Unsafe conditions exist in most homes. This can be the use of extension leads, tripping hazards, slippery tiles, swimming pools and so on. In addition, this section covers most of the possible safety hazards you may find in your home.
Home safety is about eliminating as many hazards as possible. Moreover, this is especially important if you have young children or whether they visit with their parents.
This category consists of the following:
Child safety
Children are most susceptible to injury at home. Furthermore, the kitchen and bathrooms are the most dangerous rooms in the home. Keep medicines and kitchen cleaners etc. locked up out of reach.
Extension leads to too many attached appliances overloading electrical circuits are the most common problem to be resolved.
Home security
All in the home including children should be made aware of the dangers of not taking care of their security. In addition, this includes strangers especially during the day as well as after dark.
Wildlife
Wildlife includes insects, rodents, birds and other unwanted animals that bring lice and sickness with them. Therefore, It is always better to keep them out!
Asbestos safety
Remove and dispose of asbestos cement materials and other asbestos products safely! South Africa banned mining and use of asbestos in 2008. Many buildings contain a great many products and materials containing asbestos. The assumption is that buildings constructed pre-1950 and post-2008 are asbestos-free, but it would be wrong not to check. Older buildings will have had maintenance, repairs and possibly renovations done to them, which may have included asbestos materials.
CCTVSewer Inspections for Older Homes in South Africa: The Essential Guide for Homeowners and Buyers
CCTV Sewer Inspection Scope
Older homes in South Africa are full of charm, but they often hide ageing sewer systems that can lead to costly repairs. Whether you’re buying, selling, renovating, or maintaining a property, a professional CCTV sewer inspection is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your investment.
Firstly, this guide explains why sewer inspections matter, the risks of older plumbing systems, and how CCTV drain inspections can save homeowners thousands of rands.
Secondly, note that the sewer inspection described here is not part of a normal home inspection, but is an inspection done separately on request, costing extra over and above a normal home inspection.
What Is a Sewer Inspection and Why Is It Important?
A sewer inspection is a detailed assessment of your property’s underground drainage system. Therefore, this is especially important for homes built before the 1980s, where older pipe materials were used, and shifting soil conditions caused hidden damage.
Key benefits of sewer inspections
Detect hidden blockages and cracks
Identify the tree root intrusion
Prevent costly emergency repairs
Provide peace of mind during property transactions
Ensure compliance with building regulations and municipal bylaws
Why Older South African Homes Need Sewer Inspections
Many older suburbs in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, and Bloemfontein were built using materials that degrade over time. Common issues include:
Ageing Pipe Materials
Clay pipes are prone to cracking
Cast iron pipes that corrode internally
Bituminous fiber pipes absorb moisture, causing them to soften and lose their shape
Asbestos cement pipes that weaken and collapse
Fortunately, PVC sewer pipes began gaining popularity in South African residential housing from the 1970s onward, as they replaced traditional clay and concrete pipes due to their durability, affordability, and ease of installation. Furthermore, by the 1980s and 1990s, PVC had become the dominant material for household sewer and drainage systems.
Tree Root Intrusion
Large, mature trees in older neighbourhoods often invade sewer lines, causing blockages and structural damage. This is especially relevant with the pipe seals used on older clay and bituminous fibre sewer pipes. However, this can also be a problem with PVC sewer pipes! Therefore, if there are large trees on the property in the vicinity of the sewer lines, it is advisable to have a sewer inspection.
Soil Movement
Expansive clay soils, particularly in Gauteng, expand and contract together with changes in moisture, causing pressure on underground pipes. This is especially relevant to older clay, asbestos, and bituminous fibre sewer pipes.
Unregulated Renovations
DIY plumbing work from previous owners may not meet current South African plumbing standards. As a result, this may involve you in unexpected costs to bring the sewer up to plumbing standards you haven’t bargained for!
How CCTV Sewer Inspections Work
Modern CCTV drain inspections enable plumbers to inspect underground pipes without the need for excavation. Furthermore, this technology provides a clear view of the sewer line’s condition.
