Oil filled radiators Oil-filled space electric heaters heat the liquid inside the metal unit that warms the surrounding ambient air without a fan or blower. The oil known as diathermic oil does not burn or ignite like fuel. Thus, no oil needs to be added as it never burns off. Electricity warms the oil, but the oil is slow to lose heat and the unit only switches on occasionally to keep the liquid at the right temperature. Some units have high, medium and low settings, but others have timers and thermostat temperature controls. Safety Precautions Oil-filled radiators get very hot. Keep the unit away from all combustible materials, including draperies, furniture and walls. Avoid touching the hot metal surface. It is advised against keeping an oil-filled radiator heater in damp areas such as bathrooms with poor ventilation. These radiators are slow to heat up, which makes it tempting to leave one unattended. However, don’t be negligent as any space heater poses a fire risk. Best Location for your heater The basic heating technology and features make them ideal for single zone heating. A central spot in a room is best, allowing the heat to circulate naturally and evenly throughout the space. The radiator should not be placed close to a door because of heat loss.

1. Only burn well-seasoned hardwood like oak, maple, birch, almond wood, and fruitwood.  Green wood and softwoods like pine, cedar, and spruce cause smoky fires and creosote build-up.  Hardwoods burn hotter and cleaner. 2. Have your fireplace inspected and cleaned by a chimney sweep at least once a year and more often if your household uses the fireplace daily or if you see soot and creosote buildup. Keep an eye on your fireplace and regularly check the interior for creosote and soot. 3. Inspect or have the chimney sweep inspect the chimney cowl.  The chimney cowl keeps wildlife like birds and squirrels, rain, and debris from getting into the chimney. The cowl is important because the sides allow smoke to escape.  If the sides become blocked, the air quality of your home could suffer. 4.  There should not be smoke inside your home.  Get your fires burning as hot as possible, as quickly as possible, to minimize smoke and incomplete combustion.  If your fireplace is smoking, it is likely either due to an incorrect flue design or creosote build-up.  Once the fire is burning well, the flue should be open just enough to let the smoke escape. (If you are using a fireplace with a damper). 5. Do not let ashes build up in the fireplace.  Keep a one-inch layer of ash in your fireplace during burning season to protect the floor of the fireplace and insulate coals.  Do not let the ashes build up to the grate as this will cause the grate to wear more quickly.  Make sure ashes are completely cool before cleaning them out of the fireplace.  Do not leave ashes in the fireplace year round as they are acidic and can draw moisture. 6. Consider getting your chimney lined with a stainless steel liner for maximum fire safety.  With proper care and use, a wood-burning fireplace can heat and beautify your home for years to come.

During cold weather, we see the highest number of electric fires. These fires are not only damaging property-wise, but they are taking lives, as well. Faulty wiring or electrical sockets overloaded by heating devices can and will spark.  Space heaters can also ignite.  It is very important to check if your appliance has a “tip switch,” meaning that it turns off automatically if tipped over.  Remember to set space heaters on a solid, level surface that is not carpeted to ensure that it does not tip over and also to ensure that the tip-over switch can function.  Never drape blankets, or place combustible items near space heaters and keep a minimum of one-meter distance from the heating unit. 6 common causes of electrical fires. Faulty outlets, appliances. Most electrical fires are caused by faulty electrical outlets and old, outdated appliances. Never use an appliance with a worn or frayed cord that can send heat onto combustible surfaces like floors, curtains, or carpets as it can start a fire. Running cords under rugs is another cause of electrical fires. The cables get heated underneath the rug and ignite the rug starting a fire. Removing the grounding plug from a cord so it can be used in a two-prong electrical outlet can also cause a fire. The reason appliances have the extra prong is so they can only be used in outlets that can handle the extra amount of electricity that these appliances require. Light fixtures, lamps, and light bulbs are another common reason for electrical fires. Installing a bulb with a wattage that is too high for the lamps or light fixtures is a leading cause of electrical fires. Always check the maximum recommended bulb wattage on any lighting fixture or lamp and never go over the recommended amount. Another cause of fire is placing materials like cloth or paper over a lampshade. The material heats up and ignites, causing a fire. Space heaters. Because these types of heaters are portable, many times people put them too close to combustible surfaces such as curtains, beds, clothing, chairs, couches, and rugs. Coil space heaters are especially dangerous in this regard because the coils become so hot they will almost instantaneously ignite any nearby flammable surface. Wiring. Outdated wiring often causes electrical fires. If a home is over 20 years old, it may not have the wiring capacity to handle the increased amounts of electrical appliances in today’s average home, such as computers, wide-screen televisions, video gaming players, microwaves and air conditioners. Stay safe and make sure you get your house inspected this winter. Contact Home Inspection SA today and get a free quotation.

