Proper Links Needed for Copper, Steel Pipes
QUESTION: Three years ago, I had our house repiped in copper. The house was recently inspected as part of the sale, and the home inspector said the new copper was not properly separated from the original galvanized. Why do I still have any galvanized piping, and why does a connection between the copper and galvanized matter?
ANSWER: You have two questions here. First, what is professionally known as a repipe can vary, but would typically involve replacement of the supply line from the meter to the home and the replacement thereafter of the horizontal lines beneath the homes or within the home.
b Galvanized pipes occlude or become clogged with bits of corroded matter and suspended solids in the water. The vertical, or riser, pipes occlude at a dramatically slower rate and are left to lessen the cost of cosmetic repairs. The need for separation arises from the fact that copper and galvanized steel are dissimilar metals and should not be directly connected.
If a direct connection is made, electrolysis will occur. This is an immense failure of the joint. You will note I wrote will, not may because it is inevitable and will occur at every cross connection (the hot-water lines will degrade much faster than the cold lines).
A leak of this type is a “whole system” problem and will require shutting off the system until repairs can be made. Proper separation is simple and inexpensive: dielectric fittings or a nipple or brass pipe are placed between the two materials and the problem is avoided. About 45% to 60% of the repiped seams we see have direct connections, a depressing number indeed.
Aluminum Rewiring Requires a Professional
Q: I have been told that I have aluminum branch wiring in my home. Should my entire house be rewired?
A: Typically, no. An electrician qualified in the repair of aluminum wiring should be contacted to evaluate your electrical system. These repairs should be performed only by a qualified, licensed electrician who is familiar with aluminum wiring and the safety requirements for upgrading the system, as the connections between aluminum and copper are made with special connectors, not the typical “wire nut.”
There are special procedures to follow when upgrading aluminum wiring systems and only a licensed qualified electrician should be contacted to do such work. You can send for the booklet repairing aluminum wiring, CPCS No. 516, to U.S. Consumer Product, Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207.
Owner Is Responsible for Defect Disclosures
Q: My realtor listed my home and did a walk-through with me for any visible defect we could find so we could disclose them on the state’s required disclosure form that all sellers must fill out and sign. He mentioned several items in our garage that he requested we disclose on the form and or have repairs made.
My question is: We bought the home two years ago and did not have a home inspection, and these items were there as they are today. So why should I disclose them as defects or repair them? The items he mentioned were holes in our garage fire-wall and that the doggie door cut into the fire door going into the garage was illegal.
A: Your realtor is correct. Once you bought the home, you became responsible for any conditions whether they were there before or after you purchased the home. You must disclose all “known defects,” and you could, in some cases, be required to repair them before the close of escrow.
Building codes require that any walls in a garage that you live behind or above be built with a minimum of 5/8-inch fire-resistant dry wall and be completely sealed. Doors going into the home must be solid-core fire-rated door with an automatic closing device so they will automatically close and latch. No holes can be cut in the wall or door. This is to delay fire and smoke from entering the home as long as possible, giving you the fire safety that these doors and walls were designed for.
Check Qualifications When Hiring Inspector
Q: What do we look for when hiring an inspector?
A: Be sure he or she is a member of California Real Estate Inspection Assn. (CREIA), a region of the American Society of Home Inspectors, a trade organization, which is the only statewide organization to offer continuous training, education and support services to the inspection industry.
Then ask for his or her experience and qualifications. How many years has he or she been a home inspector? Is he or she a licensed contractor? (This is not required for home inspections. It is a credential only.) Be sure to qualify the inspector who will be doing the inspection, not the company or owner.
