Summary Page
| Home Inspection Report | |
| Client(s): | Joe Sample #1 |
| Property address: | 3155 Nashotka Rd. Madison Twp., PA 18444 |
| Inspection date: | Saturday, September 12, 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.
1) General information:
Safety, Repair/Replace
- This property has one or more fuel burning appliances, and no carbon monoxide alarms are visible. This is a safety hazard. Recommend installing one or more carbon monoxide alarms as necessary and as per the manufacturer's instructions. For more information, visit http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml05/05017.html
2) General information:
Comment
- Some wall, floor and/or ceiling surfaces were obscured by furniture and/or stored items. Some areas couldn't be evaluated.
3) Exterior:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- One or more outdoor electric receptacles 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 outdoor receptacles within six feet six inches of ground level have GFCI protection. For example, install GFCI receptacles or circuit breaker(s) as needed.
4) Exterior:
Safety, Repair/Replace
- One or more retaining walls higher than three feet exist on this property and guardrails or barriers are missing or inadequate. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of falling. At a minimum, the client(s) 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.
5) Exterior:
Safety, Repair/Replace
- One or more deck ledger boards are nailed to the structure rather than being attached by adequate fasteners. This poses a significant safety hazard since the ledger board(s) may separate from the structure, causing the deck(s) to collapse. A qualified contractor should install lag screws or bolts as per standard building practices to securely attach the ledger board(s) to the structure. For more information on installing deck ledger boards visit:
http://www.google.com/search?q=installing+a+ledger+board
And for more information on building safe decks in general, visit:
http://www.google.com/search?q=building+a+safe+deck
6) Exterior:
Repair/Replace
- 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.
7) Exterior:
Repair/Maintain
- One or more minor cracks (1/8 inch or less) were found in the foundation. These don't appear to be a structural concern, but recommend sealing them to prevent water infiltration and monitoring them in the future. Numerous products exist to seal such cracks including:
8) Roof:
Comment
- Because of the roof covering type and/or the configuration of the roof, the inspector was unable to traverse the roof and wasn't able to fully evaluate the entire roof.
9) Garage:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- One or more garage electric receptacles 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 garage receptacles, except for one for use with a refrigerator or freezer, have GFCI protection. For example, install GFCI receptacles or circuit breaker(s) as needed.
10) Garage:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- 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.
11) Garage:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- Wire splices are 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.
12) Garage:
Safety, Repair/Replace
- The garage-house door poses a fire risk because it's not fire-rated (metal or solid-core construction). A qualified contractor should replace this door with a fire-rated door.
13) Garage:
Safety, Repair/Replace
- One or more flights of 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.
14) Garage:
Repair/Replace
- One or more exterior entrance doors are damaged and/or deteriorated and should be repaired or replaced by a qualified contractor.
15) Garage:
Comment
- Much of the garage, including areas around the interior perimeter and in the center are excluded from this inspection due to lack of access from stored items.
16) Electric service:
Safety, Repair/Replace
- One or more bushings are missing from where wires enter holes in the main service panel. 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.
17) Water heater:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- Substandard wiring was found for the water heater's power supply. Exposed non-metallic sheathed (Romex) wiring is used and is subject to damage. Both the insulation and conductors can be damaged by repeated movement or contact with objects such as stored items. This is a safety hazard for both fire and shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary. Typically, flexible conduit with bushings is used in this application.
18) Water heater:
Evaluate, Comment
- Based on the capacity of the water heater, the number of bedrooms in this structure and the number of occupants expected to live in this structure, this water heater may be undersized. The clients should consult with a qualified plumbing contractor or water heater distributor for more information, and may wish to upgrade the size of the water heater.
19) Heating and cooling:
Maintain
- Air handler filter(s) are dirty and should be replaced now. They should be checked monthly in the future and replaced as necessary.
20) Plumbing and laundry:
Evaluate
- Plumbing supply lines appear to be made of Polybutylene. Polybutylene is a plastic material used extensively during the 1980s and 1990s that has proven to be more prone to leakage than other types of supply piping systems like copper. Recommend reviewing any disclosure statements if available for comments on leaks in the water supply system.
A class action lawsuit has been filed regarding this material that requires the manufacturers to cover piping systems installed between Jan. 1, 1978 through July 31, 1995. For more information, call the Plumbing Claims Group at (800) 356-3496 or visit:
http://www.google.com/search?q=Polybutylene+class+action
21) Plumbing and laundry:
Comment
- Neither the clothes washer nor dryer were operated or evaluated. They are excluded from this inspection.
22) Basement:
Safety, Minor Defect
- 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.
23) Kitchen:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- One or more electric receptacles have burn or scorch marks on them. Receptacle(s) and/or wiring to them may be damaged. A qualified electrician should evaluate and make repairs as necessary, such as replacing damaged receptacles and/or wiring.
24) Kitchen:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- 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.
25) Kitchen:
Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- Countertops are damaged and/or deteriorated in one or more areas. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace countertops as necessary.
26) Kitchen:
Repair/Replace
- One or more filters are missing from the range hood exhaust system. Filters should be replaced as necessary.
27) Kitchen:
Repair/Replace
- Vinyl flooring is damaged and/or deteriorated in one or more areas. A qualified contractor should replace or repair the damaged flooring.
28) Bathrooms:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- 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.
29) Bathrooms:
Repair/Replace
- One or more bathrooms with a shower do not have an exhaust fan installed. Moisture accumulation will occur and may damage the structure. Even if the bathroom has a window that opens, it likely does not provide adequate ventilation, especially during cold weather when the window is closed. A qualified contractor should install exhaust fans as per standard building practices where missing in bathrooms with showers.
30) Interior rooms:
Safety, Repair/Replace
- 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:
http://www.google.com/search?q=old+smoke+alarms
31) Interior rooms:
Repair/Replace
- One or more air supply registers are damaged and should be replaced where necessary.
