Photo Defect Recognition/Report Writing Tutorial

Originally Posted By: cfischer
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Hi all,


NACHI's new Defect Recognition Tutorial is up and running, but still under construction http://www.nachi.org/defectrecognition.

This is where you come in. Please visit this thread in our Education forum http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/viewtopic.php?t=15796 and help us out.

Thanks in advance!

Christine


Originally Posted By: tschwalbe
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Would you like more pictures complete with descriptions?


A lot of the pictures you are asking for comments on it is difficult to write properly with out more information, more pictures of the area, or better larger pictures.


Thanks Todd


Originally Posted By: cfischer
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Todd,


We'd love to have more photos...feel free to email them to me at chris.fischer@nachi.org.

Thanks!

Christine


Originally Posted By: wdecker
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Electrical:


1a: Meter box door is open and insecure and may pose a problem with water infiltration into the meter box. Recommend evaluation and repair by the local electrical utility company.

2a: (Front) porch exterior light is inverted in its fixture. This may cause water infiltration into this electrical fixture. Recommend repair ny a licnesed and insured electrical contractor.

3a: Inproperly terminated (only capped) hot (assumed) electrical wire in the attic area. This may cause a shock hazard. Recommend repair by a licensed and insured electrical contractor.

4a: Non enclosed electrical wire splice at the back of the (assumed) air conditioner compressor. All electrical wiring splices must be enclosed in junction boxes, and waterproof junction boxes for exterior wiring. Recommend....

5a: Missing main service equipment panel 'punch-outs' that leave openings in the panel face. All exposed electrical conductors must be enclosed in grounded boxes. Recommend...

6a: same as 3a, with the addition of what appears to be bare conductor exposed.

7a: Improperly terminated electrical wiring entering the water heater. All wiring must be properly secured where it enters appliances. This wire also appears to have frayed insulation and could lead to a short circuit. Recommend...

8a: Open junction box in attic. All electrical wire splices must be enclosed in grounded jonction boxes. Recommend...

9a: Unenclosed and frayed exterior electrical wiring. All exterior wiring must be enclosed in waterproof conduit or junction boxes. Recommend...

10a: Frayed and physically damaged exterior service entrance conductors. When replaced, current standards require service entrance conductors be enclosed in rigid pipe to guard against physical damage. Recommend....

Hope this helps. More tomorrow.


--
Will Decker
Decker Home Services
Skokie, IL 60076
wjd@DeckerHomeServices.com

Originally Posted By: cfischer
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Will,


This is a huge help...thanks!

Christine


Originally Posted By: wdecker
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



To continue where I left off:


Electrical:

11a: Open punchout in exterior meter box. This will lead to water infiltration into the electrial system. Recommend evaluation and repair by the local electrical utility company.

12a: Frayed and ages exterior service entrance conductor. Recommend evaluation and replacement by a licensed and insured electrical contactor. Current standards call for exterior service entrance conmductors to be enclosed in rigid pipe to guard against phusical damage.

13a: Junction box has cabling that is not properly secured. Additionally, plugged in cord should not penetrate walls. Recommend evaluation and repair by a licensed and insured electrical contractor.

14a: Unenclosed electrical splice at water heater. Additionally, this splice is directly next to a water pipe. Recommend ...

15a: Damaged exterior outlet at (give location) with waterproof cover missing. Additionally, this outlet is not GFCI protected. Reccomend ...

16a: Junction box, labled 'water heater' has wiringing that is not properly secured to the box. Recommend ...

17a: Exterior electrical disconnect box is corroded. Recommend ...

18a: Damaged light fixture, with missing ceramic insulation. This is a shock hazard. Recommend ...

19a: Damaged outlet, without the required outlet cover. Recommend ...

20a: Signs of corrosion in (exterior?) sevice equipment panel. Conductors inside panel are frayed and have damaged insulation. Recommend ...

21a: Corroded and damaged exterior outlet box. The receptical box is not the proper type for exterior use (not waterproof) and the outlet is not GFCI protected. Recommend ...

22a: Exterior recepticle box has and opening that will lead to water infiltration into the electrical system. Recommend ...

23a: Improper splice. All wiring splices should be enclosed in junction boxes. Recommend ...

