Website: http://www.househounds.org
Company email: watchdogshi@comcast.net
Inspector's email: mdstanford@comcast.net
Phone: (801) 580-5551
Inspector: Michael Stanford

Summary Page

Home Inspection Report
Client(s):	John Smith
Property address:	12345 Main St. Salt Lake City, UT.
Inspection date:	Monday, October 01, 2007

This summary page published on 4/16/2009 8:24:57 AM MDT

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
	Minor Defect	Correction likely involves only a minor expense
	Maintain	Recommend ongoing maintenance
	Evaluate	Recommend evaluation by a specialist
	Comment	For your information

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: - 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.
5) Exterior: - One or more sections of wiring that weren't terminated were found. This is a potential safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary. For example, cutting the wire to length and terminating the wire with wire nuts in a securely anchored, covered, properly sized junction box.
6) Exterior: - 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.
7) Exterior: - One or more electric receptacles have open knockouts. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of fire and shock. A qualified electrician should plug the knockouts.
8) Exterior: - One or more exterior electric receptacles aren't waterproof or rated for use in wet areas. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock and fire. Repairs should be made as necessary, and by a qualified electrician if necessary, so all exterior receptacles are waterproof as per standard building practices.
9) Exterior: - One or more exterior electric receptacles are being used for appliances or systems that are constantly in use, and are not equipped with "in-use" receptacle covers for wet locations. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock and fire. "In use" covers should be installed where necessary.
10) Exterior: - One or more gas lines are rusted or corroded. Recommend prepping and painting the line or replacing the piping with a material designed for external use such as galvanized steel to prevent further corrosion.
11) Exterior: - 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.
12) Exterior: - Perimeter pavement slopes towards structure in one or more areas. This can result in water accumulating around the structure's foundation, or in basements and crawl spaces if they exist. Accumulated water is a conducive condition to wood destroying insects and organisms. Evaluate and make repairs as necessary so perimeter pavement slopes down and away from the structure.
13) Exterior: - Trees and/or shrubs are in contact with the roof edge(s) in one or more areas. Some damage has occurred. A qualified contractor should evaluate and make repairs as necessary. Vegetation should be pruned back and/or removed as necessary to prevent damage and infestation by wood destroying insects.
14) Exterior: - Siding is damaged and/or deteriorated in one or more areas. Make repairs and/or replace siding as necessary to prevent water and vermin intrusion.
15) Exterior: - One or more electric receptacles appear to have no power. Recommend asking the property owner(s) about this. Switches may need to be operated to make some receptacles energized. If necessary, a qualified electrician should evaluate and make repairs as necessary.
16) Exterior: - One or more gutters are damaged. This can result in water accumulating around the structure's foundation, or in basements and crawl spaces if they exist. Accumulated water is a conducive condition to wood destroying insects and organisms, and may also cause the foundation to settle and possibly fail over time. Replace or repair gutters where necessary.
17) Exterior: - One or more attic vent screens are damaged. Animals such as vermin may enter the attic and nest, die and/or leave feces and urine. Install screens where missing using screen material such as "hardware cloth" with 1/4 inch minimum gaps.
18) Exterior: - Gaps exist 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.
19) Exterior: - Siding is incomplete or missing in one or more areas. Install siding where missing to prevent water and vermin intrusion.
20) Exterior: - One or more exhaust duct vents are blocked. Recommend clearing the vent to allow adequate air flow.
21) 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.
22) Roof: - Counterflashing is missing at the base of one or more chimneys. Leaks may occur as a result. A qualified roofing or chimney service contractor should evaluate and repair as necessary.
23) Roof: - One or more composition shingles are damaged, deteriorated and/or missing, and should be replaced. Most of the deterioration is occuring at the ridgelines and valleys. Leaks may occur as a result. A qualified roofing contractor should evaluate and make repairs as necessary.
24) Roof: - One or more "rubber boot" flashings are lifting at the base or are improperly installed so that water or vermin intrusion may occur. A qualified contractor should make repairs as necessary, such as permanently fastening down the lifted edge(s), or reinstalling flashings.
26) Electric service: - One or more wires in the main and/or sub service panels 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 electrian should evaluate and repair as necessary.
27) Electric service: - One or more loose conductors in the main service panel have bare ends and are not connected to an overcurrent protection device (circuit breakers or fuses). This is a safety hazard due to the risk of fire if the bare conductors come into contact with other components in the panel. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary. For example, removing wires that aren't terminated or installing wire nuts.
