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BEBE'S HOME INSPECTION 1324 TRENHOLM DR CHARLESTON | |
| Client(s): | James Dickert |
| Property address: | 1545 Downing St Charleston.S.C |
| Inspection date: | Wednesday, March 25, 2009 |
This report is the exclusive property of this inspection company and the client(s) listed in the report title. Use of this report by any unauthorized persons is prohibited. 
 | Safety | Poses a risk of injury or death |
 | Major defect | Correction likely involves a significant expense |
 | Repair/Replace | Recommend repairing or replacing |
 | Repair/Maintain | Recommend repair and/or maintenance |
 | Minor defect | Correction only involves a minor expense |
 | Maintain | Recommend ongoing maintenance |
 | Evaluate | Recommend evaluation by a specialist |
 | Comment | For your information |
Structural Pest Inspection Concerns
Items of concern relating to the structural pest inspection are shown as follows:
 | WDO/WDI Infestation | Evidence of infestation of wood destroying insects or organisms (Live or dead insect bodies, fungal growth, etc.) |
 | WDO/WDI Damage | Damage caused by wood destroying insects or organisms (Rot, carpenter ant galleries, etc.) |
 | WDO/WDI Conducive conditions | Conditions conducive for wood destroying insects or organisms (Wood-soil contact, shrubs in contact with siding, roof or plumbing leaks, etc.) |
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| General Information | Return to table of contents |
Structures built prior to 1980 may contain lead-based paint and/or asbestos in various building materials such as insulation, siding, and/or floor and ceiling tiles. Both lead and asbestos are known health hazards. Evaluating for the presence of lead and/or asbestos is not included in this inspection. The client should consult with specialists as necessary, such as industrial hygienists, professional labs and/or abatement contractors for this type of evaluation. For information on lead, asbestos and other hazardous materials in homes, visit: Photo 35 This needs to be tested for a confirmation.
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| Grounds | Return to table of contents |
Handrails at one or more flights of stairs were wobbly. This is a safety hazard. Standard building practices require that handrails be: Photo 2 |
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Fences were damaged or deteriorated in some areas. A qualified person should repair or replace sections as necessary.
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Minor cracks, settlement, heaving and/or deterioration were found in the driveway. However they don't appear to be a structural concern and no trip hazards were found. No immediate action is recommended, but the client may wish to have repairs made or have cracked sections replaced for aesthetic reasons.
 Photo 4 |
Minor cracks, settlement, heaving and/or deterioration were found in one or more sidewalk or patio sections. However they don't appear to be a structural concern and no trip hazards were found. No immediate action is recommended, but the client may wish to have repairs made or have cracked sections replaced for aesthetic reasons.
| Exterior / Foundation | Return to table of contents |
No insulation was installed under the floor in the crawl space. A qualified contractor should install insulation for better energy efficiency and as per standard building practices with an R rating recommended for this area. For more information, visit:
Rot or water damage was found at one or more sections of the floor substructure, including floor sheathing, beams. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair as necessary. All rotten wood should be replaced.
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One or more beams were damaged due to non standard or substandard notches. Standard building practices specify the following limitations for notching and boring joists: Photo 46 |
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One sections of siding and/or trim were damaged. A qualified person should evaluate and repair, replace or install siding or trim as necessary.
 Photo 13 |
No vapor barrier was installed in the crawl space. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms due to the likelihood of water evaporating into the building from the soil. A qualified person should install a vapor barrier as per standard building practices.
One or more crawl space vent wells were missing. This can lead to water entering and accumulating in the crawl space, and is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms. A qualified contractor should replace and/or repair wells where necessary.
 Photo 3 |
Gaps existed at one or more openings around the exterior, such as those where outside faucets, refrigerant lines, and/or gas supply pipes penetrate the exterior. Gaps should be sealed as necessary to prevent moisture intrusion and entry by vermin.
