Summary Page
| Property Inspection Report | |
| Client(s): | sample |
| Property address: | 4957 Any Street Anytown, MI |
| Inspection date: | Wednesday, October 17, 2005 |
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 |
 | Comment | For your information |
- 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:
- One or more trip hazards were found in sidewalk and/or patio sections due to cracks, settlement, heaving and/or deterioration. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace sections as necessary to eliminate trip hazards.
- Stairs were unsafe due to the following non standard configuration: riser heights vary, risers too high. Standard building practices require that:
- Cracks, deterioration, leaning and/or bowing were found in one or more retaining walls. A qualified person should evaluate and repair or replace sections as necessary.
- Perimeter pavement sloped towards building in one or more areas. This can result in water accumulating around the building foundation. Recommend having a qualified contractor evaluate and make repairs as necessary so perimeter pavement slopes down and away from the structure.
- 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 hydraulic cement, resilient caulks and epoxy sealants. Southeast corner
- One or more exhaust fan ducts in the attic were missing. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms due to increased moisture levels in the attic from the exhaust air. A qualified person should evaluate and make permanent repairs as necessary and as per standard building practices, so all exhaust air is vented outside. Bathroom vent terminates in attic. Recommend exhausting to exterior.
- The ceiling insulation's R rating was significantly less than what's recommended for this area. Recommend having a qualified contractor install additional insulation as per standard building practices for better energy efficiency. For more information, visit:
- In several areas inspected, paper facing on batt insulation was oriented towards open spaces, rather than against interior space surfaces. The paper facing 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. The insulation should be reinstalled or replaced by a qualified person, and as per the manufacturer's instructions.
- Shingle was lifted up in the woven valley at the masonry chimney due to improper installation. Recommend seal as necessary by a qualified person.
- No insulation was installed at the attic access hatch. Recommend installing insulation at hatch for better energy efficiency. For more information, visit:
- 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.
- 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:
- No "photo eye" sensors were installed for one or more vehicle door's electric door opener. They've been required on all automatic 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:
- Evidence of prior water intrusion was found in one or more sections of the garage. For example, water stains at support post bases, efflorescence on the foundation etc. Accumulated water is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms and should not be present in the garage. The client should review any disclosure statements available and ask the property owner about past accumulation of water in the garage. The garage should be monitored in the future for accumulated water, especially after heavy and/or prolonged periods of rain. If water is found to accumulate, a qualified contractor who specializes in drainage issues should evaluate and repair as necessary. Typical repairs for preventing water from accumulating in garages include:
- Hardware on one or more garage vehicle doors was missing. A qualified person should evaluate and repair as necessary.
- One or more automatic door openers were inoperable. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace opener(s) as necessary.
- Weatherstrip at the sides and/or bottom of one or more vehicle doors was deteriorated. It should be replaced where necessary to prevent water and vermin intrusion.
- Panel #A used older style, screw-in fuses. This type of fuse allows anyone to install incorrectly rated fuses, possibly resulting in damage to wiring. Based on the age and/or appearance of the panel(s) using fuses, and/or deterioration of the panels or components inside, recommend having a qualified electrician replace this panel with a modern panel and circuit breakers. If the panel isn't replaced, then a qualified electrician should evaluate and make repairs as necessary.
- The drip loop in the service entrance wires was substandard. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary.
- One electric receptacle in the 1/2 bath had reverse-polarity wiring, where the hot and neutral wires are reversed. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate and make repairs as necessary.
- Two-pronged electric receptacles rather than three-pronged, grounded receptacles were installed in many areas. 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:
- 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.
- One or more electric receptacles at the following "wet" locations appeared to have no ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection: kitchen, bathroom(s), garage, exterior. 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, repair as necessary. For more information, visit:
- Two switches (1 in foyer and 1 at garage exterior) were broken. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock and fire. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary. Need exterior rated at garage exterior.
- The electric meter box was corroded. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary.
- Some wiring in basement was 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.
- 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.
- Many light fixtures were enabling bulb to contact ceiling tiles in basement. A qualified person should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.
- Panel #A was corroded. This is a safety hazard for shock and/or fire. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary.
- One or more wires were scorched or heat-damaged in panel #A. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair or replace wiring as necessary.
- One or more overcurrent protection devices (circuit breakers or fuses) in panel #A 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.
- Neutral wires were doubled or bundled together on the neutral bus bar in panel #A. This is unsafe due to the need to turn off multiple circuit breakers to work on any of the circuits using these wires. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary.
- One or more connections with aluminum wires in panel #A lacked anti-oxidant paste. Oxidation usually occurs without it, and may result in poor connections, overheating, and possibly fires. A qualified electrician should evaluate and apply anti-oxidant paste as necessary.
- The cover to panel #A was missing or not installed. This is a safety hazard for shock. A qualified person should replace missing components 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.