28) 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.
29) Electric service: - The sub service panel cover is installed so it is not flush with the surface of the panel box and disconnect devices. Gaps exist, resulting in exposed wiring. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified contractor and/or electrician should evaluate and repair so the panel cover fits on the panel box as the manufacturer intended.
30) Electric service: - The service drop wires are in contact with trees or vegetation. Recommend having a qualified tree service company or arborist prune or remove trees as necessary to prevent straining or abrading the service drop wires.
31) Electric service: - One or more bushings are missing from where wires enter holes in the main and/or sub service panels. 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.
32) Electric service: - One or more conductors are routed accross the breakers in one or more panels. The conductors are subject to damage and may result in shock or fire. Recommend an electrician evaluate and make repairs as needed to route wire correctly.
33) Electric service: - One or more screws are missing from the sub service panel covers and should be replaced. Because energized wiring may exist behind the holes with the missing screws, recommend that a qualified, licensed electrician replace these screws, or that care be taken to ensure that the new screws do not come in contact with wiring inside the panel when they are installed. Stock screws from the panel manufacturer should be used, or their equivalent.
34) Water heater: - The water heater does not have seismic straps or struts installed. This is a potential safety hazard since movement can cause leaks in the gas supply lines or damage wiring. Leaks may also occur in water supply pipes. Install seismic straps or struts as necessary and as per standard building practices.
35) Water heater: - No drain line is installed for the temperature-pressure relief valve. This is a potential safety hazard due to the risk of scalding if someone is standing next to the water heater when the valve opens. A qualified plumber should install a drain line as per standard building practices. For example, extending to 6 inches from the floor, or routed so as to drain outside.
36) 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/
37) Heating and cooling: - The furnaces may not have an adequate supply of combustion and/or dilution air. This may cause Carbon Monoxide to accumulate and is a safety hazard. A qualified heating and cooling contractor should evaluate and determine if combustion and dilution air supply sources are adequate, and make repairs and/or modifications if necessary.
38) Heating and cooling: - Combustible materials were found less than 18 inches from front of the gas-fueled or electric furnace or boiler. Most manufacturers require at least an 18 inch clearance from the front. If documentation cannot be found indicating that a closer clearance is allowed, then this is a fire hazard. Combustible materials should then be moved, or repairs made by a qualified contractor, as necessary to maintain this clearance.
39) Plumbing and laundry: - Copper 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
40) Crawl space: - One or more junction boxes are loose and or damaged. This is a risk of shock or fire. Recommend an electrician repair or replace broken or loose boxes.
41) Crawl space: - 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.
42) Crawl space: - 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.
43) Basement: - One or more sections of wiring that weren't terminated were found. This is a potential safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary. For example, cutting the wire to length and terminating the wire with wire nuts in a securely anchored, covered, properly sized junction box.
44) 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.
45) Interior rooms: - One or more light fixtures are loose or installed in a substandard way. A qualified contractor or electrician should evaluate and make repairs as necessary so light fixtures are securely mounted and installed in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions.
46) Interior rooms: - One or more sections of wiring that weren't terminated were found. This is a potential safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary. For example, cutting the wire to length and terminating the wire with wire nuts in a securely anchored, covered, properly sized junction box.
47) Interior rooms: - One or more flights of stairs with more than two risers have no handrail installed. This is a safety hazard. Install graspable handrails that your hand can completely encircle at stairs where missing, and as per standard building practices.
48) Interior rooms: - 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.
49) Interior rooms: - One or more air supply registers are missing. The air flow cannot be controlled as a result. Registers should be installed where missing.
50) Interior rooms: - One or more doors have no lockset installed. Locksets should be installed where missing.
51) Interior rooms: - The weatherstrip around one or more exterior entry doors is missing and/or deteriorated. Weatherstrip should be installed where missing and/or replaced where deteriorated.
52) Fireplaces, woodstoves and chimneys: - One or more fireplaces equipped with a gas burner has a damper that can be closed. This is a safety hazard due to the possibility of burner or pilot light exhaust gases entering living spaces. A qualified chimney service contractor should make repairs as necessary so the damper is made permanently open. Typically a bracket or bolt is installed for this purpose.
53) 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.