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Caulk was deteriorated in some areas. For example, around doors at garage. A qualified person should repair or replace as necessary. For more information, visit: Photo 5 |
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| Roof / Attic | Return to table of contents |
Paper facing on batt insulation in the attic was exposed. The paper facing is flammable, and poses a safety hazard due to the risk of fire. Also, the paper facing typically acts as a vapor barrier, and if located away from the interior surfaces, can trap moisture from condensation in the cavity between the paper facing and the interior spaces. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects. The inspector was unable to evaluate the structure obscured by the insulation. A qualified person should reinstall or replace the insulation as per standard building practices and as per the manufacturer's instructions.
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The attic access hatch over the attached garage was damaged. Wall and ceiling surfaces in an attached garage should be fire rated for one hour to prevent or slow the spread of fire from the garage to interior living spaces. A hatch should be installed with a material that has a one hour fire rating, such as 5/8 inch Type X sheetrock.
 Photo 28 |
Most sections of the composition shingle roof surface appeared to be near the end of their service life and will likely need replacing in the near future, even with repairs. The client should budget for a replacement roof surface, and may want to have a qualified roofing contractor evaluate and attempt to issue a "5 year roof certificate".
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Rot or water damage was found at one or more sections of the roof structure, including: boots and vents. A qualified person should evaluate and repair as necessary. All rotten wood should be replaced.
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Roof repairs were needed because many composition shingles had the following conditions: granules worn away, nail pops, lifting. Leaks may occur as a result. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair as necessary.
Some "rubber boot" flashings were loose. Leaks may occur as a result. A qualified contractor should replace flashings where necessary.
 Photo 20 |
Moss was growing on the roof. As a result, shingles may lift or be damaged. Leaks may result and/or the roof surface may fail prematurely. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms. Efforts should be taken to kill the moss during its growing season (wet months). Typically zinc-based chemicals are used for this, and must be applied periodically. For information on various moss treatment products and their pros and cons, visit:
Attic spaces less than 30 inches in height appeared to exist in this building and had no access. This is acceptable as per standard building practices. However, these spaces were not inspected and are excluded from this inspection.
| Garage / Carport | Return to table of contents |
Minor cracks, heaving and/or settlement were found in one or more sections of slab floors.
| Electric | Return to table of contents |
Wire splices were exposed due to not being contained in a covered junction box. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock and fire. A qualified electrician should evaluate and make repairs as necessary. For example, install securely mounted junction boxes with cover plates where needed to contain wiring splices.
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Few electric receptacles and two-pronged receptacles rather than three-pronged, grounded receptacles were installed in some areas. This can result in "octopus" wiring with extension cords. Two-prong receptacles are considered unsafe by today's standards, and limit the ability to use appliances that require a ground in these rooms. This is a safety hazard for both fire and shock. Examples of appliances that require grounded receptacles include:
Many open ground, three-pronged electric receptacles were found. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate and make repairs as necessary. For example, replacing receptacles or correcting wiring circuits.  Photo 26 |
One or more overcurrent protection devices (circuit breakers or fuses) in panel # were "double tapped", where 2 or more wires were clamped in a terminal designed for only one wire. This is a safety hazard since the bolt or screw may tighten securely against one wire, but leave others loose. Arcing, sparks and fires may result. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary.
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The service drop wires were in contact with trees or vegetation. The utility company should prune or remove trees as necessary to prevent straining or abrading the service drop wires.
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One or more bushings were missing from where wires enter holes in panel #A. This is a safety hazard since the wiring insulation can be cut or abraded on the metal edge of the hole(s). A qualified electrician should install bushings where missing.
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Based on the age of this structure and the appearance of existing smoke alarms, the alarms may be older than 10 years old. According to National Fire Protection Association, aging smoke alarms don't operate as efficiently and often are the source for nuisance alarms. Older smoke alarms are estimated to have a 30% probability of failure within the first 10 years. Newer smoke alarms do better, but should be replaced after 10 years. Unless you know that the smoke alarms are new, replacing them when moving into a new residence is also recommended by NFPA. For more information, visit this article: NFPA urges replacing home smoke alarms after 10 years.
