Website: http://www.Treasurevalleyinspections.com
Company email: Homemaint@netzero.net
Inspector's email: Homemaint@netzero.com
Phone: (208) 463-9304 · (208) 989-3324
3507 E. Lewis Lane 
Nampa, ID. 83686
Inspector: Joseph Smith

  

Home Inspection Report
Client(s): An Informed Family
Property address: 54321 Knowledge St.
Treasure Valley, Idaho
Inspection date: Monday, July, 01, 2000
This report published on 6/25/2005 5:55:34 PM MDT

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For information on follow-up inspections, please see the bottom section of this report.

Thank you for choosing Treasure valley Maintenance & Inspections LLC. I've made every effort to provide you with a thorough, high quality inspection, and hope that the information in this report proves to be valuable in your consideration of this property. If for any reason you are unsatisfied with this report, or have questions after reviewing it, please don't hesitate to call me. If you are satisfied, please tell your friends about me.

This inspection complies with the National Association of Home Inspectors (NACHI) Standards of Practice. This report is intended to identify major defects within a structure that significantly affect its habitability or that cost in excess of $500 to repair, although minor defects may be noted in the report. Cosmetic items such as damaged molding, trim, doors, cabinets, interior paint or carpet are generally excluded from this report.

Home inspection reports by nature focus on defects and may seem negative in tone. Some features of this property may be in excellent condition and of high quality but have not been mentioned, or been deemed adequate in the report. This is not meant to downplay this property's assets, but to focus on alerting you to potentially expensive problems. Bear in mind that all homes, regardless of their age, have some number of defects.

Thank you for choosing Treasure Valley Maintenance & Inspections LLC.

How to Read this Report
This report is organized by the property's functional areas. Within each functional area, descriptive information is listed first and shown in bold type. Items of concern follow descriptive information and are shown as follows:
SafetyPoses a risk of injury or death 
Major defectCorrection likely involves a significant expense 
Repair/ReplaceRecommend repairing or replacing 
Repair/MaintainRecommend repair and/or maintenance 
Minor defectCorrection likely involves only a minor expense 
MaintainRecommend ongoing maintenance 
EvaluateRecommend evaluation by a specialist 
ServiceableItem or component is in serviceable condition 
CommentFor your information 
Concern items are sorted by the types listed above. Click here for a glossary of building construction terms.

Table of Contents
General information
Exterior
Detached garage or carport
Roof
Attached garage
Electric service
Water heater
Heating and air conditioning
Attic
Plumbing and laundry
Fireplaces and solid fuel burning appliances
Crawl space
Interior rooms

General information Return to table of contents  
Overview: This a well constructed home that has been well maintained and is in a very desirable area.
Structures inspected: Main house, detached garage/shop
Occupied: Yes
Age of building: 8 years
Type of building: Single family
Weather conditions: Partly cloudy
Temperature: Cool
Ground condition: Damp
Main entrance faces: East
Foundation type: Crawlspace
The following items are excluded from this inspection: Private sewage disposal system, Irrigation system, Private well, Low voltage outdoor lighting, Water filtration system, Water softener system
1) Numerous wall, floor and/or ceiling surfaces were obscured by large amounts of furniture and/or stored items, preventing a full evaluation of some areas.
 
Exterior Return to table of contents  
Footing material: Poured in place concrete
Foundation material: Poured in place concrete
Wall covering: Composition wood panels
Driveway material: Poured in place concrete
Sidewalk material: Poured in place concrete
Exterior door material: Solid core steel
Water pressure (psi): 52
2) Rear door has no steps installed door should be sealed closed or steps installed to prevent injuries.

Photo 20  
 
3) Exterior outlet box (only wires no outlet installed) not secured. Requires to be secured to post or structure. Also requires a Ground Fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) installed suggest having a licensed electrician evaluate and repair/install.

Photo 21  
 
4) Perimeter grading slopes towards buildings (house & shop). Recommend adding/grading soil so it slopes down and away from the building to direct rainwater away.
Change downspouts to discharge water away from the house and out of flower beds next to the house.

Photo 2  

Photo 5  

Photo 6  

Photo 35  
5) A gutter should be installed on the south end of the roof. Recommend having a qualified gutter and downspout contractor install gutters, downspouts where missing. Also recommend installing extensions such as splashblocks or a drain line where necessary to carry rain water away from the house.
6) Vegetation (trees, shrubs and/or vines) are in contact with building exterior. Recommend pruning or removing vegetation as necessary so there's at least a one foot gap between all vegetation and the building exterior. This gap should exist to allow exterior building materials to dry quickly after it rains, and to eliminate pathways to the structure for wood destroying insects.

Photo 3  
 
7) Silicone is missing or deteriorated in some areas. Recommend re-sealing with silicone where necessary.

