19 Ellis Park Road, Toronto Inspection Report September 9, 2015
19 Ellis Park Road, Toronto Inspection Report Overall Condition: This is a solidly built older double-brick home that is in fairly original condition, but has been well-maintained. Roofing, Flashings and Chimneys: The roof is surfaced with premium-quality asphalt shingles. The shingles are newer (less than halfway through their life) and are in good condition. The masonry chimney is in generally good repair, but would benefit from some repointing on a maintenance-related basis. -Roof inspected with binoculars and by remote camera. Exterior: The exterior brickwork is in good overall condition. The aluminum eavestroughs and downspouts are also in good overall repair. Currently, there is a screened pass-through between the garage and the boiler room. This is not permitted as it could allow carbon monoxide or other toxic fumes into the basement. This needs to be sealed up. Also, the basement bathroom exhaust fan current discharges through this opening out to the garage, so the discharge needs to be modified. Minor Deficiencies: -The garage door autoreverse sensors should be repositioned higher above the garage floor. -The southeast downspout discharges below grade into the house waste system. This should be modified and redirected to discharge onto grade level several feet away from the house. This is part of a relatively new City bylaw - more information is available at www.toronto.ca/water. -Exterior inspection from ground level. Structure: The concrete block foundations support solid masonry (double brick) exterior walls. The roof structure is composed of traditional stick (rafter) framing and pine - or similar- roof planks. The house is in good structural condition. -The upper attic was inspected from the access hatch. There is no access to the sloped ceiling spaces, some kneewall areas or the small attic space behind the garage. -Walls were spotchecked only. -85% of the interior foundation wall area was not visible due to finishes. Electrical: The house has a 100-amp electrical service with a circuit breaker panel. This is a typical and appropriate service size.
19 Ellis Park Road, Toronto Page 2 The wiring has been upgraded to some areas of the house (like the main floor electrical outlets and portions of the basement), but there are still many lights and outlets that are powered by the original knob-and-tube wiring. Knob-and-tube wiring is very common in the area (and is still present in many homes across the City that are more than 65 years old). It is even still permitted under the current Electrical Code and is considered to be a safe method of wiring by the Electrical Safety Authority: http://www.esasafe.com/pdf/flash_notices/09-09-fl.pdf Nonetheless, for reasons more political than scientific, many insurance providers won t insure houses with knob and tube wiring and you may have to switch insurance companies, we advise you check with your provider. We would also suggest contacting Dave Slack at David Slack Insurance Brokers (1-800-971-1363 or 416-992-6695) as they will typically insure homes with knob-and-tube wiring provided that they have been inspected by us and the wiring is found to be in good condition (as is the case here). A few other insurance companies will also insure knob-and-tube wiring. Realistically though, this type of wiring is not going to become popular again and our best recommendation would be to replace it. A very ballpark figure for replacement would be $10,000 to $12,000, but consult several electricians for actual quotations. Minor Deficiencies: -Lamp cord used as full time wiring for the master bedroom overhead light switch needs to be updated. -Add more electrical outlets where necessary when rewiring. -Electrical connections for the 2 nd floor bathroom exhaust fan are exposed (without a metal junction box) in the attic. This will be corrected when the house is rewired. -The kitchen sink overhead light was not operating at the time of the inspection - consult an electrician. -The exterior light at the front of the garage is actually plugged into the garage outlet. A more permanent arrangement is required. -The wood trim around the electrical panel prevents the top cover plate screws from being removed (so the panel interior was very difficult to see or access). Make improvements so that the cover can be completely removed. -The west exterior GFCI safety outlet is faulty and needs to be replaced - parts cost is less than $20. -The main disconnect switch was not operated. -Electrical components concealed behind furniture and wall, ceiling and floor finishes cannot be inspected. Heating: Heating is provided by a hot water system powered by a 105,000 BTU/hr mid-efficiency gasfired hot water boiler that was manufactured 11 years ago. This is a good quality cast iron boiler that could last 30 years or more. It was found to be operable when run through a brief summer time test procedure. The chimney has a metal liner as recommended. The basement has some supplemental electric heaters. -The heat exchanger is not visible. -Safety devices not tested. -Heat loss/heat gain calculations not done.
