This is an interactive "internet-based" course which will grant you 22.5 hours of New York State approved continuing education credit for your real estate salesperson or broker license renewal. It will take you approximately 22.5-25 hours to complete the program. Follow the directions as you read through and make sure to log in the LAST FOUR digits of your social security number to confirm your "attendance and active participation" in the program.
Please read each section then respond to the questions that follow based on your careful reading of the material. Students receive an "S" for satisfactory completion of the program on their official transcript. We remind you, according to the NYS regulations for real estate agent & broker continuing education, exams CANNOT be a requirement for successful completion of a CE program [however, in order to fullfill the time requirements and show active participation in the program, students must attempt to answer ALL questions]. Call if you have any questions at the numbers above. We recommend that you print each segment and retain the valuable information for future reference. Certified Home Inspector questions that follow the end of each segment will require you to refer back to see how you answered. Good luck and enjoy!
PLEASE NOTE: YOU MUST
CONTACT OUR STAFF AT THE NUMBER ABOVE TO REGISTER AND DISCUSS
SECURITY PROCEDURES FOR THIS ON-LINE COURSE!
(only at the initial start of the program).
Answers to questions from the preceding page:
1. c / 2. e / 3. d / 4. d / 5. d / 6. b / 7. a / 8. e / 9. a / 10. c
/ 11. c / 12. a / 13. a / 14. c / 15. d / 16. d / 17. b / 18. d / 19. e
/ 20. e / 21. b / 22. a / 23. e / 24. c / 25. e / 26. b / 27. a / 28. d
/ 29. c / 30. c / 31.b / 32. b / 33. e / 34. b / 35. c / 36. c / 37. c
/ 38. c / 39. c / 40. e
The Plumbing System and Residential
Inspection
Bathroom Related Leaks
There are two typical causes for bathroom leaks. The first may be a broken toilet seal, another is careless showerers. Leaks may also be caused by the breaking of the seal between the faucets or tub spicot and the wall (there could be a hairline crack). You'll have to deflect water against the wall to detect this leak, then get under the floor and look for water stains.
In a stall shower, try testing for a leak by laying some paper over the drain and filling the shower area with a few inches of water. Let it stand for 15-20 minutes or more, then go in the basement to see if there are any leaks. You're mainly testing the pan itself, where it meets the wall,and where the pan meets the drainpipe. Afterward, let the water drain and check the drainpipes for leaks. The home inspector should also check carefully around the shower opening. If the curtain didn't do it's job - there could be leaks around there.
One test
for a broken toilet seal is to flush the toilet, then lean down and, using
your flashlight, inspect the floor around the bowl (try to move the toilet).
Grab onto it with both hands and try to move it from side to side - it
shouldn't move. (If it moves slightly to one side, the seal could be broken).
Check to see if the wood adjacent to the toilet is wet or swollen. Dry
rot is a common in this area.
If the moisture
on the ceiling was not caused by any of the items we just went over - it
probably comes from a source water pipe (or drain), from either the
tub or sink area.
Water pressure
Over the
years, mineral deposits and probably rust have accumulated inside the pipes
until there may be only a small opening left. This restricts the
volume of water that can flow. If the pipes are made of lead, their
disintegration may result in your ingestion of particles that cause lead
poisoning (as briefly referred to in a preceding segment). All
water pipes should be made of copper or non-lead based materials.
Joints & Pipes
After you've
run the water, check the "P" traps for leaks. Run your hand over
them and observe. "P" traps are the curved drains, (usually made
of chrome), beneath sink areas. Check the angled stop valves for
leaks as well. A thorough home inspector will flush every toilet
in the house and check all faucets (by turning them on and off).
Flows and Faucets
Turn on
the faucets, to see if there is any leakage around the handles. Water damage
can occur beneath the sinks or basin areas because the water gets between
the faucet and the surface (then drips). The cause of this
is poor bonnet packing. Thousands of articles have been written on
how to change washers to stop drippy faucets, but few mention bonnet packing.
Changing the washers won't prevent leaking bonnets. You are going
to need to go under the fixtures and check for leaks and hence wood rot.
