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From the reports

Conditions that show up, and why they are in the report.

These photos show some of the defects that have been found on actual home inspections.

Roof and drainage

  • Aging asphalt shingle roof photographed during a Be Aware inspection

    Aging asphalt shingle roof

    Granule loss, curling, and age tell you how much life the roof has left.

  • Missing and broken asphalt shingles

    Missing or broken shingles

    Open spots let water onto the underlayment and, eventually, the deck.

  • Missing shingles with the roof decking exposed

    Missing shingles with exposed decking

    Bare wood is already a leak, not a someday leak.

  • Worn roofing documented during a home inspection

    Worn or failing roofing

    The report separates a roof that needs maintenance from one that needs replacement.

  • Open vent flashing on a roof

    Open vent flashing

    A lifted or open flashing is a common path for attic water.

  • Damaged gutter documented during a home inspection

    Damaged gutter

    Bent or separated gutters dump water against the foundation.

  • Gutter packed with debris

    Plugged gutter

    A full gutter overflows in the same place, every storm.

  • Asphalt shingle roof slope with curled, cracked, and granule-worn tabs across the field, and a roof vent near the upper edge

    Curled and cracked asphalt shingles

    Tabs across the slope are curled, cracked, and losing granules.

  • Beige downspout on a stucco wall, with plastic sheeting, a wood board leaning at the wall, plants, and a small round cap in the soil. Dated 11/20/18

    Downspout does not extend away from house

    Extension should be added to prevent water from running down the foundation

Electrical and safety

  • Electrical panel with missing knockouts, photographed during an inspection

    Missing knockouts on an electrical panel

    Open knockouts are a shock and fire gap, and they fail a careful buyer’s read of the panel.

  • Electrical box with the cover missing

    Missing electrical box cover

    Exposed splices are a simple repair and a real hazard until the cover is on.

  • Missing smoke or carbon monoxide alarm documented during an inspection

    Missing smoke or CO alarm

    Detectors are checked. Non-working and missing ones are called out in the report.

Water and moisture

  • Water pressure reading documented during a home inspection

    Water pressure too high

    High pressure wears on supply lines, fixtures, and the water heater.

  • Active water leak documented during a home inspection

    Active water leak

    A leak in progress is documented with a photo and a location, not a guess.

  • Moisture in a window, documented during a home inspection

    Moisture in windows

    Fog or staining between panes, or at the sill, points at a failed seal or a leak.

  • Ceiling moisture damage documented during a home inspection

    Ceiling moisture damage

    A stained ceiling is the clue. The report looks for the source above it.

  • White PVC drain pipes under a double sink, with a trap on the left, a horizontal run into the wall on the right, braided supply lines, and two red-handled shutoff valves

    Under-sink drain piping improper P trap

    Improperly installed P trap

  • White water heater with standing water and rust-colored staining on the concrete floor around its base

    Water on the floor near the water heater

    Water around the water heater is usually a sign of a failed water heater.

  • Bathroom corner between a tub and a toilet. The wall and baseboard are stained and peeling, and the toilet supply valve is green with corrosion. Red date stamp reads 06/11/2017 14:37

    Deteriorated wall by the tub

    The wall and baseboard between the tub and the toilet are stained and peeling.

Structure and flatwork

  • Cracked, settling concrete documented during a home inspection

    Cracked, settling concrete

    Offset cracks can mean movement, not just a surface shrink crack.

  • Spalling concrete documented during a home inspection

    Spalling concrete

    Surface breakup from freeze-thaw or a weak finish.

  • Cracked cement documented during a home inspection

    Cracked cement

    Walks, drives, and flatwork are noted where the crack affects use or drainage.

  • Painted brick wall with a stair-step crack through the mortar joints, continuing from a crack in the concrete foundation

    Stair-step crack in brick

    The crack follows the mortar joints up the painted brick from the foundation.

  • Textured stucco under a window with a vertical crack running down to the brick course below. Red date stamp reads 07/25/18

    Crack in stucco below a window

    A vertical crack runs in the stucco from the window sill down to the brick.

HVAC, garage, and glass

  • Dirty HVAC equipment documented during a home inspection

    Dirty HVAC equipment

    A neglected unit is a maintenance item and sometimes a sign of a larger service gap.

  • HVAC line with damaged or missing insulation

    Damaged or missing HVAC line insulation

    Bare refrigerant lines waste energy and sweat onto whatever is below them.

  • HVAC equipment missing its base

    Missing HVAC base

    Equipment that is not sitting on a proper pad moves, rusts, and is harder to service.

  • Garage door documented during a home inspection

    Faulty garage door

    The door and the opener are tested with the normal controls, including the safety reverse.

  • Cracked window documented during a home inspection

    Cracked window

    A cracked lite is a safety item and, depending on where it sits, a water item.

  • Outdoor air-conditioner condenser on a concrete pad, with a torn grille at the lower left and darkened coil fins. Red date stamp reads 05/08/18

    Damaged condenser grille

    The grille is torn open at the bottom of the condenser, with the coil behind it.

  • Garage door opener with the door partly open. Red arrows point at the rail near the header and at the roller hardware on top of the door. Dated 03/07/18

    Damaged garage door

    Arrows in the photo mark damaged places on the garage door.

  • Unfinished attic with wood rafters and a large flexible insulated duct lying across the ceiling joists, with white vent piping nearby

    Missing attic insulation in new built

    Missing insulation causes energy loss and reduces the comfort of the home

  • Garage door jamb beside a brick wall. White trim paint is peeling to a brown layer and the trim edge is split. Red date stamp reads 10/06/17

    Damaged trim at the garage door

    Missing paint and deteriorated trim around the garage door

Interior

  • Cream six-panel interior door with a crack across the top rail and a broken lower panel, a brass knob, and a red date stamp reading 05/08/18

    Cracked interior door

    A crack runs through the top rail, and the lower panel is broken open.

See the full inspection list

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