the bottoms of posts

  After purchasing the house, have your power

  and the concrete pads supporting them.

  company upgrade to three-wire, 240-volt service.

  Joists and girders may have been seriously

  A 100-amp, circuit-breaker service panel is

  weakened when they were cut improperly to

  considered minimal today. If an older home has a

  accommodate ducts or pipes. See “Maximum

  fuse panel, it will typically have a capacity of only

  Sizes for Holes and Notches” on p. 341 for tips

  60 amps. It should be upgraded.

  on how much and where you can safely cut and

  Knob-and-tube wiring does not necessarily

  drill structural members.

  have to be replaced, but it does not include a

  ground wire and it has its limitations.

  Any electrical cable with cracked or frayed

  Mechanical Systems

  sheathing should be replaced. Deteriorated cable is

  Mechanical systems include electrical, plumbing, usually visible as it approaches the service panel

  and HVAC. Your comfort and safety depend on

  and as it runs along joists in attics and unfinished

  up-to-date and adequately sized mechanicals, as

  basements. Visible wire splices or cable that sags

  they are sometimes called.

  from joists is unsafe and substandard. Don’t han-

  dle such wiring. Just note its condition.

  eLeCTRI
CaL SYSTem

  Using a voltage tester, you can safely check

  Only a licensed electrician should assess the

  whether receptacles are operable. If the cover

  capacity and condition of your electrical service.

  plates of any receptacles are warm, if tester lights

  In particular, do not remove the covers of service

  flicker, or if there’s an odd smell, there may be

  panels. Before examining receptacles, switches,

  aluminum circuit wiring in the walls, which tends

  and other devices, always turn off the electricity

  to overheat and cause fires if incorrectly installed.

  and make sure it’s off by using a voltage tester

  Have your electrician check for this, too.

  before handling any electrical device.

  To prevent electrical shocks in high-moisture

  If you see scorch marks, rust stains, or con-

  areas, all bathroom receptacles, kitchen recepta-

  densation on the service panel or damp condi-

  cles within 4 ft. of a sink, outdoor outlets, and

  tions around it, that service is unsafe. Dampness

  some garage outlets must be ground-fault circuit

  is particularly unsafe, and many electricians will

  interrupters (GFCIs). All new 15-amp and

  refuse to work on a panel until surrounding

  20-amp circuits in bedrooms must have arc-fault

  dampness is remedied.

  circuit interrupter (AFCI) protection.

  18

  Chapter 1

  pLumBINg

  Septic

  Questions suggested under “Kitchen and

  tips

  Bathrooms” earlier in this chapter should be

  If the house has a septic tank, ask when it was

  addressed here, too—particularly if you noted

  last emptied. Most tanks are sized according to

  water damage around tubs or toilets. By the way,

  if the house has only a crawlspace, replacing the

  the number of users and should normally be

  plumbing will take longer and be more costly

  emptied every few years. Also inquire how the

  than if the house has a full basement.

  owner determines the exact location of the

  tank’s clean-out lid, which will usually be buried

  drainage, waste, and vent (dWV) pipes should

  under more than 1 ft. of soil.

  be replaced if they’re rusted, corroded, or leaking.

  Then walk the area around the tank. If the

  Waste pipes past their prime often show powdery

  green or white deposits along their horizontal

  ground is damp and smelly, the most recent ser-

  runs, where wastes accumulate. Also, if joists

  vicing wasn’t soon enough. Besides tardy servic-

  around a closet bend (see p. 336) are discolored,

  ing, this could indicate that the tank or the

  probe for rot. If rotted, they’ll need to be replaced.

  drainage field may be undersize, clogged, or

  incorrectly installed. A new septic system is a

  supply pipes. If water pressure is poor and

  plumbing is old, it’s likely that the pipes are gal-

  significant expense.

  vanized iron. With a typical life span of about

  25 years, the fittings rust out first.

  Copper pipe will last indefinitely unless the

  water is acidic, in which case you’ll see blue-

  green deposits on fixtures and pinhole leaks in

  P R O T I P

  the pipe. But if copper pipes aren’t too far gone,

  an acid-neutralizing filter on supply lines may

  If cleanout traps show fresh

  cure the problem.

  wrench marks, suspect recent

  Copper and galvanized pipe joined together

  clogging; if traps are badly

  will corrode because of a process called galvanic

  scarred, they have been opened

  action. To join these metals, a dielectric union

  many times. This may mean

  should be installed between them.

  nothing more than children drop-

  ping things down the sink or it

  A water test by the health department should

  may indicate an inadequately

  be part of the purchase agreement; this is espe-

  sized pipe that needs replacing

  cially important if the house has its own well.

