11) Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  The parking area had significant cracks and/or deterioration/trip hazards in areas. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace driveway sections as necessary.

12) Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Stairs/walkways have settled. Recommend evaluation and repair. Consider slab jacking if possible as a repair method to ensure proper slope away from the building and to help remove any trip hazards.

Article explaining slab jacking https://homeinspectionsinohio.com/understanding-slab-jacking-a-cost-effective-solution-for-sunken-concrete/

16) Major Defect, Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Major cracks or areas of deterioration were found in multiple section(s) of brick/parapet wall. These are likely caused by significant movement of the foundation and/or walls. The client(s) are strongly advised to hire qualified contractors and/or engineers as necessary for further evaluation. Such contractors may include:

• Foundation repair contractors who may prescribe repairs, and will give cost estimates for prescribed repairs
• Masonry contractors who repair and/or replace brick sections
• Geotechnical engineers who attempt to determine if settlement is ongoing, and what the cause of the settlement is
• Structural engineers who determine if repairs are necessary, and prescribe those repairs

17) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Sidewalks and/or patios have significant cracks and/or deterioration in areas. Recommend evaluation and repair or replace sidewalk and/or patio sections as necessary.

18) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  It appears that the buried drain lines are clogged/collapsed due to the lack of use of them. Consider evaluation and repair to better direct water away from the foundation.

19) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Soffit boards were damaged or deteriorated in at least one area(s). Recommend evaluation and repairs as necessary.

Note that in these areas rafter "tails" are not visible.

20) Repair/Replace -  The perimeter grading sloped towards the structure in areas and was too flat in other areas. This is a common find. 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. Wet soil may also cause the foundation to settle and possibly fail over time. Recommend grading soil so it slopes down and away from the structure. The grade should drop at least 6 inches within the first 10 feet. Correct any negative slope of brick/concrete areas as well to direct water away from structure. https://homeinspectionsinohio.com/negative-grading/

Where the site does not allow for the necessary fall away from the structure, drains or swales could be used.

21) Repair/Replace -  Perimeter pavement/bricked area sloped towards structure in two area(s). 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. Recommend having repairs made as necessary so all perimeter areas slope down and away from the structure.

Article explaining slab jacking https://homeinspectionsinohio.com/understanding-slab-jacking-a-cost-effective-solution-for-sunken-concrete/

36) Safety, Major Defect, Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  This building had solid-strand branch circuit aluminum wiring. This type of aluminum wiring can be a potential fire hazard. Problems due to expansion and contraction can cause overheating at connections between the wire and devices such as switches and receptacles, or at splices. The Consumer Products Safety Commission recommends either discontinuing use of circuits with aluminum wiring, or pigtailing copper wiring onto the ends of the aluminum wire. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair or replace this wiring.

Kitchen panel

37) Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  One overcurrent protection device was "double tapped", where 2 or more wires are clamped in a terminal that is 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. An electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary.

Kitchen panel

38) Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Neutral wires were doubled or bundled with other conductors on the neutral bus bar in the sub panel. Neutral wires should each have their own terminal and not placed together. 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.

If a neutral wire is bundled with a ground, it is considered a lesser concern and very common for buildings prior to 2002 typically.


In storage stairwell.

39) Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  At least two open ground, three-pronged electric receptacles were found. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. Recommend consulting with a qualified electrical contractor to determine alternatives to grounding the branch circuits in specific areas, and for bringing the receptacles into compliance with current safety standards. Some possibilities:

(1) Establishing a grounding connection for the circuits (rewiring is at times not practical)
(2) Installation of ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection at the branch circuits and affixing warning labels to the receptacles.
(3) Replacing the improperly installed grounding-type receptacles with a 2-prong type receptacle.

Three prong receptacles without an equipment ground that are protected by a GFCI should be labeled as such and any receptacle downstream of the GFCI as well. A qualified electrician should always provide additional information to you and complete the repairs that involve wiring.

Grounding type receptacles began being required in structures during the 1960s. Based on the age of this structure an acceptable repair may be to simply replace the ungrounded 3-pronged receptacles with 2-pronged receptacles. However, the following appliances require grounding type receptacles:
Computer hardware
Refrigerators
Freezers
Air conditioners
Clothes washers
Clothes dryers
Dishwashers
Kitchen food waste disposers
Information technology equipment
Sump pumps
Electrical aquarium equipment
Hand-held motor-operated tools
Stationary and fixed motor-operated tools
Light industrial motor-operated tools
Hedge clippers
Lawn mowers

This list is not exhaustive. Grounded circuits and receptacles should be installed in locations where such appliances will be used.

40) Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  One section of wiring that was not terminated was 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.

41) Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Wire splices were exposed due to not being contained in a covered junction box or in a box that had no cover. 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 and/or cover plates where needed to contain wiring splices.

50) Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  What appears to be asbestos was visible on some ductwork. It was significantly deteriorated in some areas, and if it is asbestos, it may pose a health hazard and require abatement. Recommend having this material tested at a qualified lab. If the material is found to contain asbestos, recommend consulting with a qualified asbestos abatement contractor or industrial hygenist. For information on asbestos hazards, visit https://www.cpsc.gov/safety-education/safety-guides/home/asbestos-home

Blog post regarding asbestos https://homeinspectionsinohio.com/about-asbestos/

51) Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  The furnace or boiler flame(s) are yellow or orange rather than blue. This may be caused by inadequate combustion air and/or dirty or clogged burners. A qualified heating and cooling contractor should evaluate and repair as necessary.

66) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Pin holes and/or corrosion were visible on one area(s) of copper water supply pipes. Leaks may result because of this. Recommend evaluate and replace water supply components as necessary.

Was not actively leaking at time of inspection.

67) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  One sink drain in kitchen had substandard repairs, such as tape, sealant and/or non-standard components. A qualified plumber should evaluate and repair as necessary.

68) Repair/Replace -  A water heater is installed over or next to 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.

83) Safety, Repair/Replace -  4 of the chimney flue(s) did not have a screened cover installed. Screened covers prevent the following:

• Fire hazard from wood fire sparks and embers exiting flues
• Wildlife (birds, rodents, raccoons, etc.) entering flues
• Rainwater entering flues and mixing with combustion deposits, creating caustic chemicals which can corrode flues
• Rainwater entering flues and causing damage to terracotta flue tiles from freeze-thaw cycles

Recommend installing screened cover(s) where missing. Screens should have holes 1/4 inch or larger.

84) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  The masonry chimney's mortar was deteriorated/had gaps and should be repaired to prevent further, significant deterioration. Recommend having a qualified chimney service contractor or mason evaluate chimney and repair as necessary. This will likely require repointing the mortar.

What is tuckpointing? https://homeinspectionsinohio.com/what-is-tuckpointing

88) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  One section(s) of roof flashing were deteriorated and/or rusted. Leaks may occur as a result. A qualified roofing contractor should evaluate and replace flashing where necessary.

89) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Shingles were damaged, deteriorated and/or missing in area(s). Recommend evaluation by a roofer and replacement of any shingles in need to help prevent leaks.

90) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Gaps were found in 4 roof surface seams. These may result in leaks. Recommend evaluation and repair/sealing as necessary.

91) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Ceiling insulation was uneven in some areas. The ceiling insulation's R rating was also less than what's recommended for this area (R30). Recommend installing additional insulation as per standard building practices for better energy efficiency.

Older buildings often have R below 13 while recently built buildings have higher R factors of typically 36 to 49 as result of standards changing over time.
We consider R factor of 30 to be the minimum. Adding additional insulation would be considered an upgrade and you should calculate the return on the investment as it will likely take several years to get a return.

92) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Shingles had missing granules. Scraped /missing granules will shorten the life of those shingles. Recommend repair/replacing.

93) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Sag/soft area was located. Recommend evaluation and repair/support as needed.

94) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  The membrane roof was bridging in areas. Bridging is where the rubber begins lifting (due to shrinking) and creating space between the membrane and vertical areas such as walls or platforms. This is an indication of an older membrane or inadequate installation. Recommend evaluation and repairs to relax the tension on the membrane to help prevent gaps from being created.

95) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Ventilation was substandard in the attic. Inadequate attic ventilation may result in high attic and roof surface temperatures, reduce the life of the roof covering materials and increase cooling costs. High levels of moisture are also likely, and can be a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms. Standard building practices require one square foot of vent area for 150 to 200 square feet of attic space. Vents should be evenly distributed between soffits, ridges and at corners to promote air circulation. Recommend correction/improvement.

