Since 1993, photoelectric sensors (aka photo-eyes) have been required on garage door openers. The CPSC recommend this change to "reduce the number of deaths to children who become entrapped under garage doors with automatic openers." I'm not saying it's a coincidence, but after watching Indiana Jones roll under that temple door in 1981, it pretty much [...]
While it is commonplace for property inspectors to note the electrical service size and often the size of the main water supply, the size of the gas meter is frequently overlooked. If a gas meter is undersized, the attached gas appliances could be starved for gas - especially when the major appliances are running at the same time. [...]
JMC Building Inspections is proud to announce our newest inspector, Lee Parsons. While many of you have already met Lee over the last few months, many of you have not yet had the pleasure. Read below to learn more about Lee, and if you have any questions, he can be reached directly by email at lee@jmcinspections.com. Lee [...]
A faucet aerator is a little device at the end of a faucet that adds air, and thereby provides a uniform flow while also restricting flow. Aerators will come with different gallons per minute (GPM) flow rates that are usually stamped on the side of the aerator. Over the years, the maximum flow rates have [...]
John McComas, who founded JMC Building Inspections in 1982, is now semi-retired. After doing residential and commercial inspections for 31 years, he will now only be doing hourly consultations, walkthroughs, and Berkeley E3 Inspections. If you would like to schedule a consultation, please call or email as the he is no longer using the [...]
Until the early 1980s, most toilets used 5-7 gallons per flush. Toilet technology has progressed (with a few mis-steps) to the point where ultra-high efficient toilets are available today that use only .8 gallons per flush. That may look like a typo, but companies such as Niagara Conservation have developed toilets that conserve water and [...]
The guardrail / deck connection is a critical element of deck design, but until relatively recently, the design of this important connection was left up to the whims of the contractor. Why is this important? When people gather on decks, they inevitably congregate along the guardrail, to enjoy the view, take some weight off, or [...]
When you learn that a water heater is backdrafting, it may not be self-evident what that means. I must admit that home inspectors can be guilty of using overly-technical language at times, and in the spirit of clarification, here is a description of water heater backdrafting and what it means to you. The basics The draft [...]
(From CHECKBOOK Update, Fall 2013) If you or someone in your family suffers from asthma or allergies, you may be considering getting your home’s heating and cooling ducts cleaned. Even if you have no special health concerns, duct cleaning may appeal to you at an intuitive level. After all, if your ducts are cleaner, all [...]
Those white smoke alarms hanging from your ceiling may all look alike, but there are significant differences in the two kinds of sensor technology. The older and more common type uses an ionization sensor. More than 90% of smoke alarms installed in the US are ionization type (keep this in mind as you keep reading). [...]
