Indiana License #HI00500083 ASHI Certified Inspector #207869 Inspector by Review GLC Chapter ASHI
Summary
Client(s):
Curious George Homebuyer
Property address:
2301 Anywhere Ct East Central Indiana
Inspection date:
Tuesday February 30th, 2009
This report published on Friday, October 12, 2018 8:58:19 AM EDT
This Summary does not include all comments made in the report and it is highly recommended to read the entire report and pull out any comments not listed here that you think deserves higher priority. I do not get involved in what you ask the seller to correct, repair or replace.
Concerns are shown and sorted according to these types:
Safety Concern
Immediate Safety Concern. If conditions were right a risk of serious injury could occur. Most Electrical defects fall into this category.
Major Defect
Correction or replacement likely involves a significant expense probably by a specialist. Estimate of repair or replacement estimated to be greater than $500. This may be the first major investment needed before or after you move into your new home.
Livability Concern
Repair or replacement is needed. This concern will usually affect livability unless corrected soon.
Minor Repair or Service
Maintenance is needed. This is considered normal aging and can be added to the "Honey Do List". This type of repair typically does not have a high estimate for repair or a need for a specialist.
Moisture Control
Water is a destructive force that should be controlled. Improvement is needed to accomplish this.
Maintain and Monitor
Recommend ongoing maintenance. Preventative maintenance can reduce costly repairs in the future. Periodic checks are recommended to maintain this system.
Evaluate
A closer look is needed to determine extent of hidden damage or status of condition. This can be done by the homeowner or may need to be evaluated by a contractor qualified with specialized training. Always get 2-3 estimates.
Ask the Seller
A question I recommend asking of the seller to better understand the operation or service needed for this system
Grandfathered Safety
When the home was built, the condition was common. New Standards apply today to make this system safer and is recommended by the inspector to be upgraded for a safer living environment.
Comment
Information or personal opinion that I think may be useful.
Exterior
5) Trip hazards were found in the driveway due to cracks, settlement and/or heaving. Recommend having a qualified contractor evaluate and repair or replace driveway sections as necessary to eliminate trip hazards.
Photo 5-1 Poor downspout extension at southeast corner is feeding the island tree and the roots grow larger which shift the sidewalk/drive when they push it up. This may be a tripping hazard that should be corrected and drainage improved to reduce further shifting from both tree root growth and freeze/thaw periods.
Photo 5-2 Deflection of the driveway slab noticed from tree root growth and poor drainage extensions nearby.
6) Exterior disconnect switches have exposed wiring or components when the cover is opened or removed. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock, especially for children. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary so the risk of shock is eliminated. Note that a lock should not be installed on the cover(s) because the disconnect device(s) will be made inaccessible in the event of an emergency.
Photo 6-1 outside is the main disconnect. The cover is within easy access and there is no inner cover protecting children from touching these high voltage wires. Recommend correction by a licensed electrician to assure this is safe for all. Typically there is an internal cover that only allows the use of the main disconnect.
7) Outside faucets are missing backflow prevention devices. These devices reduce the likelihood of polluted or contaminated water entering the potable water supply. This condition can occur when an outside faucet is left in the "on" position with a hose connected and the sprayer head turned off. When pressure in the system fluctuates, water can be drawn back into the water supply pipes from the house. If a chemical sprayer is being used with the hose, those chemicals can enter the water supply pipes.
Recommend installing backflow prevention devices on all exterior hose bibs where missing. They are available at most home improvement stores and are easily installed. For more information, visit: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_AE079
8) Minor cracks were found in sections of brick veneer. A qualified contractor should evaluate and make repairs as necessary, such as repointing mortar to prevent water intrusion and further deterioration in the future.
Photo 8-1 All openings should be sealed to reduce water entry behind brick veneer.
Photo 8-2 This corner connection is important to caulk with a 50 yr clear silicone to reduce water entry and cracked mortar joints in the veneer,
Photo 8-3 Cracks seen in front porch step should be sealed to reduce further deterioration and gaps/
Roof
13) One or more composition shingles have raised, most likely due to nails that have loosened. Leaks may occur as a result. A qualified roofing contractor should evaluate and make repairs as necessary, such as reseating nails.
