Becoming a homeowner brings a sense of accomplishment and pride. It’s one of life’s “graduations.” Along with this pride must come responsibility, and there are a number of things every homeowner should know. Here are eight of them.

Return of the Flapper

During the 20^th Century, they called this decade the Roaring 20s. Women known as Flappers were very popular. Today, a different kind of flapper is still popular, but this one resides in your toilet tank.

Let’s say you go into the bathroom and you hear the toilet tank running. Don’t rush to call a plumber. Chances are good that your problem is a corroded flapper. Carefully open the top of the tank (it’s ceramic, so don’t bump it into anything), and look for a red, rubber thingy at the bottom of the tank. Does it look all slimy with dark spots all over it? Replace it!

If it looks okay, it could still be the culprit. To be sure, try this simple test. Put a few drops of red food coloring into the tank and don’t flush for at least an hour. If you see red water in the toilet bowl, it’s time to replace the flapper.

Buy a new flapper at a hardware store. Be sure it’s the same size as the one you’ll be replacing. Before you begin, locate the water shut-off behind your toilet, and turn the valve all the way to the right. If the water is turned off properly the tank won’t fill up again after you flush the toilet. With the tank empty, detach the old flapper’s chain from the flush arm and unhook the flapper from the stem. Attach the new flapper to the stem and attach the new chain (being sure to leave some slack). Turn the water back on and flush the toilet. When the flush is complete and the tank is refilled, there should be no more water draining out of the tank. Congratulations! You just saved yourself a plumbing bill.

Click here to see a video about replacing the flapper.

Pumping Rubber

Never pour latex paint down your sink. It hardens up into a rubbery substance. Don’t even clean your paint brushes in the sink; use a hose in the yard outside. If your home is hooked to a septic tank, the problem is even worse. Latex paint can clog up the openings to and from your tank, preventing waste from passing through. When waste gets backed up, where does it go? You guessed it! Right into your house. If you’re lucky, you’ll just get water bubbling up, but if you’re not so lucky… Well, you get the idea.

Whose Fault Is It, Anyway?

Not many folks know they should test their ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets at least quarterly, and preferably once a month. 

GFCIs are outlets with the “test” and “reset” buttons. They’re mostly found in wet areas, such as kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and exterior outlets. 

If you have outlets in wet areas without GFCI protection, it’s time to get them replaced. We can’t emphasize this enough.Having a GFCI outlet do its job can literally be the difference between life and death.

Testing them is a breeze! Plug a small desk lamp into the outlet, and turn the lamp on. Next, press the “test button.” If the GFCI outlet is in working order, you’ll hear a click, and the lamp will shut off. Then press the “reset” button. The light should turn on again. If it doesn’t, your GFCI is malfunctioning and needs to be replaced. 

If you are handy with light electrical chores, replace the outlet. Be sure to cut off the power at the circuit breaker before you begin. If you are not comfortable with this kind of repair, call an electrician.

Caught In A Trap

Your kitchen sink is draining more slowly than molasses running uphill. Is it time to call a plumber? That depends on you. If you’re willing to move past your comfort zone and learn about p-traps, you can save yet another costly plumbing bill. 

What is a p-trap? It’s that u-shaped part of the pipes under your sink where stuff like wedding rings can get stuck and where gooky, greasy buildup can prevent water from flowing any further through the pipes. 

First, get yourself a Zip-It Drain Snake. It’s an inexpensive plastic tool that you thread down the drain, wiggle around, and then pull out to remove glop and gunk. Don’t forget to put on disposable rubber gloves before you begin. In the bathroom sink you might encounter a hair clog monster half the size of your arm. The Zip-It is an easy way to clear some or all of it and get things flowing again. But if you can’t clear the clog, it’s fairly easy to remove the p-trap, flush it out with a long, flexible brush, retrieve that ring you dropped in there, or replace corroded plastic washers while you’re at it.

Here’s a video about removing and cleaning a p-trap.

Don’t Get Hosed In Cold Weather

Out here in Western North Carolina, the natives will tell you that when you hear the katydids sing during the day, you’re six weeks away from the first frost. Well, they’ve started singing like chirpy little Carusos! Fall is nearly upon us, and winter will be here sooner than some of us would like. 

If you’ve been in this area for some time, you know that letting your faucets drip can prevent burst pipes during very cold weather. But did anyone tell you that you should disconnect your garden hoses as warm weather comes to an end? Remove all outdoor hoses from spigots when temps are predicted to be at or below freezing. Even “frost-free” hoses can overexpand if it gets cold enough, so be safe and remove them. Burst pipes are costly to fix.

Your Fan Club

Did you know your ceiling fans should not run in the same direction all year? It’s true. During summer your fans should run counter-clockwise to circulate air through the room. In other words, they’re blowing downward. Reverse the direction in the winter so they’re blowing clockwise (upward) to blow the warm air from the ceiling down towards the floor to aid in heating your home. This procedure is as easy as flipping a switch at the base of your fan. Take note of which direction your fan is turning. Then turn it off, wait until it stops moving, and flip the switch in the opposite direction. That’s all there is to it.