Cracks and damage to walls and foundations are caused primarily by soils that contract and expand due to moisture content. The soil absorbs water and swells up and then shrinks when it dries out. This puts pressure on foundations, and if not designed and built correctly, will lead to walls cracking and even collapsing. Other soil types, dolomite for instance, can dissolve in water during heavy rains or when drainpipes and water pipes leak.   Foundation Maintenance All soils are affected by water. Water can weaken the structure of some soils causing gradual or sudden settlements (or collapse) to take place. Expansive soils shrink or swell in response to changes in moisture content, resulting in heave movements. The owner should therefore: Pay attention to drainage of the site. Storm water and garden irrigation water should not be permitted to pond within 1,5 m of foundations and walls. Ensure that shrubs are not planted too close to foundations and walls. The regulations specify a minimum distance of 1,2 m for expansive soil sites, and 1,5 m for compressible and potentially collapsible soil sites. Ensure the prompt repair of leaks in all plumbing and drainage, as this will cause catastrophic failure in the foundation.   Trees that can cause damage Many foundations are likely to be located in close proximity to planted or self-sown trees during their useful life. In some situations, trees can adversely affect foundations and induce damage. All trees should be regarded as a potential source of damage. The following varieties are, however, particularly prone to causing damage: All eucalyptus varieties Lombardy (Free State) poplars London planes Willows (Salix) of any type Jacarandas REMEMBER: Your home foundation is exactly what it means.

Whilst swimming pools add value and entertainment to a property, there are a number of important factors one must be aware of when investing in a property. Safety Features The number of drowning cases in private pools is unacceptable. Firstly, one needs to ensure that the pool area is properly secure from a safety perspective. According to the National Building Regulations, swimming pools on private properties do not need to be fenced, as long as the boundary wall or fence around the entire property is more than 1,2m high. If the pool is ‘open’ to the street, the area needs to be fenced with a fence height of 1,2m and a self-closing gate must be installed. If the pool has a form of covering by the means of a net or PVC/Canvas, there are a number of requirements and standards that need to be followed. These will be checked during a home inspection. Pool Structures and Finishes There are a number of pool finishes. Gunite (concrete applied to a steel structure), tiles and Glass fibre pool mouldings. It is important to check the condition of the pool shell to see if there is any evidence of visible cracks; possibly due to expansion and /or contraction movement, evidence of root intrusion, blistering to the surface, stains and markings that may have been caused by algae and other factors. Pool External Surrounding Areas These areas are as important as the pool itself. Whilst the paving may appear to be a decorative feature, one must be aware of the structure and condition of the paving, decking and coping tiles. Any evidence of cracks and lifting or displacement of paving and tiles; could be caused by either expansion and contraction movement, or due to incorrect expansion joints (or no expansion joints). These may also be caused by pool movement, which could result in inadequate or poorly installed steel reinforcing. Pool Operating Equipment There are a number of different parts that make up the good and efficient running of the pool: Pumps and Motors must be accessible and must be installed in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. The pump and motor should be properly housed. All Flow Outlets, Return Inlets and Vacuum Fittings, must be properly operational; and must be able to handle the circulation turnover rate. These must be installed so that they are not hazardous to the swimmer. Filter, lights, and chlorinator must all be functional and in good condition. It is important to have sufficient pool lighting at night. Water There must be an adequate water supply to maintain the water level in the pool. The backwash water and drained water must discharge correctly, in terms of the local municipality by-laws. The pool water must be transparent, clear, and free from cloudiness. The water must be chemically balanced.   We at Home Inspection South Africa will strive to perform an accurate visual inspection on your pool, based on the above. Call us today for a free quotation on 0861 995 049.

