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So to answer the first part of your question: Yes, absolutely, this sort of inspection can be done before purchasing a home. Every purchase and sale agreement is different, so this language may need to be specifically included.
How often do sewer lines get inspected before purchase? Not often, but it is becoming more common and accepted in the industry, particularly with older, more expensive homes. You will pay between $250 and $400, which can be money very well spent if a serious issue is found.
As to the second part of your question: Funny as it sounds, roots are a lot like the limbs on a tree. Even after trimming with a pipe auger, they continue to grow toward the very attractive water source inside the pipe. Commercial root treatments help prevent future growth after the line has been cleaned. A lot of this depends on the type of root system you are doing battle with. You'll need a pro to do this sort of work, so ask if your particular root problem will benefit from this approach.
Q: What are the brown stains and what look like dried water drips coming out from behind the horizontal cedar siding boards outside my house in several areas? Could it be condensation?
A: You have water behind the siding. The brown color is the color of the backside of your cedar siding. The water picks up the color as it passes through. You need to remove the siding where you see the staining and determine the cause of the leak and extent of damage. This is not normal condensation. Deck ledgers, windows and plumbing leaks are a few of the possible causes.
Q: More than 20 years ago, my parents' 1905 house on Capitol Hill had cellulose insulation blown into the walls from the exterior. This entailed drilling 1-inch holes through the shingle exterior, which were then covered with small plastic vent caps. Over the years, many of these caps have fallen out, while others have deteriorated so that some or all of the plastic louvers are missing. Besides being unsightly, this situation leaves the hole open and the wall cavity subject to infiltration by birds and wasps. We are reminded of this every spring, when small birds make a nest in the kitchen wall. At this point, is it still necessary to have these vent holes?
A: Vent caps were used since shingles are difficult to match with the commonly-used cedar plugs.
The siding might also be drilled with a hole-saw bit and the plug out of the drill used directly.
But using a hole-saw to drill shingles usually results in splinters. So they used vented plastic or aluminum plugs instead.
Venting may be an advantage normally (with a 1-inch vent being of questionable effectiveness), but shingles breathe well naturally, so it is pretty much a non-issue. If you want to replace the shingles, feel free, but be aware that purchase, installation and painting of many shingles will be more expensive than a few new mini-louvers.
Darrell Hay answers readers' questions. Call 206-464-8514 to record your question |