19 Ellis Park Road, Toronto Page 3 -Although we have no reason to suspect that one is present, it should be noted that checking the premises for buried oil tanks is not included in the inspection or the Standards of Practice. -Radiator valves are not operated. Try not to operate the valves, if at all possible, as this can cause them to leak at the stems. Air Conditioning: The house does not have central air conditioning. The window units were not inspected. A ductless (split-type) system would be a cost-effective option, if desired. Insulation: Fibreglass and mineral wool insulation valued at roughly R-30 was found in the relatively small upper attic. Although current standards now call for R-50, the nature of 1-1/2 storey homes is such that upgrading the insulation would probably not have a significant effect on the energy bill. It is always difficult to insulate 1-1/2 storey homes due to limitations in the available space. For instance, the 2 by 4 roof rafters in the sloped ceiling can only hold a maximum of 3-1/2 inches of insulation (and that is without ventilation). Without access into most of the lower kneewall attic spaces, we cannot comment on the amount and type of insulation present. It is likely limited. It is important to note though, that the cost of upgrading insulation is very high and the potential energy savings can be low so the cost-effectiveness of any plan to add more insulation needs to be very carefully considered. The solid masonry walls were built without insulation and with no space to add more insulation. This is typical for the era. Since adding more insulation is not easily done, it is best to concentrate on reducing air infiltration through caulking/sealing and weatherstripping as much as possible. Where spotchecked, the basement walls were found to have no insulation or minimal insulation. -The upper attic was inspected from the access hatch. There is no access to the sloped ceiling spaces, some kneewall areas or the small attic space behind the garage. -Walls were spotchecked only. -Checking for asbestos (which may be present in many products and materials) is not included in the inspection or the Standards of Practice. Plumbing: The incoming City supply pipe is older and may be ½" copper or even the original lead. Water pressure tends to drop noticeably with more than one fixture flowing simultaneously. There may be City assistance available for upgrading the main water supply pipe (for more pressure and to eliminate any lead piping, if present). More information is available at www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=35bcfe4eda8ae310vgnvcm10000071d60f89rcrd. There is typically a long waiting list. There are also quotas in place that could affect assistance availability. Cost to the homeowner is usually in the $2,000 to $3,000 range. The visible supply piping within the house is copper. The visible waste plumbing is a combination of ABS plastic, cast iron, galvanized steel (for venting air) and copper. Cast iron waste plumbing is currently an issue for some insurance companies (although their prejudice is not considered to be warranted in our opinion). There are still a number of insurance companies without this particular bias. The 151-litre gas-fired water heater is a 1-year-old rental unit. Typical total life expectancy is about 15 years.
19 Ellis Park Road, Toronto Page 4 It is not clear where the 2 nd floor bathroom exhaust fan is vented to - perhaps to the now-lined chimney flue. This should be investigated further and improvements made as necessary to ensure that bathroom air is being properly discharged to the exterior. The basement sink plumbing plumbing is in the outside wall and may be prone to freezing. Monitor and insulate, heat trace or relocate them as necessary. The 2 nd floor bathroom is in generally good shape, but the basement bathroom is more of a Do- It-Yourself venture. The shower floor is very uneven, but is likely serviceable. The bathroom sink shows some surface cracking and should be monitored. There may be some seepage of sewer gas in the basement bathroom. It may have something to do with how the shower trap is constructed, but the configuration is not really visible due to the grate - monitor and consult a plumber as necessary. The basement bathroom sink waste plumbing is not properly vented. Provide a mechanical vent if siphoning or gurgling issues are encountered. -Concealed plumbing not inspected. -Tub/sink overflows not tested. -Isolating/relief valves and main shut-off valve not tested. Interior: -Interior finishes are in good overall condition. -Some of the hardwood has been face-nailed in an effort to reduce squeaking. As a result, it probably can't be sanded any more times. -Many of the windows have been replaced. The living room windows are original, but have storms, so upgrading is not seen as a priority. -The flue damper for the woodburning basement fireplace could not be opened very far so the flue was not visible. The fireplace and flue should be inspected by a specialist prior to use. While it is intended to be an operable fireplace, basement fireplaces are often smoky in operation - consider converting to a gas insert or log set. By current standards, the hearth is also a few inches short - not an issue with a gas fireplace. -The basement stairs are open on one side. Add a guard/railing if child safety is a concern. -The basement was found to be generally dry at the time of the inspection. Some efflorescence and dampness was visible on the foundations below the basement stairs - although this is not unexpected. Obviously, the house was built long before the invention of modern waterproofing and perimeter drainage systems, so it is therefore very important to prevent surface water accumulations near the house by having a good drainage slope next to the foundations and by keeping eavestroughs and downspouts well maintained and not overflowing. If the basement is ever refinished, that would be a good opportunity to waterproof from the inside with a DELTAtype membrane. -No comment made on cosmetic aspects of interior finishes. -CO/smoke detectors, alarm systems and appliances not inspected. One smoke detector and one carbon monoxide detector are recommended for each level of every home. -Drainage tile and exterior foundations below grade level are not visible. -Inspection of some areas of the basement was impeded by storage. -Lack of historical evidence due to new paint in many areas. -In all houses, moisture problems may result in visible or concealed mold growth. Environmental Consultants can assist if this is a concern as inspection for mold is a specialized assessment that is beyond the scope of inspection and the Standards of Practice.
19 Ellis Park Road, Toronto Page 5 Notes: This is the inspection report for 19 Ellis Park Road, Toronto performed on September 9, 2015. For the purposes of this report, the front of the house is considered to be facing north (although it actually faces northwest). The inspection was performed according to the standards of the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors see Limitations and Conditions at www.yeatesinspect.com/lim&cond.htm. Telephone consultation regarding this report is available free of charge call 416-422-1571. Walkthroughs with the inspector can also be arranged at a typical cost of $150.