You might have an older house with electrical wiring that hasn’t been updated. You decided to replace an existing electrical outlet receptacle in your bathroom, kitchen, garage, etc. with a GFCI outlet. However, there are only two wires inside the electrical junction box – no ground, and no easy way to install additional conductor, which would provide grounding.

Whenever you’re replacing an electrical outlet receptacle in an area currently requiring GFCI protection, such protection must be provided by using a GFCI outlet receptacle or by protecting this particular circuit by a GFCI breaker – it’s mandatory.

Find out 2008 NEC (National Electrical Code) GFCI required locations.

Lack of a grounding conductor is definitely a negative, but good thing about GFCI outlets is that: equipment grounding is not required for their installation and for the device to function properly. The grounded person becomes the equipment grounding conductor, and the current going through them creates the imbalance that trips the GFCI.

So, in our “equipment ground missing” case, those installed GFCI receptacles (if wired properly – get GFCI installation manual) will perform as required by code when tested with their push-buttons. A testing device used on such GFCI outlet will show “open ground”, and it would not trip the device.

Be extremely careful while testing a GFCI outlet or any receptacle with a metal trim plate. If grounding is not present, the circuit not properly (or at all) protected by a GFCI device,  and you accidentally touch that metal plate while pushing test button, you might get shocked.

By depressing the test button, the metal cover plate would be energized, and if by any chance you are touching another grounded surface…, it’s going to hurt.

However, to fully comply with NEC requirements in cases where no equipment ground is present, the installed GFCI outlet receptacle MUST be marked “No Equipment Ground”.

Any receptacles down the stream from it / protected by this GFCI, must have two labels on its face-plate: “GFCI Protected” and “No Equipment Ground”.

Below are the 2008 edition NEC (National Electrical Code) requirements for the GFCI without ground installations.

Non–Grounding-Type Receptacles.
Where attachment to an equipment grounding conductor does not exist in the receptacle enclosure, the installation shall comply with the following:

1. A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with another non–grounding-type receptacle(s).
2. A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with a ground-fault circuit interrupter type of receptacle(s). These receptacles shall be marked “No Equipment Ground.” An equipment grounding conductor shall not be connected from the ground-fault circuit interrupter-type receptacle to any outlet supplied from the ground-fault circuit-interrupter receptacle.
3. A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with a grounding-type receptacle(s) where supplied through a ground-fault circuit interrupter.

Grounding-type receptacles supplied through the ground fault circuit interrupter shall be marked “GFCI Protected” and “No Equipment Ground.” An equipment grounding conductor shall not be connected between the grounding type receptacles.

If you need more explanation on GFCI without ground installations, let me know, and Be Careful!

During the cold season, missing attic floor insulation or low levels of it might be devastating, result in excessive condensation, attic mold growth, ice dams, and deterioration of the roof decking surface.

With sufficient attic ventilation, conditioned air that has penetrated ceiling surface into the attic would be discharged from the attic into the house exterior, sometimes without even causing any problems.
However, your heating and / or air conditioning system will operate much longer and more often in order to keep up with the thermostat settings – that’s more cost to you.

The amount and R-value of your attic floor insulation depends on your geographical location / zone.

The R value or R-value is a measure of thermal resistance (ability to resit heat traveling through it) used in the building and construction industry. The higher R-value – the better insulation performance. (Full Wikipedia definition).

Some states, do not have building codes regulating energy efficiency at all, and each existing municipal code might be different. Therefore, you may want to check with your local building department before you start a project.

Use the US map and the chart below to determine recommended attic insulation R-values in your area (source – Energy Star website ).

The attic floor insulation thickness will depend on the insulation type / each one has a different R-value, so you’ll need more or less of the particular insulation type to achieve the same thermal protection.

Attic floor insulation thickness calculation example:

The average R-values of two most popular attic floor insulation types are (you’ll find the exact R-values on the insulation packaging material:

• Loose fill cellulose  3.2 to 3.8 per inch
• Loose fill fiberglass  2.2 to 2.7 per inch

For a home located in #4 zone, without any existing attic floor insulation, recommended minimum R-value is R38.

R38 divided by R3.2 (cellulose) = 11.875″  loose fill  insulation thickness
R38 divided by R2.2 (fiberglass) = 17.27″  loose fill  insulation thickness

I hope that the above map and tables will help you determine how much of a floor attic insulation you should have to prevent many serious problems from happening, and to keep your monthly energy bills as low as possible.

You would think that after such a spectacular real estate meltdown, something would change in the Chicago construction business. I’m talking of course about some kind of an improvement, a positive reaction from the Chicago building department inspectors who have magically disappeared for several years now.

With less construction going on, they now have a chance to re-emerge again; they can do some good by checking the major safety issues in those new condos and help buyers walk into much safer homes … make-up for what they didn’t do in the last few years.

Unfortunately, nothing good is happening. The Chicago building inspectors must be somewhere else because I’m seeing the same serious problems on brand new construction sites.

It’s depressing and it doesn’t look like any help is coming our way, unless they are planning some undercover action against all those properties.

My Top Ten List of the Chicago New Condo Safety Issues / Life Threatening Conditions!

Non-functional self-closing feature on condo entrance doors from the building staircases and missing weather stripping – those doors must automatically and fully close and must not have gaps along all 4 edges to prevent smoke penetration

Gas furnace and / or water heater closet combustion air requirement – all fuel burning appliances require oxygen to support complete and clean combustion. Unless the appliances are designed to use exterior air only, there must be air-supplying ports installed within the closet. In many condominiums, there is either no combustion air vents provided, installed vents are too small, or they’re improperly located. All of these items could cause Carbon Monoxide to develop and contaminate the residence

Furnace and water heater vent pipes are loose, unsupported, or not secured with screws / or glued (only for PVC pipes) at joints. With limited storage space in condos, occupants often use the furnace / water heater closet to store … well, everything. With loose, unsupported vent pipes, it’s easy to displace them without even noticing it. When that happens, exhaust gases will be discharging into your apartment instead of the chimney

Condo firewall penetrations – I can assure you that nobody cares about it. Not a developer, heating contractor, plumber, drywall installer, and certainly not a Chicago building inspector. It’s a celebration when I see a condo with properly (or at all) sealed fire wall penetrations. In case of a fire, all those openings create an escape route for smoke, and might allow flames to spread out / consume framing of the structure

Improper type / shape of a connector used between the natural draft water heater and an induced draft furnace vent pipes. Pipes must be joined together with a “Y” shaped connector instead of a “T” type to prevent the possibility of the furnace exhaust gases being pushed back into the water heater vent pipe.

