Jovag Home Inspection, LLC ​License #1820
  • Home
  • Services
  • Blog and DIY
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Services
  • Blog and DIY
  • Contact

Disconnect and Remove a Dishwasher

4/6/2018

 

Help Your Furnace Breathe

1/12/2018

 
Dirty furnace filter
Dirty furnace filter - clogged filter media and accumulations of dust and debris. This filter needs to be changed.
It's the middle of the heating season - how well is your furnace "breathing" through the filter? Have you been changing the filter regularly? If not, January is a great month to start a regular maintenance cycle. Furnace filters should be changed every 3 months for optimal performance of the furnace. A clean filter allows better air flow and a furnace that doesn't have to work as hard to meet the heating demands of your house. 
Filter labeling
Helpful labeling the last time this filter was changed. It's been three months, time to change the filter.
Check out these other posts from Jovag Home Inspection for further information on furnace systems and maintenance.
Clean vs Dirty Filter
New filter on the left, old and dirty filter on the right.

Plan Ahead for 2018 - Great Deal On Furnace Filters

12/29/2017

 
Plan ahead for 2018 - get a great deal on furnace filters from Global Filters. If you follow my advice of changing your furnace filters every three months, January is a great time to start. I really like the quality of the filters from Global Filter Source and the prices on their site are much cheaper than buying filters from Home Depot or Lowes. 

Take a look at the website - the best deal is on the MERV 11 filters. All you need is your filter size and you can get enough filters to cover all your needs for the year. You can use the coupon below for an additional 10% off your order. 
Coupon for Global Filter
https://global-filter.com

Cold Leaking In - Drafty Attic Hatch

12/15/2017

 
One of the most common sources of drafts and cold air in a home is a leaking attic entry hatch. They are often out of sight and out of mind but can lead to a lot of chilly nights and increased heating costs. 
Thermal image of attic hatch
Thermal image of air leakage around the perimeter of the attic hatch. The darker colors are cooler and show where cold air is entering the house.
As with any drafty situation, the first thing to look for is a source of air leakage. When air can move from one area to another it takes heat with it. This is a good thing for hot air blowing out of a heating duct register but not ideal when that same heated air is moving in to the attic or outdoors.

From the thermal images and with visual inspection of this attic hatch it appears that the weatherstripping is inadequate. There is pretty good insulation over the center of the hatch but there is obvious air movement around the perimeter. Warm air from the house is leaking in to the attic which increases heating costs and decreases comfort in the home.
Weather stripping
There is some old and thin weather stripping around the attic hatch. It is pretty compressed and not doing a good job of stopping air movement. This needs to be replaced.
Attic hatch insulation
Good amount of insulation batting attached to the attic hatch. This by itself won't stop a draft. The edges need to be better sealed with weather stripping.

Harbor Freight Tools - There Is A Reason For The Cheap Prices

12/1/2017

 
Harbor Freight Storefront
Harbor Freight - the land of chinesium tools.
Harbor Freight ads are very tempting. Cheap prices for tools that don't look too bad on the glossy paper of the circular. Get up close and reality is often a bit different than the marketing.

When I first started collecting tools for projects, Harbor Freight was a cheap and easy option. For the price of one decent screwdriver I could get a whole blister pack of various size screwdrivers. Unfortunately, this is definitely a case of you get what you pay for. There is a reason that a set of 12 screwdrivers or pliers can be bought that cheaply. Poor fit and finish, poorly ground tool ends and cheap plastic are the hallmark. None of these tools ever performed like they were supposed to and ended up causing more frustration than results.

While Harbor Freight can be a great source for a special purpose tool that you only need for one step of a project and don't need to last, it is not a good source for tools that you are going to use every day.

​I still use Harbor Freight to find some tools that I need to use only once or twice. These picture are from a trip I took to get a 22 mm socket (only $3.99) that I need for a specific fill plug on my truck's transfer case. I am not expecting much out of the socket, just need to use it a few times in the life of my vehicle so I'm OK with the tradeoff of quality for price. For other tools that I will use regularly I have learned my lesson from previous purchases. It's much cheaper in the long run to buy quality once rather than cheaper tools multiple times.
Harbor Freight Screwdrivers
Wall of Screwdrivers - there is a reason you can get so many in a pack for such cheap prices.

Best Cordless Drill and Driver Combo

11/24/2017

 
Picture
Bosch Drill/Driver Combo Kit. Best set for DIY projects. Image from Bosch website.
Happy Holidays!

Looking for a gift idea for that someone who takes care of your home improvement needs? One of the best tool sets that I have ever used for general home improvement tasks is the Bosch 12 Volt Drill and Impact Driver set. These are small and compact tools that are powered by a rechargeable lithium battery. Though they are only 12 Volt batteries these tools are more than adequate for most home improvement projects. 

