Clark County PUD Rebates & Loan Programs
At Details Home Inspections, we love seeing 3 things. The first is our customers having well-built homes that give them peace of mind. The second is energy efficiency so that these homes are functioning in the best possible manner. The third is watching our customers save tons of money with their energy efficiency by using rebates, incentives, and loan programs.
These rebates, incentives and low-interest loan programs help create a better and more efficient community while also reducing cost to consumers. Utilizing these programs can also help you reduce the amount of power you need to buy, allowing you to use only the energy you need and avoid wasteful spending.
We're lucky here in Clark County WA in that our local Clark County PUD offers some truly amazing Rebate and Loan programs:
The Solar Energy Program: For those looking to invest in solar technology, loans are available to assist you. Whether you are looking to install rooftop solar systems or solar water heaters, they can help you find a contractor within their network and help you through the entire process to ensure you are completely happy with your new system.
The Heat Pump Program: This program offers a $750 rebate that helps pay for an upgrade to your existing system. The idea is to help residents upgrade to a heating and cooling system that is ductless, thereby using only a fraction of the electricity while offering an even more comforting environment.
A Smart Thermostat: The use of one of these nifty gadgets can help reduce energy waste while keeping your home comfortable for your family. If you are a current customer with Clark Public Utilities and are heating your home with either an electric furnace or a heat pump, you might qualify for a $50 smart thermostat rebate. If you have a natural gas furnace instead, you still could qualify for a rebate through the Energy Trust.
The Weatherization Program: If you are looking into replacing your windows, insulating your attic or walls, air sealing, duct sealing, or other weatherization projects, you may qualify for a loan of up to $15,000 at just 3.5% interest. Manufactured homes or homes that are heated electrically are eligible for the program, but all eligibility is based on credit approval.
The Heat Pump Water Heater Program: If you are looking for an efficient alternative to heat your water, you can currently take advantage of a $150 rebate for qualifying Tier 1 heat pump water heaters, and a $300 rebate for qualifying Tier 2 and 3 heat pump water heaters.
Multi-family Property Programs: For owners of electrically heated multi-family buildings (5 units or more), Clark Public Utilities offers a variety of rebates for the weatherization of these structures. For owners of multi-family structures with four or fewer units, they can apply for the PUD's single-family home weatherization rebates.
These rebates may not last forever, so now is a great time to take advantage of programs which will help you improve your home while saving some serious cash.
Contact us today at Details Home Inspections or check out our Facebook page to learn more about our professional home inspections in Vancouver WA. We would be happy to discuss some of the upgrades that may help you create a more comfortable, efficient, and safe home for you and your family!
9 Common Issues With New Construction Homes
At Details Home Inspections we fully understand that buying a new home for your family is serious business. This is true whether the home is new construction or a modest fixer-upper. Due to the looming financial responsibility of this large investment, getting the lowdown of what lies beneath the surface of your potential home is of huge importance.
This is where a qualified and thorough home inspector comes into play. This step is so valuable and is always your best bet for an honest home evaluation. Including this as a requirement of closing is a good idea so you can have a general understanding of what you are getting yourself into before you sign the papers and lay down some cash.
So, if you're in the market for a new home or are a real estate agent and are not sure if a home inspection is worth the cost, we could definitely show you the value. Contrary to popular belief, even a bright and shiny new-construction home can come with some serious issues.
Also, if you own a new home and didn't have it inspected before you bought it, now might be a good time to fit that in before your one-year warranty is up. Click here to read about our 11th-month inspections!
If you are working directly with a builder for your new home, they should welcome the opportunity to have the home checked out by a private home inspector prior to closing. This will give them the opportunity to address issues before they become major problems. Regardless of how thorough the municipal inspector is; mistakes can be missed in the process.