  (see “minimum drain, Trap, and

  Water heaters. Water heaters more than 12 years

  Vent Sizes” on p. 335).

  old probably should be replaced. A manufactur-

  If a cast-iron waste pipe is this rusty, it needs replacing.

  er’s plate on the heater will tell its age and capa-

  city. As a rule of thumb, a 40-gal. gas-fired water

  heater is about right for a family of four. Electric

  water heaters should have a capacity of 50 gal.

  because they take longer to recover.

  pipe Life and

  Water quaLity

  If supply pipes are galvanized steel, their useful

  life is about 25 years. Copper supply pipes

  installed before 1990 may contain lead in solder

  joints, which can leach into drinking water. So

  before making an offer on a house, get the water

  tested for lead and other toxins. If the pipes

  appear to be otherwise in good condition, an in-

  line filtration system with replaceable filters may

  be a cost-effective solution to this problem.

  Corroded galvanized-steel pipe atop a water heater tells you it’s time to replace both the heater

  and the supply pipes.

  Reading a House

  19

  Tankless water heaters create hot water on

   If the bottom of the heating unit is rusted

  P R O T I P

  demand, so they lack a tank; p. 353 has tips on

  out or if it’s 15 to 20 years old, it probably

  selecting them. Any gas-fueled water heater—

  should be replaced. It’s certainly not efficient

  If your old hot water heater

  whether tank or tankless—must have an

  and probably not safe.

  needs replacing, installing a tank-

  approved vent to exhaust combustion gases.

  

  less water heater may lower your

  Soot around heat registers or exhaust

  Electric water heaters do not require a vent.

  energy bills. Tankless models cre-

  smells in living areas means that the furnace is

  ate hot water on demand, so

  There should be a temperature- and pressure-

  dirty and poorly maintained or that the

  there’s no energy wasted keeping

  relief (TPR) valve on or near the top of the water

  furnace heat exchanger is cracked, allowing

  a tank of hot water hot until some

  heater. Without TPR protection, a water heater

  exhaust gases to escape. If an HVAC specialist

  one needs it. and, especially in

  can explode and level the house. If the TPR valve

  can see flame through the heat exchanger, it’s

  mild climates, tankless water

  drips, replace it. If you own the home, make sure definitely time to replace the unit. It may be a

  heaters can be installed on the

  you have a TPR valve.

  fire safety and health hazard.

  exterior of the house, freeing up

  Gas lines that smell and corroded gas pi
pes

   If your house has forced hot-air heat, your

  precious space inside.

  are unsafe. If you spot either of these problems,

  family could develop respiratory problems if the

  call the gas utility immediately (most provide a

  furnace has one of the older, reservoir-type

  free inspection). Gas lines are typically black iron humidifiers, which are notorious for breeding

  pipe with threaded fittings or copper joined by

  harmful organisms in the always-wet drum.

  flared fittings. Gas lines should never include

  An HVAC specialist can suggest alternatives.

  PVC plastic pipe, sweated (soldered) copper

   If certain rooms are always cold, an

  joints, or compression fittings such as those used HVAC specialist may be able to balance heat

  for water supply.

  distribution or add registers. That failing, you

  may need to upsize the furnace or boiler.

  HeaTINg, VeNTILaTIoN,

   If ducts, pipes, or the central heating unit

  aNd aIR-CoNdITIoNINg

  are wrapped with white or gray paper-tape,

  Heating and cooling systems are varied and com-

  your older heating system may be insulated

  plex, so make your house purchase contingent on with asbestos. Do not disturb it—an HVAC

  a professional inspection by an HVAC contractor. specialist can assess its condition and

  In your walk-through, look for the following:

  recommend an asbestos-abatement expert.

   Air-conditioning (AC) systems that run

  constantly but don’t keep the house cool may

  need the coolant to be recharged. An AC

  system that cycles too rapidly and makes the

  house too cold may simply be too large for the

  house. Both problems just need adjustments

  by an HVAC contractor.

  FIRepLaCe oR WoodSToVe

  Loose bricks in the fireplace firebox or smoke

  stains between the wall and the fireplace mantel

  (or surround) could allow flames or superheated

  gases to ignite wood framing around the fire-

  place. A mason or chimney specialist can usually

  make necessary repairs.

  If there are gaps between the hearth (firebox

  floor) and the hearth extension, stray coals could

  fall into the gaps and start a fire, so repoint gaps

  with mortar (if there’s brick) or grout (tile floors).

  Local building codes usually specify mini-

  mum distances woodstoves and stovepipes must

  be from flammable surfaces.

  A TPR valve can prevent water-heater explosions caused