A-Z Building Inspections

Website: http://www.azbuildinginspections.net
Email: az_building_inspections@yahoo.com
Phone: (706) 889-8968
330 Dogwood Cir 
Ellijay GA 30540-3488
Inspector: Stephen Gordy

Property Inspection Report
Client(s):	John Doe1
Property address:	1234 Your Street Anytown,Ga.30540
Inspection date:	6/8/2010

This report published on Tuesday, June 08, 2010 8:56:55 PM EDT

View summary page

This report is the exclusive property of A-z Building Inspections company and the client(s) listed in the report title. Use of this report by any unauthorized persons is prohibited.

How to Read this Report
This report is organized by the property's functional areas.  Within each functional area, descriptive information is listed first and is shown in bold type.  Items of concern follow descriptive information. Concerns are shown and sorted according to these types:

	Safety	Poses a risk of injury or death
	Repair/Replace	Recommend repairing or replacing
	Repair/Maintain	Recommend repair and/or maintenance
	Maintain	Recommend ongoing maintenance
	Evaluate	Recommend evaluation by a specialist
	Monitor	Recommend monitoring in the future
	Comment	For your information

Click here for a glossary of building construction terms.  Contact your inspector if there are terms that you do not understand, or visit the glossary of construction terms at http://www.reporthost.com/glossary.asp

1) The gravel driveway is in poor condition. Repairs should be made as necessary, such as filling holes or grading, and new gravel should be spread.

2) One or more downspouts 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. A qualified contractor should install downspout(s) where missing. Also recommend installing extensions such as splashblocks or tie-ins to underground drain lines as necessary to carry rainwater away from the house.

3) 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. A qualified contractor should install gutters and downspouts where missing. Also, extensions such as splashblocks or tie-ins to underground drain lines should be installed as necessary to carry rain water away from the house.

4) No access hatch was found for the attic. The inspector was unable to evaluate the attic, and it's excluded from this inspection. Recommend having a qualified contractor install access hatches as necessary and as per standard building practices to allow periodic evaluation of attic spaces.

5) Air handler filter(s) should be checked monthly in the future and replaced or washed as necessary.

Photo 6   Electrical panel

6) The estimated useful life for most forced air furnaces is 15 to 20 years. This furnace appears to be approaching this age and may need replacing at any time. Recommend budgeting for a replacement in the near future.

7) The estimated useful life for air conditioning compressors is 8 to 15 years. This unit appears to be approaching this age and may need replacing at any time. Recommend budgeting for a replacement in the near future.

8) The clothes dryer is equipped with a vinyl or foil, accordion-type, flexible exhaust duct. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission considers these types of ducts to be unsafe, and a fire hazard. These types of ducts can trap lint and are susceptible to kinks or crushing, which can greatly reduce the air flow. This duct should be replaced with a rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct, and by a qualified contractor if necessary. Most clothes dryer manufacturers specify the use of a rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct. For more information, visit:
http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/5022.html

9) One or more fireplace or woodstove hearths are less than 18 inches deep. This is a fire hazard. At a minimum, non-combustible hearth pad(s) should be installed. Ideally the hearth(s) should be modified as necessary or installed by a qualified contractor so they are at least 18" deep.

10) All solid fuel burning appliances (woodstoves and fireplaces, etc.) should be inspected annually by a qualified chimney service contractor, cleaned and repaired as necessary.

11) Evidence of "light to moderate" rodent infestation was found in one or more areas. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) defines this as less than 20 feces per square foot. Rodent infestation may be a safety hazard due to the risk of contracting Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). HPS is a rare (only 20-50 cases per year in the United states) but deadly (40% mortality rate) disease transmitted by infected rodents through urine, droppings, or saliva. Humans can contract the disease when they breathe in aerosolized virus. For example, from sweeping up rodent droppings.

Recommend following guidelines in the CDC's Clean Up, Trap Up, Seal Up article for eradicating rodents, cleaning up their waste and nesting materials, and preventing future infestations. While Hantavirus is believed to survive less than one week in droppings and urine, specific precautions should be taken during clean up. The client(s) may wish to consult with a qualified, licensed pest control operator for eliminating the infestation. A qualified licensed abatement contractor or industrial hygienist could be contacted for clean up. If the infestation was minimal, clean up of rodent waste and nesting materials in non-living spaces (crawl spaces and attics) may not be necessary, or may be performed for aesthetic reasons only (odor and appearance).

12) Evidence of prior water intrusion was found in one or more sections of the crawl space. For example, sediment stains on the vapor barrier or foundation, and/or efflorescence on the foundation. Accumulated water is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms and should not be present in the crawl space. The client(s) should review any disclosure statements available and ask the property owner(s) about past accumulation of water in the crawl space. The crawl space should be monitored in the future for accumulated water, especially after heavy and/or prolonged periods of rain. If water is found to accumulate, a qualified contractor who specializes in drainage issues should evaluate and repair as necessary. Typical repairs for preventing water from accumulating in crawl spaces include:

Repairing, installing or improving rain run-off systems (gutters, downspouts and extensions or drain lines)

Improving perimeter grading

Repairing, installing or improving underground footing and/or curtain drains

Ideally, water should not enter crawl spaces, but if water must be controlled after it enters the crawl space, then typical repairs include installing trenches, gravity drains and/or sump pump(s) in the crawl space.

