Repairs

• RPWDO-1 Rodents, Pests and Wood Destroying Organisms:

  A bees nest or wasp nest was noted in the attic. This was not active at the time of inspection but I recommend removal of all nesting material and use caution as there is always a risk that the inspects are dormant.

• G-1 Grounds:

  Eliminate wood /soil contact to reduce the chances for rot and pest damage and repair any hidden rot as needed - see southwest corner. Generally, a 6-inch clearance between soils and wood is recommended. This is often not realistic on older homes, but repairs should be made to get as much clearance as is possible and all contact with the soils should be eliminated.

• G-3 Grounds:

  Deteriorated concrete was noted at the entry walkway. This is typical of older concrete. Update or repair as needed.

• G-4 Grounds:

  All trees, branches and vegetation should be pruned at least six feet away from the building to eliminate a condition conducive to wood destroying organisms and a path for rodent entry.

• G-5 Grounds:

  The retaining wall in the back yard is leaning and in unreliable condition. Old walls like this can sometimes last for many years in this state but repairs could be needed at any time. Hydrostatic pressure from heavy rains and earthquakes could both cause further movement which could necessitate retaining wall repair. Monitor and repair as needed. One option is to punch weep holes into the concrete to reduce hydrostatic pressure.

• G-6 Grounds:

  Mild wood decay was noted at the old back stairs. In addition, these are steep steps with short treads. Updating is recommended.

• EG-3 Exterior/Garage:

  A cracked window pane was noted at the southwest side. This requires window glass replacement for a proper repair. Hire a glazing specialist to further evaluate and repair.

• EG-8 Exterior/Garage:

  The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) recommends an annual inspection of all chimneys, fireplaces, solid fuel-burning appliances, and vents. They also recommend an NFPA 211 Standard, Level II inspection upon sale or transfer of the property. A Level II inspection includes, not only cleaning the interior of the chimney pipe, but also the use of specialized tools and testing procedures such as video cameras, etc. to thoroughly evaluate the serviceability of the entire flue lining and fireplace/chimney system. If one has not been performed over the past 12 months, such an inspection is recommended before home changes ownership---for fire safety reasons. Implement any repairs as recommended.

• EG-10 Exterior/Garage:

  This property has an old bunker style concrete garage on the street. This looks too small to park inside of. Vegetation has started to grow over the garage. I recommend cutting vegetation back and being sure to eliminate and wood to soils contact.

• RA-2 Roof/Attic:

  The attic access point is damaged and requires repair. The plaster is damaged at the access hatch cover is missing. Repair as needed and be sure the hatch is well insulated and air-sealed.

• RA-3 Roof/Attic:

  The rafters in the attic appear to be over-spanned. I recommend additional inspection of this roof frame by a qualified contractor. Adding collar ties and or a perlin system may be recommended to prevent sagging, deflection or even failure.

• RA-5 Roof/Attic:

  The attic and roof cavity ventilation look to be inadequate - see no lower intake ventilation. Standards recommend open ventilation levels in a ratio of 1 to 150 of the attic area. During re-roofing, I recommend having a roofing company evaluate the level of ventilation on this roof and improve with ridge, soffit, core or other vents as recommended. Additional ventilation will likely be recommended by a roofing contractor when re-roofing.

• E-2 Electrical:

  The electric service drop is in contact with the gutter and downspout system. This is a safety hazard. Hire a licensed electrician and/or consult with your utility to further evaluate and repair this condition. The risk here is energizing the gutter and downspout system which would be a serious safety hazard.

• E-7 Electrical:

  The bonding wire for the BX cable appears to have been brought into the main electric panel. This is non-standard. Have this further evaluated and repaired as recommended by a licensed electrician.

• E-8 Electrical:

  The exterior receptacle covers are damaged and require replacement - see back deck. Use the modern "in-use" receptacle covers designed for outdoor use which employ large plastic water-resistant covers.

• E-9 Electrical:

  There are a series of receptacles and switches on the exterior of the building that appear to be rated for interior use - see southwest corner of house. Replace all of these with a proper exterior rated receptacles and switches.

• E-10 Electrical:

  The use of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interruption) protection is inconsistent with modern minimum standards for safety - see kitchen countertops. GFCI protection is recommended for the electrical receptacles in the following locations: the two dedicated kitchen appliance circuits, all receptacles within 6 feet of a sink, bathrooms, exterior, garage, unfinished basements, laundry and all wet and damp locations. GFCI's protect against electrocution by limiting the duration of an electrical shock. These are an important modern safety feature that have proven to save lives. Hire a licensed electrician to further evaluate and update GFCI protection for improved safety.

• E-11 Electrical:

  Reverse polarity was noted at the electrical receptacle on the west dining room wall. This is when the hot and the neutral have been wired backwards. This is a safety issue that should be corrected by a licensed electrician.

• E-12 Electrical:

  Hire a licensed electrician to eliminate all open grounds. This is a common condition in older buildings (prior to 1962) where three prong receptacles have been installed on an older two wire system. This creates a safety hazard as it is false advertising; appliances that rely on an equipment ground to discharge a fault can be plugged into ungrounded circuits. This disables the important safety feature of an equipment ground. Proper repair can include:

  • Running an equipment grounding conductor or a new three-wire circuit
  • Filling the third prong of the receptacle or restoring a two-prong receptacle or
  • Installing GFCI protection for this circuit and labeling the open ground receptacles

  If GFCI protection is used, the outlets on this circuit should be labeled so it is clear they are protected.

