Townhouse Inspection: This inspection consists predominantly of an interior viewing of the inspected unit and a partial visual inspection of other areas of the perimeter of the structure - the roof, the grounds and the common areas that are available and open for observation. Only this unit was open to inspection, so there was no attention given to any adjacent units or other units in the structure. Regarding zero lot line townhouse construction, responsibilities for maintenance and repairs falls substantially on the individual owner, although there are sections of the structure that will need cooperative efforts for repair, such as roofs, common exterior walls, common exterior grounds etc. For specific responsibilities though, gaining information from the condominium association's agreement is recommended to determine the actual responsibilities of the new occupant and how it may be shared with the group. It is highly recommended that the association’s building records and minutes be examined to determine whether there have been issues in the past at other units that might indicate a more substantial issue than what might be observed at the inspected unit, or that might require a general assessment.

Occasionally, repairs that are planned to be undertaken at a building complex can require a substantial outlay of funds that may not be covered in the available monetary accounts of the building association. This might involve an assessment to each individual occupant. I would recommend gaining any information possible from the association regarding any planned repairs and the availability of funds to cover these situations, so as not to be surprised by a planned or special assessment.

The approximate square footage listed here is listed as a courtesy and is based off of public records and disclosure. An evaluation of square footage of the buildings and property lines is beyond the scope of this inspection.

Please note that snow and ice will limit the scope of the inspection. Typically, a visual inspection of the roof and grounds on the outside of the house is severalty limited when snow and ice are present.

The property has a fencing system in place. Inspection and evaluation of fencing is beyond the scope of a home inspection. If the fencing system is important for your use of this property, I recommended a self-examination to see how it will meet your needs. I may make cursory comments about fencing as a courtesy.

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Please note that the roof was too tall to access by ladder and walk safely. A drone was used to try and get some information about the roof. This is not as good an inspection as walking the roof but is the best and safest option, given limited access. Any relevant photos or videos will be included in this report.

Roof flashings are used to keep a roofing system waterproof where the roofing material starts, stops, changes direction, or is penetrated. During the inspection, we look for standard flashing techniques that could be considered normal or standard in our region. Damaged, incomplete or non-standard flashings can be a sign of an older or less reliable roofing system and may require repair. Any non-standard flashings noted during the inspection will be reported below if found.

During a home or property inspection, every effort is made to inspect the visible components of the electrical system grounding. The grounding system is critical for safely discharging electrical surges, especially in the case of lightning strikes. There is no way in the context of a home inspection to verify the "effectiveness" of the grounding system as much of the system is not visible, and there are no practical tests one can perform in the way we can test a furnace or a plumbing fixture. However, many things can lead me to recommend further evaluation of the grounding system by a licensed electrical contractor, and they will be documented in the observations below if discovered.

During the inspection, I attempt to visually document electrical system bonding. There is no way in the context of a home inspection to verify the "effectiveness" of system bonding. All metallic systems in the building are required to be "bonded" (connected) to the the building's electrical grounding system. Bonding creates a pathway to shunt static charges (that would otherwise build up on the system) to earth, and to provide a pathway to trip a breaker in the event that these bonded metallic components became energized. There are many things that can lead me to recommend further evaluation of this system by a licensed electrical contractor and they will be documented as repair items in the observations below if discovered.

During inspection I make an effort to test and inspect all accessible electric receptacles and switches. In general, the scope of testing is directly related to access; where personal belonging and furniture obstruct access to receptacles and fixtures, fewer of them can be reasonably tested during inspection. All defects found during inspection today will be listed in this report. Inspection/testing of the electrical system can be challenging. It should be anticipated that not all defects will be discovered and that some issues found may actually not be defects at all. Tools used to verify proper wiring and function can vary wildly in reliability/consistency. The kinds of tools that could be used to confidently analyze the system and its function cannot typically be done in the context of a Standard Home Inspection. I look for indications of issues, based on the age of the home, types of wiring systems used etc, as well as personal experience and by testing with a variety of common tools. Issues identified, will be further discussed with recommendations in the electrical section below.