Ungrounded Jacuzzi / hydro-spa pump motors – unless the motor is double insulated (rarely), it has a ground terminal attached to its metal body. This terminal must be bonded with a water pipe using #8 solid copper wire and a special clamp, which is almost NEVER done. In some cases, correcting this problem after the tub has been installed, and access to water pipes blocked with tiles, might be quite expensive

Improperly wired GFCI outlet receptacles (bathrooms, kitchens, laundry if required, exterior, and/or garages) – if the contractor uses newer devices, they simply won’t work unless correctly wired. However, older GFCI receptacles (some electricians must keep a load of them, because they still use it) have a defect and even if tripped, the power remains ON. Make sure that you test all your GFCI outlet receptacles on regular basis – GFCI testing

Missing tempered type glass in bathroom windows located within 60” from the shower stall or tub standing surface – there must an etched label in one of the corners of the window pane confirming that it is tempered. Some custom made windows might not have this etching or label attached, and in such case you should contact the manufacturer

Missing furnace bottom closing plate – new furnaces are often delivered with an open bottom for the connection of a return duct. Whenever this isn’t used (air return connected to the side of the furnace), there must be a special metal plate installed over the opening to prevent bi-products of combustion from being sucked into the circulating air

The wiring of high voltage lighting under the kitchen cabinets installed inside the wall cavities without conduit protection

If anyone you know has recently purchased a new or newer (within the last few years) condo in Chicago, share this Top Ten List of the Chicago New Condo Safety Issues with them.

For more details on each of the items above, many other new condo issues, and how you can inspect most of your condo by yourself / without any tools or special knowledge, check the Chicago New Condo Inspection Manual.

It won’t cost you a penny and might save your life, or at least some money that you have already invested in that not so perfect home. Go ahead, start investigating and let me know about your new condo safety issues.

My children are already older and I don’t have to worry about them fitting in between the balcony railings. However, every time I inspect a property with guardrails that a small child can simply walk through or climb up, I get goose bumps.

Many associations / management companies responsible for older multi-unit condominium buildings and townhouses with balconies on upper floors have never upgraded them to the current safety standards.

Money is probably one of the issues; ignorance must be the other … until the accident happens. You can try to fight the association, but depending on their budget and local building code (some jurisdictions grandfather old railings despite their safety compliance problems), and this might not get you anywhere.

Upgrading the balcony railing on your own is usually out of the question – simply because one of the rules in such communities is that you cannot change the exterior appearance of the structure.

So here are your options:

• Start with talking to the building association representative

• Check your local building department to see what they have to say

• If none of the above will help, go for the clear Plexiglas sheets (install it on your side of the railing) and hope that it will go unnoticed (the thicker you get, the better).

Depending on your balcony railing type and design, you can secure it by drilling small holes in a Plexiglas sheet that correspond to the railing components and using plastic wire ties.

Elevated walkways, balcony and stairs with open sides railing / guardrail requirements (the most important ones / might slightly vary between jurisdiction):

• The top of the guardrail for walkways and balconies shall not be less than 42 inches in height (measured from the floor surface).

Exception: For single-family and two-family dwellings, and within individual dwelling units in other Class A-2 occupancies which are primarily permanent in nature, guards whose top rail also serves as a handrail shall have a height of not less than 34 inches and not more than 38 inches

• Open guardrails shall have balusters or ornamental patterns such that a 4-inch-diameter sphere cannot pass through any opening up to a height of 34 inches.From a height of 34 inches to 42 inches above the floor, spaces (bars or patterns) cannot allow an 8-inch sphere to pass

• No horizontal or ornamental design / pattern that would provide a ladder effect / climbable

• The top of the guardrail for stairs shall not be less than 42″ high with handrails placed not less than 34″ nor more than 38″ above landings and the nosing of treads.

On top of the above items:

• Make sure that the railings / guardrails are secured and resist pressure. Strength along the top must resist 200 lb point load in any direction.

• Don’t place any furniture, boxes or other items next to the balcony railing – children love to climb, especially before they start walking.

• Never let children play unattended on any elevated areas like staircases, balconies, and high porches – this is the best action you can take.

Get a measuring tape and if there is a problem – do something about it! Deal with the balcony railing safety issues seriously, because your child’s life might depend on it.

A single pair of the garage door sensors includes a transmitter that emits an infrared beam and a receiver. In order to operate effectively, both of them must be properly aligned – the receiver eye must see the transmitter eye.

Each of the devices has a small “status” light that stays ON at all times on the transmitter side, and turns ON at the receiver side only if there’s a clear path between them. You might also have a receiver with a light that instead of turning OFF changes color to red or starts blinking when the infrared beam is broken.

Height of the garage door sensor

You should install each of the overhead door opener safety eyes (top of the lens) no higher than 6” from the garage floor surface. This is critical for small children or any individual lying down on the garage floor in the path of a closing garage door.

I would not recommend installing the garage door photoelectric sensors very close to the floor surface.

• Placing the sensor within and inch or two from the floor might result in leafs or other small debris triggering the overhead door opener false responses.

Under no circumstances should you install the garage door sensors anywhere else. Sometimes I see them taped together on top of the garage door opener or secured to the roof/ wall framing, which creates a serious safety hazard – do not do it!

Overhead door opener sensor troubleshooting

Problem

• When you push the garage door opener button, the door starts traveling down, but as soon as you release the button – it reverses automatically. The following are just the most common issues under the assumption that the safety eyes itself and the garage door opener are not mechanically damaged.

Things to investigate

• Check for any obstruction in the infrared beam path, it might be a spider web, leaf, etc.

• Check the garage door sensor lens and clean it if necessary (transmitter and receiver)

• Check alignment of the sensors / make sure that both of the status lights are constantly ON. If they are not, try to slightly adjust the transmitter or receiver – if this works, secure them in place.