Photo 13-1 Nail pops should be resealed down to reduce wind damage that can occur.
Photo 13-2 Another nail pop seen at south side near front entry area
Garage
15) No infared "photo eye" devices are installed for the vehicle door's electric door opener. They've been required on all vehicle door openers since 1993 and improve safety by triggering the vehicle door's auto-reverse feature without need for the door to come in contact with the object, person or animal that's preventing it from closing. Recommend considering having a qualified contractor install these devices for improved safety. For more information on garage door safety issues, visit: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/523.html or http://www.ohdstl.com/safety.html
Attic
20) Furnace flue is required to have 2 inch clearance from combustibles including insulation. This is a vent pipe mfg requirement to allow heat loss at all areas of the b vent pipe and reduce the damage to the pipe of smothered in insulation. Remove the insulation away from pipe as required.
Photo 20-1Insulation should be held back away from furnace flue pipe b 1 inch per mfg recommendation.
Photo 20-2Signs of previous water entry at plumbing vent stack in attic but unable to determine if leak is active.
Electric service
23) One or more loose conductors in the main service panel have bare ends and are not connected to an overcurrent protection device (circuit breakers or fuses). This is a safety hazard due to the risk of fire if the bare conductors come into contact with other components in the panel. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary. For example, removing wires that aren't terminated or installing wire nuts.
Photo 23-1 Since the main disconnect is outside under meter that makes this a subpanel. Current standards and the standards at the time of construction call for a 4 wire service from main and the isolation of the neutrals at the subpanel bus bar. The 4 wires are present but the neutrals are not isolated as required. Recommend correction by a licensed electrician.
24) Ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) breakers in the main service panel would not trip when tested. It sounds as if it is tripping internally but the lever does not move. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate and make repairs and/or replace circuit breakers as necessary.
Photo 24-1 Breaker for GFCI protection of the whirlpool sounds as if it trips, but the lever gets stuck in the on position. Recommend evaluation and repair/replacement by a licensed electrician
25) Since the main disconnect is located under the meter outside, this distribution panel is considered a sub panel. Neutral and equipment ground conductors are combined at the sub-panel. This should only occur at the main disconnect, and is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. Neutral conductors should be attached to a "floating" neutral bar not bonded to the panel, while grounding conductors should be attached to a separate grounding bar bonded to the sub panel. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary.
Photo 25-1 Since the main disconnect is outside under meter that makes this a subpanel. Current standards and the standards at the time of construction call for a 4 wire service from main and the isolation of the neutrals at the subpanel bus bar. The 4 wires are present but the neutrals are not isolated as required. Recommend correction by a licensed electrician.
26) The main disconnect for the homes electric power is located outside next to the meter. This panel enclosure is not secured and there is no inside safety cover as required to reduce contact with high voltage lines. Recommend correction by a licensed electrician.
Photo 26-1 outside is the main disconnect. The cover is within easy access and there is no inner cover protecting children from touching these high voltage wires. Recommend correction by a licensed electrician to assure this is safe for all. Typically there is an internal cover that only allows the use of the main disconnect.
Plumbing
29) The clothes dryer exhaust duct is too long, or has too many bends. This may reduce the air flow through the duct, resulting in overheating, reduced efficiency and/or difficulty in cleaning the duct. Standard building practices limit clothes dryer exhaust ducts to 25 feet, and less when bends are present (2.5 feet for each 45-degree bend and 5 feet for each 90-degree bend). A qualified contractor should evaluate and modify the exhaust duct as per standard building practices.
30) The gas line is missing the required isolation valve to allow other appliances to be operable while service is being done to the dryer. Repair by a licensed plumber or HVAC tachnician is required.
Photo 30-1 Isolation valve for the gas dryer is in the wrong location. There should be an isolation valve past the T connection that would isolate the dryer while allowing gas to service the gas cooktop on other side of wall. Recommend correction by a licensed plumber
31) The washing machine is installed over a finished living space and has no catch pan or drain installed. These are not commonly installed, but they are recommended to prevent water damage to finished interior spaces below if or when the washing machine leaks, overflows or is drained. Recommend having a qualified contractor install both a catch pan and drain.