What the inspection includes
High‑resolution camera inserted into the sewer line
Real‑time video of blockages, cracks, or collapsed sections
A detailed inspection report
Optional mapping of the sewer layout
Moreover, this method is fast, accurate, and cost-effective, ideal for older homes.
Therefore, a sewer inspection keeps you informed of the risks and gives you peace of mind if the inspection clears the sewer of the above issues.
Sewer Inspections for Home Buyers and Sellers
In today’s property market, due diligence is essential. This is especially true for older houses.
For Buyers
A sewer inspection helps you avoid expensive surprises after the property transfer.
For Sellers
A pre‑inspection report builds trust and reduces the risk of post‑sale disputes.
For Renovators
Knowing the exact location and condition of sewer lines prevents costly mistakes during building work.
Environmental Benefits of Sewer Inspections
Leaking sewer lines can contaminate groundwater and contribute to pollution. Therefore, regular inspections help protect the environment and ensure compliance with municipal regulations.
Final Thoughts: Protect Your Investment With a Sewer Inspection
Although older homes in South Africa offer beauty and character, they also come with hidden risks. Obviously, a professional sewer inspection is one of the smartest ways to safeguard your property, avoid unexpected costs, and ensure long‑term peace of mind.
A mould inspector and homeowner’s nightmare! The house had been standing empty for some months before my mould inspection. A particularly serious black mould infestation was the result of leaking water supply pipes at the kitchen sink! In this case, besides having the leaks repaired, the sink unit and the units on either side had to be replaced! The wall and floor tiling also had to be treated before new units were installed.
A mould inspection is a different process from a typical home inspection. Besides searching for the mould itself, a mould inspector concentrates on finding damp or wet conditions conducive to mould growth in and around the outside of the house. The secret to controlling mould growth is eliminating the moisture that allows mould spores to grow.
There are a few different situations in which you might want a mould inspection. Below you will find out what a mould inspection entails, when to do one, what mould testing proves, and the average cost of an inspection.
What is mould?
Mould is a fungus, and like all fungi, it thrives in moist places. It spreads by emitting spores, microscopic particles that are often as small as a single cell. Spores float around in the air until they land on a surface. Mould spores are everywhere, outdoors as well as inside your house. It would be impossible to remove all mould spores from a house without installing a massive industrial filtration system.
Luckily, mould spores only form mould when they land on a moist surface. If you can keep the interior of your home dry, you can avoid having any problems with mould. You should clean up spills and repair leaks in your roof, plumbing, or air-conditioning systems. Also, make sure your kitchen and bathrooms are properly ventilated to keep moisture out of the house.
Removing any mould in your house will prevent the surface it is on from being damaged and prevent allergies or asthma.
Can mould affect your health?
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mould exposure has the potential to cause adverse health effects. If mould is growing in your house, it can release spores that are easily inhaled. Moulds can cause nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, and in some cases, skin irritation. People with mould allergies may have more severe reactions. Immune-compromised people and people with chronic lung illnesses may get serious infections when they are exposed to mould.
A type of toxicosis can result from exposure to black mould. Disturbed black mould releases mycotoxins as a defence mechanism. These mycotoxins travel through the air on tiny mould spores and are easily inhaled. Black mould may cause the symptoms mentioned above and can cause depression, cognitive impairment, sleep difficulties, circulation problems, digestive complaints, fatigue, and joint pain.
When to have a mould inspection
If you can see it or smell it, you have mould in your house. You need to discover the magnitude of the mould infestation! Seeing mould in the cracks and corners of your walls means it is growing and spreading more spores. Mould may also grow in places you cannot see, such as on your ceilings or in your cupboards. It may also form colonies so tiny they escape the eye. A few situations should make you look for any mould problems in your house.
Water damage. If your bathroom flooded, the roof leaked, or a broken pipe sprayed water all over the kitchen, you need to inspect for mould. Any wet area not quickly dried (within 24 hours) could become contaminated by mould.