• Wave your hand in the path of an infrared beam to see if one of the garage door sensors status lights turns OFF / changes color to RED / starts blinking

If there’s no status light on either of the garage door sensors, make sure that the wires at the garage door opener terminals and at the sensors (if not permanently attached) are secured / wiggle them slightly to see if none of them have separated / broken at the screw that is holding them.

• It is also possible, that the wire between the overhead door opener and the sensor got accidentally damaged / cut – check the entire length.

If none of the above helps to correct the garage door closing, you may need to call a professional to investigate the problem.

I hope this will help you in troubleshooting of the garage door sensor / you can also check the overhead door opener post for more information about the garage safety issues.

This GFCI outlet safety problem applies to older receptacles, manufactured before 2003 – the year when “Smart Lock” type GFCI receptacle has been introduced by Leviton. GFCI receptacles equipped with the “Smart Lock” feature include a small padlock sign on the face of the device.

So, if you have any GFCI outlet receptacles without the “Smart Lock” logo, make sure that you test them properly / don’t just assume that they are functional.

The GFCI outlet hidden safety issue

GFCI outlet receptacle has two pairs of terminals to connect wires. One of them is called LOAD, and second pair of terminals LINE. For the outlet to protect you from a ground fault, power-supplying wires (hot and neutral) must be connected to the LINE side of the device.

• What is Ground Fault?
  If you touch an appliance with some failing electrical components, the electricity might pass through your body to reach the ground, instead of following its normal safe path.

With an old GFCI outlet receptacle that does not include the “Smart Lock” technology misplaced power supplying wires (hot and neutral power supply installed on the LOAD instead of a LINE side) would not prevent the device from operating.

Improperly wired GFCI outlet would still provide power to any device plugged in into its socket, and it would trip when tested. The dangerous part is that after it tripped, which should disconnect the power to its socket, the power actually stays ON.

Notice on both pictures that GFCI testing device shows two orange lights ON with RESET button in up & down position.

Such condition could be also a result of a high-voltage power surge or corrosion / damaged device, in which case the GFCI outlet receptacle would have to be replaced. However, start from checking the wiring, and test it properly – just follow the instructions in my GFCI outlet installation post.

GFCI outlet safety issue post wouldn’t be complete without you going and checking all of your GFCI receptacles – good luck .

Mold in house attic is one of the most “popular” items in my property inspection reports. I’ve already covered why is mold growing under the roof, and how to prevent or stop mold from growing in my previous posts.

Now is time for explanation of how to kill mold and / or how to clean mold in the attic.

But before I explain attic mold killing and / or cleaning, let me give you a little advice, something to consider before you sign a  few (if you lucky) thousand dollars contract agreement with a mold remediation company.

Attic mold remediation TIP (to consider):

• Let’s assume that you are in the middle of a real-estate transaction, and the home inspector just revealed to you, that your entire house attic is contaminated with mold. If you have a brand new roof, you can only blame yourself or try to blame the roofing contractor for not checking the attic before replacing the roof (he’ll laugh at you unless you’ve actually asked the guy to check the attic before the roof replacement). If you have an older roof, the importance of this advice is even greater.

• Call at least 2-3 mold remediation companies for an estimate – specify to the representatives, that you not only want to have the mold removed, but also attic ventilation system corrected / installed if necessary / ask if the attic insulation requires replacement. With the numbers from the mold remediation contractors, call 2-3 roofing contractors and ask them for a quote on the roof replacement cost including decking boards / plywood (ask the roofer to check the attic area),  attic ventilation improvement.

Be cautious if they only suggest humidistat controlled power vent installation – without properly functioning soffit vents or any type of vents along the lower portion of the roof this might not be an adequate solution.

• If the attic insulation replacement is not required (it most cases it will not be possible to tell without laboratory testing), make sure it’s sealed with plastic foil before the roof and its decking replacement. Fold the foil sealing its contents after the contaminated decking has been removed, and dispose of as a regular waste (EPA recommendation)

• If you only have a small area of attic contaminated with mold, the roof replacement option would be more expensive. But with an entire attic that needs mold remediation, it might be cheaper (or even much cheaper) to remove all contaminated decking, install completely new roof and correct ventilation issues. I’ve seen $3,000.00 – $10,000.00 invoices for the attic mold remediation process in approximately 1000 square feet of attic area.

Benefits of the roof / decking replacement over the mold removal:

1. roof and decking replacement might be cheaper than cleaning of an entire attic contaminated with mold
2. the real-estate transaction killing mold is gone
3. attic ventilation improvement is much easier during the roof replacement and often handled with no additional or insignificant cost
4. the buyer gets a brand new roof

Even if the roof replacement price is slightly higher than the mold remediation process, it is still worth to take it under the consideration because you’re gaining a valuable house update (new roof), that will be disclosed on a real-estate listing.

In some cases, the roof decking and framing are contaminated, and decking replacement only would not entirely solve the problem. In such case, you’d have to clean contaminated joist or trusses.

How to kill mold and how to clean mold in the attic.

This isn’t a mold killing or mold cleaning case study, it is just an explanation based on my observations and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) recommendations.

Even if you’re dealing with a small contaminated attic area – 10′ x 10′ is the maximum area recommended by the  EPA to be treated by non-professionals, forget about killing mold with spraying it with bleach or other disinfectants. It ’s been confirmed by laboratory testing that it doesn’t kill all of the spores and in most cases you’ll be just making a mess.

• The best way to kill the attic mold (just like any other mold)  is to remove it from the surface it’s growing on, or remove the contaminated surface!

EPA recommends four mold cleanup methods and all of them can be applied in the attic, assuming that it is a small area (up to 10 sq. feet).

1. You can clean the surface by using a wet vacuum – the type you can fill its tank partially with water to contain mold residue from the contaminated surface
2. Wipe the surface with a damp sponge or rag – use clean water or wood cleaner
3. Use high efficiency HEPA vacuum cleaner on thoroughly dried surfaces, and dispose of the picked-up contents in well-sealed plastic bags
4. Remove all contaminated material, seal it in plastic and dispose of as a regular waste. They recommend using HEPA vacuum after this, but in the attic you’d most likely have to remove the floor insulation (if contaminated). You can also cover the insulation with plastic foil, and fold the foil sealing its contents after the cleaning process.

