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1) One or more deck ledger boards are nailed to the structure rather than being attached by adequate fasteners. This poses a significant safety hazard since the ledger board(s) may separate from the structure, causing the deck(s) to collapse. Recommend having a qualified contractor install lag screws or bolts as per standard building practices to securely attach the ledger board(s) to the structure. For more information on installing deck ledger boards visit: http://www.hometime.com/Howto/projects/decks/deck_4.htm
And for more information on building safe decks in general, visit: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/knowhow/exteriors/article/0,16417,212625,00.html
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2) Gaps larger than 4" were found in one or more guardrails. This is a safety hazard, especially for small children. Recommend that a qualified contractor make modifications as necessary, such as installing additional balusters, so gaps in guardrails don't exceed 4".
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3) The perimeter grading slopes towards the structure in one or more areas. This can result in water accumulating around the structure's foundation, or in basements and crawl spaces if they exist. Accumulated water is a conducive condition to wood destroying insects and organisms. Wet soil may also cause the foundation to settle and possibly fail over time. Recommend grading soil so it slopes down and away from the structure with a slope of at least 5% (10% or better is optimal) for at least 6 feet.
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4) One or more gutters are missing. This can result in water accumulating around the structure's foundation, or in basements and crawl spaces if they exist. Accumulated water is a conducive condition to wood destroying insects and organisms, and may also cause the foundation to settle and possibly fail over time. Recommend having a qualified contractor install gutters and downspouts where missing. Also recommend installing extensions such as splashblocks or tie-ins to underground drain lines where necessary to carry rain water away from the house.
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5) One or more wooden deck support posts are in contact with soil. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms. However no damage from wood destroying insects or organisms was found. It's recommended that there be at least 6" of space between any wood and the soil below, even if the wood is treated. If possible, recommend grading soil so a 6" distance to the soil below is maintained. Otherwise recommend installing borate based Impel rods to prevent rot.
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6) One or more screen doors are damaged and need repair.
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7) Soil is in contact with or less than 6" from siding and/or trim. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms. Recommend grading soil as necessary so there's at least 6" of space between the siding and trim and the soil below.
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8) Vegetation (trees, shrubs and/or vines) are in contact with the structure's exterior. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms. Vegitation can serve as a conduit for insects and may retain moisture against the exterior after it rains. Recommend pruning or removing vegitation as necessary so there's at least a one foot gap between all vegitation and the structure's exterior.
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9) Decking boards are spaced closer together than 3/8" with accumulated organic debris (leaves, fir needles, etc.). This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms. Recommend cleaning deck as necessary to avoid accumulation of organic debris between deck boards and resultant rot.
If or when the deck boards are replaced, recommend spacing boards so they're at least 3/8" apart to allow debris to fall through the cracks rather than accumulate in them.
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10) Front door hinges need to be tightened.
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11) Recommend cleaning deck and treating with a waterproof sealant claiming to waterproof, block ultraviolet light, and stop mildew. Consumer Reports recommends these products:
Cabot Decking Stain and PTW Stain
Olympic Water Repellent Deck Stain
Thompson's House and Deck Stain
Wolman PTW Deck Stain
Akzo Sikkens Cetol DEK
Benjamin Moore Moorwood Clear Wood Finish
DAP Woodlife Premium
Olympic Natural Look Protector Plus
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12) Caulk is missing or deteriorated in some areas. Recommend caulking where necessary.
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13) One or more gutters are missing. This can result in water accumulating around the structure's foundation, or in basements and crawl spaces if they exist. Accumulated water is a conducive condition to wood destroying insects and organisms, and may also cause the foundation to settle and possibly fail over time. Recommend having a qualified contractor install gutters and downspouts where missing. Also recommend installing extensions such as splashblocks or tie-ins to underground drain lines where necessary to carry rain water away from the house.
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14) The end cap on the clothes dryer exhaust duct is damaged. Their purpose is to prevent air from entering the house through the clothes dryer, save energy, and keep out birds, rodents and bugs. Birds' nests can block the opening and are flammable. Recommend installing a new vent cap.
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15) Damaged door frame at door to utility room in rear of home.
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16) Wooden screen doors are out of square and need to be repaired or replaced.
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17) Exterior light fixtures are wrapped in masking tape and are not operational.
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18) Moderate cracks (1/8" to 3/4") present in slab where corner has apparently broken off and settled. These may be a structural concern and the client may wish to hire a qualified geotechnical engineer to evaluate possible soil movement and/or a qualified structural engineer to evaluate the integrity of the structure. At a minimum, recommend sealing cracks to prevent water infiltration. Numerous products exist to seal such cracks including:
Hydraulic cement. Requires chiseling a channel in the crack to apply. See http://www.quickrete.com/catalog/HydraulicWater-StopCement.html for an example.
Resiliant caulks (easy to apply). See http://www.quickrete.com/catalog/GrayConcreteRepair.html for an example.
Epoxy sealants (both a waterproof and structural repair). See http://www.mountaingrout.com/ for examples of these products.
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19) Soil is in contact with or less than 6" from siding and/or trim. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms. Recommend grading soil as necessary so there's at least 6" of space between the siding and trim and the soil below.
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20) Vegetation (trees, shrubs and/or vines) are in contact with the structure's exterior. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms. Vegitation can serve as a conduit for insects and may retain moisture against the exterior after it rains. Recommend pruning or removing vegitation as necessary so there's at least a one foot gap between all vegitation and the structure's exterior.
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21) Caulk is missing or deteriorated in some areas. Recommend caulking where necessary.
