Check Mark Services LLC

Concerns are shown and sorted according to these types:

	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 likely involves only a minor expense
	Maintain	Recommend ongoing maintenance
	Evaluate	Recommend evaluation by a specialist
	Monitor	Recommend monitoring in the future
	Serviceable	Item or component is in servicable condition
	Comment	For your information

 

	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.)

1) General information:   - Structures built prior to 1979 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(s) should consult with specialists as necessary, such as industrial hygenists, professional labs and/or abatement contractors for this type of evaluation. For information on lead, asbestos and other hazardous materials in homes, visit these websites:

The Center for Disease Control (http://www.cdc.gov)
3) Exterior:   - One or more electric receptacles and/or the boxes they are installed in are loose and/or not securely anchored. Wire conductors may be damaged due to repeated movement and/or tension on wires, or insulation may be damaged. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock and fire. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary.
4) Exterior:   - One or more Exterior outlets are not protected by ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) electric receptacles . This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate and make repairs as necessary.
5) Exterior:   - One or more exterior disconnect switches, such as for an outdoor spa, 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.
6) Exterior:   - Stairs with more than two risers have no handrail installed. This is a safety hazard. A qualified contractor should install graspable handrails that your hand can completely encircle at stairs where missing, and as per standard building practices.
25) Roof:   - This asphalt or fiberglass composition roof surface has two or more layers of roofing materials. When this roof is replaced, recommend a complete "tear off", where all existing layers of roofing are removed before installing new roofing materials. For 20-year rated composition shingles, additional layers of material reduce the new roof material's lifespan as follows:

12-16 years - Second layer on existing roof

Removing existing roofing materials will significantly increase the cost of the next roof.

Also, the roof structure below the surface is "skip sheathed" where batten boards rather than sheets of plywood support the roof surface. Installing a composition fiberglass or asphalt roof in the future will require the additional expense of installing sheathing, such as plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) over the batten boards.
33) Garage:   - Safety containment cables are missing for one or more vehicle door springs. This is a safety hazard. Safety containment cables prevent springs from snapping free and causing damage or injury. A qualified contractor should evaluate and make repairs or replace components as necessary. For more information on garage door safety issues, visit: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/523.html or http://www.ohdstl.com/safety.html
34) Garage:   - Extension cords are being used as permanent wiring in one or more areas. They should only be used for portable equipment on a temporary basis. Using extension cords as permanent wiring poses a fire and shock hazard, and is an indication that wiring is inadequate and should be updated. Extension cords may be undersized. Connections may not be secure, resulting in power fluctuations, damage to equipment, and sparks that could start a fire. Extension cords should be removed as necessary, or a qualified electrician should evaluate and make repairs as necessary. For example, install additional circuits and/or electric receptacles.
35) Garage:   - The vehicle door has an electric opener installed, and the manual lock mechanism on the door hasn't been disabled. Damage or injury may occur if the vehicle door opener is operated with the manual lock engaged. A qualified contractor should disable or remove the lock mechanism. For more information on garage door safety issues, visit: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/523.html or http://www.ohdstl.com/safety.html
36) Garage:   - 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
38) Attic:   - Cover plate(s) are missing from one or more electric boxes, such as for receptacles, switches and/or junction boxes. They are intended to contain fire and prevent electric shock from exposed wires. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of fire and shock. Cover plates should be installed where missing.
48) Electric service:   - This property has one or more Federal Pacific Electric brand main service or sub panels that use "Stab-Lok" circuit breakers. Both double and single pole versions of these circuit breakers are known to fail by not tripping when they are supposed to. This is a potential but serious fire hazard. Recommend having a qualified electrician replace any and all Federal Pacific panels. For more information, visit: http://www.inspect-ny.com/fpe/fpepanel.htm