Look for clean-out plugs in the drains. Clean-outs are plugs with
square heads
(often at the end of the lines)
Water Heaters
Try to determine the date of the water heater's installation. Glass-lined heaters are the most common (the typical life of a water heater is 10-15 years) Monel and copper-lined tanks will last longer. Look carefully for moisture or leaking underneath. If there is some, be certain it isn't a drip from the drain valve, which is near the bottom.
If it is
gas or an oil fired heater and the burners are pitted or corroded -
it's an indication of it's advanced age or of frequent heavy usage.
Make sure to check the temperature setting. If it's at the hottest level,
it could mean the tank has a difficult time providing water for the occupants.
Gas-and oil-fired tanks have a high recovery rate. Today's electrically
heated tanks can't match them in efficiency and economy (for the most part).
A few years ago in one of our home inspection classes, I was told a story of
a student who inspected a home that had a hot water tank that was nearly 25
years old. The long-and-short of the story was: homeowner's who regularly
drain their hot-water-tanks can extend the life of it by 3 or 4 times - just
by getting rid of the corroding materials & sediment at the bottom of the
tank.
PRESSURE RELIEF VALVES:
All hot water tanks should have pressure relief valves which will release
excessive pressure when the tank reaches a certain temperature (this is
a safety item) so the tank won't explode. Federal Housing Administration
requirements for mortgage purposes require a relief valve with a pipe that
extends to within 12 inches of the ground. Home inspectors should make
note of this when inspecting a home in the connection of a mortgage transaction
in their home inspection report.
Gas or oil-fired tanks:
A gas or oil fired tank will have a vent pipe. Check the pipe for
firm connections and rust. There must also be combustion venting-
fresh air leading to the area. If the tank is in an enclosed area there
should be at least a three by six-inch hole cut into the door top and bottom,
or a hole in the wall to the outside. Sometimes there's a hole in
the floor to the crawl space, or air is brought in from the roof.
Fresh air allows the flame to burn hotter with more efficiency. Check
the gas or oil lines for leaks. Use a small paintbrush and apply
detergent mixed with a little water to each fitting. Bubbles will
appear on the slightlest leak. Any defective oil fittings will drip
oil.
Electric
water heaters require 220 volts of electricity and must have their own
circuit. The size of the wire on the circuit breaker depends upon
the wattage. The average heater has two elements that heat alternately
(usually 4,500 watts). Check that the wire is the right size to accommodate
the amperage of the breaker.
Gas and
oil-fired water heaters should be drained occasionally to get rid
of the deposits that settle at the bottom of the tank. Too much deposit
acts as insulation through which the heat has to pass to reach the water.
The proper draining procedure is to cut off the water leading into the
tank, then turn on one or two hot-water taps upstairs, attach a hose to
drain valve at the bottom of the tank and open that valve. Allow
the water to run through the hose until clear.
PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS BASED ON YOUR READING ABOVE - BE AS DETAILED AS POSSIBLE WITH YOUR ANSWERS....
A) What are the two common reasons
for "bathroom leaks"?
B) Name one fact regarding
"bathroom leaks".
C) Name two important facts
regarding "hot water heaters".
D) What are "P" traps?
E) Water pipes should be made
of what material?
F) Why should gas & oil-fired
water heaters be drained?
Here are some multiple choice questions from our popular "Certified Home Inspector Program" that relate to plumbing on the interior inspections, check your answers on the screen that follows.
1. Which of the following IS NOT true with regard to private on site septic systems?
A: They employ a tank to promote
bacterial breakdown of solids.
B: A dispersal system is used
to get bacteria laden liquid into the soil.
C: They can stop functioning
if they are constructed close above a water table which rises.
D: Properly built systems will
have no problem dealing with the solids introduced by kitchen garbage disposers
or cooking grease.
E: The tanks of such systems
should be pumped at least once every three years.
2. Which of the following IS NOT true with regard to private vs. public sewer and water systems for residential property?
A: Private systems are almost
always more problematic.
B: When public systems are
installed in areas using private systems, there may be a requirement and
a substantial fee to tap into the public system.
C: Private wells have been
known to go dry with falling aquifers and are not always reestablished
with redrilling.
D: There is a much greater
likelihood of contamination via private systems than there is via public
systems.
E: Houses with private wells
and public water can join the two systems together for reductions in water
bills.