I observed a photo of a horizontal crack in a basement wall. While the grade on the outside was away from the home it did have large rocks in the backfill which csn lead to these cracks appearing. The wall seemed to be bowing also indicating pressure from the soil outside pushing inward on the basement wall foundation
I chose to inspect a brick wall on the inside of a dwelling. Looking throughout the interior of the building I found several mortar joints that seem to have been repointed. Through reading within the course I know this may be due to movement in the structural foundation of the building and that although it is only a small fraction of the overall structure this may lead to further problems down the line. I cannot tell when the joint was repaired but in this house it is said that the older the crack the less significant the problem. If I were to inspect this during a real home inspection I would take note of it and explain it may be indicative of a bigger problem.
The article I chose to read was titles, Cause of Deaths in the U.S. This article was very short but detailed several ways people die in the U.S. each year and further stressed the importance to detecting radon within the walls of a home. This article and chart is important not only for the inspector but also for the homeowner who should be informed on the statistics as well so that they can further make a decision to if they want a radon test done in their home.
One of the components of a roofing system is step flashing. Step flashing is vital to preventing moisture intrusion where there are different elevations in the roof. on this inspection we found short shingles to the point that nails were exposed and doing very little of its intended purpose.
Adjustable steel columns are most often found in basements and ocassionally in crawlspaces. One of the requirements is the steel column should be right at 3" in diameter. If it is too small in diameter it will not be able to carry the load. If it is too large in diameter it may buckle.
There is major structural damage on corner of building which poses an immediate safety hazard. Major settling cracks from possible wash out of foundation. This poses an immediate safety hazard if power is turned on due to wall separating at power meter. Power company should be called to report situation and structural engineer should be consulted on stability of wall before entering home.
As we prepare to do home inspection it is important to prepare customer ahead of time to allow for a more thorough inspection process. Have customer confirm water, electrical and gas are turned on along with pilot lights on. Put pets away and clear access to attics, crawlspaces, HVAC equip, electrical service panel, and water heater. These few items will clear up inspector to focus on doing a great job vs a good job.
This is a photo of a closet ceiling in a finished basement. The leak was traced up to the laundry room right above the closet. There was no moisture present and it was determined that leak was not recent and probably came from a washing machine leaking above.
This property is on a slab on grade with block walls. The stucco wall covering is in fair condition and the walls had no visible cracks. There is good grading away from the property and the landscaping is well kept.
I read “Structural Design of Lateral Resistance to Wind and Earthquake for the Home Inspector” by Nick Gromicko and Ben Gromicko. I learned that designers must provide a system of shear walls to transfer lateral loads to prevent building collapse.
This photograph shows major cracking and separation in the drywall of a ceiling where the existing kitchen transitions into an non permitted home addition . The break in the drywall is not on the seam of the drywall but several inches from it showing a possible structural issue from the new addition . The laminate wood floors in the area are also showing signs of separation. I recommend having the home and addition inspected by a licensed general contractor.
I read the article on ant inspections and learned more certainly how to identify winged ants from winged termites. Ants have elbowed antenna while termites have straight antenna. Termites will do make damage to the wood because they live off of it and dont just tunnel through the way some ants do.
This shows uplift on a floor support/ column, or this shows the foundation settling. As you can see the TGI, has compressed buy the girder. It appears that a professional needs to inspect/diagnose/repair this problem. this is a material defect.
Advantages of Solar Energy, by Nick Gromicko, has many positive reasons for the home owner to research to add solar power to your house. California and Texas have brownouts in the heat of the summer, this would eliminate that problem. While living in Colorado, my neighbor had to put a special resistor on his solar house because he produced too much electricity, and would damage the transformer during a outage.
The above photo is that of the half bath located on the main floor of the residence. As you can see in the photo, there is proper clearance of the door opening into the bathroom. There was also proper clearance on both sides of the toilet. The toilet was properly secured to the floor bolts, There were no signs of leakage at the time of the inspection. The toilet flushed and recycled as it should.
Due to the fact that my inspection business will be in Florida, I chose the article “Crawlspace Hazards and Inspection”. A lot can be detected from the crawlspace. How well the foundation was constructed, water leaks, improper piping and wiring. But, there comes hazards as well. Before entering a crawlspace, make sure you have a good flashlight to take a good look around. Look for animals, or evidence that they may have been there (droppings). Look for standing water, check the foundation supports to make sure they are not makeshift. Make sure you are properly outfitted to go in. At the least, you should have on rugged pants or jeans, long sleeve shirt, gloves and some type of head cover. Once inside the crawlspace, carefully move around watching out for wires, sharp edges and other hazards. It would also be a good idea to use some type of respirator to protect your lungs from unseen dangers.
This crack in a garage floor appears to be from settling in my opinion but in order to be on the safe side I would still note it in my report. At the least it notify the client to observe the crack in the future should it get worse.
efflorescence is a chalky powder that is usually white and sometimes yellow or brown . it is from dissolved salt crystals. While being normal to see a little and is only a cosmetic issue the presence of heavy deposits can be a sign of water intrusion and should be noted in an inspection report.
This is a masonry fireplace with no open breaches in the smoke chamber. The damper is functional. The hearth and mantle are composed of brick and have no visible deficiencies . The screen is a stand alone screen and could be removed by the seller.
When i inspect the gutter or drainage system there are several things that need to be inspected. If no system is present then the report will reflect this deficiency. Gutters should be inspected for debris and proper downspouts. Loose gutters must also be marked.