You may or may not have any allergic reactions to mold. However, always use protective equipment, especially in the attic area where you are exposed to the insulation fibers and dust.

As a minimum protection EPA recommends: Gloves, N-95 respirator and eye protection (preferably fully enclosed goggles). As an additional protection you can add half face respirator or full face respirator with HEPA filter, disposable full body clothing, head gear, and foot coverings.

How to clean mold if large section or an entire attic is contaminated

I personally wouldn’t even attempt to do it myself, so my suggestion is:

• Use a professional mold remediation company – check their background and check it manually by calling their clients! Ask for clients who had their attic mold remediated approximately 1 year ago – it usually takes a winter for the mold to start growing again if the job wasn’t fully completed.

Insist on removing the mold completely instead of encapsulating it (Media Blasting methods give the best results). Encapsulation is simply a process of covering the mold contaminated surface with paint (paint like product) that contains (or at least some of them do) mold killing chemicals.

If your attic mold is properly removed and all of the issues responsible for its growth corrected, which is even more important than mold removing, it will not re-grow / no need for encapsulating.

• Hire a different contractor for mold testing and mold remediation to eliminate conflict of interest
• Make sure that you perform an independent clearance test after the mold remediation process completion. Clearance test is to determine if there are any mold spores remaining in the previously contaminated area.

Extremely important – examine the attic (or have somebody do it for you) after the mold cleaning procedure is finished.

The wood surfaces should be perfectly clean (like brand new), unless there was some rotting that resulted from leaking roof or extremely humid conditions in the attic – those sections of wood should be either replaced or reinforced from underneath. You don’t want anyone to fall through the roof while servicing it or just inspecting.

This concludes mold in house attic, how to kill mold and how to clean mold post, but I highly recommend to go a little deeper into the “attic” subject by reading my other posts in that category.

Building code paragraphs concerning bathroom ventilation based on 2006 IRC (International Residential Code):

• Every bathroom requires an openable window that provides at least 1.5 square ft of air flow area when open – 2006 IRC [303.3] OR mechanical type ventilation: 50 CFM intermittent or 20 CFM continuous operation – 2006 IRC [303.3X]

CFM – cubic feet per minute – general term used to specify the amount of air that the bathroom fan (in our case) is able to move within one minute of its operation.

• Air must be exhausted directly to the outside – 2006 IRC [303.3X]
• May not discharge to crawlspace or attic – 2006 IRC [1506.2]¹³
• Outdoor openings screened _1/4” – _1/2” mesh – 2006 IRC [305.5]

However, in general, placing the vent in the areas other than the ceiling or upper sections of the wall will compromise one of its main purposes – moisture removal. Proper bathroom exhaust vent placement becomes critical if you have any sources of hot, moist air in the bathroom area (tub, shower, steam room, etc.), and the best strategic vent location would be directly above or as close as possible to that source, but still high up.

• Warm, humid air is less dense than dry air and it will rise to the ceiling, cool down, and condensate on its surface, unless there’s a powerful enough exhaust fan to suck it out of the bathroom.

If you install the bathroom fan directly above the tub or shower, it must be listed as suitable for such locations and must be installed on a GFCI protected circuit – this is every manufacturer’s (not the code’s) requirement.

Very important thing to remember is to properly size your bathroom exhaust fan, and the formula is very simple … actually there are three simple methods to do it.

Calculations are based on the size of your bathroom and you can do it manually or use my Bathroom Vent Calculator – enjoy it.

For more bathroom fan information and installation requirements, visit Bathroom Exhaust Fan GFCI Protection

CFM – cubic feet per minute – general term used to specify the amount of air that the bathroom fan  is able to move within one minute of its operation.

• First you have to measure your bathroom dimensions to calculate room volume (length x width x height of the room = … feet³)

• Divide the number of … feet³ by 60 minutes (fans are sized based on the number of recommended air exchanges per hour / 60 minutes)

• Multiply the result by 8 (eight is the recommended number of room air exchanges per hour)

Any result smaller than 50 CFM would still require minimum 50CFM exhaust fan (building code requirement).

HVI ventilation rate recommendation for bathrooms larger than 100 square feet is slightly different and based on the number and type of plumbing fixtures within the bathroom area. Each fixture (toilet, shower stall , bath tub) requires 50 CFM, Jacuzzi / hydro spa / whirlpool – 100 CFM.

All you need to do is add number of fixtures and multiply by the required CFM.

Example of a calculation for bathrooms with over 100 square feet of area:

Toilet (50 CFM) + shower stall (50 CFM) + Whirlpool (100 CFM) = 200CFM bathroom exhaust fan.

Building code does not specify bathroom vent locations but in any size bathroom it is the most logical to install it over or as close as possible to the plumbing fixture that requires it. You can also install two or more individually controlled bathroom exhaust fans over different areas (with combined CFM’s equal to your calculation). This would be the most efficient way to control moisture and bathroom odors (enclosed toilet rooms require separate exhaust fans).

• Remember: bathroom vent GFCI protection is required for installations over the shower and tub areas.

Based on the final results of the bathroom vent calculator or bathroom exhaust manual calculations – pick the bathroom exhaust fan and install it in the most appropriate location.

House attic vent chutes (also called baffles or rafter vents) play an important role in your attic ventilation system. They serve three functions:

1. provide unobstructed air passage between the soffit and the attic
2. allow installation of attic floor insulation close to the soffit, without worrying about clogging the soffit ventilation ports with insulation
3. allow for sufficient accumulation of insulation right above where your house ceiling meets the exterior wall, thus limiting air exchange between the living space and the attic

However, your attic can also have a perfect air circulation without the vent chutes, in some cases they might be even useless (houses with no soffits or no soffit vents don’t have any use for vent chutes) – it all depends on the attic ventilation design and insulation of the attic floor.

• Soffit - the exposed underside of the roof section overhanging house wall

So, how do you find out if your attic is properly ventilated, and if you need any vent chutes?

Unfortunately, you have to have it examined (not that this is the only reason to visit your attic periodically), and if your climate includes a cold season, pick one of the coldest days for this purpose. This way, you’ll be able to spot many more attic problems than while doing it on a warm day. For attic issues other than vent chutes, please visit the rest of the  house attic problems category posts.