Just Breathe

The air filters in your HVAC system are easy to forget until they clog completely or make weird whistling sounds. 

Don’t ignore filters. Your power bill will go up, and if you damage your HVAC system that can get very expensive.

The common belief is to change them every 60-90 days, but if you have a few pets in the house, or if you suffer from allergies, you should think about changing them monthly. Put it on your calendar so you don’t forget.

Always purchase the pleated filters. They don’t cost much more than the flat ones, but they do a better job. Look for an arrow on the filters. This should be the direction of the air flow. Always face the arrow toward the unit – towards the ceiling or wall in which you install them.

Water Water Everywhere…

Is your water heater starting to leak? Sometimes that comes from the drain valve or the pressure release valve. These are easy to replace. However, if the leak is coming from the tank, that’s a red alert! Water heater tanks are lined with a thin glass coating. If or when that glass begins to crack, the water heater becomes a ticking time bomb! The steel starts to rust and a leak appears. Soon the leak will become a flood. It’s not a question of if, but of when. It could take months, or it could take days. If you don’t want 50 or more gallons of water gushing into your house, replace your water heater as soon as the leak appears.

Take pride in home ownership. You’ve earned it. Just be sure to own up to your responsibilities, and you can enjoy your home for many years to come.

Buying or selling a home?

Avoid unpleasant surprises! Contact Asheville Home Inspector Peter Young before signing any contracts. Call (828) 808-4980, or click here to make an appointment.

The post Eight things every homeowner needs to know appeared first on Peter Young Home Inspections.

Summer rains have arrived here in the mountains. While they can bring slightly cooler temperatures and more vibrant greenery, heavy rains can spell trouble for homeowners with septic systems on their property. Without warning, the drain begins gurgling after a shower. Minutes later, water is pouring out of the toilet across the bathroom floor. Now it’s a race against time to contain it with the wet/dry shop vacuum. Can you suck it up fast enough? If you dump it into the bathtub, the drain won’t carry it away. You have to close the drain and start filling the tub with it, and after you’ve stemmed the flow, you can begin sucking it up again for disposal out on the lawn. If you’re one of the lucky ones, it’s only water, but for the less fortunate, waste matter flows up from the system into your house. And that stinks! Literally.

What causes this backup, and what can you do about it? Let’s take a look.

Drain field woes

One of the biggest culprits in this scenario is a flooded drain field. 

When heavy rainfall saturates the soil around your septic tank, it limits the system’s capacity to release liquids into the soil. This can cause abnormally high levels of liquids to fill up the tank.

If you don’t see flooding on the grass around your drain field, it’s possible your tank may need pumping. When was the last time your septic tank was pumped? Experts recommend pumping every three to five years, depending on usage and tank size. For example, if you live in a two-person household with a large tank, you have a bit more leeway. But if your tank is small (750 gallons), three or four years is the most you may want to wait between pumpings.

I saw the signs, and they opened up my eyes!

What are some signs of a flooded drain field?

• Slow discharge from household drains (sinks, showers, tubs)
• Slow flushing toilets
• Standing water or mushy, spongy ground around the septic tank
• Water back-ups in your basement or around floor drains
• Gurgling sounds from your drains and/or toilets
• Sewage smell around your septic tank
• Backups and flooding from drains and toilets

If your system is flooding in the absence of heavy rain, and it hasn’t been all that long since your last pumping, there are two more possible reasons: Lack of oxygen in the tank caused by heavy grease, or perhaps your drain field pipes have collapsed or become broken. Lack of oxygen can also occur if the soil around the septic system becomes tightly compressed from cars or heavy machinery.

Before the rains come

“They” say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Regard-less of who “they” are, let’s just agree. When you know some heavy rains may be coming, there are some steps you can take to get ready, especially if you’ve had previous problems with your system during rainy season.

• Have your septic tank inspected by a professional to be sure it can handle heavy rainfall
• Do not put anything other than bodily wastes and toilet paper into your toilet – NO sanitary napkins, baby wipes, paper towels, disposable diapers, or dental floss
• Use only biodegradable cleaners in your toilets, sinks, and tubs – bleach or other harsh chemicals can kill off your system’s “good” bacteria
• Plant grass above your drain field to aid water absorption
• Keep gutters and runoff water directed away from drain fields
• Don’t drive cars or use heavy equipment over the drain field
• If your system is due for pumping, do it several weeks or several months before the rainy season – DO NOT have your system pumped right after heavy rains when the drain field is saturated, or the tank can pop up out of the ground!

In addition to these steps, get ready for limited water consumption as stormy weather draws near. Some suggestions are to prepare no-cook meals that you can consume with paper plates and cups and disposable flatware to avoid washing dishes on the day or days of heavy rains. Don’t run the dishwasher or washing machine during or close to heavy rains. Refrain from using the garbage disposal. In fact, if you have a septic tank, the less you use the garbage disposal, the better.

During stormy weather

Be prepared. That’s the Boy Scouts’ motto. It’s not always that simple. 

