The phrase "hot water heaters" used to mean big tanks with fires underneath powered by oil or gas. Now, hot water heaters may be gas- or electric-powered, may make use of new technologies, and are so varied in design and implementation that the homeowner often finds himself overwhelmed with options galore. In this blog article, I will try to put these numerous options into perspective.

The traditional tank hot water heaters are still what I as a home inspector most commonly see. But with the trend towards green buildings and energy conservation, I expect to see high efficiency implementations more often. These might be stand-alone hot water heaters with elongated heat exchangers and/or direct venting, or they might use heat pump technology (either wholly separate or in conjunction with a conventional tank). High-efficiency hot water heaters introduce new requirements, such as the need to drain condensate, but the savings is usually worth it.

Shingles are the roof coverings I encounter most often in my home inspections. Furthermore, asphalt roof shingles dominate the field, occurring on a large majority of houses, with use of wood and fiber-cement shingles trailing far behind. For this reason, it is worth exploring roof shingles in more detail. Whether you are looking for the best approach to fix a leaky roof, whether you want to determine your roof's condition and life expectancy, or whether your roof is at the end of its useful life and you need to replace it with shingles or some other kind of material, you should find help herein.

If a shingles roof is just one of several new or replacement options you are considering, make sure you don't overlook important factors. The structure must provide adequate support for both live and dead loads, and different materials vary considerably in weight. They also vary in appearance, cost, life expectancy, and maintenance demands. Compare all of these factors and tradeoffs before making a decision.