What is CSST?

CSST stands for Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing. It appears to be a yellow flexible tube and can be found in some homes in the attic or as a feeder tube to gas appliances. CSST is a popular product in the greater Austin TX area, since many homes here have natural gas service. Although it is materially more expensive than traditional black iron pipe, CSST is quick to install and requires less cutting, fitting and labor time. This means that CSST is often cheaper and easier to install overall than black iron pipe, so many builders opt for it.

CSST does have very specific installation requirements. One such requirement is that the tubing itself must be bonded and grounded to the home electrical system. Failure to do so can cause pin holes to form if/when lightning strikes in the area, leaking natural gas into the home and ultimately fire, injury and loss of property or life. Essentially the CSST pinhole caused by a lightning strike on an ubbonded system can become a blowtorch in your home. CSST should not be confused with the other common flex tubes used to connect the natural gas pipe to an appliance. They are two different products.

Unbonded CSST after lightning strike

CSST electrical bonding and grounding should be verified by a licensed electrician or plumber. A thorough inspection of CSST should include confirming the correct size and installation of the ground/bond wire.

How A Home Inspection Helped Me Lower My Property Tax Assessment

As my father used to say when I was growing up, a few things in this life are certain… among those are death and taxes. We, homeowners, are accustomed to seeing our assessed property values increase year after year, even when there are no improvements and even though our home suffers from the wear and tear associated with daily living.

Some of us simply resign to the valuation increases. Others file a protest online and, after being denied online, just accept the new assessment. What many do not know is that you can actually set a hearing to argue your case for lower values, and given the right data and preparation, you can actually win!

Such was the case for me this year. My home clocked a hefty 4% increase in assessed taxable value. I protected online, was promptly denied, and then scheduled a hearing. Fortunately, I had a home inspection performed by a third party the year before for my 1 year home builder warranty, so I brought it along with some comps I thought would help.

I made the argument that my home not only did not increase in value, but that it want down 0.8% or stayed the same. To my surprise, they immediately shot down my comps, comparing them to their own, which were admittedly more accurate. But when I broke out the home inspection, they took note of all of the professionally documented “defects” in my home. Using this, they were persuaded that my home had not increased as much as they initially assessed and I was able to lock in a 1.7% increase in assessed value - and that was on a new construction home. All homes have defects, and these defects can be properly documented in a report by a skilled professional home inspector.

If you would like to schedule an appointment for a home inspection, you can follow this link to our online scheduler https://www.texasvalor.com/schedule-an-inspection or feel free to call us at (512) 630-0611.

Texas Valor Adds FLIR Camera To Inventory

INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY (IRT)

FLIR cameras see moisture intrusion where the naked eye can’t

Texas Valor has added a FLIR IR Camera to our inventory of tools and now add Infrared Tomography (IRT) imagery to all of our reports at no extra cost. IRT is a superior, non-invasive, moisture detection method when used for inspecting homes. It can also detect bad circuit breakers, areas missing insulation, and areas of thermal bridging in the home.

FLIR camera “Sees” the heat entering home through panels of missing insulation

The ultimate real estate agent home inspection checklist

Download a pdf copy of this list to print or share with your client by clicking here

FIVE STEPS TO HELP BEST PREPARE YOUR SELLERS FOR THEIR HOME INSPECTION

As many of you prepare for the busy selling season, don’t forget to properly prepare yourself and your clients for home inspections, one of the most critical stages of a real estate transaction.

By properly preparing for an inspection, your sellers can avoid problems that could get in the way of a clean inspection report and complicate a sale.

That’s why we put together this home inspection checklist to help you go into the buying season ready to minimize snags for yourself and your clients.

SHORE UP MINOR WEAR AND TEAR

Routine maintenance is an easy way for homeowners to keep up with minor problems before they escalate. Not all homeowners do this, of course, and even if they do it’s good to double-check some common problem areas prior to inspection.

