Carbon Monoxide Requirements in CA

The building standards that apply to new construction state in the 2009 IRC that Carbon Monoxide detectors are required on each level AND outside of each sleeping area. A sleeping area refers to a cluster of bedrooms at the end of a hallway, for example. So if a house has the master at one end of the house, and the other bedrooms on the other side of the house, two detectors would be required (give a one story house).

This applies to just about all types of occupancies from single family owner-occupied and rentals, to multi-family housing. If the property is being sold, it must now include a CO Detector(s) if the dwelling has gas appliances, fireplaces, and/or attached garages as described below.

The second part of the law enacts the Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2010 which requires that all residential properties, not just those being sold, be equipped with a Carbon Monoxide detector when the property has a fossil fuel burning heater or appliance, fireplace, and/or an attached garage. All single-family homes in structures with 1-4 units (owner or tenant occupied) must be equipped with a detector on or before July 1, 2011.

All other multi-family residential units must be equipped with a detector on or before January 1, 2013, not just those being sold.

For rentals, the Carbon Monoxide detector must be operable at the time the tenant takes possession. A tenant is responsible for notifying the owner or owner’s agent if the tenant becomes aware of an inoperable or deficient carbon monoxide detector within his or her unit. The owner or owner’s agent must correct any reported deficiencies in the carbon monoxide detector and will not be in violation of this section for a deficient or inoperable carbon monoxide detector when he or she has not received notice of the deficiency or inoperability.

17926. (a) An owner of a dwelling unit intended for human occupancy shall install a carbon monoxide device, approved and listed by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 13263, in each existing dwelling unit having a fossil fuel burning heater or appliance, fireplace, or an attached garage, within the earliest applicable time period as follows:

(1) For all existing single-family dwelling units intended for human occupancy on or before July 1, 2011.

(2) For all other existing dwelling units intended for human occupancy on or before January 1, 2013.

(b) With respect to the number and placement of carbon monoxide devices, an owner shall install the devices in a manner consistent with building standards applicable to new construction for the relevant type of occupancy or with the manufacturer’s instructions, if it is technically feasible to do so.

Ingraffia Home Inspections LLC
Lic.# 5198940-10
Phone: (714)371-8422
Certified, Licensed & Insured
www.IngraffiaHomeInspections.com  Mark@IngraffiaHomeInspections.com

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Outdoor Tankless Water Heater Clearances in CA

The specifications for installing an outdoor tankless water heater call for a minimum 4' clearance from any doors or windows. Why is this? And, do all manufacturer's have to adhere to this same standard?

The 4 foot figure is based on code. National Fuel Gas Code says (Section 10.8.2): “A mechanical draft venting system of other than direct vent type shall terminate at least 4 ft below, 4 ft horizontally from, or 1 ft above any door, operable window, or gravity air inlet into any building.”

And, yes, all manufacturer's of outdoor tankless water heaters must adhere to this same National Fuel Gas Code.

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How Do Tankless Water Heaters work?

CA tankless water heaters heat water directly without the use of a storage tank. Therefore, they avoid the standby heat losses associated with storage water heaters. When a hot water tap is turned on, cold water travels through a pipe into the unit. In an electric Tankless Water Heater an electric element heats the water. In a gas-fired Tankless Water Heater a gas burner heats the water. As a result, Tankless Water Heaters deliver a constant supply of hot water. You don't need to wait for a storage tank to fill up with enough hot water. Typically, Tankless Water Heaters provide hot water at a rate of 2 – 5 gallons (7.6 – 15.2 liters) per minute. Typically, gas-fired Tankless Water Heaters will produce higher flow rates than electric Tankless Water Heaters. Some smaller Tankless Water Heaters, however, cannot supply enough hot water for simultaneous, multiple uses in large households. For example, taking a shower and running the dishwasher at the same time can stretch a Tankless Water Heater to its limit. To overcome this problem, you can install a “whole house” type Tankless Water Heater or install two or more Tankless Water Heaters, connected in parallel for simultaneous demands of hot water. You can also install separate Tankless Water Heaters for appliances—such as a clothes washer or dishwater—that use a lot of hot water in your home.

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·         Open house Sunday April, 01 2012 between 12-4 pm. This is not on the MLS.  3 bedroom 2 1/2 bath Townhouse/Condo, 1540 sq ft, 2 car garage, views of sattle back mountains, less than 2 miles from the beach. Cross streets are Alicia and crown valley. The street name is "Via Corona".

