Dirk's Blog

  Despite experiencing health issues during my youth, I could not serve in any branch of the military and become a veteran. However, I often visualize myself as a General, imagining the bravery and sacrifice required to serve our country. It's important to note that President Lyndon Johnson officially declared Memorial Day in 1966 to have originated in Waterloo, NY. Congress later passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1971, officially designating the last day of May as Memorial Day. Initially created to honour those who lost their lives in the Civil War, we now observe this occasion by indulging in BBQs or weekend getaways. However, it's essential that we never forget the sacrifices made by those who put their lives on the line so that we may enjoy these freedoms. We should express our gratitude to all our veterans with a sincere promotion that truly reflects how grateful we are for their service to this great nation. Let us always remember those who have made this possible ...

  Maintaining a sprinkler system can be a bit complicated. The duration of each zone's watering time should vary between 10-40 minutes, depending on the type of nozzle and the plantations in the area. Watering should occur twice a week, with at least 3 days between each watering session. The ideal time to water is early morning between 2-6 am. To ensure nutrient flow and prevent mold or fungus growth, it is recommended to keep the grass around 3 inches long. Overwatering and underwatering should be avoided. Instead, opt for deep watering, which involves longer watering sessions with less frequency. This method aids in producing healthy roots that can withstand droughts. With so much information to consider, determining the right watering schedule for your lawn can be challenging. It may be helpful to consult with local home improvement stores, or nurseries, or hire an irrigation expert. The swale of the land and the grass and soil types also play a role in determining the ideal wa...

Around 7 to 10 times per day this device is a time saver. Ok, we may not think much of this old porcelain toilet as much, but r eality says other. This device gets flushed an average of 3,000 per person per year. The toilet has made such headways since dating back to around 3000 BC and around 1700 BC the Greeks made a kind of flushing toilet. Not until 1775 a Scottish inventor Alexander Cumming put the first patent for a flush toilet. This great innovation was the first of its kind with a trap in below the bowl so sewer gases wouldn't escape. The first modern flushable toilet was described in 1596 by Sir John Harington, and of course, others have come up with other types of designs and ways for the waste to be well jetted away. In many parts of Asia and Europe, there is a squat toilet that is used both as a more (energy water saver) way to wash the undercarriage with water and not worry about toilet paper. The standards of toilets have changed because of water consumption and ...

As a home inspector, it's important for me to remain unbiased and fair to all parties involved. While I won't hesitate to report serious safety hazards like gas leaks, water leaks, or smouldering electrical wires, I won't blatantly disclose any issues unless asked by the homeowner. My ultimate goal is to look out for the buyer, seller, and ourselves. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to ask - honesty is always the best policy.

  Wires that burn up like this one is caused by several different reasons. The main reason is that too much current and not a big enough or gauge wire. This short could be from arching, or overheating. According to the NFPA "National Fire Prevention Association" faulty wiring is the most common cause of house and apartment fires in the US. This is the entire reason codes have been established in the NEC to help a safer living environment. There is still a possibility even when following the code to have issues because we are human. The signs to look and smell for are As you walk by an outlet you smell smoke There is a burned smell in a particular room that gets heavier with time Lights, TV, and other devices plugged into an outlet will flicker You see small amounts of smoke coming from the outlet You might have several outlets in one room that are not working at all. Many times, outlets are wired together and if the wire in one outlet is burned it will cause all the other ...

  The heat from the sun can do damage to a roof, especially to asphalt shingles. The way to combat the ever impact of UV rays from damaging a roof is by putting granules on top of the shingles. These little pebbles of rock reflect the sun's UV rays back into the sky, but some of the heat is absorbed into the roof causing the tar to melt and then heat up the attic space below. When this happens after years of heat the minerals in the shingle break down and can no longer hold together. This then makes the shingle less likely to shed water properly. There is a company called Roof Maxx that actually adds these minerals back into the roof giving extra life back into the shingle. Either way, the roof can become superheated, upwards and surpass the temperature of 170 Degrees F. So be careful friends, and give Roof Maxx a call if you need them to help give your roof a well-needed splash of minerals Don't forget to sign up for our blog updates at https://dphomeinspectionfl.com

  Knowing A Home April 29, 2023 Home Inspection Process Whenever starting a home inspection on a home, I look at the neighborhood, problems from neighbors can indicate problems with the home I will be doing. For instance, if I see trees older trees with huge trunks tell me that there are possible roots that may damage your foundation. If I see a tree leaning a certain way it tells me the soil is soft and may have water issues. So in reality I really start the inspection a few blocks from the home.  Don't forget to sign up for our blog updates at https://dphomeinspectionfl.com

