A.F.A. HOME INSPECTIONS LLC

Website: http://www.reporthost.com/amiccuci
Email: tonyamicc@hotmail.com
Phone: (518) 588-9693
1336 TRACY SCHENECTADY 
NY, 12309 

Summary Page

Property Inspection Report
Client(s): Ivano Iaia
Property address: 17 Charles St
Latham, NY
Inspection date: Monday, August 04, 2008

This summary page published on 8/5/2008 10:19:12 PM EDT

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Concerns are shown and sorted according to these types:
SafetyPoses a risk of injury or death 
Repair/ReplaceRecommend repairing or replacing 
Repair/MaintainRecommend repair and/or maintenance 
Minor DefectCorrection likely involves only a minor expense 
MaintainRecommend ongoing maintenance 
EvaluateRecommend evaluation by a specialist 
MonitorRecommend monitoring in the future 
CommentFor your information 

1) Exterior: - One or more ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) electric receptacles are tripped and will not reset. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of fire and/or shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate and make repairs as necessary.

2) Exterior: - One or more 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

3) Exterior: - One or more areas of the grounds around the structure have significantly soggy soil, standing water or indications of accumulated water at times (sediment, dead grass, etc.). Recommend filling in low spots and re seeding.

4) Exterior: - One or more downspouts have no extensions, or have extensions that are ineffective.

5) Exterior: - Soffits at one or more cantilever or overhang sections are unvented. This can result in moisture accumulation in floor cavities and rot. A qualified contractor should install screened vents in soffits where missing and as per standard building practices.

6) Exterior: - Siding is damaged in some areas along the bottom. These areas should evaluated and repaired by a qualified contractor.

7) Exterior: - Vegetation such as trees, shrubs and/or vines are in contact with or less than one foot from the structure's exterior. Vegetation can serve as a conduit for wood destroying insects and may retain moisture against the exterior after it rains. Vegetation should be pruned and/or removed as necessary to maintain a one foot clearance between it and the structure's exterior.

8) Garage: - One or more ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) electric receptacles did not trip on the garage when tested. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary.

9) Garage: - The wood stove in the garage should be evaluated and serviced prior to use.

10) Garage: - The vehicle door is difficult to close. Vehicle doors should open and close smoothly and easily. A qualified contractor should evaluate and make repairs as necessary.

11) Garage: - A breaker in the box was tripped this was reset and tripped again. This should be evaluated by a qualified electrician.

12) Garage: - Minor crack in garage foundation should be repaired to prevent water infiltration.

14) Attic: - Some wiring is loose, unsupported, or inadequately supported. Standard building practices require non-metallic sheathed wiring to be trimmed to length, attached to runners or to solid backing with fasteners at intervals of 4-1/2 ft. or less. Fasteners should be installed within 12 inches of all enclosures. A qualified, licensed electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary. For example, trim wire to length and/or install staples as needed.

16) Electric service: - The service entrance wire insulation is frayed and/or deteriorated in one or more areas. A qualified electrician should evaluate and make repairs or replace wires as necessary.

18) Heating and cooling: - The last service date of this system appears to be more than one year ago, or the inspector was unable to determine the last service date. The client(s) should ask the property owner(s) when it was last serviced. If unable to determine the last service date, or if this system was serviced more than one year ago, a qualified heating and cooling contractor should inspect, clean, and service this system, and make repairs if necessary. For safety reasons, and because this system is fueled by gas or oil, this servicing should be performed annually in the future. For more information visit: http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml05/05017.html

19) Heating and cooling: - Carbon monoxide detectors need to be in service prior to moving in.

21) Plumbing and laundry: - 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.

22) Plumbing and laundry: - The clothes dryer exhaust duct appears to need cleaning. Significant amounts of lint build up was found. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of fire from decreased air flow. This duct should be cleaned now and annually, or more often if necessary in the future. Some chimney sweeps or heating/cooling duct cleaners perform this service. For more information, visit http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/5022.html or http://chimneykeepers.com/dryerclean.html

23) Plumbing and laundry: - 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.

24) Plumbing and laundry: - Stains were found in one or more sections of drain and/or waste pipes. Recommend monitoring these areas in the future, and if leaks are found, have a qualified plumber evaluate and repair as necessary. Alternatively, the client(s) may wish to have a qualified plumber evaluate now and repair if necessary.

26) Fireplaces, woodstoves and chimneys: - The masonry chimney's mortar is deteriorated and should be repaired to prevent further, significant deterioration. Recommend having a qualified chimney service contractor or mason evaluate chimney and repair as necessary. This will likely require repointing the mortar.

27) Kitchen: - The range can tip forward, and no anti-tip bracket appears to be installed. This is a safety hazard since the range may tip forward when weight is applied to the open door, such as when a small child climbs on it, or if heavy objects are dropped on it. Anti-tip brackets have been sold with all free standing ranges since 1985. An anti-tip bracket should be installed to eliminate this safety hazard. For more information, visit http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/remodeling/article/0,1797,HGTV_3659_2017492,00.html

28) Interior rooms: - Lamp holders or light fixtures with fully or partially exposed bulbs are installed in one or more closets. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of fire. Flammable stored items may come into contact with hot bulbs, and hot fragments from broken bulbs may fall on combustible materials. Standard building practices require closet lighting to use fluorescent light fixtures, or to use fully enclosed incandescent fixtures. Installing a compact fluorescent lamp in a lamp holder is not an acceptable practice. A qualified electrician should replace closet lights as necessary and as per standard building practices.

29) Interior rooms: - The doorbell appears to be inoperable. Recommend having a qualified electrician evaluate and repair as necessary.

30) Interior rooms: - The glass in one kitchen window is broken. A qualified contractor should replace glass where necessary.