If sale hinges on state of roof, get a second opinion

Question: The people who are buying my home hired a home inspector, and no major problems were listed in the report. But they are concerned about the roof because the inspector checked it off as “poor,” even though he found no particular defects. He simply said it was near the end of its functional life.

Why would an inspector make this disclosure when the roof is still functional?

Answer: Home inspectors walk a thin line between the reporting of significant defects and the avoidance of liability and lawsuits.

Some inspectors are overly cautious and tend to word their disclosures in ways that enhance their liability avoidance. This is sometimes done by reporting that a functioning roof may be “near the end of its functional life.”

On the other hand, a roof that is in functional condition may show sufficient signs of aging to indicate that it is truly nearing the end of its life. A home inspector who fails to state this in a report could be liable two or three years down the road, when the roof begins to leak.

If this disclosure has become a showstopper in the sale of your home, a second opinion by a licensed roofing contractor may be needed. However, roofing contractors face the same liability exposure as home inspectors. Therefore, you may get another “nearing the end of life” disclosure.

’50s house; ’50s pipes, wiring too

Question: I’m considering buying a home that was built in 1951. Are plumbing systems from that era consistent with today’s standards? (I think the pipes are steel.) Are electrical systems of that age safe and capable of providing enough power for today’s needs?

Answer: The standards of construction have changed considerably in the last half a century, especially when it comes to plumbing and electrical systems. Galvanized steel water piping was abandoned in favor of copper in the late 1960s, and now the plumbing industry has moved from copper to PEX (crosslink polyethylene).

The problem with old galvanized pipes is that they usually have internal rust buildup, which reduces water volume. A symptom of corroded water lines would be changes in shower flow when other plumbing fixtures are operated.

Electrical systems in the early ’50s had much less capacity because there were fewer uses at that time. Typical breaker panels from that period provided 50 to 70 amps, and some systems were still equipped with old-fashioned fuses. Today, the minimum service size is 100 amps, and homes are wired with many more circuits than they were in the early 1950s.

Many aspects of a 1950s home are obsolete by today’s standards. Therefore, be sure to hire a highly qualified home inspector before closing escrow on this property.

Stick with soffit, ridge venting

Question: We are about to have a roof installed and have a question about venting our attic. We currently have a ridge vent and a power exhaust fan on the roof. Our contractor says it is not good to have both and recommends eliminating the ridge vent. Do you agree? If not, what do you recommend?

Answer: Attic ventilation for the majority of homes is marginally adequate. Lack of sufficient vents can increase heat gain in a home, driving up the cost of air-conditioning and shortening the useful life of composition roofing materials.

Industry studies published in the Journal of Light Construction have shown that the best type of attic ventilation is soffit and ridge venting. This involves the natural process of convection, the tendency for heated air to rise. In this case, hot air in the attic rises through the ridge vents and is replaced by cooler air that is drawn into the eaves vents. The warmer the attic air becomes, the more quickly it vents.

These same studies found that power fans provide the least effective ventilation, no matter where they are placed. This is because of “dead zones” in an attic where air movement is not affected by fans.

Another effective means of convection venting involves the use of air turbines, the round spinning devices commonly seen on the roofs of commercial and manufacturing buildings.

To submit a question, go to www.housedetective.com.