  Water Heater Madness May 7, 2023 | Plumbing A Water Heater needs some maintenance. Now that I know all about it I rarely do any of this. The same is true with other maintenance items. We can achieve this if we watch a few videos on changing the sacrificial rod (Anode Rod) to drain the water heater once a year. Letting all the hardness expel from the tank so your water will heat adequately. A gas or oil water heater may last anywhere from 10-15 years while an electric water heater may last up to 20 or more. The oldest water heater I ever saw was a Montgomery Ward water heater 1968 and still was working.    Don't forget to sign up for our blog updates at https://dphomeinspectionfl.com

  Knob & Tube May 7, 2023 | Electrical Electrical Old School Wiring  KNOB AND TUBE WIRING (Old Standard Cloth Sheathed Wiring) Homes originally built between the 1800s and 1950 or later have the potential of having outdated (non) standard wiring such as knob and tube (cloth-sheathed wiring) hidden within the walls and exposed in open areas that may or may not have been recovered during our non-intrusive inspection. This wiring is coated with cloth-based wire insulation. The potential hazards of outdated wiring are electrical shock and fire due to contact with exposed wires.  Don't forget to sign up for our blog updates at https://dphomeinspectionfl.com

  Moisture Intrusion May 7, 2023 | Moisture Intrusion Moisture Intusion   Moisture intrusion is a serious deal. It can come in any type of form from an obvious leak in the roof, or flashing missing. It can also come from a flood or overflowing bathtub or shower. The not-so-obvious areas around a home are underneath sinks and behind laundry areas. These areas hardly have anyone looking underneath or behind them for leaks. Or around fireplaces or too much humidity in the air. You can cause too much moisture by having a humidifier up too high, cooking or having a shower and not running exhaust fans. When moisture is present it may cause mold spores to begin to grow in areas you are not aware of. In these areas, it may not show up for months on end and in that time you are breathing mold spores that may feel like allergies. Long-term effects may be serious. Solving moisture problems and mold issues is often expensive and time-consuming.   Don't forget to sign up for our blog ...

  A/C Unit and how they work May 9, 2023 | HVAC This system is such an easy system and really is all about removing heat from a home. The gas that is in the line is commonly known as FREON (which is a non-combustible gas used as a refrigerant in air conditioning applications). The gas is very flexible and can condense to a liquid and expand back to a gas allowing heat particles to get trapped within the gas vapor. When it expands it picks up heat and brings that heat with it outside where it is expelled out of it with the help of a fan then the gas is condensed pushing it back together and turning it back to a liquid state, which is cooler. As it expands "turning back into a gas" in the evaporator coil the gas picks up heat and the cycle continues back to the condensing coil then back to the evaporator coil again and again. With heat pumps it just runs backwards instead of picking up heat from the home it picks it up outside and expells it into the home. The gas that was form...

  Insulation Insulation is very important, it is the system that will continue to help you save money. The best insulation is one that does its job properly. Insulation is a system of air pockets trapped between other materials such as fiberglass or recycled paper (Cellulose) or it could be as simple as wool from a sheep or rock wool. Whatever you use ask for assistance in choosing what will work best for what you are insulating. If you choose to do a wall I recommend faced or unfaced batting. If you were to do an attic I personally recommend Cellulose blown in. Why Cellulose? It is treated with a pesticide and doesn’t make you itch like fiberglass insulation. The truth is you need to have enough to stop air from exchanging places. This is called a thermal block. As the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the sun will heat different areas of the home. The walls will heat up causing your air conditioner to run more. If you stop the heat transfer it can lower your cost of A/C...

  Bathroom Sink May 13, 2023 | Plumbing   When choosing a bathroom sink it is very important to think of children. Ok let me explain, children like water and they like to fill up sinks with water. For some reason, some sinks are not equipped with an overflow protection device. This device is usually at the front of the sink or at underneath the faucet between the plug and the top of the sink. If this system becomes clogged you will have water all over the bathroom floor and cabinets. to keep it clean pour boiling hot water down the small hole or use a wire to push whatever is causing it to clog. To understand how a sink works it is very simple with many parts and true engineering has gone into the shape and function of these devices. The first modern sink was developed in 1820 it consisted of a large bowl-like vessel made of metal, stone, clay, or wood. They were also called basins or washstands. In the pre-plumbing era, homeowners used simple dry sinks. Usually, crude shallow...