
Summary Page
| Full General Home Inspection and
Structural Pest Inspection WA State Dept. Agriculture ICN# XXXXXXXXX | |
| Client(s): | XXXX XXXXXXX |
| Property address: | XXXX XXXXXXX XX XXXXXX, XX |
| Inspection date: | XX/XX/XXXX |
Concerns are shown and sorted according to these types:
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Safety | Poses a risk of injury or death |
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Major defect | Correction likely involves a significant expense |
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Repair/Replace | Recommend repairing or replacing |
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Repair/Maintain | Recommend repair and/or maintenance |
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Minor defect | Correction only involves a minor expense |
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Maintain | Recommend ongoing maintenance |
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Evaluate | Recommend evaluation by a specialist |
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Monitor | Recommend monitoring in the future |
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Comment | For your information |
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WDO/WDI Infestation | Evidence of infestation of wood destroying insects or organisms (Live or dead insect bodies, fungal growth, etc.) |
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WDO/WDI Damage | Damage caused by wood destroying insects or organisms (Rot, carpenter ant galleries, etc.) |
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WDO/WDI Conducive conditions |
Conditions conducive for wood destroying insects or organisms (Wood-soil contact, shrubs in contact with siding, roof or plumbing leaks, etc.) |

- 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:
- Fences were damaged or
deteriorated in some areas. A qualified person should repair or replace sections
as necessary. 
- Vegetation such as trees, shrubs and/or vines was in contact with or less
than one foot from the building 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 building exterior. 

- The exterior finish over the entire
structure was failing. A qualified painting contractor should prep (pressure
wash, scrape, sand, prime caulk, etc.) and repaint or restain the entire
structure as per standard building practices. 


- This property was clad with composition
wood fiber siding. Many brands of this type of siding by different manufacturers
are known to deteriorate and/or fail prematurely due to moisture penetration.
Failure is typically visible in the form of swelling, cracking and delamination,
especially at the bottom edges. Class action lawsuits have been filed or are
being filed against most manufacturers of this material. 


- Evidence of prior water
intrusion was found in one or more sections of the crawl space. For example,
sediment stains on the vapor barrier or foundation, and/or efflorescence on the
foundation. Accumulated water is a conducive condition for wood destroying
insects and organisms and should not be present in the crawl space. The client
should review any disclosure statements available and ask the property owner
about past accumulation of water in the crawl space. The crawl space 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 crawl
spaces include:
- One or more unlined wooden planter boxes are attached to the side of the
building. Wood soil contact exists in such boxes and is a conducive condition
for wood-destroying insects and organisms. Recommend either removing them, or
modifying them so that no wood-soil contact exists (install plastic or metal
liners), and so that they are well drained. 
- Caulk was deteriorated around
windows, around doors, at siding-trim junctions. A qualified person should
repair or replace as necessary. For more information, visit:

- 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.
- The
ceiling insulation in some areas of the attic was uneven. This may result in
increased heating or cooling costs due to decreased energy efficiency. A
qualified person should repair, replace or install insulation as necessary. For
more information, visit:
- 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:

- The self-closing device on the
garage-dwelling door needs adjustment repair or replacing. This door is intended
to prevent vehicle fumes from entering living spaces and to slow the spread of
fire from the garage to living spaces. A qualified person should evaluate and
make repairs as necessary. 

- The threshold
at the base of the garage-dwelling door was missing. This door, and a threshold
below, are intended to prevent vehicle fumes from entering living spaces and to
slow the spread of fire from the garage to living spaces. A threshold prevents
flammable materials such as carpeting from being installed under the door. A
qualified contractor should evaluated and repair or replace the threshold as
necessary. 

- Safety containment cables were
missing for one or more vehicle door springs. This is a safety hazard. Safety
containment cables prevent springs from snapping free and causing damage or
injury. A qualified contractor should evaluate and make repairs or replace
components as necessary. For more information on garage door safety issues,
visit:

- The walls between the attached garage
and interior living spaces had holes. These surfaces are intended to prevent
vehicle fumes from entering living spaces, and to slow the spread of fire from
the garage to living spaces. A qualified contractor should evaluate and make
repairs as necessary so the attached garage wall and ceiling surfaces that
adjoin living spaces are tightly sealed and fire rated as per standard building
practices. Typically these surfaces require a one-hour fire rating. 
- Weatherstrip around or at the base
of the garage-dwelling door was missing. A qualified person should repair or
replace as necessary to prevent vehicle fumes from entering living
spaces. 
- Hardware on
the garage vehicle door was loose. A qualified person should evaluate and repair
as necessary. 