Attic vent chutes come in two popular flavors – cardboard and foam (looks like a compressed Styrofoam), and variety of colors. Most typical sizes are 16″ and 24″ to match open space between the roof framing members. They are shaped in such way that can be stapled to the roof decking along its edges, which is an easy task if installed on a new construction, without the ceiling drywall below.

Vent chutes can be also installed by sliding them between the insulation and the roof decking, which might be hard in some cases because of the roofing nails sticking out of the decking, low clearance, and insulation of course.

• Attic vent chutes are very useful with a blown-in type insulation.

Blown-in or any loose / poured type of the attic floor insulation isn’t as easy to control as blankets and other compacted / formed into a shape insulation types. Without vent chutes, the insulation can fall into the soffit, or it is often blown by air drafts from the area near the soffit deeper into the attic. This exposes attic floor, and allows warm air from the living area below to migrate into the attic and condensate on the roof decking surface (cold season).

This situation can be avoided by placing short pieces of batt insulation in the area closest to the soffit, and then filling up the rest of the floor cavity with blown-in type insulation, or by installing a vent chute.

With already installed blanket, batt, rolled type of attic insulation stuffed to far into the soffit, you’d need to pull it back into the attic so you have enough room between the roof decking and the insulation for sliding the vent chute into that space.

• Don’t push the vent chute all the way down into the soffit, this is not necessary, it just has to go slightly deeper than the insulation directly beneath it. After placing the vent chute against the roof decking (staple it if you can), push the pulled insulation firmly back into the space, but without crushing the vent chute.

• Attic vent chutes in cathedral ceilings – this is a subject I’ve already covered in the cathedral ceiling ventilation post. If there are no vent chutes installed and the insulation has been packed tight into the rafter space, you’ll most likely end up with mold, and not much can be done without serious remodeling.

In some cases, installed vent chutes might create problems – a very common issue is when the bathroom vent discharges into the soffit (International Building Code does not allow it, but some jurisdictions do … for some unexplained reason). With the vent chute installed close to the bathroom vent discharge register, the warm and humid air will always find its way back into the attic and often result in condensation + mold growth.

How many vent chutes do you need?

If you go to your attic, and against all odds everything looks perfect:

• there’s no moisture stains on roof decking and framing
• no corrosion or roofing nails sticking through the decking
• no dripping condensation stains on the attic floor insulation
• no mold residue

you most likely don’t need any vent chutes.

If you did notice any of the problems listed above, you’d have to start investigating, and attic vent chutes installation might be a way to solve your problems. You can start from installing them only in the areas where you observed some obvious ventilation issues.

You can also fill every single rafter / truss space with a vent chute just to be on a safe side, but before you do that, make sure that your house has a soffit with existing and open vents.

No matter how many vent chutes you’ll install, they won’t work if the soffit vents are clogged or if they don’t exist at all – seeing a soffit vent register on the house exterior does not necessarily mean that it is open. It might be sealed with several coats of paint, clogged with dust / lint, clogged with insulation from attic, or there might be no cut-out above the exterior register – check this first.

Whatever you’ll do about the attic vent chutes, always remember about your safety first, don’t attempt to do anything you are not felling 100% comfortable with, avoid performing attic work in hot weather, be extremely cautious on the ladder, and always wear protective gear.

In HVAC trade, just like in any other, there are some basic rules that anyone performing the job should follow. Not because somebody wrote them down, but because there’s a reason to follow them. Many of the rules are common sense. Some must be just taken for granted, but all should be followed if you (the installer) are being paid for it.
This short story is just another proof that Chicago’s new condos are rarely (if ever) inspected by the city building department inspectors.

• The access to the furnace closet, located directly above the bathroom ceiling, was quite comfortable and served as an air combustion supplying port – this is the good part and where it unfortunately ends.

• The condo furnace had been suspended from the ceiling in a far corner of the closet space. It had been positioned in such way that any attempt of servicing it would require a person to levitate horizontally in approximately 16” of clearance between the furnace front panel and the chimney wall. It appears that furnace installation was performed before the bathroom ceiling drywall went up – set it and forget it…

• For the furnace to vent efficiently, its vent pipe must be pitched up at least ¼” per linear foot of an entire run – this one drops down a few inches before connecting to the chimney. Another basic requirement for the gas appliance vent pipe installation, and an important safety issue.

• The gas supply line at the furnace had been installed without the required drip leg (this is Chicago, and it might not be required in all jurisdictions), and the flexible CSST pipe was missing straps along its run.

• Protective drip pan under the furnace and A/C coil had been plumbed together with the coil main condensate drain pipe – two separate lines are requires to provide drainage in case one of them fails.

Another option is to install a drip pan condensate overflow safety switch which disconnects power to the air conditioning system in case the drip pan condensate level approaches overflow (not everywhere approved as a replacement for the drip pan separate drain pipe).

• Furnace service door was missing.

• No air filter installed.

It wouldn’t take much effort and time to make this condo furnace installation work from the beginning. It’s just pure stupidity and a waste of time to whoever did it and will ever have to service.

Is your gas furnace installed above the condo ceiling? Look up there, and imagine yourself crawling and performing any type of maintenance on it.

The question is – do you trust your HVAC guy?

Most people do, because they are always very happy to announce at the beginning of a home inspection that their heating and air conditioning system was JUST serviced by a professional, and it is in a perfect condition.

This statement always makes me suspicious of some hidden issues, and in most cases, I end up delivering a rather unpleasant message to the home owner …that he just dumped a $100.00 HVAC checkup fee into the drain.

This has happened many times already and I always feel sorry for the homeowner, but in a particular home inspection, I finally got proof that I can present to you. In this case, the HVAC guy taped his invoice to the front of a 20 year old furnace with an explanation of his work.

“Check furnace and A/C and found no problems, I cleaned the evaporator coil + drain. Tested operation – Good.
Unit look good for its age and operates normal.”
$89.00

The appliance was a direct vent forced air furnace with a cooling unit, everything in one box. It was installed in a townhouse utility room with its back compartment open to the building exterior. I’ve seen many of those units, usually in condominiums, and I know from my experience that heat exchangers in this particular type of a direct vent furnace / AC combo often fail within 15 years, and 20 is a significant stretch.

