Kitchen Sink Trap

Kitchen Trap

The Kitchen sink Trap Inspection

I am writing this article so as to answer several comments and questions I have recently heard and been asked about. To be brief I am answering the people who have told me they had a hack inspector miss a trap installed backwards and asked how it should properly look. The above picture shows a proper trap with the cleanout on the bottom but I must point out that many homes do not have this feature and that is NOT a defect. Above all the water must go down to a low spot trapping anything that you may not want entering your septic system. The trap adapter usually has a screw cap that tightens onto the sink drain tail piece, this piece I have often found loose and allowing a small leak. This is a defect and needs to either be tightened or have the plastic gasket  replaced.  If it does not have a trap cleanout, you will need to remove the entire trap which is why both ends usually have screw connectors if they do not have the cleanout. You must also check that the trap arm does NOT run uphill from the trap, this should be level. When a home inspector checks this trap, we grip the inlet and the outlet while water is draining to make sure it is secure and that there are no leaks.

What First Time Home Buyers Need to Know.

A regular real estate home inspection and a first time home buyer inspection differs slightly in the fact that I highly recommend a first time home buyer needs to be there during the inspection. Someone who has owned homes before already understands where to look for the main water shut off, The main septic clean-out and where re-set buttons are on the garbage disposal, and The furnace or how to set the temperature on the hot water heater or how to prime the furnace after running out of oil. These are just a few things I like to point out to new home buyers. How do you expect someone to know how to change their furnace filter which only takes a minute, if they didn’t even know they had one! Or how to put a mirror in the chimney clean out to see if it needs cleaning or not. All people know to take lint out of their dryer but new home owners might not know you should clean out the lint vent leading outside at least once a year. New home owners may not understand the importance of making sure outside faucets lead away from the basement or the importance of having proper ventilation in the attic. All good home inspectors have no problem helping out new home buyers at no extra charge for this service and I highly recommend all first time home buyers ask if the Inspector is first time home buyer certified. I also like to let all clients of my inspections to feel free to call anytime about any questions they may have about their home even if it is a year or so later. I enjoy being there for you and being allowed the opportunity to be of assistance. If I didn’t like this profession I would be doing something else