If the Federal Pacific panel(s) are not replaced, then a qualified electrician should thoroughly evaluate the panel(s) and make repairs as necessary. Recommend installing smoke detectors above Federal Pacific panels.
49) Electric service:   - One or more wires in the main service panel appear to be undersized for their overcurrent protection devices (circuit breakers or fuses). This is a safety hazard due to the risk of fire. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary.
50) Electric service:   - One or more overcurrent protection devices (circuit breakers or fuses) are "double tapped", where 2 or more wires are 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.
51) Electric service:   - Neutral and equipment ground conductors are combined at one or more sub-panels. This should only occur in the main service panel, 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.
54) Water heater:   - The hot water temperature is greater than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of scalding. The thermostat should be adjusted so the water temperature doesn't exceed 120 degrees. For more information on scalding dangers, visit http://www.tap-water-burn.com/
55) Heating and cooling:   - Long flexible gas supply connecters to the BBQ are installed where they are subject to damage. For example from use of gardening tools. Leaks may occur as a result. A qualified contractor should evaluate and make repairs and/or modifications as necessary.
56) Heating and cooling:   - The furnace or boiler flame(s) "roll out" of the combustion chamber. This is a fire hazard due to the possibility of excessive heat damaging heating components, controls and wiring. A qualified heating and cooling contractor should evaluate and repair as necessary.
57) Heating and cooling:   - The Inspector was unable to locate a remote Boiler Emergency Disconnect Switch. This switch is normally found at the top of the basement stairs. Advise asking the owner as to its location.
58) Heating and cooling:   - Evidence of an abandoned buried fuel oil tank is present. It would be advisable to check with the owners to determine if the tank was decommissioned by a licensed company, as many municipalities require documentation. For New York visit, www.dec.state.ny.us/website/der/bulkstor/publications/pr6hmown.html
65) Plumbing and laundry:   - The clothes dryer(s) 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 on dryer safety issues, see http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/5022.html
66) Plumbing and laundry:   - Water supply pipes in homes built prior to 1986 may be joined with solder that contains lead. Lead is a known health hazard, especially for children. Laws were passed in 1985 prohibiting the use of lead in solder, but prior to that solder normally contained about 50 percent lead. The client(s) should be aware of this, especially if children will be living in this structure. Evaluating for the presence of lead in this structure is not included in this inspection. The client(s) should consider having a qualified lab test for lead, and if necessary take steps to reduce or remove lead from the water supply. Various solutions such as these may be advised:

Have a qualified plumbing contractor replace supply pipes and/or plumbing components as necessary.

For more information visit: http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/5056.html and http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead/index.html
67) Plumbing and laundry:   - Some, most, or all of the water supply pipes in this structure are made of galvanized steel. Based on the age of this structure, these pipes may be nearing or may have exceeded their estimated useful life of 40 to 60 years. Internal corrosion and rust can reduce the inside diameter of these pipes over time, resulting in reduced flow and eventually, leaks. The inspector performed a "functional flow test" during the inspection where multiple fixtures were run simultaneously, and found the flow to be adequate. For example, the shower flow didn't decrease substantially when the toilet was flushed. Despite this, and because of their apparent age, these pipes may need replacing at any time.
70) Fireplaces, woodstoves and chimneys:   - A significant amount of creosote (1/8 inch or more) is visible in the fireplace flue. A qualified chimney service contractor should inspect, clean, and repair if necessary now and annually in the future.
71) Fireplaces, woodstoves and chimneys:   - One or more chimney flues do not have a screened cover installed. Screened covers prevent the following:

Rainwater entering flues and causing damage to terra cotta flue tiles from freeze-thaw cycles