There are usually two service panels: one gives you access to the air conditioning coil and air filter, the second is for the burners. The filter and AC coil behind the first panel looked OK, but the condensate pan and condensate drain tubing was leaking, there was standing water on the floor underneath the coil / floor heavily contaminated, and black mold covered the air return compartment – old stuff, something that accumulated there over the years.

I already had a huge headache, because my sinuses suffer in a moldy environment, so I moved over to the furnace’s second compartment to finish the job. Unfortunately, it took a while to remove screws holding this access panel (one was severely corroded) and I’m 100% sure that nobody even attempted to open it for a long time (certainly not 3 days ago).

As I expected from this 20 year old direct vent furnace, areas around the burner chambers showed severe corrosion but no visible holes or cracks.

• Direct vent type furnaces utilize air from the house exterior for combustion (gas burning process) purposes. Because exterior air usually contains more moisture than conditioned air from the house interior, it accelerates corrosion of the furnace internal components – heat exchanger.

• The gas furnace heat exchanger – it is a metal separator between two areas inside the furnace. One area is where the fire is burning; the second area is where the air stream is pushed by the blower fan into the air ducts and registers (some very old furnaces operated without blowers). When that separating piece of metal cracks, Carbon Monoxide, which is a bi-product of an incomplete combustion, might leak into the air stream … and cause your death.

The good thing about most of those direct vent type furnaces is that you can easily access the heat exchanger for evaluation – as long as you can remove all of the corroded screws holding the furnace heat exchanger compartment access panel.

It was not easy, but I was finally able to lift the panel a few inches and take some pictures from the furnace heat exchanger interior. No surprises there, corrosion and several cracks along the edges of the metal tubes that serve as the heat exchanger.

Lets summarize our findings and compare them with the verdict from the HVAC professional:

1. Furnace / AC compartment contaminated with potentially hazardous mold, distributed through the house every time the system is turned on – visible from the furnace air filter access panel / no comment from the HVAC service person
2. Heavily leaking condensate drain pipe, water accumulating on the floor inside the air return compartment, water soaked framing of the compartment – HVAC professional claims cleaning the AC coil condensate drain pipe, not mentioning leaks and standing water
3. Furnace heat exchanger severely corroded and cracked in many places – potential life threatening hazard / possibility of Carbon Monoxide poisoning – there’s not even one word in the HVAC service description mentioning severe corrosion and dangerous cracks of the furnace heat exchanger …

And the owner paid almost $90.00 for a statement that everything is OK

Before you hire a contractor:

• do some research on the internet to find out the basic “How To” for whatever type of service you need
• ask friends for recommendations
• check credentials of the contractor
• ask if there’s any warranty to cover performed work
• follow the servicing person if possible (not invading his work space of-course)
• ask him to explain what is he doing.

This poorly performed furnace / AC inspection is not just a single accident, it happens very often, and remember – it’s your money that ends up in somebody else’s pocket.

To start your Chicago new condo water heater inspection you have to determine what type of a water heater you actually have.

Below are 4 most common types of water heaters installed in Chicago new condos:

1. Natural draft, tank type water heater with a metal vent pipe (galvanized steel – no aluminum)
2. Power vent / induced draft tank type water heater with a PVC vent pipe
3. Electric type water heater
4. Tankless type gas water heaters – depending on manufacturer and design it might be plastic or metal vent pipe

Water supply line for your Chicago condo water heater – it must have a shutoff valve so in case your water heater or any hot water line starts leaking, you can  turn it OFF.

Main water shutoff (to turn off water for the entire apartment)  is usually installed close to the water heater valve. If you can’t see it, ask for it because it might become handy in some situations.

Water heater hot and cold water supply lines in your new condo will be most likely made out of copper (no flexible connectors permitted in Chicago). Because water inlet and outlet of the water heater are galvanized steel, there must be some kind of a separator installed between copper and galvanized – in most cases dielectric union connector (pipe union connector with a plastic insert). Without it, the pipes will eventually corrode and start leaking.

• Check union connections for leaks

• Water heater temperature settings – this is of course totally your choice, but most experts recommend staying below 125°F (48,88°C) – even that temperature could cause second or third degree burns if the child continuously exposes skin to water at that temperature.

1. Chicago inspection of a natural draft, tank type water heater with a metal vent pipe

Check if the water heater metal vent pipe is the same diameter as the draft hood collar diameter (at connection). Some draft hoods are designed for 3″ and 4″, but if it is only 3″ diameter, and 4″ pipe installed – vent pipe requires reducing coupling

Water heater vent pipe should never be downsized!!! If your water heater draft hood was designed for 4″ vent, it cannot be downsized to 3″

• Every single wall vent pipe connection must be secured with 3 sheet metal screws / no tape of any kind

Double wall water heater vent pipes use twist and lock design / no screws on connections.

If your water heater has a single wall vent pipe, it must change to double before wall or ceiling penetration

• Minimum 6” clearance to combustible materials is required for a single wall pipe, never inside the wall or ceiling

Natural draft water heater vent pipe and an induced draft motor equipped furnace vent pipe must be connected together and to the chimney flue with a WYE shaped connector

“T” shaped connector installation poses safety hazard, because furnace induced draft motor could push exhaust gases back into the water heater vent pipe and contaminate your condo.

