Summary Page
| Property Inspection Report | |
| Client(s): | Sample Report |
| Property address: | xxxx XXXX Hoover, AL 35244 |
| Inspection date: | Thursday, March 13, 2008 |
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 |
 | Minor defect | Correction only involves a minor expense |
 | Maintain | Recommend ongoing maintenance |
 | Evaluate | Recommend evaluation by a specialist |
 | Monitor | Recommend monitoring in the future |
 | 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.) |
- One or more retaining walls higher than three feet were found on this property and guardrails or barriers were missing. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of falling. At a minimum, the client should be aware of this hazard, especially when children are present. Ideally a qualified contractor should install adequate guardrails or make modifications to existing barriers as necessary above retaining walls higher than 3 feet to eliminate fall hazards. Dense shrubbery or vegetation may be acceptable as a barrier, but only when mature enough to be effective.
- One or more planter boxes were designed or installed so that water is likely to enter or come in contact with the building. A qualified person should evaluate and repair, remove or replace planter boxes necessary.
- Minor cracks and/or deterioration were found in one or more retaining walls. Recommend repairing cracks with mortar, elastomeric sealant, or other suitable material to prevent water intrusion and further deterioration. The client should monitor such walls in the future for continued deterioration (cracking, leaning, bowing, etc.). Repairs and/or replacement by a qualified contractor may be necessary in the future.
- Vegetation such as trees, shrubs and/or vines was in contact with or less than one foot from the building 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 building exterior.
- Some sections of siding and/or trim were damaged possibly from wood pecker. A qualified person should evaluate and repair, replace or install as necessary.
- Minor cracks or deterioration were found in one or more 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.
- 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.
- Extensions such as splashblocks or drain pipes for some downspouts were mis-aligned. Water may accumulate around the building foundation as a result. A qualified person should evaluate and repair, replace or install as necessary
- One or more chimneys were wider than two feet and no cricket was installed. A cricket is a small peaked saddle on top of the basic roof and behind the chimney that sheds water off to the sides. Debris such as leaves, needles, moss, etc. is likely to accumulate above the chimney because of the wide chimney. Leaks may occur as a result. The client should monitor this area for accumulated debris in the future. If debris is found to accumulate above the chimney, then a qualified contractor should install a cricket.
- One or more roof surface sections were designed so as to be much more likely to accumulate debris and snow. This includes the following: two slopes converge, steeper slope meets shallow slope. Leaks may occur as a result. The client should monitor such areas for accumulated debris in the future and clean as necessary.
- Debris had accumulated in one or more gutters. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects since gutters may overflow and cause water to come in contact with the building exterior or make water accumulate around the foundation. Gutters should be cleaned now and as necessary in the future.
- Debris such as leaves, needles, seeds, etc. had accumulated on the roof. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms since water may not flow easily off the roof, and may enter gaps in the roof surface. Leaks may occur as a result. Debris should be cleaned from the roof now and as necessary in the future.
- Weatherstrip at the sides and/or bottom of one or more vehicle doors was substandard. It should be replaced where necessary to prevent water and vermin intrusion.
- Some switches were damaged. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock and fire. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.
- Some light fixtures were loose. A qualified person should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.
- Lamp holders or light fixtures with fully or partially exposed bulbs were 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.
- Smoke detectors were loose in some locations. A qualified person should replace smoke detectors or make repairs as necessary. For more information, visit:
- One or more wall-mounted exterior light fixtures had wiring that's subject to water intrusion due to caulk not being installed around the light fixture's back plate. Caulk should be applied around the perimeter of back plates where missing. A gap should be left at the bottom for condensation to drain out.
- Some light fixtures were inoperable. Recommend further evaluation by replacing bulb(s) and/or consulting with the property owner. Repairs or replacement of the light fixture(s) by a qualified electrician may be necessary.
- All water supply pipes in the basement were uninsulated. Recommend insulating pipes as per standard building practices for better energy efficiency and to prevent water pipes from freezing.
- The last service date of this system appeared to be more than one year ago, or the inspector was unable to determine the last service date. The client should ask the property owner 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
- Insulation for the outside condensing unit's refrigerant lines was deteriorated in some areas. This may result in reduced efficiency and increased energy costs. A qualified person should replace insulation as necessary.
- The last service date of this system appeared to be more than one year ago, or the inspector was unable to determine the last service date. The client should ask the property owner 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 contractor should service this system and make repairs if necessary. This servicing should be performed annually in the future.
- The dishwasher drain line was 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 client 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.
- Leaking or dripping was found at the sink spout, faucet base at location #A, D. A qualified plumber should evaluate and repair as necessary.
- Grout was deteriorated around the shower at location #A, B, C, D . A qualified person should repair as necessary.
- Caulk was missing at the counter backsplash, around the sink at location #C, D. A qualified person should repair as necessary.
- Stains were found in the shelving or cabinet components below the sink at location #D. Plumbing leaks may have occurred in the past. Recommend consulting with the property owner about this, and if necessary, having a qualified person evaluate and repair.
- Wood flooring in some nook areas was buckling. This may indicating that the floor has been wet in the past, evidence of settlement or that repairs or the installation was substandard. Recommend consulting with the property owner about this. The client should consider having a qualified contractor evaluate and repair or refinish floors as necessary. For more information, visit:
- The weatherstrip around one or more exterior doors was loose. A qualified person should repair or replace as necessary.
- Some interior door hardware, including locksets were damaged, missing. A qualified person should repair or replace as necessary.
- Crank handles at some windows were loose. A qualified person should repair or replace as necessary.
