Sample II

1) Numerous wall, floor and/or ceiling surfaces were obscured by furniture and/or stored items, preventing a full evaluation of some areas.

2) Entire structure needs repainting. Recommend having a qualified painting contractor evaluate, prep (scrape, sand, prime and caulk) properly and repaint entire building. A contractor also needs to replace any wood which may be deteriorated due to moisture penetration. This would include siding, rafter tails, soffit and window frames which could be usable or might require replacement. Random probing of the wood found some decay.

This needs to be done concurrently with, or after, the roof has been repaired.

3) Gutters are leaking or damaged. The only gutter which might be salvageable is the metal gutter on the north side of carport. Recommend having a qualified gutter and downspout contractor install gutters, downspouts where missing. Also recommend installing extensions such as splashblocks or a drain line where necessary to carry rain water away from the house.

4) Soil is in contact with or less than 6" from siding and/or trim on west side of home. Recommend grading soil so there is at least 6" of space between the siding and trim and the soil below.

Additionally, there is wood decay on the bottom of the siding on the west side. Recommend that all rotten wood be removed and replaced by a licensed contractor. It is impossible to determine the extent of the problem without removing material.

5) There is missing flashing on the north and west steps, where the concrete adjoins the wood. A probe with an ice pick showed that the wood behind the steps is decayed. Recommend a licensed contractor replace wood and install flashing.

6) Window glazing putty is deteriorated in one or more windows. Recommend repairing or replacing putty where necessary. Windows on south side are of the greatest concern. There is a crack in the pane on the window pictured.

Restoring windows will require extensive work if homeowner chooses to do so instead of buying replacement windows.

7) Vent plugs from blown in insulation are damaged or falling out. Recommend that they be replaced. In the present condition they allow water penetration into the walls.

8) Roof covering on patio has inadequate slope to properly drain water above door. Hire contractor to create more slope by lowering east side. There will be plenty of head room even after doing so. Leaking gutters add to the water collecting at this location.

9) Vegetation (trees, shrubs and/or vines) are in contact with building exterior. Recommend pruning or removing vegetation as necessary so there's at least a one foot gap between all vegetation and the building exterior. This gap should exist to allow exterior building materials to dry quickly after it rains, and to eliminate pathways to the structure for wood destroying insects.

10) Crawl space vent screen(s) are clogged with debris and insulation. Recommend cleaning them and pulling back insulation in crawlspace so there is adequate air flow. Also, screen on crawl space vents is 1/2 inch, should be changed to 1/4 inch to eliminate rodent entry.

Vent on N/W corner is covered. In months when there is no chance of freezing water pipes, these vents should all be open.

11) Cracks in driveway. These are a cosmetic concern. No action is recommended unless they become a tripping hazard.

12) Cracks in sidewalk. These are a cosmetic concern. No action is recommended unless they become a tripping hazard.

13) Perimeter pavement slopes towards building on the north side. Recommend that at some date in the future the walk be replaced to slope away from the structure to direct rainwater away from the foundation.

14) Masonry chimney brick and mortar are deteriorated. Brick is spalling onto roof surface.

Additionally, for safety, it is recommended that a chimney crown be at least 3 feet above the roof. This chimney is about 18" maximum and is a safety hazard.

Recommend having a qualified chimney service contractor or mason evaluate chimney and repair as necessary. A chimney liner is one option.

15) This photo shows a metal vent pipe in the N/W corner which should go through the roof, but it is cut off. Judging from the location, it seems this pipe is an active vent for the drain from the washing machine. Assuming it is active and exhausts sewer gas, it is unsafe and could result in a build up of sewer gas in the attic. Also, in the current state water drips into the attic from the opening in the roof. Recommend reconnecting vent pipe.

The red arrow in the photo points to an issue of concern. Typically, wood supports, such as the one indicated, extend down from each rafter to the ceiling joists. That is not the case here.

Since the structure is old, one would normally look to see if there is any sag or bow in the roof. However, due to the condition of the roofing material it is not possible to make such an observation. Recommend that a licensed contractor/roofer assess the requirements for any additional support at the time of tear-off and when a new roof is installed.

16) The shake roof requires immediate replacement. It is no longer keeping water out of the home. Blown off pieces of material are visible in the yard. It has heavy moss growth and is decaying.

There are leaks in the attic at various locations: around the chimney, dripping into the insulation. Also there are leaks around the vent pipes and drip marks on some rafters.