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22) Only one exterior outlet was protected by a GFCI circuit. Recommend converting remaining outlets to GFCI outlets.
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23) Shed appears to be in poor condition.
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24) Cable wires are tacked to bottom of siding around 2/3 of home's perimeter. Recommend bringing wires in and routing through attic space to desired location.
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27) Trees are overhanging roof and are within 10 feet of roof vertically. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms since organic debris is more likely to accumulate on the roof surface. Accumulated debris may cause water to enter gaps in the roof surface and leak into attic and/or interior spaces. Recommend pruning trees so they're at least 10 feet above roof, or don't overhang the roof.
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28) Two sections of the roof are sloped towards each other. Organic debris such as leaves or needles are more likely to accumulate in this area rather than rest of the roof. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms since accumulated debris can cause leaks, damage to the roof structure (rot) and/or mold. Recommend monitoring this area for accumulated debris in the future and cleaning as necessary.
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29) Significant amounts of organic debris (leaves, needles, etc.) are on the roof. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms since accumulated debris may cause water to enter gaps in the roof surface and leak into attic and/or interior spaces. Recommend cleaning roof now and in the future where and when necessary.
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30) Lichen is growing on the roof. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms which can lead to the premature failure of the roof and subsequent leaks. Recommend treating lichen during its growing season (wet months) with a moss or lichen killer. For information on various moss or lichen treatment products and their pros and cons, visit http://bryophytes.science.oregonstate.edu/page24.htm
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31) Recommend installing ridge vent when roof is replaced to improve ventilation.
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32) Roof shingles appear to be nearing the end of their useful life. Recommend replacing the roof within the next few years. The valleys are showing the most wear.
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46) Cover plate(s) are missing or damaged at one or more electric receptacle boxes. They are intended to contain fire and prevent electric shock from exposed wires. This is a safety hazard and poses a risk of both fire and shock. Recommend installing cover plates over receptacle boxes where missing.
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47) Some of the ceiling areas in this structure have "popcorn" textured surfaces possibly installed before the mid-1980s. This material may contain asbestos, which is a known carcinogen and poses a health hazard. Laws were passed in the United States in 1978 prohibiting use of Asbestos in residential structures, but stocks of existing materials have been known to be used for some time thereafter. The client may wish to have this ceiling material tested by a qualified lab to determine if it does contain asbestos.
In most cases, if the material is intact and in good condition, encapsulating it with paint and not disturbing it reduces or effectively eliminates the health hazard. If the client wishes to remove the material, or plans to disturb it through remodeling, recommend having it tested by a qualified lab and/or consulting with a qualified industrial hygenist.
For more information on asbestos use in homes, visit: http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/453.html
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48) One or more receptacles are not operating properly and possibly not wired. In most cases, the top outlet works and the bottom outlet doesn't. A qualified, licensed electrician should evaluate them as necessary.
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49) Dining Room - Ceiling repairs visible.
Living Room - Floor slopes in corner where slab apparently has settled (crack in slab is visible outside). Broken coverplate. Door binds on carpet. Condensation stains on interior window trim.
NE Bedroom - Drywall pops visible near doorway.
ENE Bedroom - Dent in wall behind door. Bottom outlets not powered.
SE Bedroom - Heat source not visible. Typical cracks in wall.
Den - Loose outlet. Loose cable outlet. Condensation stains on interior window trim. Damaged weatherstripping on windows. Previous repairs on ceiling.
Laundry room - Exit door blocked by dryer. Outlet cover missing.
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58) Some wiring is loose, unsupported or inadequately supported. Standard building practices call for non-metallic sheathed wiring to be attached to runners or to solid backing with fasteners at intevals of 4 1/2 ft. or less. Fasteners should be installed within 12" of all enclosures. A qualified, licensed electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary. For example, install staples as needed.
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59) Vapor barrier is missing. Recommend installing 6 mil polyethylene with seams overlapped at least 24" so no soil is exposed in the crawlspace.
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60) Crawlspace access door does not close completely, allowing access by animals, etc.
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61) Soil is in contact with wooden support posts. Recommend grading soil so at least 6" of space between the support posts and the soil below exists.
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62) Access to crawlspace was blocked by storage materials.
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68) The clothes dryer is equipped with a plastic (vinyl) or foil, accordion-type, flexible duct. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission considers these types of ducts to be unsafe, and a fire hazard. The flexible plastic or foil type duct can more easily trap lint and is more susceptible to kinks or crushing, which can greatly reduce the airflow. Recommend replacing the duct with a rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct. Most manufacturers specify the use of a rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct, which provides maximum airflow. For more information on dryer safety issues, see http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/5022.html
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69) Recommend having septic tank inspected. Recommend pumping tank if last pumped more than 3 years ago.
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70) No exhaust fan is installed in the laundry room. This can lead to excessive accumulation of moisture. Recommend having a qualified contractor install an exhaust fan with a timer, duct and vent cap as per standard building practices in the laundry room.
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71) Well tank is located in laundry room.
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73) One or more circuit breakers are "double tapped", where 2 or more wires are clamped in a circuit breaker terminal, and the circuit breaker is only designed for 1 wire. This is a safety hazard since wires may loosen and cause arcing, sparking and fires. Recommend having a qualified, licensed electrician evaluate and repair.
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74) 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. For more information on smoke detectors visit http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5077.html
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75) One or more screws are missing from the main service panel cover. Also, screws are the wrong size and type. Recommend replacing screws.
Because live wiring may exist behind the holes with the missing screws, recommend that a qualified, licensed electrician replace these screws, or that care be taken to ensure that the new screws don't come in contact with wiring inside the panel when they're installed.
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