The combo set includes both a 3/8 inch drill (Bosch PS 31) and an impact driver (Bosch 41), two batteries and a charger. Highly recommended.

Amazon Link: Bosch PS 31 and PS 41 Combo Kit.

​

Should have done this before it rained. How to clear a backed up gutter.

11/3/2017

 

How To Remove A Downspout Clog

10/27/2017

 
It's starting to rain in the Pacific Northwest and time to perform some simple maintenance on your gutters and downspouts. Downspouts are often connected to gutters with an elbow fitting. Because of the bends in the elbow, these are prone to clogs from pine needles, leaves and other debris. It is important to make sure your gutters and downspouts can actually drain the roof before the rainy season starts. Follow the steps below to make sure your downspouts are ready for the next few months of work.
Ladder under a downspout
Tools needed for this project - ladder, gloves, screwdriver or nut driver and a cleaning tool.
Picture
My preferred clog removal tool, a stick found on the ground.
Tools Needed:
•Ladder
•Gloves (sharp edges on the downspout sheet metal)
•Screwdriver - typically slotted or a nut driver - usually 1/4 inch or 5/16 inch
•Clog Removal Device - I'm using a stick I found on the ground
•Colorful Language (optional, but satisfying)
Gutter downspout fastener
Step 1 - Find the sheet metal screws holding the downspout fittings together. These are usually slotted type fasteners located at the fitting junctions.
Removing a sheet metal fastener
Step 2 - Remove all the fasteners of the downspout piece you want to remove.
Removing a downspout
Step 3 - Pull the joint apart. This may require some wiggling and the liberal application of colorful language.
Removing a downspout
Step 3 - Remove both sides of the elbow joint. Colorful language still helpful if needed.
Pine needle clog in a downspout elbow
Step 4 - Remove any clogs or debris from the elbow. This one is clogged with a large amount of pine needles.
Clearing a downspout clog
Step 4 - Using the "clog poking device" clear out any clog from the gutter to downspout connection.
Clogged gutter to downspout connection
Step 4 - View from below at the gutter to downspout connection. This still needs to have debris removed.
Replacing a downspout elbow
Step 5 - Once the downspout is clean, replace the elbow. It is usually easiest to start from the bottom connection. Once again, colorful language is helpful to get things to fit.
Replacing a downspout elbow
Step 5 - Almost done. Once the bottom of the elbow is in start to work on getting the upper end back in place.
Securing a downspout elbow
Step 6 - Once you have found the screw you dropped on the ground, put it back in place to secure the elbow.

How To Lubricate A Garage Door - Simple DIY Project

10/20/2017

0 Comments

 
0 Comments

Double Keyed Deadbolt - Not a Good Idea

10/13/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
This is something I see in houses every once in a while. The deadbolt is keyed inside the house and lacks the normal handle to lock and unlock. Most people who have these installed believe that it is a security feature. This door has a window next to the deadbolt and the thinking is that if the window is broken by an intruder they wouldn't be able to open the deadbolt if it requires a key. 

While this is possibly true, if an intruder or burglar really wants to get in there are other ways they could do it (other windows, sliding door, kicking the door in). In reality, most people with a double keyed deadbolt leave a key in the lock anyway.

The real issue with a double keyed deadbolt is the danger it poses to occupants of the house. Code requires that any means of egress (exit) during an emergency to be able to be operated without any special tools, procedures or knowledge. If there is a fire inside the house that is the day that someone would have taken the key out of the lock. You need to make things easy on yourself during an emergency - adrenaline and panic do not necessarily lead to rational thought and problem solving. If the means of exiting your house requires a key from the inside you are putting all the occupants at risk of injury or even death.

This deadbolt needs to be replaced with a standard lockset with a handle on the inside. This is a fairly simple fix that can be done by most homeowners.
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Author

    Brian Jovag, owner of Jovag Home Inspection.

    Archives

    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017

    Categories

    All
    Attic
    Brick
    Chimney
    Construction
    Corrosion
    Crawl Space
    Deck
    DIY
    Electrical
    Furnace
    Gutters
    Heating
    How To
    Information
    Insulation
    Jovag Home Inspection
    Maintenance
    Moss
    Needs To Be Fixed
    Plumbing
    Roof
    Rust
    Safety
    Smoke Alarms
    Tools
    Video
    Wall
    Water Damage
    Water Heater
    What Could Go Wrong?
    Yard

    RSS Feed

    Helpful Info

    Infographics
    CPSC Water Heater Temperature
    File Size: 49 kb
    File Type: pdf
    Download File

    CPSC Garage Door Safety
    File Size: 129 kb
    File Type: pdf
    Download File

    CPSC GFCI Info and Facts
    File Size: 263 kb
    File Type: pdf
    Download File

    FEMA Smoke Alarm Recommendations
    File Size: 1942 kb
    File Type: pdf
    Download File

Site powered by Weebly. Managed by MacHighway