The shakes need to be torn off, any structural support or decay issues addressed, ventilation installed, and the roof replaced immediately by a professional roofing company.

17) The roof only has two gable vents. A properly vented roof should have half the venting from the soffit and half the venting from roof vents. Consult a professional roofer for the best way to handle this problem. A composition roof with a ridge vent and soffit vents is a possibility.

18) There is some rot on the N/E corner of the sill where the wood meets the concrete footing. Recommend a contractor repair and replace wood as required.

19) Carport roof and gutters are leaking and require replacement, with possible exception of gutter on carport north side. Recommend replacement at the same time as gutters on the house.

20) An insufficient number of smoke detectors are installed. Recommend installing additional smoke detectors as necessary so a functioning one exists in each hallway leading to bedrooms, and in each bedroom.This is especially important for a rental. For more information on smoke detectors visit http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5077.html

21) This main breaker box is very old, probably 40 years, and uses Zinsco brand circuit breakers. These circuit breakers have a variety of problems including:

• Not tripping under normal over-load conditions
• Appearing to be tripped when they're not

Recommend that a qualified, licensed electrician thoroughly evaluate service and sub panels that use Zinsco brand circuit breakers and replace damaged parts or the entire panel as necessary. Recommend considering replacing any and all panels that use Zinsco circuit breakers.

22) 12-2 cable is visible in this home and adequate for most electrical needs.

There are additional issues at this home, however, which should be addressed by a licensed electrician. The owner says there are problems with having to reset breakers when multiple appliances are running.

All AC outlets are 2 conducter. There are no 3 wire, grounded, outlets in the home. (see Interior, #45)

There are no GFCI protected outlets. These provide additional safety from shock hazard in kitchens and bathrooms and should be installed.

Although most rooms had a number of outlets, the telephone was powered by a long extension cord. At the time of upgrade of the service panel by a licensed electrician, additional outlets should be installed as recommended or required. The bathroom should have an additional outlet as well.

23) I could not locate a ground rod connected to this box. It may not have a seperate earth ground as it should. Recommend repair by electrician.

24) This home has a wood burning stove. It is recommended that a carbon monoxide alarm be purchased and installed in the hallway which adjoins the bedrooms.

25) Service mast is very rusted. Recommend having a qualified, licensed electrician evaluate and suggest a repair, which might be as simple as cleaning the rust off with an approved chemical and then painting.

26) Legend for overcurrent protection devices (breakers or fuses) in the main service panel is missing, unreadable or incomplete. Recommend installing, updating or correcting the legend as necessary so it's accurate.

27) Hot water heater improperly supported, missing earthquake straps. Recommend installing earthquake straps.

28) Temperature-pressure relief valve drain line is too short. It is draining into the insulation under the floor in the crawlspace.

Recommend having a qualified plumber extend the drain line (which needs to be either copper or CPVC) outside the house so any discharge is visible. It is not uncommon for these valves to discharge, for a number of reasons, and it is important that an occupant be aware this is taking place. Ignoring the matter can lead to a safety issue or, at the least, a great waste of hot water.

29) The estimated useful life for water heaters is 8 to 12 years. This water heater appears to be approaching this age. Recommend budgeting for a replacement in the near future.

30) The pipe supplying the water heater is copper, 1/2 inch. A modern system would use at least a 3/4 inch feed to the hotwater tank. The suitability of this system will depend upon the number of occupants of the home and their water/hot water useage.

31) All rooms but one have a thermostat and baseboard heaters. Some of the heaters are 30 years old. At least one is newer than that, perhaps 10 years old.

The one bedroom/den, had the heater removed when the sliding glass door was installed. Recommend that a licensed contractor install a new baseboard heater, or equivalent. It is very important that each area deemed as "living space" have a heat source.

32) Insulation in attic is substantially less than an R30 rating. Recommend installing additional insulation for better energy efficiency.

33) Washing machine is installed in kitchen and drain is accomplished by routing hose through a hole in the wall into a nearby closet which has a drain pipe. (The vent from this pipe is the one referenced in "Roofing, #16."

Recommend having a qualified plumber extend the drain pipe from the closet into the kitchen, ending with a normal "standpipe" for the washing machine. As it is, the soft hose from the washing machine, which will eventually deteriorate, is likely to leak inside the wall cavity, or into the closet space. This could cause extensive damage as it is likely to go unnoticed for some time.