The installation of carbon monoxide alarms is recommended for all homes that have fuel burning appliances such as gas or oil furnaces, gas water heaters, gas ovens and cooktops, gas fireplaces, and wood stoves. The location should be: at least one alarm outside of all sleeping areas and one on each floor of the house. Best practices are to have these alarms hardwired with a battery back-up - though requirements are for the installation to meet the manufacturer's specifications. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can cause sickness, nausea, and even death. Alarms have a useful service life of roughly 6 years, so changing them more frequently than smoke alarms is recommended.

The heating and cooling system has disposable air filters installed. These should be changed quarterly or more to ensure proper airflow at the furnace. Be sure to install the filters with the arrows pointing in the same direction as the airflow in the furnace.

The following list is a minimum set of requirements to be expected of heat pump or air conditioning servicing. I provide these as a courtesy to show they types of check-ups that should be expected from a professional servicing.

• Check compressor efficiency
• Check refrigerant level
• Clean the condenser coil
• Change or clean air filters
• Inspect contactors and wiring
• Inspect drive-sheaves, pulleys and belts
• Check and adjust for proper air flow
• Clean the blower motor as needed
• Lubricate all motors and shaft bearings
• Check, calibrate and program the thermostats and be sure the thermostat has adequate batteries as needed
• Check unit smoke detector, clean filter if applicable
• Check safety disconnect, laser-temp -- check across contacts

Determining proper ventilation to the exterior from kitchen, bath, and laundry fans can be tricky as exhaust fan ductwork is often concealed behind finishes and fan terminations can be all over the house from the roof to the foundation, presenting difficulties for systematically checking every fan termination. During inspection, every effort is made to verify proper terminations of fan vents to the exterior, but it is possible to miss something here that is latent or concealed.

Copper water supply pipes were installed. Copper pipes installed prior to the late 1980's may be joined with solder that contains lead, which 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 approximately 50% lead. Note that testing for toxic materials such as lead, is beyond the scope of this inspection. Consider having a qualified lab test for lead, and if necessary take steps to reduce or remove lead from the water supply. Various solutions include:

• Flush water taps or faucets. Do not drink water that has been sitting in the plumbing lines for more than 6 hours
• Install appropriate filters at points of use
• Use only cold water for cooking and drinking, as hot water dissolves lead more quickly than cold water
• Have a qualified plumber replace supply pipes and/or plumbing components as necessary

A floor drain was noted in the adjacent to the water heater. I do not test floor drains, but I do recommend they be tested for function by the homeowner or a handy person by running a hose in them for a prolonged time or having them professionally scoped by a qualified plumber. The traps in these drains sometimes dry out allowing sewer gases and vermin into the home. As a part of routine maintenance, I recommend making sure the drain trap has water in it and is properly covered.

The water temperature was tested multiple times during inspection. It is common for water temperatures to fluctuate throughout the house depending on the distance from the water heater, the water heater settings, the type of water heater and any thermostatic controls used in the plumbing fixtures and mixing valves. For reporting, the median temperature is used.

This thermal image shows approximate water temperature at the time of inspection.

Attic and roof cavity ventilation is a frequently misunderstood element of residential construction. All roof cavities are required to have ventilation. The general default standard is 1 to 150 of the attic area and ideally, this comes from at least 60% lower roof cavity ventilation and 40% upper, but this is an over-simplifications of the subject. As a good guiding principle the most important elements for healthy attic spaces, which are traditionally insulated and ventilated are:

1. Make sure the ceiling between the living space and the attic is airtight
2. Ventilate consistently across the whole lower part of the roof cavity with low, intake soffit venting
3. Upper roof cavity venting is less important and if over-installed can exacerbate air migration into the attic from the living space.
4. Avoid power ventilators which can depressurize the attic and exacerbate air migration from the house into the attic.

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