| Property Inspection Report | |
| Client(s): | Billy Miller |
| Property address: | 991 Elkins Road Cairo, Ga 39828 |
| Inspection date: | 5/27/2010 |
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.
 | Safety | Poses a risk of injury or death |
 | 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 |
 | Comment | For your information |
Click here for a glossary of building construction terms.
Contact your inspector if there are terms that you do not understand, or visit the glossary of construction terms at http://www.reporthost.com/glossary.asp| Exterior | Return to table of contents |
One or more open ground, three-pronged grounding type receptacles were found. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate and make repairs as necessary.
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.
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.
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.
 Photo 14 Wiring connected outside of junction box.
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 Photo 15 Wiring connected outside junction box #2
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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.
 Photo 12 Electrical junction box with no cover
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 Photo 13 Electrical junction box with no cover.
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One or more hornet, bee and/or wasp nests were found. These can pose a safety hazard. Nest(s) should be removed as necessary.
Siding is damaged and/or deteriorated in one or more areas. A qualified contractor should evaluate and make repairs and/or replace siding as necessary to prevent water and vermin intrusion.
 Photo 1 Vinyl siding coming out of J-channel
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 Photo 6 Hole in vinyl around bottom of sunroom
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 Photo 11 Soffit and facia trim not installed correctly
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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.
One or more light fixtures are damaged and/or deteriorated. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair or replace light fixtures where necessary.
 Photo 18 Cracked lens cover over photo cell on flood light.
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Vegetation such as trees, shrubs and/or vines are in contact with or less than one foot from the structure's 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 structure's exterior.
| Roof | Return to table of contents |
One or more sections of flashing at the base of the chimney are deteriorated and/or substandard. Leaks may occur as a result. A qualified roofing contractor should evaluate and repair as necessary.
 Photo 9 Flashing rusting out
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One or more "rubber boot" flashings are damaged or deteriorated and may result in leaks or vermin intrusion. A qualified contractor should replace flashings where necessary.
 Photo 10 Cracked boot around vent pipe on roof.
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| Garage | Return to table of contents |
The pull-down attic stairs in the attached garage ceiling aren't fire-rated. This ceiling should have a one-hour fire rating to slow or prevent the spread of fire from the attached garage to attic spaces above the living areas. A qualified contractor should evaluate and make modifications to these stairs as necessary so they have a one hour fire rating. Other options include removing them or replacing them with commercially made, fire-rated stairs. Examples of possible solutions include:| Attic | Return to table of contents |
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.
 Photo 16 No romex connector on box powering attic lighting
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The attic exhaust fan was inoperable during the inspection. Recommend consulting with the property owner(s) as to how it operates and/or having a qualified contractor evaluate and repair if necessary.
Pull-down stairs are installed for the attic access. No insulation is installed above the stairs and no weatherstripping is installed around the hatch perimeter. To reduce air leakage, recommend installing weatherstripping and an insulated hatch cover. An example of one can be seen at http://www.batticdoor.com/| Electric service | Return to table of contents |
The legend for overcurrent protection devices (breakers or fuses) in the main service panel is missing, unreadable or incomplete. Recommend installing, updating or correcting the legend as necessary so it's accurate. Evaluation by a qualified electrician may be necessary.
| Water heater | Return to table of contents |
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.
 Photo 2 Water heater over pressure valve needs to be vented outside
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Temperature-pressure relief valve drain line is 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.
A water heater is installed over finished living spaces and has no catch pan and drain installed. Recommend having a qualified contractor install a catch pan and drain to prevent water damage to finished interior spaces below if/when the water heater develops a leak or is drained.
| Heating and cooling | Return to table of contents |
Vegetation such as trees, shrubs and/or vines are too close to the outdoor condensing unit. Standard building practices require that there be at least 12 inches of clearance on all sides and at least four to six feet above. Inadequate clearances around the condensing unit can result in reduced efficiency, increased energy costs and/or damage to equipment. Vegetation should be pruned and/or removed as necessary to maintain these clearances.
 Photo 4 Vegetation around AC unit.
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 Photo 5 Vegetation around AC unit
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| Plumbing and laundry | Return to table of contents |
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:
Neither the clothes washer nor dryer were operated or evaluated. They are excluded from this inspection.
| Fireplaces, woodstoves and chimneys | Return to table of contents |
The masonry chimney crown is deteriorated (cracked or broken) and needs repairs or replacement. The crown is meant to keep water off of the chimney structure. The chimney can be damaged by wet masonry going through freeze-thaw cycles. A properly constructed chimney crown should:
 Photo 8 Cracks in cap of chimney
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The gas supply for one or more gas fireplaces and/or stoves was turned off. As per the Standards of Practice for both the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI) and the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) the inspector does not operate gas shut off valves or light pilot lights during inspections. These appliances were not fully evaluated.
| Crawl space | Return to table of contents |
No vapor barrier is installed. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms due to the likelihood of water evaporating into the structure from the soil. A qualified contractor should install a vapor barrier. Standard building practices require the following:
Water supply pipes are uninsulated. Recommend insulating pipes as necessary for better energy efficiency and to prevent water pipes from freezing.
Some crawl space areas were inaccessible due to low height (less than 18 inches), ductwork or pipes blocking, standing water, and/or stored items. These areas are excluded from this inspection.
| Well | Return to table of contents |
| Kitchen | Return to table of contents |
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.
One or more kitchen appliances appear to be near, at, or beyond their intended service life of 10 to 15 years. Recommend budgeting for replacements as necessary.
The refrigerator ice maker is in the "off" position. The inspector was unable to evaluate this component.
One or more light fixtures have missing bulbs and could not be fully evaluated. Bulbs may simply need to be installed, or repairs or replacement may be necessary.
| Bathrooms | Return to table of contents |
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.
| Interior rooms | Return to table of contents |
No smoke alarms are 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:
An insufficient number of smoke alarms are installed. Additional smoke alarms should be installed as necessary so a functioning one exists in each hallway leading to bedrooms, and in each bedroom. For more information, visit http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5077.html
| General information | Return to table of contents |
Propane was not available during the inspection (tank empty, shut off valve turned off, no tank installed, etc.). As a result, some appliances such as water heater(s), forced air furnace(s), gas fireplace(s), stove(s), range(s) and/or gas supply lines weren't fully evaluated. The inspector was unable to test for gas leaks.
 Photo 7 Some moisture noticed i crawl space
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 Photo 17 Paint on windows begining to chip
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