34) No outside dryer duct is installed. Duct is in the kitchen resting on the dryer. Recommend installing a rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct. which goes outside the home.For information on dryer safety issues, see http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/5022.html

35) Waste pipes are visible in the crawlspace. Some of the pipes, such as from the kitchen, have been replaced with plastic. The toilet and bathtub still have cast iron piping.

I saw moisture on, and around, the main stack which is in the soil under the house. I believe that this might have been condensation, the result of my having run water and current weather conditions. However, it could have been a leak that I could not detect.

I suggest that a special flourescent dye be put in the pipes, which will display any leaks. Otherwise, the pipe could be checked again in milder weather, to see if the problem persists or if it was condensation.

36) Copper pipes under the house are insulated, but not with modern foam pipe wrap. It appears to be an old style insulation, so I cannot determine the precise "R" value.

37) The supply pipes are all 1/2 inch copper. This is standard in older homes, although many homes today use minimum 3/4 inch pipe. The adequacy of this system is dependent on the occupants of the home and their hot/cold water useage. Probably adequate as long as occupant is vigilant in cold weather.

38) Woodstove hearth is less than 18" deep. This is a fire hazard. Recommend installing a non-combustible hearth pad or extending hearth to at least 18" deep.

39) Recommend that all solid fuel burning appliances (woodstoves and fireplaces) be inspected annually by a qualified chimney service contractor and cleaned as necessary. This should be done prior to using this stove, especially due to the condition of the chimney above the roof line.

40) Woodstove was full of material to be burned, so no inspection was done of the interior.

41) The door over the crawlspace shows wood decay and requires, at the least, painting and refurbishing. At the worst, it may need to be replaced.

42) Vapor barrier is missing. Recommend installing 6 mil polyethylene with seams overlapped at least 24" so no soil is exposed in the crawlspace.

43) At one time, there probably was a moisture issue which resulted in a support post rotting on the north side. This was replaced, however the concrete block was incorrectly intalled. The block is designed to be installed with the opening in a vertical, not horizontal, position. Recommend this block be properly installed for strength.

44) Wood scraps found in crawl space. Recommend removing to avoid attracting wood destroying insects. This includes any wood forms left on the concrete pier footings.

45) Evidence of possible rodent entry. It appears there have been rodents in the N/W corner of the crawlspace, through the vent that is covered.

Recommend using traps in the future to prevent rodents from dying in inaccessible areas. Also, replace current screens with 1/4 inch mesh. (See Exterior #10).

46) Interior: 2-pronged outlets rather than 3-pronged, grounded outlets are installed in all interior rooms. This limits the ability to use appliances that require a ground (computers and some other electronic appliances) in these areas. If client intends to operate electronic devices requiring a ground, then recommend having a qualified electrian evaluate and install grounded outlets where necessary and as per the current National Electric Code.

47) Bath: Caulk needs repair around the edges and back of the tub, also recommend it be caulked around the formica shower stall. Currently there is a piece of paper towel filling a crack in the wall, at the head of the shower. This area also gives high moisture content readings with a meter. Recommend that this area of the wall be explored, to determine the extent of any rot/decay, and then repaired.

48) Bath sink (pop-up) stopper does not fully release on draining, which makes the sink drain slowly. Recommend repair or replacement. Drain may also benefit from cleaning drain/ P-trap.

49) Bath has no exhaust fan. It does have a window that opens. Recommend eventually installing bath exhaust fan.

50) Kitchen: Refrigerator, Amana frost free. Approx 12 years old so at the end of design life.

51) Kitchen: Industrial quality, exhaust fan. May benefit from oiling of the motor, and cleaning of the interior, but works well upon testing..

52) Kitchen: Panasonic microwave. Operable. Located in small area between kitchen and living room.

53) Kitchen: Oven is an apartment size Maytag. It is fully functional but small. Whether or not it is satisfactory depends upon the cooking requirements of occupants. This oven was selected to fit between the refrigerator and the laundry.

In the future, owner could consider upgrading stove and making room by installing a an upright washer/dryer combo or a smaller refrigerator.

54) Bath shower rod rusted. Primarily a cosmetic concern.

55) Interior: Maple hardwood floors throughout house. Floor in good condition, except it requires refinishing.

56) Kitchen entry door latch operates, but the spring in the latch is weak or wearing out.

57) Kitchen floor and countertops in good condition for their advanced years.