- No smoke alarms were visible. This is a safety hazard. A qualified electrician should install smoke alarms as per standard building practices (functioning one exists in hallways leading to bedrooms, and in each bedroom, etc.). For more information, visit http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5077.html
- 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 cover plates on junction boxes were missing. 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. A qualified person should repair as necessary.
- Copper water supply pipes in buildings 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 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 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:
- Minor corrosion was found in some water supply pipes, valves, fittings. Leaks may occur as a result. A qualified plumber should evaluate and repair as necessary.
- One or more valves were inoperable. A qualified plumber should evaluate and repair as necessary.
- Recommend having the septic tank inspected. Recommend having the tank pumped if it was last pumped more than 3 years ago.
- The washing machine discharge was routed to a sump pump. This is not advised because flooding may occur around the sump pit if the sump pump fails when the washing machine goes through its discharge cycle.
- The sump pump and pit should be cleaned.
- Flue pipe sections or connections were loose. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair as necessary.
- Temperature-pressure relief valve drain line was too short. 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 extend the drain line to 6 inches from the floor, or route it so as to drain outside.
- Because of the age and/or condition of this furnace, recommend that a qualified heating and cooling technician inspect the heat exchanger and perform a Carbon Monoxide test when it's serviced.
- The furnace's safety or "service man's" switch was missing. When the furnace is serviced, the technician should be alerted to this and repairs made as necessary.
- Wood burning furnace has deteriorated fire brick and system should be inspected and repaired prior to putting into service.
- 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
- The thermostat was loose. A qualified person should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary. secondary - looks to be abandoned
- One or more rooms' interior doors had no gap below, or had a gap less than 3/4 inch. As a result, return air flow out of the room is restricted with closed door(s) and the air circulation system on. This may result in the system having a reduced efficiency and higher energy costs. To allow adequate return air flow, recommend either trimming the bases of doors as necessary to maintain a 3/4 inch gap below, or leaving doors open while the system is in operation.
- This furnace was manufactured in 1987. The estimated useful life for most forced air furnaces is 15 to 20 years. The client should be aware that this furnace may be near, at, or beyond its useful life and may need replacing or significant repairs at any time. Recommend attempting to determine the furnace's age (ask property owner or service technician), and budgeting for a replacement if necessary.
- No metal liner was installed in the masonry chimney at location #north west side of house, and one or more gas appliances use the chimney for a flue. Standard building practices require that a metal liner be installed in masonry chimneys used to vent gas appliances such as furnaces and water heaters. The purpose of the metal liner is to ensure a correct draft, and to prevent damage to the masonry flue from corrosive exhaust deposits and moisture in the exhaust gases. A qualified chimney service contractor should evaluate and install a metal liner as necessary. For more information visit:
- The spark screen for the chimney flue opening at location #north west side of house was missing. Screens prevent the following:
- The rain cap for the chimney flue at location #north east was missing. They prevent the following:
- Leaking or dripping was found at the kitchen sink faucet base. A qualified plumber should evaluate and repair as necessary.
- Stains were found in the shelving or cabinet components below one or more sinks. 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.
- The inspector was unable to determine if ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection is installed for the jetted tub's electric supply due to lack of access to the equipment below the tub. If no GFCI protection is installed, then this is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified contractor and/or electrician should evaluate and install GFCI protection if none exists. If necessary, modifications should be made to allow access to the GFCI device for periodic evaluation and to reset it when it trips.
- Minor moisture damage was found in wall areas by the bathtub at location #B. A qualified person should evaluate and repair as necessary.
- The exhaust fan at location #B was Noisy. Moisture may accumulate as a result. A qualified person should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.
- The sink drain stopper mechanism at location #B was inoperable. A qualified person should repair or replace as necessary.
- The bathtub drain stopper mechanism at location #B was inoperable, difficult to operate. A qualified person should repair or replace as necessary.
- Caulk was deteriorated by the wall at the bathtub at location #B. A qualified person should repair as necessary.
- Stains were found in the shelving or cabinet components below the sink at location #A, B. 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.
- One or more bedroom windows had inadequate egress due to the following conditions: opening size was too small, a key or tool was required for opening. This is a safety hazard in the event of a fire. Standard building practices require that every bedroom have at least one window as follows:
- 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:
- Many interior doors wouldn't latch. A qualified person should evaluate and repair as necessary.
- Some bedroom doors has no gap between it and the floor below, or has a gap substantially less than one inch. This structure has a forced air heating system with centrally located return air ducts. When bedroom doors are closed, the only effective path for return air out of the bedrooms is under the doors. A minimum gap of one inch below bedroom doors is recommended to allow an adequate air flow for return air. Recommend trimming the bottoms of bedroom doors as necessary so each door has a minimum one inch gap at its base.