Crazy buzzing in bathroom wall
Q. I have an intermittent buzzing sound in my bathroom wall, and it's driving me crazy. It only buzzes between sunset and 11 p.m. every evening and is very noisy. I have tried turning off the electrical power at the main, turning off individual circuit breakers, and shutting off the water main, but the noise continues each evening. Sometimes it stops for five or ten seconds and then starts up again. A contractor suggested opening the wall to see what's going on, but we just remodeled the bathroom, and we hate to tear things up. What do you advise?
A. Now that you have eliminated electrical and plumbing conditions as possible causes, the most likely suspect is a bee hive or wasp nest. Bees usually return to their hive around sunset, which is when you begin to hear the buzzing in your wall, and later in the evening they usually settle down for the night. Check your phone directory or the Internet for local companies that specialize in bee hive removal. Unfortunately, you may have to cut open the wall of your newly remodeled bathroom.
Q. My brother purchased a home two months ago, and last week the water heater died. We thought this would be covered by the home warranty, but the warranty company is copping out. They say the water heater is not covered by the policy because it is installed on a stack of bricks on the dirt, instead of being on a concrete pad. Why should this make a difference?
A. The home warranty company is apparently looking for a way out of the claim, rather than conducting business honestly. The base of a water heater should not adversely affect its operability or longevity. As long as the unit is not installed directly on the dirt, which could cause rust damage, there is no reason to insist that the unit be on a concrete pad, rather than on bricks.
If the warranty company continues to decline the claim, you can file a complaint with the state insurance commission. You can also sue the warranty company in small claims court. Be sure to take photos of the water heater and its base so you will have evidence of its condition and the way it is installed.
Q. Are home inspectors required to inspect attics? If so, do they inspect heating ducts installed in the attic? We're asking this because our home inspector did not inspect the attic, and now we're told the ducts are damaged.
A. Inspection of an attic is a standard procedure for home inspectors, as long the attic space is reasonably accessible. If the attic space is too small because of low clearance, deep insulation, large ducts, or storage, the inspector might only view the attic from the access opening, while standing on a ladder.
If someone else has been able to observe damaged air ducts, it would seem that your home inspector should also have seen them during the inspection, unless the attic was filled with the previous owners' stored items prior to the purchase. You should contact your inspector and request a re-inspection of the attic and ducts.
• To write to Barry Stone, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com, or write AMG, 1776 Jami Lee Court, Suite 218, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.
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