Water heater
37) Substandard wiring was found next to the water heater. This wire was not live but should be treated as if it were and eliminated for safety reasons.
Photo 37-1 Abandoned wire seen may have been for a power vented model intended to be used but now it should be encapsulated or eliminated for safety reasons.
Heating and Cooling
39) The estimated useful life for air conditioning compressors is 8 to 15 years. This unit appears to have exceeded this age and may need replacing at any time. Recommend budgeting for a replacement and provide seasonal servicing to prolong useful life.
40) The electronic air filter did not respond when its controls were operated. This system was not fully evaluated. The client(s) should consult with the property owner(s) as to how it operates and have a qualified heating and cooling contractor evaluate and make repairs if necessary.
Photo 40-1 Electronic air filter was turned off and was not operational today. Recommend servicing to evaluate and provide needed filtering of the system by a licensed hvac company
41) Insulation is missing on one or more heating/cooling ducts in unconditioned spaces. Also the efficiency of the HVAC system would be improved by having a qualified HVAC company or contractor seal all connections and insulate the ducts in the crawl space. Some deterioration seen to the plenum in the crawl space today that should also be evaluated and corrected. A qualified contractor should evaluate and install insulation as necessary and as per standard building practices.
Photo 41-1 High moisture levels seen in northeast area under furnace plenum. Cut a few slits about 12 ft longdown center to provide a proper escape to the moisture. The plenum is also corroding at corners and should be serviced/corrected soon.
Photo 41-2 Closer look at bottom of plenum
Photo 41-3 Gaps and holes in the HVAC system reduce efficiency and should be corrected by a licensed HVAC company
Photo 41-4 Gaps seen where one of the specialized duct controls are located leave large gaps in system
Fireplaces, woodstoves and chimneys
45) Fireplaces equipped with a gas burner has a damper that can be closed. This is a safety hazard due to the possibility of burner or pilot light exhaust gases entering living spaces. A qualified chimney service contractor should make repairs as necessary so the damper is made permanently where it is prevented from full closure. Typically a bracket or bolt is installed for this purpose.
Photo 45-1 Gas fireplaces with standing pilot require a clamp be installed on damper to prevent full closure. This is missing that clamp and may allow carbon monoxide fumes to enter home.
Photo 45-2 Current standards require the metal plates with safety and lighting instructions that come with the unit be attached to the interior unit. I could not find these today. Recommend asking seller where these are located.
Photo 45-3 pilot lit while damper closed will cause the staining seen on brick facing.
Crawl space
46) Sections of wiring that weren't terminated were found. This is a potential safety hazard due to the risk of shock. Some of this abandoned wiring may still be live while others are disconnected or switch controlled. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary. For example, cutting the wire to length and terminating the wire with wire nuts in a securely anchored, covered, properly sized junction box. (See Photo)
Photo 46-1 Abandoned wire seen in center south wall should be eliminated for safety reasons.
47) Ventilation of crawl space would be improved by opening vents in the winter and closing vents in the summer. Moisture/condensation travels from hot to cold. Keep vents closed during the winter only where plumbing is close to lines. Current studies have determined that foundation vents are not needed as much if the moisture is controlled at the downspouts and with a moisture barrier to control water vapor travel. These vents could be closed all year long without any problems occurring as long as improvement to the downspout extensions are extended, moisture barrier is properly installed, and there are no issues with ground table water entry into the crawl. The signs seen today indicate the high moisture levels could be from high humidity and not water entry.
Photo 47-1Foundation vents should not be under ground or mulch level and should have wells installed around them to reduce unwanted insect and moisture entry into crawl.
Kitchen
52) Live wires and open splices seen today. This should be eliminated for safety reasons or at least encapsulated inside a junction box to reduce shock hazard.
Photo 52-1 Any open wire splices should be encapsulated inside a junction box or lighting fixture. This is above the cooktop and needs to be corrected.
Photo 52-2 Open wire splices should be inside junction boxes and not inside cabinets above sink.
