Home Inspection Library J C Weise Property Inspector Atlanta, GA www.UpscaleInspections.com

Inspecting Bathrooms in Atlanta
Bathtub Overflows,
Shower Pans, Exhaust fans

I am aware of many Atlanta services that do not test overflows and shower pans, particularly on upper floors, because of the possibility of causing water damage and because a definitive determination of whether or not there are leaks some-times requires leaving the bathtub or shower sitting full of water for several hours. Consult with your Realtor about professional inspection and testing procedures, and any leaks at bathtub overflows and shower pans. Also consult with your Realtor about how to protect your financial investment if leaks occur immediately after you close escrow.

Cracked tiles and grout
Many people pay no attention to cracked tiles and grout, but going that route can result in significant water damage to the walls and flooring in and around the bathtub or shower. If you would not buy a cracked tile at the tile store, why would you accept cracked tiles in your bathtub or shower? Remember that water can penetrate even the tiniest hole or crack, and daily use of a shower or bathtub can result in the walls and flooring in and around the bathtub or shower being constantly wet. Such conditions can result in the total collapse of the walls, and I have seen a bathtub fall through the flooring in a house with a raised foundation. Creative repairs (see Figure 1 and Figure 2) might save money in the short run, but Figure 3 shows what’s going to happen eventually, and that is a very expensive mess to clean up.

Glass walls, doors, and windows
Glass walls, doors, and windows were verified as safety glass where typically required or desired, or their absence was noted in your email report along with recommendations about installing such glass. Safety glass typically will shatter into many pieces (see Figure 4) but will hold together, usually preventing someone from falling completely through the glass.

Functional water flow
I determine functional water flow to the greatest extent possible by flushing the toilet while running water at the shower and/or bathtub and at the sink, and with the dishwasher also running. Note that using all systems or appliances might not have been possible due to site-specific conditions, such as a dishwasher that did not work or storage in the sinks or bathtubs. Also note that determining functional water flow is a very subjective determination, so if you have any questions about whether or not you will have good water flow when several people are taking showers at the same time, or when the dishwasher or washer is running when you are taking a shower, run some tests yourself as soon as you close escrow, or earlier if possible. You should also consult with your Atlanta Realtor about how you can protect your financial investment if functional water flow is not satisfactory after you close escrow.

Functional drainage
I determine functional drainage to the greatest extent possible by flushing the toilet while draining water in a sink, bathtub, and/or shower at the same time, and with the dishwasher also running. Note that using all systems or appliances might not have been possible due to site-specific conditions, such as a dishwasher that did not work or storage in the sinks or bathtubs. Also note that determining functional drainage is a very subjective determination, so if you have any questions about whether or not you will have good drainage when several people are taking showers at the same time, or when the dishwasher or washer is running, run some tests yourself as soon as you close escrow, or earlier if possible. You should also consult with your Atlanta Realtor about how you can protect your financial investment if functional drainage is not satisfactory after you close escrow.

Cast iron drain pipes
Cast iron drain pipes typically indicate an older system that needs to be monitored regularly to help detect problems. Simply looking at the exterior of the pipes might not indicate that there are problems with the drainage system since cast iron typically deteriorates from the inside out although some types of soil apparently are corrosive to cast iron. Both interior and exterior deterioration of the cast iron pipes can lead to pitting and pinhole leaks (see Figure 5), followed by catastrophic leaks and failure. Tree roots are notorious for finding pinhole leaks in cast iron drain pipes and either crushing the drain pipes as they wrap around it, or entering the drain pipes through the pinholes, eventually clogging the drain and bursting the pipe.

If the cast iron drain pipes are under the foundation slab, failure can result in settling and cracking of the foundation. If the cracking and settling occurs towards the center of the slab foundation, the process of leveling and stabilizing the slab becomes more difficult and expensive. Some cast iron drain pipes are able to have the interior cleaned and sealed, thus prolonging the life of the system, and the process many times is less expensive than replacing the cast iron drain pipes. Consult a qualified plumber if drainage ever appears slow at sinks, toilets, bathtubs, showers, or laundry.

I am aware that many Realtors advise home owners to run some Liquid Plummer or Draino down all the sinks, bathtubs, showers, and toilets prior to a property inspection. Such a tactic usually works quite well in preventing me from finding drainage defects during the course of my inspection. In many cases, using commercial drain cleaners is a band-aid rather than a cure, so if there  were problems which might have been detected during the course of a property inspection, those problems typically will reoccur shortly after the inspection. Again, consult with your Atlanta Realtor about how you can protect your financial investment if functional drainage is not satisfactory after you close escrow, especially if there are cast iron drain pipes present.

Water-saving toilets, faucets, and shower heads
Some Atlanta jurisdictions require installation of low-flow toilets, faucets, and shower heads when real estate is transferred. I cannot verify water-using components as low-flow devices if the manufacturer’s statement is not present. However, there are relatively easy methods for determining whether or not toilets, faucets, and shower heads are low flow devices. Contact me if you need help.

Drainage cleanout caps
No attempt was made to locate drainage cleanout caps. They typically are located in the garage; in sink cabinets; on exterior walls near the kitchen, laundry, and bathrooms; or in the ground near those same rooms. There can be more than one. If you do not find any drainage cleanout caps, have a licensed Atlanta plumbing professional find them. Sometimes they have been stuccoed over on exterior walls, and sometimes landscape professionals cover them up when they are in the ground. A licensed plumbing professional will also be able to remove the cleanout caps and determine the overall condition of the interior of the drainage system pipes. Some even have remote-control video equipment to check out the interior of inaccessible drainage pipes, particularly those near trees that might be blocked by tree roots.

Exhaust fans and openable windows
Using exhaust fans or openable windows in bathrooms will help prevent moisture accumulation in those areas, will help prevent moisture damage to structural and mechanical components in the bathroom, and will help prevent mold and mildew.

Spa, hydrotherapy, and whirlpool bathtubs
Spa, hydrotherapy, and whirlpool bathtubs Whirlpool tubs (sometimes referred to as ”Jacuzzis,” which is really a brand name) are filled and tested for operation. An accumulation of soap, dirt, and mildew is often present in the components of the bathtub and will be ejected into the tub when operated. Cleaning and maintaining the bathtub is good practice and a fairly simple process. Once a month—more often for bathtubs that get a lot of use—you should remove any accumulation of bath residue from body oils, dirt, soaps, shampoos, lotions, etc., from the system. First, fill the bathtub with hot water and add 4 tablespoons to ¼ cup of a low-foaming disinfectant such as powdered dishwasher detergent. Some manufacturers also suggest adding ½ cup of household bleach. Turn off the air induction and run the water jets for 10 to 15 minutes. Then drain the bathtub and refill with just cold water. Run the jets for 10 to 15 minutes and then drain again. There are also commercial cleaning products made specifically for cleaning these types of bathtubs.

If you have a bathtub with air jets installed after the house has been built, such as during remodeling, make sure that your installer does two things:

                    1.    First, it is quite dangerous to sit it a bathtub full of water that is connected to electricity. Therefore, these types of bathtubs are required to be on a GFCI circuit or plugged into a GFCI outlet

                   2.    Second, make sure that an access panel is installed so that you can get to the plumbing or the pump. Panel covers are not the most beautiful things, so many installers leave them out, which means that you’re going to be cutting into the tile or wall to get to the plumbing if there’s a leak, or to the jet pump to replace it should it fail.

If you have any other questions about anything, simply contact me.

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