by Shawn Chesney | Oct 23, 2016 | Shawn Chesney Home Inspections Blog
Retaining Walls Retaining Walls are a structure designed and constructed to resist the lateral pressure of soil when there is a desired change in ground elevation that exceeds the angle of repose of the soil. A basement wall is thus one kind of retaining wall. Shawn Chesney Home Inspections recommends when and if possible, Retaining Walls and all their components including weep holes and related drains should be assessed following a heavy rain to make sure they are working properly. If they are not discharging water, the drains should be cleaned out and observed again in the next rain. Retaining walls more than 2 feet high should be backed with drainage material, such as gravel. There should be drains at the bottom of the drainage material that should discharge the water either at the end of the wall or through pipes. These drains and the drainage material behind the wall relieve the pressure of groundwater on the wall. Failure to drain could be remedied by excavating behind the wall, replacing the drainage material and damaged drainage piping, and back filling. In all but the driest climates, improper drainage of water from behind a retaining wall can cause the wall to fail. Types of retaining walls include the following: Gravity Construction types of gravity retaining walls Gravity walls depend on their mass (stone, concrete or other heavy material) to resist pressure from behind and may have a ‘batter’ setback to improve stability by leaning back toward the retained soil. For short landscaping walls, they are often made from mortarless stone or segmental concrete units (masonry units). Dry-stacked gravity walls are somewhat flexible...
by Shawn Chesney | Oct 10, 2016 | Shawn Chesney Home Inspections Blog
Laundry and Utility Rooms Laundry and Utility Rooms are areas that Shawn Chesney Home Inspections is committed to bringing safety tips, suggestions and just some simple FYI. This post we are talking about some things to check or look out for in your Laundry and Utility Rooms. If you have any questions or comments, please call us at 905 228-6544 or visit us on the web at schi.ca. Laundry Room: Watch for leaks and kinks developing at plumbing connections to the washing machine. Water can overflow from the top or bottom if the machine is overloaded with a load that’s too big, or if it is resting on an uneven surface. Protect the electrical or natural gas connections to the dryer and ensure that they are not disturbed or accidentally dislodged from their connections. A gas dryer vent that passes through walls or combustible materials must be made of metal. The length of a dryer exhaust ensures that its blower will be able to push sufficient air volume to take away the laundry’s damp air and lint. The maximum length of the exhaust hose should not be greater than 25 feet from the dryer to the termination at the wall or roof. The length can be increased only when the make and model of the dryer are known. Inspect the dryer venting to make sure it is not clogged or restricted, which will help the unit operate efficiently and normally, as well as prevent the unit’s motor from overheating and failing. A clogged or restricted vent hose may also lead to an accidental fire caused by the ignition up built-up...
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