Home's water has become discolored
Q: We have a well for the water supply to our vacation home. Until recently, the water quality was perfect, but the water has suddenly become discolored. A neighbor advised us an artesian well would solve this problem. What is an artesian well, and how does it differ from a regular well?
A: Merriam Webster's Dictionary defines artesian well as "a well in which water is under pressure; one in which the water flows to the surface naturally." In other words, it is a well that gushes forth from the ground as a result of geological pressure. According to this definition, the conditions that would produce an artesian well have to preexist. If the water is not already under pressure, an artesian well cannot be produced intentionally.
Even if an artesian well were to be discovered on your property, this is no guarantee that the water quality would be acceptable. Underground pressure can force water to the surface, regardless of whether the water is clean or contaminated.
However, the fact that your water supply has suddenly become discolored indicates some manner of impurity that was not previously present has been introduced. Because this is a vacation home, rather than a full-time residence, corrosion may have developed in the plumbing system, particularly inside the water heater. This is a common occurrence in homes that have been vacant for months. The first step is to let the water run from the various faucets for about 15 minutes, long enough to flush out the system. If the discoloration persists, send out a water sample for laboratory analysis to see what minerals or other contaminants are present. Once that is known, is can be determined whether water purification devices or other remedial measures are warranted.
Q: We purchased our home a few months ago, and no problems were disclosed regarding the heating and air conditioning, either by the sellers or our home inspector. When we moved in, the system was completely inoperative, so we called a heating contractor. The contractor said he had serviced the system for the sellers several months prior to this and had informed them major repairs were needed to restore the system to functional use. Unfortunately, our home inspector failed to detect this problem. Who is responsible for the repairs, the sellers or our home inspector?
A: It is surprising that a professional home inspector did not discover the kind of problem you have described. Your inspector was apparently negligent in his evaluation, unless the system was operational on the day of the inspection.
The sellers, however, appear to have been worse than negligent. According to the HVAC contractor, they were fully aware of the problem, yet failed to disclose it. This puts them in violation of laws that require sellers to fully disclosure all known defects. These sellers should be contacted immediately by certified mail, informing them of the current situation. If they are not willing to pay for repairs, you can take them to small claims court. If the HVAC contractor will state in writing that he informed the sellers of the existing problem, your position should be sufficiently persuasive to a judge.
• To write to Barry Stone, a certified building inspector, 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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