96) Repair/Replace -  The ceiling insulation's R rating was less than what's recommended for this area (at least R30). Recommend having a qualified contractor install additional insulation as per standard building practices for better energy efficiency.

Older buildings often have R below 13 while recently built buildings have higher R factors of typically 36 to 49 as result of standards changing over time.
We consider R factor of 30 to be the minimum. Adding additional insulation would be considered an upgrade and you should calculate the return on the investment as it will likely take several years to get a return.

97) Repair/Replace -  The roof access door was secured.Recommend repair.

118) Repair/Replace, Evaluate, Monitor -  Evidence of prior water intrusion was found in at least one section of the basement. For example, water stains and/or efflorescence on the foundation or floor, water stains at bases of support posts, etc. Accumulated water is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms and should not be present in the basement. The client(s) should review any disclosure statements available and ask the property owner(s) about past accumulation of water in the basement. The inspector is unable to determine how much water may enter in the future. The basement 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 the basement include:

• Repairing, installing or improving rain run-off systems (gutters, downspouts and extensions or drain lines)
• Improving perimeter grading
• Repairing, installing or improving underground footing and/or curtain drains

Ideally, water should not enter the basement, but if water must be controlled after it enters the basement, then typical repairs include installing sump pump(s) or interior perimeter drains.

119) Repair/Replace, Evaluate, Comment -  Organic growth /mold like substance observed. Unable to determine type of growth without lab testing. Recommend evaluation/ testing.

120) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Areas of elevated moisture levels or wet areas were found in section(s) of the basement. Accumulated water is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms and though common, should not be present in the basement. Finished walls, fixtures, etc restrict observations. Recommend evaluation and repair as necessary. Typical repairs for preventing water from accumulating in the basement include:

• Repairing, installing or improving rain run-off systems (gutters, downspouts and extensions or drain lines)
• Improving perimeter grading
• Repairing, installing or improving underground footing and/or curtain drains

Ideally, water should not enter the basement, but if water must be controlled after it enters the basement, then typical repairs include installing sump pump(s) or interior perimeter drains.

121) Repair/Replace -  Water supply pipes were uninsulated. Recommend insulating pipes as necessary for better energy efficiency and to help protect water pipes from freezing.

Area behind women's bathroom sinks

125) Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Guardrails were too low. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of falling. Standard building practices require that guardrails above drop-offs be a minimum of 36 inches high. Recommend evaluation and correction where necessary, and especially above drop-offs higher than 30 inches.

126) Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  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. Numerous areas of the paint found in and around this structure are in poor condition (peeling, flaking, etc.). Recommend consulting with a qualified industrial hygenist to determine the safest and most cost-effective action to take regarding the paint. Testing and/or abatement may be necessary.

127) Safety, Repair/Replace, Comment -  Asphalt-based asbestos floor tiles and plastic or vinyl-based asbestos flooring were popular in the U.S. in the 1940's - 1970's and were produced by some manufacturers (Armstrong) as late as 1980. Because of the age of the building tiles observed may be of this type. Tiles were significantly deteriorated in some areas, and if it is asbestos, it may pose a health hazard and require abatement. Recommend having this material tested at a qualified lab. If the material is found to contain asbestos, recommend consulting with a qualified asbestos abatement contractor or industrial hygienist. For information on asbestos, visit https://www.cpsc.gov/safety-education/safety-guides/home/asbestos-home

Basement closet across from kitchen

131) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Stains and elevated levels of moisture were found in at least two ceiling/wall area(s). The stain(s) appear to be due to roof leaks. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair as necessary.

Areas were: room above stairwell, storage areas

132) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Seals between double-pane glass in one window(s) had failed based on condensation or stains between at least one of the panes of glass. A qualified contractor should evaluate entire window and replace glass where necessary.

The client(s) should be aware that evidence of aging seals may be more or less visible from one day to the next depending on the temperature, humidity, sunlight, etc. Windows or glass doors other than those that the inspector identified may also have failed seals and need glass replaced too.

https://homeinspectionsinohio.com/broken-seals

133) Repair/Replace, Evaluate -  Rot / deterioration observed on at least one or more windows. Recommend evaluation and repair/replacement as needed.