Ingraffia Home Inspections

The Home Inspection Process in Fountain Valley

2011 September 6 by Mark Ingraffia

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.

Smoke Detector Basics and Troubleshooting

2011 August 24 by Mark Ingraffia

Every once in a while, Ingraffia Home Inspections likes to browse around the Internet and find interesting articles on subjects that a Home Inspector in a different area may have to deal with. Just recently, we ran across a well-written article regarding the importance of smoke detectors, so we thought we would share it with you. When you are ready for your home pre-purchase or pre-sale home inspection, do not hesitate to call us at (714) 371-8422.

This article was written by an author named Josh on the InspectingPhoenix.com website.  You may see the original article by clicking here, or you may read the article below.

“Smoke detectors are a vital safety feature that should be installed in every home; they save lives and protect property.   Not only is it important to have enough properly located smoke detectors but they should also be properly maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.  A poorly maintained smoke detector can lead to nuisance alarms or an inoperable unit.

During the course of our home inspections we inspect the smoke detectors for proper operation. It is all too common to find missing or inoperative smoke detectors in people’s homes.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards recommend:

• A smoke detector on every level of the home
• A smoke detector outside each sleeping area
• A smoke detector inside each bedroom
• Locate smoke detectors on ceiling at least 4 inches from the wall
• Locate smoke detectors high on a wall between 4 and 12 inches from the ceiling
• Interconnected smoke detectors that all sound when one alarms
• Use combination Ionization and Photoelectric smoke detectors

There are some areas that are not ideal to locate smoke detectors, avoiding these locations can reduce nuisance alarms and ensure your smoke detectors stay in proper working order longer.  Below are some basic guidelines to use for proper placement of the smoke detectors:

• Try to locate smoke detectors at least 20 feet from appliances such as furnaces and ovens
• Locate alarms at least 10 feet from high humidity areas such as a shower
• Locate smoke detectors at least 3 feet from heating and air conditioning vents

Maintenance of your smoke detectors is very important to insure proper operation.  Below are some general maintenance guidelines.  Manufacturer’s instructions should always be followed.

• Replace batteries annually or when the smoke detectors start chirping
• Vacuum the smoke detector regularly using the soft brush attachment to prevent dirt buildup in the detection chamber.  This will prevent nuisance alarms due to false indications.

Troubleshooting smoke detectors can require a little bit of trial and error, especially in interconnected systems.  Following these steps should help in diagnosing and fixing the problem.

Chirping – Smoke detector emits a high pitch chirp about once a minute:

• Low battery – Smoke detectors typically chirp to indicate a low battery.  In an interconnected system only the smoke detector with the low battery should chirp.
• Battery drawer open – If the battery drawer is not fully closed the batter will not make contact with the terminals.  Ensure the battery drawer is fully closed.
• Battery pull tab not removed – New smoke detectors are shipped with a plastic pull tab between the battery and battery terminals to prevent operation.  If this is left in place the smoke detector does not sense the battery and assumes it is dead.  Remove the tab.

Nuisance Alarms – These are just a few of the things that can cause nuisance alarms.  Unplugging a smoke detector due to nuisance alarms is dangerous and provides no protection in case of a fire.\

• Dust or dirt – If there is dust or dirt in the sensor chamber the smoke detector can sense this as smoke.  You should vacuum the smoke detector with the soft brush attachment.
• Grease or cooking vapors – If the smoke detector is located in an area with cooking vapors, grease, combustion gasses or other contaminants the sensor chamber can develop a greasy film.  This greasy film can cause the alarm to sound.  Due to the difficulty of cleaning this film and the risk of damage to the smoke detector, I recommend you replace the smoke detector.
• Power interruption – In a hardwired smoke detector the alarm will sound briefly if the power is interrupted and then restored.  Power interruptions can be caused by loose wire connections.  Ensure that the wires are properly and securely connected.  Use caution when working with hard wired smoke detectors as they are connected to the homes electrical system.  Always ensure that the circuit breaker for the smoke detectors is off when working on this system.  Call a qualified electrician if you do not feel comfortable working with electricity.
• Interconnected Alarm – In an interconnected alarm system if one smoke detector goes off all others will alarm making it difficult to diagnose.  Every manufacturer is different but most have a way of indicating which smoke detector is initiating the alarm.   Look at the lights on the detectors, usually the one initiating the alarm will have a flashing light during the alarm to let you know it is the one that sounded the alarm.
• Location – Ensure the smoke detector is not located near furnaces, ovens, showers or supply air vents.  You may need to relocate a smoke detector if it is not in an ideal location.
• Replacement – Smoke detectors are fairly cheap.  If you try everything else and cannot get the detector to stop going off try replacing the unit.

This is just a general guideline to help you with smoke detector location and troubleshooting, always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and the NFPA guidelines when working with smoke detectors.”

Home Inspectors in San Clemente – Call 714.371.8422

2011 June 13 by Mark Ingraffia

Find the right company for you home inspection in San Clemente, CA. Contact Ingraffia Home Inspections at (714) 371-8422 when you want a seasoned pro on your side. As your Southern California home inspector it would be our honor to serve you when you want to know everything about the home before you buy it.

Don’t risk buying a house that isn’t fit to even live in. You never know what could be wrong with the house until you get a detail inspection and report. There may be a lot of costly damage you need to repair before you even move into the house and if you don’t have the funds to cover the costs you may just be purchasing a money pit. That’s why it’s important you always have a home inspection done; so you can cover your investment by doing your due diligence.

Make the right move by letting our team help walk you through your potential buy and explain in details everything that is good and bad about the property. We even have special tools that can assist with thermal imaging too. We stay up to date on all building codes and violations, so you can be sure you are getting what you pay for. Trust in us to be honest and reliable. You won’t find a better value for your money and we do our best to provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision.

Now you know where to get a home inspection in San Clemente, CA. All you have to do is give Ingraffia Home Inspections at (714) 371-8422 a ring for all the help you will need. Our home inspector is NACHI’s Certified and on your side ready to work for you. Call now to schedule your next home inspection with us.

What Is A California Home Inspection? – (714) 371-8422

2011 March 23 by Mark Ingraffia

What’s a home inspection?

Many imagine that a house inspection is known as a process wherein every inch of the house is examined. No! It really is nothing like that. It is in fact a non-invasive approach in reviewing the state of the property. In truth, the review is limited. Then again, the individual conducting this or the home inspector is qualified to get all assignments completed as it should be. He also has tools to assist them evaluate the house. As soon as the review is finished, he prepares his meticulous report, comprising his evaluations, the possible complications that may occur in the house and his suggestions on what has to be done with the problem areas.
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