Below is a list of commonly missed issues in new construction homes that may cause you to want to schedule an inspection with us right away:
1. Missing paint on the underside of trim boards and fascia boards- this is an important detail to prevent moisture intrusion
2. Missing or improperly pitched gutters
3. Missing or cracked caulking around interior windows or around the sink and shower areas
4. Improperly installed radon mitigation
5. Leaking shower heads which could lead to water damage
6. Garage door safety reverse not functioning causing a safety hazard
7. Missing insulation in the attic and/or crawlspace
8. Missing and damaged foundation wall vents
9. Disconnected exhaust vents in attic
All of these issues could lead to damage that may be costly to fix. Even smaller problems, like a leaky shower head, can balloon into a much bigger disaster if left unfixed.
At Details Home Inspections, it is our goal to help you avoid these common problems from the start, so that you can save time and money in the future. We aim to give you peace of mind and freedom from stress as you go about the closing process, and we do this by educating you about what lies within the bones of your home.
Contact us today or message us on Facebook so we can make a plan to help you get through the home buying process in one piece.
Homeowners Beware of these 3 Unsafe Electrical Panels
Do you own a home that was built before 1990? If so, you may not be aware of the outdated main electric panels/boxes that could be hiding in your home.
The scary thing about these outdated electrical panels is that they can be very unsafe. The major difference between these and your more modern electrical panels is that the old-fashioned ones don’t contain safety devices like fuses or circuit breakers that will trip and shut off the power when too much electricity flows through them. This fail-safe was added in new models to help prevent fires caused by overheating wires.
Now that we have your attention about the fact that your home may have old, outdated panels inside, here are 4 types of unsafe panels you should look out for:
Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Panels: From the 1950’s to the 1980s, Federal Pacific Electric was one of the most popular manufacturers of electrical panels in the United States. For this reason, they were routinely installed in millions of homes. It’s very common to see these during a home inspection Portland, Oregon.
Residents during that time didn’t know that these panels are extremely unsafe because FPE electric panels’ circuit breakers fail to trip when there’s a short circuit or circuit overload. This problem has caused thousands of fires. These panels have also been known to send power to the circuit, even when in the off position causing electrocution even when the circuit should be dead.
Zinsco Panels: These panels were popular electrical panels and were installed in homes throughout the 1970s. Nearly 50 years later the company is now out of business, but many homes are still equipped with these panels. Our Vancouver, Washington home inspectors are trained to spot these and their issues.
These panels are unsafe because the circuit breakers inside have been known to melt to the main ‘bus bar.’ Leading to a breaker that can’t ever trip, even when there’s a short or overloaded circuit. So if there ever is a short or other problem, the surge of power melts wires and starts a fire in your home.
Fuse Box: These are old electrical panels that use fuses instead of circuit breakers to protect your wires from becoming overloaded. In the event that the circuit draws too much electricity, the fuse will burn out and need to be replaced.
Fuses are not actually inherently unsafe. They work just like circuit breakers, but can’t be reset, and instead must be replaced. However, they are considered unsafe in homes today because they have been modified over time to try to keep up with today’s energy demands.
Here are a few ways that we as homeowners may create problems with fuse boxes that make them unsafe:
Placing too many things on a single circuit
Replacing a fuse with a bigger fuse
Replacing the fuse with something metal
What should you do if you have one of these panels?
If you have one of these 3 unsafe and outdated electrical panels, or any other outdated panels, your trusted home inspectors at Details Home Inspections highly recommends replacing them. If you're not sure what type of electrical panel is in your home, contact us today at Details Home Inspections. We'd be happy to take a look and give you some recommendations.
If replacing the unsafe panel is not an option, you should have an electrician inspect the panel regularly to make sure that there are not any signs of problems that could cause fires or electrical issues in your home.
Contact us or visit our Facebook page with any questions about these panels. Safety is top priority with Details Home Inspections, your professional home inspector in Vancouver Washington and Portland Oregon.
Brian Ross is a Certified Home Energy Score Assessor
Brian Ross of Details Home Inspections in Vancouver Washington recently earned his certification as a U.S. Department of Energy Home Energy Score Assessor for Washington and Oregon. This means that he is not only fully qualified to perform professional home inspections for those interested in buying or selling a home in Washington but that he also can assess a home and provide an official Home Energy Score on homes in Washington and Oregon.
You might be wondering what exactly that means? What is a Home Energy Score?