• E-13 Electrical:

  The loose receptacle in the building should be secured to prevent accidental damage to the wiring connections. Securing loose receptacles can often be done by just tightening some set screws between the receptacle and the junction box, though sometimes it can get more complex if the box itself is loose. Repair as needed.

• E-14 Electrical:

  The only electric outlet for the bathroom is in the light fixture. Install a GFCI protected outlet for the bathroom.

• E-15 Electrical:

  No electric receptacle was noted in the basement bathroom. This is common in older homes where the only receptacle was in the old light fixture that was removed. A GFCI protected circuit is needed for the bathroom.

• E-17 Electrical:

  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 cook-tops, gas fireplaces and wood stoves. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can cause sickness, nausea and even death. For more information, consult the Consumer Product Safety Commission at 1-800-638-2772 (C.P.S.C.) Modern standards in many states now recommend one CO alarm outside of all bedrooms and at least 1 per floor of the house.

• E-18 Electrical:

  Modern standards recommend smoke alarms in all bedrooms, in all hallways outside bedrooms and at least one on each floor of the building. At the time of inspection no alarms were found in the bedrooms.

• P-10 Plumbing:

  This is a very old water heater. Replacement is recommended for improved reliability as this unit could fail at any point. The average life of these water heaters is 8-20 years. The service life of a water heater will depend on a variety of factors such as water quality and regular scheduled maintenance such as flushing the tank and replacing sacrificial anodes.

• P-11 Plumbing:

  Corrosion was noted on the supply connectors on top of the house water heater. This is an old water heater. Consider updating the water heater soon as it may not be worth correcting these older corroded connectors and keeping this old tank.

• P-13 Plumbing:

  The discharge tube for the water heater relief valve is inadequate. Discharge tubes should always terminate by pointing toward the ground to eliminate a scald hazard and should be between 6" and 18" off the ground. Ideally, the discharge tube terminates to an exterior or unfinished location or above a drain, though this is not always possible. The drain should also slope to drain to prevent water pooling inside the discharge tube.

• P-15 Plumbing:

  The hose bib at the front side of the house is poorly mounted to the siding. This could cause leaks in the siding around the hose bib and could allow the hose bib to become loose during operation. Hose bibs should be securely mounted to blocks that are lead into the siding and which are properly flashed or caulked.

• LAP-3 Laundry and Additional Plumbing:

  Secure the loose laundry sink to prevent accidental damage to the plumbing. These sinks should be bolted to the wall and floor as needed to prevent stresses on the supply and waste piping.

• LAP-4 Laundry and Additional Plumbing:

  The waste plumbing below the laundry sink is leaking and requires repair. Hire a licensed plumber to further evaluate and repair. Please also note the way the sink is backing up during clothes washer discharge; improving this seems logical.

• HCFV-5 Heating, Cooling, Fireplaces and Ventilation:

  The basement bath fan is disconnected in the basement.

• HCFV-7 Heating, Cooling, Fireplaces and Ventilation:

  The hearth extension in front of the wood-burning fixture appears to be inadequate. The concern here is that cracks in the tile and gaps in the mortar could allow embers to get below the non-combustible surface. Repair as recommended b y a qualified chimney sweep.

• I-2 Interior:

  The wall to wall caret is in poor condition - see especially the north bedroom. Carpet replacement / updating is recommended.

• I-4 Interior:

  Cracking plaster was noted inside around the flue for the chimney. I would consider removal of this chimney and note there is a risk of water damage around the chimney. Water could be coming from vapor in the products of combustion or from rain at the exterior.

• I-7 Interior:

  The paper face of the insulation in the basement is exposed. This paper face is flammable and should be covered by a wallboard material or removed for improved fire safety.

• I-9 Interior:

  The ends of the hand rail should return into the wall to prevent clothing or accessories from catching on the end of the railing and creating a trip hazard - see basement stairs.

• I-10 Interior:

  This home has a hodge podge of different windows that are in generally poor condition. Most of the windows are the original wood windows with some storm windows in places. The north bedroom windows are painted shut. The only really deficient window is in the west bathroom - I would update this one during bathroom renovation. The rest of the window seem generally functional with some minor repairs / adjustment.

• K-1 Kitchen:

  The kitchen has no provisions for ventilation. An exhaust fan that ducts to the exterior is required at least somewhere in the kitchen. Lack of ventilation to the exterior is a potential safety hazard and will be inconvenient with cooking odors. Update during renovations.

• K-2 Kitchen:

  An air gap is recommended to protect the dishwasher from accidental contamination if the sewer line were to back up. If an air gap cannot be installed, at least run the drain line above the level of the sink drain to create a high loop. This was an older way of protecting the dishwasher. Hire a licensed plumber to install an air gap.

• FB-6 Family Bathroom:

  Mold-like substances were noted in the family bathroom walls and ceiling. Clean and seal all mold-like substances with cleaners and stain-killing paints as needed. Please note that mold and mold testing is beyond the scope of this inspection. Localized mold growth is common in bathrooms where building materials stay damp. Shellac-based stain-killing paints can be effective sealers. Finish paints should be glossy to low-sheen paint to better shed water and allow for cleaning. Using bath fans to exhaust moist air is important to prevent mold growth and fans can be places on timers so they run . Mold specialists can be hired as desired to further investigate these stains and remediate. Mold remediation companies are often expensive and it can be more cost-effective to exhaust simple painting, sealing, cleaning and ventilation repairs prior to retaining specialists for such a localized water problem.

• BB-1 Basement Bathroom:

  Leaks were noted at the angle stop below the basement bathroom sink. Have this evaluated and repaired by a plumber.