- This property had one or more Federal
Pacific Electric brand main service or sub panels that use "Stab-Lok" circuit
breakers (panel #B). Both double and single pole versions of these circuit
breakers are known to fail by not tripping when they are supposed to. This is a
potential but serious fire hazard. Recommend having a qualified electrician
replace any and all Federal Pacific panels. For more information, visit: http://www.inspect-ny.com/fpe/fpepanel.htm


- This property had one or more Zinsco
brand main service or sub panels (panel #A). These panels and their circuit
breakers have a variety of problems including:

- Some wiring was loose, unsupported,
or inadequately supported (in garage). 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. For example,
in the garage. 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. 

- One or more
electric baseboard heaters were installed with an electric receptacle located
above. Insulation on appliance cords in contact with the heater(s) may be
damaged by the heat. 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, converting receptacles to junction boxes, moving receptacles and/or
moving baseboard heaters. 

- Some electric receptacles 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. (one in garage) 

- One or more
electric receptacles at the following "wet" locations appeared to have no ground
fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection: kitchen, bathroom(s). This is a
safety hazard due to the risk of shock. Recommend having a qualified electrician
evaluate to determine if GFCI protection exists, and if not, repair as
necessary. For more information, visit:
- One or more bushings were missing
from where wires enter holes in panel #B. 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. 
- Energized equipment was exposed at
panel #B due to missing closure covers. This is a safety hazard due to the risk
of shock. A qualified person should repair as necessary. 
- 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 this
article: NFPA urges replacing home smoke alarms after 10 years.

- Smoke detectors were missing from
bedrooms. Additional smoke detectors should be installed as necessary so a
functioning one exists in each hallway leading to bedrooms, in each bedroom, and
one each level of the building. 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

- One or more outside faucets were
missing backflow prevention devices. These devices reduce the likelihood
of polluted or contaminated water entering the potable water supply. This
condition can occur when an outside faucet is left in the "on" position with a
hose connected and the sprayer head turned off. When pressure in the system
fluctuates, water can be drawn back into the water supply pipes from the
building. If a chemical sprayer is being used with the hose, those chemicals can
enter the water supply pipes. 
- 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:
- Most water supply pipes
in the crawl space were uninsulated. Recommend insulating pipes as per standard
building practices for better energy efficiency and to prevent water pipes from
freezing.
- A
drain line at the west side of the crawl space was sagging. It mat not drain
properly. A qualified person should repair as necessary. For example, install
one or more Straps,
- The inspector was not able to find
the main water shut-off valve. The client should consult with the property owner
to determine if a shut-off valve exists, find it themselves, or hire a qualified
plumber if necessary to find it. If no shut-off valve is found for the
structure, then recommend having a qualified plumber install one to more easily
allow the water supply to be turned off in the event of an emergency, such as
when a supply pipe bursts. 

- The
temperature/pressure relief valve drain line was sloped upwards. This is a
potential safety hazard due to the risk of explosion from restricted flow. A
qualified plumber should evaluate and repair as necessary so the drain line
complies with the temperature-pressure relief valve manufacturer's installation
instructions. For more information, visit: http://www.reporthost.com/_docs/TPvalve.pdf 
- The water heater did not have
seismic straps or struts installed. This is a potential safety hazard. Leaks may
also occur in water supply pipes. A qualified person should install seismic
straps or struts as necessary and as per standard building practices.
- The temperature-pressure
relief valve was leaking. A qualified plumbing contractor should replace this
valve. 
- One or more
electric baseboard heaters were inoperable (bathroom and NW bedroom). A
qualified person should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.


- A significant amount of creosote (1/8
inch or more) was visible in flue(s) at location # A. A qualified contractor
should inspect, clean, and repair if necessary now and annually in the
future. 

- The exhaust fan at location #A was noisy or vibrates excessively. Moisture
may accumulate as a result. A qualified person should evaluate and repair or
replace as necessary. 
- The shower diverter valve at location
#A was defective. A significant amount of water came out of the bathtub spout
when the shower was turned on. Water will be wasted as a result. A qualified
plumber should evaluate and replace components or make repairs as
necessary.
-
The sink drain at location #A used flexible drain pipe. This type of drain pipe
is more likely to clog than smooth wall pipe. Recommend having a qualified
plumber replace this pipe with standard plumbing components (smooth wall pipe)
to prevent clogged drains. 

- Many ceiling areas in this
structure had ceiling texture possibly installed prior to 1980. This material
may contain asbestos, which is a known carcinogen and poses a health hazard.
Laws were passed in the United States in 1978 prohibiting use of asbestos in
residential structures, but stocks of existing materials have been known to be
used for some time thereafter. The client may wish to have this ceiling material
tested by a qualified lab to determine if it does contain asbestos.
- Screens in some windows are
deteriorated. A qualified person should evaluate and repair or replace as
necessary.
-
Deadbolts on one or more exterior doors were inoperable (handle spun freely at
front door). A qualified person should repair as necessary.
- Lock mechanisms on many
windows were damaged. A qualified person should repair as necessary.
-
Vinyl flooring was deteriorated in some (kitchen) areas. A qualified person
should repair or replace as necessary.