2. Chicago inspection of a tank type water heater equipped with a power vent / induced draft motor and a PVC vent pipe

All water heater PVC pipe connections must be glued / air tight (with PVC pipe cement / not silicon), secured at power vent with metal clamp on rubber connector (unless differently specified by the manufacturer)

• PVC vent pipe size (2″, 3″ or 4″) – you have to check that in water heater manual, it will depend on the water heater size (how many gallons), BTU input, and vent distance from the water heater connection to the exterior wall termination
• There are louder and quiet water heater power vents but all should be tolerable – if the noise is annoying, there’s usually something wrong with it

Tank type water heater drip pan

Water heater drip pan is required where leakage could cause damage (basically every floor above the basement installation)

• Water heater drip pan must be plumbed to the floor drain or other approved location – check if drain pipe connection to the pan is tight and sealed to prevent leakage

• Any water heater installed in a cabinet, under the counter must have a drip pan

Water heater TPR valve  (Temperature Pressure Relief valve)

There must be a safety discharge pipe attached to the TPR valve, same size as the valve discharge end (usually ¾”)

• TPR valve discharge pipe must never be downsized or run uphill

There must be no threads at the pipe discharge end

• Water heater safety valve pipe must be made out of copper, galvanized steel or CPVC (no PVC pipe permitted – temperature rating too low) – there’s usually marking along the pipe wall

TPR valve discharge pipe must terminate within 6” from the floor surface or continue into the floor drain

• No white Teflon tape is permitted on water heater gas pipe connections – small pieces of tape can get shredded during assembly, break off, and flow downstream to block a gas valve. There is a special yellow Teflon tape and compounds / paste available for gas pipe joints.

No flexible gas appliance connectors for water heaters are permitted in Chicago (and Illinois). Peoples Gas allows CSST (Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing) as a final connector for permanently installed appliances, such as water heater or furnace but I’ve seen only a few in many years.

Water heater gas supply line must have an emergency shutoff valve and so called drip leg
installed to collect moisture from gas lines before it contaminates water heater gas valve (where you adjust temperature)

Extremely important and already covered in a different part of this Chicago condo inspection manual. Don’t miss it – just follow the link to “Water heater combustion air“.

3. Chicago condo electric water heater inspection (tank type)

Water heater Drip pan, TPR valve and discharge pipe requirements are the same.

Electrical conduit should be secured to the water heater with a connector and all wiring concealed inside the water heater connection box / other side of the conduit is usually attached to an electric junction box. There should be no loose conduit, exposed wiring, loose connection box / junction box covers.

• Check electrical panel for a breaker marked “WH” or “water heater – it will look like two single breakers with handles connected together (for 220volts)

4. Chicago condo tankless water heater inspection

If you have a tankless water heater installed in your condo, you will need a manual included with this appliance. There are too many variables involved / different requirements from different manufacturers.

Let me know if you can’t find a manual,  maybe I’ll be able to find it for you, and don’t forget to check other posts from my:

Chicago Condo Inspection Manual

This chapter of the Chicago new condo inspection covers most common furnace installation issues (based on my inspections).

Furnace air return port must be located at least 10’ from the combustion chamber(s) (where the burners are) of gas burning appliances or in a separate room. The exception from this requirement is when the furnace and other appliances (within that room and 10′) are using combustion air from the outside.

10′ distance or return air port located in other room is to prevent bi-products of combustion process from being sucked into the air circulation system and contaminating the apartment.

This next item is an extremely common and dangerous issue and in some way another variation of the first one. The furnaces are often manufactured and delivered for the installation without the bottom plate (under the blower). This feature allows to connect air return duct to the bottom of your furnace.

However, whenever this bottom connection is not used (air return duct connected to the furnace side wall), there must be a special metal plate installed over the opening to prevent bi-products of combustion and dust, lint from being sucked into the circulating air.

• Before you remove the furnace bottom cover to check for that closure plate, turn the appliance OFF – there must be a ON-OFF service switch mounted on the furnace enclosure or within the furnace closet – this is also a requirement.

Look for a small push-button type switch along one of the edges of the blower compartment opening – this is a safety cut-off switch which disconnects the power to the furnace as soon as the blower compartment cover is removed.

The reason I asked you to use furnace service switch first is that installers tend to tape or by-pass this safety device when testing the new furnace during installation, and than forget to put it back in service.

If your condo has a single air return port (all rooms have only air supply registers), make sure that the bedroom and bathroom doors have at least ¾” of a clearance between the bottom edge and floor surface / threshold

New condo high efficiency furnace with PVC vent pipe – most common issues

Look where the PVC vent pipe connects with the furnace induced draft motor enclosure discharge which is usually at the furnace enclosure wall penetration. Most of the high efficiency furnace manufacturers recommend this joint to be sealed with high temperature RTV type sealant (not a regular silicon). The are two benefits from such connection;

1. provides required air tight seam which is resistant to acidic condensate from the high efficiency furnace exhaust gases
2. allows for easy separation for servicing purposes

Unfortunately, I rarely see an installation done correctly. It’s either loose / not sealed with anything (try to pull the PVC pipe from the joint), or it’s been bonded with PVC type solvent cement and already leaking condensate around the seam. Problem with the PVC type solvent cement is that it doesn’t bond properly to the other piece of plastic which is not a PVC type, and responds differently to exhaust gases temperature. Cement might hold for some time, but the joint will eventually crack and start leaking (look for stains around the seam).

Some manufacturers / designs require use of a rubber sleeve and metal clamps on this first furnace PVC vent pipe connection – make sure that clamps are tight – you should not be able to pull it apart (don’t force it). If it is loose, all you need to do is tight the clamp with a screwdriver.

Run furnace for 30 minutes and check connections on PVC pipe for any leaks / condensation buildup – they must be air tight and replaced if leaking (silicon repairs are not acceptable). You should check PVC vent pipe joints periodically for leaks.

• Furnace PVC vent pipe must be always sloped towards the furnace at ¼” per foot (minimum) to drain condensation through the furnace internal tubing system. If your furnace high efficiency vent pipe slopes down towards the exterior wall, there’s a possibility of ice buildup during the cold season which could block the exhaust pipe and shut down the furnace.

Turn OFF the furnace, remove service panels (might be single or two) and check for any moisture, corrosion stains inside the enclosure. High efficiency / condensing furnaces produce acidic condensate during the combustion process which sometimes deteriorates seals, starts dripping onto the furnace components and accelerates corrosion.

If you spot any moisture stains inside the furnace enclosure, whatever is causing it must be serviced to prevent more and sometimes permanent damage to the furnace components.

New condo regular furnace / metal vent pipe most common issues

• Condo furnace vent pipe must always run upwards at a minimum of ¼” raise per foot

All furnace metal vent pipe connections (single wall pipe) must be secured with screws (there should be 3 per connection), no duct tape (any kind) on vent pipe joints

• Condo furnace metal vent pipe must be the same size as the induced draft motor discharge end. If larger size pipe is used, such connection requires reducing coupling – look at the connection from underneath.