24a:Junction bos without a cover. Recommend ...

25a: Exterior outlet not properly secured and sealed against water infiltration. It also appears that the outlet is not equipped with a junction box. Recommend ...

26a: Light fisture in the attic has wiring that is not properly secured to the junction box. Additionally, light fixtures without light bulb protection are considered to be unsafe. Recommend ...

27a: Recepticle not properly secured in junction box and without the required cover. Recommend ...

28a: Multiple outlet extension cord used as permenently mounted recepticle. Recommend removal.

29a: Open exterior disconnect?

Hope this helps.


--
Will Decker
Decker Home Services
Skokie, IL 60076
wjd@DeckerHomeServices.com

Originally Posted By: wdecker
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Plumbing:


1a: Iproper use of plastic piping in conjunction with copper plumbing fittings. This will lead to leakage. Recommend replacement of the plastic piping with copper piping.

2a: Exterior sillcock not properly seled against water infiltration and missing a handle.

3a: Evidence of water leakage under sink at plumbing drain pipe. Corroded copper supply piping. Evidence of organic growth consistant with mold. Recommend evaluation and repair by a licensed and insured plumber and evaluation by a licensed and insured industrial hygenist.

4a: Improper connection of dishwasher drain hose to the darin pipe.

5a: Draft hood missing on the water heater. Additionally there is a connection of copper piping to steel water heater fittings which can lead to galvanic corrosion. Additionally, there is no pipe leading from the TPR (Temperature Pressure Relief) valve. TPR pipes should extend to withing 6" of the floor to gaurd against scalding. Recommend evaluation and repair by a licensed and insured plumber.

6a: Copper piping attached to water hearer fitting. This will lead to galvanic corrosion. Additionally, the required piping from the TPR value is missing. Recommend ...

7a: Improper type union fitting on drain piping. Recommend ...

8a: Illegal S trap in plumbing drain. Recommend ...

9a: Evidence of moisture below water heater. This may be a sign of imminent water heater fairure. Recommend ...

10a: Improper type Y fitting on PVC drain pipe. Recommend ...

Hope this helps.


--
Will Decker
Decker Home Services
Skokie, IL 60076
wjd@DeckerHomeServices.com

Originally Posted By: cfischer
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Thanks Will!


More pics have been added...

Christine


Originally Posted By: mgault
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Will,


Do you use Homegauge3?


Some of those sound familiar (almost exact) Did they (whomever they are), utilize a list of your standard defect write-ups or vice versa? icon_smile.gif



-Mike


A to Z Home Inspections, LLC


www.atozhomeinspections.net

Originally Posted By: wdecker
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



I use homegauge, but I have almost completely re-written the templates, boilerplate and even some of the code (I was a systems analyst in a past life).


I try to keep my callouts very descriptive (to laymen) in the 'Inspect and Describe' section or say, the 'Service Equipment' section, but then I make a seperate section for SE which I sub-title 'Findings'. This area contains all the call outs and maintenance suggestions. These I make more technical and to the point. This way, lawyewrs and tradesmen like me. The lawyers just fax the summary, with the call outs, to the other lawyer and the other lawyer just faxes the pertinant sections to the tradesmen.

I also, clearly, state 'Recommend evaluation and repair by a licensed and insured xxxxxx contractor'. In this way, I determine that one or two or three things aren't kosher, then dump the whole thing on someone else who is more of a expert than I am. Around her, for example, if I hire an electrician to come in and fix a double tap, but he also sees mis-matched breakers or umproper ground bonding, he (if he is licensed and insured) MUST, BY LAW also fix the other things he sees, not just what he was there for originally. Helps to get the liability off me and onto him.

Hope this helps.


--
Will Decker
Decker Home Services
Skokie, IL 60076
wjd@DeckerHomeServices.com

Originally Posted By: cfischer
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Hi Everyone,


I'm bumping this up to the top. We still need your help with this tutorial. Please take a look through the pics of defects and let me know how you would word it in your report.

I'm not too proud to beg for help...please, please, please! ![icon_biggrin.gif](upload://iKNGSw3qcRIEmXySa8gItY6Gczg.gif)

Thanks,
Christine