Outside the home, repair damaged masonry on steps and walkways, and seal cracks in the driveway. Not only will the home look better, but future issues will be prevented. Re-caulk around exterior doors and windows, check flashing and replace any missing or damaged shingles. Replace cracked or broken window glass and loosen any windows painted shut.

Have the fireplace and chimney cleaned and checked by a professional. If home inspectors can’t see into the chimney because of buildup, they won’t be able to inspect it and may need to return after it has been cleaned.

Inside, relatively minor fixes can improve home inspection results. Check for leaky faucets and fixtures, and repair grout around tubs and sinks. An electrician should inspect receptacles and switches and make any needed replacements or repairs.

SERVICE LARGE APPLIANCES

Homeowners should arrange service appointments for their furnace and central air conditioning so that any issues can be addressed before the home inspection.

If the home has battery-operated smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, put in fresh batteries and install additional units if any are missing. Wired units should be tested to ensure they’re functioning.

VERIFY THE COMPLETENESS AND ACCURACY OF THE HOME DISCLOSURE

A seller disclosure form is basically a list of everything the seller knows about the condition of his or her property. This allows potential buyers to understand exactly what they are getting. All physical defects and issues affecting a property's value should be disclosed on the form. The more accurate and transparent you can be on this, the less chance there will be any unexpected discoveries that may hang a deal up.

PULL A CLUE REPORT FOR THE HOME

Sellers can also provide something called a CLUE (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) Report —which is a 7-year claims information report from the national underwriter’s database on the property. this can be obtained from the homeowner’s insurance agent and will reveal any claims on issues such as flooding, roof damage from hail, fires, or the lack thereof, etc. This is basically a Car-fax report for the home. Providing this to the buyers will add to the transparency of the transaction and ensure fewer late discovery hang-ups.

PREPARE FOR INSPECTION DAY

On the day of the home inspection, a few easy steps will make the process go as smoothly as possible.

First, allow sufficient time for the inspection. A professional home inspection will take an average of from two and a half to three hours, longer if the home is large. It’s best if the sellers aren’t there for the inspection, though the potential buyer will usually want to be there and should be if at all possible.

Be sure that inspectors have access to all areas of the home. Provide keys to any locked areas, and allow access to the attic, crawl space, garage and yard. Be sure they have access to components such as electrical panels, the main water shutoff and gas meter. Also, make sure they can easily access the water heater, furnace and central air conditioning unit.

Homeowners should make arrangements for pets to be out of the house or contained in a crate for their own safety and that of the home inspector. Dogs, in particular, can be disruptive, and some can become distressed by having an unfamiliar person in their “territory.”

It is always a good idea to store small valuables and medications out of sight and in a secure location for peace of mind. One option is for the homeowner to simply take these items with them when they leave for the duration of the inspection.

Taking these steps can go a long way to prevent or address problems that could negatively affect the inspection, make a potential buyer less confident about the home and lower your and your clients’ chances at a smooth transaction and a top-dollar sale.

An inspection-ready home presents itself best for evaluation and makes the entire process go more smoothly.

Making Your Real Estate Listings Come To Life With Drone Videography

The use of drones in real estate has opened up new ways to showcase a property. Reaching new heights, you can now highlight interesting views that buyers couldn't before see. Is the property close to recreational areas, attractions, school etc? What does the neighborhood look like? What is the lay of the land? Drone photos and videos are a perfect way to highlight this.

It's not just about flying. We edit your drone photos and videos to ensure they look their best. See our latest example below of 10 acres of land for sale in Burnet, TX.

Using drones to market a property have been shown to help agents to sell faster and gain more listings. Perhaps this is why high volume real estate agents use aerial photography 3.5 times more often. 

According to NAR 85% of buyers and sellers prefer to work with an agent using video. 83% of home sellers prefer agents who use drones to market their property. Video creates an engaging experience. It trends better on social media and garners more clicks on google. 

We utilize video to tell story about a property. The story that will make it come to life on your MLS listings! Contact Texas Valor Today to talk about your drone projects!