53) Current standards require a dedicated outlet for any counter surface over 12 inches wide and outlets to be located no farther than 4 ft apart to service any counter surface without using extension cords. Recommend installing an outlet on the left and right side of cooktop for added convenience and increased safety.
Photo 53-1 Current standards require all countertop receptacles to be GFCI protected. Also current standards would require outlets on east wall for each side of cooktop instead of one directly behiond it. Recommend adding an outlet on eah side where marked for increased safety and convenience.
54) Receptacles that serve countertop surfaces have no ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. This is required by current standards and may not have been required at the time this home was built and is a recommended upgrade. Any previous upgrades or remodels should have introduced this feature when it was done. Recommend adding these for increased safety..
Photo 54-1 The only GFCI protection is where the buttons are. The ones farther away should be protected by today's standards but were not required when built. Recommend improvement for safety
Photo 54-2 The only GFCI protection is where the buttons are. The ones farther away should be protected by today's standards but were not required when built. Recommend improvement for safety
55) The dishwasher drain line is not configured with a "high loop" or "air gap". A high loop is created by routing the drain line up to the bottom surface of the counter top above, and securely fastening it to that surface. It is meant to prevent water from siphoning out of the dishwasher, and to prevent water from the sink drain or food disposal from entering the dishwasher. Some dishwashers have a built-in high loop where one is not required to be configured in the drain line. The clients should try to determine if a high loop is required for this brand and model of dishwasher (review installation instructions, etc.). If one is required, or it cannot be determined if one is not required, then a qualified contractor should install a high loop as per standard building practices.
Photo 55-1 Dishwasher drain hose is not providing the required high loop to reduce the chance of waste water draining into the dishwasher before it shows backing up into sink
56) The stove top's downdraft exhaust fan is inoperable. A qualified appliance technician should evaluate and repair as necessary. Also the duct tape is falling off the connection under cabinet and should be replaced with a heat approved duct tape.
Photo 56-1 The fan switch for this downdraft jenn-Air is defective and will not stay on.
Photo 56-2 Duct tape is good for anything except ducts. Use a heat approved duct tape that will not look like this in 6 months. This is important since this is a gas appliance and it exhausts carbon monoxide fumes as it works.
57) Sink drains has an active leak. For example, at pipe fittings and/or junctions between pipe and sink. A qualified plumber should evaluate and repair as necessary.
58) Lower than normal pressure noticed at sink faucet today while the functional flow was being done. Recommend checking the screen filter in faucet or have a licensed plumber evaluate and correct.
Bathroom Hall Master Bath
62) Toilets is loose, and evidence of damage or possible damage to the floor structure below was found. For example, elevated levels of moisture and dark staining at carpeted flooring around the base of the toilet and next to west wall. A qualified contractor should remove toilet where necessary for further evaluation and repairs. The floor structure and flooring material did not appear to need repair or replacement. The source of moisture could also be from a plumbing vent stack in the adjacent wall and should be evaluated also. Adequate time should be allowed for enclosed, wet floor structures to dry out after repairs are made and before floor cavities are closed off to prevent mold growth.
Photo 62-1 The underside of master bathroom stool does not show any damage from high moisture levels taken today in the carpet and near wall. The smaller line is for a plumbing vent stack pipe that goes into attic and connects to a roof vent stack. A loose connection in this vent could be another source for the moisture measured today. Recommend a closer look by a qualified plumber or contractor.
Photo 62-2 High moisture readings taken near wall and some staining seen on carpet indicate either a wax ring leaking form loose stool or a leak from poor connection in wall vent stack pipe that goes into attic. Recommend further evaluation for moisture source and repair of damaged materials seen.
Photo 62-3 Some staining noticed on top of joist caused by what appears to be moisture at master bath stool or vent stack in wall.
Interior rooms
71) Current standards call for floor plugs to be covered for safety and a waterproof design in interior rooms. Recommend upgrading to this safer style plug in the living room wher I noticed them.
Photo 71-1 Current standards would brequire floor plugs to be a waterproof design with covers to protect against children playing on floor. Recommend replacing these for safety reasons.
