“Cool” Energy-Efficient Roofs. Cool roofs are coatings and/or sheets that are applied to roofs to make them reflect the sun in order to keep building’s interior cooler and more energy-efficient, which is especially important during summer months and in warmer climates. I didn’t know such a product even existed. Cooler roof means cooler attic. Cool
Water Heater is a 40-gallon, natural-gas-fired unit. 38,000 BTU. Unit is located in garage and properly elevated from garage floor on a stand. I did not observe any indication of leaks during my inspection. TPR valve piping does not extend to exterior. Recommend further evaluation by a licensed plumbing contractor.
The homeowners roof has damage to or is missing its gutters and is also missing a large section of asphalt shingles on the west facing side. Many adverse affects can come from exposed roofing Based on my inspection I recommend consulting a roofing professional.
I chose to use the interNachi article titled a garage inspection. The second picture is of of the connection from the truss to the wall. I learned from this picture to always double check and be thorough because a distracted inspector may have not caught the problems.
This is in a crawl-space where there is exposed earth and sitting water. There is insufficient vapor barrier and sitting water. Recommend further evaluation by a licensed contractor who specializes in crawl-space and water management repairs/restoration. Recommend vapor barrier cover all exposed earth in crawl-space.
“Receptacle Inspection - Uploaded December 31, 1969”
This picture from the NACHI gallery shows the inspector testing a representative number of outlets in the home being inspected. This outlet test shows to be grounded and in good working condition. The inspector also tests all GFCI outlets with this same testing tool.
This is an electric space heater. It operated as expected when then temperature is raised or lowered. There is a dresser that partially covers the unit which could presents a potential safety and maintenance issue if not moved to another location. The curtain presents a potential fire hazard as it hangs too closely to this unit. It should be a minimum 4 inches above this unit.
The area under the sink is clean and there appear to be no leaks. The drain pipe installation includes an extra bend, typically referred to as an s-trap design. This type of design can syphon water from the p-trap. I recommend that a qualified plumber evaluate and make any necessary repairs.
After reading the article Window Well Inspection, I realized how these wells can be a big area of concern for a foundation. The very fact that you have a structure with the possibility of retaining large amounts of water sitting right next to your foundation makes these a big threat for water intrusion into the house. Proper mainentance and monitoring are key to preventing issues down the road.
I chose “A Garage Inspection”. This was an inspection of the garage of a condo in a complex. As the inspector was looking at the garage a neighbor mentioned that a garage just like it had collapsed. Tips from neighbors can be helpful in focusing on potential defects. In looking at the roof structure within the garage, several issues were detected. Any one of the defects would have been catastrophic, but together created a very serious issue and was noted in the report. Altering trusses without the evaluation and design of a structural engineer are a recipe for disaster. Additionally the installation of the changes were done with inadequate sheer strength. I’m sure the potential buyer was grateful to dodge this bullet. I think it pays to be able to be approachable so that neighbors are willing to share potentially pertinent information. Of course you must evaluate the issue yourself with your expertise… but a tip like this helps move the inspection along.
I was pleased to find the deck ledger Fastened with sturdy i/2 " bolts. The simpson joist hangers are correctly installed to the ledger having the proper nail in each hole provided by the manufacturer. The deck slats are properly spaced allowing the water to pass through the decking. I would recommend to the home owner to reseal the deck and under side.
I have learned that the integrity of the air distribution system is critical to the efficient and safe operation of the forced air furnace. Also the introduction of outside air to the furnace is necessary for the safe operation and efficiency of the entire system.
The electrical double cover plate by the main entrance was missing during the Home Inspection, this should be address and evaluate by a Licence electrician to meet the City code standards and rules for all residential properties to prevent any possible electrical shocking.
During the Home Residential Inspection we noticed that we could not have a proper visual inspection access to the Attic. the current belongings, boxes and other materials were present blocking all view at the time of the Attic Inspection, we were not able to performed it.
This is a image of a Split System Solar Hot unit.
The hot water base unit has excessive water leakage from the top relief valve. This has caused corrosion on the base of the tank. Recommend
1: Consulting a licensed plumber for repairs to the pressure relief.
2: Treating rusted area to prevent further corrosion.
I chose the article on Roof Drainage Systems, Part 1
In this article it had the two types of gutter systems Inbuilt and hung gutter systems. It appears that in North America you have more options regarding gutters. I have never come across a built in gutter system, Aluminium or Copper gutters in Australia. Predominantly the gutters in Western Australia are hung on the side of the house and made from a zinc coated steel or a colour bonded steel. These gutters a prone to rusting from debris build up and over flowing due to the downspout connection to under ground soak wells systems under heavy rain (old soak wells generally silt up over time). I have come across vinyl gutter but these are generally an after market DIY installation.
I looked over the very first article on saving energy. This article has some good points. There are a lot of ways to save energy without spending money. If you live smart in your home it will pay off literally. I think saving money while saving energy is a win win situation. The article might be a nice one to pass to clients for there new home
During one of my mentored inspection I came across this thermostat mounted on a mirrored wall,it is obviously a replacement and I assume the installed didn’t want to drill new holes in the mirror.It is an electronic thermostat so being out of level will not affect the operation.Just makes it a little hard to read.If it would have been the older style with mercury it would have been either on all the time or always off depending on which side of the switch the mercury ran to.There are back plates available that could have been mounted on the mirror to make proper mounting of the thermostat.
After viewing and reading about the infrared cameras and the electric panel,its amazing how much it picks up which could be a fire hazard.Being a new inspector I am going to purchase on and take the course on proper use and proper way to read the images.The amount of heat that shows up in a panel is frightening.The resistance generated by loose breakers and wires really show up well with this imaging.I was trained and have the proper PPE to remove panel covers and inspect and this will be another tool to make my inspections better.
Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs)
From this article, I have learned that AFCIs are important for the prevention of fires, due to arcing to nearby combustibles, from aged, or damaged conductor insulation. Per the International Residential Code the location of the AFCI can be at another location other than the service panel. Due to the requirements for a location other than the service panel, it would be simpler to have it located at the service panel.