Water Heater Backdrafting

Backdrafting at a water heater is a common defect identified during home inspections, and it’s almost always a condition that the homeowner or occupant is not aware of.  This happens when the exhaust gases from an atmospherically vented water heater spill out into the room, rather than safely leaving the house through the vent.  Exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide and high levels of moisture, so this is always a condition that should be corrected.

An atmospherically vented water heater is a type with a draft hood, which relies on gravity to get the exhaust gases out of the home.  Exhaust gas is hot and therefore lighter than the surrounding air, which is what allows it to rise up the vent and out of the house.  These are very simple devices that require no electricity to operate, however, this isn’t a very reliable draft method.  Today I’m going to share some clues that could indicate a problem with a water heater drafting properly.

Backdrafting exhaust gases can condense at the top of the water heater tank.  Over time, this corrosive condensate will begin to corrode the top of the tank.  A leaking shutoff valve can also cause corrosion at the top of the tank, but that type of corrosion is easily distinguishable back corrosion caused by backdrafting because the worst area will be located directly below a valve.

If you can see condensation at the top of a water heater tank, you’re basically watching the water heater backdraft.  The photo below shows moisture, rust, and melted plastic at the top of the water heater.

The vent connector at a water heater needs to pitch upwards towards the vent, and should ideally not have any quick turns, especially right at the draft hood.

If you find these types of clues, there might be a problem with the water heater drafting properly.

I have several different tools that I can use to check for proper draft at a water heater if I’m feeling fancy, but there’s really no need.  If I want visual evidence to put in an inspection report, I usually hold a mirror up the draft hood and take a picture of the mirror getting fogged up. 

Any water heater backdraft condition should be evaluated and corrected by a qualified professional.

Top 4 issues found during home inspections

Buying a house is the biggest investment most people make during their lifetimes. Whether it’s a newly built home or a fixer-upper, having a certified home inspector evaluate its condition is highly recommended before committing to a purchase. Here are the top four common causes of defects inspectors regularly come across during home inspections.

Water Damage

Moisture and drainage issues can lead to dry rot, foundation problems, structural damage and toxic mold in a home. Some common causes include:

• Grading that slopes toward rather than away from the structure

• Roof leaks from missing shingles, improperly installed flashing or failed sealant around penetrations

• Leaks from connections to kitchen and bathroom fittings and fixtures

• Tree roots invading and clogging lines, causing water to back up into the home through the drains

• Gutters clogged with leaves or other debris that overflow and damage the stucco or siding

Faulty Wiring

Faulty electrical wiring is a common cause of house fires, especially in older homes. Home inspectors often find the following dangerous conditions:

• Exposed wires or improperly spliced connections

• Wrong size breakers in electrical panels that allow circuits to become overloaded

• Overloaded circuits that cause wiring to heat and its insulation to melt away

• Improperly wired receptacles where the black hot wire and neutral white wire are reversed, which can be a shock hazard

Mold

Surface mold in poorly ventilated bathrooms is common and usually not harmful. Black mold in basements or crawl spaces, however, is a serious problem. Here are some of the concerns associated with black mold:

• Black mold can cause asthma and other serious health problems

• Black mold can be expensive to remedy

• Although it can be removed, ensuring it won’t return can be difficult

• Black mold almost always indicates a serious underlying problem, such as cracks or leaks in the foundation

Water Heater Issues

Whether it’s heated by gas or electricity, water heaters are among the most neglected items in a home. Signs that a water heater needs replacing include the following:

• Rust on the heater’s bottom surface and lower edge indicate the heater is on the brink of failing and replacement is overdue

• A stuck or jammed TPR valve can cause the water temperature and pressure inside the tank to exceed safe levels, potentially causing serious personal injuries from scalding and property damage from an explosion

• Blackened areas near a gas water heater’s burner usually result from improper combustion, which can be a sign of deadly carbon monoxide emissions

• A water heater more than 10 years old is at risk of failing, and unless it’s situated in an area where flooding won’t cause serious damage, it should be replaced

The Role Of Expansion Tanks In Your Water Heating System

When a water heater is connected to a closed system, an expansion tank must be installed to prevent excessive pressure in the water. To help understand what this is all about, please read on.