If you are purchasing a pre-owned home, there is no way to know what kind of water damage may have happened in the house. The only way to find out if mould is present is to do a mould inspection.
After a house has been unoccupied. Houses closed up and unoccupied for a long time may have humidity built up that could cause mould to grow. This is especially a problem in warmer areas with high humidity.
After mould remediation. If you have had a mould problem, have regular mould inspections to ensure it does not reappear.
You see some mould. If you notice some green, blue, black, or white stuff growing in your house, do a mould inspection to make sure you find it all. It might not be restricted to one location.
A mould inspection vs. mould testing
If you are researching for a mould inspector, you will find different services and costs for mould inspections and mould testing.
Mould inspection
A mould inspection simply confirms the presence of mould and generally defines the extent of the problem. The main purpose of a mould inspection is to identify the source or sources of the moisture that allows the mould to grow! The second most important purpose of the mould inspection is to recommend solutions to eradicate the sources of moisture!
Mould testing
Mould testing attempts to identify what specific type of mould is in your home and how many mould spores are in the air. However, keep in mind the following:
The carefully controlled conditions required to conduct a proper scientific test of mould are challenging to achieve in a home. Mould testing, especially air testing, is often inaccurate. Air samples provide the best snapshot of the air in a single location at a specific time. The samples do not represent the air conditions unless many air samples are taken over a long period. Air sampling typically overestimates or underestimates the number of mould spores in the air on average throughout the day.
All indoor spaces have mould spores that drift in from the outdoors. Mould tests will generally provide a long list of species, most of which are not growing in your home.
The WHO (World Health Organisation) has set no guidelines for an acceptable amount of mould or mould spores in a house. WHO therefore agrees that mould testing is not always useful for this reason. Instead, they recommend hiring a professional inspector to find the reason why the mould is present. Read this article by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
Mould testing is expensive. Any money spent on mould testing will not be available for cleaning up the mould and fixing the water problem that led to the mould. Furthermore, the laboratories can take days or weeks to analyse samples. It is better to use this time to clean up the mould and fix the water problem. No recognised authoritative public agency recommends mould testing as a guide to the cleaning up of mould or the correction of the water problem.
What happens during a mould inspection?
A mould inspection is a visual inspection of a house. Aside from a good flashlight and camera, the specialised equipment needed is a moisture meter, a humidity meter, and a temperature meter. This equipment is used by the mould inspector to determine whether a particular area is wet, humid, warmer, or colder than other areas of the home.
On the setting shown on the moisture meter, a normal “dry” wall would have a reading between 8 to 9%!
A typical mould inspection involves inspecting areas where you have seen mould, or where there have been moisture problems or water damage in the past. I inspect the house thoroughly, inside and outside, in areas known to be prone to mould growth. When I find mould, I try to find the source of the moisture that is causing the mould spores to grow and suggest a remediation plan.
If the mould inspection finds or confirms mould in your home, the next step is to make a remediation plan. This always begins with removing the source of the moisture that’s allowing the mould to grow. If you fail to remove the moisture, you can clean up all the mould, and it will just grow back again.
Following that, you can scrub and wash hard surfaces with specialised chemical cleaners. Surfaces such as carpets, timber, laminate, and similar finishes will have to be cut out or lifted and replaced. You will then have to treat hard surfaces below these finishes. It is impossible to clean all the mould off porous surfaces. Furniture, mattresses, and built-in units should be discarded.
You need not hire a qualified contractor for mould remediation of smaller areas. However, mould can be dangerous, or at least unpleasant to work with,especially for someone with allergies or asthma. Professionals with the correct safety gear and cleaning equipment are better qualified to deal with large areas.
Preventing mouldbefore it starts
Getting rid of mould in your house can be a major task, and remediation can be expensive if the mould is widespread. The best solution to mould problems is to prevent them from ever happening. Here are some tips on preventing mould:
Repair leaks promptly, whether it is a leak in your roof, a window, or a leaking water pipe. Fix leaks and keep moisture out of your house.