Photo 7  
 
8) Minor cracks (1/8" or less) present in foundation. These don't appear to be a structural concern, but recommend sealing them to prevent water infiltration. Numerous products exist to seal such cracks including:
  • Hydraulic cement. Requires chiseling a channel in the crack to apply. See http://www.quickrete.com/catalog/HydraulicWater-StopCement.html for an example.
  • Resilient caulks (easy to apply). See http://www.quickrete.com/catalog/GrayConcreteRepair.html for an example.
  • Epoxy sealants (both a waterproof and structural repair). See http://www.mountaingrout.com/ for examples of these products.

    Photo 4  
    		 
    		•
    9) Recommend cleaning deck and treating with a waterproof sealant claiming to waterproof, block ultraviolet light, and stop mildew. Consumer Reports recommends these products:

  • Cabot Decking Stain and PTW Stain
  • Olympic Water Repellent Deck Stain
  • Thompson's House and Deck Stain
  • Wolman PTW Deck Stain
  • Akzo Sikkens Cetol DEK
  • Benjamin Moore Moorwood Clear Wood Finish
  • DAP Woodlife Premium
  • Olympic Natural Look Protector Plus
    • 10) Minor cracks in driveway. These are only a cosmetic concern. No action is recommended.
    11) Minor cracks in sidewalk. These are only a cosmetic concern. No action is recommended.
    12) The substructure of the deck is excluded from the inspection due to limited access because of the low height.
    13) One or more outside faucets were not evaluated due to their being winterized with covers, and are excluded from this inspection.
     
    Detached garage or carport Return to table of contents  
    Footing material: Poured in place concrete
    Foundation material: Poured in place concrete
    Apparent wall structure: Wood frame
    Wall covering: Composition wood panels
    Exterior door material: Solid core steel
    Roof inspection method: Viewed from ground
    Roof type: Gable
    Roof covering: Asphalt or fiberglass composition shingles
    Estimated age of roof: 9 years
    14) No handrails in stairway leading to attic.
    15) Perimeter grading slopes towards building. Recommend grading soil so it slopes down and away from the building to direct rainwater away.

    Photo 42  
    		 
    16) One or more gutters and downspouts are missing. Recommend having a qualified gutter and downspout contractor install downspout(s) where missing. Also recommend installing extensions such as splashblocks or a drain line where necessary to carry rainwater away from the house.
    17) Light fixture missing and no cover is installed. Requires a cover or fixture to be installed.

    Photo 33  
    		 
    18) Minor cracks (1/8" or less) present in foundation. These don't appear to be a structural concern, but recommend sealing them to prevent water infiltration. Numerous products exist to seal such cracks including:
  • Hydraulic cement. Requires chiseling a channel in the crack to apply. See http://www.quickrete.com/catalog/HydraulicWater-StopCement.html for an example.
  • Resilient caulks (easy to apply). See http://www.quickrete.com/catalog/GrayConcreteRepair.html for an example.
  • Epoxy sealants (both a waterproof and structural repair). See http://www.mountaingrout.com/ for examples of these products.
    • 19) Vegetation (trees, shrubs and/or vines) are in contact with building exterior. Recommend pruning or removing vegetation as necessary so there's at least a one foot gap between all vegetation and the building exterior. This gap should exist to allow exterior building materials to dry quickly after it rains, and to eliminate pathways to the structure for wood destroying insects.
     
    Roof Return to table of contents  
    20) Significant amounts of debris have accumulated in one or more gutters. Recommend cleaning gutters now and as necessary in the future.

    Photo 39  

    Photo 40  
    21) Nails and staples require re-attach and sealed on roof vents. Furnace stack appears to have been resealed.

    Photo 37  

    Photo 38  
    22) Cable laying loose (sound system I believe) on patio roof. Not exterior grade cabling and should be attached to a protected area on the building building

    Photo 41  
    		 
     
    Attached garage Return to table of contents  
    23) The water heater and/or furnace are subject to damage from vehicles because no protective barrier is installed. Recommend having a qualified contractor install an adequate barrier.

    Photo 9  
    		 
    24) The perimeter of the garage is excluded from this inspection due to lack of access from stored items.
      25) Furnace and hot water heater stack pipe shows evidence of previous water leak. Stack appears to have been resealed above roof but should be evaluate during a rainy period to ensure. If leak is still present recommend resealing with 10% silicone.