OPEN SYSTEMS
When a water heater fires up, the water in the tank expands. When this happens, where does the water go? Right back out the cold water inlet, all the way back to the water supply coming into the house. The municipal water supply for the house acts as a gigantic expansion tank… and nobody notices. This is illustrated in the diagram to the right.

CLOSED SYSTEMS
What happens when a one-way valve, or check valve, gets installed on the water supply piping for the house? The water has nowhere to go. As the water heater heats the water, it expands, which builds up pressure. When the pressure builds up enough, the temperature and pressure relief valve on the water heater simply does its job. It relieves the excess pressure by leaking a little bit of water.

This doesn’t happen every time that a pressure reducing valve or check valve is installed, but there may be other problems that show up in the house, such as the toilet fill valves randomly re-filling toilets, or faucets chronically dripping.

In Texas, it’s rare for a check valve to be installed on the water supply line for the house, but it’s fairly common to have a pressure regulator installed. The problem that these regulators can create is that they will act as a check valve; they’ll allow water into the home, but they won’t allow water back out. This creates what is called a ‘closed system’.

EXPANSION TANKS
When a closed system exists on the water distribution piping in a home, an expansion tank needs to be installed somewhere on the plumbing system. This is a fairly simple and straightforward fix; an expansion tank uses an air bladder which is compressible which gives the water somewhere to go when it expands, and the temperature and pressure relief valve on the water heater will stop causing problems.

REQUIRED OR JUST A GOOD IDEA?
As of 2018, the International Plumbing Code 607.3 requires an expansion control device whenever a check valve or pressure reducing valve is used in the water supply.

Where a storage water heater is supplied with cold water that passes through a check valve, pressure reducing valve or backflow preventer, a thermal expansion tank shall be connected to the water heater cold water supply pipe at a point that is downstream of all check valves, pressure reducing valves and backflow preventers. Thermal expansiontanks shall be sized in accordance with the tank manufacturer's instructions and shall be sized such that the pressurein the water distribution system shall not exceed that required by Section 604.8.

How Drone Photography Can Help Sell A Home

Photography is key when selling any property.  Professional pictures are the best way to show off your home’s features and immediately grab buyers’ attention. But, depending on the type of property you have, traditional photos may not be adequate. More and more, sellers and their REALTORS® are using drone photography to take their marketing to the next level. 

An aerial shot of a property, as opposed to a simple street-level shot, can give depth and dimension, and also provide a view of a home’s surroundings – a backyard pool, a nearby creek, a neighborhood park, etc. With a drone, you have a virtual tripod that you can use to get camera shots at unique heights and angles.

Prior to the use of drones, aerial shots were only possible by hiring a helicopter, which is not only time consuming, but also very cost prohibitive. Now, it’s possible for a licensed remote pilot to easily capture aerial pictures and videos and send them to an agent’s inbox in just a few hours. Prices vary depending on the project, but aerial packages for small residential properties typically range from $100-$500. 

This technology is becoming increasingly popular and is almost expected on large, unique properties and higher end homes. If a property sits on a large parcel of land, or has a barn, farmlands, outbuildings, a pool, etc… details can get lost with the limitations of standard photography. 

In addition to this, drone photography can often provide sweeping views to give potential buyers great perspective of how a home is positioned in relation to desired amenities, nearby schools and landmarks.

While anyone can purchase a drone online, there is much more to getting great real estate footage. For best results, REALTORS® should hire local professionals who are licensed to fly drones, are insured, and have experience with shooting and editing aerial photography. There are strict rules and regulations to consider, so working with a professional is critical. 

Today’s buyers are more interested in pictures and video, They don’t want to read about a home’s features, they want to see them. As they say, you only get one chance to make that first impression, and professional photography and drone technology can give you that edge. 

Drone Land Survey Accuracy

Modern commercial drones have made mapping any area or an object a matter of few minutes or hours, instead of the typical days or weeks it used to take before.  A small commercial drone can now let a qualified operator achieve survey-grade accuracy in a photogrammetric map or 3D model.