Clean and dry things promptly. If your bathroom or laundry floods or condensation from your air-conditioner drips onto a carpet, dry everything out within 24 hours, if possible. Mould needs moisture to grow, so prompt drying is vital.
Control humidity. Extremely humid air can provide enough moisture for mould to form on some surfaces. Use a dehumidifier in humid and damp areas and run air-conditioning when possible during the summer. Keep windows open or install vents in your kitchen and bathroom windows. This will keep humidity down and keep moisture under control.
Factors affecting the cost of a mould inspection
The size of the house being inspected is the main factor affecting the cost of a mould inspection. Quite simply, a large house is going to cost more to inspect because the inspection and the report are going to take longer.
The second factor is the travelling cost! The further away from my office the more it will cost. However, you will find that in my inspection area, my prices are substantially less than those of other mould inspectors.
The cost of a mould inspection
As a rough guideline, mould inspection costs about ⅔ the cost of a comprehensive home inspection. On average, a mould inspection costs start from R2,500, depending on how far the property is from my office. Keep in mind that these costs are for inspection only and do not include testing. Skipping unnecessary mould testing can save you a lot of money.
Finding the right mould inspector
Look for an InterNACHI inspector with specific experience and expertise in mould inspections and remediation. Call around your area and get a few quotes. There might be a wide price range, so shopping around could save you a few hundred Rand.
Importantly, you want to make sure you only work with a properly certified inspector.
Mould inspectors must have a mould certification. I am mould inspection certified and experienced in mould inspection and mould remediation.
Mould is a serious problem, and spotting mould contamination before it grows out of control can save you many thousands of Rands. This makes the cost of a mould inspection well worth a few thousand Rand, especially when you are buying a new house. Mould testing, however, is not worthwhile. The important thing is if you see mould in your house, you need to get rid of it, and the reason it has formed as soon as possible!
Mould can adversely affect your health. If you suffer a pre-existing respiratory condition such as asthma, mould can aggravate the condition.
Click here to watch the video about indoor air pollution, mould and asthma
Indoor air pollution, mould and asthma are a serious issues in many homes!
When it comes to assessing your family’s indoor air environment there are 5 categories of concern to consider! South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs is not concerned with residential indoor air quality! As a result, we need to learn what indoor air quality is from America’s Environmental Protection Agency. They have identified 5 danger levels of indoor pollution. Indoor air pollution is a major human health issue worldwide under normal conditions. However, poor indoor air quality and mould cause asthma attacks that are worsened when you and your family spend most of your time indoors.
Homes with windows and doors closed lack adequate ventilation. In addition, the lack of airbricks increased insulation and better-sealing windows and doors make new homes much more energy-efficient than older houses. As a result, in new homes, it is even more difficult to get fresh clean air into the home.
An electrified fence is your first line of defence in securing your home!
Few homeowners realise that there are very strict regulations governing theinstallation and maintenance of an electrified fence. Many don’t have an Electric Fence Certificate of Compliance.
New electric fence regulations
Electrified fence regulations were amended in 2011. However, at the time the regulations did not receive much attention.
The regulations that apply to electrified fences are the Electrical Machinery Regulations. They fall under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
But is it really an issue? The answer is yes! The authorities are now enforcing the regulations and many homeowners are up in arms!
When you buy a new home, have you ever thought about how long the geyser installation may last before you encounter problems? Probably not!
Your homeowner’s insurance may replace a burst geyser with a new one. However, be sure to check if you can claim the cost of repairs or if your home is unlivable due to water damage. Some policies allow you to claim for accommodation for the time it takes for your home to be habitable again.
Most geysers will not give you problems for ten years or more. Check with the seller on the age of the geyser if you are buying a house. Also, check if the geyser has been replaced.
Most homeowners realize too late that they never checked if their insurance covers geyser replacement and water damage. Be sure to check your policy and ask your insurance agent.
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