If there are small gaps between the furnace vent pipe and an induced draft motor collar, it might be just missing a high temperature rubber gasket. Connection on the picture has an orange-red colored gasket but it requires reducing coupling between 3″ collar and 4″ diameter vent pipe.

• Furnace double wall vent pipe connections have a twist and lock design and should not be secured with screws

• Wherever the furnace vent pipe penetrates closet / utility room side wall or ceiling surface it must change to double wall before penetration, minimum 6” clearance to combustible materials for a single wall pipe / never inside the wall or ceiling

• Your furnace vent pipe must be adequately supported along its entire length

Vent pipe connection between the furnace equipped with an induced draft motor and a tank type water heater must be WYE shaped / not a T type connection. This is required to prevent furnace exhaust gases from being pushed back into the the water heater vent pipe.

Furnace gas connection – no flexible appliance type gas connectors are permitted in Chicago (and Illinois). Peoples Gas allows CSST (Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing) as a final connector for permanently installed appliances, such as water heater or furnace but I’ve seen only a few.

Gas supply line must have a so called drip leg installed to collect moisture from gas lines before it contaminates furnace gas valve

• No white Teflon tape is permitted on appliances gas pipes connections. There is a special yellow tinted Teflon tape designed for the gas pipe joints or several different types of sealants (paste like).

Some other issues to look for on you new Chicago condo furnace

Furnace air filter, filter compartment and blower compartment

• Make sure that you can pull the filter out and install it without disassembling half of the furnace or destroying the filter in the process.

• Blower compartment and furnace should be clean. They are often heavily contaminated after the construction and even changing several filters won’t prevent your new furniture from getting a white coat of plaster powder.

For furnaces installed on upper floors and / or in closets above the ceiling in your condo, there should be a drip pan under the air conditioning coil section (where two AC copper pipes penetrate furnace enclosure wall).

It must be plumbed to its termination point where it can be safely discharged. In such installations you should be able to see two drain pipes, one attached to the furnace enclosure (coil section) and second to the drip pan.

• Furnace humidifiers – a few different types so check my whole house humidifier post and let me know what you have so I can give you more details. If possible, ask the developer or his representative to explain how to operate and maintain your particular type of the whole house furnace humidifier.

Some of them are very cheap and will give you very little or no benefit at all. Other waste gallons of water per day of operation.

Those were the most common problems I see during my Chicago condo furnace installation inspections.

There’s much more stuff to inspect in your condo -

Chicago Condo Inspection Manual

Even if you know very little about Chicago history, I’m sure you have heard of the Great Chicago Fire that started on October 8, 1871 … maybe you didn’t remember the date …

This chapter of your Chicago new condo inspection covers firewall separation between the condominium units, and it will tell us if we actually learned anything from the Chicago history.

Actually, I have the answer for you right now, before we even start the inspection – it’s a NO, we didn’t learn anything.

99.9% of my Chicago condo inspections are the best proof that the homeowners are putting their safety in hands of completely irresponsible developers, contractors and Chicago building inspectors.

I’m also 100% sure that the majority of other Chicago condos I didn’t have a chance to inspect (maybe with the exception of the hi-rise condos) are in the same condition.

Do you know that I can actually write the inspection report on condo firewall separation (and many other things) before I even start the inspection.

The funny thing is that whoever is not doing it wright, comes up with great ideas on how to make it worst.

So, let’s start this short inspection manual by answering one question:

• Q: How do you prevent fire and/or smoke from traveling between your neighbor’s condominium and yours?

• A: By providing air tight / fire resistant joints around all wall, floor and ceiling penetrations between the condominium units, especially in plumbing walls and utility rooms / closets containing fuel burning appliances.

Condo kitchen and bathroom firewall

Look under the sink and check area where plumbing pipes penetrate the wall or floor. This wall behind the sink / toilet / tub / shower stall often continues through the entire building (from the lowest to the highest level) and contains all the plumbing pipes, sometimes ventilation ducts, cables, etc.

In some building layouts, the kitchen drain and water supply pipes travels withing the apartment walls / floor to wherever this plumbing wall is located.

All the penetrations inside the wall at each floor / ceiling level and at the wall surface (example – where your sink drain pipe penetrates the wall) should be sealed to prevent spreading of fire, smoke and migration of all kinds of insects and rodents.

In other cases, there might be an open shaft / chase that runs through the floors and seals are applied only at the side wall, where something from the shaft penetrates your condo wall.

However, after seeing so many things done wrong on the “surface” of condos I’ve inspected, I have no reason to believe that under the surface looks better.

All gaps around the pipes should be sealed for your own safety, even if somebody will try to convince you that it’s not necessary.

Condo firewall in utility room / closet containing fuel burning appliances

Look at all floor, ceiling and wall areas where plumbing pipes, furnace air ducts, water heater and furnace vent pipes, dryer vents, air conditioning pipes, electrical conduit, cables, and anything else penetrates the surface.

This is where contractors imagination shifts into the overdrive. The best example (from my experience it appears to be a very popular trend) is using highly flammable expending foam (window and insulating type) as a fire / smoke blocking material around the penetrations.

You can easily spot it if left exposed because of its yellowish / ivory color.

High temperature, fire rated expending foams are color coded for easy recognition, the most common are orange, pink, and gray. However, different specification might prevent some of the products from being permitted in particular location.

If you notice something like that applied around the penetrations, ask the contractor / developer for the product brand name, check online if approved for fireproofing purposes, and confirm with the Chicago building department.

• The reasons for using regular expending foam instead of the fire rated products is the price (approximately 4X more), and irresponsibility… or simply just not knowing what to do.

Another product which is not being used around penetrations is fire rated caulking (most common color red or red-brown, 2-4 times more expensive than regular caulking). Because structures move constantly, different materials contract/expand at different rates, using fire rated caulking prevents the gaps from appearing around those penetrations.

The bottom line for the Chicago condo firewall separation:

Penetration in any surface of the condo wall, floor or ceiling that separate your property from the common areas (hallway, staircase, etc.), wall cavities or other apartments and roof framing (for top floor units) must be sealed with approved by the local code fire-rated materials.

So go ahead, look for holes, and continue your

Chicago new condo inspection