But just how accurate can these surveys be? How is accuracy defined and measured in these drone based aerial surveys?

SURVEY ACCURACY VS. PIXEL SIZE

One of the most important parameters of a survey is the spatial resolution. Spatial resolution is described as GSD (Ground Sampling Distance). In literature, it is defined as the distance between two consecutive pixel centers measured on the ground. In practice, it is simply the size of the pixel in the field.

The GSD depends on the parameters of the camera being used (mainly camera resolution and focal length) and the flight altitude. For example, to achieve 1 cm (3 inches) pixel size using a smaller professional drone like the DJI Phantom 3 Professional or DJI Mavic Professional, you will need to fly at an altitude of 25 m. Using a larger professional device like PrecisionHawk’s Lancaster 5 will let you achieve 1 cm GSD at 60m.

RELATIVE ACCURACY VS. ABSOLUTE ACCURACY

Relative accuracy is the measurement of how objects are positioned relative to each other in a reconstructed model (Orthophotomap, Digital Surface Model or 3D point cloud). Absolute accuracy refers to the difference between the location of the objects on the reconstructed model and their true position on the Earth (or a geodetic coordinate system). For most small areas and simple use cases, the relative model works just fine. It accurately measures distances, volumes and height differences and allows for operations like applying vegetation indexes to your data.

However, if professional photogrammetric survey documentation is needed, or if the data is to be combined with other data layers (e.g. GIS vector data) or do any operations with geographic coordinates in a geodetic reference system, the absolute orientation of the reconstructed model will need to be determined by using Ground Control Points or GCPs. They help to increase the accuracy of your drone survey and allow you to fit the model in a geodetic coordinate system. These points must be measured by a land surveyor using professional equipment, such as the RTK GPS or a Total Station.

WHAT RELATIVE ACCURACY CAN BE ACHIEVED IN DRONE PHOTOGRAMMETRY?

When it comes to relative accuracy (Surveys without GPCs), the literature says you can expect an error of 1-3 times the pixel size for a correctly reconstructed model, both horizontally and vertically. This means that for a 2 cm GSD, one should be able to achieve the accuracy in the range of 2-6 cm.

CONCLUSION

The accuracy requirements of any survey depend on its final application and the use case. In many cases, 30 cm (1 foot) will be more than enough, while on other projects 2 cm is the maximum acceptable error. Using a small professional drone without GPCs placed by land surveyors can still provide a highly accurate product for many standard use cases.

About Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)

What is a GFCI: The ground-fault circuit interrupter, or GFCI, is a fast-acting circuit breaker designed to shut off electric power in the event of a ground-fault within as little as 1/40 of a second. It works by comparing the amount of current going to and returning from equipment along the circuit conductors. The GFCI will “sense” the difference in the amount of electricity flowing into the circuit to that flowing out, even in amounts of current as small as 4 or 5 milliamps.

Purpose: A ground fault circuit interrupter can help prevent electrocution. If a person’s body starts to receive a shock, the GFCI senses this and cuts off the power before he/she can get injured.

Where should GFCIs be used: GFCIs are generally installed where electrical circuits may accidentally come into contact with water. They are most often found in kitchens, bath rooms and laundry rooms, or even out-doors or in the garage where electric power tools might be used.

How should a GFCI be tested: Whether you have a receptacle or circuit breaker GFCI, pushing the TEST button should turn off the power to the circuit. For the receptacle-type GFCI, pushing the TEST button should cause the RESET button to pop up. (Remember to push the RESET button to re-establish power and protection.) For the circuit breaker-type GFCI, pushing the TEST button should cause the handle to move to the tripped position. (Remember to reset the handle to re-establish power and protection.)

When should GFCIs be tested: GFCIs should be checked monthly to determine if they are operating properly. A portable GFCI should be used out-of-doors with various electrical power tools (i.e., drills, mowers, trimmers) and should be tested before each use!

Read more about GFCIs from InterNACHI here https://www.nachi.org/gfci.htm