    Photo 18  

    Photo 38  
     
    Electric service Return to table of contents  
    Primary service type: Underground
    Primary service overload protection type: Circuit breakers
    Service amperage (amps): 60, 100
    Service voltage (volts): 120-240
    Location of main service panel: Outside front door to the left side of the house.
    Location of sub panels: In garage and in shop.
    Location of main disconnect: Breaker at top of main panel
    Service conductor material: Aluminum
    Main disconnect rating (amps): 60, 100100 amp for house and 60 amp for shop.
    Branch circuit wiring type: Non-metallic sheathed
    Smoke detectors present: YesSuggest replacing batteries so that known fresh ones are installed.
    26) Wires in electrical panel not properly color coded.
    Neutral and ground wires are double tapped and should have individual attach points in the panel.
    Suggest having a qualified/licensed electrician evaluate and repair as necessary.

    Photo 11  
    Panel in attached garage. White wires to circuit breakers (yellow arrows) should be labeled with red or black tape and the neutral and bare ground wires are double tapped.
    Photo 43  
    Detached garage/shop panel in good shape.
    27) Access area around electrical panel has to remain clear of stored items.

    Photo 8  
    		 
    28) Legend for overcurrent protection devices (breakers or fuses) in one or more sub panels is missing, unreadable or incomplete. Recommend installing, updating or correcting the legend(s) as necessary.
     
    Water heater Return to table of contents  
    Estimated age: Both of them approx. 8 years old.
    Type: Tank
    Energy source: Electricity, Natural gas
    Capacity (in gallons): 40, 50
    Brand & model: Garage: Rheem #21V40-7 Master BDM closet: Rheem #81V52D-C
    Water temperature (degrees Fahrenheit): 140
    29) Hot water temperature greater than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Recommend adjusting thermostat so water temperature doesn't exceed 120 degrees to avoid scalding danger. For more information on scalding dangers, visit http://www.tap-water-burn.com/
    30) The estimated useful life for water heaters is 8 to 12 years. This water heater appears to be approaching this age. Recommend budgeting for a replacement in the near future.
    31) 2nd water heater is installed over finished living space (IN master closet) 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.
    32) Pipes to hot water heater in garage show evidence of previous leakage. Should be evaluated by a qualified plumber.

    Photo 10  
    		 
     
    Heating and air conditioning Return to table of contents  
    Heating system energy source: Natural gasPellet stove
    Heat system type: Forced air, Down draft, Medium efficiency
    A/C energy source: Electric
    Air conditioning type: Split system
    Distribution system: Sheet metal ducts, Flexible ducts
    Brand & model: Furnace: Goodman #GMP125-5, A/C condenser: Goodman CK49-1B, Ser #9610144046
    Location of filter(s): Above furnace
    33) Electrical connection cover plate loose missing gasket and securing screw allowing garage fumes to enter conditioned air for house interior. Recommend having a qualified technician repair to seal supply air system.

    Photo 17  
    		 
    34) The estimated useful life for air conditioning compressors is 8 to 15 years. This unit appears to be approaching this age and may need replacing at any time.
    35) Insulation on exterior A/C lines deteriorating. Recommend replacing insulation for better cooling and equipment efficientcy.

    Photo 36  
    		 
    36) Last service date of this system is more than two years ago or is unable to be determined. Recommend asking seller when it was last serviced. If unable to determine or if more than two years ago, recommend that this system be inspected, cleaned, serviced and repaired if necessary by a qualified heating and cooling technician. Recommend that this servicing be made every two years in the future.

    Photo 12  

    Photo 13  
    37) This system is equipped with throw-away filter (20"x25"x1"). Recommend replacing throw-away filter(s) every 2 months in the future if the thermostat's fan position is set to "Auto", or monthly if it's set to "On".
     
    Attic Return to table of contents  
    Inspection method: Viewed from hatch
    Roof structure type: Trusses, Rafters
    Ceiling structure: Trusses, Ceiling beams
    Insulation material: Fiberglass loose fill
    Insulation depth: 12"-16" variable
    Insulation estimated R value: R-38
    38)

    Photo 14  

    Photo 15  

    Photo 16  

    Photo 19  
     
    Plumbing and laundry Return to table of contents  
    Location of main water shut-off valve: Let hand side of water softener
    Water service: Private
    Service pipe material: Polyethelene
    Supply pipe material: Polyethelene
    Vent pipe material: Plastic
    Drain pipe material: Plastic
    Waste pipe material: Plastic
    39) Recommend having septic tank inspected. Recommend pumping tank if last pumped more than 3 years ago.
    40) Several sewer lines in crawl space are in a level or minor negative pitch recommend further evaluation by a qualified plumber. (Main bathrooms and under master BDM)

    Photo 25  

    Photo 31  

    Photo 32  
    		 
     
    Fireplaces and solid fuel burning appliances Return to table of contents  
    Fireplace type: Metal prefabricated
    Chimney type: Metal
    41) All solid fuel burning appliances (woodstoves and fireplaces) should be inspected annually by a qualified chimney service contractor, cleaned and repaired as necessary.
     