The U.S. Department of Energy's Home Energy Score provides home owners, buyers, and renters directly comparable and reliable information regarding the home's energy use. The Home Energy Score was developed by the U.S. Department of Energy and implemented in 2012 in order to standardize a means of measuring and comparing a home's energy use across the housing market. The Home Energy Score is comparable to the miles-per-gallon rating on a car and is an incredibly useful tool in the decision process for home buyers.
There are four key features of a Home Energy Score Report:
The energy efficiency score based on the homes 'envelope'- the foundation, roof, walls, insulation, and windows, and the heating, cooling, and hot water systems.
An energy use estimate including a breakdown of estimated energy use dependent on type of fuel used, assuming average use.
Recommendations for improvements and associated estimated cost savings when implemented.
A theoretical 'score with improvements' indicating the expected Home Energy Score once recommended improvements are completed.
If you're looking to buy or sell a home in the near future, or if you're interested in learning how your current house scores and would like to see the recommendations for improvement and cost-savings, contact Brian Ross with Details Home Inspections in Vancouver Washington. Remember that Brian is certified to perform Home Energy Score Assessments in Oregon and Washington, and can also provide professional home inspections for Washington.
For more information and current topics, visit the Details Home Inspections Facebook Page.
For more information on the Home Energy Score provided by the U.S. Department of Energy, click here.
Water Heaters: Is it Time for an Inspection?
Water heaters are a marvel of modern technology. One could argue that without the invention of water heaters and the availability of hot water on demand, humans may still be living in the stone age. Do you have an older model water heater that you'd like to have inspected for safety? Are you purchasing a home and need a full inspection, including an assessment of the water heater?
Water heater inspection is one of the services provided by Brian Ross, certified professional home inspector with Details Home Inspections LLC in Vancouver WA.
Maybe you're considering replacing your old water heating unit and aren't sure the options available now? Take a moment and read through this article to learn a bit about the different options and the pros and cons of each.
There are four basic types of water heaters: solar, heat pump, tankless, and tank-style.
Solar Water Heaters use energy from the sun to heat water. There are active and passive styles of solar water heaters, depending on the type of pump system that they use. A major benefit of purchasing a solar water heater is that they're long-lived, often lasting upwards of 20 years. A downside of a solar unit is that you'll likely need a backup option for days without adequate sunshine. Additionally, solar units are usually quite expensive and difficult and complicated to set up.
Heat Pump Water Heaters move heat rather than actually generating it. The unit pulls heat from the surrounding air and dumps it into the tank of water. Because they do not have to generate the heat themselves, these types of water heaters are 2-3x more efficient than gas or electric water heaters. The cost of these types of units is also very high and they're very dependent on location and installation expertise. Additionally, heat pump units can create a large added demand on your HVAC system.
Tankless Water Heaters use modern technology to heat water directly on demand, without storing large quantities of hot water in a tank. These units are significantly smaller than traditional tank-style water heaters and have a long lifespan of approximately 20 years. This style water heater is generally 3-5 times as expensive as a traditional tank-style water heater and requires an expert installation.
Tank-Style Water Heaters are the most common and get their name from having a tank, usually 30-50 gallons, of water that the unit keeps constantly hot for ready use in the home. These come in two styles: electric or natural gas. Tank-style water heaters are cheaper to purchase and install than other options, but use a fair amount of energy to keep the water constantly hot and suffer from standby heat loss.
Depending on the type of water heater that you've got, its lifespan can vary greatly. If you're purchasing a home and aren't sure the age of the water heater, consider giving us a call at Details Home Inspections at 360-823-3034. We can perform a full home inspection and provide a detailed and unbiased report so that you can know what to expect in regard to maintenance and/or repair needs for the home, including the water heater.
Don't wait until your old water heater springs a leak and floods your garage. If your water heater is a decade old or more, or you're not sure its age, contact us today at Details Home Inspections. We'll be happy to pay you a visit and give our professional opinion on your water heater in Vancouver Washington. Like and follow our Facebook Page for more tips and up to date information.
*This article is indebted to the Pacific Heating & Cooling Blog.