A qualified chimney service contractor should install screened cover(s) where missing. Screens should have holes 1/4 inch or larger.
76) Crawl space:   - 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 Hanta virus 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 hygenist 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).
81) Basement:   - Non-metallic sheathed wiring is routed in one or more areas so it is subject to damage, such as on wall or ceiling surfaces. The insulation can be damaged by objects coming in contact with it and/or it being repeatedly moved. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock and fire. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary. For example, rewire using conduit, or re-routing through wall cavities.
82) Basement:   - Extension cords are being used as permanent wiring in one or more areas. They should only be used for portable equipment on a temporary basis. Using extension cords as permanent wiring poses a fire and shock hazard, and is an indication that wiring is inadequate and should be updated. Extension cords may be undersized. Connections may not be secure, resulting in power fluctuations, damage to equipment, and sparks that could start a fire. Extension cords should be removed as necessary, or a qualified electrician should evaluate and make repairs as necessary. For example, install additional circuits and/or electric receptacles.
83) Basement:   - No ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection device is visible for the sump pump electric supply. A qualified electrician should determine if a GFCI protection device (receptacle or circuit breaker) exists for the sump pump and install one if missing to reduce the danger of electric shock.
84) Basement:   - 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 Hanta virus 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 hygenist 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).
85) Basement:   - One or more electric receptacles are broken or damaged. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of fire and shock. A qualified electrician should replace them as necessary.
86) Basement:   - Lighting for basement stairs was inadequate. All stairs should be illuminated for safety reasons! Suggest having a fixture installed per local electrical code. Any qualified electrician can perform this installation at a reasonable cost.
87) Basement:   - Cover plate(s) are missing from one or more electric boxes, such as for receptacles, switches and/or junction boxes. They are intended to contain fire and prevent electric shock from exposed wires. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of fire and shock. Cover plates should be installed where missing.
90) Kitchen:   - One or more electric receptacles that serve countertop surfaces within six feet of a sink appear to have no ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate to determine if GFCI protection exists, and if not, repairs should be made so that all receptacles that serve countertop surfaces within six feet of sinks have GFCI protection. For example, install GFCI receptacles or circuit breaker(s) as needed.
92) Bathrooms:   - One or more electric receptacles that serve countertop surfaces within six feet of a sink appear to have no ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate to determine if GFCI protection exists, and if not, repairs should be made so that all receptacles that serve countertop surfaces within six feet of sinks have GFCI protection. For example, install GFCI receptacles or circuit breaker(s) as needed.
93) Bathrooms:   - No ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection device is visible for the electric supply to the jetted tub. If no GFCI protection exists, then this is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate and install GFCI protection if none is installed.
104) Interior Rooms:   - Two-pronged electric receptacles rather than three-pronged, grounded receptacles are installed in one or more interior rooms. They are considered to be unsafe by today's standards and limit the ability to use appliances that require a ground in these rooms. Examples of appliances that require grounded receptacles include:

Lawn mowers

This list is not exhaustive. A qualified electrician should evaluate and install grounded receptacles as per the client(s)' needs and standard building practices.
105) Interior Rooms:   - Incandescent light fixtures in one or more closets are too close to shelves and/or storage areas. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of fire. Flammable stored items may come into contact with hot light fixtures, and glass enclosures or lamps may be broken. Standard building practices require incandescent closet light fixtures to have the following clearances:

12 inches above the highest closet pole

A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary and as per standard building practices.
106) Interior Rooms:   - One or more electric receptacles are broken or damaged. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of fire and shock. A qualified electrician should replace them as necessary.
107) Interior Rooms:   - One or more entry doors have deadbolts installed with no handle, and require a key to open them from both sides. This can be a safety hazard in the event of a fire when the key is not available. The door cannot be used as an exit then, causing entrapment. Key-only deadbolts should be replaced with deadbolts that have a handle on the inside on entry doors in rooms with no other adequate egress nearby.
108) Interior Rooms:   - Batteries in all the smoke alarms should be replaced after taking occupancy, and annually in the future. "Chirping" noises emitted from smoke alarms typically indicate that batteries need replacing. For more information, visit http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5077.html
109) Interior Rooms:   - This structure was built prior to 1979 and may contain lead paint. Laws were enacted in 1978 in the US preventing the use of lead paint in residential structures. Lead is a known safety hazard, especially to children but also to adults. The paint found in and around this structure appeared to be intact and may be encapsulated by more recent layers of paint that are not lead-based. Regardless, recommend following precautions as described in the following links to Consumer Products Safety Commission website articles regarding possible lead paint.

What You Should Know About Lead Based Paint in Your Home: Safety Alert - CPSC Document #5054

CPSC Warns About Hazards of "Do lt Yourself" Removal of Lead Based Paint: Safety Alert - CPSC Document #5055