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Inspecting Townhomes in Tustin, CA

HOME INSPECTIONS IN TUSTIN, CA

Today, we would like to talk about the importance of maintaining the exterior features of your home.  More times often than not, our home inspectors in Tustin run across issues that many homeowners fail to keep up.  This applies to both people living in Single family residences and for those living in Townhomes. There is a common misconception for townhome owners that if repairs are needed in the “common” areas of the property, then the Association is responsible for these repairs.  This is not necessarily true. The folks here at Ingraffia Home Inspections have compiled a simple, yet very important list of “common area” features that may be the responsibility of the homeowner.

Roofs:

Roof defects are huge on townhouses.  Many times, nobody knows about the defect yet, or in some cases, someone knew about a problem and made several unsuccessful attempts to repair it.

Tree branches should never touch roofs; they cause problems ranging from roof damage to allowing pests and vermin to gain easy access to crawlspaces, walls and vents.  This is like leaving your door wide open for anyone to walk in.

Decks & Patios:

Home inspectors find more problems with decks than with any other component of a home.  With townhouses, decks are often the sole responsibility of the homeowner; if you see a bunch of different decks in various states of repair, it’s usually a dead giveaway that the deck is the owner’s responsibility, not the association.

When all the decks look identical, it’s pretty safe to say that the decks are the responsibility of the association, but it’s still important to know that your deck was properly constructed and safe for use.  An extremely common defect that I find on decks is improper nails used at the joist hangers; it doesn’t matter if it’s a townhouse or not. An improperly attached deck is the number one cause of deck collapses.

During your inspection, we will look for any missing nails, joist hangers, and anything that may look out of place. Don’t be the victim of an injury due to a poorly maintained deck.

Exterior Maintenance:

On townhouses, exterior maintenance is obviously the responsibility of the townhouse association, but again, is the association aware of the big projects that are going to cost a lot of money?  If not, this means an assessment for the owners.

From inspecting rot and mold on wood retaining walls and fences to rusted and damaged metal railways and gates, allow Ingraffia Home Inspections to help assess and determine who should be responsible for these types of repairs.

In conclusion, the best thing you can do when living in a Townhome association is to be informed of your rights and know where your responsibilities lie for exterior repairs and maintenance.  Also remember that an Association may not know about these needed repairs unless someone tells them. Avoid the costly repairs that you may be on the hook for and inform the proper personnel to bring immediate attention to the issues before someone can get hurt.

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The Home Inspection Process in Fountain Valley

For consumers who aren’t 100% sure on what a home inspector in Fountain Valley does, the folks at Ingraffia Home Inspections have scoured the Internet, looking for a great informational video defining the home inspection process. We are certain that you will be completely satisfied with the report you will receive from our inspectors, and invite you to call (714) 371-8422 when you are ready to start the home inspection process before you sell or buy a home.

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The Weird Things You Find on an Inspection

Being a home inspector isn’t always the most glamorous job available, but sometimes we run across items during an inspection that are an ultimate risk factor, dangerous, and sometimes down-right funny. We have searched the web to find a few examples (although I’m sure there are MANY more) of what NOT to accept as a “repair” from a local handyman, contractor or ANYONE you pay to work on your home. If your spouse is a DIY’er, make sure the repair does not wind up like these.

Whenever you are working with outdoor electricity, you must ensure that the wiring is properly covered. Using electrical tape to cover the wiring with caps to connect the lines is not a smart, or even legal way to connect an exterior plug. Even the receptacle itself is not the right grade.

Note: when installing outdoor plug outlets, be sure they are GFI rated and are properly covered with a lid when not in use. Any exposure to water may cause significant damage to your electrical system and may even cause a fire.

Look closely. Can you spot what’s wrong in this picture? Look closer. That’s it! Why on earth would there be an electrical outlet IN THE SHOWER? Other than being extremely dangerous, this is prohibited by building codes.

The best way to resolve this issue would be to re-route the outlet to outside of the shower stall, possibly on a neighboring wall that the wires currently share.

 

Having exposed LIVE electrical wiring is very dangerous to all occupants. Having a LIVE electrical wire next to your gas meter can be deadly. The slightest leak combined with an electrical surge can be devastating and can be an ututer disaster.

If at any time you see live, uncovered electrical wires, call a licensed and certified electrician immediately.

 

Ingraffia Home Inspections is dedicated to ensuring that your future home is completely safe and free from quick fixes that may cost you thousands of dollars in repairs later down the line. Call us today at (714) 371-8422 and let our home inspectors in Westminster save you from the local handyman who may be your worst nightmare.

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