This property had one or more fuel burning appliances and/or an attached garage, and no carbon monoxide detectors were visible. This is a safety hazard. Recommend installing one or more carbon monoxide detectors as necessary and as per the manufacturer's instructions. For more information, visit http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml05/05017.html
Some bulbs in light fixtures were . As a result, some light fixtures couldn't be fully evaluated. Recommend replacing bulbs to fully evaluate fixtures where necessary. Master bedroom fan
| Plumbing / Fuel Systems | Return to table of contents |
One or more sections of gas supply piping were routed underground and had a galvanized coating. This is substandard and is a potential safety hazard due to gas leaks from corroded pipe. Standard building practices require that underground steel pipes be factory coated with a material other than galvanized Zinc, such as polyethylene. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair as necessary, and as per standard building practices.
One or more outside faucets were 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 building. 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.
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Minor corrosion was found in some waste pipes. Leaks may occur as a result. A qualified plumber should evaluate and repair as necessary.
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Evidence of one or more possible abandoned underground oil tanks was found (vent pipe, metal supply lines, etc.). The client should determine if underground oil tank(s) exist on this property, and if tank(s) have been removed or legally decommissioned.  Photo 14 |
Most of the insulation on water supply pipes in the crawl space was substandard. A qualified person should evaluate and replace or repair insulation as necessary for better energy efficiency and to prevent water pipes from freezing.
The handles at one or more outside faucets were . A qualified person should repair or replace as necessary.
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No drip leg was installed in the gas supply line at the furnace, water heater. Drip legs are intended to prevent damage to gas-fired appliances by trapping oil, scale, water condensation and/or debris. A qualified contractor should install a drip leg as per standard building practices.
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| Water Heater | Return to table of contents |
| Cooling / Heat Pump | Return to table of contents |
The following conditions were found in this system's electrical components: loose wires. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair as necessary.
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The estimated useful life for most cooling systems and heat pumps is 10 to 15 years. This system appears to be near this age and/or its useful lifespan and may need replacing or significant repairs at any time. Recommend budgeting for a replacement in the near future.
| Kitchen | Return to table of contents |
The garbage disposal was inoperable. A qualified plumber or contractor should evaluate and repair or replace the food disposal as necessary.
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| Bathrooms / Laundry / Sinks | Return to table of contents |
The exhaust fan at location #A was inoperable. Moisture may accumulate as a result. A qualified person should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.
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Leaking or dripping was found at the sink at location #B. A qualified plumber should evaluate and repair as necessary.
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Leaking or dripping was found at the bathtub spout at location #A. A qualified plumber should evaluate and repair as necessary.
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Leaking or dripping was found at the shower head, supply valves, diverter valve at location #B. A qualified plumber should evaluate and repair as necessary.
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The following conditions were found at the shower enclosure or door at location #B: deterioration. A qualified person should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.
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The sink drain stopper mechanism at location #A, B was inoperable. A qualified person should repair or replace as necessary.
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| Interior Rooms / Areas | Return to table of contents |
Stains and elevated levels of moisture were found in one or more ceiling areas. The stain(s) appear to be due to leaks. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair as necessary.
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One interior doors were damaged. A qualified person should repair or replace as necessary.
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Minor cracks and/or holes were found in walls in one or more areas. They do not appear to be a structural concern, but the client may wish to repair these for aesthetic reasons.
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| Private Well | Return to table of contents |
The inspector performed only a limited, visual evaluation of the private water supply system, including such items as the well head, well equipment, and pressure tank where visible. The inspector is not a well specialist, and did not determine if the well provides an adequate quantity of water, or if the water is safe to drink. A qualified specialist should perform a full evaluation of this system, and water samples should be tested by a qualified lab.
 Photo 15 Did not turn on.
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 Photo 16 Wire should be in conduct.
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| Structural Pest Findings | Return to table of contents |
 Photo 8 Did not inspect.
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 Photo 24 Small crack in front steps
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