So there you are, shopping for your dream home, including a pool and a lovely thatch roof Lapa to entertain your family and friends during our hot summer months. That lapa could turn out to become a bit of a nightmare though, as many home-owners know very little about the lapas they have around their swimming pools and in their gardens. Specifications Obviously, the thatched roof is the most important part of the lapa because that keeps you dry! But did you know that thatch roofs should have a roof slope of 45˚ or more to perform properly? The steep slope is needed so that water will run off from the thatch with minimum penetration into the thatch. At a pitch of less than 45° the thatch will decay rapidly. Furthermore, the thatch will absorb the water increasing the weight on the support structure! Then of course there is also the thickness of the thatch to take into consideration. This is where many lapas have shortcomings! The thatch thickness should be at least 175mm and should be well compacted! Also, the thatch thickness should not be more than 250mm! What is a “well compacted” thatch? When it is not easy to pull out individual stalks of grass, the thatch is normally considered to be well compacted.   Structural Problems Now we get to the structural issues that may crop up – For instance, the poles used as rafters should not have a diameter of less than 100mm at the thin end. In addition, the rafters should not be further than 900mm apart! The support poles should not be further than 3.5m apart. Support poles are the poles that go into the ground that holds the whole structure up. All the poles used to construct your lapa should be treated. The support poles in the ground are also specially treated to withstand insect and moisture damage. Special fire precaution is of the utmost importance as it may result in destruction of your and neighbouring buildings.   Safety Measures Insurers prescribe that the following measures be taken in order to protect a lapa against fire: • In cases where a chimney penetrates the roof of any thatch structure, it should be constructed in such a way that the exterior that is in contact with the thatch cannot become hot. In normal chimneys a full brick thickness (220 mm) is necessary to satisfy this requirement. • All mortar joints in the stack must be properly filled. • Dress the area where the chimney stack penetrates the roof plane with sheet metal or fibreglass reinforced polyester flashing over and underneath the top surface as well as between the layers of the thatch. The width of the flashing should be at least 250mm. • The chimney should be 1m higher than the thatch roof. • A spark arrestor, fitted not less than 700mm from the top of the stack must be provided in all chimney stacks. The typical spark arrestor comprises of a 10 x 10 mm (minimum) section of stainless steel wire mesh across the full width of the flue and securely built into the flue around the edges or supported on mild steel dowels. • Have the chimney flues cleaned at least once a year to avoid an accumulation of soot which can ignite or generate sparks. • Keep an area of up to 25m around the lapa / thatch clear of unkept plants, grass and weeds to prevent fire hazards from sparks, etc. This condition however does not apply to cultivated and maintained lawns and gardens. • Have fire fighting equipment ready on site. In compliance with the National Building Regulation 12, you are responsible for the testing and servicing of the equipment once a year to ensure that it would be ready for use at all times. In most cases a 4 kg dry powder fire extinguisher should be sufficient. • It might be a good preventative measure to use treated grass for the thatch but it is not compulsory.   Lightning Conductors Although a lightning conductor is not compulsory, the insurer may insist on the installation of one, and it might be a good preventative measure, especially in Gauteng with its frequent thunder storms. According to the insurers, an effective lightning mast is of such a height as to provide a shielding angle to the structure/s it is meant to protect. A minimum angle of 45 degrees taken from the highest tip of the mast to ground zero is prescribed. The mast can either be attached to the building or free-standing and should furthermore be bonded to the earth electrode of the structure or an earth electrode of its own. The metals that were used in the thatch construction (i.e. wire mesh, metal coated insulation, etc.) should also be bonded to the earth metal water main or earth electrode of the structure. If the chimney or gable ends extend above the shielding angle of the lightning mast, a peripheral conductor should be used around the chimney or along the gable. This should be connected to a down conductor bonded to the earth electrode or water main. Further than the above, lightning conductors should be installed to protect thatched buildings or structures in accordance with the recommendations contained in SABS 03:1985. The installation of lightning protection should be undertaken only by qualified contractors. If you don’t have one get it done! Your insurance company will probably insist on one!   Legality Issues After all of the above points, your lapa may be still be illegal! If you have a lapa and it is not shown on any approved municipal drawings it may be an illegal construction. Check your approved drawings and do the right thing if it is not! Your insurance will not cover your lapa and it’s contents if this is not corrected! All thatched roofs and lapas are required to comply with the SANS 10407: 2015 Edition 2 specification pertaining to thatch roof construction and SANS 10400 (National