---

13) No vapor barrier is installed. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms due to the likelihood of water evaporating into the structure from the soil. A qualified contractor should install a vapor barrier. Standard building practices require the following:

The soil below the vapor barrier should be smooth and free from sharp objects.

Seams should overlap a minimum of 12 inches.

The vapor barrier should lap up onto the foundation side walls.

Better building practices require that:

Seams and protrusions should be sealed with a pressure sensitive tape.

The vapor barrier should be caulked and attached tightly to the foundation side walls. For example, with furring strips and masonry nails.

Kitchen

Return to table of contents

Limitations: The following items are not included in this inspection: free-standing or portable appliances such as dishwashers, trash compactors, refrigerators, freezers, ice makers; specialty appliances such as hot water dispensers, water filters and trash compactors; appliance timers, clocks, cook functions, self and/or continuous cleaning operations, thermostat or temperature control accuracy, and lights. Any comments made regarding these items are as a courtesy only. Note that the inspector does not provide an estimate of the remaining life of appliances, and does not determine the adequacy of operation of appliances such as dishwashers, garbage disposals, trash compactors, ovens, broilers, etc.

---

14) One or more cabinets and/or drawers are damaged and/or deteriorated. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace cabinets and/or components as necessary.

Bathrooms

Return to table of contents

Limitations: The following items are not included in this inspection: overflow drains for tubs and sinks; bidets, heated towel racks, saunas, steam generators, clothes washers, clothes dryers. Any comments made regarding these items are as a courtesy only. Note that the inspector does not determine the adequacy of washing machine drain lines, washing machine catch pan drain lines, or clothes dryer exhaust ducts. The inspector does not operate water supply or shut-off valves for sinks, toilets, bidets, clothes washers, etc. due to the possibility of valves leaking or breaking when operated. The inspector does not determine if shower pans or tub and shower enclosures are water tight, or determine the completeness or operability of any gas piping to laundry appliances.

---

15) Tile and/or grout around one or more bathtubs is damaged or deteriorated. For example, deteriorated or missing grout, cracked, missing or loose tiles, etc. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair tile and/or grout as necessary. both main and master bath need grout

Photo 4   master bathtub needs caulk

---

16) shower head in master bath needs replaced

Photo 5   Shower head in shower in master bath needs replaced

---

17) One or more sinks are cracked or broken. A qualified plumber should replace the sink(s) where necessary.

Photo 7   main bath sink cracked needs replacement

---

18) Caulk is missing or deteriorated around one or more shower surrounds. It should be replaced where deteriorated and/or applied where missing to prevent water intrusion and damage to the wall structure.

Photo 8   recaulk bath tub surround in main bath

Interior rooms

Return to table of contents

Limitations: The following items are not included in this inspection: security, intercom and sound systems; communications wiring; central vacuum systems; elevators and stair lifts; sources of obnoxious odors; cosmetic deficiencies due to normal wear and tear in wall, floor and ceiling surfaces and coverings, or in equipment; deficiencies relating to interior decorating; low voltage and gas lighting systems. Any comments made regarding these items are as a courtesy only. Note that the inspector does not evaluate any areas or items which require moving stored items, furnishings, debris, equipment, floor coverings, insulation or similar materials. The inspector does not test for asbestos, lead, radon, mold, hazardous waste, urea formaldehyde urethane, or any other toxic substance. Some items such as window operability are tested on a sampled basis. The client should be aware that paint may obscure wall and ceiling defects, floor coverings may obscure floor defects, and furnishings may obscure wall, floor and floor covering defects. If furnishings were present during the inspection, recommend a full evaluation of walls, floors and ceilings that were previously obscured when possible. Determining the cause of odors is not within the scope of this inspection.

---

19) ceiling fan in master bedroom missing globe

Photo 3   globe missing on fan in master bedroom

---

20) hole in master bedroom ceiling has hole from previous leaky.

Photo 2   master bedroom hole from previous leak

---

21) wall in living room has tore wall paper.

Photo 1   torn wall paper at front door

---

22) Carpeting in one or more rooms is soiled and/or stained. Recommend having carpeting professionally cleaned as necessary.

---

PLEASE NOTE:
This report is the exclusive property of A-Z Building Inspections and the client
whose name appears herewith, and its use by any unauthorized persons is strictly prohibited.
The observations and opinions expressed within this report are those of A-Z Building Inspections
and supercede any alleged verbal comments. We inspect all of the systems,
components, and conditions described in accordance with the standards of NACHI (National
Association of Certified Home Inspectors), and those that we do not inspect are clearly disclaimed
in the contract and/or in the aforementioned standards. However, some components that are
inspected and found to be functional may not necessarily appear in the report, simply because we
do not wish to waste our client's time by having them read an unnecessarily lengthy report about
components that do not need to be serviced.
In accordance with the terms of the contract, the service recommendations that we make in this
report should be completed well before the close of escrow by licensed specialists, who may well
identify additional defects or recommend some upgrades that could affect your evaluation of the
property.
.