    Crawl space Return to table of contents  
    Inspection method: Traversed
    Pier or support post material: Wood, Concrete
    Beam material: Solid wood
    Floor structure above: Engineered wood joists
    Vapor barrier present: Yes
    42) Vapor barrier needs repair. Recommend repairing vapor barrier so no exposed soil exists in the crawlspace. Recommend using 6 mil polyethylene with seams overlapped at least 24".
    43) Some insulation in the crawlspace is missing and has fallen down. Recommend reinstalling or replacing this insulation.

    Photo 23  

    Photo 28  

    Photo 29  
    		 
    44) The water supply pipes in the crawl space are uninsulated. Recommend insulating these pipes for better energy efficiency and to water pipes from freezing.
    45) Evidence of water penetration from what appears to be from crawl space vents. Recommend installing vent wells and providing aditional soil for positive drainage so water is directed away from the foundation.

    Photo 26  

    Photo 27  

    Photo 30  
    		 
    46) Cellulose-based debris such as wood scraps, form wood, cardboard and/or paper were found in crawl space. Recommend removing all cellulose-based debris to avoid attracting wood destroying insects.

    Photo 24  
    		 
     
    Interior rooms Return to table of contents  
    47) Shower handles in master bath loose requires tightning.
    48) Interior windows and doors require recaulking. (normal condition)

    Photo 22  
    		 
    49) Minor cracks found in ceiling. These are only a cosmetic concern. No action is recommended.
    50) Minor cracks found in walls. These are only a cosmetic concern. No action is recommended.
     
    Fee for the home inspection is $ Dependent upon the square footage of your home, NOT the value.

    THIS AGREEMENT made this 1st day of July, 2000, by and between
    Joseph Smith (Hereinafter INSPECTOR) and An Informed Family or the representative undersigned (hereinafter CLIENT).

    The Parties Understand and Agree as follows:

    1. INSPECTOR GUARANTEES to perform a visual inspection of the home and to provide CLIENT with a written inspection report identifying the defects that INSPECTOR both observed and deemed material. INSPECTOR may offer comments as a courtesy, but these comments will not comprise the bargained-for report. The report is only supplementary to the sellers disclosure.

    2. INSPECTOR agrees to perform the inspection in accordance to the current Standards of Practice of the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors posted at http://www.nachi.org/sop.htm.

    3. CLIENT understands that the inspection will be performed in accordance to the aforementioned Standards, which contain certain limitations, exceptions, and exclusions.

    4. The inspection and report are performed and prepared for the use of CLIENT, who gives INSPECTOR permission to discuss observations with real estate agents, owners, repair persons, and other interested parties. INSPECTOR accepts no responsibility for use or misinterpretation by third parties.

    5. INSPECTOR does not perform engineering, architectural, plumbing, or any other job function requiring an occupational license in the jurisdiction where the inspection is taking place, unless the inspector holds a valid occupational license, in which case he/she may inform the CLIENT that he/she is so licensed, and is therefore qualified to go beyond this basic home inspection, and for additional fee, perform additional inspections beyond those within the scope of the basic home inspection.

    6. In the event of a claim against INSPECTOR, CLIENT agrees to supply INSPECTOR with the following: (1) Written notification of adverse conditions within 14 days of discovery, and (2) Access to the premises. Failure to comply with the above conditions will release INSPECTOR and its agents from any and all obligations.

    7. In the event that CLIENT fails to prove any adverse claims against INSPECTOR in a court of law, CLIENT agrees to pay all legal costs, expenses and fees of INSPECTOR in defending said claims.

    8. If any court declares any provision of this Agreement invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in effect. This agreement represents the entire agreement between the parties. No change or modification shall be enforceable against any party unless such change or modification is in writing and signed by the parties. This Agreement shall be binding upon and enforceable by the parties and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assignees. CLIENT shall have no cause of action against INSPECTOR after one year from the date of the inspection.

    9. Payment is due upon completion of the on-site inspection. The CLIENT agrees to pay all legal and time expenses incurred in collecting due payments.

    10. HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT: CLIENT agrees to hold any and all real estate agents involved in the purchase of the property to be inspected harmless and keep them exonerated from all loss, damage, liability or expense occasioned or claimed by reasons of acts or neglects of the INSPECTOR or his employees or visitors or of independent contractors engaged or paid by INSPECTOR for the purpose of inspecting the subject home...

    THE ABOVE IS UNDERSTOOD AND AGREED TO, AND CLIENT ACKNOWLEDGES RECEIPT OF A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT.

    Thank you for choosing Treasure Valley Inspections. If I can be of further assistance please feel free to call me at any time at 208-463-9304

    Please remember the greatest compliment you can pay me is to refer me to your family and friends.

    It has been my pleasure serving you.

    If a follow up inspection is required please call me to set up the appointment @ 208-463-9304
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