Even if you’ve followed the advice above, flooding might still be a possibility. Take these additional steps during heavy rainfall:

• Limit water use – don’t do laundry or dishes, and flush toilets only when absolutely necessary
• Don’t work around the septic tank or walk on the drain field area during mushy or flooded conditions
• If water enters your home through the toilet or drains, be ready with a wet/dry shop vac; two are ever better, because you can dump one outside while the other one is being used

After the deluge

If water still hasn’t receded a few days after the rain has stopped, call a septic tank expert to assess the situation, but as mentioned earlier, never pump out your tank during flooded conditions. Here are a few steps you can take:

• Reduce water usage for a few days by washing clothes at a laundromat and taking sponge baths if you can’t shower at a friend’s house
• Administer a “shock treatment” to your system to reactivate beneficial bacteria and enzymes that digest waste – you may have to do this a few times over a period of a few weeks

Click here for information about a septic shock treatment available at most home and hardware stores.

Staying high and dry

If your septic system backs up in heavy storms, don’t panic. Follow the steps we’ve outlined above to prepare yourself and possibly deal with a water backup if it happens. Remember to limit water usage during rainy weather, but once rainy season ends you can probably breathe easy once again.

Septic video inspection and pumping

Peter Young Home Inspections can arrange for septic video inspection and pumping. Click here to make an appointment.

Buying or selling a home?

Avoid unpleasant surprises! Contact Asheville Home Inspector Peter Young before signing any contracts. Call (828) 808-4980, or click here to make an appointment.

The post What to do if your septic system backs up during heavy rains appeared first on Peter Young Home Inspections.

The septic system is a home’s most expensive fixture. Get an Asheville septic system inspection before buying or sell a home..

Recently we’ve explored several kinds of home inspections that should be performed prior to buying or selling a home. In addition to a “regular” home inspection, we’ve looked at radon and pest inspections. We’ve even discussed the importance of water testing. Now it’s time to explore an often-overlooked but essential part of many rural homes – the septic system.

A septic system is the most expensive household fixture, and it needs regular maintenance to prolong its useful life. Used primarily in areas where homes cannot be connected to municipal facilities, a septic tank performs the task of flushing wastewater out of your house into an underground tank, where it receives natural treatment. Two chambers separate liquid and solid waste. Bacteria break down solid waste, and water remaining after separation and treatment exits though a series of perforated pipes into a drain field, where it returns to the water table.

A septic system is invisible when working properly. However, if it breaks down from lack of maintenance, it becomes like the proverbial elephant in the room. Backed up drains, odors, and raw sewage in your home are just a few of the sudden surprises that a malfunctioning septic system can deliver.

This brings up an important question. Is an Asheville septic system inspection necessary when buying or selling a home? The answer is a resounding yes.

Why you need a septic tank inspection

Over time a septic tank builds up too much solid waste for adequate settling to occur. For this reason, the tank should be pumped out every three to five years. If too much solid waste builds up, wastewater backs up and bacterial processes no longer function to decompose solid waste. Hazardous, untreated wastewater can enter the water table. It can also cause expensive property damage if underground pipes become clogged and the drain field needs repair or replacement. Additionally, a septic tank could have cracks or leaks that prevent it from doing its job.

When you are about to buy a home, make sure you get an accurate, up-to-date inspection of the septic system. You need to know if the system components – the tank, perforated pipes, and drain field – are functioning properly. If they are not, a qualified inspector can assess what’s wrong and give an idea of what you might expect in repair costs to solve any problems. At the very least, an inspection can tell you how full of solids the tank is, and how soon you may need to get it pumped out.

Who pays for septic tank inspection?

Most of the time the buyer pays the cost for this inspection. Some sellers may choose to do the inspection prior to listing the home for sale, as an incentive for buyers to know they are getting a home that’s free of any septic system problems. This is rare, however, and it’s usually the buyer who orders and pays for a septic system inspection. An Asheville septic system inspection is well worth the cost.

Septic tank maintenance tips

Since septic tanks are buried out of sight, sometimes they are forgotten. Here are a few tips to keep your septic system in good shape.

√  Only bath tissue should be flushed down the toilet. Do not put tampons, paper towels, cigarette butts, or anything else in the toilet. Never flush or dump household chemicals in the sink. Detergent and bleach can be used in moderate amounts.

√  Use a beneficial bacteria booster, such as Rid-X, every few months. This enhances the system’s ability to decompose solid waste.

√  Have your system pumped out every three to five years.

Contact us to arrange an Asheville septic system inspection

If you are about to buy a home, a septic system inspection is worth the cost. You’ll feel more confident about your upcoming purchase, and if the inspection reveals any problems, you may gain some leverage in negotiating the home’s purchase price.

Never try to open, inspect, or repair your septic system yourself. Septic tanks are dangerously unsanitary, and methane fumes can be fatal. Always use a certified professional to inspect, pump, or repair your system.

Need an appointment? Call Peter Young Home Inspections at 828-808-4980 to arrange a septic system inspection in Asheville and surrounding areas of Western North Carolina. Or click the button below to schedule an appointment.

The post Asheville septic system inspection is essential when buying or selling a home appeared first on Peter Young Home Inspections.